METEOROLOGY EXAM 1 CHAPTERS 1-6 QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED SOLUTIONS LATEST
UPDATE 2026
What is weather - Answers The condition of the atmosphere at any particular time and place.
Weather - which is always changing- is compromised of elements of air temperature, air
pressure, humidity, clouds, precipitation, visibility, and wind
what is climate - Answers if we measure and observe these weather variables over a specified
interval of time we would obtain the "average weather" (or the climate) or a particular region.
Represents the accumulation of daily and seasonal weather events (the average range of
weather) over a long period of time
Also includes the extremes of weather.
what was earth's early atmosphere made of? today? - Answers First - mostly hydrogen and
helium
The atmosphere evolved due to outgassing from earth's interior.
Today - nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), water vapor (4%), carbon dioxide (.04%), ozone O3
(majority found in stratosphere), aerosols, other greenhouse gases (methane, nitrous oxide, and
chlorofluorocarbons)
constant vs variable gases and the dominant ones - Answers Constant: O2 and Nitrogen - gases
that are always there.
Variable: there amounts change ( water vapor, CO2)
Dominant: water vapor.
which variable gas is the most important for 'weather' and why? - Answers water vapor -
evaporates, creates vapor in atmosphere, that vapor creates clouds and precipitation.
what have CO2 concentrations done over the past 150 years - Answers increased due to the
burning of fossil fuels and deforestation; global temp increases
what is ozone and where is it found? what does good ozone so for us? - Answers Ozone: a
primary component of photochemical smog at earths surface.
Found in stratosphere
Protects us from UV radiation.
, what is an aerosol? examples? - Answers tiny solid or liquid particles of various composition
suspended in air.
Not gaseous
Originate from the oceans surface (salt particles from ocean waves), volcanoes, forest fires and
other types of burnings, and dust from soil carried by wind.
Natural - aid the condensation of water vapor
Human-made: a pollutant
Examples: pollen, dust., salt from ocean, volcanic dust.
the key properties of the vertical structure of the atmosphere: density, pressure, temp -
Answers Layers may be defined by temperature, gas composition, and electrical properties.
Due to gravity, most of the earths atmosphere is located close to its surface.
Density - the mass or atoms and the space between them (molecular density of air: the number
of molecules in a given volume), greatest at earths surface and decreases with height.
At earths surface, the pressure of the atmosphere is 14.7 ib/in2.
Standard sea level pressure is 1013.25 mb = 1013.25 hPa = 29.92 in Hg.
Atmospheric pressure decreases with n increase in height.
the lowest two thermal layers in the atmosphere (troposphere and stratosphere). what does
temperature do with height in each - Answers Troposphere- extends from earths surface to
11km; location of weather systems; temp decreases with height to the isothermal zone
Stratosphere- extends from 11km to 50km; temp increases with height; contains 03 max at
25km
what is a geostationary satellite? differences between visible, IR, and water vapor satellite -
Answers Move at the same rate as earth spins; remain above a particular are to monitor
weather and other phenomena; used for weather observation and prediction.
Visible: when it take a pic of whats there
IR: scans for temp; colder the clouds are the brighter they are
water vapor: scans for water vapor; scans for gaseous vapor
What is potential vs kinetic energy? how is kinetic energy defines in the atmopshere - Answers
Potential - the potential to do work
UPDATE 2026
What is weather - Answers The condition of the atmosphere at any particular time and place.
Weather - which is always changing- is compromised of elements of air temperature, air
pressure, humidity, clouds, precipitation, visibility, and wind
what is climate - Answers if we measure and observe these weather variables over a specified
interval of time we would obtain the "average weather" (or the climate) or a particular region.
Represents the accumulation of daily and seasonal weather events (the average range of
weather) over a long period of time
Also includes the extremes of weather.
what was earth's early atmosphere made of? today? - Answers First - mostly hydrogen and
helium
The atmosphere evolved due to outgassing from earth's interior.
Today - nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), water vapor (4%), carbon dioxide (.04%), ozone O3
(majority found in stratosphere), aerosols, other greenhouse gases (methane, nitrous oxide, and
chlorofluorocarbons)
constant vs variable gases and the dominant ones - Answers Constant: O2 and Nitrogen - gases
that are always there.
Variable: there amounts change ( water vapor, CO2)
Dominant: water vapor.
which variable gas is the most important for 'weather' and why? - Answers water vapor -
evaporates, creates vapor in atmosphere, that vapor creates clouds and precipitation.
what have CO2 concentrations done over the past 150 years - Answers increased due to the
burning of fossil fuels and deforestation; global temp increases
what is ozone and where is it found? what does good ozone so for us? - Answers Ozone: a
primary component of photochemical smog at earths surface.
Found in stratosphere
Protects us from UV radiation.
, what is an aerosol? examples? - Answers tiny solid or liquid particles of various composition
suspended in air.
Not gaseous
Originate from the oceans surface (salt particles from ocean waves), volcanoes, forest fires and
other types of burnings, and dust from soil carried by wind.
Natural - aid the condensation of water vapor
Human-made: a pollutant
Examples: pollen, dust., salt from ocean, volcanic dust.
the key properties of the vertical structure of the atmosphere: density, pressure, temp -
Answers Layers may be defined by temperature, gas composition, and electrical properties.
Due to gravity, most of the earths atmosphere is located close to its surface.
Density - the mass or atoms and the space between them (molecular density of air: the number
of molecules in a given volume), greatest at earths surface and decreases with height.
At earths surface, the pressure of the atmosphere is 14.7 ib/in2.
Standard sea level pressure is 1013.25 mb = 1013.25 hPa = 29.92 in Hg.
Atmospheric pressure decreases with n increase in height.
the lowest two thermal layers in the atmosphere (troposphere and stratosphere). what does
temperature do with height in each - Answers Troposphere- extends from earths surface to
11km; location of weather systems; temp decreases with height to the isothermal zone
Stratosphere- extends from 11km to 50km; temp increases with height; contains 03 max at
25km
what is a geostationary satellite? differences between visible, IR, and water vapor satellite -
Answers Move at the same rate as earth spins; remain above a particular are to monitor
weather and other phenomena; used for weather observation and prediction.
Visible: when it take a pic of whats there
IR: scans for temp; colder the clouds are the brighter they are
water vapor: scans for water vapor; scans for gaseous vapor
What is potential vs kinetic energy? how is kinetic energy defines in the atmopshere - Answers
Potential - the potential to do work
