ESCI 1010 Tests

Describe 2 observations of climate change.

-Global annual average temperature (as measured over both land and oceans) has increased by more than 1.5°F (0.8°C) since 1880. -The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has only once gone above the level of 300 parts per million. It is currently at 400 parts per million. This substantial rise in carbon dioxide levels is directly correlated to the rise in global temperature.

This force is observed over great distances is at a maximum at the Equator and is a force of deflection. A. Coriolis B. Friction C. Pressure Gradient

A. Coriolis

This low-pressure system is non- frontal. A. hurricane/ tropical cyclone/ typhoon B. mid-latitude cyclone

A. Hurricane/ tropical cyclone/ typhoon

This type of fog forms on clear and calm nights where the temperature cools to the dew point. A. Radiation fog B. Advection fog C. Upslope fog D. Evaporation/ steam fog

A. Radiation fog

What time of year is air pollution a problem in Memphis? A. Summer B. Winter C. Fall D. Spring

A. Summer

An energy surplus exists in this latitudinal zone. A. Tropics (low latitudes) B. Mid- latitudes C. Polar (high latitudes)

A. Tropics (low latitudes)

Define pollution.

Airborne particles and gases that occur in concentrations that endanger the health and well-being of organisms or disrupt the orderly functioning of the environment

The reflectivity of a surface influences Earth's energy budget and is referred to with this term.

Albedo

This region of a tropical cyclone (aka: hurricane/ typhoon) is where you would encounter the greatest pressure gradient: A. Eye B. Eye wall C. Rain band

B. Eye wall

This force acts to distrust or slow winds down and operates only near Earth's surface. A. Coriolis B. Friction C. Pressure Gradient

B. Friction

The ___ profile cell is a lower latitude convection with rising, moist air associated with the equatorial low on the ascending arm and sinking dry air associated with the sub-tropical high on the descending arm. A. Ferrell B. Hadley C. Polar

B. Hadley

This type of precipitation grows when carried to the top of a cold cloud by an updraft. A. Snow B. Hail C. Rain

B. Hail

If precipitation is light-moderate and spread across a wide geographical area, we would expect to associate the precipitation with which frontal boundary? A. Cold B. Warm C. Dryline

B. Warm

As the air temperature rises throughout the day, if no moisture is added to the atmosphere, the relative humidity will: A. increase (or rise) B. decrease (or fall) C. stay the same, temperature has no influence on humidity

B. decrease (or fall)

As we move away from Earth's surface toward space, the density of Earth's atmosphere: A. increases with increasing altitude B. decreases with increasing altitude C. remains constant with increasing altitude

B. decreases with increasing altitude

When the environment lapse rate falls in between the dry adiabatic lapse rate and the wet (aka: saturated or moist) adiabatic lapse rates, the air parcel: A. is absolutely stable B. is conditionally unstable C. is absolutely unstable

B. is conditionally unstable

Colder objects emit ____ wavelength radiation; while hotter objects emit ____ wavelength radiation. A. short; long B. long; short

B. long; short

The color our sky and sunsets appear is attributed to the ___ of energy with different wavelengths. A. absorption B. scattering C. reflection

B. scattering

Characteristic used to define the vertical structure (layers) of the atmosphere: A. function B. temperature C. composition

B. temperature

These prevailing winds blow form west to east in the mid- latitudes (between 30° and 60° latitude) A. easterlies B. westerlies C. tradewinds

B. westerlies

A mT air mass is likely to be ___ than a cT air mass because the mT air mass ___. A. wetter; is colder than the cT air mass B. wetter; forms over the ocean C. drier; is a cold air mass D. drier; forms under the equatorial low

B. wetter; forms over the ocean

Name and describe the characteristics of one permanent and one variable gas in Earth's atmosphere. What does it mean to be designated "permanent"; what does it mean to be designated "variable"?

Being a permanent gas means that its' concentration in the Earth's atmosphere does not change. An example of a permanent gas is Nitrogen. At any point in time and at any place, Nitrogen will make up 78% of the Earth's atmosphere. Being a variable gas means that its' concentration in the Earth varies. An example of a variable gas is water vapor. Water vapor makes up only 0.25 of the Earth's atmosphere.

