TC PPL WRITTEN EXAM:
METEOROLOGY EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
78% Nitrogen
21% Oxygen
Remainder includes argon, carbon dioxide, water vapour and several other gases -
Correct Answers -What is the atmosphere made up of?
Water vapour - Correct Answers -What is the most important gas from a weather
standpoint?
Microscopic impurities such as salt, dust and smoke particles - Correct Answers -What
reduces visibility, and has a function in the condensation process?
Mobility, capacity for expansion and capacity for compression. - Correct Answers -What
are the main properties of the atmosphere, that are the cause for all atmospheric
weather phenomena?
Troposphere (ground to 28,000' at the poles, to 54,000' at the equator)
Stratosphere (50,000' above the tropopause)
Mesosphere
Thermosphere
The exosphere
Space - Correct Answers -List the atmosphere's spheres
Due to the cooling of air because of expansion as it moves up a slope. An up slope wind
is necessary. - Correct Answers -How does upslope fog form?
When cold air passes over warm water surface. Evaporation occurs, and the cold air
becomes saturated. - Correct Answers -How does steam fog form?
When moisture is introduced into the air because of evaporation of rain or drizzle.
Mostly associated with warm fronts. - Correct Answers -How does precipitation-induced
fog form?
, - high clouds
- middle clouds
- low clouds
- clouds of vertical development - Correct Answers -What are the classification of
clouds?
High clouds (16,500' to 45,000') Composed of Ice crystals
Cirrus (Ci): very high, thin, wavy, fibres, wisps
Cirrocumulus (Cc): thin, cotton-like
Cirrostratus (Cs): very thin, sun or moon is visible through, has halo effect, INDICATION
of APPROACHING WARM FRONT or OCCLUSION - Correct Answers -Explain high
clouds.
Cumulus: form in rising air currents and are evidence of unstable air
Stratus: form in horizontal layers and usually form as a layer of moist air that is cooled
to it's saturation point - Correct Answers -Two basic types of clouds that explain how
they form are?
Middle clouds (6,500' to 23,000') Composed of ice crystals or water droplets
Altocumulus (Ac): layer or series of patches of rounded masses of cloud
Altocumulus Castellanus (Acc): altocumulus with a turreted appearance, instability,
turbulence and showers
Altostratus (As): thick grey cloud that generally covers the whole sky, sun or moon can
be seen but disappears, INDICATES AN APPROACHING WARM FRONT, light snow or
rain - Correct Answers -Explain middle clouds.
Low clouds (ground level to 6,500') Composed of water droplets which may be super
cooled sometimes
Stratus (St): uniform layer, looks like fog, drizzle is produced
Stratocumulus (Sc): layer or series of rounded masses or rolls, thin with blue sky breaks
Nimbostratus (Ns): uniform, dark grey, continuous rain or snow, ASSOCIATED with
WARM FRONTS - Correct Answers -Explain low clouds.
Clouds of Vertical Development- Composed of water droplets that are sometimes
supercooled
Cumulus (Cu): dense cloud, thick, round, lumpy, cotton ball-like
Towering Cumulus (TCu): cumulus clouds that build up, likely to turn into cumulonimbus
Cumulonimbus (Cb): heavy masses of cumulus clouds, form an anvil shaped top -
Correct Answers -Explain clouds of vertical development.
Clear: no clouds
Few: 2/8 or less
METEOROLOGY EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
78% Nitrogen
21% Oxygen
Remainder includes argon, carbon dioxide, water vapour and several other gases -
Correct Answers -What is the atmosphere made up of?
Water vapour - Correct Answers -What is the most important gas from a weather
standpoint?
Microscopic impurities such as salt, dust and smoke particles - Correct Answers -What
reduces visibility, and has a function in the condensation process?
Mobility, capacity for expansion and capacity for compression. - Correct Answers -What
are the main properties of the atmosphere, that are the cause for all atmospheric
weather phenomena?
Troposphere (ground to 28,000' at the poles, to 54,000' at the equator)
Stratosphere (50,000' above the tropopause)
Mesosphere
Thermosphere
The exosphere
Space - Correct Answers -List the atmosphere's spheres
Due to the cooling of air because of expansion as it moves up a slope. An up slope wind
is necessary. - Correct Answers -How does upslope fog form?
When cold air passes over warm water surface. Evaporation occurs, and the cold air
becomes saturated. - Correct Answers -How does steam fog form?
When moisture is introduced into the air because of evaporation of rain or drizzle.
Mostly associated with warm fronts. - Correct Answers -How does precipitation-induced
fog form?
, - high clouds
- middle clouds
- low clouds
- clouds of vertical development - Correct Answers -What are the classification of
clouds?
High clouds (16,500' to 45,000') Composed of Ice crystals
Cirrus (Ci): very high, thin, wavy, fibres, wisps
Cirrocumulus (Cc): thin, cotton-like
Cirrostratus (Cs): very thin, sun or moon is visible through, has halo effect, INDICATION
of APPROACHING WARM FRONT or OCCLUSION - Correct Answers -Explain high
clouds.
Cumulus: form in rising air currents and are evidence of unstable air
Stratus: form in horizontal layers and usually form as a layer of moist air that is cooled
to it's saturation point - Correct Answers -Two basic types of clouds that explain how
they form are?
Middle clouds (6,500' to 23,000') Composed of ice crystals or water droplets
Altocumulus (Ac): layer or series of patches of rounded masses of cloud
Altocumulus Castellanus (Acc): altocumulus with a turreted appearance, instability,
turbulence and showers
Altostratus (As): thick grey cloud that generally covers the whole sky, sun or moon can
be seen but disappears, INDICATES AN APPROACHING WARM FRONT, light snow or
rain - Correct Answers -Explain middle clouds.
Low clouds (ground level to 6,500') Composed of water droplets which may be super
cooled sometimes
Stratus (St): uniform layer, looks like fog, drizzle is produced
Stratocumulus (Sc): layer or series of rounded masses or rolls, thin with blue sky breaks
Nimbostratus (Ns): uniform, dark grey, continuous rain or snow, ASSOCIATED with
WARM FRONTS - Correct Answers -Explain low clouds.
Clouds of Vertical Development- Composed of water droplets that are sometimes
supercooled
Cumulus (Cu): dense cloud, thick, round, lumpy, cotton ball-like
Towering Cumulus (TCu): cumulus clouds that build up, likely to turn into cumulonimbus
Cumulonimbus (Cb): heavy masses of cumulus clouds, form an anvil shaped top -
Correct Answers -Explain clouds of vertical development.
Clear: no clouds
Few: 2/8 or less
