as long as its temperature is higher than that of the surrounding air
as long as its temperature is the same as that of the surrounding air
as long as there is a temperature inversion
as soon as it reaches the dew point
Definition
as long as its temperature is higher than that of the surrounding air
Term
The amount of water vapor in the atmosphere Answer
is pretty constant from place to place around the globe
varies in space but doesn't show much variation at any one place over time
is only about 1/1000 of 1% of the total volume of water on the globe, but is important because it cycles through the atmosphere very rapidly with an average residence time of only 7 to 9 days
is about the same as the total volume of liquid water in lakes, rivers, wetlands, and soil moisture
Definition
is only about 1/1000 of 1% of the total volume of water on the globe, but is important because it cycles through the atmosphere very rapidly with an average residence time of only 7 to 9 days
Term
Which of the following conditions generally has to occur first before condensation can occur? Answer
cooling of a moist air mass
precipitation
warming of a moist air mass
temperature inversion
Definition
cooling of a moist air mass
Term
In class we calculated the amount of energy needed to (1) melt a gram of ice at 0 degrees C; (2) raise the temperature of the water to 100 degrees C; and (3) convert that gram of liquid water into water vapor. What percent of the total energy involved in these three processes goes into latent heat rather than sensible heat? Answer
about 10%
about 85%
50%
33%
Definition
85%
Term
Which type of fog forms by the process of warm moist air passing over cool waters? Answer
radiation fog
valley fog
evaporation fog
advection fog
Definition
advection fog
Term
The dew point is Answer
Definition
the temperature at which air becomes saturated and condensation begins
Term
Assume that the actual amount of water vapor in the air does not change over a 24-hour period in the summer. How does relative humidity change over this same time period? Answer
not at all
relative humidity should rise in the evening, reach a maximum in early morning, and gradually decline to a minimum in mid-to-late afternoon
relative humidity should decline in the evening, reach a minimum in early morning, and gradually increase to a maximum in mid-to-late afternoon
relative humidity should reach a minimum at noon and then gradually increase until it reaches a maximum at midnight; it should then gradually decrease again through the rest of the night and the morning
Definition
relative humidity should rise in the evening, reach a maximum in early morning, and gradually decline to a minimum in mid-to-late afternoon
Term
Answer this question while looking at the relevant graph from the textbook or from the posted set of slides. Specific humidity is 15 g/kg and the temperature is 30o C; temperature then cools to 20o C. Answer
Definition
At 30o C the relative humidity is close to 60%; at 20o C the air will be saturated and condensation is likely to begin
Term
If we could squeeze all the water from the atmosphere at any one time and measure the average depth around the globe, it would be about one inch.
True
False
Definition
true
Term
Which of the following cloud types is most likely to form as a result of convection? Answer
cumulus
stratus
cirrus
altostratus
Definition
cumulus
Term
In the graph below, how would you characterize atmospheric conditions? Answer
[image]
Definition
conditionally unstable
Term
What happens to rising air under the conditions illustrated in the figure below? Answer
[image]
Definition
the air mass rises spontaneously and clouds form beginning at altitude A, but the air mass stops rising at altitude B
Term
The vast majority of the earth's FRESH water is where? Answer
atmosphere
oceans
glaciers and ice sheets
groundwater
rivers and lakes
soil moisture
Definition
glaciers and ice sheets
Term
The amount of moisture that air can hold
Definition
increases by about a factor of 2 with each 10o C increase in temperature
Term
Phase changes in water
Definition
all of the above are true
Term
Which of the following statements is NOT true? Answer
Definition
formation of cloud droplets in a rising air mass is the last step required before precipitation begins
Term
Saturation vapor pressure is
Definition
the portion of total atmospheric pressure due to the weight of water vapor in the air when relative humidity is 100%
Term
Which mechanism is dominant in raindrop formation in midlatitude clouds? Answer
collision-coalescence process
subluminescence
adiabatic warming
ice-crystal process
Definition
ice-crystal process
Term
Adiabatic cooling
Definition
is independent of the temperature of the surrounding air and is entirely a result of the expansion of an air mass as it rises and is exposed to lower atmospheric pressure
Term
Why is the dry adiabatic lapse rate different from the moist adiabatic lapse rate? Answer
Definition
when an air mass reaches the lifting condensation level, condensation begins to occur and latent heat is converted back to sensible heat, slowing down the rate of adiabatic cooling
Term
Which of the following cloud types is least likely to be associated
with a warm front?
Definition
cumulonimbus
Term
Which of the following is not one of the lifting mechanisms that are important ways of generating precipitation from an air mass?
Definition
monopoelic
Term
Which of the following statements is true?
Definition
Term
In the mature phase of thunderstorm development,
Definition
there are often powerful updrafts and downdrafts in seperate parts of the same cloud
Term
What accounts for the thunder that follows lightning?
