Private Pilot Stage 2 Study Questions
and Correct Answers
1- How will frost on the wings of an airplane affect takeoff performance?
A- Frost will disrupt the smooth flow of air over the wing, adversely
affecting its lifting capability.
B- Frost will change the camber of the wing, increasing its lifting
capability.
C- Frost will cause the airplane to become airborne with a higher angle of
attack, decreasing the stall speed. ✅A
2- Every physical process of weather is accompanied by, or is the result of, a
A- movement of air.
B- pressure differential.
C- heat exchange. ✅C
3- What causes variations in altimeter settings between weather reporting points?
A- Unequal heating of the Earth's surface.
B- Variation of terrain elevation.
C- Coriolis force. ✅A
4- When there is a temperature inversion, you would expect to experience
A- clouds with extensive vertical development above an inversion aloft.
B- good visibility in the lower levels of the atmosphere and poor visibility
above an inversion aloft.
C- an increase in temperature as altitude increases. ✅C
5- The most frequent type of ground or surface-based temperature inversion is that
which is produced by
A- terrestrial radiation on a clear, relatively still night.
B- warm air being lifted rapidly aloft in the vicinity of
mountainous terrain.
C- the movement of colder air under warm air, or the movement of warm air
over cold air. ✅A
6- Which weather conditions should be expected beneath a low-level temperature
inversion layer when the relative humidity is high?
A- Smooth air, poor visibility, fog, haze, or low clouds.
B- Light wind shear, poor visibility, haze, and light rain.
C- Turbulent air, poor visibility, fog, low stratus type clouds, and showery
precipitation. ✅A
,7- The wind at 5,000 feet AGL is southwesterly while the surface wind is southerly. This
difference in direction is primarily due to
A- stronger pressure gradient at higher altitudes.
B- friction between the wind and the surface.
C- stronger Coriolis force at the surface. ✅B
8- What is meant by the term 'dewpoint'?
A- The temperature at which condensation and evaporation are equal.
B- The temperature at which dew will always form.
C- The temperature to which air must be cooled to become saturated. ✅C
9- The amount of water vapor which air can hold depends on the
A- dewpoint.
B- air temperature.
C- stability of the air. ✅B
10- Clouds, fog, or dew will always form when
A- water vapor condenses.
B- water vapor is present.
C- relative humidity reaches 100 percent. ✅A
11- What are the processes by which moisture is added to unsaturated air?
A- Evaporation and sublimation.
B- Heating and condensation.
C- Supersaturation and evaporation. ✅A
12- Which conditions result in the formation of frost?
A- The temperature of the collecting surface is at or below freezing when
small droplets of moisture fall on the surface.
B- The temperature of the collecting surface is at or below the dewpoint of
the adjacent air and the dewpoint is below freezing.
C- The temperature of the surrounding air is at or below freezing when small
drops of moisture fall on the collecting surface. ✅B
13- The presence of ice pellets at the surface is evidence that there
A- are thunderstorms in the area.
B- has been cold frontal passage.
C- is a temperature inversion with freezing rain at a higher altitude. ✅C
14- What measurement can be used to determine the stability of the atmosphere?
A- Atmospheric pressure.
B- Actual lapse rate.
C- Surface temperature. ✅B
15- What would decrease the stability of an air mass?
, A- Warming from below.
B- Cooling from below.
C- Decrease in water vapor. ✅A
16- What is a characteristic of stable air?
A- Stratiform clouds.
B- Unlimited visibility.
C- Cumulus clouds. ✅A
17- When warm, moist, stable air flows upslope, it
A- produces stratus type clouds.
B- causes showers and thunderstorms.
C- develops convective turbulence. ✅A
18- If an unstable air mass is forced upward, what type clouds can be expected?
A- Stratus clouds with little vertical development.
B- Stratus clouds with considerable associated turbulence.
C- Clouds with considerable vertical development and associated turbulence. ✅C
19- What feature is associated with a temperature inversion?
A- A stable layer of air.
B- An unstable layer of air.
C- Chinook winds on mountain slopes. ✅A
20- What is the approximate base of the cumulus clouds if the surface air temperature
at 1,000 feet MSL is 70°F and the dewpoint is 48°F?
A- 4,000 feet MSL.
B- 5,000 feet MSL.
C- 6,000 feet MSL. ✅C
21- At approximately what altitude above the surface would the pilot expect the base of
cumuliform clouds if the surface air temperature is 82°F and the dewpoint is 38°F?
A- 9,000 feet AGL.
B- 10,000 feet AGL.
C- 11,000 feet AGL. ✅B
22- What are characteristics of a moist, unstable air mass?
A- Cumuliform clouds and showery precipitation.
B- Poor visibility and smooth air.
C- Stratiform clouds and showery precipitation. ✅A
23- What are characteristics of unstable air?
A- Turbulence and good surface visibility.
B- Turbulence and poor surface visibility.
