Question 1

The largest amount of latent heat gets released in a ____ parcel of ____ saturated air.​

Accepted Answer

A)  ​rising; warm 
B)  ​rising; cold 
C)  ​sinking; warm 
D)  ​sinking; cold 
E)  ​stagnant; medium-temperature 
A)  ​rising; warm 
B)  ​rising; cold 
C)  ​sinking; warm 
D)  ​sinking; cold 
E)  ​stagnant; medium-temperature

Question 2

Cumulonimbus clouds indicate unstable atmospheric conditions. What stops the upward growth and causes the top of a cumulonimbus cloud to flatten out into an anvil?​

Accepted Answer

The level at which clouds form is called

Question 3

The difference between "moist" and "dry" adiabatic rates is due to the fact that​

Accepted Answer

A)  ​saturated air is always unstable. 
B)  ​an unsaturated air parcel expands more rapidly than a saturated air parcel. 
C)  ​moist air weighs less than dry air. 
D)  ​latent heat is released by a rising parcel of saturated air. 
E)  ​moist air weighs more than dry air. 
A)  ​saturated air is always unstable. 
B)  ​an unsaturated air parcel expands more rapidly than a saturated air parcel. 
C)  ​moist air weighs less than dry air. 
D)  ​latent heat is released by a rising parcel of saturated air. 
E)  ​moist air weighs more than dry air.

Question 4

​Altocumulus clouds that show vertical development and produce tower-like extensions are called

Accepted Answer

A)  ​cumulus. 
B)  ​cumulonimbus. 
C)  ​cumulus humilis. 
D)  ​altocumulus castellanus. 
E)  ​cirrocumulus castellanus. 
A)  ​cumulus. 
B)  ​cumulonimbus. 
C)  ​cumulus humilis. 
D)  ​altocumulus castellanus. 
E)  ​cirrocumulus castellanus.

Question 5

Which environmental lapse rate represents the most unstable atmosphere in a layer of unsaturated air?​

Accepted Answer

A)  ​1$\degree$C per 1,000 m 
B)  ​3$\degree$C per 1,000 m 
C)  ​6$\degree$C per 1,000 m 
D)  ​9$\degree$C per 1,000 m 
E)  ​11$\degree$C per 1,000 m 
A)  ​1$\degree$C per 1,000 m 
B)  ​3$\degree$C per 1,000 m 
C)  ​6$\degree$C per 1,000 m 
D)  ​9$\degree$C per 1,000 m 
E)  ​11$\degree$C per 1,000 m

Question 6

​At Earth's surface, a parcel of air has ____ the air surrounding it.

Accepted Answer

A)  ​the same temperature, but lower pressure than 
B)  ​a lower temperature, but higher pressure than 
C)  ​a higher temperature, but lower pressure 
D)  ​a higher temperature, but the same pressure as 
E)  ​the same temperature and pressure as 
A)  ​the same temperature, but lower pressure than 
B)  ​a lower temperature, but higher pressure than 
C)  ​a higher temperature, but lower pressure 
D)  ​a higher temperature, but the same pressure as 
E)  ​the same temperature and pressure as

Question 7

An example of orographic clouds would be​

Accepted Answer

A)  ​cumulus clouds produced by surface heating. 
B)  ​rotor clouds. 
C)  ​lee-wave clouds. 
D)  ​clouds that form on the upwind slope of a mountain. 
E)  ​pileus clouds. 
A)  ​cumulus clouds produced by surface heating. 
B)  ​rotor clouds. 
C)  ​lee-wave clouds. 
D)  ​clouds that form on the upwind slope of a mountain. 
E)  ​pileus clouds.

Question 8

Explain why a rising parcel of air expands and cools, while a sinking parcel is compressed and warms.​

Accepted Answer

​If we imagine a small volume of air, re

Question 9

​If you were to take a trip during the summer from Ohio to Nevada, you would most likely observe that afternoon cumulus clouds ____ as you travel west.

Accepted Answer

A)  ​have higher cloud bases 
B)  ​are larger 
C)  ​form earlier in the day 
D)  ​disappear 
E)  ​form later in the day 
A)  ​have higher cloud bases 
B)  ​are larger 
C)  ​form earlier in the day 
D)  ​disappear 
E)  ​form later in the day

Question 10

Which cloud type below would most likely form in an unstable atmosphere?​

Accepted Answer

A)  ​cumulonimbus 
B)  ​stratus 
C)  ​cirrostratus 
D)  ​nimbostratus 
E)  ​cumulus humilis 
A)  ​cumulonimbus 
B)  ​stratus 
C)  ​cirrostratus 
D)  ​nimbostratus 
E)  ​cumulus humilis

Question 11

Explain the role of convection in cloud formation.​

Accepted Answer

When surface air gets heated up a hot "b

Question 12

​The elevation where clouds form is called ____ level.

