Sample mc questions for final exam PDF

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Sample MC questions for final exam...

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EAS MULTIPLE CHOICE:

MONITORING WEATHER 1. Depending on local topography, the maximum range of broadcasts of the NOAA weather radio is about ____________ kilometers. a. 10 b. 100 c. 20 d. 65 2. Viewed from above in the Northern Hemisphere, surface winds blow ___________ about the center of a low pressure system. a. clockwise and outward b. clockwise and inward c. counterclockwise and outward d. counterclockwise and inward 3. Weather systems usually cross the United States in a. one day. b. several days. c. twenty or so days. d. one month. 4. Weather systems in the mid-latitudes of the Earth generally move in the direction towards the a. east. b. south. c. west. d. north. 5. Air pressure can be thought of as a. air temperature. b. wind speed. c. weight of the overlying air. d. weight of the underlying air. 6 . Weather radar monitors the movement of a. cloud particles. b. precipitation. c. planets d. river flow

7.. Viewed from above in the Northern Hemisphere, surface winds in a high pressure system blow a. clockwise and inward. b. clockwise and outward. c. counterclockwise and inward. d. counterclockwise and outward. 8.. As a general rule, lows that track from west to east across southern Canada produce ___________ precipitation compared to lows that track along the Gulf of Mexico coast. a. more b. a thousand times more c. less d. about the same amount of 9. Usually, the day’s minimum temperature occurs a. around sunrise. b. around midnight. c. near sunset. d. at lunch time. 10. Meteorologists use water vapor satellite imagery to a. determine the humidity in the air next to Earth’s surface. b. monitor the temperature of the tops of clouds. c. track the movement of water vapor at higher altitudes of the atmosphere. d. measure the surface wind speed in a hurricane. 11. A cloud in contact with the Earth’s surface is known as a. a cumuliform cloud. b. fog. c. a cirrus cloud. d. a thunderstorm. 12 . Wispy-appearing clouds that occur at high altitudes are composed of mostly a. tiny liquid water droplets. b. tiny ice crystals. c. methane. d. solid carbon dioxide.

HUMIDITY, SATURATION AND STABILITY - MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 1. The saturation vapor mixing ratio of air depends on ____________. a. relative humidity and temperature b. vapor mixing ratio and temperature c. pressure and temperature d. temperature only e. vapor mixing ratio and pressure 2. As the temperature of a saturated (cloudy) air parcel falls, its relative humidity ______and the vapor mixing ratio __________. a. increases, decreases b. decreases, does not change c. does not change, decreases d. does not change, increases e. increases, increases

3. If the temperature and the pressure of an unsaturated (clear) air parcel does not change while its vapor mixing ratio increases, the density of the parcel ______ and its relative humidity _______. a. increases, increases b. decreases, increases c. does not change, increases d. does not change, decreases e. decreases, does not change 4 If the vapor mixing ratio of a parcel of air is 2 grams per kilogram and its saturation mixing ratio is 6 grams per kilogram, the relative humidity is ______ percent. a. 3 b. 33.3 c. 40 d. 60 e .66.6 5. If the mixing ratio of a parcel of air is 6 grams per kilogram and the relative humidity is 25 percent, the saturation mixing ratio is ______ grams per kilogram. a. 1.5 b. 12 c. 8 d. 2 e. none of these is correct.

6. If the air temperature is 12 ºC and the vapor mixing ratio is the same as the saturation vapor mixing ratio, the relative humidity is _________. a. the relative humidity is less than 100%. b. the relative humidity is more than 100%. c. the dewpoint temperature is less than the temperature d.. the dewpoint temperature is equal to the temperature e. the dewpoint temperature is more than the temperature 7. On a clear and calm day, the relative humidity usually ______ between sunrise and early afternoon. a. rises b. falls c. does not change d. is less than the saturated vapor mixing ratio e. is less than the vapor mixing ratio 8. As an aircraft ascends within the atmosphere, _________ a. air pressure increases. b. the vapor mixing ratio increases. c. the saturation vapor saturation mixing ratio increases. d. air density increases. e. None of the above is correct. 9.. All of the following soundings (temperature profiles) always indicate stable atmospheric conditions with the exception of a. temperature inversion. b. isothermal conditions. c. no change in temperature with altitude. d. a drop of temperature with altitude. e. an increase in temperature with altitude. 10. Conditional instability indicates that an air layer is a. stable for both saturated and unsaturated air parcels. b. unstable for saturated and stable for unsaturated air parcels. c. stable for saturated and unstable for unsaturated air parcels. d. unstable for both saturated and unsaturated air parcels. e. None of the above is correct.

