Deck 4: Atmospheric Moisture

Question 1

A parcel of air at 25°C is completely saturated with a vapor pressure of 30 mb.Cloud formation removes water vapor from the atmosphere resulting in a new vapor pressure of 15 mb at the same temperature of 25°C.What is the relative humidity of the parcel of air at 25°C and 15 mb?

A)15 mb
B)50%
C)50 mb
D)15%

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following locations would have the lowest specific humidity?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Consider the characteristics of two parcels of air starting at T0.Which of the following statements is true regarding parcel of air 1 and parcel of air 2?

A)Parcels 2 and 1 have the same amount of water vapor in order to reach saturation.
B)Parcel 2 has less water vapor than 1 and will need to cool more than 1 to reach saturation.
C)Parcel 2 has more water vapor than 1 and will need to cool more than 1 to reach saturation.
D)Parcel 2 is warmer than 1 and will need to cool more than 1 to reach saturation.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

A parcel of with a specific humidity of 20 g water vapor/kg air at 20°C is heated to 30°C.Which of the following is true?

A)Water-holding capacity will decrease.
B)Specific humidity will decrease.
C)Relative humidity will decrease.

Question 5

January dew point temperatures are extremely low in northern areas of the United States because

A)there is an abundance of insolation to drive the condensation.
B)of the presence of frequent midlatitude cyclones.
C)there is little insolation to drive the evaporation.
D)relative humidity values are uniformly high.

Question 6

The specific humidity of air changes when there is a change in

A)pressure of a parcel of air.
B)the temperature of a parcel of air.
C)the addition or removal of water vapor.
D)all of these.

Question 7

In the diagram,there is

A)higher overall energy levels,with a decrease of water vapor in the air.
B)lower overall energy levels,with an increase of water vapor in the air.
C)an equilibrium between condensation and evaporation.
D)lower overall energy levels,with a decrease of water vapor in the air.

Question 8

Which of the following locations would have the lowest specific humidity values in July due to the sinking motion of subtropical high pressure areas?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 9

In this image from Tibet,water is expressed in a visible form through

A)water vapor in the atmosphere.
B)clouds suspended in the atmosphere.
C)ice and snow.
D)clouds,ice,and snow.
E)All of the answers here are correct.

Question 10

Why is the saturated adiabatic lapse rate less than the unsaturated adiabatic lapse rate?

A)The steepness of the lapse rate curves are identical.
B)Release of latent heat warms the local environment.
C)Absorption of latent heat causes a parcel of air to contract.
D)Absorption of latent heat warms the local environment.

Question 11

Which of the following locations would have low July dew points,primarily because of the rain shadow effect?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 12

Variations in specific humidity vary primarily as a function of

A)path of midlatitude cyclones.
B)distance from oceans.
C)distance from cities.
D)latitude.

Question 13

An important property of water is its ability to act as a good solvent.This could best be explained by water's

A)surface tension.
B)polarity.
C)capillary action.
D)dipole molarity.

Question 14

The molecular structure of water has an asymmetrical arrangement of hydrogen atoms,causing

A)the hydrogen side of the water molecule to have a positive charge.
B)the hydrogen side of the water molecule to have a negative charge.
C)the oxygen side of the water molecule to have a positive charge.
D)the overall charge of the water molecule to be neutral.

Question 15

Dew point measures

A)the temperature at which air is saturated with water vapor.
B)a percentage of how close the air is to saturation,how "humid" it feels.
C)the mass of water vapor compared to a total mass of a volume of air.
D)the amount of liquid water droplets in the air.

Question 16

Which of the following locations would have the highest specific humidity?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 17

Which of the following locations has the highest July specific humidity values as a result of the monsoon?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 18

The abundance of cloudy days in January on the East Coast,particularly the Northeast can be explained by

A)dew point temperatures equaling relative humidity values.
B)dew point temperatures being much below air temperature.
C)dew point temperatures much greater than air temperature.
D)dew point temperatures not being far below air temperature.

