Deck 17: Earths Changing Climate

Question 1

The factors that produce the climate in any given region are referred to as the ____.

A)weather indicators
B)weather patterns
C)climatic controls
D)climatic extremes
E)global climate

Answer 1

C

Question 2

____ typically refers to the climate very near the ground in a small zone where the surface properties are consistent, such as a city park.

A)Microclimate
B)Mesoclimate
C)Macroclimate
D)Local climate
E)Global climate

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The sinking air of the subtropical highs produces a "dry belt" around the globe.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Large bodies of water heat up and cool off more quickly than do landmasses.

Question 5

In the tropical wet-and-dry climate (Aw), from September through November practically no rain falls.

Question 6

When we examine the climate of a small area of Earth's surface, we are looking at the ____, which includes the conditions across regions such as towns.

A)macroclimate
B)mesoclimate
C)microclimate
D)local climate
E)global climate

Question 7

What is indicated by the fact that isotherms are oriented east-west on global temperature maps?

A)Locations at the same longitude in both the eastern and western hemispheres receive nearly the same amount of solar energy.
B)Locations at the same latitude in both the eastern and western hemispheres receive nearly the same amount of solar energy.
C)Locations at the same latitude in both the northern and southern hemispheres receive nearly the same amount of solar energy.
D)Locations at the same latitude in both the eastern and western hemispheres receive nearly the same amount of precipitation.
E)Locations at the same longitude in both the northern and southern hemispheres receive nearly the same amount of precipitation.

Question 8

According to Köppen, the dry regions of the world occupy more land area (about 26 percent)than any other major climatic type.

Question 9

In tropical regions, the trade winds converge along the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), producing sinking air masses.

Question 10

Moving equatorward of marine climates, the influence of the subtropical highs decreases, and the summer wet period is more pronounced.

Question 11

Within the tropical wet climate (Af), seasonal temperature variations are small (normally less than 3 degrees Celsius).

Question 12

How do isotherms on global temperature maps reflect the unequal heating and cooling properties of land and water, and ocean currents and upwellings?

A)Isotherms are oriented east-west.
B)Isotherms are not present along coastlines.
C)Isotherms bend at the poles.
D)Isotherms bend along coastal margins.
E)Isotherms remain flat along coastal margins.

Question 13

Considering the 1980-2010 monthly averages, in July, San Francisco, California, generally receives more rain than Baltimore, Maryland.

Question 14

The Köppen system implies that there is a gradual transition between climatic zones, when in reality there is a sharp boundary.

Question 15

The average temperature of the Antarctic is higher than that of the Arctic.

Question 16

Climatic controls are exclusively factors unrelated to human alteration of the environment.

Question 17

The Köppen classification system, initially published in 1918, employs five major climatic types based on the annual and monthly averages of temperature and precipitation.

Question 18

Across the world, locations at the same latitude receive nearly the same amount of solar energy.

Question 19

In climates classified as "D," precipitation is adequate and fairly evenly distributed throughout the year.

Question 20

Precipitation is most abundant where the air rises; least abundant where it sinks.

Question 21

The leeward side of mountains tends to be ____.

A)upwind
B)dry
C)moist
D)warm
E)cool

Question 22

Which section of the United States is most likely to experience a persistent subsidence inversion during the summer?

A)Pacific Coastal regions
B)Central Plains
C)Southern Florida
D)Atlantic Coastal regions
E)Midwest

Question 23

In tropical regions, the trade winds converge along the ____, producing rising air, towering clouds, and heavy precipitation all year long.

A)equator
B)eastern coastal margins
C)Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)
D)western coastal margins
E)subtropical highs

Question 24

The idealized pattern of global precipitation is disrupted by ____, which promote convection and force orographic uplift.

A)plains
B)deserts
C)mountain ranges
D)oceans
E)polar regions

Question 25

The rainiest places in the world are usually located ____.

