Deck 3: Seasonal and Daily Temperatures

Question 1

​The north-facing side of a hill in a mountainous region in the U.S. tends to be a better location for a ski run than the south-facing side.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

​In the Northern Hemisphere, which day has the fewest hours of daylight?

A) ​summer solstice
B) ​winter solstice
C) ​vernal equinox
D) ​autumnal equinox
E) ​spring solstice

Answer 2

B

Question 3

​Which latitude below would experience the fewest hours of daylight on December 22nd?

A) ​60 $\degree$ S
B) ​20 $\degree$ S
C) ​0 $\degree$ (Equator)
D) ​20 $\degree$ N
E) ​60 $\degree$ N

Answer 3

​60 $\degree$ N

Question 4

​During summer near the North Pole, the Sun is above the horizon a shorter period of time than in the mid-latitudes.

Question 5

​If two cities have the same mean annual temperature, it means that their temperatures throughout the year are always similar.

Question 6

​On what date is the Sun the most intense in the Northern Hemisphere?

A) ​July 15
B) ​December 21
C) ​June 21
D) ​September 22
E) ​March 20

Question 7

​The winter solstice marks the shortest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

Question 8

​During a radiation inversion, wind machines can lift cool surface air to higher altitudes.

Question 9

​Cold, rainy days often feel warmer than dry days because air conducts heat away from the body better than water.

Question 10

​In the Northern Hemisphere, south-facing mountain slopes normally have a smaller diurnal range in temperature than north-facing slopes.

Question 11

​Each day past the winter solstice the noon Sun is a little higher above the southern horizon.

Question 12

​Corn varieties are typically rated in terms of "days to maturity". The reason this system works well is that corn always takes the same number of days to mature, independent of the growing location.

Question 13

​During an equinox, the days and nights are of equal length except at the poles.

Question 14

​Incoming solar radiation in middle latitudes is less in winter than in summer because the Sun's rays slant more and spread their energy over a larger area.

Question 15

​If you are a household gardener concerned about outside flowers and plants during cold weather, you can simply wrap them in plastic or cover each with a paper cup to protect them.

Question 16

​In the Northern Hemisphere, summers are warmer than winters, even though Earth is actually closer to the Sun in January.

Question 17

​Water warms and cools much more slowly than land, because it takes more heat to raise the temperature of a given amount of soil 1 $\degree$ C than it does to raise the temperature of water 1 $\degree$ C.

Question 18

​The Sun is directly overhead at Mexico City (latitude 19 $\degree$ N)

A) ​once a year.
B) ​twice a year.
C) ​four times a year.
D) ​never.
E) ​every month.

Question 19

​Even though the poles have 24 hours of sunlight during the summer, the average summer temperature there is nonetheless below 0 $\degree$ F.

Question 20

​The combination of heating and cooling degree days gives a practical indication of the energy requirements over the year.

Question 21

​Although the polar regions radiate away more heat energy than they receive by insolation in the course of a year, they are prevented from becoming progressively colder each year by the

A) ​conduction of heat through the interior of Earth.
B) ​concentration of Earth's magnetic field lines at the poles.
C) ​circulation of heat by the atmosphere and oceans.
D) ​the insulating properties of snow.
E) ​release of latent heat to the atmosphere when polar ice melts.

Question 22

​Earth is tilted at an angle of 23.5 $\degree$ with respect to the plane of its orbit around the Sun. If the amount of tilt were increased to 40 $\degree$ , we would expect in middle latitudes

A) ​hotter summers and colder winters than at present.
B) ​cooler summers and milder winters than at present.
C) ​hotter summers and milder winters than at present.
D) ​cooler summers and colder winters than at present.
E) ​no appreciable change from present conditions.

Question 23

​Suppose yesterday morning you noticed ice crystals (frost) on the grass, yet the minimum temperature reported in the newspaper was only 35 $\degree$ F. The most likely reason for this apparent discrepancy is that

A) ​temperature readings are taken in instrument shelters more than 5 feet above the ground.
B) ​the thermometer was in error.
C) ​the newspaper reported the wrong temperature.
D) ​the thermometer was read before the minimum temperature was reached for that day.
E) ​the thermometer was read incorrectly.