In this precipitation formation process, ice crystals grow at the expense of water droplets; dominates outside tropics.

Bergeron

The type of precipitation we experience at the Earth's surface depends on this parameter: A. Temperature at cloud tops B. Latitude C. Vertical temperature profile

C. Vertical temperature profile

A narrow band of strong to severe thunderstorms is known as a ___. A. mesoscale convective complex B. supercell C. squall line

C. squall line

The long- term statistical average conditions of our atmosphere are referred to by this term.

Climate

To form a cloud, there are two requirements: saturation and the presence of ____.

Cloud condensation nuclei

A collector drop is associated with this precipitation formation process.

Collision Coalescence

This effect explains why inland locations tend to experience greater temperature extremes than coast areas.

Continentality

This term describes the mechanism of lifting depicted on the screen at the front of the room.

Convection

This term that describes both a mechanism of lifting and mechanism to transfer energy can bring pop- up thunderstorms to the mid- south in the afternoon.

Convection

This model is used to describe/ illustrate the circulation patterns of a mature mid- latitude cyclone.

Conveyor Belt Model

If only updrafts are present in an air mass thunderstorm we would say the storm is in the ___ stage.

Cumulus/ developing

Functions of the Earth's atmosphere include: A. reservoir B. insulator C. filter D. all of the above

D. all of the above

Which of the following had the highest albedo? A. forests B. asphalt C. dry, sandy soils D. ice, fresh snow

D. ice, fresh snow

Temperature at which saturation occurs.

Dew point temperature

Thunderstorms can be generated when a cT air has meets an mT air mass and creates a boundary referred to as:

Dryline

Both the lowest pressure and calmest conditions are encountered in this region of a tropical cyclone.

Eye

Both the most intense winds and the most intense rainfall are encountered in this region of a tropical cyclone.

Eye wall

As an air parcel raises up the side of a mountain its capacity to hold/ store water vapor increases.

False

Composition of Earth's atmosphere is identical for all places and at all times.

False

Hurricane impacts are never felt away from the coastline.

False

Occlusion marks the start of a mid-latitude cyclone's life cycle.

False

Strong winds cannot transport pollutants.

False

The Collision- Coalescence process dominates precipitation formation in the polar latitudes.

False

Tornadoes can only be generated by supercell thunderstorm.

False

Warm fronts are more likely to cause severe weather than cold fronts.

False

Winds blow from areas of low pressure to areas of high pressure.

False

This form of precipitation falls as a liquid and freezes on contact with a surface (power line, branch, road way)

Freezing Rain

Tornadic weather occurs more frequently in the US than in any other part of the world. Describe the conditions necessary for the formation of a tornado and use those conditions to explain the spatial distribution of tornado events.

In order to form a tornado, there need to be moisture, instability, boundaries, wind shear, and upper air support. When cool, dry air meets with warm, moist air, instability occurs in the atmosphere. Along with instability, wind direction changes and wind speed increases. These events allow for a tornado to form around an area of low pressure. In America, most tornadoes occur in the middle of the country. This is because cool, dry air from Canada meets with warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico. They meet in the middle of the US, which explains why Kansas and Oklahoma have many tornadoes.

What 2 criteria form the basis of the Koeppen Climate Classification system?

Its categories are based on the annual and monthly averages of temperature and precipitation.

This pressure system is associated with convergence and counterclockwise rotation at the surface.

Low

If both updrafts and downdrafts are present in an air mass thunderstorm, we would say the storm is in the ____ stage.

Mature

How does photochemical smog form?

Mixture of pollutants that are formed when nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) react to sunlight, creating a brown haze above cities.

Name and describe a human-related factor that contributes to climate change

One major activity that contributes to the high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is consuming electricity. Now obviously this is a large part of life, but humans can lower the levels when not necessary. Electricity is largely generated by fossil fuels. The burning of these fuels produces large amounts of carbon dioxide. To be specific, 41% of carbon dioxide emissions come from electricity.

