Question 1

Why do cumulus clouds often form, disappear, and then reform in the same place?

Accepted Answer

As cumulus clouds grow, they shade the g

Question 2

Why are hurricanes more likely to occur on the eastern coast of the United States than on the western coast?

Accepted Answer

Hurricanes need warm water. The warm wat

Question 3

Explain how a convection cycle is generated.

Accepted Answer

Warm air rises, cool air sinks. Some are

Question 4

Clouds occur when moist air is cooled by

Accepted Answer

A) expansion when it rises. 
B) compression when it rises. 
C) expansion when it falls. 
D) compression when it falls. 
A) expansion when it rises. 
B) compression when it rises. 
C) expansion when it falls. 
D) compression when it falls.

Question 5

Explain why freezing rain is more commonly associated with warm fronts than with cold fronts.

Accepted Answer

The gradual rise of air means an extende

Question 6

What generally causes clouds to form?

Accepted Answer

A) Falling relative humidity. 
B) Sinking of saturated air. 
C) Lifting of air. 
D) Addition of water vapor. 
A) Falling relative humidity. 
B) Sinking of saturated air. 
C) Lifting of air. 
D) Addition of water vapor.

Question 7

Air is considered unstable when it

Accepted Answer

A) continues to rise because it is warmer than surrounding air. 
B) behaves unpredictably. 
C) warms as it descends. 
D) cools as it rises. 
A) continues to rise because it is warmer than surrounding air. 
B) behaves unpredictably. 
C) warms as it descends. 
D) cools as it rises.

Question 8

Warm, moist air blowing over cold water can result in

Accepted Answer

A) adiabatic cooling. 
B) a dry adiabatic rate. 
C) fog. 
D) orographic lifting. 
A) adiabatic cooling. 
B) a dry adiabatic rate. 
C) fog. 
D) orographic lifting.

Question 9

In the Northern Hemisphere, hurricane winds spiral

Accepted Answer

A) counterclockwise in toward the low pressure zone of the storm's eye. 
B) counterclockwise in toward the high pressure zone of the storm's eye. 
C) clockwise in toward the low pressure zone of the storm's eye. 
D) clockwise in toward the high pressure zone of the storm's eye. 
A) counterclockwise in toward the low pressure zone of the storm's eye. 
B) counterclockwise in toward the high pressure zone of the storm's eye. 
C) clockwise in toward the low pressure zone of the storm's eye. 
D) clockwise in toward the high pressure zone of the storm's eye.

Question 10

In a thunderstorm, the falling rain creates

Accepted Answer

A) an updraft that generates a storm cell within the cloud. 
B) a downdraft, chilling the air and making it denser than the surrounding air. 
C) a downdraft, chilling the air and making it less dense than the surrounding air. 
D) an updraft, chilling the air and making it denser than the surrounding air. 
A) an updraft that generates a storm cell within the cloud. 
B) a downdraft, chilling the air and making it denser than the surrounding air. 
C) a downdraft, chilling the air and making it less dense than the surrounding air. 
D) an updraft, chilling the air and making it denser than the surrounding air.

Question 11

An occluded front can occur when

Accepted Answer

A) two different air masses are unable to overtake one another. 
B) a warm front and a cold front merge. 
C) warm air moves into a cold air mass. 
D) a cold air mass overtakes a warm air mass. 
A) two different air masses are unable to overtake one another. 
B) a warm front and a cold front merge. 
C) warm air moves into a cold air mass. 
D) a cold air mass overtakes a warm air mass.

Question 12

Which type of weather is characterized by spiral storms with winds of up to 300 km/hour?

Accepted Answer

A) Hurricanes. 
B) Tornadoes. 
C) Tropical depressions. 
D) Tropical storms. 
A) Hurricanes. 
B) Tornadoes. 
C) Tropical depressions. 
D) Tropical storms.

Question 13

Lower temperatures can be expected

Accepted Answer

A) behind a stationary warm front. 
B) behind an advancing warm front. 
C) ahead of an advancing cold front. 
D) behind an advancing cold front. 
A) behind a stationary warm front. 
B) behind an advancing warm front. 
C) ahead of an advancing cold front. 
D) behind an advancing cold front.

