EOSC 114 COMPLETE LATEST
MIDTERM BASED ACTUAL SET WITH
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT/VERIFIED
ANSWERS
describe different types of lightning - correct answer-✅Intracloud (IC) lightning;
-1 to 10 times more IC than CG
Cloud-to-Ground (CG) lightning positive strike;
-less frequent
-stronger
-come from anvil
-primary cause of natural wildfires
Cloud-to-Ground (CG) lightning negative strike;
-are more numerous
-come from cloud base
Direct hit: most powerful type of lightning strike & delivers massive direct hit to whatever it hits
Side flash: Comes down & out of tree sideways into you; may contain as much current as direct hit
Ground strike: can travel over larger area
explain the sequence of events in a lighting strike - correct answer-✅Life Cycle -
1. Cumulus stage - updraft, no rain, no anvil
2. Mature stage - up & down drafts, heavy rain, crisp anvil
3. Dissipating stage - Downdraft, light rain, fuzzy anvil
explain lightning risk: dangerous times and places; how it affects people; and what you can do to stay
safe. - correct answer-✅Florida - 'Lightning alley' in North America
Central Africa - Highest density of lightning worldwide
Lightning in Canada - Lots of lightning ↔ thunderstorms in Rocky Mountains (AB) & prairies in SK & MB
30/30 rule: if 30 secs/less between see flash & hear bang → move indoors & stay there until 30 min after
last lightning/thunder
Safe places - fully enclosed metal vehicle w/ windows up, substantial permanent building (don't use
hard-wired telephones!)
Unsafe areas [outdoors] - Small structures, huts, rain shelters; nearby metallic objs (e.g. pole, fence);
trees, water, open fields, hill tops, etc.
, Lightning-Safety Crouch (if caught in open): squat on ground w/ feet together & hands over ears, but
don't put your hands on ground
identify and describe typical components of a thunderstorm cloud, and describe the nature and
evolution of cells in different types of thunderstorms - correct answer-✅Thick clouds w/ lightning &
thunder
Mushroom-shaped (stem + cap)
Cloud top (anvil) is near top of troposphere (10-15km); cloud base is near ground (~1km)
Stem - strong updrafts & downdrafts (violent updraft → upshoot as dome-shaped structure above top of
anvil)
Multicell thunderstorms: contain 2+ cells (each in diff stages of evolution); most thunderstorms!
Squall line: line of thunderstorms
Supercell thunderstorm: very large, rotating single-cell thunderstorm that can cause tornadoes, hail,
lightning, rain, winds
identify atmospheric layers and explain how they relate to storms - correct answer-✅Thermosphere
(top): absorption of non-visible light
Mesosphere (between): highest layer of the atmosphere in which the gases are all mixed up
Mesopause: top of mesosphere
Stratopause (middle): top of stratosphere; absorption of ultraviolet by "good" ozone (protection from UV
radiation)
Troposphere (bottom): Earth's surface; light shines thru lower atmosphere, w/ little direct heating of air,
but heats ground instead- Tropopause: top of troposphere
Warm ground heats air in troposphere (bottom 11km) & powers storms
explain how solar energy can get into the atmosphere to power storms - correct answer-✅Some solar
energy reflects back into space from clouds & ground; some absorbed by ground → ground warms
Sensible heat: warms air → temperature increase
Latent heat: warm air → evaporates water from lakes, vegetation, etc. (water vapor) → humidity
increases
Temperature & humidity fuel storms
List and describe the storm hazards and disaster scales covered in this course. - correct answer-
✅Lightning, tornado, hail, downpours (of rain)/local flooding, downbursts (of air)/gustfronts
dBZ scale: Disaster intensity scale for radar-echo strength; indicator of rainfall-rate
dBZ = radar echo intensity (in decibals)
MIDTERM BASED ACTUAL SET WITH
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT/VERIFIED
ANSWERS
describe different types of lightning - correct answer-✅Intracloud (IC) lightning;
-1 to 10 times more IC than CG
Cloud-to-Ground (CG) lightning positive strike;
-less frequent
-stronger
-come from anvil
-primary cause of natural wildfires
Cloud-to-Ground (CG) lightning negative strike;
-are more numerous
-come from cloud base
Direct hit: most powerful type of lightning strike & delivers massive direct hit to whatever it hits
Side flash: Comes down & out of tree sideways into you; may contain as much current as direct hit
Ground strike: can travel over larger area
explain the sequence of events in a lighting strike - correct answer-✅Life Cycle -
1. Cumulus stage - updraft, no rain, no anvil
2. Mature stage - up & down drafts, heavy rain, crisp anvil
3. Dissipating stage - Downdraft, light rain, fuzzy anvil
explain lightning risk: dangerous times and places; how it affects people; and what you can do to stay
safe. - correct answer-✅Florida - 'Lightning alley' in North America
Central Africa - Highest density of lightning worldwide
Lightning in Canada - Lots of lightning ↔ thunderstorms in Rocky Mountains (AB) & prairies in SK & MB
30/30 rule: if 30 secs/less between see flash & hear bang → move indoors & stay there until 30 min after
last lightning/thunder
Safe places - fully enclosed metal vehicle w/ windows up, substantial permanent building (don't use
hard-wired telephones!)
Unsafe areas [outdoors] - Small structures, huts, rain shelters; nearby metallic objs (e.g. pole, fence);
trees, water, open fields, hill tops, etc.
, Lightning-Safety Crouch (if caught in open): squat on ground w/ feet together & hands over ears, but
don't put your hands on ground
identify and describe typical components of a thunderstorm cloud, and describe the nature and
evolution of cells in different types of thunderstorms - correct answer-✅Thick clouds w/ lightning &
thunder
Mushroom-shaped (stem + cap)
Cloud top (anvil) is near top of troposphere (10-15km); cloud base is near ground (~1km)
Stem - strong updrafts & downdrafts (violent updraft → upshoot as dome-shaped structure above top of
anvil)
Multicell thunderstorms: contain 2+ cells (each in diff stages of evolution); most thunderstorms!
Squall line: line of thunderstorms
Supercell thunderstorm: very large, rotating single-cell thunderstorm that can cause tornadoes, hail,
lightning, rain, winds
identify atmospheric layers and explain how they relate to storms - correct answer-✅Thermosphere
(top): absorption of non-visible light
Mesosphere (between): highest layer of the atmosphere in which the gases are all mixed up
Mesopause: top of mesosphere
Stratopause (middle): top of stratosphere; absorption of ultraviolet by "good" ozone (protection from UV
radiation)
Troposphere (bottom): Earth's surface; light shines thru lower atmosphere, w/ little direct heating of air,
but heats ground instead- Tropopause: top of troposphere
Warm ground heats air in troposphere (bottom 11km) & powers storms
explain how solar energy can get into the atmosphere to power storms - correct answer-✅Some solar
energy reflects back into space from clouds & ground; some absorbed by ground → ground warms
Sensible heat: warms air → temperature increase
Latent heat: warm air → evaporates water from lakes, vegetation, etc. (water vapor) → humidity
increases
Temperature & humidity fuel storms
List and describe the storm hazards and disaster scales covered in this course. - correct answer-
✅Lightning, tornado, hail, downpours (of rain)/local flooding, downbursts (of air)/gustfronts
dBZ scale: Disaster intensity scale for radar-echo strength; indicator of rainfall-rate
dBZ = radar echo intensity (in decibals)
