GRG 301K EXAM 2024/2025 WITH
QUESTIONS AND ALL CORRECT
ANSWERS
Which of these acts to enhance stability in our atmosphere? - CORRECT ANSWER-
intense solar heating
- cooling of an air mass from below as it moves over a colder surface
- upward motion as a result of surface air convergence
- forceful (topographic, frontal) lifting of air
- warming of an air mass from below as it moves over a warmer surface
Unstable air... - CORRECT ANSWER once forced upward initially, air rises
Instability is enhanced by... - CORRECT ANSWER1. Intense solar heating
2. Heating of an air mass from below as it moves over a warmer surface
3. Forceful lifting of air
4. Upward motion with surface air convergence
5. Radiation cooling from nocturnal thunderstorm cloud tops
Which of these DOES NOT enhance atmospheric instability? - CORRECT ANSWER-
forceful lifting of the air
- subsidence within a column of air
- surface air convergence
- heating of an air mass from below as air moves over a warmer surface
- intense solar heating
Air is potentially more unstable when... - CORRECT ANSWER it is cooling quicker as it
rises
Frost is defined as... - CORRECT ANSWER a covering of ice crystals produced by
deposition on exposed surfaces when 1) the air temperature falls below the freezing
point and 2) the temperature of the exposed object falls below the surrounding air's dew
point (or frost point) temperature
Most clouds form as... - CORRECT ANSWER air rises, expands and cools
For condensation to occur... - CORRECT ANSWER1. The air must become saturated
2. There must be a surface on which condensation can occur
Cloud Formation Processes - CORRECT ANSWER- surface heating and free
convection
,- topographic life
- widespread lifting (ascent) due to surface convergence
- uplift along weather fronts
High Clouds - CORRECT ANSWER- at or above 20,000 feet
- cirrus
- cirrocumulus
- cirrostratus
Cirrus - CORRECT ANSWER wispy streamers, waves or masses of mostly ice crystal
clouds; referred to as "mares tales"
Cirrocumulus - CORRECT ANSWER very small cumulus puffs; rippled appearance and
can occur individually or in long rows often covering only portions of the sky; referred to
as "mackerel sky" since rippled appearance often resembles scales of fish.
Virga - CORRECT ANSWER When precipitation is falling from the high levels, but
evaporating or sublimating before it hits the ground.
Cirrostratus - CORRECT ANSWER stratified thin sheet like layer of white cirrus clouds
that often covers the entire sky; so thin that the sun and moon can be clearly seen
through with "halo" effect; shadows are cast
Middle Clouds - CORRECT ANSWER- 6,500 to 20,000 feet
- altocumulus
- altostratus
Altocumulus - CORRECT ANSWER gray, puffy, rounded masses of cumulus clouds;
sometimes rolled out in parallel waves or bands with bases darker than other parts of
the same cloud; referred to as "rising castles"
Altostratus - CORRECT ANSWER gray to blue gray (never white) cloud usually
covering the entire sky; sun may appear as a dull rounded disk with no shadows cast;
usually form in advance of storms that produce much widespread and continuous
precipitation
Low Clouds - CORRECT ANSWER- surface to 6,500 feet
- stratus
- stratocumulus
- nimbostratus
Stratus - CORRECT ANSWER uniform grey stratified layer of low clouds; can cover
portions of or the entire sky; only light drizzle or light snow grains fall from true _____
clouds; fog occurs when these clouds are in touch with the ground surface
, Stratocumulus - CORRECT ANSWER Low, lumpy cloud layer; contain more water and
the cumulus puffs are larger than altocumulus; appears in rows, patches or in rounded
masses with blue sky visible between cloud elements; sometimes occurs with the
spreading out of cumulus clouds later in the day.
Nimbostratus - CORRECT ANSWER dark, gray wet-looking cloud characterized by
more or less continuously falling precipitation (rain or snow) of light or moderate
intensity; no sun or moon visible through cloud mass
Clouds of Vertical Extent - CORRECT ANSWER- cumulus: in the form of individual,
detached domes or towers; look like cotton puffs
- moderate/towering/building cumulus
- cumulonimbus: precipitating thunderstorm cloud
Geostationary Satellites - CORRECT ANSWER22,500 miles above the ground; images
of the same geographic area continuously.
Polar Orbiting Satellites - CORRECT ANSWER532 miles above ground; closely parallel
the Earth's meridian lines; pass over the north and south polar regions with each pass.
Three types of Satellite Imagery that we need to know - CORRECT ANSWER1. Visible
- monochromic B&W view of the clouds from up above with the sun lighting up the
clouds (cannot use it when the sun is not out)
2. Infrared
3. Water Vapor - looking at mid and high level moisture, not clouds
Forms of Precipitation - CORRECT ANSWER- drizzle
- rain
- freezing rain
- freezing drizzle
- ice pellets (sleet)
- snow
- hail
Rain - CORRECT ANSWER precipitation in the form of liquid water drops, which have
diameters greater than 0.5 millimeter/ 0.02 inch.
Freezing Rain - CORRECT ANSWER rain that falls in liquid form but freezes upon
impact to form a coating of glaze on the ground and exposed objects; frequently occurs
as a transient condition between the occurrence of rain and ice pellets (sleet).
Freezing Drizzle - CORRECT ANSWER drizzle that falls in liquid form but freezes upon
impact to form a coating of glaze.
Snow - CORRECT ANSWER cold weather precipitation form composed of white or
translucent ice crystals; intensity is based upon visibility.