Question 14

A rain shadow is associated with

Accepted Answer

A) the leeward slope of a mountain. 
B) orographic lifting. 
C) descending dry air. 
D) descending dry air on the leeward slope of a mountain. 
A) the leeward slope of a mountain. 
B) orographic lifting. 
C) descending dry air. 
D) descending dry air on the leeward slope of a mountain.

Question 15

When an air mass passes from a maritime source region to a warmer continental region, heating from the warmer land causes

Accepted Answer

A) frontal lifting. 
B) orographic lifting. 
C) convectional lifting. 
D) adiabatic lifting. 
A) frontal lifting. 
B) orographic lifting. 
C) convectional lifting. 
D) adiabatic lifting.

Question 16

Whenever water evaporates,

Accepted Answer

A) heat is absorbed. 
B) heat is released. 
C) temperature rises. 
D) clouds form. 
A) heat is absorbed. 
B) heat is released. 
C) temperature rises. 
D) clouds form.

Question 17

When a volume of air is compressed, its temperature

Accepted Answer

A) increases. 
B) decreases. 
C) neither increases nor decreases. 
A) increases. 
B) decreases. 
C) neither increases nor decreases.

Question 18

Clouds that develop about 1000 meters above the ground are generally

Accepted Answer

A) cirrus and cirrocumulus type clouds. 
B) cumulus and stratus type clouds. 
C) cumulus and cirrocumulus type clouds. 
D) cirrocumulus and altocumulus type clouds. 
A) cirrus and cirrocumulus type clouds. 
B) cumulus and stratus type clouds. 
C) cumulus and cirrocumulus type clouds. 
D) cirrocumulus and altocumulus type clouds.

Question 19

Precipitation is produced by

Accepted Answer

A) a rising air mass. 
B) a descending air mass. 
C) water vapor in the air that condenses to make clouds then falls as liquid water or ice. 
D) all of the above. 
A) a rising air mass. 
B) a descending air mass. 
C) water vapor in the air that condenses to make clouds then falls as liquid water or ice. 
D) all of the above.

Question 20

If water vapor content is held constant as air temperature decreases, does relative humidity increase, decrease, or stay the same? Explain.

Accepted Answer

With a constant water vapor content, coo

Exam 25: Driving Forces of Weather

Why do cumulus clouds often form, disappear, and then reform in the same place?

Why are hurricanes more likely to occur on the eastern coast of the United States than on the western coast?

Explain how a convection cycle is generated.

Clouds occur when moist air is cooled by

Explain why freezing rain is more commonly associated with warm fronts than with cold fronts.

What generally causes clouds to form?

Air is considered unstable when it

Warm, moist air blowing over cold water can result in

In the Northern Hemisphere, hurricane winds spiral

In a thunderstorm, the falling rain creates

An occluded front can occur when

Which type of weather is characterized by spiral storms with winds of up to 300 km/hour?

Lower temperatures can be expected

A rain shadow is associated with

When an air mass passes from a maritime source region to a warmer continental region, heating from the warmer land causes

Whenever water evaporates,

When a volume of air is compressed, its temperature

Clouds that develop about 1000 meters above the ground are generally

Precipitation is produced by

If water vapor content is held constant as air temperature decreases, does relative humidity increase, decrease, or stay the same? Explain.

Patterns of Motion and Equilibrium

Newtons Laws of Motion

Momentum and Energy

Gravity, Projectiles, and Satellites

Fluid Mechanics

Thermal Energy and Thermodynamics

Heat Transfer and Change of Phase

Static and Current Electricity

Magnetism and Electromagnetic Induction

Waves and Sound

Light

Atoms and the Periodic Table

The Atomic Nucleus and Radioactivity

Elements of Chemistry

How Atoms Bond and Molecules Attract

Mixtures

How Chemicals React

Two Classes of Chemical Reactions

Organic Compounds

Rocks and Minerals

Plate Tectonics and Earths Interior

Shaping Earths Surface

Geologic Timereading the Rock Record

The Oceans, Atmosphere, and Climatic Effects

The Solar System

Stars and Galaxies

The Structure of Space and Time

Prologue: the Nature of Science

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