WARNING!!! Under no circumstances would I use this as a study guide -- that is, I wouldn't study only these questions assuming that if you know them, you will do well on the exam. These should only serve as a way of becoming familiar with the type of questions to expect, the general topics tested, and as a "yard-stick" for measuring how well you know the general subject material for the exam.

1. The atmosphere
a) becomes more dense with increasing altitude.     b) becomes less dense with increasing altitude.     c) remains at constant density with increasing altitude.
d) becomes less dense throughout the troposphere and then more dense in the stratosphere.

2. In the troposphere, air pressure _______ and temperature _______ with increasing altitude.
[A] increases, decreases; [B] increases, increases; [C] decreases, increases; [D] decreases, decreases; [E] remains the same, decreases

3. Compared to UV light, visible light is _____ wavelength and _____ energy.
[A] longer, lower; [B] shorter, higher; [C] longer, higher; [D] shorter, lower; [E] none of these

4. Infrared radiation is selectively absorbed by ____. [A] ozone [B] carbon dioxide [C] kryptonite [D] water vapor.

5. Radiation with long wavelength and low frequency
a) is high energy radiation.         b) is low energy radiation.         c) has the same energy as all other forms of radiation.         d) is X-rays.

6. Ultraviolet radiation is selectively absorbed by:
[A] ozone [B] carbon dioxide [C] kryptonite [D] water vapor.

7. If scientists were to spread a thin layer of dark ashes on the Antarctic ice cap, we would expect that
the albedo of the region would _______ leading to __________.
a) increase; warming of the region. b) decrease; regional warming.   c) increase; regional cooling. d) decrease; regional cooling.

8. If the Earth's albedo were to ___ by melting of glaciers or decrease in cloud cover, the surface of our planet would ___.
a. increase, warm     b. increase, cool     c. decrease, cool     d. decrease, warm

9. The temperature changes that we associate with the seasons result from changes in:
a) insolation intensity  b) duration of daylight   c) Earth's distance from the sun   d) all of the above    e) A & B

10. All else being equal, when the sun heats soil and water on a hot summer day,
a) the soil becomes hotter than the water.
b) the water becomes hotter than the soil.
c) the soil and the water heat to equal temperatures.
d) the soil receives a larger quantity of solar radiation.

11. Relative humidity is 50% two days in a row, but one day is much warmer than the other. Which day has the higher absolute humidity -- the warmer day, or the colder day?
a. the warmer day  b. both have the same absolute humidity   c. the colder day   d. this cannot be determined using only this data

12. Evaporation is a _________ mechanism, condensation is a ___________ mechanism.
a. warming, cooling     b. cooling, warming     c. negative feedback, positive feedback

13. ______ ______ is the amount of water vapor in air compared to the maximum it can hold at a
given temperature. a) Relative humidity b) Dew point     c) Absolute humidity d) Adiabatic lapse rate

14. Once clouds start to form, rising air
a) cools more quickly than it did lower in the atmosphere.
b) heats up.
c) no longer cools as rapidly as it did lower in the atmosphere.
d) turns into rain.
e) none of these.

15. Orographic lifting creates abundant precipitation on the
a) leeward side of a mountain range.
b) on the crest and windward side of a mountain range.
c) in the rain shadow zone.
d) over the nearest large body of water.

16. If a parcel of air is capable of holding 28 grams per cubic meter but it only contains 21 grams
per cubic meter, then its relative humidity would be __________ percent.
a. 50             b. 25     c. 75             d. 36

17. Which of the following IS NOT conducive to the formation of a radiation fog:
a. clear skies
b. calm to light winds
c. rising temperatures
d. temperature below the dew point

18. Large volumes of water evaporate when air:
a. loses heat by radiation and cools.
b. gains heat by radiation and warms.
c. warms adiabatically ("without mixing") as it sinks to a lower elevation. (hint: consider air pressure and its effects)
d. cools adiabatically as it rises to a higher elevation.

19. The way large amounts of condensation are typically brought about in nature is:
a. by warming air
b. by making air rise (ascend)
c. by adding more water vapor to the air
d. by making air descend

20. Which of the following conditions is likely to lead to rain?
a) warm, moist air rises
b) cool, moist air sinks
c) warm air makes contact with cool surfaces
d) moist air sinks as it passes over the lee side of a mountain

21. An _______ fog forms when warm moist air blows over a cold land mass or cold water: [A]  advection  [B]  evaporation  [C]  upslope [D]  radiation   [E]  dewpoint

22. In the southeastern United States, advection fogs most commonly form in:
[A] spring         [C] winter
[B] fall              [D] summer

23. A cloud type formed by strong convection currents is: a. cirrus     b. lenticular     c. stratus     d. cumulonimbus

24. Conduction is very important in all of the following processes EXCEPT: [A] thermal lift [B] subsidence [C] ground fog [D] dew

