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Meteorology 1010 Final Examination Solution

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Question 1

In which layer of the atmosphere is the ozone layer found?

A B C D


Question 2

The amount of sunlight a particular location on Earth receives during the year is most directly related to ________________.

A) Proximity to water D) Magnitude of El Nino
B) Longitude E) Elevation
C) Distance north of south of the Equator F) Orbital eccentricity

Question 3

The surface of the sun is called the ________________.

A) Heliosphere D) Photosphere
B) Corona E) Magnetosphere
C) Lithosphere F) Ionosphere

Question 4

Which best describes radiation with a wavelength of .3 micrometers to .7 micrometers?

A) X-rays D) Radio waves
B) Gamma rays E) Infrared light
C) Visible light F) Ultraviolet light

Question 5

The comet in the picture below will be at aphelion when it is point _________.

A B C D E F

Question 6

The situation below could be used to describe how a ________________ works. ('A' symbolizes a unit of electrical current measurement called an Ampere).

A) Anemometer D) Aerovane
B) Psychrometer E) Barometer
C) Electrical resistance F) Doppler radar

Question 7

Which would be the best way to describe angle theta below?

A) Angle of refraction D) Angle of reflection
B) Incidence angle E) Planck's angle
C) Scattering angle F) Optical path angle

Question 8

On a given evening in Tallahassee, the temperature is observed to be 21 C and the atmosphere is cooling vertically at the Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate. If the dewpoint depression is 8 C, which value below will be closest to the Lifting Condensation Level (LCL) if the vertical gradient of vapor pressure is zero?

A) 1300 m D) 9.8 m
B) 780 m E) 980 m
C) 1000 m F) 2410 m

Question 9

Which of the following equations shows how to convert specific humidity (q) to mixing ratio (w)

A) q = w+1 D) q = 1 / (1-w)
B) q = w * (1-w) E) q = pi * (1-w)
C) q = w / (1+w) F) q = 1 - w

Question 10

Based on what you know about cloud formation and Skew-T diagrams, what type of clouds do you suspect are above the location where the sounding below was taken?

A) Stratocumulus D) Cirrostratus
B) Cirrocumulus E) Altostratus
C) Cumulonimbus F) Nimbostratus

Question 11

The satellite we discussed whose purpose will be to measure rainfall over the tropical oceans is called ________________.

A) GOES D) TIROS
B) TRMM E) NEXRAD
C) NOAA F) EOS

Question 12

Which of the following could you say with the most confidence would be determined with the assistance of a radiosonde?

A) Date and time of the next solar eclipse D) Radioactivity of mesosphere
B) Concentration of ozone in stratosphere E) Depth of snow
C) Existence of stability or instability F) Strength of El Nino

Question 13

The dewpoint depression on a given afternoon in Tallahassee is 5 C. The base of a cumulus cloud is observed to be 500 meters. What is the lapse rate if the vertical gradient of vapor pressure is zero?

A) 25 C / km D) 3 C / km
B) 10 C / km E) 2 C / km
C) 5 C / km F) 1 C / km

Question 14

According to the Skew-T diagram below, above which elevation will we encounter cold rain?

A) 1000 feet D) 7000 feet
B) 3000 feet E) 9000 feet
C) 5000 feet F) 11000 feet

Question 15

A container of volume V cools 10 degrees from its initial temperature, T. During the cooling, one-third of the initial mass (M) of the container escapes. The ratio of the final pressure in the container to the initial pressure in the container can be expressed as ________________.

A) (M-10) / T D) 3 * T / (T-10)
B) 2 * (T-10) / 3T E) 1/3
C) 3 * M / (T-10) F) 3 * M / (M+10) * T

Question 16


Question 17

Where on Earth would it be impossible to find a geostrophic wind?

A) The North Pole E) Greenland
B) The South Pole F) The Equator
C) The Tropic of Cancer G) 30 degrees N latitude
D) The Tropic of Capricorn H) 60 degrees N latitude

Question 18

The figure below is illustrating ________________.

A) Hypsometric D) Hydrophobic
B) Geostrophic E) Electrolytic
C) Coriolis balance F) Hydrostatic

Question 19

Which of the stations below has the highest saturation vapor pressure?

