Deck 3: Temperature

Question 1

The ________ is defined as the amount of temperature change per unit of distance.

A)range in temperature
B)temperature gradient
C)degree dissipation
D)isotherm

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The annual range of temperature may be described as:

A)the difference between the average temperatures of the warmest and coldest months.
B)the sum of the average temperatures for each month of the year.
C)the difference between maximum and minimum temperatures during the period of one month.
D)the difference between maximum and minimum temperatures over a period of one year.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which American state ties Alaska for the lowest recorded high temperature?

A)North Dakota
B)Hawaii
C)Maine
D)Vermont
E)Minnesota

Answer 3

B

Question 4

An isotherm on a map:

A)connects points of equal temperature.
B)represents the coldest place on the map.
C)represents the warmest place on the map.
D)identifies all places that have the same annual mean temperature.

Question 5

2010 Monthly Mean Temperatures for the state of Idaho. Source: NOAA's NCDC Climate at a Glance
Refer to the chart above of 2010 monthly mean temperatures for the state of Idaho.Based on this data,what was the average annual temperature for Idaho in 2010?

A)47.25°F
B)45.1°F
C)46.8°F
D)38.6°F

Question 6

If the maximum temperature on a particular day is 30°F and the minimum temperature is 21°F,then the daily temperature range is:

A)25.5°F
B)9°F
C)51°F
D)the daily temperature range cannot be determined with the data provided.

Question 7

The highest accepted temperature record for the United States is 57°C (134°F)and was set at:

A)Death Valley,California.
B)Dodge City,Kansas.
C)Salt Lake City,Utah.
D)Houston,Texas.
E)Key West,Florida.

Question 8

Consider the isotherm map of the United States shown above.Which of the following statements best describes the area between Las Vegas,NV,and Palm Springs,CA?

A)This area exhibits one of the greatest temperature gradients on the map.
B)This area exhibits one of the lowest temperature gradients on the map.
C)One would expect to encounter a temperature of 40°F if driving from Las Vegas to Palm Springs.
D)The average temperature in this area is below freezing.

Question 9

Two cities are located at the same latitude (40 degrees).City A is in the Southern Hemisphere and City B is in the Northern Hemisphere.Assume the two cities reflect the general characteristics of the hemispheres where they are located.Which city should have the warmer winter temperatures?

A)City A
B)City B
C)Both cities should have nearly identical winter temperatures.

Question 10

2010 Monthly Mean Temperatures for the state of Idaho. Source: NOAA's NCDC Climate at a Glance
Refer to the chart above of 2010 monthly mean temperatures for the state of Idaho.Based on this data,what was the annual temperature range for Idaho in 2010?

A)38.6°F
B)45.1°F
C)47.3°F
D)66.1°F

Question 11

If the maximum temperature for a particular day is 26°C and the minimum temperature is 14°C,the daily mean would be:

A)20°C.
B)13°C.
C)12°C.
D)40°C.
E)The daily mean cannot be determined with the data provided.

Question 12

How is the annual mean temperature calculated?

A)It is the average of the warmest and the coldest temperatures recorded during that year.
B)It is the average of the warmest and the coldest monthly mean temperatures.
C)It is the average of all 12 monthly mean temperatures.
D)It is the average of all the daily mean temperatures for the year.

Question 13

The specific heat of water is high;what does this mean?

A)Water will always be warmer than other materials for the same energy gain or loss.
B)Water has a high density.
C)Water must gain or lose large amounts of energy when its temperature changes.
D)Water absorbs a higher percentage of solar energy than land does.

Question 14

Which of the following associations is CORRECT?

A)high latitude - low annual temperature range
B)land - distributes heat through convection
C)water - high specific heat
D)evaporation - raises the temperature of air

Question 15

Consider the isotherm map of the United States shown above.Which of the following is the best realistic estimate of the current temperature at the spot marked by an X?

A)70°F
B)75°F
C)80°F
D)85°F

Question 16

A primary reason for drawing isotherms on a map of temperature values is to allow:

A)recognition of temperature patterns.
B)determination of temperature ranges.
C)calculation of mean values.
D)elimination of extreme values.

Question 17

A primary reason why land areas warm up more rapidly than water areas is that:

A)land is a better emitter of energy.
B)evaporation is usually greater on land.
C)on land,all solar energy is absorbed in a shallow layer.
D)heat from Earth's interior warms the land.
E)land absorbs more solar energy.

