The average length of time that individual molecules of a given substance remain in the atmosphere is called the:
residence time
steady state
thermocline
travel time
Methane:
is a permanent gas
is a good reflector of thermal radiation
is removed from the atmosphere by the digestive processes of cattle
has increased in concentration over the last 50 or so years
The aurora borealis:
is a different type of physical phenomenon than the aurora australis
gains its energy from sunlight reflected from Earth
is typically strongest near the equator
emits light as electrons move from higher orbits around the nucleus to lower ones
Relatively speaking, the earth's atmosphere is:
very thick when compared to the earth's diameter
very thin when compared to the earth's diameter
stops at the top of the troposphere
stops when we reach "space"
The maximum concentrations of ozone are found in the:
troposphere
mesosphere
ionosphere
stratosphere
Which of the following will increase given an increase in pressure?
mass
density
volume
none of the above
The atmosphere is a mixture of:
precipitation and air
particulate matter and water
gas molecules, small particulates, and moisture
moisture and gas molecules only
The D-layer of the ionosphere:
has most of its electrons combines with positively charges ions at night
lies above the E-layer
is transparent to AM radio waves
has no significant effect on AM radio waves
The four layers of the atmosphere from the top down are:
troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere
thermosphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, troposphere
stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, troposphere
thermosphere, mesosphere, stratosphere, troposphere
The thermosphere:
has a low heat content
would feel very hot to an austronaut
is characterized by a decrease in temperature as height increases
is part of the homosphere
Aerosols:
include cloud droplets
have little effect on weather
are formed by physical processes, not chemical processes
can be either solid or liquid
the troposphere:
has height that is relatively consistent at about ten kilometers
stays about the same temperate above three kilometers
contains a bit less than half the atmosphere's mass
is characterized in part by vertical mixing of air
The "stratosphere" warms because of:
dust and dirt deposited by volcanoes
the interaction of ozone and ultraviolet light
the interjection of moisture by meteors
the interjection of moisture by high-flying jet aircraft
The atmosphere:
has vertical wind speeds that are typically around one-tenth that of horizontal wind speeds
is about as deep as the planet is wide
is more than 99 percent contained within the first 60 miles from the earth's surface
has not changed substantially in composition since the earth formed over four billion years ago
What do you notice concerning the percentage of permanent gasses throughout the atmosphere (all levels)?
it varies significantly from the surface up
it varies significantly only at the troposphere
it is the same throughout the atmosphere from the surface up
it varies only in the mesosphere
Carbon dioxide:
comprises up to two percent of the atmospheric gases
is being removed from the atmosphere faster than it is being inputted
is removed from the atmosphere by photosynthesis
is not present in significant amounts in the atmosphere of Venus
The stratosphere:
is part of the heterosphere
has a low moisture content compared to the troposphere
typically gets colder as elevation increases
is where much of Earth's weather occurs
The troposphere:
is thinnest at the tropics
maintains a relatively constant temperature
is thicker in summer
often disappears near the poles in winter
At a height of 10 miles, what is the density of the atmosphere when compared to sea level?
1%
10%
50%
90%
The evolution to an oxygen-rich atmosphere:
was heavily dependent upon aerobic bacteria
would have occurred even if carbon dioxide had not been present
occurred at the same time the atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide were decreasing
required large amounts of atmospheric nitrogen
This is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere
nitrogen
oxygen
carbon dioxide
water vapor
The heterosphere:
lies below the homosphere
contains primarily heavy gases
is populated primarily by variable gases
is names for its chemical homogeneity
The recent alternative explanation for the disappearance of Earth's early atmosphere sees this as the primary causative agent:
volcanic outgassing
collisions of Earth with other large bodies
periodic energy pulses from the surface of the Sun
gravitational attraction of the Moon
Which of the following gases is crucial to the existence of all forms of life?