Definition
thunder is the audible expression of a shock wave created by rapid expansion of a narrow channel of superheated air
Term
Air masses moving inland from the Gulf of Mexico typically belong to which group?
Definition
mT
Term
What is the cause of "lake-effect" snow?
Definition
cold polar air masses over wamer late water pick up moisture and latent heat become unstable and are chilled again over the leeward shore of the lake.
Term
The largest hailstones are produced by the most intense thunderstorms. Why?
Definition
Because more intense thunderstorms have more intense vertical circulation and more powerful updrafts that can resuspend hailstones multiple times until they are too large to be carried by the updraft.
Term
Where are we most likely to see precipitation generated by convergence?
Definition
over warm tropical oceans and tropical rainforests
Term
Which type of front is associated with the symbol shown below?
[image]
Definition
occluded front
Term
Under what conditions do we see formation of the type of front illustrated in the previous question?
[image]
Definition
a rapidly moving cold front overtakes a warm front and forces the warm air entirely away from the surface
Term
What process leads to frontal lifting?
Definition
Contact between warm and cool air masses
Term
Where you see this kind of feature in a radar image, what kind of front is responsible?
[image]
Definition
cold front
Term
Wave cyclones like those discussed in class and in the textbook typically develop
Definition
along a section of the polar front in the midlatitudes
Term
The area of lowest pressure, thickest clouds, and most intense precipitation is typically associated with which location in the figure shown below?
[image]
Definition
1
Term
You look at the sky and see high, wispy cirrus clouds that gradually get lower and thicker over the next 12 to 24 hours. What kind of front is approaching?
Definition
warm
Term
Convective storms occur most frequently
Definition
in areas that are affected by maritime tropical air masses
Term
Which of the following statements is true?
Definition
wave cyclones are less common at our latitude in summer than in winterand spring, because the polar front is located further north in summer
Term
Tornadoes
Definition
all of the above are true
Term
Which of the following is a step that is involved in the development of a tornado?
Definition
stronger winds aloft and weaker winds at the surface cause spinning of air along a horizontal axis
Term
What is an easterly wave?
Definition
a tropical weather sustem in the trade-wind belt that has convergent flow and rising air with thunderstorm development on its east side and sinking, divergent air and clear conditions on its west side.
Term
Tropical cyclones tend to form
Definition
over warm tropical waters at least 5-10 degrees away from the equator
Term
Which of the following is NOT an accurate description of the nature of air circulation in a tropical cyclone?
Definition
highest wind velocities occur in the center of the eye itself
Term
Hazards associated with tropical cyclones include
Definition
all of the above
Term
The storm track for a tropical cyclone
Definition
all of the above are true
Term
Figures in the texbook showing the distribution of lightning flashes recorded by NASA's Lightning Imaging Sensor in June-August 2000 and in Dec. 1999-Feb. 2000 indicate different patterns. What is the explanation for this difference?
Definition
Seasonal shift in the location of the ITCZ
Term
Which of the following statements about derechoes is NOT correct?
Definition
they are rare occurences in our part of the world
Term
Which of the following features is NOT typical for tropical cyclones and hurricanes?
Definition
All of the above are true
Term
How old is the earth?
Definition
4,600,000,000 years
Term
Which of the earth's interior layers is composed mostly of molten iron?
Definition
outer core
Term
James Hutton is widely viewed as one of the fathers of our modern view of earth history. Which of the following statements is consistent with his principle of uniformitarianism as we currently understand it?
Definition
earth history is largely explained by the operation of the same physical and chemical processes we can observe today, but also includes the occurrence of catastrophic events such as the asteroid impact that led to a global extinction event about 66 million years ago
Term
When we look at the geologic time scale, we find that the first 87-88% of earth history falls within the time period known as the
Definition
Precambian
Term
Which of the following describes the major change in the fossil record that appears at the beginning of the Cambrian Era?
Definition
a rapid increase in the diversity of fossil life forms preserved in the geologic record, including the development of inorganic skeletal parts
Term
The dominant group of rock-forming minerals in the earth's crust all have structures with a basic building block made of which two elements?
Definition
silicon and oxygen
Term
The compositional spectrum within the group of rock-forming minerals described above extends between what end members?
Definition
felsic (light-colored, less dense) to ultramafic (dark-colored, higher density)
Term
Looking at the pair of rock samples below, choose the statement that best characterizes what you are looking at.
[image]
Definition
The rock on the left is plutonic and the rock on the right is volcanic.
Term
The dominant rock type of the oceanic crust is _________ .
Definition
basalt
Term
The pathways illustrated in the rock cycle indicate that
Definition
all of the above
Term
Which of the following is a chemical sedimentary rock?