Question 18

All of the following explain the difference between land and water temperature patterns EXCEPT:

A)Land has a higher specific heat than water.
B)Radiation does not penetrate as deeply in land as it does in water.
C)Convective mixing helps distribute heat energy throughout a water body.
D)Evaporative cooling is more common over water than over land.

Question 19

Over a one year period,how thick a layer in the oceans is subject to heating and cooling as the seasons change?

A)6 meters
B)over 200 meters
C)15 meters
D)10 centimeters
E)1 meter

Question 20

The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1°C is called:

A)latent heat.
B)specific heat.
C)kinetic heat.
D)conductive heat.

Question 21

A location on a windward coast refers to a place where the prevailing wind is:

A)from the north.
B)strong.
C)always light or calm.
D)away from land.
E)toward the land.

Question 22

What type of severe weather event killed up to 35,000 people in Europe during the summer of 2003?

A)a heat wave
B)a drought
C)a tornado outbreak
D)a flood on the Elbe River

Question 23

The annual temperature range at most latitudes in the southern hemisphere is much smaller than in the northern hemisphere.Why?

A)Rainfall and cloudiness are greater in the southern hemisphere.
B)Earth is closer to the Sun during southern hemisphere summer.
C)There is more area covered by water in the southern hemisphere.
D)There is less desert area in the southern hemisphere.
E)There is more mountainous area in the southern hemisphere.

Question 24

Since the equator-to-pole temperature contrast is the major cause of atmospheric circulations,you would expect wind speeds to be slowest in the:

A)spring.
B)summer.
C)winter.
D)autumn.

Question 25

The primary purpose served by surface ocean currents is to:

A)transfer heat and equalize the imbalance of energy between the poles and the equator.
B)drive atmospheric wind patterns.
C)help dissipate excess energy received at the poles during their periods of 24-hour daylight.
D)equalize climate impacts felt on opposite sides of the same continent.

Question 26

A poleward moving (northward moving in the Northern Hemisphere)ocean current is:

A)a cold current.
B)either a warm or a cold current.
C)a warm current.
D)warm in summer and cold in winter.

Question 27

Which of the following factors would have the net effect of making a place warmer in the summer?

A)in the middle of a landmass
B)at a high elevation
C)at a high latitude
D)near an ocean

Question 28

Temperatures at the Earth's surface tend to DECREASE when solar radiation:

A)is less than Earth's longwave radiation.
B)exceeds Earth's longwave radiation.
C)is equal to Earth's longwave radiation.
D)is increasing.

Question 29

How is the daily maximum temperature affected by the presence of clouds?

A)cooler
B)no conclusive effect
C)warmer during day,cooler at night
D)warmer

Question 30

How is the daily temperature range affected by the presence of clouds?

A)The temperature range is greater when clouds are present.
B)The temperature range is lower when clouds are present.
C)The temperature range is not affected by the presence or absence of clouds.
D)Temperature range is not affected in a predictable way by the presence of clouds.

Question 31

Summer temperatures along the California coast are cooler than along the coast of South Carolina,due to the influence of:

A)evaporation.
B)latitude.
C)specific heat.
D)ocean currents.
E)altitude.

Question 32

Heat waves are usually more severe in:

A)large urban areas.
B)very rural areas.
C)coastal areas.
D)no one particular place;they are equally severe everywhere.

Question 33

The minimum temperature usually occurs near sunrise because:

A)atmospheric path is longest.
B)the Sun angle is lowest then.
C)reflection of solar radiation is a maximum.
D)Earth experiences a net loss of radiation until then.

Question 34

Locations on Earth which have the largest annual temperature change from summer to winter are often:

A)near an ocean.
B)very humid.
C)at the equator.
D)at high latitudes.
E)at low altitudes.

Question 35

The annual temperature range is quite small near the equator.This is true primarily because:

A)solar radiation is nearly uniform all year.
B)the earth emits more infrared energy at these locations.
C)low pressure systems are almost never present.
D)the elevation of most land areas there is near sea level.
E)wind speeds tend to be always slow.

Question 36

How does the phase change of water from liquid to vapor generally influence the air temperature experienced in locations near water?

