Question 1

We perceive light because radiant energy from the Sun travels outward in the form of ____________________ waves.​

Accepted Answer

The answer of We perceive light because radiant energy from...

Question 2

​If Earth did not have an atmosphere, the sky would appear ____ during the day.

Accepted Answer

A)  ​white 
B)  ​black 
C)  ​red 
D)  ​blue 
E)  ​violet 
A)  ​white 
B)  ​black 
C)  ​red 
D)  ​blue 
E)  ​violet

Question 3

​When stars appear to twinkle or flicker, it is a condition known as ____.

Accepted Answer

A)  ​fluctuation 
B)  ​iridescence 
C)  ​glorification 
D)  ​shimmering 
E)  ​scintillation 
A)  ​fluctuation 
B)  ​iridescence 
C)  ​glorification 
D)  ​shimmering 
E)  ​scintillation

Question 4

​A ____ can only be seen when the Sun is to your back and it is raining in front of you.

Accepted Answer

A)  ​sundog 
B)  ​Halo 
C)  ​rainbow 
D)  ​sun pillar 
E)  ​corona 
A)  ​sundog 
B)  ​Halo 
C)  ​rainbow 
D)  ​sun pillar 
E)  ​corona

Question 5

​Sun pillars are caused by refraction of sunlight off ice crystals.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

What is a tangent arc in relation to a halo?​

Accepted Answer

Occasionally, a bright arc of light may

Question 7

​The phenomenon that can sometimes be seen near the upper rim of a setting or rising Sun is called ____.

Accepted Answer

A)  ​sun pillar 
B)  ​the glory 
C)  ​a corona 
D)  ​the green flash 
E)  ​the Fata Morgana 
A)  ​sun pillar 
B)  ​the glory 
C)  ​a corona 
D)  ​the green flash 
E)  ​the Fata Morgana

Question 8

​Air molecules selectively scatter visible light because ____.

Accepted Answer

A)  ​they are smaller than the wavelength of visible light 
B)  ​they are much larger than the wavelength of visible light 
C)  ​they are the same size as the wavelength of visible light 
D)  ​they are unable to absorb electromagnetic waves 
E)  ​the electrons that orbit around the nucleus of atoms have a blue color 
A)  ​they are smaller than the wavelength of visible light 
B)  ​they are much larger than the wavelength of visible light 
C)  ​they are the same size as the wavelength of visible light 
D)  ​they are unable to absorb electromagnetic waves 
E)  ​the electrons that orbit around the nucleus of atoms have a blue color

Question 9

​The breaking up of white light by "selective" refraction is called dispersion of light.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

​Another name for diffuse light is ____.

Accepted Answer

A)  ​scattered light 
B)  ​refracted light 
C)  ​dispersion of light 
D)  ​transmitted light 
E)  ​diffracted light 
A)  ​scattered light 
B)  ​refracted light 
C)  ​dispersion of light 
D)  ​transmitted light 
E)  ​diffracted light

Question 11

​Because of atmospheric refraction, a star seen near Earth's horizon is actually ____.

Accepted Answer

A)  ​slightly higher than it appears 
B)  ​slightly lower than it appears 
C)  ​slightly brighter than it appears 
D)  ​much further away than it appears 
E)  ​much dimmer than it appears 
A)  ​slightly higher than it appears 
B)  ​slightly lower than it appears 
C)  ​slightly brighter than it appears 
D)  ​much further away than it appears 
E)  ​much dimmer than it appears

Question 12

​When we look at a cloud, it appears white because countless cloud droplets ____.

