ATOC 1050 (WEATHER AND
ATMOSPHERE) - CU BOULDER FINAL
EXAM CUMULATIVE|| 576 QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
The Jet Stream moves from ________ to ________ in the NH - ANSWER-West - East
________ brings winds from cold polar regions down into the US and warm winds from
the SH into the midwest - ANSWER-The Jet Stream
How large is the typical raindrop? - ANSWER-2 Millimeters
Where do collision and coalescence occur? - ANSWER-Warm clouds
________ is the process of large water droplets falling through clouds and colliding with
small, slower droplets - ANSWER-Coalescence
________ the process involving ice-crystal growth - ANSWER-The Bergeron Process
What does the Bergeron process require the coexistence of? - ANSWER-Water vapor,
liquid cloud droplets, and ice crystals
What does it mean for water to be Supercooled? - ANSWER-Water remaining in the
liquid state below 0 Degrees*C
________ is precipitation in the form of ice crystals - ANSWER-Snow
________ refers to the falling of small particles of ice that are clear to translucent -
ANSWER-Sleet
________ refers to water droplets that are supercooled and freeze upon contact with a
surface - ANSWER-Freezing rain
From what clouds does rain initiate from - ANSWER-Nimbostratus or cumulonimbus
________ is the term for precipitation in the form of hard, rounded pellets - ANSWER-
Hail
In what types of clouds does hail form in? - ANSWER-Cumulonimbus
MDT can be calculated from Zulu time by subtracting ________ - ANSWER-6 Hours
,Wind barbs indicate ________ - ANSWER-Wind speed and direction at a specific
location
Wind barbs point ________ the direction which which the wind is coming - ANSWER-
Toward
Wind is caused by ________ in air pressure - ANSWER-Horizontal differences
________ creates differences in air , resulting in wind - ANSWER-Unequal heating
Pressure Gradient Force is the force due to ________ - ANSWER-Differences in
pressure within the atmosphere
An object at rest will ________ unless a ________ - ANSWER-Stay at rest, force is
exerted upon it.
Air pressure is quantified as the weight of air ________ - ANSWER-Above a given point
Moving up through the air causes the density to ________ - ANSWER-Decrease
Cooling a column causes it to become ________ and ________ - ANSWER-more
dense, shorter
Heating a column causes it to become ________ and ________ - ANSWER-less
dense, taller
________ is the balance between PGF and Gravity - ANSWER-Hydrostatic Balance
________ are lines connecting places of equal air pressure - ANSWER-Isobars
Isobars are line connecting places of ________ - ANSWER-Equal air pressure
________ is the spacing of isobars to indicate the amount of pressure change over a
given distance - ANSWER-Pressure Gradient
Pressure Gradient is determined by the ________ and is used to indicate the ________
over a ________ - ANSWER-space of isobars, amount of pressure change, given
distance
________ is the deflective effect of the Earth's rotation - ANSWER-Coriolis Force
The Coriolis Force effects ________ free moving objects in the atmosphere - ANSWER-
all
Deflection occurs to the ________ in the NH - ANSWER-right
,Geostrophic balance is where the ________ and the ________ are balanced in equal
and opposite directions - ANSWER-Coriolis Force, Pressure Gradient Force
The Coriolis Force is always directed ________ degrees to the ________ of the wind in
the NH - ANSWER-90, right
The Coriolis Force is always directed ________ degrees to the ________ of the wind in
the SH - ANSWER-90, left
The Geostrophic Balance occurs at ________ where ________ can be ignored -
ANSWER-Upper-Levels, friction
Jet Streams are located at upper-levels in ________ - ANSWER-Mid-Latitudes
Wind on ________ maps do not travel in a straight line - ANSWER-Upper-Level
Geopotential height contours are always ________ with ________ & ________ -
ANSWER-curved, ridges, troughs
________ is described as when winds blow parallel to Geopotential height contours but
do not have the same velocity, causing them to curve - ANSWER-Gradient Wind
Balance
The Gradient Wind Balance causes winds to blow ________ to Geopotential height
contours, but at a different velocity which ________ - ANSWER-parallel, allows them to
curve
In the Gradient Wind Balance, the PGF and the CF are ________ which allows for
________ - ANSWER-not equal, winds to curve
Deflection occurs to the ________ in the SH - ANSWER-left