A)They have higher maximum temperatures.
B)Water phase change has no specific influence.
C)Air temperatures are generally warmer.
D)Air temperatures are generally cooler.

Question 37

A place located along a windward coast:

A)will probably have summer temperatures that are very similar to an inland place at the same latitude.
B)will probably have warmer summer temperatures than an inland place at the same latitude.
C)will probably have cooler summer temperatures than an inland place at the same latitude.

Question 38

The annual temperature range at most latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere is much smaller than that in the Northern Hemisphere.The reason for this is that:

A)less area is covered by desert in the Southern Hemisphere.
B)there is a greater percentage of water surface in the Southern Hemisphere.
C)a greater proportion of the land surface is mountainous in the Southern Hemisphere.
D)rainfall and cloudiness are greater in the Southern Hemisphere.
E)the earth is closest to the Sun during the Southern Hemisphere summer.

Question 39

Why are average monthly temperatures cooler in Quito,Ecuador than Guayaquil,Ecuador?

A)Quito is at a higher latitude.
B)Guayaquil is feeing the effects of global warming.
C)Glaciers in the Andes Mountains moderate the air temperature in Quito.
D)Quito is at a higher elevation.

Question 40

The most important cause of temperature variations is:

A)altitude.
B)differences in receipt of solar radiation.
C)cloud cover and albedo.
D)differential heating of land and water.
E)ocean currents.

Question 41

The number of degrees separating the ice point and the steam point:

A)is identical for both the Kelvin and Celsius scales.
B)is identical for both the Celsius and Fahrenheit scales.
C)is identical for the Fahrenheit,Celsius,and the Kelvin scales.
D)is greater for the Celsius scale than for the Fahrenheit scale.

Question 42

The ________ is often used in making a thermograph.

A)maximum thermometer
B)thermistor
C)minimum thermometer
D)bimetal strip
E)wet bulb thermometer

Question 43

The boiling point of water occurs at:

A)100°C.
B)200°F.
C)273 K.
D)212°C.

Question 44

Absolute zero equals:

A)273 K.
B)0°C.
C)-273°C.
D)-400°F.
E)0°F.

Question 45

The phenomenon illustrated in the map above is known as:

A)the urban heat island.
B)the city heat center.
C)geographic positioning.
D)the greenhouse effect.

Question 46

The effect of urban heat production on the urban heat island is GREATEST in the:

A)winter.
B)spring and/or fall.
C)summer.
D)There is no particular season when the effect is greatest.

Question 47

Daily and seasonal temperature cycles depend primarily on:

A)the combined effects of solar and terrestrial radiation.
B)only solar radiation.
C)only terrestrial radiation.
D)distance from the Sun.
E)friction between the wind and Earth surface.

Question 48

Where is the best location to place a thermometer for an accurate air temperature reading?

A)two to three inches above the ground in a shady place
B)in full sunlight so that it gets full exposure
C)as close to a building as possible
D)inside a shelter painted white

Question 49

The Fahrenheit scale is considered to be the LEAST useful temperature scale for scientific purposes because:

A)it is too difficult to convert Fahrenheit data into the Celsius scale.
B)the original fixed points for the scale were arbitrarily (and poorly)chosen,giving 0°F no real meaning.
C)the modern Fahrenheit scale does not properly identify the steam point of water.
D)the Celsius scale was created first,and so has a longer tradition with the scientific community.

Question 50

The lag of extreme temperatures with respect to minimum or maximum values of solar radiation is due to:

A)the earth being covered mostly by water.
B)the rotational motion of the earth.
C)the influence of the total radiation balance
D)absorption within the atmosphere
E)the elliptical orbit of the earth.

Question 51

65°F is equal to ________°C.

A)149
B)338
C)18.3
D)65

Question 52

An energy surplus in the atmosphere from solar radiation occurs:

A)between sunset and midnight.
B)in the early afternoon.
C)in the morning.
D)between midnight and dawn.
E)exactly at midnight.

Question 53

Which of the following is NOT a valid explanation of the urban heat island effect?

A)Urban areas retain heat longer and do not cool off as quickly at night as surrounding rural areas.
B)Pollution trapped over a city enhances the greenhouse effect of the atmosphere.
C)Urban areas generally have a higher albedo than surrounding rural areas.
D)Increased runoff on urban surfaces reduces evaporative cooling in the area.

