WX 201 EXAM 2 WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
(GRADED A)
Permanent Gases in the Atmosphere - ✔✔Constant concentration in the
atmosphere
78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen, 1% Other Gases: Argon, Neon, Helium,
Krypton, Hydrogen
Variable Gases in the Atmosphere - ✔✔The amount/concentration in the
atmosphere varies or changes
Includes: Water Vapor, Carbon Dioxide, Methane, and Ozone
Sources - ✔✔produce gases
Ex: decaying plants/animals, volcanoes, photosynthesis
Sinks - ✔✔deplete (remove) gases
Ex: soil bacteria, respiration, decay, oxidation, photosynthesis
water vapor is (invisible/visible)? - ✔✔invisible
What is the most abundant variable gas? - ✔✔water vapor
_______ air can hold more water than _______ air - ✔✔warm, cool
,Latent Heat - ✔✔the energy absorbed or released during a change in
state (ex. H2O)
Evaporation - ✔✔absorbs latent heat, cooling surroundings, main source
of water vapor
Condensation - ✔✔releases latent heat, warming surroundings, main sink
of water vapor
At what altitudes and latitudes would the highest water vapor
concentrations be observed? - ✔✔near the surface and at the equator
Greenhouse Gases - ✔✔gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, water
vapor, and ozone which trap heat in the atmosphere
What do greenhouse gases do? - ✔✔absorb infrared radiation emitted by
the Earth and re-radiate some of the radiation back down to the surface
(acts like a blanket)
At what rate is carbon dioxide increasing in the atmosphere? - ✔✔0.039%
and rising
Climate Change - ✔✔change in the statistical properties of the climate
system when considered over periods of decades
Where is the ozone layer? - ✔✔Stratosphere (50,000'-100,000' MSL)
, What does the ozone layer do? - ✔✔protects Earth's surface by absorbing
UV rays from the Sun
CFC (Clorofluorocarbon) - ✔✔man made molecule that can deplete
thousands of ozone molecules
What is "bad" ozone? - ✔✔greenhouse gas, toxic and reactive, creates
smog
Where is "bad" ozone located? - ✔✔in the troposphere near the surface in
industrial areas
What is an aerosol? - ✔✔tiny solid or liquid suspended particles of various
composition in the atmosphere
Ex. dust, clay, pollutants, smoke, salt, ash, fog
An atom or molecule is ionized when - ✔✔it gains or loses an electron
In a permanent gas, the sources and sinks are - ✔✔balanced
In a variable gas, the sources and sinks are - ✔✔unbalanced
What does water vapor do? - ✔✔leads to the development of clouds and
precipitation
What causes the annual cycle of Carbon Dioxide? - ✔✔when the Northern
Hemisphere is in winter, there are less plants to absorb carbon dioxide so
the percentage goes up
(GRADED A)
Permanent Gases in the Atmosphere - ✔✔Constant concentration in the
atmosphere
78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen, 1% Other Gases: Argon, Neon, Helium,
Krypton, Hydrogen
Variable Gases in the Atmosphere - ✔✔The amount/concentration in the
atmosphere varies or changes
Includes: Water Vapor, Carbon Dioxide, Methane, and Ozone
Sources - ✔✔produce gases
Ex: decaying plants/animals, volcanoes, photosynthesis
Sinks - ✔✔deplete (remove) gases
Ex: soil bacteria, respiration, decay, oxidation, photosynthesis
water vapor is (invisible/visible)? - ✔✔invisible
What is the most abundant variable gas? - ✔✔water vapor
_______ air can hold more water than _______ air - ✔✔warm, cool
,Latent Heat - ✔✔the energy absorbed or released during a change in
state (ex. H2O)
Evaporation - ✔✔absorbs latent heat, cooling surroundings, main source
of water vapor
Condensation - ✔✔releases latent heat, warming surroundings, main sink
of water vapor
At what altitudes and latitudes would the highest water vapor
concentrations be observed? - ✔✔near the surface and at the equator
Greenhouse Gases - ✔✔gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, water
vapor, and ozone which trap heat in the atmosphere
What do greenhouse gases do? - ✔✔absorb infrared radiation emitted by
the Earth and re-radiate some of the radiation back down to the surface
(acts like a blanket)
At what rate is carbon dioxide increasing in the atmosphere? - ✔✔0.039%
and rising
Climate Change - ✔✔change in the statistical properties of the climate
system when considered over periods of decades
Where is the ozone layer? - ✔✔Stratosphere (50,000'-100,000' MSL)
, What does the ozone layer do? - ✔✔protects Earth's surface by absorbing
UV rays from the Sun
CFC (Clorofluorocarbon) - ✔✔man made molecule that can deplete
thousands of ozone molecules
What is "bad" ozone? - ✔✔greenhouse gas, toxic and reactive, creates
smog
Where is "bad" ozone located? - ✔✔in the troposphere near the surface in
industrial areas
What is an aerosol? - ✔✔tiny solid or liquid suspended particles of various
composition in the atmosphere
Ex. dust, clay, pollutants, smoke, salt, ash, fog
An atom or molecule is ionized when - ✔✔it gains or loses an electron
In a permanent gas, the sources and sinks are - ✔✔balanced
In a variable gas, the sources and sinks are - ✔✔unbalanced
What does water vapor do? - ✔✔leads to the development of clouds and
precipitation
What causes the annual cycle of Carbon Dioxide? - ✔✔when the Northern
Hemisphere is in winter, there are less plants to absorb carbon dioxide so
the percentage goes up
