Deck 4: Atmospheric Moisture

Question 1

In the diagram to the right there is

A)higher overall energy levels, with a decrease of water vapor in the air
B)
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.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Variations in specific humidity vary primarily as a function of

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

Answer 2

D

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

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 5

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 6

A parcel of saturated air at 10C with 10g 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 7

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 8

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.

Question 9

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

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

Question 10

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 11

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 12

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 13

In the diagram to the right 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 14

January dew point temperatures are extremely low in northern areas of the U.S.because

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

Question 15

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%

Question 16

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 17

A parcel of with a specific humidity of 20g 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 18

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

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

Question 19

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 20

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

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

Question 21

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 22

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

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

Question 23

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

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

Question 24

The frontal lifting pictured on this map is moving to the

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

Question 25

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)air encountering topographic barriers like mountains.
C)collision of two wind systems like along the equator.
D)air moving from a large body of land to a large body of water.

Question 26

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 27

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 28

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 29

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

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

Question 30

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 31

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 32

This cloud that is NOT precipitating and covers the entire sky, forming a low blanket of clouds that causes overcast conditions.

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

Question 33

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 34

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 35

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 36

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 37

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 cooling the atmosphere further up.

Question 38

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 39

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 40

These low level clouds are composed of water droplets and indicate slightly unstable conditions

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

Question 41

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 42

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 43

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 44

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 45

As air sinks in a valley fog it

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

Question 46

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 47

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 48

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 49

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

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

Question 50

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 51

Fog in the U.S.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 52

Fog can form through each of the following ways EXCEPT

A)increasing the moisture content until vapor pressure reaches the water-vapor capacity.
B)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)A combination of cooling and increasing humidity.

Question 53

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

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

Question 54

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 55

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 56

Cloud seeding

A)has never been proven to be successful.
B)create 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 57

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

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

Question 58

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 59

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 60

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 61

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 62

This region receives the $\underline{\text{ most}}$ July precipitation due to the clockwise circulation of high pressure supplying warm, moist air:

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

Question 63

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

A)zonal flow, 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 64

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 65

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 66

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 67

Twenty centimeters of precipitation fell in one day on a southern city in the 100 years climatic records were kept in this city.This rainfall event ranked 5th among all one day precipitation events for this city.The return period for this extreme rainfall event would be

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

Question 68

The east coasts of mid-latitude 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 ITCZ produces unstable conditions.

Question 69

An example of a secondary effect of drought:

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

Question 70

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 71

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)zonal flow, supporting storm formation
D)a ridge of high pressure, suppressing storm formation

Question 72

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 73

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

A)sea breeze, low pressure, cold current becomes colder.
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 74

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 75

An example of a primary effect of drought:

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