Deck 10: Global Climate Systems

Question 1

Which is defined as an area with characteristic,long-term weather patterns?

A)A biome.
B)An average weather place.
C)An ecosystem.
D)A climatic region.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

World temperature patterns are primarily controlled by which of the following?

A)Sea level and wind direction.
B)Elevation and latitude.
C)Latent heat and the lifting condensation level.
D)Urban heat islands.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which is can be exemplified by a climate classification based on moisture using a water budget approach?

A)Empirical classification.
B)Genetic classification.
C)Combined classification.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

The climate classification system Geosystems uses is based not only on temperature and precipitation measurements,but also causative factors.This is an example of which classification?

A)Genetic classification.
B)Empirical classification.
C)Combined classification.

Question 5

Which lists the relative condition of the air in areas dominated by maritime air masses and in areas dominated by cT air masses?

A)Wet; wet.
B)Wet; dry.
C)Dry; wet.
D)Dry; dry.

Question 6

Which is defined as a climate classification based on causative factors,such as the interactions of air masses?

A)Empirical classification.
B)Genetic classification.
C)Combined classification.

Question 7

Which is defined as the study of the climate and its variability,including long-term weather patterns over time and space and the controls thereof?

A)Climatology.
B)Meteorology.
C)Cosmetology.
D)Weather science.

Question 8

As distance from the equator increases,what happens to seasonal variation in temperature tends?

A)Increase.
B)Decrease.
C)Remain constant.

Question 9

Which of the following lists the correct,generalized sequence of climates from the equator to the poles?

A)Tropical → Dry → Mesothermal → Microthermal → Highland.
B)Tropical → Mesothermal → Dry → Microthermal → Polar.
C)Tropical → Dry → Mesothermal → Microthermal → Polar.
D)Polar → Microthermal → Dry → Mesothermal → Tropical.
E)Dry → Tropical → Mesothermal → Microthermal → Polar.

Question 10

Which lists the two principle climate components?

A)Temperature and pressure.
B)Temperature and precipitation.
C)Precipitation and pressure.
D)Pressure and wind speed.

Question 11

Which of the following are elements of weather and climate?

A)Soil moisture and groundwater.
B)Temperature and air pressure.
C)Solar radiation.
D)Thermal infrared energy.

Question 12

Which is defined as a climate classification based on statistics or other data determined by measurements of observed effects?

A)Empirical classification.
B)Genetic classification.
C)Combined classification.

Question 13

Which is defined as a climate classification based on the geographic determinants of climate,such as latitude or elevation?

A)Empirical classification.
B)Genetic classification.
C)Combined classification.

Question 14

How does the annual temperature range of places located in the interior of a continent relate to those located along the coast at the same latitude?

A)Interior is greater than coast.
B)Interior is less than coast
C)Interior is the same as coast.
D)It depends upon the dominant wind direction.

Question 15

A genetic classification system can be based on which of the following,among other factors?

A)The interaction of air masses.
B)Statistics or other data used to determine general categories.
C)Mean annual temperature.
D)Mean annual precipitation.

Question 16

Regarding average annual precipitation,which of the following is correct?

A)The highest amounts occur throughout subtropical latitudes.
B)The drier regions are associated with the eastern portions of major landmasses.
C)The precipitation tends to increase with latitude toward the poles.
D)The highest average values occur along the equator.

Question 17

An empirical classification is based on which of the following,among other factors?

A)The interaction of air masses.
B)The origin or genesis of the climate.
C)The mean annual temperature and precipitation of an area.
D)Causative factors.

Question 18

Which of the following best describes the difference between weather and climate?

A)Weather is the collective pattern of atmospheric conditions in a given region over long periods of time,whereas climate is the atmospheric conditions at a given time and place.
B)Climate is the collective pattern of atmospheric conditions in a given region over long periods of time,whereas weather is the atmospheric conditions at a given time and place.
C)Weather refers specifically to the temperature of a given place at a given time,whereas climate refers to temperature,humidity,pressure,and wind conditions of a given place at a given time.
D)Climate refers specifically to the temperature of a given place at a given time,whereas weather refers to temperature,humidity,pressure,and wind conditions of a given place at a given time.
E)Weather and climate is essentially the same thing.