Accepted Answer

A)  ​condensation 
B)  ​saturation 
C)  ​precipitation 
D)  ​cloud formation 
E)  ​adiabatic 
A)  ​condensation 
B)  ​saturation 
C)  ​precipitation 
D)  ​cloud formation 
E)  ​adiabatic

Question 13

Just above cumulus clouds, you would expect to find​

Accepted Answer

A)  ​a stable layer. 
B)  ​an unstable layer. 
C)  ​a conditionally unstable layer. 
D)  ​unusually strong horizontal winds. 
E)  ​convective instability. 
A)  ​a stable layer. 
B)  ​an unstable layer. 
C)  ​a conditionally unstable layer. 
D)  ​unusually strong horizontal winds. 
E)  ​convective instability.

Question 14

What effects might a subsidence inversion have on weather conditions at the ground?

Accepted Answer

An inversion represents an atmospheric c

Question 15

List and explain several processes by which an unstable atmosphere can be made stable.​

Accepted Answer

​The atmosphere tends to become more sta

Question 16

​The stability of the atmosphere above the condensation level plays a major role in determining the vertical growth of a cumulus cloud. When a deep conditionally unstable layer exists above the cloud base, ____ are likely to grow.

Accepted Answer

A)  ​cumulus humilis 
B)  ​billow clouds 
C)  ​cumulus congestus 
D)  ​cumulonimbus 
E)  ​lenticular clouds 
A)  ​cumulus humilis 
B)  ​billow clouds 
C)  ​cumulus congestus 
D)  ​cumulonimbus 
E)  ​lenticular clouds

Question 17

​Suppose the surface air temperature is 66$\degree$F. If the base of a cumulus congestus cloud directly above you is 2,000 feet, what would be the approximate temperature at an altitude of 5,000 feet above you inside the cloud? (Hint: the dry adiabatic rate is 5.5$\degree$F per 1,000 feet, the moist adiabatic rate is 3.0$\degree$F per 1,000 feet.)

Accepted Answer

A)  ​55$\degree$F 
B)  ​49$\degree$F 
C)  ​46$\degree$F 
D)  ​41$\degree$F 
E)  ​32$\degree$F 
A)  ​55$\degree$F 
B)  ​49$\degree$F 
C)  ​46$\degree$F 
D)  ​41$\degree$F 
E)  ​32$\degree$F

Question 18

If the atmosphere is conditionally unstable, the condition necessary to bring on instability is called ____________________.​

Accepted Answer

saturation

Question 19

Which condition below is necessary for a layer of altostratus clouds to change into altocumulus?​

Accepted Answer

A)  ​The top part of the cloud deck cools while the bottom part warms. 
B)  ​Temperature increases with increasing altitude in the layer. 
C)  ​The cloud layer becomes more stable. 
D)  ​The cloud layer becomes clear. 
E)  ​The nuclei types within the cloud have to change. 
A)  ​The top part of the cloud deck cools while the bottom part warms. 
B)  ​Temperature increases with increasing altitude in the layer. 
C)  ​The cloud layer becomes more stable. 
D)  ​The cloud layer becomes clear. 
E)  ​The nuclei types within the cloud have to change.

Question 20

Cirrostratus, altostratus, nimbostratus, and stratus clouds are associated with stable atmospheric conditions.​

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

The largest amount of latent heat gets released in a parcel of saturated air.

Cumulonimbus clouds indicate unstable atmospheric conditions. What stops the upward growth and causes the top of a cumulonimbus cloud to flatten out into an anvil?

The difference between "moist" and "dry" adiabatic rates is due to the fact that

Altocumulus clouds that show vertical development and produce tower-like extensions are called

Which environmental lapse rate represents the most unstable atmosphere in a layer of unsaturated air?

At Earth's surface, a parcel of air has ____ the air surrounding it.

An example of orographic clouds would be

Explain why a rising parcel of air expands and cools, while a sinking parcel is compressed and warms.

If you were to take a trip during the summer from Ohio to Nevada, you would most likely observe that afternoon cumulus clouds ____ as you travel west.

