Weather and Climate Quizzes and Exams
Which of the following is true concerning the Autumnal Equinox?
- Raleigh will have 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness - The noon sun will be directly will overhead at the equator
At what temperature are the Celsius and Fahrenheit scales identical?
-40
Nearly 99% of the mass of Earth's atmosphere lies with _____ km of the surface.
30
Given a surface temperature of 40 C and a surface dewpoint of 10 C, estimate the height at which a cloud would first form if sufficient lift is present.
3750 meters
The Specific Heat of water is ___________ the Specific Heat of "land".
3x greater than
Match the following constituents with their percentage in the dry atmosphere. A) Nitrogen B) Oxygen C) Argon D) Ozone E) Carbon Dioxide
A) 78.08 B) 20.95 C) 0.93 D) 0.000004 E) 0.04
Match the temperature scales with the descriptive ranges below: A) F B) C C) K
A) A B) B C) C
Match the Latin terms with the meteorological phenomenon. A) cirrus B) nimbus C) cumulus D) virga
A) wispy B) rain C) heap or pile D) rain that evaporate
Which of the following atmospheric gases is (are) considered to be a Greenhouse Gas?
CH4 CO2 H2O
Of the four mechanisms of lift discussed in class, which never occurs over central North Carolina?
Orographic Lift
Which of the following doesn't display the characteristics of a blackbody?
The atmosphere
Fill in the blanks:
As an air parcel rises, its volume increases, therefore its temperature decreases due to expansion.
Which of the following temperatures represents the coldest condition?
241 Kelvin
Match the following cloud types with its associated weather A) cumulus B) Contrail C) cirrostratus D) mammatus
A) fair weather B) anthropogenic C) halo around the sun or moon D) sever thunderstorm
Which of the following objects is the poorest conductor of heat?
Air
Rain shadows tend to form:
On the leeward side of mountains
Which color of the visible spectrum represents the greatest emission of energy?
Violet
This is a station plot. Using information from your notes and Appendix B from the text answer the questions below. A) What is the temperature B) What is the dewpoint temperature C) Which direction is the wind coming from? D) What is the current weather? E) What is the value of the barometric pressure? F) What is the barometric pressure trend? G) What is the current sky condition? H) What is the magnitude of the pressure trend? I) What is the wind speed? J) What is the relative humidity?
A) 54 degrees F B) 54 degrees F C) Not applicable D) Dense Fog E) 1012.7 millibars F) Falling G) Obscured H) 1.7 millibars I) 0 knots J) 100%
Match the method of expressing water vapor content with the unit it employs. A) Mixing Ratio B) Relative Humidity C) Saturation Mixing Ratio D) Dewpoint
A) Grams per Kilogram B) Percent C) Grams per Kilogram D) Degrees
Which constituent of Earth's atmosphere is most important from a meteorological perspective?
Water vapor
The portion of the Electromagnetic Spectrum called Visible Light comprises wavelengths (λ) that are____and accounts for______ of the sun's radiation.
between 0.4 μ and 0.7 μ; 43%
Nights that favor dew/frost formation are those that experience "maximum radiational cooling". Which of the following conditions favor such cooling?
calm winds, clear skies, long nights
Which of the following can act as a Cloud Condensation Nuclei?
sea salt, fugitive dust, pollen, pollution
Which type of fog would you expect to see over Falls Lake on a crisp autumn morning?
steam
Supercooled water is water which is
still liquid at temperatures below 0°C
Using the Stefan-Boltzmann Law, calculate the energy emitted from a Blackbody that has a temperature of 371 Kelvin.
1074.2 Watts m^-2
The average depth of the troposphere over North Carolina is:
12 km
During the winter in Raleigh, the Td averages around _____ F , while during the summer, it averages around ____ F.
30o ; 70o
The coldest day last winter was on January 21st , the day of our biggest snow. The RDU airport recorded a maximum temperature of 30 o F and a minimum of 22o F. Calculate the HDD units for that day.
39
What's the terminal fall velocity of drizzle?
4 mph
Roughly how many of the 100,000 thunderstorms that the United States experiences each year will be deemed "severe" by the NWS, prompting warnings?
10,000
What would you expect the barometric pressure outside of a jet flying at 6.9 km to be?
426 mb
The new "30 year normals" saw a increase in annual precipitation for Raleigh. We now average _____ inches of precipitation annually.
46
What is the volume of a large rain drop (Diameter 5 mm)?
65.4 mm^3
According to Wien's Displacement Law, the wavelength of maximum emission of a Blackbody with a temperature of 371 Kelvin would be:
7.8 μ
A meteorologist in Charlotte measures an air temperature of 30oC and dewpoint of 12o C. Use these measurements and the appropriate tables in the etext or lecture notes to match the following: A) What is the mixing ratio (MR)? B) What is the Relative Humidity? C) What is the saturation mixing ratio? D) What would the Lifted Condensation Level?
