The Role of Satellites in Weather Forecasting MCQs 50 Score: 0 Attempted: 0/50 Subscribe 1. : What type of satellite provides continuous monitoring of weather over a fixed area? (A) Polar-orbiting satellite (B) Geostationary satellite (C) Communication satellite (D) GPS satellite 2. : Which satellite orbits the Earth from pole to pole and covers the entire globe? (A) Geostationary satellite (B) Polar-orbiting satellite (C) Weather balloon (D) Navigation satellite 3. : What is the primary use of weather satellites? (A) GPS navigation (B) Communication (C) Monitoring weather and climate (D) Broadcasting television 4. : Which instrument on weather satellites measures cloud temperatures? (A) Radar (B) Radiometer (C) Sonar (D) Spectrometer 5. : What kind of images do weather satellites typically provide? (A) Infrared, visible, and microwave images (B) X-ray images (C) Gamma-ray images (D) UV images only 6. : Which satellite data helps predict hurricanes and cyclones? (A) GPS data (B) Weather satellite imagery (C) Seismic data (D) Ocean buoy data 7. : Which agency launched the first weather satellite, TIROS-1, in 1960? (A) ESA (B) NASA (C) ISRO (D) NOAA 8. : What feature of geostationary satellites allows them to monitor weather in real-time? (A) They orbit very quickly (B) They stay fixed relative to one spot on Earth (C) They circle the poles (D) They fly low over the atmosphere 9. : Which term refers to satellites that help monitor Earth’s atmosphere and surface? (A) Communication satellites (B) Earth observation satellites (C) Military satellites (D) GPS satellites 10. : What is a common use of satellite data in weather forecasting? (A) Predicting stock market trends (B) Monitoring ocean currents and temperatures (C) Making phone calls (D) Tracking airplanes only 11. : Which of these satellites is specifically dedicated to weather observation? (A) Landsat (B) GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) (C) Hubble (D) Sputnik 12. : What is the role of Doppler radar on satellites? (A) Detecting earthquakes (B) Measuring wind speed and direction (C) Tracking wildlife (D) Enhancing TV signals 13. : Which layer of Earth’s atmosphere is primarily monitored by weather satellites? (A) Troposphere (B) Stratosphere (C) Mesosphere (D) Thermosphere 14. : Satellite images showing cloud cover use which part of the electromagnetic spectrum? (A) Radio waves (B) Infrared (C) Ultraviolet (D) X-rays 15. : How do satellites help in early warning of natural disasters? (A) By detecting earthquakes directly (B) By providing data on storm formation and movement (C) By transmitting rescue signals (D) By predicting volcanic eruptions precisely 16. : What type of satellite data helps meteorologists measure rainfall rates? (A) Visible light images (B) Microwave sensors (C) Radar images only (D) Sonar data 17. : What does NOAA stand for, an agency responsible for weather satellites in the US? (A) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (B) National Office of Aerospace Activities (C) National Organization for Astronomical Affairs (D) National Oceanic Authority Agency 18. : Which satellite orbit allows frequent global coverage but less frequent updates of a particular area? (A) Geostationary orbit (B) Polar orbit (C) Geosynchronous orbit (D) Medium Earth orbit 19. : The term “nowcasting” in weather forecasting means: (A) Long-term climate prediction (B) Short-term, immediate weather prediction (C) Satellite orbit calculation (D) Space weather prediction 20. : Which satellite instrument helps in measuring sea surface temperatures? (A) Radiometer (B) Spectrometer (C) Sonar (D) Thermometer 21. : How do satellites contribute to climate monitoring? (A) By tracking daily weather only (B) By providing long-term data on temperature and atmospheric gases (C) By monitoring only ocean waves (D) By measuring land elevation 22. : What is the advantage of polar-orbiting satellites over geostationary satellites? (A) Higher altitude (B) Global coverage including poles (C) Constant monitoring of one area (D) Lower cost 23. : Satellite-based weather data is commonly integrated into what forecasting tool? (A) Climate models (B) Radar towers (C) Weather balloons (D) Thermometers 24. : Which satellite data is crucial for monitoring the ozone layer? (A) Infrared imaging (B) Ultraviolet sensors (C) Microwave imaging (D) Visible light 25. : What does the acronym “GOES” stand for? (A) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (B) Global Oceanic Environmental Satellite (C) Geosynchronous Orbit Earth Satellite (D) Ground Observation Earth Satellite 26. : How often do geostationary weather satellites complete one orbit around the Earth? (A) 24 hours (B) 90 minutes (C) 12 hours (D) 1 hour 27. : Which technology enables satellites to send weather data to Earth stations? (A) Radio waves (B) Sonar (C) Infrared rays (D) Gamma rays 28. : What role do satellites play in forecasting El Niño events? (A) Directly measure ocean salinity only (B) Provide sea surface temperature and atmospheric data (C) Measure rainfall only (D) Track fish migration 29. : What is the primary factor that limits the resolution of satellite images? (A) Altitude of the satellite (B) Speed of the satellite (C) Power supply of the satellite (D) Size of the satellite 30. : Which type of satellite data is used to detect forest fires? (A) Microwave (B) Thermal infrared (C) Radar (D) Ultraviolet 31. : Which satellite instrument can detect atmospheric water vapor? (A) Radiometer (B) Spectrometer (C) Lidar (D) Radar 32. : What is the primary use of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) in weather satellites? (A) Mapping terrain and monitoring precipitation (B) Measuring atmospheric gases (C) Tracking satellites (D) Monitoring solar activity 33. : What is the significance of the “equator” for geostationary satellites? (A) They orbit above it to remain stationary relative to Earth (B) They cannot orbit above the equator (C) It is the highest altitude for satellites (D) It is where satellites launch from 34. : What role do satellites play in tracking severe weather like tornadoes? (A) Directly detecting tornado formation (B) Monitoring storm systems that spawn tornadoes (C) Measuring ground damage (D) Tracking wind on the ground 35. : What is the main benefit of satellite data for remote areas? (A) Cost reduction in weather stations (B) Providing weather data where ground stations are unavailable (C) Controlling weather (D) Tracking airplanes 36. : Which satellite instrument is used to measure ozone concentration? (A) Ozone spectrometer (B) Infrared radiometer (C) Doppler radar (D) Sonar 37. : How do satellites help in air pollution monitoring? (A) By measuring CO2 and aerosol levels in the atmosphere (B) Measuring soil quality (C) Tracking deforestation only (D) Monitoring water pollution 38. : What role do satellites play in hurricane tracking? (A) Providing early warning and monitoring storm path (B) Measuring ocean floor temperature (C) Measuring earthquake activity (D) Monitoring volcanic eruptions 39. : Which satellite orbit is preferred for detailed weather observation of the polar regions? (A) Geostationary (B) Polar orbit (C) Molniya orbit (D) Sun-synchronous orbit 40. : What does a satellite radiometer measure? (A) Visible light (B) Electromagnetic radiation emitted or reflected by Earth (C) Sound waves (D) Magnetic fields 41. : What is the typical altitude of a geostationary weather satellite? (A) About 36,000 km (B) About 2,000 km (C) About 500 km (D) About 100 km 42. : What is the significance of satellite-derived wind data? (A) It helps track storm systems and improve forecasts (B) It is used for airplane navigation only (C) It measures rainfall (D) It detects earthquakes 43. : Which of the following satellites is used by Europe for weather observation? (A) GOES (B) Meteosat (C) NOAA (D) Hubble 44. : What kind of data do microwave sensors on satellites provide? (A) Cloud structure and precipitation data (B) Ozone levels only (C) Soil moisture exclusively (D) None of the above 45. : Which satellite-based product helps in understanding global temperature trends? (A) Surface temperature maps from infrared sensors (B) GPS navigation data (C) Radar images (D) UV radiation maps 46. : What is the role of satellites in forecasting droughts? (A) Measuring soil moisture and precipitation patterns (B) Detecting underground water only (C) Measuring earthquakes (D) Tracking fish populations 47. : What is the main limitation of polar-orbiting satellites in weather forecasting? (A) Limited coverage of polar regions (B) Less frequent data for any single location compared to geostationary satellites (C) They cannot monitor oceans (D) They are not used in weather forecasting 48. : How do satellites assist in monitoring climate change? (A) By measuring greenhouse gases and ice cover changes (B) By tracking human population only (C) By predicting volcanic eruptions (D) By controlling weather 49. : What is “sun-synchronous” orbit in satellites? (A) Orbit that keeps the satellite over the equator at all times (B) Orbit that passes over the same part of Earth at the same local solar time (C) Orbit that changes constantly (D) Orbit used only for communication 50. : Which weather satellite mission focuses on global precipitation measurements? (A) TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) (B) Landsat (C) Hubble (D) GPS