argon
The ozone layer:
is in the troposphere
is composed of nearly half ozone
absorbs ultraviolet energy
radiates gamma rays toward Earth
The increase in carbon dioxide concentration since the 1950s is NOT the result of which of the following:
an increase in the burning dirty fossil fuels like coal
an increase in the burning of cleaner fossil fuels like natural gas
deforestation of large tracts of woodland
The most costly average annual weather event is:
tornadoes
hurricanes
extreme hot or cold episodes
floods
The atmosphere is held in place by:
an invisible force of ion attraction
gravity
the hydrostatic balance of water vapor and carbon dioxide
compression of the ionosphere by the solar wind
The Martian atmosphere:
is not capable of producing clouds of water vapor
recaptures nearly all the heat radiated from the planet's surface
consists primarily of carbon dioxide
is nearly as dense as that of Earth
Volcanic outgassing:
created the earth's first atmosphere
has had little effect on the earth's atmosphere
emits large amounts of water vapor
emits very little carbon dioxide
The Northern Hemisphere has its maximum tilt toward the Sun on the:
December solstice
March equinox
September equinox
June solstice
According to Wien's law:
the wavelength of peak radiation is proportional to temperature
the Sun's energy intensity peaks in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum
the radiation emitted from Earth must be 4 micrometers or longer
wavelength is proportional to the fourth power of the intensity of radiation
Choose the correct listing of radiation from the longest wavelengths to the shortest wavelengths:
radio, gamma rays, ultraviolet, visible, infrared, x-rays
gamma rays, radio, ultraviolet, infrared, visible, x-rays
x-rays, ultraviolet, infrared, gamma rays, visible, radio
radio, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, x-rays, gamma rays
The solar angle:
is the same at the Arctic Circle and at the equator on the solstices
affects the degree of beam spreading
is lowest in the Northern Hemisphere during its winter
is lowest at the North Pole during its summer
An electron orbiting a hydrogen atom:
is restricted to a single energy state
cannot be removed from that atom unless that atom combines with another hydrogen atom to form a hydrogen molecule
has greater energy when it is further away from the nucleus
can absorb and emit photons of nearly any wavelength
Incoming solar radiation is often referred to as:
conduction
diffused radiation
insolation
albedo
Energy is traditionally defined as the ability to:
do work
create movement
cause acceleration
The peak of the Earth's emission is ______, while the sun's peak is .5 microns
.1 microns
1 micron
10 microns
100 microns
The Earth is actually the farthest from the sun on:
January 3rd
April 1st
July 4th
December 25th
Electromagnetic radiation is the energy for
the movement of the atmosphere
the growth of plants
the evaporation of water
all of the above
At which point during the year can we have 24 hours of daylight and 1 day of 24 of darkness in the northern hemisphere?
Arctic CIrcle
North Pole
Antarctic Circle
Tropic of Capricorn
The solar constant:
is the same throughout the solar system
varies inversely with the fourth power of an object's distance from the Sun's surfare
is independent of the Stefan-Boltzmann law
is higher for Earth than for Mars
On the June solstice:
the solar declination is 23.5 degrees North
the Southern Hemisphere overall receives more energy than does the Northern Hemisphere
the South Pole experiences 24 hours of daylight
the subsolar point is on the Tropic of Capricorn
The Stefan-Boltzmann law:
gives energy intensities in watts per square meter
demonstrates that a cooler body will radiate with greater intensity than will a hotter body
does not apply to black bodies
is derived from Wien's law
The Stefan-Boltzmann Law gives the relationship between:
solar energy and temperature
temperature and long-wave radiation
the intensity of radiation and the temperature of an object
emissivity and wavelength
Which of the following has the longest wavelength?