Question 19

Which of the following defines climate?

A)The weather of a region.
B)The short-term condition of the atmosphere.
C)The long-term atmospheric condition-including extremes that may occur.
D)A reference to temperature patterns only.

Question 20

Which creates global circulation patterns of winds and ocean currents,which drive weather systems and,ultimately,climate patterns?

A)Coriolis force.
B)Frictional force caused by Earth's spinning on its axis.
C)Imbalances created by energy surpluses and deficits at the equator and poles,respectively.
D)The differential heating properties of land and water.

Question 21

A climate that is mesothermal and has a long,hot,dry summer would be designated by which of the following?

A)Tropical savanna.
B)Semiarid steppe.
C)Mediterranean.
D)Humid subtropical hot-summer.

Question 22

Which of the following are major ecosystems determined largely by climatic regions and classified largely based on predominant vegetation?

A)Associations.
B)Zoogeographic regions.
C)Biomes.
D)Climate zones.

Question 23

When does the dry season in the tropical monsoon climate occur?

A)It occurs when cold air masses dominate the region.
B)It occurs when the ITCZ has moved away from the region.
C)It occurs when a continental polar air mass influences the region.
D)It occurs when cold ocean currents shift into the region.

Question 24

Which of the following is related to the 100th meridian in Canada?

A)It corresponds closely to the 200 cm isohyet of mean annual precipitation.
B)Tall grass prairies occur to the east of it,and short grass prairies to the west.
C)This meridian borders the Pacific Ocean.
D)The land is drier to the east of the meridian and wetter to the west.

Question 25

Which characteristics are typical of the tropical savanna climate?

A)Tropical savanna has the ITCZ in summer and the subtropical high in winter.
B)Tropical savanna has the polar front in winter and the subtropical high in summer.
C)Tropical savanna has the ITCZ all year-round.
D)Tropical savanna has the polar front all year-round.

Question 26

The largest percentage of Earth's population lives within which?

A)Tropical climates.
B)Desert climates.
C)Mesothermal climates.
D)Microthermal climates.

Question 27

Which of the following is true of microthermal climates?

A)They have a small seasonal temperature range,hence the term microthermal.
B)Because of the latitude at which they occur,these climates occupy the largest land area of any climate.
C)In the Southern Hemisphere,these climates develop only in highland regions.
D)All of the subtypes of this climate have a uniform annual precipitation regime.

Question 28

Tropical climates are typically located in which of the following?

A)Straddling the equator between 20° N/S.
B)All areas of Earth influenced by a subtropical high pressure system.
C)Primarily in areas associated with cold ocean currents.
D)Higher latitudes influenced by continental tropical air masses.

Question 29

Which type of vegetation dominates in the tropical savanna?

A)Lush (thick and green year-round).
B)Dominated by grassland.
C)Deciduous forest.
D)Desert-like succulents.

Question 30

In terms of total land and ocean area,which of the following climate classifications is the most extensive at 36 percent of the surface of Earth?

A)Tropical climates.
B)Dry climates.
C)Mesothermal climates.
D)Microthermal climates.

Question 31

The bulk of the Amazon River drainage basin is dominated by which one of the following climate classifications?

A)Tropical monsoon.
B)Tropical savanna.
C)Tropical rainforest.
D)Humid subtropical.

Question 32

Marine west coast climates are dominated by what air masses?

A)Continental polar (cP).
B)Maritime tropical (mT).
C)Continental tropical (cT).
D)Maritime polar (mP).

Question 33

Mediterranean dry-summer climates are best described by which of the following?

