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Instructor: Prof. Seiberling
PHYSICS DEPARTMENT
MET 1010
Final Exam
Name (print, last ¯rst):
December 11, 2001
Signature:
On my honor, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this examination.
YOUR TEST NUMBER IS THE 5-DIGIT NUMBER AT THE TOP OF EACH PAGE.
(1) Code your test number on your answer sheet (use 76{80 for the 5-digit number). Code your name on your
answer sheet. DARKEN CIRCLES COMPLETELY. Code your student number on your answer sheet.
(2) Print your name on this sheet and sign it also.
(3) Do all scratch work anywhere on this exam that you like. At the end of the test, this exam printout is to be turned in.
No credit will be given without both answer sheet and printout with scratch work most questions demand.
(4) Blacken the circle of your intended answer completely, using a #2 pencil or blue or black ink. Do not make
any stray marks or the answer sheet may not read properly. If you believe there is no correct answer listed, leave the
answer spaces blank.
(5) The answers are rounded o®. Choose the closest to exact.
There is no penalty for guessing.
>>>>>>>>WHEN YOU FINISH <<<<<<<<
Hand in the answer sheet separately.
There are 33 multiple choice questions. Clearly circle the one best answer for each question. If more than one answer is
marked, no credit will be given for that question, even if one of the marked answers is correct. Guessing an answer is better
than leaving it blank. All questions are worth 3 points, except for one question, which is worth 4 points. The 4-point question
is clearly indicated. Good Luck!
1. Which of the following statements is NOT correct?
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
Ice nuclei are more plentiful in the atmosphere than condensation nuclei
Generally, the smaller the pure water droplet, the lower the temperature at which it will freeze.
Much of the rain falling in middle northern latitudes begins as snow.
Ice crystals may grow in a cold cloud even though supercooled droplets do not.
The larger the water drop, the higher its terminal velocity.
2. (4 points) Suppose you are in Denver, Colorado (latitude 39.5± N). At noon on June 21, at what angle would you observe
the sun above the southern horizon?
(1) 74 ±
(2) 39.5±
(3) 66.5±
(4) 63 ±
3. A building anticyclone means:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
the anticyclone is moving toward the east coast
separate anticyclones are merging
the central pressure is increasing
the anticyclone is causing a middle latitude storm to form
the central pressure is decreasing
4. Thick sheets of ice advanced over North America as far south as New York as recently as:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
1816 (\the year without a summer")
2 million years ago
100 million years ago
1550
22,000 years ago
(5) 23.5 ±
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5. A wind reported at 315 ± would be a wind blowing from the:
(1) NW
(2) SW
(3) SE
(4) NE
(5) W
6. For air circulating counter-clockwise around a low pressure system in the Northern Hemisphere:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
the
the
the
the
the
pressure gradient force points inward and the coriolis force points outward
centripetal force balances the frictional force
coriolis force balances the frictional force
coriolis force points inward and the pressure gradient force points outward
air moves in the direction of the net force
7. When viewed from the surface, the smallest individual cloud elements (pu®s) are observed with which cloud?
(1) cumulus
(2) stratocumulus
(3) altocumulus
(4) cumulonimbus
8. Hurricanes most commonly form:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
between
between
between
between
between
25± and 45 ± latitude
45± and 65 ± latitude
65± and 85 ± latitude
the equator and 5 ± latitude
5 ± and 25± latitude
9. Upwelling occurs along the northern California coast because:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
water °ows from the Atlantic into the Paci¯c because they are at di®erent levels
winds cause surface waters to move away from the coast
of tidal motions
of larger than normal ¯sh hatches in El Nino years
of seismic activity on the ocean bottom
10. What best describes a Baroclinic condition?
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
when dew points rise while temperatures drop
when isotherms cross contour lines
when thunderstorms organize in a rotational motion
a sudden change in air pressure that causes hives in some people
when isotachs are parallel to isobars
11. On a surface weather map that shows an open wave cyclone, the warm sector can be observed:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
behind an advancing cold-occluded front
ahead of an advancing cold-occluded front
behind an advancing cold front
ahead of an advancing warm front
ahead of an advancing cold front
(5) cirrocumulus
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12. Which of the following is NOT an electromagnetic wave?
