Deck 2: The Earths Global Energy Balance

Question 1

Which of the following colors of visible light has the shortest wavelength?

A)blue
B)violet
C)green
D)red

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following types of electromagnetic radiation has the shortest wavelength?

A)ultraviolet
B)infrared
C)microwaves
D)visible light

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following is a type of electromagnetic radiation?

A)light
B)gamma rays
C)ultraviolet rays
D)all of the above

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following phenomena are powered by solar energy?

A)weather
B)the movement of sand dunes
C)ocean waves
D)all of the above

Question 5

Which of the following types of electromagnetic radiation has the longest wavelength?

A)ultraviolet
B)infrared
C)microwaves
D)visible light

Question 6

The process in which solar radiation is deflected in different directions when it strikes some form of matter is called:

A)absorption
B)scattering
C)emission
D)none of the above

Question 7

The amount of energy radiated by the sun peaks in the ________ portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

A)visible light
B)infrared
C)ultraviolet
D)gamma ray

Question 8

Which of the following is not a type of electromagnetic radiation?

A)heat
B)microwaves
C)light
D)ocean waves

Question 9

The amount of energy radiated by the earth peaks in the ________ portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

A)visible light
B)infrared
C)ultraviolet
D)gamma ray

Question 10

The flow of solar radiation from the sun to the earth as a whole:

A)varies throughout the day
B)varies from day to night
C)varies seasonally
D)is constant

Question 11

Energy with wavelengths in the range of 0.2 to 3 micrometers is known as:

A)infrared
B)microwave
C)longwave
D)shortwave

Question 12

Visible light and infrared radiation differ in terms of their ________ .

A)wavelengths
B)wave heights
C)temperatures
D)none of the above

Question 13

Cold objects emit ______ energy than hot objects, and it is of _______ wavelengths.

A)more; longer
B)less; longer
C)more; shorter
D)less; shorter

Question 14

Which of the following processes may occur when solar energy passes through the atmosphere?

A)absorption
B)scattering
C)reflection back to space
D)all of the above

Question 15

The process in which electromagnetic energy is transferred into heat energy when radiation strikes some form of matter is called:

A)absorption
B)scattering
C)diffusion
D)emission

Question 16

Relatively cool objects, like the Earth's surface, primarily radiate _______ energy.

A)infrared
B)microwave
C)longwave
D)shortwave

Question 17

Hot objects emit ______ energy than cold objects, and it is of _______ wavelengths.

A)more; longer
B)less; longer
C)more; shorter
D)less; shorter

Question 18

Electromagnetic radiation is a wavelike form of energy:

A)radiated by any substance possessing heat
B)that is transmitted by convection
C)that is transmitted by conduction
D)that is radiated by magnetic substances

Question 19

Relatively hot objects, like the sun, primarily radiate _______ energy.

A)infrared
B)microwave
C)longwave
D)shortwave

Question 20

Energy with wavelengths in the range of 3 to 5 micrometers is known as:

A)infrared
B)microwave
C)longwave
D)shortwave

Question 21

_______ is a common gas in the atmosphere that does not easily react with other substances

A)Nitrogen
B)Oxygen
C)Ozone
D)none of the above

Question 22

If the earth's axis was perpendicular to the plane of the ecliptic, insolation would be:

A)larger at the poles
B)smaller at the equator
C)the same at 45ᵒ north and south latitude
D)none of the above

Question 23

Ozone in the upper atmosphere is important to life on Earth because it:

A)contributes strongly to the greenhouse and global warming
B)causes respiratory problems with prolonged exposure
C)absorbs dangerous ultraviolet radiation from the sun
D)none of the above

Question 24

The tilt of the earth's axis with respect to the plane of the ecliptic cause insolation levels to be:

A)larger at the poles
B)smaller at the equator
C)the same at 45ᵒ north and south latitude
D)all of the above

Question 25

The latitudinal zones known as the subtropics are separated from the equatorial zone by the ________ zones.

A)tropic
B)mid-latitude
C)subpolar
D)none of the above

Question 26

The gas argon accounts for about _____ of dry air.

A)0)035%
B)1%
C)21%
D)78%

Question 27

Of the following gases, only ______ varies significantly in terms of its concentration in the lower atmosphere

A)nitrogen
B)water vapor
C)argon
D)oxygen

Question 28

The latitudinal zones known as the tropics are separated from the equatorial zone by the ________ zones.