A)They experience dry conditions in summer due to the subtropical high overhead.
B)They experience wet conditions in winter due to the ITCZ overhead.
C)They are bordered poleward by steppe climates.
D)They experience wet conditions in summer due to the ITCZ overhead.

Question 34

Which of the following is a characteristic of tropical climates?

A)Short,though relatively mild,winters.
B)Variable day lengths.
C)Unstable air masses.
D)Cool ocean temperatures.

Question 35

Which of the following is true of marine west-coast climates?

A)They are dominated by cP air masses.
B)The air masses in this region are unstable.
C)These climates experience very cold winters because of their high latitude (about 45° to 55° north).
D)The weather is quite predictable.

Question 36

Which type of vegetation grows in the Mediterranean climate?

A)Taiga.
B)Chaparral.
C)Rain forest.
D)Boreal forest.

Question 37

Which of the following is best describes the Mediterranean classification?

A)Summers are cool.
B)Seventy percent of the precipitation occurs in the winter months.
C)Summers are influenced by shifting equatorial high cells.
D)The bulk of precipitation occurs in the summer months.

Question 38

Which of the following characterizes a tropical savanna climate?

A)It experiences a summer wet season,and is dominated by the ITCZ for nearly 12 months of the year.
B)The sun's direct rays are overhead (subsolar point)are overhead twice each year.
C)All months receive precipitation in excess of 6 cm.
D)Its annual temperature variability is less than that of the tropical rain forest.

Question 39

The tropical rain forest climate receives most of its rainfall as a result of which of the following?

A)Frontal uplift.
B)Orographic uplift.
C)Convectional uplift.
D)Adiabatic.

Question 40

Which air mass appears to predominately influence the humid subtropical region?

A)Maritime polar (mP).
B)Maritime tropical (mT).
C)Continental tropical (cT).
D)Continental polar (cP).

Question 41

Which of the following correctly pairs the air mass that results in the Amazon equatorial rain forest of South America with the direction it travels?

A)cT; NE to SW.
B)mT; E to W.
C)mT; W to E.
D)mP; E to W.

Question 42

Which of the following has a typical subarctic,very cold winter climate?

A)Churchill,Manitoba
B)Dalian,China
C)Verkhoyansk,Siberia,Russia
D)Duluth,Minnesota

Question 43

Which of the following is correct regarding ice-sheet climates?

A)The climate is dominated by dry,frigid air masses.
B)There is a large volume of precipitation.
C)The only month with an average temperature above freezing corresponds to the summer solstice (June in the Northern Hemisphere,December in the Southern Hemisphere).
D)There are vast expanses that alternate between thawing and freezing.

Question 44

Where do the low-latitude hot desert climates occur?

A)In the tropics and subtropics.
B)Only in midlatitude rainshadow positions.
C)In polar regions.
D)Along the midlatitude,west coasts of continents.

Question 45

Which of the following best describes the tropical rain forest climate?

A)It is influenced by the ITCZ year-round.
B)Daylength is shortest during winter season.
C)The annual temperature range is larger than the daily temperature range.
D)Thunderstorms occur almost daily during summer months.

Question 46

Potential evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation in all parts of which climate type?

A)Tropical savanna.
B)Mediterranean.
C)Semiarid steppe.
D)Humid subtropical winter-dry.

Question 47

Which of the following is true of tropical and subtropical hot desert climates?

A)In most years,they do not receive any precipitation.
B)Annual average temperatures are above 18°C.
C)They are generally found on the eastern side of continents.
D)They are under the influence of polar low pressure systems.

Question 48

Which of the following are the two types of dry climates according to moisture?

A)Deserts and steppe.
B)Deserts and tundra.
C)Steppe and chaparral.
D)Chaparral and tundra.

Question 49

Which climate is characterized by the largest change in monthly average temperatures; i.e.,the greatest change in temperatures from one month to the next?

A)Boreal forest.
B)Tundra.
C)Ice cap.
D)Dry-midlatitude.

Question 50

This climograph is characteristic of which climate type?