(1) blackbody radiation emitted by a ro ck
(2) sound waves (3) microwaves (4) infrared radiation (5) visible light
13. A cold front is moving through your area, traveling from the northwest. During the passage of the cold front, surface
winds will most likely blow in the following way:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
they
they
they
they
they
will
will
will
will
will
be
be
be
be
be
northwesterly both before and after the front passes
southwesterly before and southeasterly after the front passes
southwesterly before and northwesterly after the front passes
southeasterly both before and after the front passes
northwesterly before and calm after the front passes
14. An anemometer measures:
(1) temperature
(2) wind speed
(3) air pressure
(4) precipitation
(5) relative humidity
15. The force exerted by the wind blowing against an object is related to the wind speed, V, as:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
F
F
F
F
F
is proportional to V
is proportional to V3
is proportional to V2
is proportional to the square root of V
is not a function of V
16. The most abundant gas in the atmosphere is:
(1) water vapor
(2) oxygen
(3) carbon dioxide
(4) nitrogen
(5) argon
17. At sunset in the middle latitudes, look for a rainbow toward the:
(1) north
(2) east
(3) you never ¯nd rainbows at sunset
(4) west
18. Which of the following statements describe the snow-albedo positive feedback e®ect?
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
melting snow absorbs latent heat and causes cooling of the earth
melting snow reduces the earths albedo and causes cooling of the earth
melting snow increases the earth's albedo and causes cooling of the earth
a blanket of snow re°ects sunlight and causes cooling of the earth
a blanket of snow traps infrared radiation and causes warming of the earth
19. The blue color of the sky is due to:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
transmission of visible light through the ozone layer
selective scattering of visible light by air molecules
the ¯ltering e®ect of water vapor in the earth's atmosphere
the emission of blue light by oxygen molecules
re°ection of sunlight o® of the earth's oceans
(5) south
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20. Which of the following properties of an object is something that enhances its ability to get hot when heat or energy is
applied to it?
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
low melting point
high porosity
low albedo
high heat capacity
high thermal conductivity
21. In the region between 30 ± and 60 ± South latitude, the winds are generally:
(1) easterly
(2) southerly
(3) northerly
(4) calm
(5) westerly
22. Which of the following is NOT a primary way clouds are formed?
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
forced lifting along topographical barriers
surface heating and free convection
convergence of surface air
a subsidence inversion
lifting along weather fronts
23. Which of the following conditions would NOT lead to a more stable atmosphere?
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
daytime heating of the earth's surface
an environmental lapse rate less than the moist adiabatic rate
air moving over a cold surface
nighttime cooling of the earth's surface
a subsidence inversion
24. It takes longer to cook food in boiling water at high altitudes because:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
food cooks in the same amount of time at all altitudes
the air is less dense and rapid evaporation cools the water by loss of latent heat
the lower air pressure causes water to boil at a lower temperature
the dryer air at high altitudes cools the water e®ectively through the latent heat of evaporation
the cooler air conducts heat away from the food faster
25. Hurricanes derive their energy primarily from
(1) upper level winds
(2) latent heat
(3) the trade winds
(4) the trade wind inversion
(5) the coriolis force
26. According to the 3-cell general circulation model, on the surface at the equator we would NOT expect to ¯nd:
(1) light winds
(2) heavy showers
(3) the ITCZ
(4) a ridge of high pressure
(5) cumuliform clouds
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27. Which is true about the change of state between water and ice?
(1)
rise
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
if heat is added slowly to an ice/water mixture that stays in equilibrium, the temperature of the mixture will slowly
pure ice can be raised to temperatures well above 0± C before melting starts
pure water can be lowered to temperatures well below 0 ± C before freezing starts
freezing water absorbs latent heat
ice is more dense than water
28. Which of the following is true of the stratosphere?
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
it has a temperature inversion
the winds are generally calm
it contains most of the weather we are familiar with on earth
it is mostly warmer than the lower troposphere
ozone is the most abundant gas
29. Streamlines on a weather map depict:
(1) dew point
(2) wind °ow
(3) pressure
(4) ocean currents
(5) water temperature
30. What is true about refracted light?
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
causes the sun to appear to set before it actually does
is responsible for red sunsets
is responsible for the \green °ash"
also known as Rayleigh scattering
is responsible for the blue color of the sky
31. Which association below is NOT correct?
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
cirrocumulus { layer cloud
cirrostratus { ice cloud
altostratus { middle cloud
stratocumulus { low cloud
cumulonimbus { thunderstorm
32. The smallest raindrops are called:
(1) graupel
(2) hail
(3) drizzle
(4) micrometeors
(5) trace droplets
33. Light or moderate-but-steady precipitation is most often associated with:
(1) altocumulus
(2) cumulonimbus
(3) cirrostratus
(4) nimbostratus
(5) cirrocumulus