Deck 2: Climate

Question 1

Rainfall is greater and the vegetation more dense on the windward side of a mountain range than on the leeward side,where a(n)________ is formed.

Answer 1

rain shadow

Question 2

Seasonality occurs on planet Earth because of its ________ with respect to the plane it travels around the Sun.

Answer 2

axial tilt

Question 3

In the Northern Hemisphere,the summer ________ occurs when solar rays fall directly on the Tropic of Cancer.

Answer 3

solstice

Question 4

The absorption and reradiation of longwave radiation by gases in the atmosphere is called the ________.

Question 5

The ability of the physical environment to support life is referred to as its ________.

Question 6

The amount of force exerted over a given area of surface is called atmospheric ________.

Question 7

Air masses are deflected to the ________ in the Northern Hemisphere and to the ________ in the Southern Hemisphere.

Question 8

During an El Niño event,the waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean are unusually ________.

Question 9

________ is the amount of water vapor in the air expressed as a percentage of the saturation vapor pressure.

Question 10

The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is used by plants to power photosynthesis is referred to as ________ active radiation.

Question 11

A period of cooling that lasted from approximately the mid-14th to the mid-19th century is referred to as the ________.

Question 12

In the Southern Hemisphere,oceanic gyres circulate in a(n)________ direction.

Question 13

The narrow region near the equator where trade winds meet is referred to as the ________.

Question 14

The transformation of water from liquid to a gaseous state is referred to as ________.

Question 15

The decrease in air temperature through expansion,rather than through heat loss to the surrounding atmosphere,is referred to as ________.

Question 16

The winds formed between the equator and about 30 degrees of latitude,blowing from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere and southeast in the Southern Hemisphere,are referred to as ________.

Question 17

The ________ is the temperature at which atmospheric water condenses.

Question 18

The long-term average pattern of weather at local,regional,or global scales is referred to as ________.

Question 19

The temperature,humidity,precipitation,wind,cloudiness,and other atmospheric conditions that occur at a specific place and time are referred to as ________.

Question 20

Carbon dioxide and ________ are the major gases in the atmosphere that absorb energy from the sun.

Question 21

The two major atmospheric gases that absorb energy from the Sun are

A)oxygen and nitrogen.
B)nitrogen and hydrogen.
C)hydrogen and carbon dioxide.
D)carbon dioxide and water vapor.

Question 22

Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR)includes wavelengths

A)shorter than visible light (ultraviolet light).
B)within the range of visible light.
C)only within the green spectrum of visible light.
D)longer than visible light (infrared radiation).

Question 23

Relative humidity is the

A)amount of pressure at a given temperature at which water transforms from a liquid to a gaseous state.
B)amount of pressure that water vapor exerts independent of the pressure of dry air.
C)temperature at which saturation vapor pressure is achieved.
D)amount of water vapor in the air relative to the saturation vapor pressure.

Question 24

The systematic patterns of water movement are known as

A)circulations.
B)currents.
C)gyres.
D)trade winds.

Question 25

A scientist traveling on a boat from Alaska to Antarctica took daily measurements of atmospheric pressure.At which latitudes were the lowest pressures found?

A)polar (~90°)and subpolar (~60°)latitudes
B)subpolar (~60°)and subtropical (~30°)latitudes
C)subpolar (~60°)and tropical (~0°)latitudes
D)subtropical (~30°)and tropical (~0°)latitudes

Question 26

Surface currents in the ocean typically

A)flow most strongly from west to east in equatorial regions.
B)are colder on the western side of continents.
C)flow counterclockwise in gyres in the Northern Hemisphere.
D)flow unimpeded from east to west just north of Antarctica.

Question 27

The atmospheric region that is closest to the Earth's surface is called the

A)mesosphere.
B)stratosphere.
C)thermosphere.
D)troposphere.

Question 28

The transformation of water from a liquid state to a gaseous state is known as

A)condensation.
B)evaporation.
C)saturation.
D)solidification.

Question 29

The rate of adiabatic cooling depends on the

A)amount of moisture in the air.
B)temperature of the air.
C)latitude.
D)season.

Question 30

Only 51 percent of incoming solar radiation actually reaches Earth's surface.Most of the remaining 49 percent of incoming radiation is reflected back to space by

A)clouds and the atmosphere.
B)the ocean's surface.
C)snow and ice.
D)land.

Question 31

Between 30°-60° north latitude,wind currents typically blow from

A)west to east and are deflected toward the left.
B)east to west and are deflected toward the left.
C)west to east and are deflected toward the right.
D)east to west and are deflected toward the right.

Question 32

Of the 51 units of solar radiation that reach Earth's surface,________ units are lost to the evaporation of water.

