Top Hat

The surface pressure at South Pole Station is about 700mb. The global average surface pressure is 1013mb. At South Pole Station, researchers are above approximately:

30% of the air molecules in the atmosphere

On a particular day, the air temperature in Madison near the surface is 20 degrees C, and the temperature at 2km above the surface is 10 degrees C. The lapse rate in the layer between the surface and 2km is:

5 degrees C per km

The surface temperature is 25deg C, and the dew point temperature is 21deg C. Clouds that are developing from the surface have a base closest to: a. the surface at 0m b. 500m above the surface c. 1000m above the surface d. Trick question-no clouds are forming because the air at the surface is not saturated

500m above the surface

Adding one kg of methane to the atmosphere has as much of an effect on enhancing the greenhouse effect as adding about 30kg of carbon dioxide. Why is methane more effective than carbon dioxide at enhancing the greenhouse effect? a. In most regions of the absorption spectrum, carbon dioxide already absorbs 100% of radiation that tries to pass through the atmosphere. b. Methane's absorption band at about 8 micrometers does NOT currently absorb 100% of radiation passing through the atmosphere. c. There is much more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere then methane. d. All of the above are reasons why methane is more effective than carbon dioxide at enhancing the greenhouse effect.

All of the above are reasons why methane is more effective than carbon dioxide at enhancing the greenhouse effect.

Global anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide are about 40Gt per year. The land and ocean together take up about 20GtC per year. If anthropogenic emissions are reduced to 1990 levels of about 25GtC per year (with no changes in the land and ocean uptake) then Carbon Dioxide concentrations in our atmosphere will:

Continue to increase

As a saturated parcel of air rises and cools, water vapor condenses into cloud droplets. This conversion from vapor to liquid water causes the air in the parcel to: a. Cool less than it would if it were unsaturated because energy is converted from latent to sensible heat as water condenses b. Cool more than it would if it were unsaturated because energy is converted from sensible heat to latent heat as wanter condenses c. Cool at the same rate as if it were saturated-these is no conversion of energy in the parcel

Cool less than it would if it were unsaturated because energy is converted from latent to sensible heat as water condenses

The temperature in Death Valley is 110F and the dewpoint temperature is 0F. The temperature AND dewpoint temperature in Vostok, Antarctica are both -40F. The actual mixing ratio is higher in -----, and the relative humidity is higher in -----

Death Valley, Vostok

An unsaturated parcel of air descends from 2km to 1km. It's relative humidity must: Increase, decrease, or stay the same?

Decrease

The following process explains why the stratosphere gets warmer with height: a. The maximum amount of ozone is found at the top of the stratosphere (the stratopause), and hence there is more UV radiation absorbed there. b. Even though there is more ozone at the bottom of the stratosphere, there is enough ozone near the stratopause that most UV radiation is absorbed there. c. Most UV radiation is absorbed where there is more ozone, at the bottom of the stratosphere. Heat is carried upward by convection.

Even though there is more ozone at the bottom of the stratosphere, there is enough ozone near the stratopause that most UV radiation is absorbed there.

Which of the following gasses might be evidence that life exists on another planet? a. Water Vapor b. Small amounts of Carbon Dioxide c. Large amounts of Oxygen d. Small amounts of methane

Large amounts of Oxygen

The absorption spectrum below shows that visible radiation is:

Not absorbed at all (nearly) by the atmosphere

Summer in Madison is warmer than winter for the following reason(s): a. The Earth is closer to the sun during summer than during winter b. Earth's tilt results in a smaller zenith angle, and hence more "concentrated" solar radiation c. Earth's tilt results in longer days during the summer than the winter d. All of the above are true e. Only B and C are true

Only B and C are true

Which of the following gasses is essential for the evolution of life on land? a. Nitrogen b. Carbon Dioxide c. Oxygen d. Ozone

Ozone

Most clouds form because: a. Air near the surface cools to the dew point, then it rises through the atmosphere b. Air in the atmosphere cools as it descends, eventually becoming saturated c. Moisture is added to the air from various sources d. Rising air expands and cools to the dew point temperature