Question 19

A parcel of saturated air at 20°C would have approximately ________ times ________ water vapor than saturated air at 0°C.

A)5; more
B)20; more
C)5; less
D)20; less

Question 20

A parcel of saturated air at 10°C with 10 g water vapor/kg of air is heated to 20°C.Which of the following is true?

A)The air has 10 g water vapor/kg of air and is now unsaturated.
B)The air has 10 g water vapor/kg of air and is still saturated.
C)The air has 20 g water vapor/kg of air and is now unsaturated.
D)The air has 20 g water vapor/kg of air and is now saturated.

Question 21

With deforestation,

A)more insolation is used for evaporation and more for sensible heating of the ground surface.
B)less insolation is used for evaporation and more for sensible heating of the ground surface.
C)more insolation is used for evaporation and less for sensible heating of the ground surface.
D)less insolation is used for evaporation and less for sensible heating of the ground surface.

Question 22

Which of the following environmental lapse rates represent stable inversion conditions?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 23

Which of the following environmental lapse rates represent the most unstable conditions?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 24

Fog can form through each of the following ways except

A)by increasing the moisture content until vapor pressure reaches the water-vapor capacity.
B)by decreasing the moisture content of the air and increasing temperature.
C)by cooling the air until it reaches the dew-point (or frost-point)temperature.
D)by a combination of cooling and increasing humidity.

Question 25

Which of the following regarding ocean currents and atmospheric stability is true?

A)Cold currents promote unstable atmospheric conditions and enhanced water vapor capacity.
B)Cold currents promote stable atmospheric conditions and limited water vapor capacity.
C)Warm currents promote stable atmospheric conditions and limited water vapor capacity.
D)Warm currents promote unstable atmospheric conditions and limited water vapor capacity.

Question 26

The rate at which saturated air cools with adiabatic ascent is

A)10°C/km.
B)8.3°C/km.
C)3.3°C/km.
D)variable depending on temperature.

Question 27

The warm air being lifted in this map is mostly located in the ________ portion of the map.

A)northern
B)southern
C)eastern
D)western

Question 28

These low-level clouds are composed of water droplets and indicate slightly unstable conditions i.e.,

A)cumulonimbus.
B)cirrocumulus.
C)cumulus.
D)altocumulus.

Question 29

The frontal lifting pictured on this map is moving to the

A)north.
B)south.
C)east.
D)west.

Question 30

Which of the following would most decrease the albedo of a city?

A)Lighter,smoother surfaces
B)Lighter,rougher surfaces
C)Darker,rougher surfaces
D)Darker,smoother surfaces

Question 31

If moisture is abundant and the atmosphere is very unstable,strong lifting in the atmosphere can form cumulus clouds with great vertical extent.These are

A)cirrocumulus.
B)cumulus.
C)altocumulus.
D)cumulonimbus.

Question 32

Given the prevailing wind direction indicated by the arrow,where would you expect air to be cooling at the saturated adiabatic lapse rate?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 33

Clouds are classified on the basis of all of these factors except

A)dew point.
B)form.
C)altitude.
D)whether the cloud is raining.

Question 34

Which of the following would best create a stable atmosphere?

A)Surface with snow melted,low albedo
B)Surface with snow melted,high albedo
C)Snowy surface,high albedo
D)Snowy surface,low albedo

Question 35

The high-level cloud pictured here consists mainly of ice crystals and is due to convection

A)cumulonimbus.
B)cirrocumulus.
C)altocumulus.
D)cumulus.

Question 36

A parcel of air at 5 km and an initial temperature of 10°C altitude descends to 3 km altitude at the unsaturated adiabatic lapse rate.What is the temperature at 3 km?

A)-30°C
B)0°C
C)30°C
D)60°C

Question 37

Convergence resulting in rising atmospheric motion at the surface can occur in all of the following settings except

A)where upper air flow speeds up and there is upper air divergence.
B)where air encounters topographic barriers like mountains.
C)where there is a collision of two wind systems such as found along the equator.
D)where air moves from a large body of land to a large body of water.