11. An Environmental Lapse Rate of ______ Celsius degrees per 1000 meters is stable for unsaturated air parcels. a. 6 b. 4 c. 2 d. All of these are correct. e. None of these is correct. 12. An Environmental Lapse Rate of ______ Celsius degrees per 1000 meters is unstable for unsaturated (clear) air parcels. a. 11 b. 8 c. 1 d. 9 e. None of these is correct. 13. An Environmental Lapse Rate of ______ Celsius degrees per 1000 meters is conditionally unstable. a. 12 b. 4 c. 8 d. -10 e. 2 14. An Environmental Lapse Rate of ______ Celsius degrees per 1000 meters is stable for clear air and unstable for cloudy air. a. 3 b. 7 c. 13 d. 1 e. 11 15. Unstable air _____ vertical motion of air parcels. a. enhances b. suppresses c. has no effect on d. creates oscillating e. stops

16. Rising parcels of saturated (cloudy) air do not cool as rapidly as rising parcels of unsaturated (clear) air because a. rising parcels of saturated air do work in expanding. b. expansional cooling of saturated air is partially compensated for by release of latent heat. c. saturated air parcels are always warmer than their surroundings. d. All of the above are correct. e. None of the above is correct. 17. As saturated (cloudy) air flows up the windward slopes of a mountain range, a. the relative humidity increases. b. the mixing ratio does not change. c. the saturation mixing ratio decreases. d. the air temperature rises. e. None of these is correct. 18. As unsaturated (clear) air flows down the leeward slopes of a mountain range, a. the air temperature rises. b. the relative humidity decreases. c. the saturation vapor pressure increases. d. All of the above are correct. e. None of the above is correct. 19. As a clear parcel of air ascends dry adiabatically, a. its relative humidity increases. b. its saturation vapor mixing ratio decreases. c. its temperature drops. d. All of the above are correct. e. None of the above is correct. 20. Suppose the vapor mixing ratio of the cold outside air is the same as the vapor mixing ratio of the warm air indoors. If the door is opened and the cold air replaces some of the warm air, then the new relative humidity indoors would be_______ a. higher than before. b. the same as before. c. lower than before. d. 0 % e. twice it saturation vapor mixing ratio

21. Which of these pairs of processes, working together, will make the atmosphere more unstable? a. cool the surface and warm the air aloft b. cool the surface and cool the air aloft c. warm the surface and cool the air aloft d. warm the surface and warm the air aloft e. cool the surface and moisten the air aloft 22. A parcel of unsaturated air descends adiabatically without mixing. A descend of 800 m causes __________. a. cooling of 8 degrees Celsius b. warming of 8 degrees Celsius c. warming of 0.8 degrees Celsius d. warming of 4 degrees Celsius e. cooling of 4 degrees Celsius 23. 10% relative humidity means that __________. a. 10% of all molecules are water vapor b. 10% of the mass of air consists of water vapor c. 10% of the volume of air is occupied by water vapor d. 10% of the pressure of the air arises from water vapor e. none of the above. 24. Consider the case of a very calm wind conditions near the ground. An increase in air temperature results in ______________. a. dewpoint decreases b. dewpoint increases c. relative humidity decreases d. relative humidity increases e. vapor mixing ratio decreases 25. If an air parcel rises without mixing with ambient air ________________. a. its volume will decrease b. its temperature will decrease c. its density will increase d. its vapor pressure will decrease e. its relative humidity will decrease.

3_ _C_l_o_u_d_s_ _a_n_d_ _P_r_e_c_i_p_i_t_a_t_i_o_n_ _– _M_u_l_t_i_p_l_e_ _C_h_o_i_c_e_ _Q_u_e_s_t_i_o_n_s_ _a_n_d_ _A_n_s_w_e_r_s_ _ 1. A cloud that develops as a consequence of local convection is a. stratus. b. cirrus. c. cirrostratus. d. nimbostratus. e. cumulus. 2. Which one of the following cloud types would most likely be responsible for producing heavy rain? a. cumulus b. cumulonimbus

c. altocumulus d. cirrocumulus e. cirrus 3. A cloud that exhibits considerable vertical development is a. fair-weather cumulus. b. altostratus. c. stratocumulus. d. cirrus. e. cumulonimbus. 4.. All of the following clouds typically have relatively low bases with the exception of a. cirrus. b. stratus. c. stratocumulus. d. fog. e. nimbostratus. 5. Which one of the following clouds is most likely composed of ice crystals only? a. stratus b. cumulonimbus c. cirrus d. nimbostratus e. altocumulus

6. Of the following cloud types, which one is coldest? a. cirrus b. stratus c. cumulus d. altocumulus e. fog 7. Of the following cloud types, which one is warmest? a. cirrus b. cirrostratus c. cirrocumulus d. altostratus e. stratus 8. Which one of the following has the greatest terminal velocity? a. ice crystal b. drizzle drop c. large hailstone d. raindrop e. snowflake 9. Most precipitation that falls in midlatitudes originates in ______ clouds. a. cirrus b. cumulus c. nimbostratus or cumulonimbus d. altostratus e. stratus 10. It takes about ______ cloud droplets to form a single raindrop. a. 100 b. 1000 c. 10 d. 100,000 e. 1,000,000

