In climatology, the concept of heat budget explains the balance between incoming and outgoing energy. Why is this balance essential for maintaining Earth’s average temperature over long periods?
A It increases wind speed
B It prevents extreme temperature rise or fall
C It controls ocean salinity
D It increases cloud cover
Earth’s heat budget ensures that incoming solar radiation is balanced by outgoing terrestrial radiation. Without this balance, Earth would continuously heat up or cool down, making stable climatic conditions impossible for life.
Why does terrestrial radiation have a longer wavelength compared to incoming solar radiation?
A Earth emits less energy
B Earth’s surface temperature is lower than the Sun
C Atmosphere absorbs radiation
D Reflection dominates
According to radiation laws, cooler bodies emit energy at longer wavelengths. Since Earth is much cooler than the Sun, it emits longwave terrestrial radiation.
Which process allows the atmosphere to remain warm even though it is largely transparent to incoming solar radiation?
A Reflection
B Conduction
C Greenhouse effect
D Advection
Greenhouse gases absorb outgoing longwave radiation and re-radiate it back to the surface, warming the lower atmosphere despite transparency to shortwave radiation.
Why are deserts often characterized by large diurnal temperature ranges?
A High humidity
B Sparse cloud cover and dry air
C Strong ocean influence
D Frequent rainfall
Lack of clouds allows intense heating during the day and rapid heat loss at night, producing wide temperature differences between day and night.
Which factor best explains why equatorial regions have minimal seasonal temperature variation?
A Altitude
B Uniform day length and solar angle
C High pressure dominance
D Strong winds
Near-constant solar angle and nearly equal day and night length throughout the year ensure minimal seasonal temperature variation at the equator.
Why does air pressure decrease with altitude in the atmosphere?
A Increase in temperature
B Reduction in gravitational pull
C Decrease in air density
D Increase in humidity
As altitude increases, the amount of overlying air decreases, reducing air density and consequently atmospheric pressure.
Which mechanism explains the horizontal movement of air from high-pressure areas to low-pressure areas?
A Coriolis force
B Pressure gradient force
C Frictional force
D Centrifugal force
The pressure gradient force initiates wind movement by pushing air from regions of higher pressure toward regions of lower pressure.
Why do winds near Earth’s surface not blow directly from high to low pressure?
A Absence of pressure gradient
B Influence of friction and Coriolis force
C Uniform temperature
D High humidity
Surface friction slows wind speed while the Coriolis force deflects wind direction, causing winds to move at an angle rather than straight across isobars.
Which global pressure belt is associated with calm conditions and frequent rainfall?
A Subtropical high
B Polar high
C Equatorial low
D Temperate high
The equatorial low-pressure belt is characterized by rising warm air, convergence, and convectional rainfall, often accompanied by calm conditions called doldrums.
Why are jet streams considered important for weather forecasting?
A They create rainfall
B They control ocean currents
C They influence movement of weather systems
D They increase humidity
Jet streams steer cyclones, anticyclones, and frontal systems, significantly affecting weather patterns and forecasting accuracy.
Why does El Niño often lead to drought conditions in regions like Australia and India?
A Strengthening of trade winds
B Cooling of Pacific waters
C Weakening of trade winds
D Increase in polar winds
Weak trade winds reduce upwelling and alter moisture transport, shifting rainfall away from the western Pacific, causing drought in affected regions.
Which climatic phenomenon is characterized by unusually cold Pacific Ocean temperatures and stronger-than-normal trade winds?
A El Niño
B La Niña
C Cyclogenesis
D Monsoon burst
La Niña strengthens trade winds and enhances upwelling of cold water, leading to global climatic effects opposite to El Niño.
Why are tropical cyclones rarely formed near the equator?
A Low sea surface temperature
B Absence of Coriolis force
C High pressure dominance
D Strong jet streams
The Coriolis force is too weak near the equator to initiate the rotational motion necessary for cyclone development.
Which condition is essential for the intensification of tropical cyclones?
A Cold ocean water
B Strong vertical wind shear
C Warm sea surface temperature above 26°C
D High latitude location
Warm ocean waters supply latent heat energy, which fuels convection and strengthens cyclonic circulation.
Why do anticyclones generally produce clear and stable weather conditions?
A Rising air
B Descending air suppressing clouds
C High humidity
D Strong convection
Subsiding air in anticyclones warms adiabatically, preventing condensation and cloud formation, resulting in clear skies.
Which type of precipitation is most common in equatorial regions?