C- Nimbostratus clouds and good surface visibility. ✅A
and Correct Answers
1- How will frost on the wings of an airplane affect takeoff performance?
A- Frost will disrupt the smooth flow of air over the wing, adversely
affecting its lifting capability.
B- Frost will change the camber of the wing, increasing its lifting
capability.
C- Frost will cause the airplane to become airborne with a higher angle of
attack, decreasing the stall speed. ✅A
2- Every physical process of weather is accompanied by, or is the result of, a
A- movement of air.
B- pressure differential.
C- heat exchange. ✅C
3- What causes variations in altimeter settings between weather reporting points?
A- Unequal heating of the Earth's surface.
B- Variation of terrain elevation.
C- Coriolis force. ✅A
4- When there is a temperature inversion, you would expect to experience
A- clouds with extensive vertical development above an inversion aloft.
B- good visibility in the lower levels of the atmosphere and poor visibility
above an inversion aloft.
C- an increase in temperature as altitude increases. ✅C
5- The most frequent type of ground or surface-based temperature inversion is that
which is produced by
A- terrestrial radiation on a clear, relatively still night.
B- warm air being lifted rapidly aloft in the vicinity of
mountainous terrain.
C- the movement of colder air under warm air, or the movement of warm air
over cold air. ✅A
6- Which weather conditions should be expected beneath a low-level temperature
inversion layer when the relative humidity is high?
A- Smooth air, poor visibility, fog, haze, or low clouds.
B- Light wind shear, poor visibility, haze, and light rain.
C- Turbulent air, poor visibility, fog, low stratus type clouds, and showery
precipitation. ✅A
,7- The wind at 5,000 feet AGL is southwesterly while the surface wind is southerly. This
difference in direction is primarily due to
A- stronger pressure gradient at higher altitudes.
B- friction between the wind and the surface.
C- stronger Coriolis force at the surface. ✅B
8- What is meant by the term 'dewpoint'?
A- The temperature at which condensation and evaporation are equal.
B- The temperature at which dew will always form.
C- The temperature to which air must be cooled to become saturated. ✅C
9- The amount of water vapor which air can hold depends on the
A- dewpoint.
B- air temperature.
C- stability of the air. ✅B
10- Clouds, fog, or dew will always form when
A- water vapor condenses.
B- water vapor is present.
C- relative humidity reaches 100 percent. ✅A
11- What are the processes by which moisture is added to unsaturated air?
A- Evaporation and sublimation.
B- Heating and condensation.
C- Supersaturation and evaporation. ✅A
12- Which conditions result in the formation of frost?
A- The temperature of the collecting surface is at or below freezing when
small droplets of moisture fall on the surface.
B- The temperature of the collecting surface is at or below the dewpoint of
the adjacent air and the dewpoint is below freezing.
C- The temperature of the surrounding air is at or below freezing when small
drops of moisture fall on the collecting surface. ✅B
13- The presence of ice pellets at the surface is evidence that there
A- are thunderstorms in the area.
B- has been cold frontal passage.
C- is a temperature inversion with freezing rain at a higher altitude. ✅C
14- What measurement can be used to determine the stability of the atmosphere?
A- Atmospheric pressure.
B- Actual lapse rate.
C- Surface temperature. ✅B
15- What would decrease the stability of an air mass?
, A- Warming from below.
B- Cooling from below.
C- Decrease in water vapor. ✅A
16- What is a characteristic of stable air?
A- Stratiform clouds.
B- Unlimited visibility.
C- Cumulus clouds. ✅A
17- When warm, moist, stable air flows upslope, it
A- produces stratus type clouds.
B- causes showers and thunderstorms.
C- develops convective turbulence. ✅A
18- If an unstable air mass is forced upward, what type clouds can be expected?
A- Stratus clouds with little vertical development.
B- Stratus clouds with considerable associated turbulence.
C- Clouds with considerable vertical development and associated turbulence. ✅C
19- What feature is associated with a temperature inversion?
A- A stable layer of air.
B- An unstable layer of air.
C- Chinook winds on mountain slopes. ✅A
20- What is the approximate base of the cumulus clouds if the surface air temperature
at 1,000 feet MSL is 70°F and the dewpoint is 48°F?
A- 4,000 feet MSL.
B- 5,000 feet MSL.
C- 6,000 feet MSL. ✅C
21- At approximately what altitude above the surface would the pilot expect the base of
cumuliform clouds if the surface air temperature is 82°F and the dewpoint is 38°F?
A- 9,000 feet AGL.
B- 10,000 feet AGL.
C- 11,000 feet AGL. ✅B
22- What are characteristics of a moist, unstable air mass?
A- Cumuliform clouds and showery precipitation.
B- Poor visibility and smooth air.
C- Stratiform clouds and showery precipitation. ✅A
23- What are characteristics of unstable air?
A- Turbulence and good surface visibility.
B- Turbulence and poor surface visibility.
C- Nimbostratus clouds and good surface visibility. ✅A