Question 54

Overnight temperatures are warmer when the air is humid because:

A)water vapor is a good absorber of outgoing longwave radiation.
B)water vapor is a good absorber of incoming shortwave radiation,causing more energy to be stored during the day.
C)water vapor and clouds cause the Earth system to have a higher nighttime albedo.
D)water vapor is good at scattering longwave radiation.

Question 55

The ________ instrument contains a liquid of low density such as alcohol.

A)bimetal strip
B)thermistor
C)minimum thermometer
D)maximum thermometer

Question 56

Which month is most likely to be the HOTTEST in the northern hemisphere?

A)January
B)June
C)May
D)September
E)August

Question 57

The daily maximum temperature occurs at the time:

A)when incoming radiation first exceeds outgoing radiation.
B)of maximum incoming radiation.
C)when outgoing radiation equals incoming.
D)near noon.

Question 58

The lag of the maximum is exhibited when:

A)the maximum temperature during a year does not occur until autumn.
B)the highest levels of solar radiation are not received until late afternoon.
C)the maximum temperature for the day occurs several hours after maximum solar radiation receipt.
D)the warmest annual mean temperature occurs in the year following maximum CO₂ emissions.

Question 59

The Kelvin scale is preferred in some scientific applications because:

A)0 K actually represents absolute zero,so the scale is based on the actual scientific definition of temperature.
B)it has the same degree value as the Fahrenheit scale,making it easier for Americans to use.
C)0 K represents the freezing point of water,a useful scientific basis for a temperature scale.
D)it was created first and so has the longest history of scientific validation.

Question 60

A small dumbbell-shaped index is part of the:

A)maximum thermometer.
B)bimetal strip.
C)thermistor.
D)minimum thermometer.

Question 61

The city with the HIGHEST average annual cooling degree-days between 1971 and 2000 was:

A)St.Louis,MO.
B)Tucson,AZ.
C)Boston,MA.
D)Washington,D.C.
E)Miami,FL.

Question 62

Which of these factors influences the sensation of temperature that the human body feels?

A)wind speed
B)air temperature
C)humidity
D)wind speed,air temperature,and humidity

Question 63

7°C is equal to ________°F.

A)44.6
B)-13.9
C)280
D)65

Question 64

45°F is equal to ________K.

A)140
B)-228
C)280.2
D)318

Question 65

On a particular day,a place accumulates 15 heating degree days.What was the daily mean temperature on that day?

A)80°F
B)40°F
C)65°F
D)15°F
E)50°F

Question 66

There are two ways to measure the daily mean temperature,and they could give two different results.

Question 67

Isotherm lines do not always pass directly through observing station locations.

Question 68

Evaporation of water from lakes and moist soil increases their temperatures.

Question 69

The influence of large lakes or oceans generally reduces the annual temperature range.

Question 70

38°C is equal to ________K.

A)311
B)100.4
C)-235
D)3)3

Question 71

Surface air temperatures rise and fall more slowly over land areas.

Question 72

The daily mean temperature in a particular place is 83.How many cooling-degree days were accumulated?

A)83 cooling degree days
B)18 cooling degree days
C)74 cooling degree days
D)148 cooling degree days

Question 73

Typically,daily temperature changes in land surfaces are greater than those for water surfaces.

Question 74

Assume that there is a linear relationship between the number of heating degree-days and fuel consumption.If the number of heating degree-days tripled from one month to the next for a building,we would expect the fuel bill to:

A)double.
B)be one-third as much.
C)stay the same.
D)be half as much.
E)triple.

Question 75

Locations that have the same Sun angle always have very similar temperatures.

Question 76

Land cools more slowly than water during autumn because the land has a smaller specific heat value.

Question 77

The warmest temperature ever recorded in the United States occurred in Death Valley,CA.

Question 78

Which temperature scale was developed first?

A)Fahrenheit
B)Kelvin
C)Celsius
D)All three were proposed within a year of each other.

Question 79

The city with the highest average of annual heating degree-days is:

A)Anchorage,AK.
B)Salt Lake City,UT.
C)Atlanta,GA.
D)Chicago,IL.
E)Cleveland,OH.

Question 80

The hottest surface temperature ever recorded in the United States was 134°F.