Clouds and Weather Quiz

What did a London physician first coin the word 'smog' to describe?

• Layer of stratus clouds

• Presence of cumulonimbus clouds

• Formation of cirrus clouds

• Combination of smoke and fog

Which type of cloud reflects about 50% of incoming solar radiation and traps longwave radiation to warm the Earth's atmosphere?

• Nimbus clouds

• Cirrus clouds

• Stratus clouds

• Cumulus clouds

What is the comparison between the actual amount of water vapor in the air and how much could be in the air called?

• Specific humidity

• Relative humidity

• Absolute humidity

• Mixing ratio

What is the temperature when water vapor can condense back into liquid droplets, given the current amount of water vapor in the air called?

• Dew point

• Boiling point

• Melting point

• Freezing point

What are microscopic particles in the atmosphere that provide a surface for condensation to take place called?

• Condensation nuclei

• Evaporation nuclei

• Precipitation nuclei

• Sublimation nuclei

What is the main reason for the difference in how 70% relative humidity feels in hot and cold weather?

• Cloud cover

• Wind speed

• Air pressure

• Amount of water vapor

Which type of cloud reflects and scatters about 90% of incoming solar radiation, cooling the Earth by keeping incoming energy from reaching the ground?

• Nimbus clouds

• Stratus clouds

• Cumulus clouds

• Cirrus clouds

What is the main reason for the dryness of inland regions like the central Sahara desert?

• High wind speed

• Proximity to oceans

• Lack of liquid water for evaporation

• Low air pressure