Wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Unit 6 Meteorology

Total questions: 64

Worksheet time: 32mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What layer of the atmosphere do we live in?

a)

Thermosphere

b)

Mesosphere

c)

Stratosphere

d)

Troposphere

2.

What layer of the atmosphere is the hottest?

a)

Troposphere

b)

Thermosphere

c)

Mesosphere

d)

Stratosphere

3.

In which layer of the atmosphere does most weather occur?

a)

thermosphere

b)

mesosphere

c)

stratosphere

d)

troposphere

4.

What layer of the atmosphere contains the ozone layer?

a)

Thermosphere

b)

Mesosphere

c)

Stratosphere

d)

Troposphere

5.

What is the tropopause?

a)

It is the transition layer between the troposphere and the stratosphere.

b)

It is the transitions layer between the mesosphere and the thermosphere.

c)

It is the lowest layer of the atmosphere.

d)

It is the layer that contains the ozone layer.

6.

When air transfers heat energy to a cooler object, what happens to the air temperature?

a)

the temperature of the air goes down

b)

the temperature of the air goes up

c)

the temperature of the air does not change

d)

it is not possible for the air to transfer heat energy

7.

What causes heat energy to transfer from one object to another?

a)

because of the differences in their sizes

b)

because of the differences in atmospheric pressures

c)

because of differences in their temperatures

d)

because of the differences in their material makeup

8.

What is the process that transfers heat through matter by molecular activity?

a)

Convection

b)

Radiation

c)

Conduction

d)

Reduction

9.

What is the process that transfers heat through mass movements within a substance?

a)

Conduction

b)

Convection

c)

Magnification

d)

Radiation

10.

How does the Earth receive energy from the sun?

a)

Through electromagnetic radiation

b)

Through conduction of heat

c)

Through convection currents in outer space

d)

Through wave energy throughout the oceans

11.

The temperatures in the troposphere ......

a)

increase with altitude

b)

decrease with altitude

c)

stay steady

12.

The temperatures in the stratosphere ......

a)

increase with altitude

b)

decrease with altitude

c)

stay steady

13.

The temperatures in the mesosphere ......

a)

increase with altitude

b)

decrease with altitude

c)

stay steady

14.

The temperatures in the thermosphere ......

a)

increase with altitude

b)

decrease with altitude

c)

stay steady

15.

Which coast of the United States would be considered a windward coast?

a)

The East Coast

b)

The West Coast

c)

The South Coast along the Gulf of Mexico

16.

Which coast of the United States would be considered a leeward coast?

a)

The East Coast

b)

The West Coast

c)

The South Coast along the Gulf of Mexico

17.

When it comes to temperature variation on the Earth, what has the greatest impact?

a)

Cloud cover

b)

Altitude

c)

Latitude

d)

Longitude

18.

Which city on this map would have greater temperature ranges, Fort Wayne, IN or Crescent City, California?

a)

Crescent City because it is located next to the Pacific Ocean

b)

Fort Wayne, because it is surrounded by land

c)

Both cities experience huge temperature changes throughout the year.

19.

What effect do clouds have on the temperature during the night?

a)

Decrease at night because they are made of condensed water vapor

b)

Remain steady during the night because they prevent the wind from blowing.

c)

Increase at night because they act like a blanket holding in the heating that occurred during the day.

20.

Which gas is the most important for understanding atmospheric processes/

a)

oxygen

b)

water vapor

c)

nitrogen

d)

carbon dioxide

21.

What does it mean when air is said to be saturated?

a)

when it has more than enough oxygen in it

b)

when it contains the maximum amount of water vapor that it can hold at that temperature

c)

when the dew point temperature is 10 degrees higher than the air temperature

d)

when the amount of water vapor as at 50%

22.

What is relative humidity?

a)

the percent of cloud cover in the sky

b)

the amount of water vapor minus the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

c)

the humidity related to the amount of solar radiation for that day

d)

the ratio of the actual amount of water vapor in the air to the amount of water vapor that air temp can hold

23.