Question 38

These clouds are not precipitating and covers the entire sky,forming a low blanket of clouds that causes overcast conditions.These are

A)stratus.
B)nimbostratus.
C)altostratus.
D)cirrostratus.

Question 39

The urban heat island steepens the environmental lapse rate,creating unstable conditions by

A)greatly heating the ground surface with less heating further up in the atmosphere.
B)greatly heating the ground surface and greatly heating the atmosphere further up.
C)greatly cooling the ground surface with great heating further up in the atmosphere.
D)greatly cooling the ground surface and greatly heating the atmosphere further up.

Question 40

Given the prevailing wind direction indicated by the arrow,where would you expect temperatures to be warmest and the humidity lowest?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 41

Which are the best cooling conditions to create a radiation fog?

A)Clear skies,windy,dry air at the surface
B)Clear skies,windy,humid air at the surface
C)Clear skies,light winds,humid air at the surface
D)Cloudy skies,light winds,humid air at the surface

Question 42

The formation of sleet involves

A)snow passing through a layer of freezing air forming a glaze of ice when reaching the surface.
B)air temperatures decreasing uniformly with height,producing the cold conditions necessary for freezing rain formation.
C)air temperatures increasing uniformly with height,producing the cold conditions necessary for freezing rain formation.
D)snow passing through a layer of above-freezing air,melting,and then refreezing,forming a pellet that bounces when reaching the surface.

Question 43

Upslope fog hugging the mountain surface occurs when

A)air cools because of decreasing atmospheric pressure; eventually air cools to the dew point.
B)air warms because of decreasing atmospheric pressure; eventually air cools to the dew point.
C)air cools because of increasing atmospheric pressure; eventually air cools to the dew point.
D)air warms because of decreasing atmospheric pressure; eventually air warms to the dew point.

Question 44

Cloud seeding

A)has never been proven to be successful.
B)creates lightning that will initiate the collision and coalescence process.
C)relies on warming the cloud so that water vapor will condense on ice crystals more easily.
D)relies on cooling the cloud so low that water vapor will condense on ice crystals more easily.

Question 45

Which process would most be responsible for the greatest incremental growth in a water droplet?

A)Collision-coalescence
B)Condensation nuclei
C)Evaporation
D)Strong surface tension

Question 46

Which of the following locations would be most prone to an advection fog?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 47

Fog in the United States is least likely to occur in the ________ when vapor pressure is higher and temperatures are ________

A)winter; lower
B)winter; higher
C)summer; higher
D)summer; lower

Question 48

Which of the following conditions is best suited to create an advection fog?

A)Vertically descending dry,cold air moving over a warm surface
B)Vertically rising moist,warm air moving over a cold surface
C)Laterally moving dry,cold air moving over a warm surface
D)Laterally moving moist,warm air moving over a cold surface

Question 49

As air sinks in a valley fog,it

A)cools adiabatically but it is still cooler than the surrounding air; the surrounding air is cooled to the dew point.
B)warms adiabatically but it is still cooler than the surrounding air; the surrounding air is cooled to the dew point.
C)warms adiabatically but it is still warmer than the surrounding air; the surrounding air is warmed to the dew point.
D)cools adiabatically but it is still warmer than the surrounding air; the surrounding air is cooled to the dew point.

Question 50

Which of the following is true about the important Bergeron precipitation process?

A)More water vapor can exist in air that is in contact with ice than in air that is in contact with liquid water,regardless of temperature.
B)Less water vapor can exist in air that is in contact with ice than in air that is in contact with liquid water,regardless of temperature.
C)Less water vapor can exist in air that is in contact with ice than in air that is in contact with liquid water,even if both are at the same temperature.
D)More water vapor can exist in air that is in contact with ice than in air that is in contact with liquid water,even if both are at the same temperature.

