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1 | |
An airplane flying at 20,000 feet (about 6 km) is above how much of the earth's atmosphere? |
| | A) | 99 percent |
| | B) | 90 percent |
| | C) | 75 percent |
| | D) | 50 percent |
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2 | |
The earth's atmosphere is mostly composed of |
| | A) | oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. |
| | B) | nitrogen, oxygen, and argon. |
| | C) | oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen. |
| | D) | oxygen, nitrogen, and water vapor. |
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3 | |
Which of the following gases cycle into and out of the atmosphere? |
| | A) | nitrogen |
| | B) | carbon dioxide |
| | C) | oxygen |
| | D) | All of the above are correct. |
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4 | |
If it were not for the ocean, the earth's atmosphere would probably be mostly |
| | A) | nitrogen. |
| | B) | carbon dioxide. |
| | C) | oxygen. |
| | D) | argon. |
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5 | |
Your ear makes a "pop" sound as you descend in an elevator because |
| | A) | air is moving from the atmosphere into your eardrum. |
| | B) | air is moving from your eardrum to the atmosphere. |
| | C) | air is not moving into or out of your eardrum. |
| | D) | of none of the above. |
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6 | |
Most of the total energy radiated by the sun is |
| | A) | visible light. |
| | B) | ultraviolet radiation. |
| | C) | infrared radiation. |
| | D) | gamma radiation. |
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7 | |
Of the total amount of solar radiation reaching the outermost part of the earth's atmosphere, how much reaches the surface? |
| | A) | all of it |
| | B) | about 99 percent |
| | C) | about 75 percent |
| | D) | about half |
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8 | |
The solar radiation that does reach the earth's surface |
| | A) | is eventually radiated back to space. |
| | B) | shows up as an increase in temperature. |
| | C) | is re-radiated at different wavelengths. |
| | D) | is all of the above. |
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9 | |
The greenhouse effect results in warmer temperatures near the surface because |
| | A) | clouds trap infrared radiation near the surface. |
| | B) | some of the energy is re-radiated back toward the surface. |
| | C) | carbon dioxide molecules do not permit the radiation to leave. |
| | D) | carbon dioxide and water vapor both trap infrared radiation. |
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10 | |
The temperature increases with altitude in the stratosphere because |
| | A) | it is closer to the sun than the troposphere. |
| | B) | heated air rises to the stratosphere. |
| | C) | of a concentration of ozone. |
| | D) | the air is less dense in the stratosphere. |
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11 | |
Ozone is able to protect the earth from harmful amounts of ultraviolet radiation by |
| | A) | reflecting it back to space. |
| | B) | absorbing it and decomposing, then reforming. |
| | C) | refracting it to a lower altitude. |
| | D) | all of the above. |
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12 | |
Summertime breezes would not blow if the earth did not experience |
| | A) | cumulus clouds. |
| | B) | differential heating. |
| | C) | the ozone layer. |
| | D) | a lapse rate in the troposphere. |
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13 | |
In a sea breeze the wind blows from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure. Comparing the high and low pressure areas to the movement of air, the pressure areas are |
| | A) | the cause of the movement of air. |
| | B) | an effect of the air movement. |
| | C) | not related to the air movement. |
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14 | |
On a clear, calm, cool night you would expect the air temperature over a valley floor to be what temperature compared to the air temperature over a slope to the valley? |
| | A) | cooler |
| | B) | warmer |
| | C) | the same temperature |
| | D) | sometimes warmer and sometimes cooler |
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15 | |
Air moving down a mountain slope is often warm because |
| | A) | it has been closer to the sun. |
| | B) | cool air is more dense and settles to lower elevations. |
| | C) | it is compressed as it moves to lower elevations. |
| | D) | this occurs only during the summertime. |
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16 | |
Considering the overall earth's atmosphere, you would expect more rainfall to occur in a zone of |
| | A) | high atmospheric pressure. |
| | B) | low atmospheric pressure. |
| | C) | prevailing westerly winds. |
| | D) | prevailing trade winds. |
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17 | |
Considering the overall earth's atmosphere, you would expect to find a desert located in a zone of |
| | A) | high atmospheric pressure. |
| | B) | low atmospheric pressure. |
| | C) | prevailing westerly winds. |
| | D) | prevailing trade winds. |
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18 | |
Water molecules can go (1) from the liquid state to the vapor state, and (2) from the vapor state to the liquid state.When is the movement from the liquid to the vapor state only? |
| | A) | evaporation |
| | B) | condensation |
| | C) | saturation |
| | D) | Usually, none of the above is correct. |
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19 | |
What condition means a balance between the number of water molecules moving to and from the liquid state? |
| | A) | evaporation |
| | B) | condensation |
| | C) | saturation |
| | D) | None of the above is correct. |
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20 | |
Without adding or removing any water vapor, a sample of air experiencing an increase in temperature will have |
| | A) | a higher relative humidity. |
| | B) | a lower relative humidity. |
| | C) | the same relative humidity. |
| | D) | a changed absolute humidity. |
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21 | |
Cooling a sample of air results in a (an) |
| | A) | increased capacity to hold water vapor. |
| | B) | decreased capacity to hold water vapor. |
| | C) | unchanged capacity to hold water vapor. |
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22 | |
On a clear, calm, and cool night, dew or frost is most likely to form |
| | A) | under trees or other shelters. |
| | B) | on bare ground on the side of a hill. |
| | C) | under a tree on the side of a hill. |
| | D) | on grass in an open, low-lying area. |
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