Natural Disaster Final Exam Questions With Complete
Solutions
"Lightning never strikes the same place twice"
IS THIS TRUE? Correct Answers No
(1) Hadley Cell Correct Answers Low-latitude air movement
toward the equator
Involves the rising of hot, dry air and poleward movement in the
upper atmosphere
This convection cell dominates the tropics
(1) Initial Cumulus Stage Correct Answers •A developing
thunderstorm begins as a cumulus cloud with upward air motion
(updraft)
If the air temperature in this cloud is warmer or more buoyant
than the surrounding atmosphere, it can continue to rise, produce
precipitation, and grow into a thunderstorm. The cumulus or
towering cumulus cloud can grow vertically, perhaps to a height
of 20,000 feet. Air within the cloud is dominated by updraft with
some turbulent eddies around the edges.
(1) Moisture Correct Answers preferably in the lower or mid
levels of the atmosphere
Low level warm and moist air flows from the Gulf of Mexico
,(1) Regional flood Correct Answers Lasts for several days,
weeks, or even months
Involves large drainage areas
River levels rise relatively slowly
(1) Typical tornado Correct Answers •Most often generated
during a supercell thunderstorm
(1) Wet Growth Correct Answers The hailstone ice nucleus
collides with super-cooled water droplets
Water does not immediately freeze around the ice nucleus
Water spreads across the ice nucleus and slowly cools, forming
layers
Since the process is slow, air bubbles can escape resulting in a
layer of clear ice.
(2) Dry Growth Correct Answers When a hailstone ice nucleus
collides with water droplets, the water immediately freezes
Air bubbles in the water are frozen in place, leaving cloudy ice
hailstone
The air bubbles are "frozen" in place, leaving cloudy ice
(2) Ferrel Cell Correct Answers Mid-latitude flow of hot air
towards the pole and cold air towards the equator
,(2) Flash flood Correct Answers Generally lasts for hours,
sometimes days
Involves small drainage areas that are dry most of the year
Water rises quickly, sometimes as a wall
2015 Death Valley NP, CA
(2) Landspout Correct Answers (a.k.a., dust devil, whirlwind,
willy willy)
dust devils on mars
•Type of tornado NOT generated during a supercell storm
•Still has an elongated, smooth, and tubular shape
(2) Mature Stage Correct Answers •A thunderstorm reaches its
mature stage when the updraft develops into sinking rain-cooled
air (downdraft) - 40,000 to 60,000 ft elevation
This is known as the downdraft. The storm has considerable
depth, often reaching 40,000 to 60,000 feet This is usually when
the thunderstorm is strongest and has the highest potential to
produce severe weather.
(2) Remote sensing Correct Answers Wildfires can be detected
remotely using satellites and aerial vehicles
e.g., Geostationary Operational
Environmental Satellite (GOES)
can detect fire and smoke
, (2) Slope and wildfires Correct Answers Wildfires accelerate
uphill
Steeper the slope, the more quickly the wildfire migrates
Steep slopes typically contain more dense fuel on the ground
1994 South Canyon fire, CO
(2) Source of Lift Correct Answers Thunderstorms need a
mechanism to lift warm, moist air into the high atmosphere
There are five main sources of lift
(3) Dissipating Stage Correct Answers A thunderstorm needs a
supply of fuel (warm and moist air) to survive
When the cool downdraft begins to spread out and cut off this
fuel supply, the thunderstorm will die
It should be noted that severe weather can still occur in the
dissipating stage. The life cycle for an individual thunderstorm
cell is about 30 minutes. During its life cycle, the two main
components of a thunderstorm are the updraft and downdraft.
(3) Polar Cell Correct Answers Air rises, diverges, and travels
toward the poles
Once over the poles, the air sinks
(3) Waterspout Correct Answers •Most common type of
tornado
•Also has a tubular shape
Solutions
"Lightning never strikes the same place twice"
IS THIS TRUE? Correct Answers No
(1) Hadley Cell Correct Answers Low-latitude air movement
toward the equator
Involves the rising of hot, dry air and poleward movement in the
upper atmosphere
This convection cell dominates the tropics
(1) Initial Cumulus Stage Correct Answers •A developing
thunderstorm begins as a cumulus cloud with upward air motion
(updraft)
If the air temperature in this cloud is warmer or more buoyant
than the surrounding atmosphere, it can continue to rise, produce
precipitation, and grow into a thunderstorm. The cumulus or
towering cumulus cloud can grow vertically, perhaps to a height
of 20,000 feet. Air within the cloud is dominated by updraft with
some turbulent eddies around the edges.
(1) Moisture Correct Answers preferably in the lower or mid
levels of the atmosphere
Low level warm and moist air flows from the Gulf of Mexico
,(1) Regional flood Correct Answers Lasts for several days,
weeks, or even months
Involves large drainage areas
River levels rise relatively slowly
(1) Typical tornado Correct Answers •Most often generated
during a supercell thunderstorm
(1) Wet Growth Correct Answers The hailstone ice nucleus
collides with super-cooled water droplets
Water does not immediately freeze around the ice nucleus
Water spreads across the ice nucleus and slowly cools, forming
layers
Since the process is slow, air bubbles can escape resulting in a
layer of clear ice.
(2) Dry Growth Correct Answers When a hailstone ice nucleus
collides with water droplets, the water immediately freezes
Air bubbles in the water are frozen in place, leaving cloudy ice
hailstone
The air bubbles are "frozen" in place, leaving cloudy ice
(2) Ferrel Cell Correct Answers Mid-latitude flow of hot air
towards the pole and cold air towards the equator
,(2) Flash flood Correct Answers Generally lasts for hours,
sometimes days
Involves small drainage areas that are dry most of the year
Water rises quickly, sometimes as a wall
2015 Death Valley NP, CA
(2) Landspout Correct Answers (a.k.a., dust devil, whirlwind,
willy willy)
dust devils on mars
•Type of tornado NOT generated during a supercell storm
•Still has an elongated, smooth, and tubular shape
(2) Mature Stage Correct Answers •A thunderstorm reaches its
mature stage when the updraft develops into sinking rain-cooled
air (downdraft) - 40,000 to 60,000 ft elevation
This is known as the downdraft. The storm has considerable
depth, often reaching 40,000 to 60,000 feet This is usually when
the thunderstorm is strongest and has the highest potential to
produce severe weather.
(2) Remote sensing Correct Answers Wildfires can be detected
remotely using satellites and aerial vehicles
e.g., Geostationary Operational
Environmental Satellite (GOES)
can detect fire and smoke
, (2) Slope and wildfires Correct Answers Wildfires accelerate
uphill
Steeper the slope, the more quickly the wildfire migrates
Steep slopes typically contain more dense fuel on the ground
1994 South Canyon fire, CO
(2) Source of Lift Correct Answers Thunderstorms need a
mechanism to lift warm, moist air into the high atmosphere
There are five main sources of lift
(3) Dissipating Stage Correct Answers A thunderstorm needs a
supply of fuel (warm and moist air) to survive
When the cool downdraft begins to spread out and cut off this
fuel supply, the thunderstorm will die
It should be noted that severe weather can still occur in the
dissipating stage. The life cycle for an individual thunderstorm
cell is about 30 minutes. During its life cycle, the two main
components of a thunderstorm are the updraft and downdraft.
(3) Polar Cell Correct Answers Air rises, diverges, and travels
toward the poles
Once over the poles, the air sinks
(3) Waterspout Correct Answers •Most common type of
tornado
•Also has a tubular shape