A) 8.9 g/kg B) 32.1% C) 27.7 g/kg D) 2,250 meters
Match the locations (A, B, C, D or 1,2,3) with their temperature characteristics. A) This area experiences the largest annual temperature variability. B) This area experiences the smallest annual temperature variability. C) This area is most influenced by Gulf Stream.
A) B B) D C) 2
Match the cloud types associated with the following phenomena or terms. A) Lighting B) Halos C) "mare's tails" D) "Mackeral Sky" E) Hail F) Over-running precipitation
A) Cumulonimbus B) Cirrostratus C) Cirrus D) Cirrocumulus E) Cumulonimbus F) Nimbostratus
Match the average Mixing Ratios (MR) with the following areas where they occur. A) < 1 g/kg B) > 20 g/kg C) 3 -15 g/kg
A) Polar Regions B) Tropical Regions C) North Carolina
Match the characteristics with the appropriate section of the atmosphere we discussed. A) This area has an isothermal temperature profile. B) Almost all of the atmosphere's water vapor is found here. C) Temperature generally increases with height. D) The air is generally well mixed. E) The air is generally stratified. F) The maximum O3 concentrations are found here. G) Most of all clouds are found here. H) This area is dominated by a temperature inversion.
A) Tropopause B) Troposphere C) Stratosphere D) Troposphere E) Stratosphere F) Stratosphere G) Troposphere H) Stratosphere
Match the method of expressing water vapor content with the unit it employs. A) Saturation Mixing Ratio B) Relative Humidity C) Dewpoint D) Mixing Ratio
A) grams per kilogram B) percent C) degrees D) grams per kilogram
The figure below depicts typical diurnal patterns of T, Td and RH. Using your knowledge of how each of these vary, in relation to time and each other, match the line color with the variable. A) The blue line denotes the _______. B) The black line denotes the _______. C) The green line denotes _______.
A) temperature B) Dewpoint temperature C) Relative Humidity
Match the following dewpoint temperatures with their meteorological significance: A) Considered "humid" by most people B) Significant snowfall is inhibited C) Minimum for severe thunderstorms to form
A) ≥ 65 degrees F B) ≤ 10 degrees F C) ≥ 55 degrees F
Which of the following statements is true concerning the Mixing Ration (MR)? A) it is commonly expressed in g/kg B) It is not impacted by changes in temperature C) its value can never exceed the Saturation Mixing Ratio (MRs) D) All of the above
D) All of the above
Use the equation for solar elevation angle (β) to determine which of the following combinations of latitude and Julian day would result in the highest noontime solar elevation angle. Remember to have your calculator in degree mode.
Latitude: 29.5; Julian Day = 160
We've learned that water is the only substance that can exist in three phases or states (gas, liquid and solid) under atmospheric conditions. Which of those phases has the greatest density?
Liquid
As discussed in class, which of the following states averages the least amount of precipitation annually:
Nevada
Which cloud type produces stratiform precipitation that is generally continuous though usually light in intensity?
Nimbostratus
Which of the following atmospheric constituents has the lowest molecular weight?
H2O
Which meteorological phenomenon, in an average year, is responsible for the most number of fatalities in the United States?
Heat Waves
Which of the following is not a controller of temperature across the globe?
Longitude
Which "Law" do we utilize with infrared satellite imagery to discern water vapor?
Kirchhoff'sLaw
Which of the following sources of water vapor to the atmosphere only occurs mainly over land?
Traspiration
The air temperature is always greater than or equal to the dewpoint temperature.
True
When compared to mid-continent regions, coastal regions tend to be _______ during the summer and during the winter.
cooler; warmer
The "Atmospheric Window" represents wavelengths ___________ that allows the earth to cool at night through radiational cooling.
Between 8 and 12 microns
Fill in the blank:
Cloud Condensation Nuclei that are water seeking are called hygroscopic, while those that are water repelling are called hydrophobic
During a typical diurnal cycle, the Relative Humidity (RH) is usually at a minimum:
During the late afternoon
Which State averages the highest Td during the winter?
Florida
While on my "soap box" I encouraged you to use sun block that has a high Sun Protection Factor (SPF) number. That number indicates the percentage of ______ that is blocked from reaching your skin.
ultra violet - B
Stratus clouds are always than cirrostratus clouds and therefore emit radiation according to Stephan-Boltzmann's Law.
warmer; more
The minimum threshold Td for severe thunderstorm formation is:
≥55o F
Which Law allows us to refer to solar radiation as "short wave" radiation and terrestrial radiation as "long wave" radiation?
