Q&A Hero

Q: Warm air has a higher capacity for water vapor, because in warm air A) fast-moving water-vapor molecules are too energetic to stick together. B) molecules expand. C) water-vapor molecules condense. D) there are more water vapor molecules than in cool air.

Q: Humidity can be expressed in many different waysvolume, pressure, mass; but humidity is always A) the moisture condensation. B) the amount of water vapor in the air. C) equal to relative humidity. D) maximum amount of water vapor in the air at a given temperature.

Q: Why does a drop in air pressure indicate the coming of cloudy weather and a rise in air pressure indicate clear weather?

Q: What information is needed in order to forecast today's weather?

Q: In discussing atmospheric moisture, the term most used by meteorologist is A) relative humidity. B) specific humidity. C) water vapor capacity. D) temperature.

Q: On a weather map, closely spaced circular isobars around a central low pressure area with winds moving counterclockwise about the center may represent A) approaching fair weather. B) a hurricane. C) an approaching snow storm.

Q: Unstable conditions and stormy weather can be expected with the passage of a A) low pressure system. B) high pressure system.

Q: Fair weather can usually be expected with the approach of a A) low pressure system. B) high pressure system.

Q: On a weather map, an L depicts an area of low pressure. In this region, if the isobars are closely spaced around the low, the weather forecast calls for A) cloudy skies and windy conditions. B) clear skies with light winds. C) warm temperatures with light winds. D) snow.

Q: On a weather map we see an H for Highs and an L for Lows. In a high pressure region we generally can find A) stormy weather. B) clear skies. C) very cold temperatures. D) cloud cover.

Q: Symbols on a weather map are called A) isobars. B) data. C) weather elements. D) weather codes.

Q: A weather map has many symbols and lines. Isobars are lines that A) depict wind speed and direction. B) connect points of equal temperature. C) connect points of equal pressure. D) none of the above

Q: All of Earth's weather occurs in the A) lower levels of the atmosphere. B) troposphere. C) tropopause. D) troposphere and stratosphere.

Q: The atmospheric condition at a particular location at a particular moment in time is called A) weather. B) climate. C) average temperature. D) average precipitation level.

Q: Why are hurricanes more likely to occur on the eastern coast of the United States than on the western coast?

Q: Briefly describe how thunder and lightning develop.

Q: Lightning occurs as A) water droplets in a cloud interact with one another, making the cloud electrically charged. B) electrical energy flows from a cloud to the ground. C) the surrounding air expands. D) electric energy flow from cloud to ground as interaction of water droplets electrically charge the cloud.

Q: Lightning is very common in thunderstorms. Lightning results from A) an imbalance in energy. B) a separation of electrical charge within the cloud. C) air expansion. D) rising warm updrafts.

Q: The energy released by a hurricane comes from A) cold Atlantic waters. B) spiraling winds. C) warm, moist air above warm, tropical oceans. D) the Sun.

Q: Hurricanes are more likely to form near A) warm waters where the air is humid. B) warm waters where the air is dry. C) cold bodies of water where the air is humid. D) cold bodies of water where the air is dry.

Q: In a thundercloud the downdrafts are ________ and the updrafts are ________. A) warm; cold B) cold; warm C) fast; slow D) slow; fast

Q: The downdraft in a thunderstorm is strengthened as A) warm moist air sinks in the thunder cell. B) dry air is drawn into the cloud, raindrops evaporate, and the air chills. C) cold moist air condenses. D) precipitation particles grow and fall.

Q: The fundamental source of energy released by a tropical hurricane comes from A) the trade winds. B) the Sun. C) warm moist air. D) the convergence of maritime polar and maritime tropical air masses.

Q: In the Northern Hemisphere, hurricane winds spiral A) counterclockwise in toward the low pressure zone of the storm's eye. B) counterclockwise in toward the high pressure zone of the storm's eye. C) clockwise in toward the low pressure zone of the storm's eye. D) clockwise in toward the high pressure zone of the storm's eye.

Q: Tornadoes are rapidly rotating winds that blow counterclockwise around a small area of intense A) high pressure. B) low pressure.

Q: Although tornadoes occur in many parts of the world, they are very common A) along the Gulf Coast. B) in the northeastern part of the United States. C) in the Central Plains. D) on the western slopes of the Rockies.

Q: Severe thunderstorms are common A) over the central United States. B) in Arizona. C) in the northwestern United States. D) along the Pacific coast.