Question 24

​If tonight's temperature is going to drop into the middle 20s ( $\degree$ F) and a fairly stiff wind is predicted, probably the best way to protect an orchard against a hard freeze is to (assume that cost is not a factor)

A) ​use helicopters.
B) ​use wind machines.
C) ​sprinkle the crops with water.
D) ​put orchard heaters to work.
E) ​pray for clouds.

Question 25

​The lag in daily temperature refers to the time lag between the

A) ​time of maximum solar radiation and the time of maximum temperature.
B) ​time of minimum temperature and the time of maximum solar radiation.
C) ​minimum and maximum temperature for a day.
D) ​minimum and maximum solar energy received at the surface for a given day.
E) ​sunrise and sunset.

Question 26

​The greatest variation in daily temperature usually occurs

A) ​at the ground.
B) ​about 5 feet above the ground.
C) ​at the top of a high-rise apartment complex.
D) ​at the level where thermals stop rising.
E) ​on top of a mountain.

Question 27

​An important reason for the large daily temperature range over deserts is

A) ​there is little water vapor in the air to absorb and re-radiate infrared radiation.
B) ​the light-colored sand radiates heat very rapidly at night.
C) ​dry air is a very poor heat conductor.
D) ​free convection cells are unable to form above the hot desert ground.
E) ​the ozone content of desert air is very low.

Question 28

​Using sprinklers to prevent crop damage from cold air works best when

A) ​the air is fairly humid.
B) ​the air is fairly dry.
C) ​the air is dry and hot.
D) ​the air is dry and cold.
E) ​it's over 30 degrees Celsius.

Question 29

​The most important reason why summers in the Southern Hemisphere are not warmer than summers in the Northern Hemisphere is that

A) ​Earth is closer to the Sun in January.
B) ​Earth is farther from the Sun in July.
C) ​over 80 percent of the Southern Hemisphere is covered with water.
D) ​the Sun's energy is less intense in the Southern Hemisphere.
E) ​ice from Antarctica prevents it from getting very hot.

Question 30

​In a hilly region, the best place to plant crops that are sensitive to low temperatures is

A) ​on the valley floor.
B) ​along the hillsides.
C) ​on the top of the highest hill.
D) ​in any dry location.
E) ​near streams and rivers.

Question 31

​The daily minimum temperature is usually observed

A) ​at the time of sunset.
B) ​near midnight.
C) ​several hours before sunrise.
D) ​around sunrise.
E) ​several hours after sunrise.

Question 32

​For maximum winter warmth, in the Northern Hemisphere, large windows in a house should face

A) ​north.
B) ​south.
C) ​east.
D) ​west.
E) ​any direction.

Question 33

​On a clear, calm night, the ground and air above cool mainly by which process?

A) ​evaporation
B) ​reflection
C) ​convection
D) ​conduction
E) ​radiation

Question 34

​During the afternoon, the greatest temperature difference between surface air and the air several meters above occurs on a

A) ​clear, calm afternoon.
B) ​clear, windy afternoon.
C) ​cloudy, calm afternoon.
D) ​cloudy, windy afternoon.
E) ​cold, windy afternoon.

Question 35

​When it is January and winter in the Northern Hemisphere, it is ____ and ____ in the Southern Hemisphere.

A) ​January; summer
B) ​January; winter
C) ​July; winter
D) ​July; summer
E) ​March; spring

Question 36

​In clear weather, the air next to the ground is usually ____ than the air above during the night and ____ than the air above during the day.

A) ​hotter; more humid
B) ​colder; less humid
C) ​warmer; colder
D) ​warmer; warmer
E) ​colder; warmer

Question 37

​At what time during a 24-hour day would a radiation temperature inversion best be developed?

A) ​at sunset
B) ​near sunrise
C) ​toward the end of the morning
D) ​between 3 and 5 p.m. when the air temperature reaches a maximum
E) ​at noon

Question 38

​One would expect the lowest temperatures to be found next to the ground on a

A) ​clear, damp, windy night.
B) ​cloudy night.
C) ​clear, dry, calm night.
D) ​clear, dry, windy night.
E) ​rainy night.

Question 39

​Ideal conditions for a strong radiation inversion are a

A) ​clear, calm, dry, winter night.
B) ​clear, calm, moist, summer night.
C) ​cloudy, calm, moist, winter night.
D) ​cloudy, windy, moist, summer night.
E) ​clear, windy, dry, summer night.

