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Chapter 1
The Turbulent Atmosphere
Multiple Choice Exam Questions
1. Water vapor is:
a. a gas.
b. a cloud droplet.
c. a rain drop.
d. a snowflake.
ANSWER: a
2. In a volume of air near the earth's surface, __________ occupies 78 percent
and __________ nearly 21 percent.
a. nitrogen, oxygen
b. hydrogen, oxygen
c. oxygen, hydrogen
d. nitrogen, water vapor
e. hydrogen, helium
ANSWER: a
3. The gas that shows the most variation from place to place and from time to time in the lower
atmosphere is:
a. ozone (O3).
b. carbon dioxide (CO2).
c. water vapor (H2O).
d. methane (CH4).
e. argon (Ar).
ANSWER: c
4. The only substance near the earth's surface that is found naturally in the atmosphere as a solid,
liquid, and a gas is:
a. carbon dioxide.
b. water.
c. molecular oxygen.
d. ozone.
e. carbon.
ANSWER: b
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5. The most abundant greenhouse gas in the earth's atmosphere is:
a. carbon dioxide (CO2).
b. nitrous oxide (N2O).
c. water vapor (H2O).
d. methane (CH4).
e. chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
ANSWER: c
6. Since the turn of this century, CO2 in the atmosphere has:
a. been increasing in concentration.
b. been decreasing in concentration.
c. remained at about the same concentration from year to year.
d. disappeared entirely.
ANSWER: a
7. Much of Tibet lies at altitudes over 18,000 feet where the pressure is about 500 mb. At such
altitudes, the Tibetans are above roughly:
a. 10% of the air molecules in the atmosphere.
b. 25% of the air molecules in the atmosphere.
c. 50% of the air molecules in the atmosphere.
d. 75% of the air molecules in the atmosphere.
ANSWER: c
8. Which of the following weather elements always decreases as we climb upward in the
atmosphere?
a. wind
b. temperature
c. pressure
d. moisture
e. all of the above
ANSWER: c
9. The earth's atmosphere is divided into layers based on the vertical profile of:
a. air pressure.
b. air temperature.
c. air density.
d. wind speed.
ANSWER: b
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10. Almost all of the earth's weather occurs in the:
a. exosphere.
b. stratosphere.
c. mesosphere.
d. thermosphere.
e. troposphere.
ANSWER: e
11. The atmospheric layer in which we live is called the:
a. troposphere.
b. stratosphere.
c. thermosphere.
d. ionosphere.
e. exosphere.
ANSWER: a
12. The gas that absorbs most of the harmful ultraviolet radiation in the stratosphere is:
a. water vapor.
b. nitrous oxide.
c. carbon dioxide.
d. ozone.
e. chlorofluorocarbons.
ANSWER: d
13. The word "weather" is defined as:
a. the average of the weather elements.
b. the climate of a region.
c. the condition of the atmosphere at a particular time and place.
d. any type of falling precipitation.
ANSWER: c
14. At night, when the weather is extremely cold and dry,
a. atmospheric pressure increases with increasing altitude.
b. atmospheric pressure remains constant with increasing altitude.
c. atmospheric pressure decreases with increasing altitude.
d. atmospheric pressure first increases, then decreases with increasing altitude.
ANSWER: c
Chapter 1
The Turbulent Atmosphere
Multiple Choice Exam Questions
1. Water vapor is:
a. a gas.
b. a cloud droplet.
c. a rain drop.
d. a snowflake.
ANSWER: a
2. In a volume of air near the earth's surface, __________ occupies 78 percent
and __________ nearly 21 percent.
a. nitrogen, oxygen
b. hydrogen, oxygen
c. oxygen, hydrogen
d. nitrogen, water vapor
e. hydrogen, helium
ANSWER: a
3. The gas that shows the most variation from place to place and from time to time in the lower
atmosphere is:
a. ozone (O3).
b. carbon dioxide (CO2).
c. water vapor (H2O).
d. methane (CH4).
e. argon (Ar).
ANSWER: c
4. The only substance near the earth's surface that is found naturally in the atmosphere as a solid,
liquid, and a gas is:
a. carbon dioxide.
b. water.
c. molecular oxygen.
d. ozone.
e. carbon.
ANSWER: b
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5. The most abundant greenhouse gas in the earth's atmosphere is:
a. carbon dioxide (CO2).
b. nitrous oxide (N2O).
c. water vapor (H2O).
d. methane (CH4).
e. chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
ANSWER: c
6. Since the turn of this century, CO2 in the atmosphere has:
a. been increasing in concentration.
b. been decreasing in concentration.
c. remained at about the same concentration from year to year.
d. disappeared entirely.
ANSWER: a
7. Much of Tibet lies at altitudes over 18,000 feet where the pressure is about 500 mb. At such
altitudes, the Tibetans are above roughly:
a. 10% of the air molecules in the atmosphere.
b. 25% of the air molecules in the atmosphere.
c. 50% of the air molecules in the atmosphere.
d. 75% of the air molecules in the atmosphere.
ANSWER: c
8. Which of the following weather elements always decreases as we climb upward in the
atmosphere?
a. wind
b. temperature
c. pressure
d. moisture
e. all of the above
ANSWER: c
9. The earth's atmosphere is divided into layers based on the vertical profile of:
a. air pressure.
b. air temperature.
c. air density.
d. wind speed.
ANSWER: b
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10. Almost all of the earth's weather occurs in the:
a. exosphere.
b. stratosphere.
c. mesosphere.
d. thermosphere.
e. troposphere.
ANSWER: e
11. The atmospheric layer in which we live is called the:
a. troposphere.
b. stratosphere.
c. thermosphere.
d. ionosphere.
e. exosphere.
ANSWER: a
12. The gas that absorbs most of the harmful ultraviolet radiation in the stratosphere is:
a. water vapor.
b. nitrous oxide.
c. carbon dioxide.
d. ozone.
e. chlorofluorocarbons.
ANSWER: d
13. The word "weather" is defined as:
a. the average of the weather elements.
b. the climate of a region.
c. the condition of the atmosphere at a particular time and place.
d. any type of falling precipitation.
ANSWER: c
14. At night, when the weather is extremely cold and dry,
a. atmospheric pressure increases with increasing altitude.
b. atmospheric pressure remains constant with increasing altitude.
c. atmospheric pressure decreases with increasing altitude.
d. atmospheric pressure first increases, then decreases with increasing altitude.
ANSWER: c
