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Which sign of the squared buoyancy frequency indicates instability?

  • A.Positive, since a positive value indicates that the restoring force is acting to return the parcel upward
  • B.Zero
  • C.Either sign, depending on whether the parcel is saturated at the level from which it has been displaced
  • D.Negative

Answer: D

A negative square means the frequency is imaginary and the solution grows exponentially rather than oscillating, which is the signature of instability. Zero indicates neutral stratification with no restoring force at all. Saturation changes the effective stability but not the interpretation of the sign, so the last option confuses two separate matters. The shared properties explain why these belong to one family, and the differences explain why more than one exists.

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