Final Exam - PSC 1515 with complete
solutions graded A+
Nearly 1400 watts/meter² of solar energy reaches the outermost atmosphere. What fraction of
this energy on average actually reaches Earth's surface? - correct answer ✔✔50%
Your ears "pop" when your plane descends because - correct answer ✔✔air is moving from the
outside into behind your eardrum.
An airplane flying at 35,000 feet is above what percent of Earth's atmosphere? - correct answer
✔✔75%
Hot air rising from the equatorial regions cools and descends to form - correct answer ✔✔a belt
of dry, high-pressure air.
An inversion is when temperature increases with height. - correct answer ✔✔True
The majority of the Sun's radiation output occurs as - correct answer ✔✔infrared radiation.
The upward movement of warmer, less dense air produces a "lifting effect" that results in higher
pressure at the surface. - correct answer ✔✔False
The solar radiation that does reach Earth's surface - correct answer ✔✔All of the above.
The principle components of Earth's atmosphere are nitrogen, oxygen and - correct answer
✔✔argon.
,The atmospheric heating produced by the absorption of solar radiation and reemission of
infrared radiation is called the greenhouse effect. - correct answer ✔✔True
The wind chill factor - correct answer ✔✔measures the effect of low temperature and wind on
humans.
The "sea breeze" is the movement of cooler more dense air from over water toward the land. -
correct answer ✔✔True
When air is saturated, there is a balance between the rates of evaporation and condensation. -
correct answer ✔✔True
The oceans contain much more carbon dioxide than does Earth's atmosphere. - correct answer
✔✔True
The interaction between ultraviolet light and ozone takes place in the - correct answer
✔✔strastophere.
Cirrus clouds, in Latin, means - correct answer ✔✔wispy (curly).
The global wind cycle on Earth begins where and why? - correct answer ✔✔Near the equator
due to the intense heating there.
In the video regarding the formation of clouds, the presenter used a balloon to demonstrate
how to make a cloud. - correct answer ✔✔False
Dew point (instead of relative humidity) is a much more accurate measure of how humid it
feels. - correct answer ✔✔True
, In the video on the "Basics of Geography" the high latitude regions are also called the "Ice"
regions. - correct answer ✔✔False
In the video on climate change, the narrator showed that even though global warming is
happening, there have been and will likely be long periods where the temperature of the Earth
stays constant. - correct answer ✔✔True
When water vapor in the atmosphere condenses to liquid water, - correct answer ✔✔a cloud
forms.
After the eye of a hurricane passes over you, thunderstorms and high winds resume, but now
blowing in the opposite direction. - correct answer ✔✔True
Which cloud type is usually associated with the arrival of a cold front? - correct answer
✔✔towering cumulus
A parcel of air that is shoved upward into atmospheric air in a state of instability will expand and
become cooler - correct answer ✔✔but not as cool as the surrounding air
A warm front forms when - correct answer ✔✔a warm air mass advances over a mass of cooler
air.
In the diagram below, the parcel of air will - correct answer ✔✔fall.
A parcel of air can be cooled by expansion. - correct answer ✔✔True
A cyclone is centered about a - correct answer ✔✔region of low pressure.
Which of the following is not considered to be a form of precipitation? - correct answer ✔✔dew
solutions graded A+
Nearly 1400 watts/meter² of solar energy reaches the outermost atmosphere. What fraction of
this energy on average actually reaches Earth's surface? - correct answer ✔✔50%
Your ears "pop" when your plane descends because - correct answer ✔✔air is moving from the
outside into behind your eardrum.
An airplane flying at 35,000 feet is above what percent of Earth's atmosphere? - correct answer
✔✔75%
Hot air rising from the equatorial regions cools and descends to form - correct answer ✔✔a belt
of dry, high-pressure air.
An inversion is when temperature increases with height. - correct answer ✔✔True
The majority of the Sun's radiation output occurs as - correct answer ✔✔infrared radiation.
The upward movement of warmer, less dense air produces a "lifting effect" that results in higher
pressure at the surface. - correct answer ✔✔False
The solar radiation that does reach Earth's surface - correct answer ✔✔All of the above.
The principle components of Earth's atmosphere are nitrogen, oxygen and - correct answer
✔✔argon.
,The atmospheric heating produced by the absorption of solar radiation and reemission of
infrared radiation is called the greenhouse effect. - correct answer ✔✔True
The wind chill factor - correct answer ✔✔measures the effect of low temperature and wind on
humans.
The "sea breeze" is the movement of cooler more dense air from over water toward the land. -
correct answer ✔✔True
When air is saturated, there is a balance between the rates of evaporation and condensation. -
correct answer ✔✔True
The oceans contain much more carbon dioxide than does Earth's atmosphere. - correct answer
✔✔True
The interaction between ultraviolet light and ozone takes place in the - correct answer
✔✔strastophere.
Cirrus clouds, in Latin, means - correct answer ✔✔wispy (curly).
The global wind cycle on Earth begins where and why? - correct answer ✔✔Near the equator
due to the intense heating there.
In the video regarding the formation of clouds, the presenter used a balloon to demonstrate
how to make a cloud. - correct answer ✔✔False
Dew point (instead of relative humidity) is a much more accurate measure of how humid it
feels. - correct answer ✔✔True
, In the video on the "Basics of Geography" the high latitude regions are also called the "Ice"
regions. - correct answer ✔✔False
In the video on climate change, the narrator showed that even though global warming is
happening, there have been and will likely be long periods where the temperature of the Earth
stays constant. - correct answer ✔✔True
When water vapor in the atmosphere condenses to liquid water, - correct answer ✔✔a cloud
forms.
After the eye of a hurricane passes over you, thunderstorms and high winds resume, but now
blowing in the opposite direction. - correct answer ✔✔True
Which cloud type is usually associated with the arrival of a cold front? - correct answer
✔✔towering cumulus
A parcel of air that is shoved upward into atmospheric air in a state of instability will expand and
become cooler - correct answer ✔✔but not as cool as the surrounding air
A warm front forms when - correct answer ✔✔a warm air mass advances over a mass of cooler
air.
In the diagram below, the parcel of air will - correct answer ✔✔fall.
A parcel of air can be cooled by expansion. - correct answer ✔✔True
A cyclone is centered about a - correct answer ✔✔region of low pressure.
Which of the following is not considered to be a form of precipitation? - correct answer ✔✔dew
