Salt Lake Community College - Geography 1000
Quiz #3
J. Allred, Adjunct
Student Name: ___________________________
Note to students: It is possible that for some questions below, you should mark more than one option. So, darken
more than one Scantron answer box IF you think it best. Of course, when all options are true, then mark only the
“All of the above” option.
1. The atmosphere warms mostly from the bottom, because:
a. Gravity makes air pressure and atmospheric mass more dense near the surface
b. Dirt, rock and water at the Earth’s surface absorb much more solar energy than does the atmosphere
c. Actually, the atmosphere warms mostly from the top toward the bottom, because the upper atmosphere is
the first to get sunshine each day
d. Most water vapor and liquid water are near the surface, and water easily absorbs and releases energy
e. Options a, b and d above are all true; option c is not true
Answer ‘d’ is wrong. Even though it is true that the upper atmosphere receives solar energy first, there is very
little absorbing surface high in the atmosphere, so most solar energy passes through to be absorbed by dirt and
water at the surface. Some radiation is re-radiated from water and dirt and is absorbed by the lower atmosphere.
So, each morning, the earth warms from the surface upward. That means the atmosphere is always unstable,
because warm air at the surface will rise, while cooler air aloft will tend to sink. The cycle repeats daily, unless
an “inversion” is in place.
2. Based on class discussion, are the following phenomena in proper sequential order to illustrate how the Sun
affects Earth atmosphere?
-
1st: thermal, or kinetic molecular movement
2nd: evaporation
3rd: precipitation
4th: humidity
5th: air pressure
6th: wind
Yes ___
No __X_
The second step should be air pressure change, then wind, then evaporation, then humidity, then precipitation.
3. Which of the following statements is/are false:
a. Nitrogen is mostly inert or useless in the atmosphere, but is vital to plant growth and for explosives
b. Water vapor is heavier than other atmospheric gases, so it tends to sink toward the surface of the Earth
c. Conduction is the major means by which air currents transfer energy and moisture around the Earth
d. Radiation is the only means by which energy reaches the Earth and by which it escapes from the Earth
e. The “greenhouse effect” is vital to life on Earth. Without it, we can’t survive for very long
Options ‘b’ and ‘c’ are not correct: water vapor is lighter than most other atmospheric gases; and, conduction is heat
transfer by direct contact, not by air currents that move. Ocean currents also represent a form of convection. As
substances absorb energy, they tend to expand and become more buoyant. Of course, that doesn’t really apply to dirt.
Dirt can transfer heat by direct touch (conduction) and by re-radiation, but not by moving (convection).
4. The normal lapse rate of air temperature means that warmth varies inversely with altitude: the higher you
are in the atmosphere, the lower your air temperature. Dry air is especially cold at high altitude because it
contains relatively little latent (hidden) energy storage in the form of humidity (water vapor).
True _X__
False ___
This question contains its own answer. Remember, this is not about moving air, just about the difference between air
temperature at different elevations.
The adiabatic process is more about how air temperature changes as it moves either up or down.
The fact that the earth warms mostly from the surface upward explains both statements above: Air that warms more at
the surface than high aloft (lapse rate) will also tend to rise and replace cooler air that tends to move downward
(adiabatic).
5. In contrast to Question #4 above, the adiabatic process means that as air rises in the atmosphere it
compresses more, which helps concentrate the heat energy that is in air molecules. The result is that rising
air gradually becomes warmer than air near the surface of the Earth. This phenomenon is caused by air
pressure varying positively with altitude: the higher you go, the higher the pressure, making our ears pop.
True ___
False _X__
The opposite is true: air that rises will tend to decompress, because air pressure is lower with altitude. Decompression
means deconcentration or dispersion, so energy is diluted, and measured temperature is lower.
See also question #4.
6. Questions #4 and #5 above may be difficult! Which of the following statements is/are true?
a. The normal lapse rate just means that air aloft is normally cooler than air at the surface
b. The adiabatic process means that rising air tends to decompress, so its energy is sort of ‘diluted’ and cools
c. The adiabatic process also means that descending air gets compressed, which ‘squeezes’ energy into a
smaller space, resulting in higher measured temperature
d. Rising air may cool down enough to result in vapor saturation, which means that the ‘bucket’ is full. Water
vapor starts to turn back into liquid, forming clouds and perhaps resulting in rain or snow.
e. All of the above statements are true. The atmosphere is hard to understand. We’ll keep trying.
