Exam
1 – Fall 2006
Write
all answers on the answer sheets. Mark
your answers clearly. If we cannot
determine your answer, it will be marked wrong. You will turn in both the exam sheets and the answer sheets. Please write your name on both.
Multiple Choice (3 Points
each)
1. The strong summertime thunderstorms that occasionally form in Arizona are correctly called monsoons.
(a) True (b) False
2. The atmospheric “greenhouse effect” keeps the global average air temperature near the ground about 60° F warmer than if there were no atmosphere. The two gases that are mainly responsible for this (the most important “greenhouse gases”) are _______ .
(a) nitrogen and oxygen
(b) oxygen and ozone
(c) ozone and carbon dioxide
(d) carbon dioxide and water vapor
3. The troposphere, tropopause, and stratosphere are layers of the atmosphere defined by the vertical structure of _________ .
(a) Pressure (c) Number density
(b) Temperature (d) Ozone concentration
4. In the atmosphere, the formation of cloud droplets begins on aerosol particles called cloud condensation nuclei.
(a) True (b) False
5. The steam that you see above a pot of boiling water is composed of __________ .
(a) water vapor (c) greenhouse gases
(b) tiny liquid water droplets (d) haze
6. Which process requires the most energy input (to the water)?
(a) Raising the temperature of one gram of ice from -100° C to 0° C.
(b) Melting one gram of ice.
(c) Raising the temperature of one gram of liquid water from 0° C to 100° C
(d) Evaporating one gram of liquid water.
7. Which is the best indicator of the actual amount of water vapor in the air?
(a) Saturation mixing ratio
(b) Wet bulb temperature
(c) Relative humidity
(d) Dew point temperature
For Questions 8-10. Consider an unsaturated parcel of air that contains some water vapor. If the parcel is warmed, what will happen to: (Assume the parcel remains unsaturated)
8. The saturation mixing ratio of the air in the parcel?
(a) It will decrease in value
(b) It will increase in value
(c) Its value will remain the same
9. The dew point temperature of the air in the parcel?
(a) It will decrease in value
(b) It will increase in value
(c) Its value will remain the same
10. The relative humidity of the air in the parcel?
(a) It will decrease in value
(b) It will increase in value
(c) Its value will remain the same
|
Temperature (ºF) |
Saturation Mixing Ratio (g/kg) |
Temperature (ºF) |
Saturation Mixing Ratio (g/kg) |
|
5 |
1.21 |
55 |
9.32 |
|
10 |
1.52 |
60 |
11.19 |
|
15 |
1.89 |
65 |
13.38 |
|
20 |
2.34 |
70 |
15.95 |
|
25 |
2.88 |
75 |
18.94 |
|
30 |
3.54 |
80 |
22.43 |
|
35 |
4.33 |
85 |
26.48 |
|
40 |
5.28 |
90 |
31.16 |
|
45 |
6.40 |
95 |
36.56 |
|
50 |
7.74 |
100 |
42.78 |
Use the table
of saturation mixing ratios given above to answer questions 11 and 12
11. What is the approximate relative humidity of air with a temperature of 80° F and a dew point temperature of 40° F?
(a) 6.6 % (b) 23.5% (c) 50.0% (d) 73.5%
12. If the air temperature is 60° F and the relative humidity is 69%, approximately what is the dew point temperature?
(a) 20° F (b) 30° F (c) 40° F (d) 50° F
13. Which general cloud type is most likely to form when the atmosphere is unstable?
(a) Cumuliform type
(b) Stratiform type
(c) Clouds will not form when the atmosphere is unstable
Fill in the table below by lifting an air parcel up from the surface to 5000 meters above the surface, then answer questions 14 – 17.