Question 40

​Our seasons are caused by

A) ​the amount of cloud cover during the different parts of the year.
B) ​the angle at which sunlight reaches Earth.
C) ​the proximity to the poles.
D) ​the constellation of Earth, Sun, and Moon.
E) ​differences in altitude.

Question 41

​When a liquid thermometer is held in direct sunlight,

A) ​it will accurately measure the air temperature.
B) ​it will measure a much higher temperature than that of the air.
C) ​it will measure a much lower temperature than that of the air.
D) ​it will measure the temperature of the Sun rather than the air.
E) ​it can overheat and explode.

Question 42

​In humid Iowa, where summer nighttime temperatures are high, corn takes ____ time to mature than in the drier west.

A) ​the same amount of
B) ​twice as much
C) ​a quarter of the
D) ​more
E) ​less

Question 43

​Longer days are generally associated with

A) ​less insolation.
B) ​more heating degree days.
C) ​more insolation.
D) ​colder daily temperatures.
E) ​large daily temperature variations.

Question 44

​The term cooling degree day is used during ____ weather.

A) warm
B) ​cold
C) ​freezing
D) ​humid
E) ​any

Question 45

​Hypothermia is most common in

A) ​hot, humid weather.
B) ​cold, wet weather.
C) ​hot, dry weather.
D) ​cold, dry weather.
E) ​cold, dry weather.

Question 46

​An ideal shelter for housing a temperature-measurement instrument should be

A) ​white.
B) ​black.
C) ​in the shade.
D) ​both white and in the shade.
E) ​both black and in the shade.

Question 47

​Heating degree days are determined by subtracting the ____ temperature for the ____ from 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

A) ​coldest; year
B) ​mean; year
C) ​warmest; week
D) ​coldest; day
E) ​mean; day

Question 48

​The wind-chill factor

A) ​relates body heat loss with wind to an equivalent temperature with no wind.
B) ​indicates the temperature at which water freezes on exposed skin.
C) ​takes into account humidity and air temperature in expressing the current air temperature.
D) ​tells farmers when to protect crops from a freeze.
E) ​determines how low the air temperature will be on any given day.

Question 49

​Over Earth as a whole, one would expect to observe the smallest variation in temperature from day to day and from month to month

A) ​at the North Pole.
B) ​in the center of a large land mass.
C) ​along the Pacific coast of North America.
D) ​high in the mountains in the middle of a continent.
E) ​on a small island near the equator.

Question 50

​Which of the following latitudes is closer to Earth's axis?

A) ​0 $\degree$ N
B) ​15 $\degree$ N
C) ​40 $\degree$ N
D) ​60 $\degree$ N
E) ​90 $\degree$ N

Question 51

​On the summer solstice, the highest position of the noonday Sun is located

A) ​near the North Pole.
B) ​in the mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.
C) ​in the mid-latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere.
D) ​near the South Pole.
E) ​near the equator.

Question 52

​In cold weather, when the air is calm, the temperature we perceive-called the sensible temperature-is often ____ a thermometer might indicate.

A) ​lower than
B) ​higher than
C) ​the same as
D) ​a fraction of what
E) ​at least twice as high as

Question 53

​Fruit trees are particularly vulnerable to cold weather ____.

A) ​when they are fruit-bearing
B) ​when they are bare
C) ​right after fruit have been picked
D) ​when they are blossoming
E) when the first leaves show up

Question 54

​Because the west side of a house warms rapidly in the afternoon, rooms facing that direction should have ____ windows in order for them to act as a thermal buffer.

A) ​small
B) ​larger
C) ​medium-size
D) ​no
E) ​many

Question 55

​Because air temperatures normally decrease with increasing height, trees found on the cooler north-facing side of mountains are often those that usually grow

A) ​at lower elevations.
B) ​near the Arctic circle.
C) ​in arid climates.
D) ​near the equator.
E) ​at higher elevations.

Question 56

​In the northern hemisphere, a solar panel should be placed on the side of the roof facing

A) ​east.
B) ​west.
C) ​north.
D) ​south.
E) ​any of these directions.

Question 57

​At any given time, ____ of Earth is illuminated by the Sun.

A) ​one-fourth
B) ​one-third
C) ​one-half
D) ​two-thirds
E) ​three quarters

Question 58

​If the cold occurs over a widespread area for a long enough time to damage certain crops, the extreme cold is called (a) ____.