Definition
limestone
Term
Shale is
Definition
a fine-grained clastic sedimentary rock made of silt and clay deposited in a low-energy environment such as a swamp or the deep ocean floor
Term
What range of particle sizes falls between 0.062 mm and 2 mm in diameter?
Definition
sand
Term
What do we call a clastic sedimentary rock with a large percentage of particles coarser than 2 mm?
Definition
conglomerate
Term
Foliation is
Definition
layering characteristic of many metamorphic rocks that is produced by differential stresses and compression that reorients and recrystallizes mineral grains
Term
Which of the following is a metamorphic form of limestone?
Definition
marble
Term
Which of the following describes the differences you see in rocks as you progress from low-grade to high-grade metamorphism?
Definition
with increasing temperature and pressure, metamorphic rocks show signs of more intense deformation and segregation of mineral into discrete bands that become thicker and more contorted and irregular in shape
Term
What is a continental shield?
Definition
an area of ancient igneous and metamorphic rocks that have been eroded to levels of low relief
Term
How does oceanic crust compare with continental crust?
Definition
oceanic crust is thinner (5-8 km) and denser (3.0 g/cm3) than continental crust (~25-35 km, 2.7 g/cm3)
Term
How does the lithosphere compare with or relate to the asthenosphere?
Definition
the lithosphere is composed of the crust and uppermost mantle and is more rigid and brittle than the underlying asthenosphere, which is closer to the melting point and is more plastic and deformable
Term
The mid-ocean ridge is
Definition
a region where the ocean floor spreads apart, magma rises from the mantle and new oceanic crust is created
Term
How is the Atlantic Ocean similar to or different from the Pacific Ocean?
Definition
The Atlantic is bordered almost entirely by passive continental margins of low tectonic activity and has an almost symmetrical distribution of relief features centered on the mid-ocean ridge; whereas the Pacific is bordered mostly by active continental margins with steep relief, deep trenches, active chains of volcanoes, and high frequency of earthquakes
Term
Rocks of the ocean floors are
Definition
no more than about 200 million years old, whereas some continental rocks are as old as several billion years
Term
What type of plate boundary is associated with deep trenches on the ocean floor?
Definition
convergent boundary
Term
Where in the world today can you see a young divergent plate boundary in the early stages of formation?
Definition
Term
Magnetic stripes on the ocean floor provide strong supporting evidence for the existence of what process?
Definition
sea-floor spreading
Term
What happens along a convergent plate boundary when two continental plates meet?
Definition
both are too buoyant to be subducted and instead a suture zone will form where they collide, with intense compression, deformation, and formation of thrust sheets
Term
Transform faults typically form
Definition
along a section of a divergent plate boundary where the transform faults occur as fracture zones offsetting one part of the spreading ridge from another
Term
What of the following statements is true?
Definition
[image]
All of the above are true
Term
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
Definition
Alfred Wegener first suggested the idea of continental drift, but he had no supporting geologic or fossil evidence for his idea
Term
What is the difference between climate and weather?
Definition
An accurate description of climate includes average conditions over time, seasonal patterns of variation, and the range of variation in temperature and precipitation in a region, including extremes. Weather refers to specific atmospheric conditions at a particular point in time.
Term
Why are some of the world's great deserts located in the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn?
Definition
They are associated with subsiding air in the subtropical high-pressure belts.
Term
Which of the following does NOT have an important influence on the spatial pattern of global moisture regimes?
Definition
ALL of the above affect the global spatial pattern of precipitation
Term
Where would you find the greatest seasonal variation in monthly precipitation?
Definition
Term
The figure below shows the annual pattern of precipitation in a location in the northern hemisphere. Which location do you think is the most likely place to see a pattern like this one?
[image]
Definition
partway between the equator and the Tropic of Cancer
Term
What kind of climatic conditions would you expect to see in the areas marked with the number 2 on the map of Africa below?
[image]
Definition
Term
Which climate type and/or associated vegetation pattern corresponds to number 4 on the map in the previous question?
Definition
dry tropical
Term
What feature of the general circulation dominates weather conditions in the area marked with a "1" on the map cited in the two preceding questions?
Definition
ITCZ
Term
What type of vegetation would you expect to see in the area associated with the climograph below?
[image]
Definition
Term
Which vegetation type is associated with the climograph shown below?
[image]
Definition
Term
Which answer best describes climatic conditions in Florida?
Definition
Maritime tropical air is pumped onshore by circulation around the Bermuda high in summer and heating over land causes frequent convective precipitation; frontal precipitation is common in winter
Term
What conditions are associated with the marine west coast climate?
Definition
Mild seasonal variations in temperature, with frequent cyclonic storms and abundant moisture particularly in winter
Term
What controls semiarid and arid climates of the midlatitudes?
