American Meteorological Society Certification Thermodynamics and Atmospheric Stability 2

Question 1

What does the CIN (Convective Inhibition) represent on a sounding?

Accepted Answer

Energy that must be overcome by lifting to reach the LFC

Answer

Energy available for downdrafts

Answer

Maximum updraft speed

Answer

Boundary layer moisture content

Question 2

The moist adiabatic lapse rate (MALR) is approximately what value near the surface?

Accepted Answer

4–7°C/km

Answer

9.8°C/km

Answer

12°C/km

Answer

1°C/km

Question 3

What is potential temperature (theta) and why is it useful?

Accepted Answer

Temperature a parcel would have if brought adiabatically to 1000 hPa; conserved in dry adiabatic motion

Answer

Temperature at a fixed altitude; useful for comparing elevations

Answer

Temperature corrected for moisture; used in tropical analysis

Answer

Effective temperature felt by observers at the surface

Question 4

What type of lapse rate produces absolutely unstable conditions?

Accepted Answer

Lapse rate greater than the DALR

Answer

Lapse rate less than the MALR

Answer

Lapse rate equal to the MALR

Answer

Isothermal layer

Question 5

On a Skew-T log-P diagram, the dew point profile indicates what?

Accepted Answer

Moisture content as a function of pressure

Answer

Wind speed at each level

Answer

Temperature inversions only

Answer

Cloud top height

Question 6

What stability index combines wind shear and instability to assess severe weather potential?

Accepted Answer

Storm Relative Helicity (SRH)

Answer

K-Index

Answer

Showalter Index

Answer

Totals-Totals Index