Geog 1001 Practice/Sample Questions for the Second Exam, October 25 2005.

Here are some sample questions for the second exam. Note that the topics I cover vary from year to year, so some questions may not be relevant.

1.      At seal level, the atmosphere can support a column of mercury to what height (cm)?

A.     1

B.     14.7

C.     29.92

D.    76

E.     101.3
 

2.      Between which altitudes (km) would you find 50% of the total mass of the atmosphere?

A.     0-5.5

B.     0-10.7

C.     0-16.0

D.    0-80

E.     80-480

3.      During which century was the barometer invented?

A.     16^th

B.     17^th

C.     18^th

D.    19^th

E.     20^th

4.      Which equation shows how atmospheric pressure changes with height?

A.     hydrostatic

B.     barometric

C.     barostatic

D.    coriolis

E.     pressure gradient

5.      Isobars are lines connecting points of equal…

A.     altitude

B.     barometric pressure

C.     temperature

D.    elevation

E.     wind speed

6.      With the pressure gradient force alone, at what angle (in degrees) does wind cross the isobars?

A.     0

B.     20-30

C.     30-60

D.    60-75

E.     90

7.      At the Equator, the Coriolis force (effect) results in a deflection to the _____?

A.     North

B.     South

C.     left

D.    right

E.     none of the above

8.      Geostrophic flow occurs when the _____ force is _____.

A.     pressure gradient; equal to the Coriolis force (effect)

B.     pressure gradient; greater than the friction force

C.     friction; absent

D.    Coriolis; balanced by the Earth’s rotational velocity

E.     Both A and C are correct

9.      Our Australian friends would observe clockwise air rotation around an area of _____ pressure.

A.     strengthening

B.     weakening

C.     stable

D.    low

E.     high

10.  We discussed land/sea breezes in class. During the nighttime, you would expect the direction of the land/sea breeze at the surface to be:

A.     onshore

B.     offshore

C.     parallel to the shoreline

D.    at a 30° angle to the shoreline

E.     at a 45° angle to the shoreline

11.  The best explanation for your correct answer to the question above is:

A.     Convergence of air over the land.

B.     Land generated more friction in the air blowing overtop of it than water.

C.     Waves generated more friction in the air blowing overtop of it than land.

D.    Surface friction caused the wind to cross the isobars at an angle.

E.     A horizontal pressure gradient developed due to the land cooling more than the sea.

12.  During the daytime, what is the name for the type of wind you likely observe in a mountainous region?

A.     Mountain

B.     Valley

C.     Chinook

D.    Foehn

E.     Katabatic

13.      The _____ rate for dry _____ air is a relatively constant ____ °C per _____.

B.     cooling; ascending; 10; 1 km

C.     heating; descending; 1; 100 m

D.    heating; descending; 0.01; 1 m

E.     All of the above.

14.      You observe the air temperature profile data shown in the table below.

From these data, the _____ lapse rate is _____ °C per _____. 

A.     dry adiabatic; 5; km

B.     dry adiabatic, 0.005; m

C.     moist adiabatic; 0.005; m

D.    environmental; 0.005; m

E.     environmental; 5; m

15.      Between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, _____ lifting is the most dominant.

A.     convergent

B.     convectional

C.     orographic

D.    frontal

E.     occluded
 

16.      Which of the following weather map symbol represents a warm front?

A.     A line with blue triangles.

B.     A line with blue semicircles.

C.     A shaded region indicating liquid precipitation.

D.    An isobar drawn around the symbol “H” (High Temperature)

      E.     None of the above.
 

17.      The air flow at an occluded front is best described as:

A.     Colder air is advancing into warmer air.

B.     Warmer air is advancing into colder air.

C.     Colder air has overtaking warmer air (i.e. pushed all the warmer air aloft).

D.    Parallel to the boundary (neither cold nor warm air is advancing).

E.     Small-scale, individual segments of both cold and warm air are advancing.

18.      The air flow at a cold front is best described as:

A.     Colder air is advancing into warmer air.

B.     Warmer air is advancing into colder air.

C.     Colder air has overtaking warmer air (i.e. pushed all the warmer air aloft).

D.    Parallel to the boundary (neither cold nor warm air is advancing).

E.     Small-scale, individual segments of both cold and warm air are advancing.

19.      The density of water reaches a maximum at _____ °C

A.     –273.15

B.     -100

C.     0

D.    3.98

E.     100

20.      When a substance changes phase from a gas to a solid, this is called _____.

A.     evaporation

B.     condensation

C.     sublimation

D.    freezing

E.     deposition

21.      If the latent heats of freezing and evaporation are 0.3 and 2.5 MJ per kg, respectively, how much energy (MJ) is released when 3 kg of water freezes?

A.     0.9

B.     1.07

C.     7.5

D.    8.4

E.     None. Energy is absorbed when water freezes.

22.      The maximum amount of water vapor that air contains is a strong function of _____.

A.     barometric pressure

B.     vapor pressure

C.     specific humidity

D.    air temperature

E.     dew point temperature