Flying Scholarship Assignment #4 – Meteorology (86)+1
1. What are the three main components of the atmosphere? What percentage of the total
atmosphere does each component make up? (6)
2. What is the most important component of the atmosphere from the standpoint of
weather? (1)
3. What are the three basic properties of the atmosphere? What is the most important from
the standpoint of weather? (4)
4. Sketch and label a diagram of the divisions of the atmosphere? What is the layer where
most weather occurs? (6)
5. How high is the tropopause and where is it located? (2)
6. What kind of air would cumulus clouds be found in (stable/unstable)? (1)
7. What heights are the bases of high clouds generally found at? (1)
8. At what height would you expect to find the base of a low cloud? (1)
9. What are the three types of vertically developed clouds? (3)
10. What are the three units generally used to measure pressure? (3)
11. What is the ICAO Standard Atmosphere (ISA)? (4)
Sea Level Temperature:
Sea Level Pressure:
Adiabatic Lapse Rate:
Characteristics of the air:
12. Define density. (1)
13. Why is the barometric pressure important to pilots? (2)
14. When flying from an area of high pressure to one of low pressure, will the altimeter read
too high, too low, or the correct altitude? (1)
15. If the altimeter is adjusted for the current barometric pressure, will it measure altitude
above sea level or above ground level? (1)
16. In which direction does the air flow around a low-pressure area (in the northern
hemisphere)? Is this a cyclone or an anti-cyclone? (2)
17. What is a Col? What kind of weather can be expected there? (4)
18. What is horizontal movement of air called? What factors affect its direction and speed?
(4)
19. What is Buy Ballots Law? (1)
20. What is an area of convergence? What happens to the air in this area? (2)
21. What is a sea breeze? When does it occur? What causes it? (5)
22. Define the following: (10)
a. Gust – (2)
b. Squall – (3)
c. Mechanical Turbulence – (1)
d. Wind Shear – (2)
e. Veering and Backing – (2)
23. Define the following terms: (5)
a. Humidity – (1)
b. Relative Humidity – (1)
c. Dew Point – (1)
d. Saturation – (1)
e. Sublimation – (1)
24. Define the following as they apply to atmospheric heating: (3)
a. Radiation – (1)
b. Advection – (1)
c. Compression – (1)
25. Briefly describe the one main process by which air is heated. (1)
26. What is an isotherm? (1)
27. Describe convection (use a diagram if possible) (2)
28. What are the three methods of atmospheric cooling? (3)
29. What is an inversion? (1)
30. What are the following values: (3)
a. ICAO standard lapse rate –
b. Dry adiabatic lapse rate –
c. Saturated adiabatic lapse rate –
31. What is the relationship between lapse rate and stability? (2)