WoW Chapter 1 Post-Test

The term meteorology is credited to which Greek philosopher?

Aristotle

Which of the following is the best description of air pressure in a typical column of air in Earth's atmosphere?

If more air molecules are packed into a column of air, it becomes more dense, and the surface pressure goes up. When fewer molecules are in the column, the surface pressure goes down.

Which of the following describes hypothermia most accurately?

The rapid, progressive mental and physical collapse that accompanies the lowering of human body temperature.

The region of _____ is called the troposphere.

circulating air extending upward from Earth's surface to where the air stops becoming colder with height

Because Earth's rotation deflects winds to the right in the northern hemisphere, winds blow _____ from the center of the highs, and _____ toward the center of the low.

clockwise and outward; counterclockwise and inward

Which of the following best describes a cold front?

cool air replacing warmer air

Because air near Earth's surface is compressed, air density normally _____ at first, then _____ as we move farther away from the surface.

decreases rapidly; more slowly

Besides the burning of fossil fuels, what other process has been found to significantly increase the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

deforestation

Which element would least likely occur during a heat wave?

flooding

Though the height of the tropopause can vary, it is normally found at _____.

higher elevations over equatorial regions, decreasing in elevation as we travel poleward

Earth's first atmosphere (some 4.6 billion years ago) was most likely composed of _____.

hydrogen and helium

Earth's atmosphere is a relatively thin, gaseous envelope comprised mostly of _____.

nitrogen and oxygen

The early oceans formed from _____, which provided a rich supply of water vapor that resulted in a constant rain that fell upon Earth for many thousands of years.

outgassing volcanoes

To be accepted, a hypothesis has to be shown to be correct through a series of _____.

quantitative tests

If Earth were to shrink to the size of a beach ball, its inhabitable atmosphere would be _____.

thinner than a piece of paper