All of the statements above are true.
7. Which of the following is false:
a. Air blowing over a high mountain should be more humid after it descends to the bottom on the other side. .
b. Energy cannot be destroyed, but it can be hidden when it evaporates liquids into vapors. It takes energy to
turn liquid into vapor, but the energy is not lost, nor is the liquid destroyed. They are just hidden (latent)
c. A ‘swamp cooler’ (evaporative cooler) converts heat into humidity. Heat and water are ‘hidden’ in the air
d. The energy required for evaporation is stored as vapor, making the air feel cooler. The air also becomes
more humid.
e. Compared to evaporative cooling, refrigeration (compression/expansion cooling or central air) is
expensive. The first step squeezes air to concentrate heat. After blowing off that concentrated heat, the air
is allowed to decompress, resulting in very cold air.
f. A electric hair dryer is basically an evaporative cooler: heat is used to evaporate water.
Option ‘a’ above is false. Most of the time, air moving over a mountain will leave moisture, and become more dry as
it descends on the way back down the other side.
8. Based on class discussion, which of the following statements is not true?
a. In perfectly dry air, the temperature at 10,000 feet should be 50°F cooler than air at the surface
b. In perfectly wet air, a ground temperature of 100°F corresponds to a temperature of 91°F at 3,000 feet
above that surface.
c. Air at an altitude of 40,000 feet should be at least 100°F colder than at the surface below.
d. During a weather inversion, air at the surface will tend to be warmer than air aloft
e. Air that is warm and humid will tend to rise, especially if air masses nearby are colder and drier
Answer ‘d’ is wrong. Also, to be precise, answer ‘c’ refers only to perfectly dry air. Perfectly dry air probably never
really occurs.
9.
In the tropics, most locations are covered by ocean, instead of dry land, and are exposed to abundant
sunshine. “Mother Nature” cools-down the region by using solar energy to evaporate water. The latent
(hidden) heat in humidity can produce violent storms when that same heat is released through
condensation. Evaporation is the process of storing heat; condensation is the process is bringing the heat
back when vapor condenses back to liquid.
True _X__
False ___
The question contains everything needed for the answer.
10. In about two weeks, the entire Earth will experience a 24-hour period during which daylight will last for
12 hours and night-time for 12 hours. For the March equinox (and for the equinox in September), day
and night-time air temperatures will also be the same everywhere. After late March, the days will start
getting shorter in Utah.
True ___
False _X__
The first statement is true. The March 20 Spring Equinox provides 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night everyone
around the world. The sun will be straight-up overhead at noon at the equator. The same thing will happen at the
Autumn Equinox.
It is not true that air temperature will be equal everywhere. The Earth is covered by a totally mixed patchwork of dry
land, mountains and water.
The third statement is also false: after the Equinox, the days in Utah will keep getting longer until the Summer
Solstice, the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. After about June 20, the days will start getting
shorter all the way to December 20.
11. Areas near the Equator should exhibit masses of rising air because abundant sunshine and water result in
air that is warm and humid, resulting in more buoyancy or lifting than in regions to the north and south.
True _X__
False ___
Everything in the question is true.
12. Regions near the Equator tend to show the greatest daily and annual temperature variation because they
are exposed to vast amounts of solar energy that converts from mostly short wave radiation to longer-wave
thermal energy (heat you can feel).
True ___
False _X__
The opposite is true. The Equator gets more even solar exposure than anywhere else on Earth, because the sun is
almost always close to overhead every day of the year.
Areas far from the Equator will experience extreme differences in solar exposure.
Question #12 does include a true statement: solar energy that is absorbed tends to convert from mostly short wave
radiation to mostly long wave radiation. Radiation in the longer wave range includes the infrared band, which is
easily measured as heat.
Longer wave radiation escapes back into space more slowly than did the short wave range that more easily penetrated
the atmosphere after arriving from the Sun.
13. Which of the following options results from this generalized chemical relationship?
[H2O + CO2 + electromagnetic energy = HC + O2]
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Less greenhouse gas in the atmosphere
More greenhouse gas in the atmosphere
Less fuel for wildfires
A tendency for Earth atmosphere to be warmer than otherwise
None of the above is true
Electromagnetic solar energy is absorbed by living plants. Plants also absorb water and carbon dioxide, resulting in
plant growth.