A B C D

Question 20

The picture at left is of a(n) ________________.

A) Wind vane D) Barometer
B) Aerovane E) Hygrometer
C) Anemometer F) Windometer

Question 21

These storms march up the United States' east coast bringing heavy snows to the mid-Atlantic States and New England. They also often cause coastal flooding.

A) Lake Effect Snows D) Northeasters
B) Chinooks E) Santa Anas
C) Monsoons F) Willie Willies

Question 22

The four stations plots below were taken at various pressure levels above Key West, Florida. Which can you say with the most confidence is occurring over Key West?

A) Condensation D) Moist advection
B) Evaporation E) Directional speed shear
C) Dry advection F) Speed shear

Question 23

Stronger hurricanes tend to have smaller diameters. The principle that we discussed in lecture that can best describe this is the ________________.

A) Ideal Gas Law D) Conservation of angular momentum
B) Hypsometric equation E) Vorticity advection equation
C) Saturation ratio F) Geostrophic approximation

Question 24

An air mass that forms over the southwestern United States and northern Mexico would most likely be characterized as a(n) ________________ air mass.

A) cT D) mP
B) cP E) cA
C) mT

Question 25

The following table shows vapor pressure and saturation vapor pressure values recorded in Morgantown, WV on a given day. Which type of frontal system do you suspect passed?

Time Vapor pressure (mb) Saturation vapor pressure (mb)
12:00 noon 13 18
2:00 PM 18 18
4:00 PM 18 25
6:00 PM 23 29

A) Cold front C) Stationary front
B) Warm front D) Occluded front

Question 26

In Youngstown, OH on a given afternoon, there are altostratus clouds overhead and the temperature is 27 F. Which of the following would you most likely expect to arrive in the next few hours?

A) A freezing rain or sleet event D) Rapidly falling temperatures
B) Severe thunderstorms E) Strong northwest wind
C) Hail less than 3/4" diameter F) Much drier air

Question 27

The feature in this picture is best described as a ________________.

A) Warm front D) High pressure area
B) Mid-latitude synoptic scale cyclone E) Hurricane
C) Cold front


Question 28

According to the map below, which of the following states can you say with the most confidence is likely observing southwesterly surface winds?

A) Florida D) Minnesota
B) North Carolina E) Oklahoma
C) Vermont F) Idaho

Question 29

Which of the following meteorological statements if false?

A) Lightning causes the air to expand faster than the speed of sound, thus generating a sonic boom.

B) Because the waters of the Great Lakes are relatively cooler than the environmental air during the winter, lake effect snow is possible.

C) The atmosphere of Venus is hotter than Mercury even though Mercury is closer to the sun.

D) Interestingly, even though the eye of a hurricane is the storm's center of lowest pressure, there is subsidence there.


Question 30

Which of the following phenomenta, can you say with the most confidence, would be most likely according to the station models below that correspond to simultaneous measurements at and above Concord, NH?

A) Air mass thunderstorms E) A dry adiabatic lapse rate
B) Lake Effect snow F) Rain
C) Sleet G) Sea breeze convergence
D) Hail H) Freezing rain

Question 31

The primary factor that separates smaller scale air mass thunderstorms from larger scale meso- and synoptic-scale thunderstorm complexes is (the) ________________.

A) Convection E) A Presence of an inversion
B) Condensation F) Electric charge gradients
C) Vertical wind shear G) Dewpoint depression
D) Vertical motion H) Vapor pressure

Question 32

Over which city do you suspect stratospheric ozone concentration is the smallest?

A) Darwin D) Sydney
B) Cairns E) Melbourne
C) Brisbane F) Perth

Question 33

Which of the following statements about hurricanes is true?

A) Hurricanes are called typhoons in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

B) Hurricanes strengthen when they move close to the equator due to the strong Coriolis Force there.

C) Hurricanes rotate clockwise at all points in the eastern hemisphere.

D) A hurricane with top sustaiend winds of 130 mph is a category 4 on the Safir-Simpson Scale.

E) Hurricanes in the South Atlantic Ocean are unheard of.


Question 34

Which of the following states was most directly affected by Hurricane Hugo?