A Orographic
B Cyclonic
C Convectional
D Frontal
Intense surface heating causes strong convection in equatorial areas, leading to heavy, short-duration convectional rainfall.
Why does orographic rainfall decrease sharply on the leeward side of mountains?
A Increased evaporation
B Air compression and warming
C Rising humidity
D Increased cloud cover
Descending air warms and reduces relative humidity, limiting condensation and rainfall on the leeward side.
Which cloud type indicates fair weather and limited vertical development?
A Cumulonimbus
B Cirrus
C Stratus
D Cumulus
Cumulus clouds form due to mild convection and usually indicate stable, fair weather unless they develop vertically.
Why are cirrus clouds often seen as indicators of approaching weather changes?
A They produce rainfall
B They form near the surface
C They appear ahead of frontal systems
D They block sunlight completely
Cirrus clouds form at high altitudes ahead of advancing warm fronts, signaling upcoming weather changes.
Which factor best explains the formation of dew during clear nights?
A Strong winds
B Radiational cooling of the surface
C High atmospheric pressure
D Increased evaporation
Clear skies allow rapid heat loss from the surface, cooling air to its dew point and causing condensation as dew.
Why does absolute humidity differ from relative humidity in atmospheric analysis?
A Measurement units differ
B One depends on temperature and the other does not
C Both are identical
D One measures pressure
Absolute humidity measures actual moisture content, while relative humidity expresses moisture relative to air’s maximum capacity at a given temperature.
Which atmospheric process converts water vapor directly into ice crystals without becoming liquid?
A Condensation
B Evaporation
C Sublimation
D Deposition
Deposition occurs when water vapor changes directly into solid ice, contributing to snow and frost formation.
Why is precipitation generally higher on windward slopes compared to leeward slopes?
A Higher temperature
B Forced uplift of moist air
C Increased pressure
D Reduced humidity
Orographic uplift causes moist air to rise, cool, and condense, producing higher rainfall on windward slopes.
Which factor explains why maritime climates have smaller temperature ranges than continental climates?
A Altitude
B Cloud cover
C Proximity to oceans
D Latitude
Oceans heat and cool slowly, moderating temperatures in nearby coastal regions and reducing extremes.
Why does snowfall contribute significantly to long-term water availability in mountainous regions?
A Rapid melting
B Seasonal storage of water
C High evaporation
D Increased humidity
Snow acts as natural storage, releasing meltwater gradually and sustaining rivers during dry seasons.
Which atmospheric phenomenon causes sudden drops in temperature and strong winds during storms?
A Anticyclone
B Cold front passage
C Warm front passage
D Land breeze
Cold fronts replace warm air rapidly, producing abrupt temperature drops, strong winds, and intense precipitation.
Why is wind speed generally higher over oceans than over land?
A Higher pressure
B Reduced surface friction
C Increased humidity
D Lower temperature
Smooth ocean surfaces offer less friction than land, allowing winds to maintain higher speeds.
Which factor explains why cloud base height varies across regions?
A Latitude only
B Dew point temperature
C Pressure belts
D Wind direction
Cloud base height depends on the level at which rising air reaches saturation, controlled by temperature and dew point.
Why does heavy cloud cover at night reduce temperature loss from Earth’s surface?
A Clouds increase evaporation
B Clouds absorb and re-radiate heat
C Clouds increase pressure
D Clouds reduce humidity
Clouds trap outgoing terrestrial radiation, limiting radiational cooling during nighttime.
Which climatic factor is most responsible for seasonal shifts in rainfall belts across the globe?
A Earth’s revolution
B Migration of pressure belts
C Ocean salinity
D Vegetation cover
Seasonal movement of pressure belts and wind systems redistributes rainfall across latitudes.
Why are thunderstorms often localized and short-lived?
A Weak convection
B Limited spatial extent of unstable air
C High pressure dominance
D Uniform temperature
Thunderstorms develop from localized convection cells, restricting their duration and spatial coverage.
Which climatic element directly affects human comfort through perceived temperature?
A Air pressure
B Humidity
C Latitude
D Altitude
High humidity reduces evaporation of sweat, making conditions feel warmer and affecting thermal comfort.
Why is the study of cloud classification important in meteorology?
A It determines latitude
B It helps predict weather conditions
C It measures air pressure
D It controls ocean currents
Different cloud types are associated with specific weather patterns, aiding forecasting and hazard prediction.
Which factor best explains why polar regions experience strong temperature inversions?