A)Mediterranean.
B)Tropical rain forest.
C)Tropical savanna.
D)Marine west coast.

Question 51

Which of the following is true regarding humid continental hot-summer and humid continental mild-summer climates?

A)Humid continental mild-summer climates are located further equatorward than humid continental hot-summer climates.
B)Overall,humid continental mild-summer climates receive more precipitation than humid continental hot-summer climates.
C)Agriculture is not feasible in humid continental mild-summer climates due to the cooler weather,whereas it is very important in humid continental hot-summer climates.
D)Snowfall is notably heavier in humid continental mild-summer climates than in humid continental hot-summer climates and plays an important role in soil moisture recharge.

Question 52

Which of the following is a causal element of microthermal climates?

A)Dominant easterly trade winds.
B)Latitudinal; effects on temperature.
C)Very limited continentality.
D)Sunspot activity.

Question 53

Which of the following is a causal element of polar and highland climates?

A)Extremes of daylength between summer and winter.
B)High precipitation,primarily in the form of snow.
C)Low surface albedo due to ground cover.
D)High sun altitude during the summer months.

Question 54

Why are annual temperature ranges near the southern tip of Greenland,in the Bearing Sea,northern Iceland,South Georgia Island,and northern Norway low despite their high latitude?

A)The climate is dominated by dry,frigid air masses year-round.
B)They are influenced by maritime environments.
C)Higher than average precipitation for the climate type mitigates against the extreme cold weather.
D)They are oriented on sunward side of large topographic features.

Question 55

Which climatic region occupies the most extensive area of land on Earth?

A)Polar climates.
B)Dry climates.
C)Mesothermal climates.
D)Tropical climates.

Question 56

Which of the following is correct regarding tundra climates?

A)Spruce,fir and larch trees survive in this climate zone.
B)There is a complete absence of summer in this region.
C)Summer temperatures are never higher than 10°C.
D)The land is under continuous snow cover 12 months a year.

Question 57

Which is the only interruption to the distribution of tropical forest climates across equatorial regions?

A)Several equatorial deserts caused by rain shadows.
B)The tropical savannas of Africa and South America.
C)The five distinct Mediterranean climates.
D)In highland areas,such as the Andes and Mt.Kilimanjaro.

Question 58

Which of the following correctly pairs precipitation types for the humid subtropical hot-summer climates for summer and for winter?

A)Convectional; frontal.
B)Frontal; convectional.
C)Orographic; frontal.
D)Convectional; ITCZ.

Question 59

What does one find along the periphery of hot deserts,where shifting subtropical high pressure cells create a distinct summer-dry and winter-wet pattern?

A)Tropical,subtropical hot steppe climates.
B)Marine west coast climates.
C)Tropical monsoon climates.
D)Humid subtropical hot-summer climates.

Question 60

Which of the following is a causal element of dry climates?

A)Seasonal influence of the ITCZ.
B)Moist,ascending air associated with subtropical high pressure systems.
C)Location in the windward side of mountains.
D)Cool,stabilizing ocean currents along the western margins of continents.

Question 61

This climograph is characteristic of which climate type?

A)Highland.
B)Tropical rain forest.
C)Subtropical humid.
D)Tropical savanna.

Question 62

Which of the following correctly pairs the sun season with the driving mechanism for rain in the wet season of the tropical monsoon climate of SE Asia.(low Sun = "winter" and high Sun = "summer")?

A)Low; subtropical high.
B)Low; ITCZ.
C)High; subtropical high.
D)High; ITCZ.

Question 63

This climograph is characteristic of which climate type?

A)Tropical rain forest.
B)Subarctic cold-winter.
C)Humid subtropical winter-dry.
D)Marine west coast.

Question 64

This climograph is characteristic of which climate type?

A)Humid subtropical hot-summer.
B)Tropical rain forest.
C)Humid subtropical winter-dry.
D)Humid continental mild-summer.

Question 65

This climograph is characteristic of which climate type?