25. Hail is:     a. more common in warm fronts     b. typical of nimbostratus clouds     c. more common in cold fronts     d. more common in late fall than summer

26. The UNIT used world-wide by the vast majority of weather services to measure barometric pressure:
a. Pounds per square inch         b. Inches of mercury         c. Centimeter of mercury         d. Millimeter of mercury         e. Millibar

27. Air pressure __________ with elevation.
a. Varies irregularly         b. Increases         c. Decreases         d. Is constant

28. Ideally, the horse latitudes are centered at approximately __________
degrees north and south latitude.
a. 5             b. 30             c. 45                 d. 60

29. Where is the Coriolis Effect the greatest?
a. At the Equator         b. At the Tropic of Capricorn and Cancer         c. At the North Pole         d. At 45 degrees latitude in each hemisphere

30. In the southern hemisphere the wind circulation around a high is:
a. Counterclockwise, spiraling inward         b. Clockwise, spiraling inward         c. Clockwise, spiraling outward                 d. Clockwise, spiraling inward and outward         e. Counterclockwise, spiraling outward

31. A major pressure system characterized by convection is the:
a. Equatorial low         b. Subtropical high         c. Trade winds         d. Westerlies

32. The trade winds originate in the:     a. Polar highs         b. Subtropical highs     c. Equatorial lows     d. Subpolar lows

33. A(n) __________ is usually characterized by clear skies, gentle winds, and a general lack of precipitation.
a. Anticyclone     b. Front     c. Cyclone     d. Track

34. In areas of low surface pressure, air is:
[A] convecting, expanding and cooling     [B] convecting, contracting and cooling     [C] subsiding, contracting and heating     [D] subsiding, expanding and heating

35. The intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ):         a. Never gets south of the equator     b. Causes a seasonal shift in a "belt" of precipitation when it moves
c. Is weakest at the solstices                         d. is irregular in width, but has consistent and dependable winds

36. Which of the following largely determines the speed of upper air winds?
a. pressure gradient force         b. coriolis effect         c. friction         d. all of these

37. During zonal flow, the upper air winds near the top of the troposphere typically flow:
[A] from west to east         [B] from east to west         [C] in broad meandering patterns         [D] north to south.

38. The __________ marks the location where the westerlies and polar easterlies meet.
a. horse latitudes         b. polar front         c. midlatitude convergence zone         d. ITCZ

39. In the midwest record-setting cold temperatures often result when a __________ air mass invades the region.
a. mP         b. cP         c. cA         d. mT

40. The air masses that are MOST important to the weather of the southeastern United States are:
a. cP & mT         b. mP & cP         c. cT & mP         d. mT & cT

41. When a cold air mass overtakes a warm air mass:
a) the cold air rises, leading to precipitation.                 b) the cold air rises, leading to fair weather.
c) the warm air rises, leading to precipitation.               d) the warm air rises, leading to fair weather.

42. Mid-latitude cyclones:
a. Usually move across North America from east to west         b. Are generally only found over the ocean
c. Generally bring clear skies and little precipitation                 d. Are regions of strong temperature contrasts

43. Short duration, high intensity rainfall is associated most often with:
a. A cold front     b. Orographic lift     c. A warm front     d. all of these

44. An approaching cold front is indicated by:
a. An increase in temperature, decrease in pressure             b. An increase in temperature, increase in pressure
c. A decrease in temperature, increase in pressure              d. A decrease in temperature, decrease in pressure

45. The most common type of weather front in Middle Tennessee is a(n)  [A] cold front [B] occluded front [C] warm front [D] stationary front [E] eastern front

For the following weather phenomena (46- 50), choose the mechanism (a-e) that is MOST LIKELY to cause it. You may use each answer more than once.

a. frontal lift b. thermal lift c. orographic lift     d. subsidence  e. radiational cooling & conduction

46. mid-latitude cyclone   47. afternoon thundershowers   48. air mass weather    49. ground fog     50. rain shadow

For questions 51- 55, match the phrase with the BEST answer from the following word list. Some answers may be used more than once.

a. cumulus   b. cirrus       c. stratus  d. alto  e. nimbo

51.  Cloud form that is best described as sheets or layers that cover much or all of the sky.

52.  Clumped cloud masses that can have a billowy or cauliflower-like structure.

53.  High clouds that form delicate hair-like patches or extended wispy fibers.

54.  This term is used to describe clouds that produce precipitation.

55.  These are often called "fair weather" clouds.

For questions 56 - 60 match the phrase with the best answer from the following choices. Some answers may be used more than once.

a. cirrostratus   b. cumulonimbus c. altostratus d. cirrocumulus       e. nimbostratus

56. Thunder and lightning are most often associated with these clouds.

57. A dark gray, low cloud that blankets the sky and often generates precipitation.

58. This is a high, layered cloud that precedes a warm front.

59. Tornadoes are associated with this cloud type.

60. This layered cloud occurs at a medium height compared to other clouds in this family.