Which cloud type below would most likely form in an unstable atmosphere?

Explain the role of convection in cloud formation.

The elevation where clouds form is called ____ level.

Just above cumulus clouds, you would expect to find

What effects might a subsidence inversion have on weather conditions at the ground?

List and explain several processes by which an unstable atmosphere can be made stable.

The stability of the atmosphere above the condensation level plays a major role in determining the vertical growth of a cumulus cloud. When a deep conditionally unstable layer exists above the cloud base, ____ are likely to grow.

If the atmosphere is conditionally unstable, the condition necessary to bring on instability is called ____________________.

Which condition below is necessary for a layer of altostratus clouds to change into altocumulus?

Cirrostratus, altostratus, nimbostratus, and stratus clouds are associated with stable atmospheric conditions.

Earth and Its Atmosphere

Energy - Warming the Earth and the Atmosphere

Seasonal and Daily Temperatures

Atmospheric Humidity

Condensation - Dew - Fog - and Clouds

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

Light - Color and Atmospheric Optics

Filters

Exam 6: Stability and Cloud Development

The largest amount of latent heat gets released in a ____ parcel of ____ saturated air.​

Cumulonimbus clouds indicate unstable atmospheric conditions. What stops the upward growth and causes the top of a cumulonimbus cloud to flatten out into an anvil?​

The difference between "moist" and "dry" adiabatic rates is due to the fact that​

​Altocumulus clouds that show vertical development and produce tower-like extensions are called

Which environmental lapse rate represents the most unstable atmosphere in a layer of unsaturated air?​

​At Earth's surface, a parcel of air has ____ the air surrounding it.

An example of orographic clouds would be​

Explain why a rising parcel of air expands and cools, while a sinking parcel is compressed and warms.​

​If you were to take a trip during the summer from Ohio to Nevada, you would most likely observe that afternoon cumulus clouds ____ as you travel west.

Which cloud type below would most likely form in an unstable atmosphere?​

Explain the role of convection in cloud formation.​

​The elevation where clouds form is called ____ level.

Just above cumulus clouds, you would expect to find​

What effects might a subsidence inversion have on weather conditions at the ground?

List and explain several processes by which an unstable atmosphere can be made stable.​

​The stability of the atmosphere above the condensation level plays a major role in determining the vertical growth of a cumulus cloud. When a deep conditionally unstable layer exists above the cloud base, ____ are likely to grow.

If the atmosphere is conditionally unstable, the condition necessary to bring on instability is called ____________________.​

Which condition below is necessary for a layer of altostratus clouds to change into altocumulus?​

Cirrostratus, altostratus, nimbostratus, and stratus clouds are associated with stable atmospheric conditions.​

Earth and Its Atmosphere

Energy - Warming the Earth and the Atmosphere

Seasonal and Daily Temperatures

Atmospheric Humidity

Condensation - Dew - Fog - and Clouds

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

Light - Color and Atmospheric Optics

Filters

The largest amount of latent heat gets released in a parcel of saturated air.

Cumulonimbus clouds indicate unstable atmospheric conditions. What stops the upward growth and causes the top of a cumulonimbus cloud to flatten out into an anvil?

The difference between "moist" and "dry" adiabatic rates is due to the fact that

Altocumulus clouds that show vertical development and produce tower-like extensions are called

Which environmental lapse rate represents the most unstable atmosphere in a layer of unsaturated air?

At Earth's surface, a parcel of air has ____ the air surrounding it.

An example of orographic clouds would be

Explain why a rising parcel of air expands and cools, while a sinking parcel is compressed and warms.

If you were to take a trip during the summer from Ohio to Nevada, you would most likely observe that afternoon cumulus clouds ____ as you travel west.

Which cloud type below would most likely form in an unstable atmosphere?

Explain the role of convection in cloud formation.

The elevation where clouds form is called ____ level.

Just above cumulus clouds, you would expect to find

List and explain several processes by which an unstable atmosphere can be made stable.

The stability of the atmosphere above the condensation level plays a major role in determining the vertical growth of a cumulus cloud. When a deep conditionally unstable layer exists above the cloud base, ____ are likely to grow.

If the atmosphere is conditionally unstable, the condition necessary to bring on instability is called ____________________.

Which condition below is necessary for a layer of altostratus clouds to change into altocumulus?

Cirrostratus, altostratus, nimbostratus, and stratus clouds are associated with stable atmospheric conditions.