Accepted Answer

A)  ​absorb all wavelengths of visible sunlight 
B)  ​reflect all wavelengths of visible sunlight into space 
C)  ​scatter all wavelengths of visible sunlight away from Earth 
D)  ​scatter all wavelengths of visible sunlight toward Earth 
E)  ​scatter all wavelengths of visible sunlight in all directions 
A)  ​absorb all wavelengths of visible sunlight 
B)  ​reflect all wavelengths of visible sunlight into space 
C)  ​scatter all wavelengths of visible sunlight away from Earth 
D)  ​scatter all wavelengths of visible sunlight toward Earth 
E)  ​scatter all wavelengths of visible sunlight in all directions

Question 13

How can volcanic eruptions cause red sunsets?​

Accepted Answer

Volcanic eruptions rich in sulfur can pr

Question 14

​The sky will begin to turn milky white ____.

Accepted Answer

A)  ​when the concentration of ozone begins to reach dangerous levels 
B)  ​when small particles such as dust and salt become suspended in the air 
C)  ​when the relative humidity decreases below about ten percent 
D)  ​on an oppressively hot day of the year 
E)  ​when an inferior mirage occurs 
A)  ​when the concentration of ozone begins to reach dangerous levels 
B)  ​when small particles such as dust and salt become suspended in the air 
C)  ​when the relative humidity decreases below about ten percent 
D)  ​on an oppressively hot day of the year 
E)  ​when an inferior mirage occurs

Question 15

Describe how, when, and where Sun pillars are formed.

Accepted Answer

Sun pillars are caused by reflection of

Question 16

​Occasionally, when the size of the suspended particles are similar to the primary wavelengths of visible light, the Sun can appear blue, even at noon.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

​As sunlight enters the atmosphere, the shorter visible wavelengths of violet, blue, and green are scattered more by atmospheric gases than are the longer wavelengths of yellow, orange, and especially red, which is why the sky appears blue.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Explain why the sky is blue during the day and black at night.

Accepted Answer

Daytime: As sunlight enters the atmosphe

Question 19

____________________ mirages occur when the air near the ground is much warmer than the air above, so objects not only appear to be lower than they really are, but also (often) inverted.​

Accepted Answer

The answer of ____________________ mirages occur when the air near...

Question 20

​A whitish halo around the Sun, or a bright sheen visible in a nearby layer of thin clouds, is often the result of Mie scattering.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

We perceive light because radiant energy from the Sun travels outward in the form of ____________________ waves.

If Earth did not have an atmosphere, the sky would appear ____ during the day.

When stars appear to twinkle or flicker, it is a condition known as ____.

A ____ can only be seen when the Sun is to your back and it is raining in front of you.

Sun pillars are caused by refraction of sunlight off ice crystals.

What is a tangent arc in relation to a halo?

The phenomenon that can sometimes be seen near the upper rim of a setting or rising Sun is called ____.

Air molecules selectively scatter visible light because ____.

The breaking up of white light by "selective" refraction is called dispersion of light.

Another name for diffuse light is ____.

Because of atmospheric refraction, a star seen near Earth's horizon is actually ____.

When we look at a cloud, it appears white because countless cloud droplets ____.

How can volcanic eruptions cause red sunsets?

The sky will begin to turn milky white ____.

Describe how, when, and where Sun pillars are formed.

Occasionally, when the size of the suspended particles are similar to the primary wavelengths of visible light, the Sun can appear blue, even at noon.

As sunlight enters the atmosphere, the shorter visible wavelengths of violet, blue, and green are scattered more by atmospheric gases than are the longer wavelengths of yellow, orange, and especially red, which is why the sky appears blue.

Explain why the sky is blue during the day and black at night.

____________________ mirages occur when the air near the ground is much warmer than the air above, so objects not only appear to be lower than they really are, but also (often) inverted.

A whitish halo around the Sun, or a bright sheen visible in a nearby layer of thin clouds, is often the result of Mie scattering.