A) ​frost
B) ​dew frost
C) ​freeze
D) ​dew
E) ​nip

Question 59

​Farmers use an index called ____ as a guide to planting and for determining the approximate dates when a crop will be ready for harvesting.

A) ​heating degree days
B) ​harvesting degree days
C) ​growing degree days
D) ​cooling degree days
E) ​ripening degree days

Question 60

​A growing degree day for a particular crop is defined as a day on which the mean daily temperature is ____ degree above the base temperature (also known as the zero temperature)-the minimum temperature required for growth of that crop.

A) ​one
B) ​two
C) ​three
D) ​four
E) ​five

Question 61

​If the tilt of Earth's axis suddenly increased to 45^o, average winter temperatures in the middle latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere would ____________________.

Question 62

​A(n) ____ thermometer consists of two different pieces of metal (usually brass and iron) welded together to form a single strip.

A) ​thermograph
B) ​bilateral
C) ​electrical
D) ​thermoresistant
E) ​bimetallic

Question 63

​The first sign of hypothermia is ____.

A) ​stupor
B) ​dehydration
C) ​exhaustion
D) ​collapse
E) ​frostbite

Question 64

​Maximum daily temperatures under hazy skies are typically ____________________ than those under clear skies.

Question 65

​In many areas of the far western United States, only sparse vegetation grows on ____________________-facing slopes.

Question 66

​In Pennsylvania and New York, wine grapes are planted on the side of ____________________ rather than in valleys.

Question 67

​Another name for an infrared sensor is ____.

A) ​thermistor
B) ​radiosonde
C) ​light thermometer
D) ​radiometer
E) ​thermocouple

Question 68

​The daily (diurnal) range of temperature is greatest next to the ____________________.

Question 69

​In the northern hemisphere, north-facing hillsides have a(n) ____________________ growing season than south-facing hillsides.

Question 70

​If it is winter and January in New York City, the season in Sydney, Australia is ____________________.

Question 71

​Considering each hemisphere as a whole, seasonal temperature variation in the Southern Hemisphere is ____________________ that in the Northern Hemisphere.

Question 72

​This type of thermometer has a glass bulb attached to a sealed, graduated tube about 25 cm (10 in.) long. A very small opening, or bore, extends from the bulb to the end of the tube. A liquid in the bulb (usually mercury or red-colored alcohol) is free to move from the bulb up through the bore and into the tube. When the air temperature increases, the liquid in the bulb expands, and rises up the tube. When the air temperature decreases, the liquid contracts, and moves down the tube. Hence, the length of the liquid in the tube represents the air temperature.

A) ​liquid-in-glass thermometer
B) ​mercury thermometer
C) ​maximum thermometer
D) ​minimum thermometer
E) ​thermistor

Question 73

​Minimum thermometers are usually read during the ____________________, yet they are reset in the ____________________.

Question 74

​The wind-chill index takes into account the wind speed at about ____ above the ground instead of the where official readings are usually taken.

A) ​10 m (33 ft)
B) ​5 m (16.5 ft)
C) ​100 m (330 ft)
D) ​1.5 m (5 ft)
E) ​15 m (50 ft)

Question 75

​In July, at middle latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, the day is more than ____________________ hours long and is getting ____________________ with each passing day.

Question 76

​The maximum in daytime surface temperature typically occurs ____________________ Earth receives its most intense solar radiation.

Question 77

​Data loggers are gradually replacing ____.

A) ​radiosondes
B) ​mechanical thermographs
C) ​electrical thermometers
D) ​mercury thermometers
E) ​wind-chill measurement devices

Question 78

​Because water heats and cools more slowly than land, the lag in daily temperature over water is usually much ____________________ than that experienced over land.

Question 79

​During the Northern Hemisphere's summer, the daylight hours in northern latitudes are ____________________ than in middle latitudes.

Question 80

​On a warm summer day, one city experienced a daily range of 22 $\degree$ C (40 $\degree$ F), while another had a daily range of 10 $\degree$ C (18 $\degree$ F). One of these cities is located in New Jersey and the other in New Mexico. The highest daily range probably occurred in ____________________ where relatively dry summer air allows for large daily temperature ranges. The lowest daily range more than likely occurred in ____________________ where the humid summer air keeps the daily temperature range small.