Thermal infrared
radio
gamma
ultraviolet
The single factor that determines how much energy a blackbody radiates is its:
size
distance
diameter
temperature
All of the following about equinoxes is true, except:
the solar declination is zero degrees
both hemispheres receive the same amount of insolation
every place has 12 hours of daylight
the solar angle at the North Pole is 90 degrees
Black bodies:
can only approximate the Stefan-Boltzmann law
are hypothetical, they don't actually exist
emit the same amount of energy regardless of their temperatures
do not emit radiation as well as gray bodies do
Energy created by the sun travels from the surface of the solar:
core
corona
photosphere
chronosphere
In the innermost portion of the Sun, the core, extremely high temperatures and high densities lead to the energy-creating process of:
nuclear fission
nuclear fusion
the big bang
nuclear differentiation
Convection:
does not involve an actual transfer of energy
involves potential energy only
involves mixing in a fluid
is another term for conduction
This is a form of potential energy:
electromagnetic radiation
boiling water
food
a water wheel in motion
Temperatures within these feature can reach 100 million degrees Kelvin:
granules
flares
sunspots
the solar wind
This method of energy transfer does not involve the net movement of particles or waves in the direction of energy transfer:
convection
radiation
all three of the above involve the movement of particle
The standard unit of energy in the International System(SI) used in scientific applications is the:
Watt
ampere
joule
ohm
Energy:
occurs at only one scale
occurs at more than one scale
occurs only at scales that are very small
occurs only at scales that are very large
The earth's axis of rotation is tilted roughly this number of degrees away from a line perpendicular to the plane of the earth's orbit
5.3
11.2
23.5
90
Power is:
the same as energy
the rate at which energy is released
measured in joules
the ability to do work
Energy transfer processes include:
only those processes that can be seen
energy that is transferred at the molecular level only
conduction, convection, and radiation
only the energy interaction between the earth and the atmosphere
Sunsets are red for all of the following reasons except
red light has more energy than blue light
mie scattering
rayleigh scattering
light has to travel through more atmosphere to reach the observer
The earth-atmosphere thermal equilibrium temperature is maintained because:
energy radiated equals energy absorbed
the polar ice caps are melting in order to maintain ocean temperatures
global warming is driving the earth-atmosphere system closer to a pure blackbody
of the movement of latent heat from north to south across the equator
Temperatures at any point on the face of the earth are influenced by:
latitude
altitude
proximity to water
A "greenhouse" works because:
of the difference in the solar constant
short wave lengths of energy pass through the glass but longer ones can't
the windows of the greenhouse only allow green light wavelengths to pass through
all greenhouses face south and into the maximum angle of solar energy
The reason that the daily maximum temperature is after the maximum solar heating is because:
the Sun has more energy when shining from the west
the atmosphere is "thinner" in the afternoon
there is a thermal "lag" in the heating of the atmosphere
None of the above. There is no relationship between the maximum amount of sunshine and the time of maximum daily temperature
The atmosphere is a(n):
selective absorber
blackbody absorber
inferior absorber of x-rays
absorber of all radiation equally
The process by which solar energy interacts with the atmosphere is:
scattering
absorption
reflection
Looking at global temperature distributions, it is seen that:
temperatures over land are colder than those over water at the same latitude in winter
temperatures increase poleward
the latitudinal temperature gradient is weakest in the hemisphere experiencing winter
it is difficult to explain the behavior of isotherms over the continents
This works primarily on shorter-wavelength radiation:
Rayleigh scattering
nonselective scattering
infrared absorption
Compared to land, water bodies:
are more greatly influences by continentality
have a lower specific heat
warm more quickly
cool more slowly
Sweating cools people because:
it releases latent heat
it changes the heat capacity of the body
colder molecules in a passing wind adhere to the wet skin
it involves a transfer of sensible heat
The scattered energy that reaches the earth's surface is called:
direct radiation
ultraviolet light
Insolation reaching the surface of the earth:
is absorbed by the earth
represents about 50 percent of the amount that was at the top of the atmosphere
is unaffected by earth's albedo
has not yet been affected by backscattering
A clear, dry atmosphere might transmit what percentage of the incoming solar radiation as direct beam radiation without scattering or absorption?