Carbon Dioxide is a powerful greenhouse gas, so plant growth tends to reduce the greenhouse effect, allowing the
Earth to cool. Plant growth does provide fuel for wildfires.
The term ‘HC’ refers to hydrocarbons, complex organic material that was constructed using solar energy. That
energy is stored as ‘fuel’ in the plant mass. That fuel can be combusted in a fire, releasing the ‘stored solar energy’ as
heat that we can feel.
Likewise, burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas) is a form of releasing solar energy that was stored for millions of years in
dead plant and animal mass.
14. When water freezes to ice it loses nearly all of its energy. When liquids or gases freeze, their measured
temperatures are very close to absolute zero.
True ___
False _X__
Frozen water still contains a great deal of energy. Ice at -10° below zero is still hundreds of degrees of energy above
absolute zero (at - 450°).
So, a severe winter blizzard, with high winds and heavy snow fall still represents a great deal of energy.
15. Spraying water on green plants can help prevent frost damage because water is very resistant to absorbing
energy, thus protecting the plant from cold air.
True ___
False _X__
The opposite is true: liquid water has plenty of thermal energy to release when it freezes. Even after it freezes, it still
contains a lot of energy.
In fact, in order for water to freeze, water must release heat. Green plants nearby and the surrounding air are easy
‘targets’ for that receiving that thermal energy.
If water doesn’t give up its heat, then it can’t freeze.
16. Wind blows because low-density (low-pressure) air moves naturally to regions of higher pressure and/or
greater air density. Isobars are measures of air pressure that illustrate how wind blows from one place to
another.
True ___
False _X__
The opposite is true: higher pressure pushes toward lower pressure. Isobars do help illustrate patterns of wind, based
on patterns of pressure.
17. Air that is rising tends to move counter-clockwise as it rises. Air that is descending tends to spiral
downward in a clockwise manner.
True _X__
False ___
All true. This is a vastly simplified explanation of air movement, but it works.
18. Inside a severe thunderstorm, tornado or hurricane, rising air tends to be more humid and warmer than
surrounding air masses. Winds going up into the storm will keep bringing new humidity and buoyancy if
they blow across warm water before rising. The result can be a long-lasting storm that won’t quit until it
runs out of water supply.
True _X__
False ___
All true. Water supply really means heat supply as well, because latent heat is ‘hidden’ in water vapor that was
previously evaporated by warm air blowing over warm water.
19. Each year, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere rises and falls because:
a. The northern hemisphere is dominated by land mass vegetation that is dormant during winter
b. The northern hemisphere contains most of the world’s humans who produce greenhouse gases during
winter (and year-round)
c. During northern latitude growing seasons, atmospheric carbon dioxide is absorbed by growing plants,
reducing the amount of greenhouse gas.
d. Equatorial areas consume much more atmospheric carbon dioxide during summer when the days are very
long.
e. All of the above are true except for ‘d’.
Days and nights near the Equator change very little. Land masses in equatorial regions produce large amounts of
plant material year-round.
20. Which of the statements below is/are accurate?
a. A normal daily temperature swing of about 50°F is typical for areas near ocean beaches
b. A normal daily temperature swing of about 10°F is very uncommon near ocean beaches
c. The high ‘deserts’ of Utah, Nevada and Wyoming often experience normal daily temperature swings of
about 25°F to 30°F between night-time lows and daytime highs.
d. Places near the ocean tend to exhibit strong or wide daily temperature swings because water absorbs heat
during the day and releases it at night.
e. All of the above statements are true
At most ocean beaches, daily temperature swings are relatively small, so options ‘a’ and ‘d’ above are both wrong.
A daily temperature swing of 10°F at the beach is quite common, and many places experience even less variation than
that.
It is true that land near the ocean does vary somewhat in daily temperature, and that helps create on-shore and offshore breezes each day. Meanwhile, at the beach, daily winds are typically mild and don’t alter surface air
temperature very much.
Option ‘c’ is very reasonable. In fact, during brief weather changes, such as a severe storm or weather front during
the summer, places far from an ocean beach can actually observe daily temperature swings much greater than 30°F.
The recorded world record for a one-day temperature variation is about 100°F.