The Coriolis Force is strongest near the ________ - ANSWER-poles
The Coriolis Force is weakest near the ________ - ANSWER-equator
The ________ the wind speed, the stronger the Coriolis Effect - ANSWER-higher
If the wind speed is 0 m/s, there is ________ - ANSWER-no Coriolis Effect
Friction prevents winds from continuously getting faster by ________ - ANSWER-acting
in opposite direction of motion
Friction is only apparent at ________ - ANSWER-the surface
, Unlike surface maps, upper-level maps are plotted on a ________ - ANSWER-constant
surface pressure
Upper-Level weather maps use ________ instead of ________ - ANSWER-
geopotential heigh contours, isobars
Geopotential height approximates the ________ above mean sea level - ANSWER-
actual height of a pressure surface
Cold columns of air have ________ geopotential heights on a constant pressure map
and are analogous to regions of ________ pressure - ANSWER-low, low
Warm columns of air have ________ geopotential heights on a constant pressure map
and are analogous to regions of ________ pressure - ANSWER-high, high
________ indicate regions of low heights or low pressure - ANSWER-Troughs
________ indicate regions of high heights or heigh pressure - ANSWER-Ridges
Troughs are generally associated with ________ columns of air - ANSWER-Cold
Ridges are typically associated with ________ columns of air - ANSWER-Warm
Why are the winds parallel to the geopotential height contours? - ANSWER-The
atmosphere at 500mb is almost in geostrophic balance
________ is where the Coriolis Force balances the Pressure Gradient Force -
ANSWER-Geostrophic balance
The ________ is described as being the outward-directed force that causes turning
airflow around curved Geopotential height contours - ANSWER-Centrifugal force
The Centrifugal Force always points ________ - ANSWER-Outward
In the upper-levels of the atmosphere in the NH, winds blow ________ around a low-
pressure system - ANSWER-counterclockwise
In the upper-levels of the atmosphere in the NH, winds blow ________ around a high-
pressure system - ANSWER-clockwise
In the upper-levels of the atmosphere in the NH, winds blow counterclockwise around a
________-pressure system - ANSWER-low
In the upper-levels of the atmosphere in the NH, winds blow clockwise around a
________-pressure system - ANSWER-high
ATMOSPHERE) - CU BOULDER FINAL
EXAM CUMULATIVE|| 576 QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
The Jet Stream moves from ________ to ________ in the NH - ANSWER-West - East
________ brings winds from cold polar regions down into the US and warm winds from
the SH into the midwest - ANSWER-The Jet Stream
How large is the typical raindrop? - ANSWER-2 Millimeters
Where do collision and coalescence occur? - ANSWER-Warm clouds
________ is the process of large water droplets falling through clouds and colliding with
small, slower droplets - ANSWER-Coalescence
________ the process involving ice-crystal growth - ANSWER-The Bergeron Process
What does the Bergeron process require the coexistence of? - ANSWER-Water vapor,
liquid cloud droplets, and ice crystals
What does it mean for water to be Supercooled? - ANSWER-Water remaining in the
liquid state below 0 Degrees*C
________ is precipitation in the form of ice crystals - ANSWER-Snow
________ refers to the falling of small particles of ice that are clear to translucent -
ANSWER-Sleet
________ refers to water droplets that are supercooled and freeze upon contact with a
surface - ANSWER-Freezing rain
From what clouds does rain initiate from - ANSWER-Nimbostratus or cumulonimbus
________ is the term for precipitation in the form of hard, rounded pellets - ANSWER-
Hail
In what types of clouds does hail form in? - ANSWER-Cumulonimbus
MDT can be calculated from Zulu time by subtracting ________ - ANSWER-6 Hours
,Wind barbs indicate ________ - ANSWER-Wind speed and direction at a specific
location
Wind barbs point ________ the direction which which the wind is coming - ANSWER-
Toward
Wind is caused by ________ in air pressure - ANSWER-Horizontal differences
________ creates differences in air , resulting in wind - ANSWER-Unequal heating
Pressure Gradient Force is the force due to ________ - ANSWER-Differences in
pressure within the atmosphere
An object at rest will ________ unless a ________ - ANSWER-Stay at rest, force is
exerted upon it.
