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CLIMATE AND CLIMATE CHANGE MIDTERM EXAM
ATM S 211 FEB 9TH 2012 V
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Please answer the following questions on your Scantron
Multiple Choice [1 point each]
(1) The gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect on Earth are, in order of greatest to smallest in importance, (a) CO2, H20, CH (b) H20, CO2, CH (c) CH4, CO2, H (d) H20, CH4, CO
(2) What is geostrophic balance? (a) The exact balance of incoming SW and outgoing LW radiation at the top of the atmosphere. (b) The exact balance of vertical pressure gradient and gravity in the atmosphere. (c) The exact balance of the Coriolis force, horizontal pressure gradient force and friction. (d) The exact balance of the Coriolis force and the horizontal pressure gradient force.
(3) The order of the atmospheric layers, starting from closest to the surface to the top of the atmosphere, is (a) Mesosphere, Troposphere, Thermosphere, Stratosphere (b) Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere (c) Thermosphere, Mesophere, Troposphere, Stratosphere (d) Troposphere, Mesosphere, Stratosphere, Thermosphere
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(4) What physical law gives the flux of energy of an idealized object above 0 K? (a) P = ρRT (b) So(r/r 0 )^2 (c) σT 4 (d) hν
(5) How much would the sea level rise if all of the Arctic sea ice melted? (a) 0 m (b) 5 m (c) 10 m (d) 50 m
(6) When did the Earth form? (a) 10 billion years ago (b) 4.6 billion years ago (c) 446 million years ago (d) 6,000 years ago
(7) Given light of wavelength λa = 600nm and light of λb = 550nm, which has a higher energy per photon? (a) Ea > Eb (b) Ea = Eb (c) Neither has energy because light at these wavelengths carries no energy (d) Eb > Ea
(8) On average, how do high clouds affect the surface temperature (compared to a clear sky)? (a) High clouds warm the surface by increasing the greenhouse effect (b) High clouds cool the surface by increasing the energy emitted to space (c) High clouds cool the surface by increasing the albedo (d) It depends on whether they are comprised of ice or liquid water
(9) For winds that last six hours or more, such as a midlatitude storm, the air movement is modified by which causes the air to be deflected to . (a) Hydrostatic Force; the right in the Northern Hemisphere (b) Coriolis Force; the right in the Northern Hemisphere (c) Friction; the left in the Northern Hemisphere (d) Coriolis Force; the left in the Northern Hemisphere
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(15) The net effect of circulation is to move warm air from the and thus moderate the equator-to-pole energy gradient created by. (a) the tropics to the poles; the difference insolation absorbed in day and night (b) the tropics to the poles; ocean circulation (c) from the surface up to the tropopause; more heating near the ground than aloft (d) the tropics to the poles; the latitudinal distribution of absorbed insolation (e) from the surface up to the tropopause; more heating in the atmosphere than at the surface from GHGs
(16) After the sun rises, rapid heating of the air over the land compared to that over the ocean often causes of near surface air over the land. (a) Localized subsidence and high pressure. (b) Localized convection and high pressure. (c) Localized subsidence and low pressure. (d) Localized convection and low pressure.
(17) The first step in the generation of a sea breeze is. (a) air over land expands and builds a pressure gradient at the surface that pushes air offshore (b) air over land expands and builds a pressure gradient at the surface that pushes air onshore (c) hot air over land rises, cools and forms a cloud (d) air over land expands and builds a pressure gradient aloft that pushes air offshore
(18) At a constant pressure, hot air than cold air (a) is more dense (b) is less dense (c) has more vapor (d) has less vapor
(19) Let’s say we are flying over a large, flat part of Africa. Half of the area is hotter than the other half. The surface pressure is 1000 hPa everywhere. If we fly over at an elevation of 500 m above the surface, in which area does the pressure gauge (altimeter) in our plane read the lowest pressure? (a) The cold part. (b) The hot part. (c) The gauge reads the same pressure everywhere. (d) The gauge varies with the latitude and the temperature of the surface.
CLIMATE AND CLIMATE CHANGE MIDTERM EXAM 5
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(20) What is the relationship of absorbed solar to outgoing infrared in the tropics? (a) Absorbed Solar > emitted IR (b) Absorbed Solar < emitted IR (c) Absorbed Solar = emitted IR (d) It varies throughout the year.
(21) What is the relationship of absorbed solar to outgoing infrared at the poles? (a) Absorbed Solar > emitted IR (b) Absorbed Solar <emitted IR (c) Absorbed Solar = emitted IR (d) This varies depending on time of year.
(22) What place experiences the greatest seasonal variability in temperature? (a) The North Atlantic Ocean (b) Central Canada (c) Costa Rica, Central America (d) Mumbai, India.
(23) If Earth had no greenhouse gases, the planet would be? (a) Too hot to support life. (b) Cooler but still able to support life. (c) Too cold to support life. EDIT: COMPLEX LIFE (d) It depends on the species of aerosol in the GHG-free atmosphere.
(24) How was the atmosphere on Earth first formed? (a) Spontaneous combustion. (b) By comets and meteors, which were much more common at that time, delivering volatiles. (c) Evaporation from the ocean. (d) Volcanic emissions.
(25) Has there been a steady decrease in the height of Greenland in the 20th Century? (a) Yes. (b) No. (c) The height has increased and decreased due to changing wind patterns. (d) Yes, because of dramatic increases in the calving rate of glacial ice into the surrounding ocean.
CLIMATE AND CLIMATE CHANGE MIDTERM EXAM 7
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(31) What would happen if gravity suddenly doubled on Earth, but the mass of the atmosphere did not change? (a) Surface pressure would stay the same but the density would increase. (b) Surface pressure would increase but the density would stay the same. (c) Surface pressure and density would both increase. (d) Surface density and pressure would stay the same because the atmosphere is in hydrostatic balance.
Short Answer [3 points]
Please answer this below or on the back of the page. We expect at most a half page. A diagram may be helpful, but isn’t necessary to answer the problem correctly. [If you do draw a diagram, be sure to label and axes, arrows, etc.]
(1) Describe the Greenhouse Effect and how it affects the temperature and radiation emitted at the surface, in the atmosphere, and at top of the atmosphere.
