Science Chapter 11 Quiz
what affects only a very thin atmospheric layer near Earth´s surface
Conduction
these are small particles in the atmosphere around which cloud droplets can form
condensation nuclei
Air pressure __________ as you near the bottom of the atmosphere because of the greater mass of atmosphere above you
increases
as temperature decreases, density
increases
as temperature increases, pressure
increases
The temperature of the lower atmosphere decreases with ____________ _______________ from Earthś surface.
increasing distance
If the air does not stay warmer than the surrounding air, the cloud will flatten out and winds will spread
into layered cumulus clouds
The amount of water vapor present in the atmosphere is a significant source of energy because of the _______ it contains.
latent heat
This is stored energy in water vapor that is not released to warm the atmosphere until condensation takes place
latent heat
Middle clouds are usually
layered
stratus is a
low cloud
altocumulus and altostratus are
middle clouds
99% of the atmosphere is composed of
nitrogen and oxygen
Density imbalances can create areas of high and low
pressure
An air mass that does not exchange heat with its surroundings will cool off by about ______ degrees celcius for every _______m decrease in altitude
10; 1000
Middle clouds form between
2000 and 6000 m
Low clouds typically form below
2000m
the rate at which saturated air cools is about _____/_____ in very warm air
4 degrees celcius; 1000m
the rate at which saturated air cools is about ______/______ in very cold air
9 degrees celcius; 1000m
The transfer of energy by the flow of a heated surface
Convection
____________________ currents are among the main mechanisms responsible for the vertical motions of air, which cause different types of weather.
Convection
This layer is composed of light gases such as helium and hydrogen, and it is the outermost layer of the atmosphere
Exosphere
Temperature is measured in ________________, __________________, or _________________.
Fahrenheit, celcius, kelvins
True or false: ozone exists in small quantities mainly in a layer well below Earth's surface.
False; above the surface
True or false: there is a clear boundary between the atmosphere and space.
False; there is no clear boundary.
The transfer of energy that fuels atmospheric processes
Heat
The transfer of energy that occurs because of a difference in temperature between substances
Heat
This layer is made up of electrically charged particles and layers of progressively lighter gases.
Ionosphere
This layer is part of the thermosphere.
Ionosphere
This measures the number of ____________________ above the absolute zero, a point where molecular motion theoretically stops.
Kelvin scale, kelvins
This is the SI unit of temperature
Kelvins
The __________ _______________ ______________ is the height at which condensation occurs.
Lifted condensation level
The top boundary of the mesosphere is called the
Mesopause
This layer is the atmospheric layer above the the stratopause.
Mesosphere
This occurs when wind encounters a mountain and the air has no place to go but up. Then, the air expands and cools which results in ___________ ____________
Orographic lifting; cloud formation
This is a gas formed by the addition of a third oxygen atom to an oxygen molecule(O2). It absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
Ozone (O3)
This is the transfer of energy through space by visible light, ultraviolet radiation, and other forms of electromagnetic waves.
Radiation
This is the point at which the air holds as much water vapor it possibly can.
Saturation
The air in the stratosphere gradually increases in temperature up to the top of the layer, which is called__________________. It is located _____km above Earth's surface.
Stratopause; 50
This layer is above the tropopause, and it is made up primarily of concentrated ozone
Stratosphere
This layer is heated because ozone absorbs more ultraviolet radiation than does air in the troposphere
Stratosphere
The measurement of how rapidly or slowly molecules move
Temperature
This is used to measure and interpret energy
Temperature
These layers are part of the lower atmospheric layers.
The troposphere, the stratosphere, the mesosphere, the thermosphere, the ionosphere, ans the exosphere
This layer is the atmospheric layer above the mesopause that containse only a minute portion of the atmosphere's mass.
Thermosphere
Most weather takes place, and most air pollution collects in this layer
Troposphere
This layer contains most of the mass of the atmosphere, including water vapor.
Troposphere
This layer is characterized by a general decrease in temperature from bottom to top.
Troposphere
This layer is the layer closest to the Earth's surface.
