Geology Final

Two locations have the same relative humidity (100%) yet one has a dewpoint temperature of 54 degrees, the other has a dewpoint temperature of 70 degrees. Which has more atmospheric moisture? a) 70 degrees dewpoint b) 54 degrees dewpoint

a) 70 degrees dewpoint

Locations at the same latitude (think San Diego and Dallas, Texas @ 33N) will "always" have the same temperature. True or False? a) False, exposure to oceans or land masses can affect temperature during the year b) True, if you're at 33 N you will always have the same temperature

a) False, exposure to oceans or land masses can affect temperature during the year

These lines resemble circles on weather maps and are meant to represent lines of equal pressure (in millibars of pressure) and are known as a) Isobars b) Isometrics c) Isowindy

a) Isobars

In the upper levels of the atmosphere (away from the ground) there are two forces that keep winds moving parallel to isobars a) Pressure Gradient Force, Coriolis Force b) Pressure Gradient Force, Friction c) Friction, Polar Jet Stream

a) Pressure Gradient Force, Coriolis Force

FINAL EXAM REVIEW (Question # 44) True or False: Volcanic eruptions sending soot/ash high into the Earth's atmosphere can block enough sunlight to lead to short-term global cooling a) True b) False

a) True

True or False: Due to downslope, compressional warming, it is common to have deserts on the eastern side of mountain ranges in the Western U.S. a) True B) False

a) True

Oceans have a moderating effect on annual temperatures. Meaning if we were to compare San Diego's temperature with Dallas, Texas it is most likely that San Diego is _____ a) cooler in Summer and warmer in Winter b) hotter in Summer and hotter in Winter c) cooler in Summer and cooler in Winter

a) cooler in Summer and warmer in Winter

Adiabatic processes of air parcels: As air rises in altitude it _____ and air descends it _____. Think of the mountain example - the temperatures at higher elevations and how as air descends down a mountain you find drier, desert terrain on the other side a) cools and warms b) warms and cools

a) cools and warms

This type of weather system is associated with: sinking, dry air, divergence at the surface and sunny and warm weather: a) high pressure b) low pressure

a) high pressure

Daily rainfall totals and a forecast calling for rain tomorrow would be an example of: a) meteorology b) climatology

a) meteorology

This process of 'lift' helps wring out raindrops as air is forced to move upward over a large landmass (think who sees the most rain in the Bay Area) a) mountain lift b) ocean lift c) building lift d) valley lift

a) mountain lift

To say water has a high 'specific heat' means that it takes _____ energy to heat an equal volume of water than say a square of dry land a) much more energy to warm water, land heats faster b) less energy to warm water, land heats more slowly

a) much more energy to warm water, land heats faster

Areas that receive the greatest amount of solar energy during the year are closest to the equator. This refers to the dominant sun angle through the year that maximizes the warming effect a) overhead, 90 degrees b) at an angle, 45 degrees c) spread out low angle, 15 degrees

a) overhead, 90 degrees

Name the type of precipitation based on air temperature from the cloud to ground level: -Cloud temp: 40 degrees -5,000 ft temp: 45 degrees -Surface temp: 50 degrees a) rain b) sleet c) snow

a) rain

If a parcel of air is much "warmer" than its surroundings, via convection it will tend to _____ a) rise b) sink

a) rise

The Earth _____ on its axis while making a full _____ around the Sun each year a) rotates/ revolution b) rocks/ turn c) does not turn/ line

a) rotates/ revolution

This type of low cloud forms near ground-level to 5,000 ft, sometimes associated with fog a) stratus b) cirrus c) cumulus

a) stratus

Its a cloudy day with no breaks of blue sky to be seen. You're wondering why even at 3pm in July the air feels so cool outside. This is likely due to _____ a) sunlight is reflected off the tops of the clouds back to space b) clouds absorb the Sun's energy and heat up while the ground stays cool c) no cause, has nothing to do with the cloudy skies d) none of the above

a) sunlight is reflected off the tops of the clouds back to space

(IN CLASS VIDEO) Where are the strongest, continuous ocean surface winds on the planet found? a) the Southern Ocean near Antarctica b) the Pacific Ocean near California c) the Mediterranean Sea near Italy d) the Gulf of Mexico near Florida

a) the Southern Ocean near Antarctica

True or False: Convergence (winds moving inward) is characterized by low pressure systems a) true b) fasle

a) true

True or False: The greater the pressure gradient (difference in pressure between Point A & Point B) the greater the wind speed a) true b) false

a) true

True or False: Wind speeds move faster higher in altitude and slower at ground level a) true b) false

a) true

Sun angle, cloud cover, altitude and time of year (season) are all important factors to consider when forecasting temperatures. True or False a) true, they are among many variables that affect temperature b) false, temperatures depend only on the amount of sunlight

a) true, they are among many variables that affect temperature

Average sea level pressure is closest to _____ mb a) 990 mb b) 1013 mb c) 1200 mb

b) 1013 mb

During our Summer, locations below 66.5 S latitude in the Southern Hemisphere experience 24 hours of night! This area is known as the a) Arctic Circle b) Antarctic Circle c) Australia d) Aurora Borealis

b) Antarctic Circle

The regulation of this _____ is how the Earth recovers and renews its storage and runoff of water through evaporation, precipitation, condensation to name a few a) Energy Transfer b) Hydrolic Cycle c) El Nino

b) Hydrolic Cycle

Close to latitude 60 degrees North, this type is often referred to as the 'storm track' or 'clothes line' storms attach themselves to as they race toward North America. It is the boundary between cooler air to the north and more mild air to the south a) Subtropical Jet Stream b) Polar Jet Stream c) Equilateral Low