A)51
B)30
C)23
D)7

Question 33

Seasonal variation in solar radiation,temperature,and day length is due to the

A)tilt of the Earth's axis.
B)greenhouse effect.
C)Coriolis effect caused by the spinning of Earth on its axis.
D)sunspot activities at the surface of the Sun.

Question 34

Most organisms live in habitats that provide specific conditions or a(n)________ that may be very different from regional weather patterns.

Question 35

Habitability is the ability of

A)an organism to survive in a particular habitat.
B)the physical environment to support life.
C)the organism to take in resources.
D)the physical environment to change.

Question 36

Of the following areas on Earth's surface,which area moves fastest and has the greatest linear velocity?

A)North Pole (90° north)
B)Tropic of Cancer (23.5° north)
C)Tropic of Capricorn (23.5° south)
D)Equator (0°)

Question 37

Without the greenhouse effect,the Earth would

A)be much warmer than it currently is.
B)be much colder than it currently is.
C)have uniform temperatures and would lack seasons.
D)have constant sunlight.

Question 38

Solar radiation in December is greatest at

A)the equator.
B)the Tropic of Cancer.
C)90° in the Southern Hemisphere.
D)90° in the Northern Hemisphere.

Question 39

Temperatures in cities are several degrees warmer than those of the surrounding countryside,a phenomenon referred to as a(n)________.

Question 40

As altitude increases,

A)atmospheric pressure and temperature decrease.
B)atmospheric pressure decreases and temperature increases.
C)atmospheric pressure increases and temperature decreases.
D)atmospheric pressure and temperature increase.

Question 41

As air rises over a mountain,it

A)cools and tends to lose moisture in the form of precipitation.
B)cools and tends to gain moisture without precipitating.
C)warms and tends to lose moisture in the form of precipitation.
D)warms and tends to gain moisture without precipitating.

Question 42

A hotter object emits longer wavelengths than a cooler object.

Question 43

Atmospheric pressure increases with altitude.

Question 44

Solar radiation is more direct in tropical latitudes than in temperate latitudes.

Question 45

The saturation vapor pressure of air increases with temperature.

Question 46

________ is considered a primary influence on microclimate.

A)Aspect
B)Soil temperature
C)Rainfall
D)Vegetation

Question 47

Daylight in the Southern Hemisphere is longest during the winter solstice in December.

Question 48

Densely populated urban areas tend to have

A)higher relative humidity than rural areas.
B)higher temperatures than rural areas.
C)higher wind speeds than rural areas.
D)less fog than rural areas.

Question 49

Most of the solar radiation arriving at the Earth's surface is reflected out to space.

Question 50

In the vicinity of the equator,air warmed by solar radiation rises.

Question 51

During winter in the Northern Hemisphere,the intertropical convergence zone

A)sits directly over the equator.
B)is shifted into the northern latitudes.
C)is shifted into the southern latitudes.
D)does not exist.

Question 52

Oceanic gyres circulate in a counterclockwise direction in the Northern Hemisphere and in a clockwise direction in the Southern Hemisphere.

Question 53

Rainfall in the Northern Hemisphere is greater than rainfall in the Southern Hemisphere.

Question 54

Cold air can hold more water than warm air.

Question 55

In the vicinity of 30° north and 30° south,air typically

A)rises,cools,and precipitates.
B)descends,warms,and precipitates.
C)rises,cools,and is dry.
D)descends,warms,and is dry.

Question 56

Some variation in the solar radiation striking the Earth's surface is linked to ________ activity.

A)sunspot
B)El Niño
C)La Niña
D)glacial

Question 57

Dry air cools more rapidly than moist air.

Question 58

Precipitation is generally greater

A)in the Southern Hemisphere than in the Northern Hemisphere.
B)in coastal areas than in interior areas.
C)at the equator than at 30° of latitude.
D)on the leeward side of mountains than on the windward side.

Question 59

In contrast with north-facing slopes,south-facing slopes in the Northern Hemisphere are characterized by

A)a lower rate of evaporation.
B)greater soil moisture.
C)lower air temperatures.
D)more vigorous growth of mosses.

Question 60

Masses of air and water are deflected to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

Question 61

Precipitation on a tropical island is greatest during June to August and lowest during January to April.This island must be located south of the equator.

Question 62

Surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean are warmer during El Niño conditions than during La Niña conditions.

Question 63

Vegetation is usually more dense and vigorous on the windward side of mountains than on the leeward side.

Question 64

The average temperature in a city is greater than in the surrounding countryside.

Question 65

Precipitation is higher in tropical regions than in temperate and polar regions.

Question 66

In temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere,north-facing slopes are less humid than south-facing slopes.