Free Practice Quiz Question List

4 Humidity, Clouds, and Precipitation Online Quiz Questions

Use this free practice quiz with 20 questions to review 4 Humidity, Clouds, and Precipitation, test your knowledge, and prepare for your next test or exam.

20 questions

Choose one

1 point

A puddle loses water to the air on a day when the temperature is below water’s boiling point. Which explanation best accounts for this?

A
Liquid water must reach its boiling point before any molecules can enter the air.
B
Some water molecules at the surface gain enough energy to escape into the air.
C
Water vapor changes directly into liquid water.
D
Air pressure forces liquid water to become ice.

True or false

1 point

A cloud is visible because water vapor itself scatters light.

A
True
B
False

Written response

1 point

What is the process called in which plants release water vapor into the atmosphere?

Fill in the blank

1 point

When water vapor changes directly into ice, the process is called .

Choose one

1 point

As moist air cools, water vapor begins condensing on tiny airborne particles. What are these particles called?

A
Large raindrops that have already fallen from clouds
B
Invisible water vapor molecules grouped together
C
Tiny airborne particles such as dust, sea salt, or smoke
D
Layers of warm air beneath a cloud

Written response

1 point

What is the term for the temperature air must cool to, at its current pressure and water-vapor content, to become saturated?

True or false

1 point

Every cloud produces precipitation that reaches Earth’s surface.

A
True
B
False

Choose one

1 point

An air parcel warms while its water-vapor content stays the same. What happens to its relative humidity?

A
It increases because warmer air always has a higher relative humidity.
B
It decreases because warmer air can contain more water vapor before reaching saturation.
C
It stays the same because relative humidity depends only on the amount of water vapor.
D
It becomes zero because warming removes all water vapor from the air.

Fill in the blank

1 point

When cloud particles become heavy enough to fall from a cloud, they leave it as .

Choose all

1 point

Select all factors that the material identifies as helping determine which form of precipitation reaches the ground.

A
The temperatures within the cloud
B
The color of the cloud
C
The temperatures in layers of air below the cloud
D
The amount of dust visible from the ground

Written response

1 point

What is the process called when droplets in a relatively warm cloud collide and merge into larger drops?

Choose all

1 point

Select all steps that can occur as moist air rises and a cloud forms.

A
As air rises into lower pressure, it expands and cools.
B
The air cools to its dew point and reaches saturation.
C
Water vapor becomes visible before it condenses onto anything.
D
Water vapor condenses onto airborne particles.

Choose one

1 point

Air that formed a cloud while rising over a mountain begins to descend. Which change can make the cloud disappear?

A
The air cools as it descends, causing more droplets to form.
B
The droplets freeze immediately because air pressure increases.
C
The air warms as it descends, and the droplets evaporate.
D
The air stops moving, so the droplets become visible as water vapor.

Open ended

1 point

Liquid droplets appear on the outside of a cold glass. Explain where the water comes from and how the droplets form.

Choose one

1 point

An air sample warms while its water-vapor content stays the same. What happens to its relative humidity?

A
It increases because the air is warmer.
B
It decreases because the air can hold more water vapor before reaching saturation.
C
It stays the same because the amount of water vapor is unchanged.
D
It becomes zero because warming prevents saturation.

Choose one

1 point

An air sample cools without changing its pressure or water-vapor content. What does it mean if it reaches its dew point?

A
The temperature at which all water vapor evaporates.
B
The temperature at which air can no longer contain any water vapor.
C
The temperature air must cool to for it to become saturated.
D
The temperature at which precipitation always begins.

Choose one

1 point

Droplets appear on the outside of a cold glass in a warm room. Which process best explains how they form?

A
Nearby air cools, causing water vapor to condense on the glass.
B
Liquid water passes through the glass from the drink inside.
C
Water in the glass evaporates and turns directly into droplets outside.
D
The glass creates water vapor as it cools.

Choose one

1 point

Moist air rises over a mountain and a cloud forms on the windward side. Which sequence best explains how the cloud forms?

A
Rising air expands and cools, reaches saturation, and water vapor condenses onto airborne particles to form cloud droplets.
B
Rising air compresses and warms, causing cloud droplets to evaporate.
C
Air remains at the same pressure and gains water vapor from the mountain, which becomes visible without condensing.
D
Rising air expands and warms, causing liquid water to evaporate into visible water vapor.

Written response

1 point

What is the process called when water vapor changes directly into ice?

True or false

1 point

Every cloud produces precipitation that reaches Earth's surface.

A
True
B
False