A)downwind from mountain ranges
B)in the region of the subtropical highs
C)on the windward side of mountains
D)in the middle of continents
E)along the western side of continents

Question 26

The Köppen scheme for classifying climates employs annual and monthly averages of ____.

A)temperature and precipitation
B)precipitation and stream runoff
C)ocean levels and surface pressure
D)population density and agricultural output
E)sunshine and soil type

Question 27

Due to changes in the intensity and amount of ____, polar climates are found at high latitudes and tropical climates at low latitudes.

A)temperatures
B)precipitation
C)photosynthesis
D)solar energy
E)evaporation

Question 28

The climatologist, Glen Trewartha, modified the Köppen system by putting more emphasis on the ____.

A)precipitation and evaporation
B)lengths of growing seasons and average summer temperatures
C)annual and monthly temperature averages
D)annual and monthly precipitation averages
E)vegetation and monthly temperature and precipitation values

Question 29

The lowest average temperatures in the world occur in ____.

A)North America
B)Northwestern Europe
C)the Arctic
D)the Antarctic
E)Northern Siberia

Question 30

Which of the following results from the South Pole remaining snow- and ice-covered all year long, whereas the North Pole is surrounded by ocean?

A)The Southern Hemisphere is colder than the Northern Hemisphere.
B)The Northern Hemisphere is colder than the Southern Hemisphere.
C)The Southern Hemisphere receives more precipitation than the Northern Hemisphere.
D)The Northern Hemisphere receives more precipitation than the Southern Hemisphere.
E)The equatorial region is the warmest region of the world.

Question 31

Which of the following cities in the United States is located in a rain shadow?

A)Juneau, Alaska
B)New York City, New York
C)Louisville, Kentucky
D)Austin, Texas
E)Fort Collins, Colorado

Question 32

By considering temperature and worldwide sunshine distribution, the ancient Greeks categorized the world into ____ climatic regions.

A)three
B)four
C)five
D)six
E)seven

Question 33

How are mountainous regions, where rapid changes in elevation bring about sharp changes, designated in the Köppen classification system?

A)E, for extreme
B)A, for alpine
C)M, for mountainous
D)H, for highland climates
E)T, for topographic climates

Question 34

The hottest individual temperature readings on Earth are observed in the ____.

A)subtropical deserts of the Northern Hemisphere
B)subtropical deserts of the Southern Hemisphere
C)tropics
D)coastal regions of South America
E)interior of Siberia

Question 35

According to the ancient Greeks, a torrid zone is another name for a ____.

A)high-latitude polar zone
B)low-latitude tropical zone
C)mid-latitude temperate zone
D)frigid zone
E)subtropical dry zone

Question 36

According to the ancient Greeks, a middle-latitude ____ zone has a distinct summer and winter, so it exhibits characteristics of both extremes.

A)torrid
B)temperate
C)polar
D)tropical
E)frigid

Question 37

Variations in temperature between summer and winter are greater over continental interiors than along the west coastal margins of continents because landmasses ____.

A)are more influenced by their eastern coasts than their western coasts
B)have a more stable climate than coastal regions
C)receive less rainfall in their interiors than on their coasts
D)do not cool off as quickly as large bodies of water
E)heat up and cool off more quickly than large bodies of water

Question 38

In Thornthwaite's P/E index, "P" and "E" stand for ____, respectively.

A)precipitation and evaporation
B)precipitation and energy availability
C)potential sunlight and energy
D)potential sunlight and evaporation
E)photosynthesis and evaporation

Question 39

Which of the following is not a major climatic type in the Köppen scheme?

A)Tropical moist
B)Dry
C)Moist upper latitude with mild winters
D)Moist midlatitude with severe winters
E)Polar

Question 40

Where the air rises, ____.

A)precipitation is the most abundant
B)wind is the most abundant
C)snow is the most abundant
D)hail is the most abundant
E)sunshine is the most abundant

Question 41

Köppen classified tropical wet regions where the monthly precipitation totals drop below 6 cm for perhaps one or two months as ____.