20%
80%
100%
Regarding latitudinal variations in radiation gain and loss, it is true that:
during the Northern Hemisphere summer, the Southern Hemisphere gains more energy than it loses
during the Southern Hemisphere winter, the area of net radiation gain lies north of the equator
global winds are the only significant method for redistributing heat toward the poles
the equator experiences a net radiation loss for six months out of the year
Density = mass/volume, what type of scale is this?
ratio scale
ordinal scale
nominal scale
interval scale
Scattering by clouds is sometimes called:
rayleigh
mie
non-selective
Forced convection:
is a form of laminar flow
results from vertical temperature differentials
occurs when a fluid breaks into eddies
is a major cause of upper-level aircraft turbulence
The radiation emitted by earth:
is primarily absorbed by the atmosphere
is in the form of radio waves
has little effect on the earth's energy budget
had its origin in radioactive elements in the earth's interior
The sky is black on the Moon because:
space reflects all wavelengths of radiation equally
the Moon contains neither oceans nor vegetation
the Moon does not have sufficient gravity to attract visible light
The Moon has no atmosphere
Ocean currents are generated by:
the rotation of the earth
the gravitational attraction of the Moon
the gravitational attraction of the continents
the drag of wind blowing across the water's surface
On average, the atmosphere absorbs roughly this percentage of the solar radiation that reaches the top of the atmosphere
5%
14%
25%
In the Southern Hemisphere, south-facing slopes:
are more likely to have more vegetation
receive more solar radiation than do north-facing slopes
will typically look the same as north-facing slopes, except near the equator
are most lush in subtropical regions
Absorption:
is performed quite well by the atmosphere for visible wavelengths
is done to differing degrees by different gases
does not prevent most ultraviolet light from reaching earth's surface
is typically greater in desert areas than in humid areas
Latent heat:
has only small effect on the atmosphere
is the same for all substances undergoing the same phase change
is more important for the atmosphere when released through evaporation rather than through melting
is the amount of heat needed to raise on kilogram of a substance by one degree Celsius
The laminar boundary layer is important to which of the following processes?
transmisison
On which of these dates would the earth have the most energy available?
perihelion
summer sosltice
aphelion
vernal equinox
A greenhouse:
is impermeable to shortwave radiation
blocks the transfer of longwave radiation
allows the loss of sensible heat
allows the loss of latent heat
is moved via advection from place to place on the earth
serves as a way of moving energy from place to place without disturbing areas in between
provides the fuel for literally all mid-latitude storms
can be traces to the hydrological cycle
The atmospheric window:
is caused by the absence of certain gasses
is a local phenomenon similar to the ozone hole that opens over Antarctica in winter
is located at a band of wavelengths between 2 and 6 micrometers
allows certain wavelengths of longwave radiation to pass through the atmosphere
Wind systems are generated by:
different pressures in different places
the drag on the atmosphere caused by the earth's rotation
the interaction of the atmosphere with the charged particles of the solar wind
the movements of ocean currents
This was probably the predominant gas in Earth's earliest atmosphere:
hydrogen
Ozone:
absorbs ultraviolet light
typically reaches its greatest concentrations near the ground and near major cities
is very difficult to split into diatomic oxygen and monatomic oxygen
exists primarily in the troposphere
The percentage of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (by hemisphere) varies by season because:
plants grow in the warm season and not in the cold season
more residential heating is required during the cold season
less pliant decay takes place during the cold season
The temperature is lowest here:
mesopause
stratopause
tropopause
Respiration:
occurs only when the Sun is shining
releases oxygen into the air
must give off less carbon than is fixed through photosynthesis if a plant is to experience net growth
does not affect the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
Atmospheric gas:
will, for a given amount of gas, experience an increase in pressure if the volume of the gas is decreased
undergoes abrupt pressure changes as height above the surface of the earth increases
