Physical Geography Practice Quiz: The Atmosphere II

1. Which of the following statements is true about carbon dioxide (CO2)?

A. Carbon dioxide is not present in the troposphere.

B. Carbon dioxide is produced by green plants during photosynthesis.

C. Carbon dioxide is the most plentiful gas in the atmosphere.

D. Carbon dioxide absorbs longwave terrestrial radiation.

E. Carbon dioxide is decreasing in concentration in the atmosphere.

 

2. Where do temperatures normally decrease with altitude?

A. In the stratosphere

B. In the thermosphere

C. In the troposphere

D. In the tropopause

E. None of the above

 

3. Why is the ozone layer in the stratosphere critical to life?

A. Ozone provides oxygen for animals to breathe.

B. Ozone absorbs longwave terrestrial radiation, which helps keep the atmosphere warm.

C. Ozone absorbs ultraviolet light.

D. Ozone is an essential element for organisms.

E. Ozone is needed by plants for photosynthesis.

 

4. Which of the following statements is true about the thermosphere?

A. The thermosphere has the highest air pressure of any layer of the atmosphere.

B. The thermosphere is the hottest layer in the atmosphere, because it has the most carbon dioxide.

C. The thermosphere is hot because molecules in it absorb the high energy, short wavelengths of radiation from the Sun.

D. The thermosphere is the coldest layer in the atmosphere.

E. The thermosphere is hot because it absorbs infrared radiation from the ground.

 

5. Visible light from the Sun passes through the atmosphere. This is an example of what?

A. Transmission

B. Conduction

C. Reflection

D. Absorption

E. Albedo

 

6. Which of the following electromagnetic wavelengths are the longest?

A. Radio waves

B. X rays

C. Visible light

D. Infrared light

E. Gamma rays

 

7. Which of the following would likely have the lowest albedo?

A. A mirror

B. Fresh snow in the Arctic

C. Moist, plowed soil

D. A thick cloud

E. Pack ice near Antarctica

 

8. Which of the following statements is true of the energy that is reflected by the atmosphere?

A. It does not heat the atmosphere.

B. It has a different wavelength than the incoming energy.

C. It is usually shortwave energy, like visible light, which does not penetrate the atmopshere.

D. It heats the atmosphere by absorption.

E. None of the above.

 

9. What does the term “conduction” refer to?

A. The transfer of heat energy from one molecule to another

B. The upward movement of warm air

C. A change in wavelength of electromagnetic energy

D. The bending of light

E. The horizontal movement of cool air

 

10. When water evaporates, what happens to the energy that was used to evaporate the water?

A. It is destroyed.

B. It heats up the surrounding air as evaporation takes place.

C. It is stored as latent heat in the evaporated water molecules.

D. It will never be available again.

E. It is conducted back to the liquid water.