Air pressure is quantified as the weight of air ________ - ANSWER-Above a given point
Moving up through the air causes the density to ________ - ANSWER-Decrease
Cooling a column causes it to become ________ and ________ - ANSWER-more
dense, shorter
Heating a column causes it to become ________ and ________ - ANSWER-less
dense, taller
________ is the balance between PGF and Gravity - ANSWER-Hydrostatic Balance
________ are lines connecting places of equal air pressure - ANSWER-Isobars
Isobars are line connecting places of ________ - ANSWER-Equal air pressure
________ is the spacing of isobars to indicate the amount of pressure change over a
given distance - ANSWER-Pressure Gradient
Pressure Gradient is determined by the ________ and is used to indicate the ________
over a ________ - ANSWER-space of isobars, amount of pressure change, given
distance
________ is the deflective effect of the Earth's rotation - ANSWER-Coriolis Force
The Coriolis Force effects ________ free moving objects in the atmosphere - ANSWER-
all
Deflection occurs to the ________ in the NH - ANSWER-right
,Geostrophic balance is where the ________ and the ________ are balanced in equal
and opposite directions - ANSWER-Coriolis Force, Pressure Gradient Force
The Coriolis Force is always directed ________ degrees to the ________ of the wind in
the NH - ANSWER-90, right
The Coriolis Force is always directed ________ degrees to the ________ of the wind in
the SH - ANSWER-90, left
The Geostrophic Balance occurs at ________ where ________ can be ignored -
ANSWER-Upper-Levels, friction
Jet Streams are located at upper-levels in ________ - ANSWER-Mid-Latitudes
Wind on ________ maps do not travel in a straight line - ANSWER-Upper-Level
Geopotential height contours are always ________ with ________ & ________ -
ANSWER-curved, ridges, troughs
________ is described as when winds blow parallel to Geopotential height contours but
do not have the same velocity, causing them to curve - ANSWER-Gradient Wind
Balance
The Gradient Wind Balance causes winds to blow ________ to Geopotential height
contours, but at a different velocity which ________ - ANSWER-parallel, allows them to
curve
In the Gradient Wind Balance, the PGF and the CF are ________ which allows for
________ - ANSWER-not equal, winds to curve
Deflection occurs to the ________ in the SH - ANSWER-left
The Coriolis Force is strongest near the ________ - ANSWER-poles
The Coriolis Force is weakest near the ________ - ANSWER-equator
The ________ the wind speed, the stronger the Coriolis Effect - ANSWER-higher
If the wind speed is 0 m/s, there is ________ - ANSWER-no Coriolis Effect
Friction prevents winds from continuously getting faster by ________ - ANSWER-acting
in opposite direction of motion
Friction is only apparent at ________ - ANSWER-the surface
, Unlike surface maps, upper-level maps are plotted on a ________ - ANSWER-constant
surface pressure
Upper-Level weather maps use ________ instead of ________ - ANSWER-
geopotential heigh contours, isobars
Geopotential height approximates the ________ above mean sea level - ANSWER-
actual height of a pressure surface
Cold columns of air have ________ geopotential heights on a constant pressure map
and are analogous to regions of ________ pressure - ANSWER-low, low
Warm columns of air have ________ geopotential heights on a constant pressure map
and are analogous to regions of ________ pressure - ANSWER-high, high
________ indicate regions of low heights or low pressure - ANSWER-Troughs
________ indicate regions of high heights or heigh pressure - ANSWER-Ridges
Troughs are generally associated with ________ columns of air - ANSWER-Cold
Ridges are typically associated with ________ columns of air - ANSWER-Warm
Why are the winds parallel to the geopotential height contours? - ANSWER-The
atmosphere at 500mb is almost in geostrophic balance
________ is where the Coriolis Force balances the Pressure Gradient Force -
ANSWER-Geostrophic balance
The ________ is described as being the outward-directed force that causes turning
airflow around curved Geopotential height contours - ANSWER-Centrifugal force
The Centrifugal Force always points ________ - ANSWER-Outward
In the upper-levels of the atmosphere in the NH, winds blow ________ around a low-
pressure system - ANSWER-counterclockwise
In the upper-levels of the atmosphere in the NH, winds blow ________ around a high-
pressure system - ANSWER-clockwise
In the upper-levels of the atmosphere in the NH, winds blow counterclockwise around a
________-pressure system - ANSWER-low
In the upper-levels of the atmosphere in the NH, winds blow clockwise around a
________-pressure system - ANSWER-high