Wien's Displacement Law
During a typical diurnal cycle, the Relative Humidity (RH) is usually at a maximum:
after sunrise
As an air parcel descends, it will and .
compress; warm
"Frozen Dew" occurs when water vapor first goes through __________; then __________ on cars, grass, etc.
condensation; freezing
When ice sublimates, it _____ ; thereby _______ the air.
consumes latent heat energy; cooling
Which of the following clouds are anthropogenic?
Contrail Punch hole
Which type of fog forms only during the night and on land?
radiation fog
In summarizing how the atmosphere is warmed, we said that first, solar____ passes through the atmosphere unimpeded, heating the ground upon impact. The ground then warms the first few inches of the atmosphere through____. As the surface air warms, it becomes less dense, rises, carrying heat vertically through _____which can then be moved horizontally through_____ .
radiation, conduction, convection, advection
Satellites provide temperature information of the earth and it's atmosphere using ___________ and _________ Law.
radiometers; Stefan-Boltzmann
When water freezes, it _____ ; thereby _______ the air.
releases latent heat energy; warming
Fill in the blanks:
The process of deposition that occurs when water goes from the vapor phase to the solid phase releases energy thereby warming the atmosphere.
Fill in the blanks:
The process of sublimation that occurs when water goes from the solid phase to the vapor phase consumes energy, thereby cooling the atmosphere.
According to the wet adiabatic lapse rate, for every 1000 meter increase in altitude (z), the temperature will:
decrease 5.0 C
Choose one of the numerous web sources available to determine which of the following States has the highest all-time temperature.
Idaho
We defined Relative Humidity as "Water Vapor Content"/"Water Vapor Capacity" and we calculated using:
RH = MR/MRs x 100%
Cirrostratus clouds are always ____ than stratus clouds and therefore emit _____ radiation according to Stephan-Boltzman Law
Colder; less
Which of the following listed objects is the best conductor of heat?
Copper
Which type of fog would you most likely observe occurring over the campus on a crisp October morning?
Radiation fog
Fill in the blank:
Rain shadows tend to form on the leeward side of mountains, which are generally drier than the windward side of the mountain
Fill in the blanks:
Rain shadows tend to form on the leeward side of the mountains, which are generally drier than the windward side of the mountain.
How much more water vapor (g/kg) does a parcel of air with a Td of 40 C have when compared to a parcel with a Td of 28 C?
Roughly twice as much.
Which location on earth experiences the largest difference between winter and summer temperatures?
Siberia
Drizzle is usually associated with which loud type?
Stratus
Which of the following combinations of Temperature (T, in o F) and Wind Speed (WS in mph) would result in the lowest Wind Chill Temperature.
T = 0; WS = 15
Which of the following combinations of temperature ( in degrees F) and Relative Humidity (%) would result in the highest "Apparent " temperature
T = 90; RH =80
When the Relative Humidity is less than 100%, which of the following are true?
T > Td
Which of the following combinations would result in the lowest Lifted Condensation Level?
Temperature= 20 C; Dewpoint = 13 C
Which of the following combinations would result in the highest Relative Humidity?
Temperature= 20 C; Dewpoint Temperature 15 C
Using the figure below, which depicts a parcel of air rising and sinking and subsequently, cooling and warming at various lapse rates, answer the following questions.
The air temperature (T) within the air parcel at position D will be → 23 C The temperature (T) within the air parcel at position E will be → 33 C The air temperature (T) within the air parcel at position A will be: → 13 C The dewpoint temperature (Td) within the air parcel at position B will be: → 8 C Given the LCL height (1000 m) and the surface T, what would the starting Td be on the windward side of the mountain → 15 C The Relative Humidity (%) within the air parcel at position B will be → 100 % The air temperature (T) within the air parcel at position B will be → 8 C
During the Winter Solstice, the noontime sun will be directly overhead at the:
Tropic of Capricorn
Which of the following words is derived in part from the Greek term meaning "well mixed"?
Troposphere
Typically, nighttime air temperatures on a clear night are lower than they would be on a cloudy night.
True
According to the wet adiabatic lapse rate, for every 1000 meter increase in altitude (z), the temperature will:
decrease 5o C
The temperature to which the air must cool in order for saturation to occur is called the:
dewpoint temperature
We said there is a "Rule of thumb" that states: for every 10oC increase in T, the amount of water vapor needed to saturate the air (MRs) roughly:___________.
doubles
Which of the following is true concerning water vapor?
it is an invisible, variable gas, of great importance in meteorology
Of the four mechanisms of lift discussed in class, which never occurs over central North Carolina?
orographic lift
Which gas is a photoreceptor of lethal uv solar radiation, preventing it from reaching the earth's surface?
ozone