Calculate the relative humidity given the following factors:

Actual amount of water vapor = 20g/kg

Amount of water vapor the air can hold = 40g/kg

a)

20% RH

b)

50% RH

c)

40% RH

d)

10% RH

24.

Which has a greater water vapor capacity?

a)

cold air

b)

warm air

25.

What forms when air rises and cools to it's dew point temp?

a)

clouds

b)

snow

c)

oxygen

d)

ozone

26.

What process is considered a "Cold Cloud" precipitation process?

a)

Collision-Coalescence Process

b)

Evaporation Process

c)

Bergeron Process

d)

Thermal Process

27.

What process is considered a "Warm Cloud" precipitation process?

a)

Collision-Coalescence Process

b)

Evaporation Process

c)

Bergeron Process

d)

Thermal Process

28.

What is freezing rain?

a)

Rain that occurs and causes you to become cold

b)

Rain that falls during the winter months

c)

Rain that falls as a liquid, but hits the ground and instantly freezes

d)

Rain that falls as a solid but hits the ground and melts

29.

What causes differences in air pressure?

a)

the seasons of the year

b)

the amount of cloud cover that day

c)

the Coriolis effect

d)

the differences in the heating of the surfaces of the Earth

30.

Wind blows from areas of ____________ pressure to areas of ________ pressure.

a)

high;low

b)

low;high

31.

What are isobars?

a)

lines on a weather map that connect points of equal temperatures

b)

lines on a weather map that connect points of equal pressures

c)

lines on a weather map that connect points of equal elevations

32.

When isobars are close together on a weather map, that indicates ___________________.

a)

a steep pressure gradient and strong winds

b)

a gradual pressure gradient and strong winds

c)

a steep pressure gradient and weak winds

d)

a gradual pressure gradient and weak winds

33.

When isobars are far apart on a weather map, that indicates ___________________.

a)

a steep pressure gradient and strong winds

b)

a gradual pressure gradient and strong winds

c)

a steep pressure gradient and weak winds

d)

a gradual pressure gradient and weak winds

34.

Describe winds in a high pressure system.

a)

Up and in, clockwise

b)

Up and in, counterclockwise

c)

Down and out, clockwise

d)

Down and out, counterclockwise

35.

Describe winds in a low pressure system.

a)

Up and in, clockwise

b)

Up and in, counterclockwise

c)

Down and out, clockwise

d)

Down and out, counterclockwise

36.

Low pressure systems typically bring ___________ weather.

a)

fair

b)

bad

37.

High pressure systems typically bring ___________ weather.

a)

fair

b)

bad

38.

How are winds named?

a)

for the amount of damage they may cause

b)

for the direction they are coming from

c)

for the direction they are going to

d)

for the speed they are traveling

39.

Which winds blow between 30o and 60o latitude?

a)

Polar Easterlies

b)

Westerlies

c)

Easterlies (Trade Winds)

40.

What is an air mass?

a)

a section of the atmosphere that is above the troposphere

b)

a mass of air with the same temperature and humidity levels throughout

c)

a mass of air that is moving over the stratosphere

d)

a mass of air that is in the jet stream

41.

What 2 things characterize an air mass?

a)

the place where the air mass originated and the size of the air mass

b)

the size of the air mass and the temperature

c)

the temperature and humidity

d)

the humidity and the place the air mass originated

42.

How are air masses classified?

a)

they are classified according to the surface over which they formed

b)

they are classified according to the altitude they are at

c)

they are classified according to the direction they are moving

d)

they are classified according to the weight of the air they contain

43.

If an air mass is classified as mP, what does that tell us about the air mass?

a)

It is a maritime tropical air mass

b)

it is a maritime polar air mass

c)

it is a continental tropical air mass

d)

it is a continental polar air mass

44.

If an air mass is classified as cT, what does that tell us about the air mass?

a)

It is a maritime tropical air mass

b)

it is a maritime polar air mass

c)

it is a continental tropical air mass

d)

it is a continental polar air mass

45.