has a smaller mean free path at higher elevations than at lower elevations
has no significant effect on sports events played at different elevations
The "ionosphere" is so designated because:
satellites have a difficult time flying through it
visible sunlight is deflected by it
of the electrical charges of atoms associated with it
no radio waves can pass through it
The most destructive tornadoes are rated as a:
F1
F2
F4
F5
Aerosols are typically removed from the atmosphere by:
falling precipitation
settling to the ground due to the influence of gravity
chemical decomposition
traveling higher and higher above the earth until they escape into space
This is NOT a variable gas:
ozone
The Sun's chronosphere:
lies above the corona
lies below the Sun's atmosphere
cannot be viewed by Earth-based observers
affects the earth's ionosphere
The Sun's photosphere:
receives the energy from the Sun's core in a matter of minutes
radiates much of the energy the earth receives
decreases in density closer to the Sun's core
lies above the chronosphere
Sunspot activity:
typically varies in number on a roughly eleven-year cycle
was first observed in the late nineteenth century
typically has the same number of sunspots per year
has been conclusively linked to climate changes
Sunspots are associated with the solar:
All of the following are true statements about electromagnetic radiation, except:
it moves at the speed of light
it is often measured in micrometers
its energy is inversely proportional to its amplitude
its energy does not decrease with distance
Sunspot numbers were lowest in this century
17th
18th
19th
20th
If object A is at 400K, and object B is at 800 K, then the radiation intensity of object A will be this amount of that the radiation intensity of object B:
1/2
1/4
1/8
1/16
Sunspots:
are caused by locally intense magnetic fields
appear in the chronosphere
are warmer than the material surrounding them
tend to be less than 100 miles in diameter
This is a form of kinetic energy:
a charged battery not in use
firewood
water behind a dam
electrical power
The warmest period of the day:
typically occurs at noon
occurs when incoming radiative energy is exactly balances by outgoing radiative energy
occurs during the time of maximum insolation
occurs when the surface energy budget is running a surplus
Net radiation is:
radiation that is left over after a solar flar
defined as the difference between absorbed and emitted radiation
the solar energy that exceeds the solar constant
the sole cause of global warming
Near-infrared radiation represents what proportion of the total energy emitted by the sea?
1/10
3/4
The planetary albedo of the earth is:
7%
15%
30%
is less important to making up the atmosphere's radiative energy deficit than is conduction
typically transfers heat downward during the day
plays no significant role at night
helps circulate heat throughout the atmosphere
The percentage of visible light reflected by an object or substance is called its:
emission
secondary reflectance
Greenhouse gases:
keep the earth at a comfortable temperature
did not exist in significant concentrations until the coming of the Industrial Age
are good absorbers of shortwave radiation
cause the earth to have much wider swings in daily temperature ranges than if the gases were not present
Measuring Earth's equilibrium temperature without an atmosphere
is easily done using Wien's law
is best done assuming the earth is a flat disk
is complicated by uncertainty over the value of the earth's albedo
can be done only by assuming the earth does not approximate a black body
Which of the following is NOT a warm current?
North Equatorial current
South Equatorial current
Gulf Stream
Falkland current
If the Sun increased its radiative output:
the earth would undergo an uncontrollable greenhouse effect
the earth would eventually reach a higher equilibrium temperature
the amount of longwave energy radiated from Earth's surface would decrease
the earth would have a surplus of incoming radiation energy compared to outgoing radiation energy until the Sun finally burned itself otu
What is the makeup of land vs. water on the Earth?
34% land 66% water
50% land 50% water
29% land 71% water
25% land 75% water
What portion of the electromagnetic spectrum is of importance to humans?
gamma ray, x-ray, radio
shortwave, infrared, visible
radio, infrared
x-ray, radio, shortwave
Measuring temperature is an example of which scale?
ratio
ordinal
nominal
interval
Questions that have answers that fit into categories (i.e. boy/girl, freshman/sophomore/junior/senior) are examples of which scale?
Questions that ask you to rate something (1-10 for example) are examples of which scale?