Q: In the Northern Hemisphere, the winds of a tornado travel at speeds of up to 800 km/h in a A) clockwise direction. B) counterclockwise direction.

Q: The birth of a thunderstorm occurs when A) warm, humid air rises in a stable environment. B) warm, humid air rises in an unstable environment. C) a cold front encounters a warm front. D) a maritime polar air mass encounters a maritime tropical air mass.

Q: Lightning occurs as water droplets in a cloud become electrically charged. Energy is positively charged A) at the base of the cloud. B) at the top of the cloud. C) throughout the cloud. D) surrounding the cloud.

Q: A hurricane's source of energy is A) strong winds. B) evaporation of cool seawater. C) heat released from condensing water. D) rapidly sinking air.

Q: Which type of weather is characterized by spiral storms with winds of up to 300 km/hour? A) hurricanes B) tornadoes C) tropical depressions D) tropical storms

Q: Hurricanes fit into which category below? A) cyclones B) anticyclones C) gyres D) cold fronts

Q: Hurricanes can be generated A) in tropical desert areas. B) from tropical storms with high levels of moisture and thermal energy. C) as moist thermal winds cross over the equator. D) by all of these.

Q: When a funnel cloud touches the ground, it becomes a A) hurricane. B) thunderstorm. C) tornado. D) cyclone.

Q: In a thunderstorm, the falling rain creates A) an updraft that generates a storm cell within the cloud. B) a downdraft, chilling the air and making it denser than the surrounding air. C) a downdraft, chilling the air and making it less dense than the surrounding air. D) an updraft, chilling the air and making it denser than the surrounding air.

Q: Explain how a convection cycle is generated.

Q: What are the three main atmospheric lifting mechanisms?

Q: Explain why freezing rain is more commonly associated with warm fronts than with cold fronts.

Q: Does Earth's surface significantly influence the flow of air above it?

Q: In the Northern Hemisphere, cyclones rotate ________; whereas an anticyclone rotates ________. A) counterclockwise around a low pressure center; clockwise around a high pressure center B) clockwise around a low pressure center; counterclockwise around a high pressure center C) counterclockwise around a high pressure center; clockwise around a low pressure center

Q: A rain shadow is associated with A) the leeward slope of a mountain. B) orographic lifting. C) descending dry air. D) descending dry air on the leeward slope of a mountain.

Q: Orographic lifting occurs as A) two air masses meet head on. B) air moves over a warm ground surface. C) an air mass moves into a rain shadow. D) an air mass is pushed over a mountain range.

Q: Convectional lifting is caused by A) circulatory movement deep in Earth's interior. B) contact of an air mass with warm ground surfaces. C) the movement of cumulus clouds. D) humid air rising through the atmosphere.

Q: An occluded front can occur when A) two different air masses are unable to overtake one another. B) a warm front and a cold front merge. C) warm air moves into a cold air mass. D) a cold air mass overtakes a warm air mass.

Q: Behind a warm front, the air is A) cool and wet. B) warm and sunny. C) warm and wet. D) cool and dry.

Q: Which of the following is not associated with a cold front? A) thunderstorms B) drop in air pressure C) gradually rising warm air D) clear skies behind the front

Q: In order for clouds to form, air must be lifted. The three principal lifting mechanisms are A) orographic, condensational, and frontal lifting. B) orthographic, conversational, and frontal lobotomy. C) convectional, orographic, and frontal lifting. D) adiabatic, topographic, and inversional lifting.

Q: When warm air moves into a cold air mass, the less-dense warmer air rides up over the colder, denser air. This is very similar to A) orographic lifting. B) adiabatic lifting. C) temperature inversion. D) what happens during a tornado.

Q: Rainfall associated with an advancing cold front is generally A) drizzly. B) heavy with gusty winds. C) slow and steady. D) light to moderate, with steady mild winds.

Q: A rise in pressure is an indication A) of an approaching cold front. B) that a cold front has passed. C) orographic lifting. D) a stationary front.

Q: A drop in pressure is an indication of A) an approaching cold front. B) orographic lifting. C) adiabatic expansion. D) a stationary front.

Q: Cold damp weather along the eastern coast of the United States is most likely caused by a A) continental tropical air mass. B) continental polar air mass. C) maritime tropical air mass. D) maritime polar air mass.

Q: Drought conditions and high temperatures over the Great Plains are most likely caused by a A) continental tropical air mass. B) continental polar air mass. C) maritime tropical air mass. D) maritime polar air mass.