QUESTIONS AND ALL CORRECT
ANSWERS
Which of these acts to enhance stability in our atmosphere? - CORRECT ANSWER-
intense solar heating
- cooling of an air mass from below as it moves over a colder surface
- upward motion as a result of surface air convergence
- forceful (topographic, frontal) lifting of air
- warming of an air mass from below as it moves over a warmer surface
Unstable air... - CORRECT ANSWER once forced upward initially, air rises
Instability is enhanced by... - CORRECT ANSWER1. Intense solar heating
2. Heating of an air mass from below as it moves over a warmer surface
3. Forceful lifting of air
4. Upward motion with surface air convergence
5. Radiation cooling from nocturnal thunderstorm cloud tops
Which of these DOES NOT enhance atmospheric instability? - CORRECT ANSWER-
forceful lifting of the air
- subsidence within a column of air
- surface air convergence
- heating of an air mass from below as air moves over a warmer surface
- intense solar heating
Air is potentially more unstable when... - CORRECT ANSWER it is cooling quicker as it
rises
Frost is defined as... - CORRECT ANSWER a covering of ice crystals produced by
deposition on exposed surfaces when 1) the air temperature falls below the freezing
point and 2) the temperature of the exposed object falls below the surrounding air's dew
point (or frost point) temperature
Most clouds form as... - CORRECT ANSWER air rises, expands and cools
For condensation to occur... - CORRECT ANSWER1. The air must become saturated
2. There must be a surface on which condensation can occur
Cloud Formation Processes - CORRECT ANSWER- surface heating and free
convection
,- topographic life
- widespread lifting (ascent) due to surface convergence
- uplift along weather fronts
High Clouds - CORRECT ANSWER- at or above 20,000 feet
- cirrus
- cirrocumulus
- cirrostratus
Cirrus - CORRECT ANSWER wispy streamers, waves or masses of mostly ice crystal
clouds; referred to as "mares tales"
Cirrocumulus - CORRECT ANSWER very small cumulus puffs; rippled appearance and
can occur individually or in long rows often covering only portions of the sky; referred to
as "mackerel sky" since rippled appearance often resembles scales of fish.
Virga - CORRECT ANSWER When precipitation is falling from the high levels, but
evaporating or sublimating before it hits the ground.
Cirrostratus - CORRECT ANSWER stratified thin sheet like layer of white cirrus clouds
that often covers the entire sky; so thin that the sun and moon can be clearly seen
through with "halo" effect; shadows are cast
Middle Clouds - CORRECT ANSWER- 6,500 to 20,000 feet
- altocumulus
- altostratus
Altocumulus - CORRECT ANSWER gray, puffy, rounded masses of cumulus clouds;
sometimes rolled out in parallel waves or bands with bases darker than other parts of
the same cloud; referred to as "rising castles"
Altostratus - CORRECT ANSWER gray to blue gray (never white) cloud usually
covering the entire sky; sun may appear as a dull rounded disk with no shadows cast;
usually form in advance of storms that produce much widespread and continuous
precipitation
Low Clouds - CORRECT ANSWER- surface to 6,500 feet
- stratus
- stratocumulus
- nimbostratus
Stratus - CORRECT ANSWER uniform grey stratified layer of low clouds; can cover
portions of or the entire sky; only light drizzle or light snow grains fall from true _____
clouds; fog occurs when these clouds are in touch with the ground surface
, Stratocumulus - CORRECT ANSWER Low, lumpy cloud layer; contain more water and
the cumulus puffs are larger than altocumulus; appears in rows, patches or in rounded
masses with blue sky visible between cloud elements; sometimes occurs with the
spreading out of cumulus clouds later in the day.
Nimbostratus - CORRECT ANSWER dark, gray wet-looking cloud characterized by
more or less continuously falling precipitation (rain or snow) of light or moderate
intensity; no sun or moon visible through cloud mass
Clouds of Vertical Extent - CORRECT ANSWER- cumulus: in the form of individual,
detached domes or towers; look like cotton puffs
- moderate/towering/building cumulus
- cumulonimbus: precipitating thunderstorm cloud
Geostationary Satellites - CORRECT ANSWER22,500 miles above the ground; images
of the same geographic area continuously.
Polar Orbiting Satellites - CORRECT ANSWER532 miles above ground; closely parallel
the Earth's meridian lines; pass over the north and south polar regions with each pass.
Three types of Satellite Imagery that we need to know - CORRECT ANSWER1. Visible
- monochromic B&W view of the clouds from up above with the sun lighting up the
clouds (cannot use it when the sun is not out)
2. Infrared
3. Water Vapor - looking at mid and high level moisture, not clouds
Forms of Precipitation - CORRECT ANSWER- drizzle
- rain
- freezing rain
- freezing drizzle
- ice pellets (sleet)
- snow
- hail
Rain - CORRECT ANSWER precipitation in the form of liquid water drops, which have
diameters greater than 0.5 millimeter/ 0.02 inch.
Freezing Rain - CORRECT ANSWER rain that falls in liquid form but freezes upon
impact to form a coating of glaze on the ground and exposed objects; frequently occurs
as a transient condition between the occurrence of rain and ice pellets (sleet).
Freezing Drizzle - CORRECT ANSWER drizzle that falls in liquid form but freezes upon
impact to form a coating of glaze.
Snow - CORRECT ANSWER cold weather precipitation form composed of white or
translucent ice crystals; intensity is based upon visibility.