A)subtropical climates
B)tropical dry climates
C)tropical monsoon climates
D)tropical wet climates
E)tropical wet-and-dry climates

Question 42

Humid subtropical climates (Cfa)are found principally ____, roughly between 25 degrees and 40 degrees latitude.

A)on small islands
B)next to mountain ranges
C)in the interior of continents
D)along the east coasts of continents
E)along the west coasts of continents

Question 43

In which of Köppen's climatic types are the average temperatures of the coldest month below 18 degrees C (64 degrees F)and above -3 degrees C (27 degrees F)?

A)Tropical moist climates
B)Dry climates
C)Moist mid-latitude climates with mild winters
D)Moist mid-latitude climates with severe winters
E)Polar climates

Question 44

In a dry climate, ____.

A)there are no plants
B)potential evaporation and transpiration exceed precipitation
C)there is no precipitation
D)precipitation exceeds potential evaporation and transpiration
E)winters are short, but cold

Question 45

Tropical wet-and-dry climates commonly feature which of the following types of vegetation?

A)Dense, broadleaf evergreen
B)Conifers
C)Savanna grass
D)Cacti
E)Sagebrush

Question 46

In the forest, little sunlight is able to penetrate to the ground through the thick crown cover. As a result, ____.

A)evapotranspiration does not occur near the forest floor
B)most plant growth is found near the forest floor
C)little plant growth is found near the forest floor
D)evaporation from soil does not occur near the forest floor
E)moisture cannot reach the plants on the forest floor

Question 47

A region with a low annual rainfall total is more likely to be classified as dry if the majority of precipitation is concentrated during the ____ months, when evaporation rates are greater.

A)warm autumn
B)cool spring
C)cold winter
D)mild spring
E)warm summer

Question 48

The term monsoon refers to ____.

A)the short summer rainy season observed in some locations
B)a short dry season
C)a period of heavy rainfall produced by thunderstorms
D)a seasonal reversal of winds
E)a massive storm that starts in the ocean and sometimes hits land

Question 49

Using the P/E index, the Thornthwaite system defines ____ major humidity provinces and their characteristic vegetation.

A)three
B)four
C)five
D)six
E)seven

Question 50

The tropical wet-and-dry climate is influenced mainly by the ____.

A)polar front and the subtropical highs
B)polar front and the ITCZ
C)subtropical highs and polar front
D)ITCZ and subtropical highs
E)subtropical highs and polar lows

Question 51

The region called ____ has a semi-arid climate and typically has short bunch grass, scattered low bushes, sparse trees, or sagebrush.

A)steppe
B)savannah
C)chaparral
D)tundra
E)taiga

Question 52

The D climates are found only in the ____.

A)Southern Hemisphere
B)Northern Hemisphere
C)Eastern Hemisphere
D)Western Hemisphere
E)entire world

Question 53

During much of the year, ____ climates are characterized by low clouds, fog, and drizzle.

A)marine
B)tropical wet
C)tropical wet-and-dry
D)Mediterranean
E)highland

Question 54

The primary reason for the extreme summer aridity of the Mediterranean climate in California is ____.

A)that storms do not form in summer
B)that the air is too cool to produce adequate precipitation
C)the sinking air of the subtropical highs
D)the ITCZ moves north in summer
E)the Bermuda high intensifies and shifts northward in summer

Question 55

Which climate type extends northward and southward from the equator to about latitude 15 degrees to 35 degrees?

A)Tropical moist climates (A climates)
B)Dry climates (B climates)
C)Moist mid-latitude climates with mild winters (C climates)
D)Moist mid-latitude climates with severe winters (D climates)
E)None of these is correct.

Question 56

In 1955, Thornthwaite revised his classification system to emphasize ____.

A)evaporation
B)potential energy
C)potential evapotranspiration
D)photosynthesis
E)precipitation

Question 57

The soil beneath the rainforest's canopy is not excellent for agriculture because as heavy rain falls on the soil, the water works its way downward, removing nutrients in a process called ____.