11. A warm cloud is composed of a. tiny water droplets. b. ice crystals. c. a mixture of ice crystals and supercooled water droplets. d. supercooled water droplets. e. None of the above is correct. 12. The type of frozen precipitation sometimes produced by a summer thunderstorm is a. snow. b. freezing rain. c. snow pellets. d. hail. e. sleet. 13. On average, the meltwater equivalent of 100 cm of fresh snowfall is ______ cm. a. 1 b. 10 c. 100 d. . 20 e. 0.1

4 FRONTAL WEATHER - MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 1. In equal volumes, which one of the following air masses has the highest air density? a. cP b. A c. mP d. cT e. mT 3. A source region for maritime tropical air is a. northern Canada. b. the American Southwest. c. the Gulf of Mexico. d. the North Atlantic. e. None of these is correct. 4. Warm and humid air: a. A b. mP c. mT d. cP e. cT 5. Of the following air masses, which one exhibits the greatest temperature change between winter and summer? a. maritime tropical b. continental polar c. maritime polar d. equatorial 6. Usually air mass modification is most rapid when a. continental polar air moves over a frozen lake. b. continental polar air travels over a snow-covered ground.

c. continental polar air moves over bare ground. d. maritime tropical air moves over bare ground.

7. As a warm front approaches, clouds appear in which of the following sequences? a. cirrus, altostratus, stratus b. stratus, altostratus, cirrus c. cumulus, cumulonimbus, cirrus d. cumulonimbus, cumulus, nimbostratus e. nimbostratus, cirrocumulus, cirrus 8. The cloud and precipitation shield associated with a cold front typically is ______ the cloud and precipitation shield associated with a warm front. a. wider than b. narrower than c. the same width as d. weaker than 9. A front is a narrow zone of transition between air masses that contrast in a. temperature. b. vapor mixing ratio. c. air density. d. Any of these is correct. e. None of these is correct. 10. A type of cloud associated with a fast-moving, well-defined cold front: a. cirrus b. stratus c. cumulonimbus d. cirrostratus e. None of these is correct. 11. The type of front formed when the leading edge of cold air merges with a warm front is known as a. a cold front. b. a warm front. c. a stationary front. d. an occluded front. e. None of these is correct.

5 EXTRATROPICAL CYCLONES - MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 1. If the surface wind backs from northeast to north, Halifax (Nova Scotia) usually experiences a. cold air advection. b. warm air advection. c. snow changing to rain. d. falling air pressure. e. hail. 2. If the surface wind veers from east to southeast to south, Halifax (Nova Scotia usually experiences

a. cold air advection. b. warm air advection. c. rain changing to snow. d. rising air pressure. e. falling temperatures. 3. In a mature extratropical cyclone, fog and drizzle are most likely to develop a. to the northwest of the low center. b. in the warm air behind the warm front. c. in the cold air just ahead of the surface warm front. d. in the warm air just ahead of the surface cold front. e. None of the above is correct. 4 . If a weather station reports a wind shift from northeast to north and then northwest and a steady rain turning to snow flurries, the low center is most likely moving a. from west to east, north of the station. b. from northeast to southwest, north of the station. c. from southwest to northeast, east of the station. d. from southwest to northeast, north of the station. e. None of the above is correct.

5. . Precipitation tends to be steady and persistent in the ______ sector of a mature extratropical cyclone. a. northeast b. northwest c. southeast d. southwest

6. The coldest sector of a mature extratropical cyclone is usually __________ of the cyclone center. a. northeast b. northwest c. southeast d. southwest 7. The warmest sector of a mature extratropical cyclone is usually __________ of the cyclone

center. a. northeast b. northwest c. southeast d. southwest 8. The warmest air associated with a mature extratropical cyclone is usually located a. at the low center. b. southwest of the low center. c. northwest of the low center. d. southeast of the low center. e. None of the above is correct. 9. What is the surface wind direction in the northwest sector of a mature extratropical cyclone? a. southeast b. east c. south d. northwest e. southwest

10. Viewed from above, the surface wind circulation about an Alberta-type cyclone is a. clockwise and outward. b. clockwise and inward. c. counterclockwise and outward. d. counterclockwise and inward. e. None of the above is correct.