A)subtropic
B)mid-latitude
C)subpolar
D)none of the above

Question 29

_______ is a common gas in the atmosphere that is highly chemically active and combines readily with other elements.

A)Nitrogen
B)Oxygen
C)Ozone
D)none of the above

Question 30

The gas nitrogen accounts for about _____ of dry air.

A)0)035%
B)1%
C)21%
D)78%

Question 31

In the southern hemisphere mid-latitudes, the sun will reach its highest position in the sky on the:

A)June solstice
B)vernal equinox
C)December solstice
D)autumnal equinox

Question 32

In the northern hemisphere mid-latitudes, the sun will reach its highest position in the sky on the:

A)June solstice
B)vernal equinox
C)December solstice
D)autumnal equinox

Question 33

_______ is a gas in the atmosphere that absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

A)Nitrogen
B)Oxygen
C)Ozone
D)none of the above

Question 34

On the equator, the sun will reach its highest position in the sky on the:

A)June solstice
B)Equinoxes
C)December solstice
D)none of the above

Question 35

Which of the following factors most strongly affects the amount of insolation received at a given location at a given time?

A)variations in the output of the sun
B)the angle of the sun's rays
C)variations in the composition of the atmosphere
D)none of the above

Question 36

On the Tropic of Capricorn, the sun will reach its highest position in the sky on the:

A)June solstice
B)vernal equinox
C)December solstice
D)autumnal equinox

Question 37

The gas carbon dioxide accounts for about _____ of dry air.

A)0)035%
B)1%
C)21%
D)78%

Question 38

At the Arctic Circle, the sun will reach its highest position in the sky on the:

A)June solstice
B)vernal equinox
C)December solstice
D)autumnal equinox

Question 39

Which of the following factors affects the amount of insolation received at a given location at a given time?

A)latitude
B)the length of day
C)the angle of the sun's rays
D)all of the above

Question 40

The gas oxygen accounts for about _____ of dry air.

A)0)035%
B)1%
C)21%
D)78%

Question 41

Clouds can absorb as much as _______ of incoming solar radiation.

A)3-20%
B)25-40%
C)45-60%
D)65-80%

Question 42

The ozone layer in the upper atmosphere is essential for life on the planet becausethe full intensity of the sun's ultraviolet rays would:

A)cause severe respiratory problems for higher organisms
B)dramatically enhance global warming
C)destroy bacteria and damage animal tissue
D)all of the above

Question 43

On a clear day, about ____ of insolation is absorbed by gas molecules and dust before reaching the ground.

A)42%
B)24%
C)17%
D)3%

Question 44

The bright white surfaces of thick low clouds reflect about _______ of incoming radiation back into space.

A)5-10%
B)10-30%
C)30-60%
D)60-80%

Question 45

The industrial chemical compounds known as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)are thought to have played the key role in the development of:

A)global warming
B)the ozone hole
C)the greenhouse effect
D)none of the above

Question 46

Black pavement surfaces tend to have albedos that are __________.

A)very low (0.03 or less)
B)intermediate (0.03 to 0.25)
C)high (0.4 to 0.85)
D)very high (greater than 0.85)

Question 47

Air temperatures above high-albedo surfaces tend to be ______ than those over high-albedo surfaces.

A)lower (cooler)
B)higher (warmer)
C)the same as
D)none of the above

Question 48

Air temperatures above low-albedo surfaces tend to be ______ than those over high-albedo surfaces.

A)lower (cooler)
B)higher (warmer)
C)the same as
D)none of the above

Question 49

Snow and ice tend to have albedos that are _________.

A)very low (0.03 or less)
B)intermediate (0.03 to 0.25)
C)high (0.45 to 0.85)
D)very high (greater than 0.85)

Question 50

The greenhouse effect results from the absorption of ________ in the atmosphere.

A)longwave radiation
B)shortwave radiation
C)visible light
D)insolation

Question 51

If the amount of insolation absorbed by the earth was consistently larger than the amount of longwave energy emitted by the earth, we would expect:

A)global temperatures to decrease
B)global temperatures to increase
C)shortwave emission from the earth to decrease
D)longwave emissions from the earth to decrease

Question 52

The proportion of solar radiation reflected upward from a surface is the _________ of a surface.

