ATMS 120 STUDY GUIDE WITH
COMPLETE SOLUTION
PRESSURE
Why is the surface pressure always lower in Denver, CO when compared to
New York City, NY? - ANSWER Denver is roughly 1 mile above sea level while
New York City is at sea level and because pressure decreases rapidly with
height, Denver will always have lower surface pressure
PRESSURE
Examine the map below that shows mean sea-level pressure. The white lines
are isobars, which represent lines of constant pressure. Within which state
would you expect the fastest winds given the behavior of the isobars on this
map? - ANSWER Where the isobars are closest together
PRESSURE
If it is midwinter in Chicago, IL and the surface pressure falls to 990 mb, what
type of general weather conditions would you expect? - ANSWER Cloudy
skies with precipitation and generally inclement weather
PRESSURE
What would the air pressure be at an altitude where 50 percent of the
atmospheric mass is above you and 50 percent is below you? - ANSWER
~500mb
PRESSURE
,If you were standing at sea level and you held out your hand, how much
would atmosphere weigh on one square inch of your hand? - ANSWER ~15 lb
PRESSURE
Which of the following represents standard sea-level pressure? - ANSWER
1013.25 mb
PRESSURE
The lowest recorded sea-level pressure was measured in a typhoon -
ANSWER True. Super Typhoon Tip in 1979 set the record for lowest sea-level
pressure at 870 mb.
PRESSURE
If a large hurricane was approaching your location, would you expect the
readings on your barometer to increase or decrease as the hurricane got
closer and closer? - ANSWER decrease
PRESSURE
Which of the following cities would have the highest measured air pressure?
Miami, FL (1 meter in elevation)
Champaign, IL (293 meters in elevation)
Albuquerque, MN (1490 meters in elevation)
Lake Tahoe, CA (1897 meters in elevation)
Pikes Peak, CO (4300 meters in elevation) - ANSWER Miama, FL. The location
with the lowest elevation will have the highest air pressure.
PRESSURE
,True or False: On days that it is really windy, the pressure gradient is large. -
ANSWER True. The pressure gradient is the change in pressure over the
change in distance. The larger this value the faster the winds.
TEMPERATURE
Which of the following is true with respect to air temperature?
a. Air temperature is a measure of maximum speed of all the air molecules.
b. The Fahrenheit temperature scale is widely used around the world as the
standard temperature scale. Warm air rises because it is less dense than cold
air.
c. Warm air rises because it is less dense than cold air.
d. The barometer is the primary instrument used to measure air temperature.
e. The temperature of the air always decreases with height in the Earth's
atmosphere. - ANSWER c. Warm air rises because it is less dense than cold
air.
TEMPERATURE
Which of the following is not true about the Earth's seasons?
a. If the tilt of the Earth on its axis were to increase to 40 degrees instead of
23.5 degrees, the Tropic of Cancer's latitude would also increase from 23.5N
to 40N.
b. During Fall and Winter in the Northern Hemisphere, the Sun does not rise
at the North Pole.
c. During an equinox, Champaign, IL has 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of
darkness.
, d. On June 21st, the summer solstice, the Sun's rays are directly overhead at
noon everywhere in the Northern Hemisphere. - ANSWER d. On June 21st,
the summer solstice, the Sun's rays are directly overhead at noon everywhere
in the Northern Hemisphere.
TEMPERATURE
Which of the following gases is the second most abundant gas in the Earth's
atmosphere?
a. Nitrogen (N2)
b. Oxygen (O2)
c. Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
d. Water Vapor (H2O)
e. Ozone (O3) - ANSWER b. Oxygen
TEMPERATURE
Which of the following statements best describes why the Earth has seasons?
a. The Earth is farther from the Sun during the Northern Hemisphere summer
than it is in the Northern Hemisphere winter.
b. The energy output from the Sun fluctuates on an annual cycle, with the
maximum amount of energy hitting the Earth in summer and the minimum
amount arriving in winter.
c. Global ocean currents are in a cycle such that the cold currents are most
prominent in winter. Due to the fact that they cover 71 percent of the Earth,
this change in the ocean currents leads to a cooling effect in the winter
months.