Troposphere
True or false: heated air is LESS dense than cool air
True
As the warm air cools, the water vapor in it condenses and forms..
a cloud
relative humidity is expressed as
a percentage
This can happen when the lower layers of the atmosphere lose heat to Earth´s surface and become cooler than the air above them
a temperature inversion
this is an increase in temperature with height in an atmospheric layer
a temperature inversion
High clouds composed of ice crystals form
above 6000m
When water changes from one state to another, heat is either _____________ or ______________, which greatly affects _______________ and _____________.
absorbed, released, weather, climate
While Earth is __________ solar radiation, it is also continuously ________________ _________________ back into space
absorbing, sending energy
The most _________ ___________ ________ is the rate at which saturated air cools.
adiabatic lapse rate
The amount of water vapor in the atmosphere can be as little as________ and as much as___________.
almost zero, four percent
these clouds form at heights between 2000 m and 6000 m, and they can be either all liquid or a mixture of liquid and ice crystals.
altocumulus and altostratus
Vertical development clouds spread throughout all altitudes
at the same time
this is the tendancy for air to rise or sink as a result of differences in density
buoyancy
these clouds form as a continuous layer that sometimes covers the sky
cirrostratus
these clouds often have a wispy, indistinct appearance
cirrus
If the density of water vapor water droplets is great enough, they become visible in the form of a
cloud
This occurs with the collision of air masses of different temperatures.
cloud formation
These form when warm, moist air rises, expands, and cools in a convection current
clouds
As these clouds rise, water vapor condenses, and the air recieves additional warmth from the release of latent heat
clouds of vertical development
these clouds can reach up to 18,000m
clouds of vertical development
this occurs when cloud droplets collide and join together to form a larger droplet.
coalescence
________________________ cannot occur until air is saturated
condensation
When a mass of rising air reaches its lifted condensation level, water vapor
condenses
For ________________ to occur, substances must be in contact with one another
conduction
The transfer of energy that occurs when molecules collide is
conduction
Throughout___________________, energy is transferred from the particles of air near the Earth´s surface to the particles of air in the lowest layer of the atmosphere
conduction
The surface absorbs solar radiation and radiates energy with longer wavelengths, which warm the atmosphere through _________ and _____________
conduction, convection
If the air is able to continue rising, eventually it will ________ to its condensation temperature
cool
Air can become unstable if it is _______ than the surface beneath it
cooler
this cloud is capable of producing the torrential rains and strong winds that are characteristic of thunderstorms.
cumulonimbus
Atmospheric pressure ___________ with height because there are feweer and fewer gas particles exerting pressure
decreases
as temperature decreases, pressure
decreases
as temperature increases, density
decreases
if the temperature of an air parcel increases and no additional water vapor is added, its relative humidity
decreases
Air moves in response to ___________ _______________ created by the unequal heating and cooling of Earth´s surface.
density imbalances
This is the temperature to which air must be cooled at constant pressure to reach saturation
dew point
The _____ ______ ______ _____ is the rate at which unsaturated air, to which no heat is added or removed, will cool.
dry adiabatic lapse rate
The gravitational attraction between Earth and atmospheric gases causes particles of _______ to be pulled ______ the center of Earth
gas; towards
If rising air stays warmer than the surrounding air, the cloud will continue to
grow
If the air that makes up a cumulus cloud is unstable enough, the cloud will continue to
grow
As water vapor in the air condenses, _________ is released.
heat
Because they form aboe heights of 6000 m, where temperatures are below freezing, these clouds are made up of ice crystals.
high clouds
cirrus and cirrostratus are
high clouds
this is the amount of water vapor in the air
humidity
The rate of absorbtion for any particular area varies depending on the ______________ _________________ of an area and the amount of __________ ___________________ it recieves
physical characteristics, solar radiation
Temperature is ____________ to pressure
proportional
The density of air is ______________ to the number of particles of air occupying a particular space
proportional
this is the ratio of water vapor in a volume of air compared to how much water vapor that a volume of air is capable of holding.
relative humidity
As warmer air collides with cooler air, the bulk of it will be forced to _______ over more-dense, ______ air.
rise; cold
how rapidly any given mass of air cools determines its
stability
this is the ability of an air mass to resist rising
stability
this is a layered cloud that covers much or all of the sky, and it often forms when fog lifts away from Earth's surface.
stratus
The rate at which an air mass cools depends on the _________ of the surface beneath the air.
temperature
If the temperature conditions are right and the air mass rises repeatedly, it can produce the type of clouds associated with
thunderstorms
The upper limit of the troposphere that varies in height is called the
tropopause
True or false: most of the solar radiation that travels through the atmosphere does so at SHORT WAVELENGHTS, which are not easily absorbed
true
True or false: water is the only substance in that atmosphere that exists in three states?
true
Carbon dioxide makes up ______ of the atmosphere
under one percent
temperature ____________ with changes in both pressure and density
varies
storm clouds are clouds of
vertical development
Air in the lower portion of the atmospgere always contains at least some
water vapor
The energy to change liquid water into a gaseous state is stored in
water vapor
This can be thought of as air moving from one area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
wind
this generally increases with height in the atmosphere because there is less friction
wind speed