Definition
rainshadow from mountain ranges or remoteness from sources of moisture at continental interior locations
Term
The Atacama desert along the coast of Chile and Peru is one of the world's driest deserts. Which of the following describes conditions that play a role in keeping this desert so dry?
Definition
Term
Climates with cold winters, warm summers and precipitation throughout the year are most strongly associated with what feature of the general circulation of the atmosphere?
Definition
polar front
Term
What kind of weather pattern is the most important source of moisture throughout most of the year in the climate described in the previous question?
Definition
Term
Which of the following would you find in eastern Wyoming and Colorado?
Definition
steppe
Term
What climate type would be associated with the climograph shown below?
[image]
Definition
humid subtropical
Term
What accounts for the difference in climatic conditions between the northeast and northwest coasts of the U.S.?
Definition
Term
Which location is most likely to have a humid continental hot-summer climate?
Definition
NYCCCCCC
Term
Which of the following statements about boreal forest is not true?
Definition
It has permafrost below the surface and a shallow layer of saturated soil in summer
Term
Arctic and subarctic climates may have much lower precipitation totals than lower-latitude humid climates simply because cold air cannot hold as much moisture; butt in some cases they may still have wet conditions at the surface because evaporation rates are also quite low.
Definition
true
Term
Which climate type is dominant in the region outlined in purple on the map below?
[image]
Definition
tundra
Term
Highland climates
Definition
are typically cooler and wetter than adjacent lowlands but with similar seasonal patterns
Term
El Nino/Southern Oscillation involves
Definition
weakening of the trade winds in the Pacific and "sloshing" of warm water from the western to the eastern Pacific, cutting off upwelling and causing wet conditions along the coast of South America
Term
Which of the following statements about global climate change is NOT true?
Definition
the only important greenhouse gas affecting atmospheric temperatures is carbon dioxide
Term
Which of the following is NOT an anticipated side effect of global climate change?
Definition
all of the above either have been observed or can be expected to occur
Term
Which statement is incorrect?
Definition
all of the above are true
Term
The world water balance can be expressed most simply in terms of the exchanges of water between the oceans, the atmosphere and the continents. If there is more annual precipitation than evaporation, you have a surplus of water; if there is more annual evaporation than precipitation, you have a deficit. Which of the following is true?
Definition
Runoff transfers the continental surplus to balance the deficit of the oceans
Term
Where would you expect to find the highest annual runoff?
Definition
The highest annual runoff should occur wherever we have the greatest difference between annual precipitation and annual evapotranspiration
Term
On average, how much of the water that falls as precipitation over the continents is lost to evapotranspiration?
Definition
60-65%
Term
The diagram below illustrates the annual water balance or water budget for a midlatitude climate similar to ours.
[image]
Definition
line A is a graph of monthly variations in potential evapotranspiration
Term
Based on the annual cycle illustrated in the figure from the preceding question and our understanding of what controls the balance of moisture in the soil and the elevation of the water table, what can we say about the annual pattern of changes in soil moisture, groundwater levels and base flow in streams?
Definition
all of these reach their annual minimum values in September or early October
Term
Where does water flowing in a stream channel come from when it is not raining?
Definition
groundwater
Term
The water table is
Definition
the boundary between the saturated and unsaturated zones
Term
Infiltration capacity is
Definition
the maximum rate at which water can be absorbed by the surface when it is raining
Term
Available water is
Definition
Term
Which is the best definition of an aquifer?
Definition
A water-bearing, permeable layer of rock or sediment that can transmit water in amounts sufficient for use as a source of water supply
Term
If a well is drilled into a confined aquifer, the pressure in the aquifer will cause the water level in the well to rise to an elevation higher than the top of the aquifer. If you connect all the points representing this level throughout the aquifer, this would be the
Definition
potentiometric surface
Term
Which of the following statements about groundwater flow is correct?
Definition
the velocity of flow may be hundreds or thousands of times slower than flow at the surface, taking weeks, months or years to travel distances that might be traveled in hours or days at the surface
Term
In which of the following locations do we find problems associated with overdraft of groundwater?
Definition
all
Term
The consequences of groundwater pumping may include all but which one of the following?
Definition
Increased groundwater flow to streams
Term
Which of the following descriptive statements about the High Plains aquifer is incorrect?
Definition
If pumping were to stop, groundwater levels would recover very rapidly
Term
Why are streams in the desert southwest often dry whereas streams in our area are flowing even when it hasn’t been raining?
Definition
Because the water table is typically lower than the bed of the stream in these arid climates
Term
Which of the following is NOT true?
Definition
the wilting point occurs only when there is no moisture at all remaining in the soil
Term
What is the difference between consumptive use and nonconsumptive use?
Definition
consumptive use is the portion of water withdrawn from storage that evaporates and is not returned to the system for additional uses
Term
Which area of the U.S. is probably at greatest risk for future water-supply shortage?