|
Elevation |
Environmental Temperature |
Parcel Temperature |
Parcel Dew Point Temperature |
|
5000 m |
-9° C |
|
|
|
4000 m |
-1° C |
|
|
|
3000 m |
7° C |
|
|
|
2000 m |
14° C |
|
|
|
1000 m |
21° C |
|
|
|
0m |
28° C |
28° C |
18° C |
14. What is parcel temperature at 5000 m?
(a) -22° C (b) -14° C (c) -10° C (d) -6° C
15. What is parcel dew point temperature at 1000 m?
(a) 8° C (b) 18° C (c) 28° C (d) 38° C
16. Where will a cloud begin to form in the parcel as it is being lifted?
(a) As the parcel moves above 1000 m (c) As the parcel moves above 3000 m
(b) As the parcel moves above 2000 m (d) As the parcel moves above 4000 m
17. Where, if at all, does the parcel first become unstable?
(a) When the parcel reaches 2000 m (c) When the parcel reaches 4000 m
(b) When the parcel reaches 3000 m (d) The parcel remains stable up to 5000 m
18. When strong hurricanes make landfall, this aspect of the storm is usually responsible for the greatest destruction?
(a) Tornadoes that form when the hurricane winds interact with the land
(b) The storm surge
(c) Flooding due to heavy rains
(d) The strong winds
19. A hurricane is more likely to move from ________ rather than the other way around.
(a) west toward east
(b) east toward west
20. A hurricane is called a “warm core” weather system because the vertical column of air above the intense core of the storm is warmer than the air surrounding the core. How does the air in the core of hurricane become so warm?
(a) The release of latent heat as water evaporates from the ocean.
(b) By conduction of heat from the warm ocean water.
(c) From the wind energy and friction with the ocean water.
(d) The release of latent heat as water vapor condenses to form clouds.
21. Suppose you are tracking hurricane Jack. On Monday morning the sea level pressure in the center of the Jack was 940 mb. On Tuesday morning the sea level pressure in the center of Jack went down to 920 mb. This indicates that hurricane Jack is ________ .
(a) strengthening
(b) weakening
22. As a hurricane makes landfall (in the Northern Hemisphere), the greatest destruction will generally occur ________ .
(a) where the eye passes over
(b) just to the left of where the eye passes over
(c) just to the right of where the eye passes over
Fill in the blanks to complete the statement below
For a hurricane to strengthen, the ____#23____
must be stronger than the ____#24____.
23. Answer choices
(a) divergence (outflow) of air in the upper troposphere
(b) divergence (outflow) of air in the lower troposphere
(c) convergence (inflow) of air in the lower troposphere
(d) convergence (inflow) of air in the upper troposphere
24. Answer choices
(a) divergence (outflow) of air in the upper troposphere
(b) divergence (outflow) of air in the lower troposphere
(c) convergence (inflow) of air in the lower troposphere
(d) convergence (inflow) of air in the upper troposphere
Short
Answer Questions (Select 4 of the 7 Questions) -- 8 Points Each
Write your answers on the attached answer sheet. Make sure you answer all parts of each question. If you need more space, please use the back of this sheet. Your answers should be short and to the point. Points will be deducted for incorrect or unnecessary statements in your answer, even if the correct answer is found somewhere. Be sure to clearly indicate which 4 questions you would like graded.
1. Explain why a person may experience the sensation of “ear popping” soon after riding an elevator from the first floor to the eightieth floor of a high-rise building. Make sure you discuss how and why the shape of the eardrum changes during the ascent.
2. Mountain climbers and hikers often use the term “thin air” to describe atmospheric conditions at high elevation. For example Jon Krakauer’s book Into Thin Air is about a deadly climbing expedition to Mount Everest. Explain what it means to say that the air gets “thinner” as you climb upward. Also briefly explain why the air gets “thinner” with increasing altitude.
3. Consider a drinking glass full of ice water (liquid water and lots of ice cubes) that is at a temperature of 32° F (0° C). To avoid evaporation of the ice water, a lid is placed on top of the glass. The surrounding air is still (no wind), the air temperature is 60° F, and the dew point temperature is 45° F. Describe two processes that will act to add energy (or heat) to the ice water through the sides of the glass (not through the top or bottom). Even though heat is being added, you notice that the temperature of the ice water inside the glass remains steady at 32° F. Explain.
4. List the two main ways the human body responds to heat stress (core temperature getting too high) and briefly explain how each works. List two actions that can be taken to treat a person suffering from hyperthermia and briefly explain how each works.
5. What is a cloud? Explain how most clouds form. If it helps, you may use the concept of an air parcel in your answer.
6. The average temperature “lapse rate” in the atmosphere of Earth is 6.5° C per 1000 meters, i.e., on average then environmental air temperature decreases by 6.5° C for each 1000 meter gain in elevation. At this lapse rate the atmosphere is said to be “conditionally unstable.” More specifically, it means the atmosphere is unstable under the condition that a rising air parcel is saturated and stable for a rising air parcel that is unsaturated. Explain why the stability of the atmosphere is conditional on whether or not rising parcels are saturated (for the average temperature lapse rate). Make sure you fully explain why there is a difference between a rising air parcel that is saturated and one that is unsaturated.
7. Explain why the answer to multiple choice questions #23 and #24 would act to strengthen hurricane force winds in the lower troposphere.