Question 51

Which setting would be best suited for creating a fog?

A)High latitude,high humidity,distant to ocean,flat terrain,land breeze
B)Low latitude,high humidity,distant to ocean,flat terrain,sea breeze
C)Low latitude,high humidity,close to ocean,mountains,sea breeze
D)Low latitude,low humidity,close to ocean,mountains,land breeze

Question 52

At what point on this water vapor saturation curve graph will water vapor be deposited on ice crystals while liquid water droplets will evaporate?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 53

The formation of freezing rain involves

A)snow passing through a fairly thick layer of above-freezing air before passing through a thin layer of subfreezing temperatures near the surface.
B)air temperatures decreasing uniformly with height,producing the cold conditions necessary for freezing rain formation.
C)air temperatures increasing uniformly with height,producing the cold conditions necessary for freezing rain formation.
D)snow passing through a fairly thin layer of above-freezing air before passing through a thick layer of subfreezing temperatures near the surface.

Question 54

Which of the following locations experiences the greatest frequency of freezing rain due to the typical storm track of midlatitude cyclones?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 55

All of the following is true concerning freezing rain hazards except freezing rain

A)bounces when hitting the ground,coating the streets with a slick layer of ice.
B)causes more death and damage per hour than any other storm.
C)weighs trees and power lines to the breaking point.
D)is difficult to discern in a car because defrosters prevent freezing that might alert a driver to the hazard.

Question 56

Which of the following locations has the best setting for creating radiation fogs?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 57

Which of the following locations has a high incidence of fogs caused by relatively warm,maritime air passing over a cold land surface?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 58

This location receives the more precipitation than any other region,for any time of year,due to orographic lifting,prevailing westerly winds,and proximity to moisture laden ocean air.

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 59

Freezing rain is likely to occur in this sequence when a warm front passes

A)freezing rain,snow,rain,sleet.
B)rain,freezing rain,sleet,snow.
C)snow,freezing rain,rain,sleet.
D)snow,sleet,freezing rain,rain.

Question 60

For precipitation to occur,

A)the force of gravity is incapable of overcoming the buoyant forces keeping water droplets and ice crystals suspended.
B)instability within the clouds must exceed the pull of gravity.
C)buoyant forces keeping water droplet and ice crystals suspended must be greater than the force of gravity.
D)buoyant forces keeping water droplets and ice crystals suspended must be less than the force of gravity.

Question 61

Drought would be more likely with

A)location next to a warm ocean current.
B)persistent onshore breeze.
C)persistent low pressure.
D)persistent offshore breeze.

Question 62

Drought can be caused by all of the following except

A)persistent high pressure.
B)persistent offshore breeze.
C)persistent low pressure.
D)change in the direction of an ocean current.

Question 63

This globe from the atmospheric moisture investigation shows specific humidity,with blue and green being highest.What is a possible explanation for why specific humidity values are relatively low in the ocean adjacent to the western coast of southern Africa?

A)The ITCZ shifts position with season
B)The presence of a cold ocean current
C)The westerlies blow from north to south in this area
D)The westerlies blow south to north in this area

Question 64

The east coasts of midlatitude continents are generally

A)dry because of the rain shadow effect on the lee of mountains plus cold,dense air,produces a sinking motion.
B)moderately wet,as cold and warm air meet frequently,producing frontal precipitation.
C)moderately dry due to the sinking motion of stable subtropical high pressure cell.
D)generally wet because of the shift in the Intertropical Convergence Zone produces unstable conditions.

Question 65

This globe from the atmospheric moisture investigation shows specific humidity,with blue and green being highest.Which part of Africa has the highest specific humidity?

A)In the far north,close to the Mediterranean Sea
B)Along the equator
C)Near the southernmost tip,which is surrounded by ocean on three sides

Question 66

This globe from the atmospheric moisture investigation shows specific humidity,with blue and green being highest.What feature most likely coincides with the area of lowest specific humidity?