A)Humid subtropical hot-summer.
B)Tropical monsoon.
C)Humid subtropical winter-dry.
D)Mediterranean.

Question 66

Which air masses influence the humid continental hot-summer climates in North America?

A)Continental polar (cP)in winter; maritime tropical (mT)in summer.
B)Continental polar (cP)year-round.
C)Continental polar (cP)in winter; continental tropical (cT)in summer.
D)Continental polar in summer (cP)and continental Arctic (cA)in winter.

Question 67

Which correctly pairs the location with the typical climate description for humid subtropical hot summer climates?

A)Asia; dry winters due to monsoonal conditions.
B)Asia; wet summers due to cyclonic storm tracks.
C)North America; dry winters due to cold ocean currents.
D)North America; wet summers due to monsoonal conditions.

Question 68

Los Angeles,located in a Mediterranean climate zone,has a defined pattern of summer weather due to a physical barrier.Which of the following pairs the pattern with the barrier?

A)Dry; mountains along the western side of the city.
B)Dry; the cold California current off the coast.
C)Wet; mountains along the western side of the city.
D)Wet; the warm California current off the coast.

Question 69

This climograph is characteristic of which climate type?

A)Tropical rain forest.
B)Subtropical hot desert.
C)Humid subtropical hot-summer.
D)Marine west coast.

Question 70

This climograph is characteristic of which climate type?

A)Humid continental hot-summer.
B)Marine west coast.
C)Humid subtropical winter-dry.
D)Mediterranean.

Question 71

Which of the following best describes the tropical monsoon climate?

A)It is located in interior areas.
B)The transition from wet to dry conditions is the result of the shifting of the ITCZ.
C)The wind direction is constant from one time of the year to the next.
D)The summer (high Sun season)is the driest time of the year.

Question 72

Which is true of humid subtropical winter-dry climates?

A)The wettest summer month receives approximately 2 to 3 times more precipitation than the driest winter month.
B)Few natural hazards occur throughout the humid subtropical winter-dry climates.
C)The winter dry season is related to the seasonal pulse of the monsoons.
D)The "driest" winter months still have at least 7.5 cm of precipitation.

Question 73

This climograph is characteristic of which climate type?

A)Tundra.
B)Polar maritime.
C)Humid continental mild-summer.
D)Midlatitude cold desert.

Question 74

Which is true of humid subtropical hot-summer climates?

A)Asian humid subtropical hot summer climates are influenced by the monsoons.
B)They have cold ocean currents off shore.
C)North American humid subtropical hot summer climates have cyclonic storm trackshift overhead in the summer.
D)Their hot and rainy season occurs in the winter season.

Question 75

This climograph is characteristic of which climate type?

A)Highland.
B)Tropical monsoon.
C)Humid subtropical winter-dry.
D)Mediterranean.

Question 76

This climograph is characteristic of which climate type?

A)Humid continental hot-summer.
B)Tundra.
C)Subtropical hot desert.
D)Mediterranean.

Question 77

This climograph is characteristic of which climate type?

A)Mediterranean.
B)Tropical monsoon.
C)Highland.
D)Humid subtropical winter-dry.

Question 78

Which best describes mesothermal climates?

A)These are essentially seasonless.
B)These occupy more land and sea surface area than any other climate region.
C)These have a high degree of air mass interaction.
D)These are sparsely populated by humans.

Question 79

Which of the following is true of the subarctic climate regions of Canada and Asia?

A)Permafrost does not occur here.
B)Broadleaf deciduous trees,such as maple and sweetgum,dominate the area.
C)The area never experiences summer temperatures above 30°C.
D)This climatic zone experiences exceptionally large annual temperature ranges.

Question 80

Which best describes humid subtropical hot-summer climates?

A)These are moist all year.
B)These have a pronounced dry period.
C)These can either be moist all year or have a pronounced dry period,depending on geographic location.
D)These are guaranteed to experience a water surplus yearround.