Earth and Its Atmosphere

Energy - Warming the Earth and the Atmosphere

Seasonal and Daily Temperatures

Atmospheric Humidity

Condensation - Dew - Fog - and Clouds

Stability and Cloud Development

Precipitation

Air Pressure and Winds

Wind - Small-Scale and Local Systems

Wind - Global Systems

Air Masses and Fronts

Middle Latitude Cyclones

Weather Forecasting

Thunderstorms

Tornadoes

Hurricanes

Earths Changing Climate

Global Climate

Air Pollution

Filters

Exam 20: Light - Color and Atmospheric Optics

We perceive light because radiant energy from the Sun travels outward in the form of ____________________ waves.​

​If Earth did not have an atmosphere, the sky would appear ____ during the day.

​When stars appear to twinkle or flicker, it is a condition known as ____.

​A ____ can only be seen when the Sun is to your back and it is raining in front of you.

​Sun pillars are caused by refraction of sunlight off ice crystals.

What is a tangent arc in relation to a halo?​

​The phenomenon that can sometimes be seen near the upper rim of a setting or rising Sun is called ____.

​Air molecules selectively scatter visible light because ____.

​The breaking up of white light by "selective" refraction is called dispersion of light.

​Another name for diffuse light is ____.

​Because of atmospheric refraction, a star seen near Earth's horizon is actually ____.

​When we look at a cloud, it appears white because countless cloud droplets ____.

How can volcanic eruptions cause red sunsets?​

​The sky will begin to turn milky white ____.

Describe how, when, and where Sun pillars are formed.

​Occasionally, when the size of the suspended particles are similar to the primary wavelengths of visible light, the Sun can appear blue, even at noon.

​As sunlight enters the atmosphere, the shorter visible wavelengths of violet, blue, and green are scattered more by atmospheric gases than are the longer wavelengths of yellow, orange, and especially red, which is why the sky appears blue.

Explain why the sky is blue during the day and black at night.

____________________ mirages occur when the air near the ground is much warmer than the air above, so objects not only appear to be lower than they really are, but also (often) inverted.​

​A whitish halo around the Sun, or a bright sheen visible in a nearby layer of thin clouds, is often the result of Mie scattering.

Earth and Its Atmosphere

Energy - Warming the Earth and the Atmosphere

Seasonal and Daily Temperatures

Atmospheric Humidity

Condensation - Dew - Fog - and Clouds

Stability and Cloud Development

Precipitation

Air Pressure and Winds

Wind - Small-Scale and Local Systems

Wind - Global Systems

Air Masses and Fronts

Middle Latitude Cyclones

Weather Forecasting

Thunderstorms

Tornadoes

Hurricanes

Earths Changing Climate

Global Climate

Air Pollution

Filters

We perceive light because radiant energy from the Sun travels outward in the form of ____________________ waves.

If Earth did not have an atmosphere, the sky would appear ____ during the day.

When stars appear to twinkle or flicker, it is a condition known as ____.

A ____ can only be seen when the Sun is to your back and it is raining in front of you.

Sun pillars are caused by refraction of sunlight off ice crystals.

What is a tangent arc in relation to a halo?

The phenomenon that can sometimes be seen near the upper rim of a setting or rising Sun is called ____.

Air molecules selectively scatter visible light because ____.

The breaking up of white light by "selective" refraction is called dispersion of light.

Another name for diffuse light is ____.

Because of atmospheric refraction, a star seen near Earth's horizon is actually ____.

When we look at a cloud, it appears white because countless cloud droplets ____.

How can volcanic eruptions cause red sunsets?

The sky will begin to turn milky white ____.

Occasionally, when the size of the suspended particles are similar to the primary wavelengths of visible light, the Sun can appear blue, even at noon.

As sunlight enters the atmosphere, the shorter visible wavelengths of violet, blue, and green are scattered more by atmospheric gases than are the longer wavelengths of yellow, orange, and especially red, which is why the sky appears blue.

____________________ mirages occur when the air near the ground is much warmer than the air above, so objects not only appear to be lower than they really are, but also (often) inverted.

A whitish halo around the Sun, or a bright sheen visible in a nearby layer of thin clouds, is often the result of Mie scattering.