Atmospheric Stability Self-test

Click on the correct answer
1 Which below is considered an adiabatic process:
heating a parcel of air at the surface
a parcel rises, expands, and cools
a parcel sinks, compresses, and warms
all of the above
only (b) and (c)
2 A rising saturated air parcel would cool most rapidly when its temperature is:
10 degrees F
30 degrees F
50 degrees F
80 degrees F
100 degrees F
3 If the ELR is less than the SALR, the atmosphere is:
conditionally unstable
absolutely stable
absolutely unstable
neutrally stable
absolutely unhappy
4 Which cloud type would most likely form in absolutely stable air:
stratocumulus
mammatus
cumulus congestus
altocumulus castellanus
stratus
5 The most latent heat is liberated in a rising saturated air parcel when it is _____________ and at a _____________ altitude.
warm, high
warm, low
cold, high
cold, low
6 In a conditionally unstable atmosphere, the ELR will be ________________ than the SALR and _______________ than the DALR.
greater, less
greater, greater
less, greater
less, less
7 In a rising thermal, the dew point temperature:
increases
decreases
shows no change
8 Which of the following ELRs would represent the most UNSTABLE atmosphere in a layer of unsaturated air:
1 degree C per 1000 m
3 degrees C per 1000 m
6 degrees C per 1000 m
9 degrees C per 1000 m
11 degrees C per 1000 m
9 Which condition(s) below is (are) necessary for a layer of altostratus clouds to change into altocumulus:
the top of the altostratus cloud deck cools while the bottom part warms
convection cells begin in the altostratus cloud layer
the altostratus cloud layer becomes more stable
all of the above
only (a) and (b) are correct
10 If you were to take a trip during the summer from Ohio to Nevada, you would most likely observe the bases of afternoon cumulus clouds ____________ in height above the ground as you travel west.
increasing
decreasing
showing no change
11 If an air parcel is given a small push upward and it continues to move upward on its own accord, the atmosphere is said to be:
stable
unstable
unhappy
12 An example of orographic clouds would be:
cumulus clouds produced by convection
rotor clouds
lee-wave clouds
clouds forming on the windward slope of a mountain
pileus clouds
13 A knowledge of air stability is important because:
it determines the direction of movement of storms
it determines the vertical movement of air
it determines the movement of high pressure areas
it helps in forecasting the length of winter
it determines how warm the surface will become
14 Which below is NOT a way of producing clouds:
lifting air along a topographic barrier
lifting air along a front
warming the surface of the earth
convergence of surface air
subsidence
15 Which set of surface conditions will produce a convective cumulus cloud with the highest base:
air temp. 40 degrees C; dew point 30 degrees C
air temp. 25 degrees C; dew point 10 degrees C
air temp. 35 degrees C; dew point 10 degrees C
air temp. 45 degrees C; dew point 25 degrees C
air temp. 25 degrees C; dew point 5 degrees C
16 The dry adiabatic rate is the rate at which:
an air parcel rises
the temperature changes in a rising or descending parcel of unsaturated air
the volume of an unsaturated air parcel expands or compresses
latent heat is released in a rising air parcel
unsaturated air becomes unstable
17 Which two sets of conditions, working together, will make the atmosphere the most STABLE:
cool the surface and warm the air aloft
cool the surface and cool the air aloft
warm the surface and cool the air aloft
warm the surface and warm the air aloft
18 Most thunderstorms do not extend very far into the stratosphere because the air in the stratosphere is:
unstable
stable
too cold
too thin
too dry
19 Which of the following conditions would be described as the most STABLE:
environmental lapse rate is 13 degrees C per 1000 m
environmental lapse rate is 3 degrees C per 1000 m
environmental lapse rate is 1 degree C per 1000 m
isothermal conditions
an inversion
20 A conditionally unstable atmosphere is ______________ with respect to unsaturated air and __________ with respect to saturated air.
unstable, stable
stable, unstable
unstable, unstable
stable, stable
21 If a parcel of unsaturated air with a temperature of 30 degrees C rises from the surface to an altitude of 1000 m, the unsaturated parcel temperature at this altitude would be:
30 degrees C
40 degrees C
20 degrees C
25 degrees C
impossible to tell from given data
22 When the environmental lapse rate decreases more rapidly with height than the dry adiabatic rate, the atmosphere is:
absolutely stable
absolutely unstable
convectively unstable
conditionally unstable
absolutely air sick
23 If unsaturated stable air is lifted to a level where it becomes saturated and unstable, this type of instability is called:
conditional instability
conductive instability
advective instability
baroclinic instability
absolute instability
24 What would be the air temperature inside an airliner if the outside air at 10 km, with a pressure of 250 mb and a temperature of -60 degrees C, is forced inside and compressed to a pressure of 1000 mb. (Hint: assume that a pressure of 1000 mb is equivalent to an altitude of 0 meters).
-60 degrees C
0 degrees C
40 degrees C
60 degrees C
160 degrees C
25 The cloud with the greatest vertical growth is:
cumulus congestus
cumulus
cumulonimbus
cirrocumulus
altocumulus
26 Why does rising saturated air cool at a lesser rate than rising unsaturated air:
rising saturated air is heavier
rising saturated air is lighter
unsaturated air expands more rapidly
saturated air does not expand
latent heat of condensation is released in a rising parcel of saturated air
27 An inversion represents an extremely stable atmosphere because air that rises into the inversion will eventually become ____________ and ______________ dense than the surrounding air.
warmer, less
warmer, more
colder, less
colder, more
28 In middle latitudes, which cloud will have the highest base:
cirrostratus
cumulonimbus
altostratus
stratus
cumulus
29 Which association is NOT correct:
cirrocumulus - high cloud
cumulus - cloud of vertical development
altostratus - high cloud
stratus - low cloud
cumulonimbus - cloud of vertical development
30 Which cloud is LEAST likely to produce precipitation that reaches the ground:
stratus
nimbostratus
cumulus congestus
cumulonimbus
cirrocumulus
31 A halo around the moon means that:
cirrostratus clouds are present
the clouds overhead are high clouds
the moon has an atmosphere
all of the above are correct
only (a) and (b) are correct
32 Which cloud is composed of ice crystals and can cause a halo to form around the sun or moon:
altostratus
stratus
nimbostratus
cirrostratus
angelitus
33 Suppose that the sky is completely covered with a high white-layered type of cloud. You look at the ground and see a distinct shadow. From this you conclude that the cloud type must be:
stratus
nimbostratus
altostratus
cirrostratus
stratocumulus
34 Light or moderate but steady precipitation is most often associated with ______________ clouds.
nimbostratus
altocumulus
cirrostratus
cirrocumulus
cumulonimbus