b) Polar Jet Stream

At near 30 degrees North, this item has access to ample moisture which allows it to supply more rain into incoming West Coast storms. This jet stream is also more active and moves further north into the Southern US during "El Nino" episodes a) Polar Jet Stream b) Subtropical Jet Stream c) Subtropical High Pressure

b) Subtropical Jet Stream

If you were to add "more" humidity to a temperature of let's say 98 degrees, would the heat index or feels like temperature increase or decrease? a) adding more humidity to hot temperatures = "feels" colder b) adding more humidity to hot temperatures = "feels" hotter

b) adding more humidity to hot temperatures = "feels" hotter

The odds of seeing snow in the Bay Area in January in any given year would be an example of: a) meteorology b) climatology

b) climatology

The science deals with the average annual temperature and rainfall for a given location a) geology b) climatology c) seismology d) oceanography

b) climatology

There are three forms of heat transfer we discussed using the hot pot over the open fire example a) fry, fillet, flip b) conduction, convection, radiation c) motion, inertia, friction

b) conduction, convection, radiation

Two air masses move around a mountain and meet on the other side to cause lift in the atmosphere. These two air masses coming together and meeting is known as _____ a) construction b) convergence c) collective d) divergence

b) convergence

We discussed four lifting processes for air parcels: a) convection, b) frontal forcing or wedging, c) orographic (mountain) and _____ a) divergence b) convergence

b) convergence

This type of cloud extends vertically through most of the troposphere as a cumuliform cloud with rain and lightning, strong updrafts producing hail and a top portion largely composed of ice crystals a) stratus b) cumulonimbus c) nimbostratus

b) cumulonimbus

Temperature will often _____ with altitude as seen comparing Hayward to Lake Tahoe temperatures a) increase b) decrease

b) decrease

This is described as a better representation of the actual amount of moisture in the air because it is not temperature dependent a) relative humidity b) dew point c) freezing level

b) dew point

At the Earth's surface, air moves from _____ to _____ a) low pressure to high pressure b) high pressure to low pressure

b) high pressure to low pressure

This type of weather system is associated with: rising air, convergence at the surface, active/ rainy weather: a) high pressure b) low pressure

b) low pressure

A seasonal shift in wind caused by temperature and pressure pattern changes brings heavy rains to parts of SE Asia and India and to a lesser extent, the desert of southwestern U.S. a) dry line b) monsoon c) cold front

b) monsoon

FINAL EXAM REVIEW (Question #48) Forecasting scenario: Jet streak above you (left front quadrant), shortwave trough to your west, and mT maritime tropical air coming up from the south. Odds are the weather will be turning: a) dry b) rainy c) unchanged

b) rainy

One of the four methods of atmospheric lifting - this is what allows Florida to become the lightning capital of the US with the highest number of thunderstorm days due to differential heating between the land versus the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean a) convection b) sea breeze convergence c) orographic (mountain) lifting d) frontal wedging (boundary) lifting

b) sea breeze convergence

Name the type of precipitation based on air temperature from the clouds to ground level: -Cloud temp: 28 degrees -5,000 ft temp: 37 degrees -Surface temp: 30 degrees a) rain b) sleet c) snow

b) sleet

The Earth's protective upper ozone layer is located in this level of the atmosphere between 10-30 miles above the Earth's surface a) thermosphere b) stratosphere c) troposphere d) exosphere

b) stratosphere

Clouds have an ability to reflect the Earth's long wave radiation (heating from the day before) back to the Earth's surface which yields _____ overnight temperatures than a clear sky night a) colder b) warmer c) about the same without clouds

b) warmer

September 22 (roughly) is the time of year for this astronomical event a) Spring Equinox b) Summer Solstice c) Winter Solstice d) Fall Equinox

d) Fall Equinox

When the Earth's northern hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun, and places like California see their warmest temperatures of the year, this corresponds to _____ a) Spring b) Fall c) Winter d) Summer

d) Summer

All life and plant materials existing within a thin layer in the crust and atmosphere is part of this 'sphere' a) geosphere b) hydrosphere c) atmosphere d) biosphere

d) biosphere

This cloud type is located above 20,000 ft and is composed of ice crystals a) cumulus b) stratus c) nimbostratus d) cirrus

d) cirrus

This 'sphere' is the closest to the Earth's surface where most of our weather actually takes place: a) exosphere b) ionosphere c) thermosphere d) troposphere

d) troposphere

This index is normally seen most often during Winter measures _____ and its impact on air temperature a) Heat Index & Humidity b) Wind Chill & Humidity c) Wind Chill & Wind Speed

c) Wind Chill & Wind Speed

These "mid-level" clouds can be a mix of liquid drops and ice crystals a) stratus b) cirrus c) altostratus

c) altostratus

This 'sphere' relates to all things water, including ice, surface water, and ground water a) geosphere b) atmosphere c) hydrosphere d) biosphere

c) hydrosphere

FINAL EXAM REVIEW (Question # 49) Forecasting scenario: With warm air advection, or WWA, from the Gulf Coast region - you would notice the following: a) cooling temperatures, increasing moisture b) warming temperatures, decreasing moisture c) warming temperatures, increasing moisture

c) warming temperatures, increasing moisture

Due to the Bay Area being between 30N and 60N, the _____ allow storms typically move in from the Pacific Ocean and advance eastward across the rest of the country a) easterlies b) tradewinds c) westerlies

c) westerlies