MET EXAM 2 (CH 5 - CH 7)

14. Disk or lens-shaped shaped, middle level mountain-wave clouds are known as a. altocumulus lenticularis. b. stratus. c. cumulonimbus. d. nacreous.

a. altocumulus lenticularis.

8. All of the following clouds typically have relatively low bases with the exception of a. cirrostratus. b. stratus. c. stratocumulus. d. fog. e. nimbostratus.

a. cirrostratus.

6. Of the following cloud types, which one is coldest? a. cirrus b. stratus c. cumulus d. altocumulus e. fog

a. cirrus

11. A ______cloud develops as a consequence of local convection. a. cumulus b. stratus c. cirrus d. cirrostratus e. nimbostratus

a. cumulus

18. As the difference between the dewpoint and the ambient air temperature decreases, the relative humidity __________. a. decreases b. increases c. does not change

a. decreases

17. Unstable air ______ vertical motion of air parcels. a. enhances b. suppresses c. has no effect on

a. enhances

5. Source(s) of condensation nuclei: a. forest fires b. wind erosion of soil c. seawater spray d. industrial and agricultural emissions. e. All of these are correct.

a. forest fires b. wind erosion of soil c. seawater spray d. industrial and agricultural emissions. e. All of these are correct.

3. Hygroscopic nuclei a. have numerous natural and human-related sources. b. are relatively abundant downwind of urban-industrial areas. c. favor cloud formation at a relative humidity under 100%. d. All of the above are correct. e. None of the above is correct.

a. have numerous natural and human-related sources. b. are relatively abundant downwind of urban-industrial areas. c. favor cloud formation at a relative humidity under 100%. d. All of the above are correct.

30. The greatest amount of latent heat (per gram) is absorbed from the environment when a. ice changes directly to vapor. b. ice melts. c. liquid water changes to vapor. d. liquid water freezes. e. frost forms.

a. ice changes directly to vapor.

20. As measured by a sling psychrometer, the wet-bulb depression _________ with rising relative humidity. a. increases b. decreases c. does not change

a. increases

30. Weather radar displays show the a. intensity of the return at the proper direction and distance. b. intensity of the return at the proper height and distance. c. character of the returning signal, whether precipitation or ground clutter. d. All of the above are correct.

a. intensity of the return at the proper direction and distance. b. intensity of the return at the proper height and distance. c. character of the returning signal, whether precipitation or ground clutter. d. All of the above are correct.

28. Cumulus clouds are ______ likely to build into thunderstorm clouds when the air temperature profile (sounding) indicates unstable atmospheric conditions. a. most b. least c. not

a. most

15. A rarely seen cloud that forms in the upper mesosphere and may be composed of ice deposited on meteoric dust: a. noctilucent b. nacreous c. altocumulus lenticularis d. cirrus e. aurora borealis

a. noctilucent

22. A snow cover tends to ______ the overlying air thus inhibiting convection. a. stabilize b. destabilize

a. stabilize

25. Normally, the stratosphere is ______. a. stable b. unstable c. conditionally stable

a. stable

An air mass is a huge volume of air that is relatively uniform horizontally in

a. temperature. b. humidity. c. Both of these are correct.

24. A warm cloud is composed of a. tiny water droplets exclusively. b. ice crystals exclusively. c. a mixture of ice crystals and supercooled water droplets. d. supercooled water droplets exclusively. e. None of the above is correct.

a. tiny water droplets exclusively.

Usually, the air pressure inside a building is _____ the air pressure outside the building.

about the same

27. According to the gas law, air pressure is directly proportional to a. air density. b. air temperature. c. Both of these are correct. d. None of these is correct.

air density. air temperature. Both of these are correct.

19. ______ on a Stüve diagram are isobars. a. Diagonal lines b. Horizontal lines c. Vertical lines

b. Horizontal lines

15. ______ air tends to suppress convection and cloud development. a. Unstable b. Stable

b. Stable

4. The relative humidity within a cloud is ______ 100 percent. a. much less than b. about c. much greater than

b. about

16. In dense fog, the vapor pressure is __________ the saturation vapor pressure. a. much less than b. about equal to c. greater than

b. about equal to

2. Hygroscopic nuclei ______ water molecules. a. repel b. attract c. vaporize

b. attract

12. Which one of the following cloud types would most likely be responsible for producing heavy rain? a. cumulus b. cumulonimbus c. altocumulus d. cirrocumulus e. cirrus

b. cumulonimbus

12. If the temperature of an unsaturated (clear) air parcel does not change while its mixing ratio increases, the density of the parcel ______. a. increases b. decreases c. does not change

b. decreases

14. If a saturated (cloudy) air parcel is heated (say by absorption of radiation), its relative humidity ______. a. increases b. decreases c. does not change

b. decreases

23. A relatively warm surface tends to ______ the overlying air. a. stabilize b. destabilize

b. destabilize

29. Operating in the Doppler mode, weather radar detects particles moving __________ the radar beam. a. perpendicular to b. directly toward or away from

b. directly toward or away from

21. Rising parcels of saturated (cloudy) air do not cool as rapidly as rising parcels of unsaturated (clear) air because a. rising parcels of saturated air do work in expanding. b. expansional cooling of saturated air is partially compensated for by release of latent heat that accompanies cloud formation. c. saturated air parcels are always warmer than their surroundings. d. All of the above are correct. e. None of the above is correct.

b. expansional cooling of saturated air is partially compensated for by release of latent heat that accompanies cloud formation.