If an air mass is classified as mT, what does that tell us about the air mass?

a)

It is a maritime tropical air mass

b)

it is a maritime polar air mass

c)

it is a continental tropical air mass

d)

it is a continental polar air mass

46.

If an air mass is classified as cP, what does that tell us about the air mass?

a)

It is a maritime tropical air mass

b)

it is a maritime polar air mass

c)

it is a continental tropical air mass

d)

it is a continental polar air mass

47.

The following symbol is for what type of frontal boundary?

a)

cold front

b)

warm front

c)

occluded front

d)

stationary front

48.

The following symbol is for what type of frontal boundary?

a)

cold front

b)

warm front

c)

occluded front

d)

stationary front

49.

The following symbol is for what type of frontal boundary?

a)

cold front

b)

warm front

c)

occluded front

d)

stationary front

50.

The following symbol is for what type of frontal boundary?

a)

cold front

b)

warm front

c)

occluded front

d)

stationary front

51.

What is a thunderstorm?

a)

a storm that generates snow

b)

a storm that generates fog

c)

a storm that generates thunder and lightening

d)

a storm that generates ice and hail

52.

Describe the 3 stages of a thunderstorm in order.

a)

mature stage, cumulus stage, dissipation stage

b)

cumulus stage, mature stage, dissipating stage

c)

dissipating stage, mature stage, cumulus stage

d)

cumulus stage, dissipating stage, mature stage

53.

What is a vortex?

a)

a wall of air in front of a cold front

b)

a rotating mass of air over the mid section of the country

c)

a rotating column of air extending from the clouds to the ground

d)

a wall of air in front of a warm front

54.

During what season of the year are tornadoes most abundant?

a)

Spring

b)

Summer

c)

Winter

d)

Fall

55.

What is the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning?

a)

a watch is when a tornado has been spotted and a warning is when conditions may be suitable for a tornado to form

b)

a watch is when conditions may be suitable for a tornado to form and a warning means the tornado has been spotted

c)

a watch and a warning are both issued when a thunderstorm occurs, so no difference between the two

56.

What scale is used to classify the strength of a tornado?

a)

Enhanced Fujita

b)

Fujita

c)

Saffir-Simpson

d)

Homer-Simpson

57.

What scale is used to classify the strength of a hurricane?

a)

Enhanced Fujita

b)

Fujita

c)

Saffir-Simpson

d)

Homer-Simpson

58.

What provides the energy source for a hurricane that affects the eastern United States?

a)

cold salty water in the Atlantic

b)

warm water in the Atlantic

c)

cold fresh water in the Atlantic

d)

warm water in the Pacific

59.

At which latitudes are hurricanes likely to form?

a)

between 30 and 40 degrees latitiude

b)

between 40 and 50 degrees latitude

c)

between 20 and 30 degrees latitude

d)

between 5 and 20 degrees latitude

60.

In a hurricane, where are the fastest winds and the most intense rainfall found?

a)

On the outer bands to the south of the hurricane

b)

On the outer bands to the north of the hurricane

c)

along the eye wall of the hurricane

d)

in the eye of the hurricane

61.

In the eye of the hurricane, what type of weather do we see?

a)

no precipitation, little to no wind, descending air

b)

a great deal of precipitation, but no winds

c)

strong winds, lots of precipitation, rising air

d)

strong winds, lots of precipitation, descending air

62.

Why do hurricanes lose their power as they move from the ocean to over land?

a)

because the air cools and slows the hurricane

b)

the hurricane loses it power source, warm water, and it encounters friction with the land surface

c)

the hurricane usually will change direction as it moves over land and that causes it to slow down

d)

upper level winds in the atmosphere will cause the hurricane to lose power.

63.

In which layer do auroras occur?

a)

thermosphere

b)

mesosphere

c)

stratosphere

d)

troposphere

64.

In which layer do meteors break up and are now called "shooting stars" ?

a)

troposphere

b)

stratosphere

c)

mesosphere

d)

thermosphere