Rising air expands and cools to the dew point temperature

Consider four parcels of air, each with its own temperature (T) and dew point temperature (Td). Which of the following four air parcels has the highest relative humidity? a. T=70deg F, Td=-5deg F b. T=70deg F, Td=68deg F c. T=28deg F, Td=-5deg F d. T=28deg F, Td=28 deg F

T=28deg F, Td=28 deg F

Consider four parcels of air, each with its own temperature (T) and dew point temperature (Td). Which of the following four air parcels has the highest mixing ratio? a. T=70deg F, Td=-5deg F b. T=70deg F, Td=68deg F c. T=28deg F, Td=-5deg F d. T=28deg F, Td=28 deg F

T=70deg F, Td=68deg F

The Greenhouse Effect is due (mostly) to: a. The inability of energy to leave the surface of Earth due to suppressed convection b. The transparency of our atmosphere to most solar radiation c. The emission of longwave radiation by the surface of the planet d.The absorption and re-emission (back to earth) of longwave radiation by the atmosphere

The absorption and re-emission (back to earth) of longwave radiation by the atmosphere

As you sip a glass of ice-cold lemonade on a warm and dry day in Montana, you notice that NO condensation forms on the side of the glass. The following information is sufficient to explain why condensation did NOT form: a. The air's mixing ratio was 10 g/kg b. The air's relative humidity was 25 % c. The air's dewpoint temperature was -5 deg C d. The air temperature was 25 deg C

The air's dewpoint temperature was -5 deg C

Continental regions typically have ten times as many aerosols in the air as marine regions. If a continental and marine cloud had the SAME amount of LIQUID water, then: a. The marine cloud would have larger droplets than the continental cloud b. The marine cloud would have more droplets than the continental cloud c. The continental cloud would have larger droplets than the marine cloud d. Both B and C are true

The marine cloud would have larger droplets than the continental cloud

The (climatological) warmest day of the year in Madison occurs in mid-July, while the warmest day of the year in Miami occurs in mid-August. This is primarily because:

The ocean has a larger heat capacity than land, so it takes longer for Miami to warm to its maximum temperature.

We know that the long-term (e.g. 50yr) increase in CO2 in the atmosphere is anthropogenic in origin because: a. The increase in CO2 each year is equal to the amount of anthropogenic fossil fuel emissions for that year. b. The ratio of the Carbon-13 isotope to Carbon-12 isotope (in CO2) is increasing at a rate that is consistent with emissions c. The ratio of the Carbon-13 isotope to Carbon-12 isotope (in CO2) is decreasing in time.

The ratio of the Carbon-13 isotope to Carbon-12 isotope (in CO2) is decreasing in time.

CO2 concentration is increasing in our atmosphere. Which of the following must be true: a. The "sink" of CO2 (the rate at which CO2 is taken up by the land and ocean) is decreasing b. The "source" of CO2 the rate at which carbon dioxide is entering the atmosphere) is increasing c. The source of CO2 is less than the sink of CO2 d. The source of CO2bis greater than the sink of CO2

The source of CO2bis greater than the sink of CO2

The temperature at the tropopause is coldest where, and for what reason?

Tropopause temperature is coldest in the tropics because the tropopause is highest there.

True or False: It is possible for CO2 concentration to INCREASE in the atmosphere while the source of CO2 is DECREASING

True

The following physical process makes it easier for cloud droplets to begin to form: a. It is easier for water vapor to condense onto small droplets than to condense onto large droplets. b. Relative humidity over a flat surface is lower than relative humidity over a curved surface c. Water can condense onto certain aerosols in the atmosphere even at relative humidities below 100%. d. All of these physical processes are processes that make it easier for cloud droplets to begin to form.

Water can condense onto certain aerosols in the atmosphere even at relative humidities below 100%. B is incorrectly worded

If very cold air is brought indoors and warmed with no change in moisture content, then the saturated mixing ratio will ----- and the relative humidity will -----

increase, decrease