18. Advection fog forms when a. warm humid air streams over the cold surface of a lake. b. humid air descends the leeward slopes of a mountain range. c. ascending humid air undergoes expansional cooling. d. None of the above is correct.

b. humid air descends the leeward slopes of a mountain range.

10. An example of sublimation is a. dew forming on grass. b. ice disappearing from a sidewalk while air temperatures remain below freezing. c. melting snow. d. frost forming on grass.

b. ice disappearing from a sidewalk while air temperatures remain below freezing.

11. The saturation vapor pressure ______ with falling air temperature. a. decreases b. increases

b. increases

27. Rain that has a pH ______ 5.6 is considered to be acid rain. a. higher than b. lower than c. equal to

b. lower than

17. Persistent radiation fog is most likely to develop on a a. hilltop. b. river valley bottom or wetland. c. valley slope. d. mountain summit. e. None of these is correct.

b. river valley bottom or wetland.

10. Usually, only drizzle falls from a. cirrus clouds. b. stratus clouds. c. cumulus clouds.

b. stratus clouds.

21. At saturation and at the same temperature, the vapor pressure is greater over ______ than over ______. a. ice...............water b. water................ice

b. water................ice

2. In a synoptic-scale cyclone, vertical wind speeds are usually ___________ horizontal surface wind speeds. a. stronger than b. weaker than c. the same magnitude as

b. weaker than

29. The windward slopes of mountain ranges are relatively _________ compared to the leeward slopes. a. dry b. wet

b. wet

A(n) ______ can be used to predict the weather by keeping track of the air pressure

barometer

4. If the air temperature is 20 °C and the vapor pressure has the same value as the saturation vapor pressure, the relative humidity is a. less than 100%. b. more than 100%. c. 100%.

c. 100%.

28. Weather radar gathers information about precipitation in clouds by measuring the a. energy emitted by the precipitation particles. b. absorption characteristics of falling precipitation. c. amount of energy scattered back to the transmitter. d. amount of sunlight reflected off the falling precipitation.

c. amount of energy scattered back to the transmitter.

16. Two equal volumes of air at the same temperature and pressure have different amounts of water vapor in them. The air parcel with the higher relative humidity will a. weigh more than the other parcel. b. contain more molecules than the other parcel. c. contain the same number of molecules as the other parcel. d. weigh the same as the other parcel.

c. contain the same number of molecules as the other parcel.

9. Cirrus clouds are typically composed of a. water droplets only. b. a combination of ice crystals and water droplets. c. ice crystals only.

c. ice crystals only.

22. Which one of the following has the greatest terminal velocity? a. ice crystal b. drizzle drop c. large hailstone d. raindrop e. snowflake

c. large hailstone

27. A rain shadow is situated downwind from the ______ slopes of a high mountain barrier. a. windward b. southern c. leeward

c. leeward

3. In an agricultural field during the growing season, direct evaporation of water from the soil is usually ______ transpiration of water by plants. a. less than b. about the same as the c. more than

c. more than

23. Most precipitation that falls in middle latitudes originates in ______ clouds. a. cirrus b. cumulus c. nimbostratus or cumulonimbus d. altostratus e. stratus

c. nimbostratus or cumulonimbus

25. In cold clouds, a vapor pressure that is ______ for water droplets is ______ for ice crystals. a. saturated...............saturated b. saturated...............unsaturated c. saturated...............supersaturated d. supersaturated...............saturated

c. saturated...............supersaturated

1. The activation temperature of most ice-forming nuclei is ______ 0 °C. a. above b. about c. well below

c. well below

5. Air mass advection ______ change the relative humidity. a. can b. cannot

can

2. Sublimation is to deposition as evaporation is to ______. a. evapotranspiration b. sublimation c. relative humidity d. deposition e. condensation

condensation

26. As unsaturated (clear) air flows down the leeward slopes of a mountain range, a. the air temperature rises. b. the relative humidity decreases. c. the saturation vapor pressure increases. d. All of the above are correct. e. None of the above is correct.

d. All of the above are correct.

24. All of the following soundings (temperature profiles) always indicate stable atmospheric conditions with the exception of a. temperature inversion. b. isothermal conditions. c. no change in temperature with altitude. d. a drop of temperature with altitude. e. an increase in temperature with altitude.

d. a drop of temperature with altitude.

