Midterm Review

What is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere?

• oxygen

• nitrogen

• carbon dioxide

• hydrogen

Most important weather phenomena occur in the ____.

• stratosphere

• mesosphere

• troposphere

• thermosphere

The tropopause is ____.

• the boundary between tropical and polar air masses

• the boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere

• the layer of high ozone concentration

• the boundary between Earth’s surface and atmosphere

In general, what is true about places at higher altitudes?

• They have cooler temperatures than places at lower altitudes.

• They have the same temperatures as places at lower altitudes.

• They have warmer temperatures than places at lower altitudes.

• They have less predictable temperatures than places at lower altitudes.

Which of the following best describes temperature variations?

• Variations are greater over land than over water.

• Variations are greater over water than over land.

• Variations are the same over water and land.

• Variations over water cannot be determined.

Air that has reached its water-vapor capacity is said to be ____.

• dry

• unstable

• stable

• saturated

What is true about warm, saturated air?

• It contains less water vapor than cold air.

• It contains more water vapor than cold air.

• It contains the same amount of water vapor as cold air.

• It does not contain any water vapor.

Orographic lifting is associated with ____.

• mountains

• rivers

• flat plains

• fronts

Which of the following would NOT be associated with stable atmospheric conditions?

• widespread fog

• afternoon thunderstorms

• temperature inversion

• buildup of pollutants

What is true about stable air?

• It tends to rise.

• It tends to resist rising.

• It is associated with severe storms.

• It is never associated with precipitation.