A B C D E F

Question 35

Which of the following statements is false?

A) Smog is the product of a reaction between nitrogen oxides and sunlight.

B) The products of pure combustion are carbon dioxide, heat, and water.

C) Air pollution episodes will tend to be more severe during instability.

D) Freon is a good example of a pollutant with a long-term residence time.

E) Planting trees can help reduce global concentrations of carbon dioxide.

F) Pollutant particles can act as cloud condensation nuclei.


Question 36

A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for the mountains of north-central Pennsylvania. Which best describes what can be expected in the near future?

A) At least 6 inches of snow and/or .25" of sleet and/or freezing rain

B) At least 12 inches of snow and/or 1" of sleet and/or freezing rain

C) At least 3 inches of snow and/or .5" of sleet and/or freezing rain

D) At least 9 inches of snow and/or .1" of sleet and/or freezing rain

E) At least 6 inches of snow and/or .5" of sleet and/or freezing rain

F) At least 12 inches of snow and/or .25" of sleet and/or freezing rain


Question 37

Which country holds the world's record for the highest temperature reading ever? (136.4 degrees F)

A) Algeria F) United States
B) Chile G) Libya
C) Ecuador H) Galapagos Islands
D) Tunisia I) Morocco
E) Egypt J) Saudi Arabia

Question 38

In which country was the world's largest hailstone on record found? (11 pounds!)

A) Canada F) Colombia
B) United States G) Cuba
C) Finland H) Austria
D) China I) New Zealand
E) Soviet Union J) Argentina

Question 39

In 2004, the ________________ spacecraft is scheduled to enter orbit around Saturn. It will deploy an unmanned probe which will survey the largest of Saturn's moons, Titan.

A) Cassini F) Endeavor
B) Voyager G) Pathfinder
C) Viking H) Columbia
D) Mariner I) Venera
E) Mir J) Galileo

Question 40

An inversion exists up to the 700 mb level at Wilmington, Delaware. A vertical pressure gradient of 1 mb / 10 m exists up to the top of the inversion while the lapse rate is equal to -2 C / km (temperature increases 2 C with every km rise in elevation). What is the ratio of the density at the top of the inversion to the density at the surface if the surface pressure is equal to 1000 mb and the surface temperature is equal to T?

A) .8 * (T-3) F) .7 / (T+6)
B) .6 * (T-5) G) .3 / ((RT)+6)
C) .7 * (T+6) H) 1.3 / (T+3)
D) .3 * T I) .8 * T / (T+3)
E) 1.3 * R * (T+3) J) T / (T+6)

Essay Questions


Essay 1

Describe the four methods of heat transfer we discussed in class. (5) Give meteorological examples of each method. (5)


Essay 2

Describe Wien's Displacement Law as completely as possible.


Essay 3

Explain the way we derived the hydrostatic equation in class. (5) Then, give a full explanation of the Ideal Gas Law and the Hypsometric equation. (3) Then, offer an explanation of what is meant by critical thickness.. (2)


Essay 4

Compare and contrast northeasters and hurricanes. Offer a full-length explanation of each storm system. (6) Site at least one northeaster (1) and four hurricanes that we talked about in class. (3)


Essay 5

It is July 3rd in Knoxville, Tennessee. A mid-latitude synoptic scale cyclone is approaching from the southwest. Write a detailed weather forecast that describes the expected weather conditions in Knoxville during the next 36 hours at 6 hour incriments. Mention cloud types, precipitation, temperatures, pressures,humidities, and wind directions at each of the forecast times. There is no right or wrong answer to this question. You will be graded by how well you demonstrate your understanding of the weather that is accompanied by mid-latitude synoptic scale cyclones.


Essay 6

Describe the mechanisms involved with the formation of a cloud. The following subjects should be touched upon: saturation ratio, cloud condensation nuclei, vertical motion, dewpoint, different scenarios of vertical motion. (5) Then, give a brief description of the 10 main cloud types we discussed in class. (5)


Essay 7

Describe the atmospheres of the planets Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune to the best of your ability. (6) Then, offer a description of the method used by the 17th Century astronomer Galileo to estimate the speed of light. (4)


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