NIFE Weather Exam Questions With
Correct Answers
What is the composition of dry air? - answer78% nitrogen
21% oxygen
1% mixture of 10 other gases
How much of the atmosphere, by volume, is composed of water? - answer0 to 5%
What are condensation nuclei? - answer-Nongaseous substances such as d...
What is the composition of dry air? - answer✔✔78% nitrogen
21% oxygen
1% mixture of 10 other gases
How much of the atmosphere, by volume, is composed of water? - answer✔✔0 to 5%
What are condensation nuclei? - answer✔✔-Nongaseous substances such as dust and salt
particles, pollen, etc
-Water molecules condense on these particles and form clouds
What layer of the atmosphere is adjacent to the Earth's surface? - answer✔✔Troposphere
List some characteristics of the troposphere. - answer✔✔-Adjacent to Earth's surface
-Average height of 36,000'MSL above the US
-Becomes less dense with altitude
-Temperature decreases with increasing altitude
-Nearly all weather occurs here
-Wind velocity increases with altitude
What is the tropopause and where is it found? - answer✔✔-Transition zone between the
troposphere and
stratosphere
-Temperature is constant with altitude
-Jet stream occurs right below (strongest winds)
Define Atmospheric Pressure (Barometric Pressure) - answer✔✔-Pressure exerted on a surface
by the atmosphere due to the weight of the column of air directly above that surface
-Pressure always decreases with altitude (decreases more rapidly at lower altitudes because of
decreasing density)
What are the two units of measurement for atmospheric pressure? - answer✔✔-in-Hg: measure
of the height of a column of mercury that can be supported by atmospheric pressure
-Millibar: direct representation of pressure (force/unit area)
-Normal sea level pressures range from 28-31 in-Hg (960-1060mb)
Surface analysis charts use _______ as the reference pressure level for isobars. - answer✔✔-
MSL barometric pressure (to provide a common reference)
-Allows meteorologists to track weather systems as they move across the country
What type of vertical atmospheric circulation is associated with a high-pressure system? -
answer✔✔Air will descend (downward force exerted by high pressure) and diverge, which
produces wind
What type of vertical atmospheric circulation is associated with a low-pressure system? -
answer✔✔Air will ascend (insufficient pressure to keep air at the surface) and try to converge at
the center of the low-pressure, which also produces wind
What effect does the Coriolis Force have on wind as it moves horizontally into/out of high/low
pressure systems? - answer✔✔-Wind will circulate as it moves out of a High-pressure system
and into a Low-pressure system
-Clockwise out of a high-pressure system (in the northern hemisphere)
-Counterclockwise into a low-pressure system (in the northern hemisphere)
What does the spacing of isobars indicate? - answer✔✔-Rate of pressure change over a
horizontal distance
-Closer the spacing, the greater the change
-Pressure Gradient Force
What is the pressure gradient defined as? - answer✔✔-The rate of pressure change in a direction
perpendicular to the isobars
What is the initiating force of all winds? - answer✔✔Pressure Gradient Force
When isobars are close together, the Pressure Gradient Force is ______, and when isobars are far
apart, the Pressure Gradient Force is _______________. - answer✔✔greater/steeper
more shallow/weaker
What are the conditions of a standard day? - answer✔✔-29.92 in-Hg (1013.2mb)
-15 deg C (59F)
-Standard day conditions at sea level
What is the standard lapse rate for pressure and temperature? - answer✔✔-A 1,000' increase in
altitude will cause.....
Pressure to decrease by 1.0 in-Hg (34mb)
Temperature to decrease by 2 deg C (3.57F)
What is an isothermal lapse rate and where can it be found? A thermal inversion lapse rate? -
answer✔✔-Isothermal: temperature remains the same for different altitudes (tropopause)
-Inversion: temperature increases with altitude (stratosphere)
What is an air mass? - answer✔✔-A large body of air that has essentially uniform temperature
and moisture conditions in a horizontal plane
-No abrupt temperature/dew point changes at a given altitude
-Named according to their location, moisture content, and temperature
What are the temperature classifications of air masses? - answer✔✔Warm and Cold
What are the moisture content classifications of air masses - answer✔✔Maritime and
Continental
What are the location classifications of air masses? - answer✔✔Tropical
Arctic
Polar
Equatorial
The ______ of an air mass indicates its stability. - answer✔✔-Temperature
-Warm air masses bring stable conditions
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