Free Practice Quiz Question List

3 Temperature and Atmospheric Stability Online Quiz Questions

Use this free practice quiz with 20 questions to review 3 Temperature and Atmospheric Stability, test your knowledge, and prepare for your next test or exam.

20 questions

True or false

1 point

True or false: Because air is a good conductor, conduction from the ground efficiently warms deep layers of the atmosphere.

A
True
B
False

Fill in the blank

1 point

A layer of the atmosphere with little temperature change with height is an .

Choose one

1 point

A surface temperature sensor is placed in a ventilated shelter. What is the main purpose of the shelter?

A
To keep the sensor warmer than the surrounding air
B
To shield the sensor from direct sunlight and nearby surface heat while allowing air to circulate
C
To prevent the sensor from measuring changes in air temperature

Choose all

1 point

Select all statements that correctly describe a process of energy transfer or air transport.

A
Radiation transfers energy by electromagnetic waves.
B
Conduction transfers heat through contact.
C
Advection is the vertical rise of warm air caused by uneven heating.
D
Advection is the horizontal transport of warm or cold air by wind.

Fill in the blank

1 point

The process that uses energy and can cool a surface or nearby air is .

True or false

1 point

True or false: When water vapor condenses, energy is released back into the atmosphere.

A
True
B
False

Choose one

1 point

An air parcel rises into a region of lower pressure. What happens to the parcel, according to the material?

A
It compresses as pressure decreases, so it warms.
B
It gains heat from the ground as it rises.
C
It expands as pressure decreases, so it cools.
D
It becomes warmer because the air above it is cooler.

Choose all

1 point

Select all conditions under which the daily temperature range is often smaller.

A
The location is over water.
B
The day is cloudy.
C
Wind mixes air through a deeper layer.
D
The location is over land on a clear, calm day.

Choose one

1 point

Why can locations near coasts experience daily temperature differences from locations farther inland?

A
Water typically changes temperature more rapidly than land.
B
Land typically changes temperature more rapidly than water.
C
Land and water typically change temperature at the same rate.

Open ended

1 point

Explain why the daily temperature range is often smaller over water than over land. Include how the different rates of temperature change contribute to the difference.

Choose one

1 point

On a sunny day, which comparison is most consistent with the material's description of surface heating?

A
Grass typically warms faster because it absorbs all incoming sunlight.
B
Dark pavement typically warms faster than nearby grass in sunshine.
C
Pavement and grass always warm at the same rate.

Choose one

1 point

Uneven surface heating warms air above one area more than air nearby. Which response best describes the resulting convection?

A
Warm air sinks because heating makes it denser, and cooler air rises.
B
Warmer, less-dense air rises, while cooler air sinks or moves in to replace it.
C
Air transfers heat only through direct contact with the ground.
D
Wind carries the warmed air horizontally without vertical motion.

True or false

1 point

Clouds can reduce nighttime cooling by absorbing and re-emitting some of the outgoing infrared energy.

A
True
B
False

Choose one

1 point

A surface is drying as water evaporates, and water vapor later condenses in the atmosphere. Which statement correctly describes the energy transfer?

A
Both evaporation and condensation release energy into the atmosphere.
B
Evaporation releases energy, while condensation uses energy.
C
Evaporation uses energy, while condensation releases energy.
D
Neither process transfers energy.

Written response

1 point

What meteorological term describes the horizontal transport of warm or cold air by wind?

Choose one

1 point

Why is a surface air-temperature sensor placed in a ventilated shelter that blocks direct sunlight and heat radiated by nearby surfaces?

A
It shields the sensor from direct sunlight and nearby radiant heat while allowing air to circulate.
B
It prevents all air from reaching the sensor so the instrument stays at a constant temperature.
C
It warms the sensor until it matches the temperature of the ground.
D
It allows the sensor to measure only the temperature of the shelter.

Choose one

1 point

How do land and water contribute to temperature differences near coasts?

A
Water changes temperature more rapidly than land.
B
Land changes temperature more rapidly than water.
C
Land and water change temperature at the same rate.
D
Water does not change temperature during the day.

Written response

1 point

Convert $18.5^\circ\!C$ to kelvins. Give your answer to the nearest $0.01\,K$ .

Written response

1 point

At the surface, the air temperature is $20\,^{\circ}\mathrm{C}$ . At $2\,\mathrm{km}$ above the surface, it is $7\,^{\circ}\mathrm{C}$ . Assuming a uniform decrease, what is the environmental lapse rate in $\frac{^{\circ}\mathrm{C}}{\mathrm{km}}$ ?

Written response

1 point

A saturated air parcel and its surrounding environment start at the same temperature. During a $1\,\mathrm{km}$ rise, the environment cools at $\frac{7\,^{\circ}\mathrm{C}}{\mathrm{km}}$ and the parcel cools at about $\frac{6\,^{\circ}\mathrm{C}}{\mathrm{km}}$ . How much warmer than the environment is the parcel after the rise?