Name 2 ingredients of pollution

Primary pollutants -emitted directly into atmosphere. Secondary pollutants -result of chemical reactions in the atmosphere.

Measure of humidity comparing the actual space occupied by water vapor to the total space available to store vapor.

Relative humidity

The latitude of the sub solar point; for example, the equator on the autumnal equinox.

Solar declination

This concept combines what you've learned about density, composition, energy, temperature, and moisture and conveys the tendency of an air parcel to move vertically.

Stability

An enormous rotating thunderstorm that is structured such that it maintain itself for hours.

Supercell

What is the temperature profile for the thermal layers of the atmosphere?

Temperature increases through thermosphere and stratosphere; temperature decreases through mesosphere and troposphere.

First, describe how clouds form; then name and describe the altitude and form/ shape of two cloud types.

There are two requirements for the formation of a cloud: saturation and the presence of condensation nuclei. Clouds then form by air being lifted. One example of a cloud that we see often is a stratus cloud. These clouds lay low, appearing within 2000 meters of Earth's surface. They are long and not too tall in height. Another type of cloud is a cumulonimbus. These clouds form from water vapor being lifted up by a strong air current. This is the type of cloud that produces heavy thunderstorms. The bottom of the cloud begins int he troposphere, and the top can extend into the bottom of the mesosphere. That being said, there are very large clouds that are also considered the most violent.

These winds, which are initiated by the sub- tropical high carry hurricanes across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas.

Tradewinds

List the thermal layers of the atmosphere in order from bottom to top.

Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere.

A hot object, like the Sun, emits more energy than a cooler object, like the Earth.

True

A majority of weather events take place in the troposphere.

True

A place located on a large body of water will experience more mild temperatures than would be expected if the place were located at the same latitude but inland.

True

Adiabatic processes occur when rising air expands and cools without the addition of removal of energy.

True

Air masses are described based on temperature and moisture characteristics; and are names based on source regions.

True

Beam spreading causes the poles to be cooler than the tropics even on an Equinox when all latitudes experience 12 hours of daylight.

True

Chinook winds are associated with dramatic changes in temperature over a very short tie window.

True

Cumulonimbus clouds are associated with cold fronts.

True

Global circulation patterns redistribute energy from the tropics to the poles.

True

Hurricane intensity is limited by the supply of latent heat available form the ocean below.

True

Maximum daily temperatures occur in the afternoon, a few hours after maximum incoming solar radiation is received.

True

Monsoons are generated by a seasonal reversal in wind directions.

True

No wind can make air pollutants accumulate in one area.

True

Saturation occurs when the actual air temperature is equal to the dew point temperature.

True

Sunshine makes some pollutants undergo a chemical reaction, causing smog.

True

The amount of solar energy received at a given location varies seasonally due to the tilt of Earth's axis of rotation.

True

The buoyancy of a rising air parcel is dependent upon its rate of cooling relative to surrounding air (environment).

True

The equator, (0°) is a line of latitude.

True

The sub solar point is confined between the Tropic of Cancer & Tropics of Capricorn (between 23.5°N and 23.5°S)

True

The three-cell model of circulation is preferred over the single cell because it more accurately portrays actual pressure systems and wind patterns.

True

There is a "weak side" to a tropical storm.

True

When the rate of divergence aloft exceeds the rate of convergence at the surface, a cyclone will intensify.

True

Winds blow from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure, generating a sea breeze during the day.

True

First, name and describe two types of thunderstorms; then name one condition required to classify a thunderstorm as severe.

Two types of thunderstorms are multicellular and supercell. Multicellular thunderstorms are a cluster of thunderstorms that form from a common origin. They can last up to 12 hours and produce heavier winds and rains than a normal thunderstorm. A supercell is just one very intense thunderstorm. There is only one cell, and it is relatively small, yet it produces the most violet winds and rains. Often times, supercell thunderstorms set the setting for a tornado to occur. Thunderstorms are classified as severe if they have winds over 58 mph or produce hail that is larger than one inch in diameter.

Day to day conditions of the atmosphere.

Weather