Q: Daily afternoon thunderstorms along the Gulf Coast are most likely caused by a A) continental tropical air mass. B) continental polar air mass. C) maritime tropical air mass. D) maritime polar air mass.

Q: Heavy snow showers and low temperatures in Buffalo, New York are most likely caused by a A) continental tropical air mass. B) continental polar air mass. C) maritime tropical air mass. D) maritime polar air mass.

Q: Heavy snow showers along the western slopes of the Rockies are most likely caused by a A) continental tropical air mass. B) maritime tropical air mass. C) continental polar air mass. D) maritime polar air mass.

Q: If a cool dry day was followed by a warm humid day, you might expect they resulted from which of the following consecutive air masses? A) maritime tropical (mT) followed by continental polar (cP) B) maritime polar (mP) followed by maritime tropical (mT) C) continental polar (cP) followed by maritime tropical (mT) D) continental tropical (cT) followed by continental polar (cP)

Q: In orographic lifting, precipitation is associated with the A) windward slope. B) the leeward slope. C) rain shadow. D) Chinook.

Q: Towering cumulonimbus clouds are a common feature in regions where moist unstable air is heated from below. Such clouds are produced by A) convectional lifting. B) orographic lifting. C) frontal lifting. D) none of these

Q: When an air mass passes from a maritime source region to a warmer continental region, heating from the warmer land causes A) frontal lifting. B) orographic lifting. C) convectional lifting. D) adiabatic lifting.

Q: Warmer temperatures can be expected A) behind a stationary front. B) behind an advancing warm front. C) ahead of an advancing cold front. D) behind an advancing cold front.

Q: Lower temperatures can be expected A) behind a stationary warm front. B) behind an advancing warm front. C) ahead of an advancing cold front. D) behind an advancing cold front.

Q: When a warm air mass moves into a region occupied by a cold air mass, the contact zone is called A) a cold front. B) a warm front. C) a stationary front. D) an occluded front.

Q: When a cold air mass moves into a region occupied by a warm air mass, the contact zone is called A) a cold front. B) a warm front. C) a stationary front. D) an occluded front.

Q: Another name for the leeward slope is A) upslope. B) downslope. C) rain shadow. D) downslope and/or rain shadow.

Q: Atmospheric lifting resulting from the convergence of two different air masses is called A) convectional lifting. B) orographic lifting. C) adiabatic lifting. D) frontal lifting.

Q: An air mass with circulatory motion is called A) convectional. B) orographic. C) adiabatic. D) frontal.

Q: When an air mass is pushed upward over an obstacle, it undergoes A) convectional lifting. B) orographic lifting. C) adiabatic lifting. D) frontal lifting.

Q: Warm humid air is characteristic of a A) maritime polar air mass. B) continental polar air mass. C) maritime tropical air mass. D) continental tropical air mass.

Q: What happens to water-vapor molecules at the lifting condensation level?

Q: Does a rising moist air mass or a descending moist air mass produce precipitation? Why?

Q: Why is it usually necessary for an air mass to rise if it is to produce precipitation?

Q: Why do cumulus clouds often form, disappear, and then reform in the same place?

Q: Why are there usually large spaces of blue sky between cumulus clouds?

Q: As air rises, it cools and clouds can form. The rate of cooling determines the elevation of cloud formation and cloud thickness. From first to last, the rates of cooling are A) dry adiabatic lapse ratecloud base; moist adiabatic lapse ratecloud thickness; environmental lapse rateupper limit of cloud. B) moist adiabatic lapse ratecloud base; dry adiabatic lapse ratecloud thickness; environmental lapse rateupper limit of cloud. C) environmental lapse ratecloud base; moist adiabatic lapse ratecloud thickness; dry adiabatic lapse rateupper limit of cloud.

Q: At a certain elevation, the ________ , the air becomes saturated and water-vapor molecules ________. A) lifting condensation level; condense to mark the base of cloud formation B) equilibrium level; condense to mark the base of cloud formation C) lifting condensation level; stabilize and mark the upper limit of cloud formation D) equilibrium level; stabilize and mark the upper limit of cloud formation

Q: In order for it to rain, there must be A) condensation nuclei, updrafts, and thick clouds. B) sufficient vertical cloud development. C) wind. D) droplet bombardment.

Q: Which type of cloud is also called a thunderhead? A) nimbus B) cirrus C) stratocumulus D) cumulonimbus

Q: High clouds have the prefix A) Nimbo-. B) Alto-. C) Strato-. D) Cirro-.