6 THUNDERSTORMS: MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS 1. A thunderstorm cloud: a. cumulus b. nimbostratus c. cumulonimbus d. stratus e. altostratus 2. The mature stage of the life cycle of a thunderstorm cell is characterized by a. updrafts only. b. both updrafts and downdrafts. c. cloud dissipation.

d. downdrafts only. e. no updrafts and no downdrafts 3.. The anvil top of a thunderstorm cloud is likely to be a ______ cloud that is composed of ______. a. warm................supercooled water droplets b. cold...............liquid water droplets c. cirrus...............ice crystals d. altocumulus...............water droplets e. stratus...............drizzle 4.. A gust front is associated with a(n) a. intense thunderstorm. b. land breeze. c. chinook wind. d. sea breeze. e. None of these is correct. 5. Appearance of a flat anvil top indicates that the developing thunderstorm cloud (cumulonimbus) has reached a(n) ______ portion of the atmosphere. a. unstable b. neutral c. conditionally stable d. humid e. extremely stable

6. The dissipating stage of the life cycle of a thunderstorm cell is characterized by a. updrafts only. b. both updrafts and downdrafts. c. hail and heavy rain. d. the strongest surface winds. e. downdrafts only. 7.. A mesoscale convective complex (MCC) a. is the same as a supercell thunderstorm. b. consists of numerous interacting thunderstorm cells. c. is usually located just ahead of a fast-moving, well-defined cold front. d. has a life expectancy of less than an hour. e. is most likely to occur in the Pacific Northwest. 8. A squall line usually forms a. along a stationary front. b. in the cold air mass well behind a cold front. c. in the mT air along or ahead of a cold front. d. in the fog and cold air mass just north of a warm front. e. None of these is correct. 9. Thunderstorm development is favored a. by stable air. b. over relatively cold surfaces. c. by free convection alone. d. by conditionally unstable maritime tropical air. e. in arctic air. 10. Thunderstorm cells associated with a fast-moving, well-defined cold front a. may be severe. b. often occur as a squall line parallel to and ahead of the front. c. often form an elongated cluster parallel to the front. d. All of the above are correct. e. None of the above is correct.

11. Thunderstorm development is triggered by a. uplift along a well-defined cold front. b. converging surface winds. c. uplift of warm, humid air along mountain slopes. d. forced convection. e. Any of the above is correct. 12. A feature sometimes present in thunderstorms that may prolong the mature stage is (are) _____. a. abundant ice nuclei at high altitudes. b. an anvil top. c. a cold downdraft. d. precipitation. e. a tilted updraft. 13. A supercell thunderstorm is most likely to develop in the ______ sector of a mature extratropical cyclone. a. northwest b. southeast c. northeast d. southwest e. cold 14. A severe thunderstorm cell may be accompanied by__________. a. damaging surface winds. b. hail. c. heavy rainfall. d. frequent lightning. e. Any of these is correct. 15. A dry line ______. a. is a likely site for development of a severe thunderstorm cell. b. separates hot, dry air from warm, humid air. c. often occurs over Texas and Oklahoma. d. All of the above are correct. e. None of the above is correct.

7_ _L_i_g_h_t_n_i_n_g_ _– _M_u_l_t_i_p_l_e_ _C_h_o_i_c_e_ _Q_u_e_s_t_i_o_n_s_ _a_n_d_ _A_n_s_w_e_r_s_ _ 1. A thunderstorm cloud is a __________. a. cumulus b. nimbostratus c. cumulonimbus d. stratus e. altostratus 2. On a clear day, the Earth's surface carries ______ electrical charge. a. a positive b. no c. a negative d. a double

e. a triple 3. Lightning occurs________. a. only when it is raining. b. only during the towering cumulus stage of a thunderstorm life cycle. c. most often in Michigan. d. All of the above are correct. e. None of the above is correct. 4. Thunder is the consequence of ________. a. a tilted updraft. b. hail formation. c. clouds bumping into one another. d. lightning. e. the gust front. 5. Sound waves are considerably ______ than light waves so that thunder is heard ______ lightning is seen. a. slower...............before b. slower...............after c. faster...............before d. faster..............after

8 Downburst and Flashfloods – Multiple Choice Questions and Answers 1. A downburst _______. a. is most likely to occur during the towering cumulus stage of a thunderstorm life cycle. b. is never accompanied by virga. c. is designated a microburst or macroburst depending on the distance impacted along the ground. d. All of the above are correct. e. None of the above is correct. 2. Microbursts are particularly dangerous for aircraft on takeoff or landing because they trigger ______. a. lightning. b. visibility-restricting rain. c. large hailstones. d. wind shear. e. roll clouds. 3. A flash flood is most likely to be triggered by heavy rains that develop in a precipitation efficient atmosphere, that is, an atmosphere that features _________. a. high values of precipitable water b. high relative humidity c. a warm thunderstorm base d. All of the above are correct. e. None of the above is correct. 4. Hail is typically produced by thunderstorm cells that are characterized by __________. a. strong updrafts. b. great vertical development. c. an abundant supply of supercooled water droplets....