Name:___________________________________
ATMS 113
9 September 2015
INDIVIDUAL EXAM#01
Choose the single best answer in Questions (1) – (20), each question is worth four points.
Questions (21) and (22) are each worth 10 points. EXAM#01 is worth 100 total points.
(1) In terms of percent (by volume), the earth’s atmosphere is made up of mostly
________ and ________.
(a) oxygen, nitrogen, see p. 3 of text
(b) oxygen, argon
(c) nitrogen, carbon dioxide
(d) nitrogen, argon
(2) Of the following processes, which does not put carbon dioxide into the atmosphere?
(a) fuel combustion
(b) photosynthesis, see p. 4 of text
(c) deforestation
(d) volcanic activity
(3) Atmospheric ________ always decreases with ________ height.
(a) pressure, decreasing
(b) pressure, increasing, see p. 8 of text
(c) temperature, decreasing
(d) temperature, increasing
(4) In the average profile of air temperature above the earth’s surface we see that in the
________ there is typically a temperature inversion indicating that atmospheric
temperature is ________ with height.
(a) stratosphere, increasing, see p. 10 of text
(b) stratosphere, decreasing
(c) troposphere, increasing
(d) troposphere, decreasing
(5) The ________ plays a major role in ________ radio communications.
(a) ionosphere, FM
(b) ionosphere, AM, see p. 12 of text
(c) troposphere, FM
(d) troposphere, AM
(6) By convention in meteorology, the wind direction is the direction ________ which the
wind is blowing. In the Northern Hemisphere, winds blow ________ and ________ the
center of a low pressure system.
(a) toward, clockwise, outward from
(b) toward, counterclockwise, outward from
(c) from, clockwise, inward toward
(d) from, counterclockwise, inward toward, p. 16, 17 of text
1
Name:___________________________________
ATMS 113
9 September 2015
INDIVIDUAL EXAM#01
(7) The temperature of the air is a measure of the average ________ energy of its
molecules.
(a) potential
(b) chemical
(c) electrical
(d) kinetic, see p. 26 of text
(8) Of the following processes, the only phase change in which heat energy is released to
the environment is ________.
(a) evaporation
(b) melting
(c) condensation, p. 28 of text
(d) sublimation
(9) The heat transfer mechanism that represents the vertical movement of ________ air
upward and ________ air downward is ________.
(a) warmer, cooler, conduction
(b) warmer, cooler, convection, see p. 29, 30 of text
(c) cooler, warmer, conduction
(d) cooler, warmer, convection
(10) Rising air expands and ________, sinking air is compressed and ________.
(a) cools, warms, see pg. 31 of text
(b) cools, cools
(c) warms, warms
(d) warms, cools
(11) An example of a type of long wavelength radiation is ________ which carries
________ energy than short wavelength radiation.
(a) AM radio waves, more
(b) AM radio waves, less, see p. 32 of text
(c) X rays, more
(d) X rays, less
(12) Without greenhouse gases (gases that are strong absorbers of ________ radiation
and poor absorbers of ________ radiation), the earth’s mean surface temperature would
be ________ than what it is today.
(a) visible solar, infrared, warmer
(b) visible solar, infrared, colder
(c) infrared, visible solar, warmer
(d) infrared, visible solar, colder, p. 35, 36 of text
2
Name:___________________________________
ATMS 113
9 September 2015
INDIVIDUAL EXAM#01
(13) The amount of solar energy received at the earth’s surface is determined primarily
by the ________ and the ________.
(a) solar angle, elevation
(b) solar angle, number of daylight hours, see p. 43, 45 of text
(c) elevation, number of daylight hours
(d) elevation, ocean currents
(14) On a clear day, the incoming solar radiation intensity reaches its peak ________ and
the maximum temperature reading occurs ________.
(a) between 3:00 and 5:00 PM, at noon
(b) between 3:00 and 5:00 PM, between 3:00 and 5:00 PM
(c) at noon, at noon
(d) at noon, between 3:00 and 5:00 PM, see p. 56 of text
(15) Which of the following conditions does not contribute to a strong radiation
inversion?
