Chapter 7
Multiple Choice
1. The circulation of water from one part of the general Earth system to another is known as the:
a. Condensation cycle
b. Hydrologic cycle
c. Environmental cycle
d. Evaporation cycle
2. As the temperature of a parcel of air increases, its ability to hold water vapor __________.
a. Increases
b. Decreases
c. Remains constant
d. Increases, then decreases
3. If an unsaturated parcel of air is cooled it will eventually reach a temperature where the air will become saturated; this
temperature is known as the:
a. Environmental
b. Dew point
c. Lifting condensation level
d. Adiabatic
4. The amount of water vapor in the air at any one time and place is called:
a. Capacity
b. Saturation deficit
c. Humidity
d. Precipitation potential
5. The process by which plants give up moisture to the air is:
a. Evaporation
b. Transpiration
c. Evapotranspiration
d. None of these
6. The rate of evaporation is affected by:
a. Temperature
b. Relative humidity
c. Wind speed
d. All of these
7. A precipitation type caused by mountains or highlands is:
a. Convectional
b. Frontal
c. Orographic
d. Rain
8. A cloud type formed by strong convection currents is:
a. Cirrus
b. Lenticular
c. Stratus
d. Cumulonimbus
9. The term nimbus, when used in describing clouds, means:
a. Precipitation
b. Ice crystals
c. Highest
d. Lightning and thunder
10. Many of the great deserts of the world coincide with the:
a. Equatorial low
b. Subtropical highs
c. Subpolar lows
d. Polar highs
True/False
11. The higher the relative humidity the more comfortable people tend to feel.
12. In general, the polar regions have low precipitation.
Matching (Condensation nuclei; Potential; Cumulus; Rain)
13. __________ are minute particles in the atmosphere that provide a surface upon which condensation can take place.
14. __________ evapotranspiration is a theoretical term used to estimate the maximum loss of moisture through
evaporation and transpiration.
15. __________ is by far the most common form of precipitation.
16. There are three basic forms of clouds: cirrus, stratus, and __________.
Answers:
1. b
2. a
3. b
4. c
5. b
6. d
7. c
8. d
9. a
10. b
11. F
12. T
13. Condensation nuclei
14. Rain Cumulus