A)The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)
B)Dry,descending air in the subtropics
C)The trade winds
D)The cold dry air of the polar easterlies

Question 67

Which region receives the most July precipitation due to the clockwise circulation of high pressure supplying warm,moist air?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 68

The annual pattern of global precipitation

A)decreases poleward,inland,and downwind from major mountain ranges.
B)increases poleward,inland,and downwind from major mountain ranges.
C)decreases poleward,inland,and upwind of major mountain ranges.
D)increases poleward,inland,and upwind of major mountain ranges.

Question 69

This globe from the atmospheric moisture investigation shows specific humidity,with blue and green being highest.Which of the following parts of Africa has the lowest specific humidity?

A)The northern part
B)Along the equator
C)Along the entire east coast of the continent
D)Along the entire west coast of the continent

Question 70

The 500 mb pressure patterns displayed would bring ________ to Texas and the High Plains.

A)zonal flow,which neither suppresses nor supports storms,
B)a trough of low pressure,supporting storm formation,
C)a ridge of high pressure,suppressing storm formation,
D)zonal flow,supporting storm formation,

Question 71

An example of a primary effect of drought is

A)rolling blackouts.
B)drop in groundwater levels.
C)decrease in tourism.
D)low dissolved oxygen content in reservoirs.

Question 72

Which of the following was NOT discussed in the opening two-page spread of the Atmospheric Moisture chapter?

A)Clouds
B)Precipitation
C)Amount of moisture in the atmosphere
D)Movement of water from the surface to the atmosphere
E)All of these choices are correct

Question 73

Twenty centimeters of precipitation fell in one day on a southern city in the 100-years climatic records for this city.This rainfall event ranked fifth among all one day precipitation events for this city.The return period for this extreme rainfall event would be

A)4 years.
B)5 years.
C)20 years.
D)100 years.

Question 74

An example of a secondary effect of drought is

A)wildfires.
B)high temperatures.
C)transportation delays.
D)drop in groundwater levels.

Question 75

Which of the following locations would have the lowest January precipitation totals as a result of the air's low water vapor capacity?

A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D

Question 76

This globe from the atmospheric moisture investigation shows specific humidity,with blue and green being highest.What feature most likely coincides with the area of highest specific humidity?

A)The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)
B)The subtropics
C)The belt of westerlies
D)The polar easterlies

Question 77

The recurrence of drought as conveyed through the return period is expressed as

A)(number of years of record)/ (rank for a specific precipitation event).
B)(rank for a specific precipitation event)/ (number of years of record).
C)(magnitude of a specific rainfall event)/ (duration of the rain event).
D)(duration of the rain event)/ (magnitude of a specific rainfall event).

Question 78

A location exhibiting the following characteristics would be most prone to drought.

A)Sea breeze,low pressure,cold current becomes warmer.
B)Offshore breeze,high pressure,cold current becomes colder.
C)Sea breeze,low pressure,cold current becomes colder.
D)Offshore breeze,high pressure,warm current becomes warmer.

Question 79

Observe these two maps of specific humidity,the top from July 2012,the bottom from May 2012.Which condition could account for the observed changes?

A)July strengthening of the Bermuda-Azores high advecting moisture to the High Plains from the Gulf of Mexico
B)May strengthening of the Bermuda-Azores high advecting moisture to the High Plains from the Gulf of Mexico
C)July strengthening of the Hawaiian high advecting moisture in a zonal pattern to the High Plains from the Pacific
D)May strengthening of the Hawaiian high advecting moisture in a zonal pattern to the High Plains from the Pacific

Question 80

The 500 mb pressure patterns displayed would bring ________ to Texas and the High Plains.

A)zonal flow that neither suppresses nor supports storms
B)a trough of low pressure,supporting storm formation,
C)zonal flow,supporting storm formation,
D)a ridge of high pressure,suppressing storm formation,