(a) extended period of darkness
(b) cloudy sky, see p. 59 of text
(c) calm wind conditions
(d) dry atmosphere
(16) Which of the following is not one of the main controls of temperature?
(a) wind speed, see p. 63 of text
(b) elevation
(c) land and water distribution
(d) ocean currents
(17) The ________ at Richmond, VA is ________ than that at San Francisco, CA.
(a) mean annual temperature, greater
(b) mean annual temperature, less
(c) annual temperature range, greater, see p. 66, 67 of text
(d) annual temperature range, less
(18) The daily mean temperature in Asheville on October 10 is 63oF. The number of
________ in Asheville on this date would be equal to ________, indicating that people
would be likely to use their furnace.
(a) cooling degree days, 31
(b) cooling degree days, two
(c) heating degree days, 31
(d) heating degree days, two, see p. 66, 67 of the text
3
Name:___________________________________
ATMS 113
9 September 2015
INDIVIDUAL EXAM#01
(19) When all other factors are the same, the ________ the wind blows, the greater the
heat ________, and the colder we feel.
(a) slower, loss
(b) slower, gain
(c) faster, loss, see p. 70 of text
(d) faster, gain
(20) The ________ thermometer has an index marker that looks like a dumbbell and is
used in measuring a specific type of temperature.
(a) electric
(b) bimetallic
(c) maximum
(d) minimum, see p. 72, 73 of text
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Name:___________________________________
ATMS 113
9 September 2015
INDIVIDUAL EXAM#01
(21) 10 points
It is not well understood if current climate change will result in increased or
decreased annual cloud cover compared with what is observed today. Describe how
decreased annual cloud cover might impact the earth’s annual energy balance in terms of
the impact of fewer clouds on changing shortwave and longwave radiation to/from the
earth + atmosphere system. Give a qualitative description; don’t be concerned with
including numbers in your answer.
Fewer clouds implies a decrease in planetary albedo (less than 30%) so that more
incoming shortwave radiation encountering the upper edge of the earth’s atmosphere will
make it to the earth’s surface (of course, scattering and reflection by aerosols will
increase, but will not offset the decrease in clouds). A greater amount of shortwave
energy being absorbed at the surface will increase the earth’s mean annual global surface
temperature so that the outbound longwave radiation of the earth + atmosphere system
will increase. The 8-11 micrometer “window” in the longwave portion of the spectrum
will remain relatively ‘clear’ with fewer clouds, so a greater amount of longwave energy
will escape into space. Increased surface temperatures will also contribute to increased
convection and evaporation at the surface. It is possible that the increased surface
temperatures could lead to gradually increased clouds due to increased evaporation of
water from the earth’s surface. Atmospheric gases will also absorb and emit higher
amounts of longwave radiation due to warmer atmospheric temperatures and greater
emission from the earth’s surface. With warmer surface temperatures, greater amounts of
glaciers and ice pack will melt, exposing a ‘darker’ surface, thereby further reducing the
effective planetary albedo. This scenario seems to provide a positive feedback to the
original increase in the earth’s mean annual global surface temperature. [p. 39, 40-41, 4445]
5
Name:___________________________________
ATMS 113
9 September 2015
INDIVIDUAL EXAM#01
(22) 10 points
City A is located in the middle of a continent while City B is located on a small
island in the middle of the ocean. Both cities are located at the same latitude and are at
the same elevation. Describe the difference in the daily temperature range between City
A and City B over a 24-h period (night and day) in the summertime under clear sky
conditions. Include the four main controls of temperature as part of your description.
The four main controls of temperature [p. 63] are (1) latitude, (2) land and water
distribution, (3) ocean currents, and (4) elevation.
(1) since both cities are at the same latitude, the sun angle and length of daylight
hours are the same at each location
(2) land (soil) has a lower specific heat than does water, hence, the land warms up
and cools down more rapidly than does the ocean, so City A should have a larger daily
temperature range than City B.
(3) City B is located near the east coast of a continent, so its overall temperatures
could be relatively warm (not as warm as at City A) due to the warm ocean currents
typical of the waters off of the east coast of continents
(4) both cities are at the same elevation so there is no difference in diurnal
temperature range due to elevation differences
6