A)albedo
B)reflectance
C)diffusivity
D)latent heat

Question 53

Counterradiation refers to:

A)longwave radiation moving upward from the earth's surface
B)longwave radiation moving downward towards the earth's surface
C)shortwave radiation moving upward from the earth's surface
D)shortwave radiation moving downward towards the earth's surface

Question 54

On average, the Earth reflects about _______ of the solar radiation it receives back to space.

A)1/10
B)1/5
C)1/3
D)1/4

Question 55

On a clear day, about ____ of insolation is scattered and diffused back to space before reaching the ground.

A)42%
B)24%
C)17%
D)3%

Question 56

The accumulation of heat in the lower atmosphere that results from the absorption of longwave radiation from the Earth's surface is known as ________.

A)the ozone hole
B)net radiation
C)the global energy budget
D)the greenhouse effect

Question 57

Diffuse radiation is caused by:

A)atmospheric scattering
B)atmospheric absorption
C)high surface albedo
D)low surface albedo

Question 58

Fields, forest, and bare ground. tend to have albedos that are __________ .

A)very low (0.03 or less)
B)intermediate (0.03 to 0.25)
C)high (0.4 to 0.85)
D)very high (greater than 0.85)

Question 59

________ is/are the air pollutant that is thought to have caused the ozone hole over Antarctica.

A)Carbon dioxide
B)Smog
C)Argon
D)Chlorofluorocarbons

Question 60

Estimates of the Earth's average albedo range between:

A)0)03 to 0.08
B)0)29 to 0.34
C)0)61 to 0.66
D)0)79 to 0.83

Question 61

Which of the numbered sections on this figure corresponds with the radar portion of the electromagnetic spectrum?

A)5
B)6
C)7
D)8

Question 62

Which of these figures best illustrates the sun angle at the subsolar point (at solar noon)?

A)A
B)B
C)C

Question 63

The Earth's annual net radiation budget is:

A)positive everywhere
B)negative everywhere
C)positive from the equator to about 40ᵒ north and south
D)negative from the equator to about 40ᵒ north and south

Question 64

Which of the numbered sections on this figure corresponds with the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum?

A)3
B)4
C)5
D)6

Question 65

Which of these figures best illustrates the highest sun angle at the tropic of Cancer on the June solstice?

A)A
B)B
C)C

Question 66

In the pie chart below, the proportion of oxygen in the atmosphere is labeled:

A)1
B)2
C)3
D)4

Question 67

On this figure, the subtropical zones are labeled:

A)3
B)4
C)5
D)6

Question 68

On this figure, the subarctic zones are labeled:

A)3
B)4
C)5
D)6

Question 69

Which of the numbered sections on this figure corresponds with the microwave portion of the electromagnetic spectrum?

A)5
B)6
C)7
D)8

Question 70

In the pie chart below, the proportion of nitrogen in the atmosphere is labeled:

A)1
B)2
C)3
D)4

Question 71

In the pie chart below, the proportion of argon in the atmosphere is labeled:

A)1
B)2
C)3
D)4

Question 72

In the pie chart above, the proportion of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is labeled:

A)1
B)2
C)3
D)4

Question 73

Which of the numbered sections on this figure corresponds with the gamma ray portion of the electromagnetic spectrum?

A)1
B)2
C)3
D)4

Question 74

Which of the daily solar paths shown in this figure illustrates the situation for June solstice, at a latitude of 40ᵒ north.

A)A
B)B
C)C

Question 75

On this figure, the mid-latitude zones are labeled:

A)3
B)4
C)5
D)6

Question 76

Which of the daily solar paths shown in this figure illustrates the situation for the equinoxes, at a latitude of 40ᵒ north.

A)A
B)B
C)C

Question 77

Which of the numbered sections on this figure corresponds with the ultraviolet portion of the electromagnetic spectrum?

A)3
B)4
C)5
D)6

Question 78

Which of the daily solar paths shown in this figure illustrates the situation for December solstice, at a latitude of 40ᵒ north.

A)A
B)B
C)C

Question 79

Which of the numbered sections on this figure corresponds with the visible light portion of the electromagnetic spectrum?

A)3
B)4
C)5
D)6

Question 80

On this figure, the tropical zones are labeled:

A)3
B)4
C)5
D)6