Introduction to Astronomy and Meteorology
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Questions and Answers

What event initiates the formation of the solar system according to the Nebular Hypothesis?

  • A nebula collapsing due to gravity (correct)
  • The formation of a black hole
  • A supernova explosion
  • An asteroid colliding with Earth

What characteristic separates the inner rocky planets from the outer gaseous planets?

  • Composition primarily of metals and rock (correct)
  • Distance from the sun
  • Presence of moons
  • Size and volume

What is the position of the asteroid belt in the solar system?

  • Between Mars and Jupiter (correct)
  • Between Mercury and Venus
  • Between Jupiter and Saturn
  • Between Earth and Mars

Which component of a comet is responsible for the glowing tail always pointed away from the sun?

<p>Ion tail (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which theory best explains the origin of the Moon?

<p>The giant impact theory (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is needed to view a partial solar eclipse?

<p>Standing within the moon's penumbral shadow (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What primarily causes Earth to experience seasons?

<p>The tilt of Earth's axis (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What defines a total solar eclipse?

<p>The moon's disk blocks the entire sun's face (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What evidence supports the Big Bang Theory?

<p>The universe is expanding and galaxies are moving away from each other (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

During which part of the year is the Southern Hemisphere tilted towards the sun?

<p>During the summer solstice (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of cloud is primarily associated with severe weather conditions such as thunderstorms and tornadoes?

<p>Cumulonimbus (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is indicated by closely spaced isobars on a weather map?

<p>Strong winds (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which air mass is characterized by its origin over land and being cold and dry?

<p>Continental Polar (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What defines a cold front in meteorology?

<p>Cold air mass replaces a warm air mass (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of cloud typically produces steady rainfall or snow?

<p>Nimbostratus (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the Northern Hemisphere, how do winds flow in a cyclone?

<p>Inwards and counter-clockwise (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens during the life cycle of a mid-latitude cyclone?

<p>It begins at a stationary front and can evolve into an occluded front (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes stratus clouds in terms of their appearance and behavior?

<p>Uniform layer of low clouds that may produce drizzle (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the two dominant major gases in Earth's atmosphere?

<p>Nitrogen and Oxygen (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which gas is considered a minor gas in the atmosphere, making up 0.04%?

<p>Carbon Dioxide (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What layer of the atmosphere is known for containing the majority of the atmosphere's water vapor?

<p>Troposphere (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary process behind the Greenhouse Effect?

<p>Absorbing heat by atmospheric gases (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What term describes the maximum amount of water vapor air can hold at a given temperature?

<p>Water Vapor Capacity (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What must occur for condensation to take place in an air mass?

<p>Rising and cooling (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which method of rising air involves being forced over mountains?

<p>Orographic lifting (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does a higher temperature in an air mass result in regarding its water vapor capacity?

<p>Higher capacity (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'saturated' mean concerning air masses?

<p>100% relative humidity (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following components is responsible for clouds and precipitation?

<p>Water Vapor (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Cumulonimbus Cloud

A tall, vertically developed cloud that can reach 40,000 feet. Associated with severe weather like heavy rain, thunder, lightning, hail, and tornadoes.

Stratus Cloud

A low-lying, flat cloud that covers the sky like a blanket. May produce drizzle but not typically resting on the ground.

Isobars

Lines on a weather map that connect points of equal atmospheric pressure.

Wind

Movement of air from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure, deflected by Earth's rotation.

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Air Mass

A large body of air with similar temperature and moisture content, classified by origin.

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Warm Front

A boundary where warm air advances and replaces colder air.

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Mid-latitude Cyclone

A low-pressure system that brings precipitation. Starts at a stationary front and ends at an occluded front, traveling west to east.

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Stationary Front

A boundary where two air masses are in balance, neither advancing.

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The Nebular Hypothesis

Explanation of how our solar system formed from a spinning cloud of gas and dust called a nebula. Gravity caused the nebula to collapse, forming the sun at the center and the planets around it.

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Inner Rocky Planets

Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are closer to the sun, smaller, denser, and made mostly of rock and metal.

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Outer Gaseous Planets

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are farther from the sun, larger, less dense, and made mostly of gas.

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Comet Ion Tail

The glowing tail of a comet that always points away from the sun. Solar wind pushes the comet's particles creating the tail.

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Giant Impact Theory of the Moon

The most accepted theory explaining the Moon's origin. A Mars-sized object collided with Earth, ejecting debris that formed the Moon.

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Dominant Gases in Earth's Atmosphere

The primary gases making up the atmosphere are Nitrogen (78%) and Oxygen (21%).

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Minor Gases in Earth's Atmosphere

Gases present in smaller amounts include Argon (0.93%) and Carbon Dioxide (0.04%).

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Troposphere

The lowest layer of the atmosphere is the Troposphere, where all weather and clouds occur.

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Greenhouse Effect

The Greenhouse Effect is the process where certain gases trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to warming.

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Air Density and Rising/Sinking

Denser air sinks due to its higher weight, while less dense air rises. Warm air is less dense, while cool air is more dense.

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Temperature and Water Vapor Capacity

Warmer air has a greater capacity to hold water vapor, while cooler air has a lower capacity.

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Relative Humidity

Relative Humidity is the ratio of water vapor present in air to the maximum amount of water vapor the air can hold at a given temperature.

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Saturated Air

Saturated air means the air is holding the maximum amount of water vapor it can at that temperature (100% relative humidity).

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Dew Point

The Dew Point is the temperature at which air becomes saturated and condensation begins to form.

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Condensation and Air Rising

Condensation occurs when water vapor in the air cools and changes from a gas to a liquid. Air always cools and rises when it condenses.

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Lunar Eclipse

A celestial event where the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow on the Moon.

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Total Solar Eclipse

A celestial event where the Moon completely blocks the Sun's light, creating a temporary darkness.

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Earth's Seasons

The seasonal changes on Earth are caused by the planet's 23.5° axial tilt, resulting in varying amounts of sunlight reaching different hemispheres throughout the year.

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Big Bang Theory

The prevailing cosmological model that describes the origin and evolution of the universe, suggesting that the universe began from a hot, dense state approximately 13.8 billion years ago.

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Evidence for Big Bang

Observational evidence supports the Big Bang theory, including the redshift of distant galaxies showing they are moving away from us, and the cosmic microwave background radiation which is a faint afterglow of the initial explosion.

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