COMPLETE SOLUTION
PRESSURE
Why is the surface pressure always lower in Denver, CO when compared to
New York City, NY? - ANSWER Denver is roughly 1 mile above sea level while
New York City is at sea level and because pressure decreases rapidly with
height, Denver will always have lower surface pressure
PRESSURE
Examine the map below that shows mean sea-level pressure. The white lines
are isobars, which represent lines of constant pressure. Within which state
would you expect the fastest winds given the behavior of the isobars on this
map? - ANSWER Where the isobars are closest together
PRESSURE
If it is midwinter in Chicago, IL and the surface pressure falls to 990 mb, what
type of general weather conditions would you expect? - ANSWER Cloudy
skies with precipitation and generally inclement weather
PRESSURE
What would the air pressure be at an altitude where 50 percent of the
atmospheric mass is above you and 50 percent is below you? - ANSWER
~500mb
PRESSURE
,If you were standing at sea level and you held out your hand, how much
would atmosphere weigh on one square inch of your hand? - ANSWER ~15 lb
PRESSURE
Which of the following represents standard sea-level pressure? - ANSWER
1013.25 mb
PRESSURE
The lowest recorded sea-level pressure was measured in a typhoon -
ANSWER True. Super Typhoon Tip in 1979 set the record for lowest sea-level
pressure at 870 mb.
PRESSURE
If a large hurricane was approaching your location, would you expect the
readings on your barometer to increase or decrease as the hurricane got
closer and closer? - ANSWER decrease
PRESSURE
Which of the following cities would have the highest measured air pressure?
Miami, FL (1 meter in elevation)
Champaign, IL (293 meters in elevation)
Albuquerque, MN (1490 meters in elevation)
Lake Tahoe, CA (1897 meters in elevation)
Pikes Peak, CO (4300 meters in elevation) - ANSWER Miama, FL. The location
with the lowest elevation will have the highest air pressure.
PRESSURE
,True or False: On days that it is really windy, the pressure gradient is large. -
ANSWER True. The pressure gradient is the change in pressure over the
change in distance. The larger this value the faster the winds.
TEMPERATURE
Which of the following is true with respect to air temperature?
a. Air temperature is a measure of maximum speed of all the air molecules.
b. The Fahrenheit temperature scale is widely used around the world as the
standard temperature scale. Warm air rises because it is less dense than cold
air.
c. Warm air rises because it is less dense than cold air.
d. The barometer is the primary instrument used to measure air temperature.
e. The temperature of the air always decreases with height in the Earth's
atmosphere. - ANSWER c. Warm air rises because it is less dense than cold
air.
TEMPERATURE
Which of the following is not true about the Earth's seasons?
a. If the tilt of the Earth on its axis were to increase to 40 degrees instead of
23.5 degrees, the Tropic of Cancer's latitude would also increase from 23.5N
to 40N.
b. During Fall and Winter in the Northern Hemisphere, the Sun does not rise
at the North Pole.
c. During an equinox, Champaign, IL has 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of
darkness.
, d. On June 21st, the summer solstice, the Sun's rays are directly overhead at
noon everywhere in the Northern Hemisphere. - ANSWER d. On June 21st,
the summer solstice, the Sun's rays are directly overhead at noon everywhere
in the Northern Hemisphere.
TEMPERATURE
Which of the following gases is the second most abundant gas in the Earth's
atmosphere?
a. Nitrogen (N2)
b. Oxygen (O2)
c. Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
d. Water Vapor (H2O)
e. Ozone (O3) - ANSWER b. Oxygen
TEMPERATURE
Which of the following statements best describes why the Earth has seasons?
a. The Earth is farther from the Sun during the Northern Hemisphere summer
than it is in the Northern Hemisphere winter.
b. The energy output from the Sun fluctuates on an annual cycle, with the
maximum amount of energy hitting the Earth in summer and the minimum
amount arriving in winter.
c. Global ocean currents are in a cycle such that the cold currents are most
prominent in winter. Due to the fact that they cover 71 percent of the Earth,
this change in the ocean currents leads to a cooling effect in the winter
months.