20. The type of fog formed in spring when mild humid air flows over an old snow cover is a. radiation fog. b. steam fog. c. arctic sea smoke. d. advection fog. e. upslope fog.

d. advection fog.

26. The type of frozen precipitation sometimes produced by a summer thunderstorm is a. snow. b. freezing rain. c. snow pellets. d. hail. e. sleet.

d. hail.

7. Extreme nocturnal radiational cooling occurs when a. the air pressure drops. b. air temperatures are below freezing. c. winds are strong. d. skies are clear.

d. skies are clear.

19. Fog formed when cold dry air streams over the surface of a relatively warm body of water is known as a. radiation fog. b. upslope fog. c. mist. d. steam fog.

d. steam fog.

Air pressure always _______________ with increasing altitude.

decrease

Between the tropopause and stratopause, the air pressure ______ with increasing altitude.

decreases

The concentration of oxygen in parts per million by volume _________ with increasing altitude within the troposphere.

decreases

26. Air pressure tendency is usually _____ with cold air advection in winter. a. downward b. unchanged c. upward

downward

The temperature of ascending parcels of unsaturated (clear) air __________ because of __________.

drops. . . . . .expansional cooling

1. ______ is the movement of air measured relative to the Earth's surface. a. Gravity b. The pressure gradient force c. The Coriolis Effect d. The centripetal force e. Wind

e. Wind

13. A cloud that exhibits considerable vertical development is a. fair-weather cumulus. b. altostratus. c. stratocumulus. d. cirrus. e. cumulonimbus

e. cumulonimbus

Relatively high surface air pressure is usually accompanied by _________ weather whereas relatively low surface air pressure is usually accompanied by

fair..............stormy

6. On a clear and calm day, the relative humidity usually ______ between sunrise and early afternoon. a. rises b. falls c. does not change

falls

28. As a mass of arctic air invades our locality, air temperature ______ and air density ______. a. falls...............increases b. rises..............increases c. falls...............decreases d. rises...............decreases

falls...............increases

30. Rising parcels of unsaturated (clear) air cool at a _________ rate than rising parcels of saturated (cloudy) air. a. slower b. faster

faster

With the same volumes, a cold and dry air mass exerts __________ surface air pressure than a warm and humid air mass.

higher

7. Rising air temperature causes the saturation mixing ratio to ______ a. increase. b. decrease.

increase

8. A temperature inversion is characterized by a(n) ______ of air temperature with altitude. a. increase b. decrease

increase

When air pressure readings at Denver (the "mile-high city") are adjusted to sea level, barometric pressure readings are

increased

13. In an air layer characterized by a temperature inversion, the temperature a. does not change with altitude. b. decreases with altitude. c. increases with altitude

increases with altitude

At the same pressure, warm and humid air is ______ equally warm and dry air.

less dense than

At the same temperature and pressure, humid air is ______ dry air.

less dense than

The usual world-wide range in sea-level air pressure is ______ 100 mb.

less than

Changes in air pressure with time at a particular locality may be explained by

local radiational heating or cooling. air mass advection. divergence or convergence of surface winds. All of the above are correct.

The tropopause at a particular location is generally ______ in winter than in summer.

lower

The air pressure gradient in the horizontal (from one place to another) is ___________the vertical air pressure gradient.

much smaller than

1. In the global water budget, annual precipitation is greater than annual evapotranspiration a. on the ocean. b. on the continents.

on the ocean.

When a warm and humid air mass replaces a cold and dry air mass at a particular locality, the air pressure at Earth's surface usually

rises

29. As a mass of warmer and more humid air invades our locality, air temperature _____ and air density _____. a. falls..............increases b. rises...............increases c. falls...............decreases d. rises...............decreases

rises...............decreases

Adjusting barometer readings to sea level removes the influence of ______ on air pressure.

station elevation

Because of the usual seasonal change in average temperature, the tropopause is lower in __________ than in __________.

summer.......... winter

The state of the atmosphere averaged for all latitudes and seasons is known as

the standard atmosphere.

The altitude of the tropopause is highest at __________ latitudes

tropical

9. Conditional stability indicates that an air layer is a. stable for both saturated and unsaturated air parcels. b. unstable for saturated and stable for unsaturated air parcels. c. stable for saturated and unstable for unsaturated air parcels. d. unstable for both saturated and unsaturated air parcels. e. None of the above is correct.

unstable for saturated and stable for unsaturated air parcels.

25. With warm air advection in winter, the air pressure tendency is usually a. upward. b. downward. c. unchanged.

upward.

The elevation of the 500-mb surface

varies with latitude and time. can be determined by a radiosonde. All of the above are correct.

At the same pressure, __________ air is less dense then __________air.

warm, dry......cold, dry

Because of the usual seasonal change in average temperature, the troposphere is denser in __________ than in __________.

winter...............summer