A)decomposition
B)leaching
C)denitrification
D)saturation
E)evapotranspiration

Question 58

A trademark of the humid subtropical (Cfa)climate is ____.

A)hot, dry summers
B)warm, dry winters
C)hot, muggy summers
D)frequent snowfall in winter
E)large diurnal temperature fluctuations

Question 59

The Mediterranean climate is also called the ____ climate.

A)humid subtropical (Cfa)
B)marine (Cfb)
C)humid continental with hot summers (Dfa)
D)dry-summer subtropical (Cs)
E)semi-arid (BS)

Question 60

In which tropical climate does the high humidity and cloud cover prevent the maximum temperatures from reaching extremely high values?

A)Tropical monsoon (Am)
B)Dry-summer subtropical (Cs)
C)Tropical wet and dry (Aw)
D)Humid subtropical (Cfa)
E)Tropical wet (Af)

Question 61

Across much of the United States, intense winter storms develop and travel ____________________, frequently dumping heavy precipitation as they go.

Question 62

The southern desert region of North America is dry because it is dominated by the ____________________ most of the year.

Question 63

The annual sunlight received by each latitude decreases from ____________________ latitude to ____________________ latitude.

Question 64

In tropical wet climates, high humidity and ____________________ tend to keep maximum temperatures from reaching extremely high values.

Question 65

Classifying a climate as dry depends not only on precipitation totals but also on ____________________, which greatly influences evaporation.

Question 66

Regions that show a great deal of variation in temperature, precipitation, and vegetation over a relatively short vertical change in elevation would, according to Köppen, be classified as ____.

A)polar tundra
B)subpolar
C)polar ice cap
D)torrid
E)highland

Question 67

When the average temperature for every month drops below freezing, plant growth is impossible, and the region is perpetually covered with snow and ice, the climate is classified as ____.

A)subpolar
B)polar ice cap
C)polar tundra
D)polar taiga
E)arctic

Question 68

The ____ climate type normally has the largest annual range in temperature.

A)tropical
B)humid-subtropical
C)polar ice cap
D)subpolar
E)dry

Question 69

A region on the ____________________ side of a mountain where precipitation is noticeably less is called a rain shadow.

Question 70

When rainforests are cleared for agricultural purposes, or for the timber, what is left is a thick red soil called ____________________.

Question 71

Plants capable of surviving prolonged periods of drought are called ____________________.

Question 72

Because a much greater extreme in daily air temperatures exists near the ground than several feet above, the ____________________ for small plants is far harsher than the thermometer in an instrument shelter would indicate.

Question 73

The relatively dry air and the Antarctic's high elevation permit rapid ____________________ during the dark winter months, producing extremely cold surface air.

Question 74

A widely used classification of world climates based on the annual and monthly averages of temperature and precipitation is called the ____________________ classification system.

Question 75

Thornthwaite proposed a new classification system in 1948 and slightly revised it in 1955. His new scheme emphasized the concept of ____________________, which is the amount of moisture that would be lost from the soil and vegetation if the moisture were available.

Question 76

When calculated across an entire year, the hottest individual temperature readings on Earth are observed in the ____ of the Northern Hemisphere.

Question 77

At low elevations near the equator, high temperatures and abundant yearly rainfall combine to produce a dense, broadleaf, evergreen forest called a ____________________.

Question 78

The climate of a large state or a small nation is called the ____________________.

Question 79

When the average temperature of the warmest month of a region averages above freezing, but below 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit), you might expect to observe what type of vegetation there?

A)Savanna
B)Tundra
C)Taiga
D)Steppe
E)None of these is correct.

Question 80

A region with long, very cold winters, with only one to three months having a mean temperature exceeding 10 degrees Celcius (50 degrees Fahrenheit)would have a ____ climate.

A)subpolar (Dfc)
B)polar tundra (ET)
C)polar ice cap (EF)
D)humid continental with hot summers (Dfa)
E)humid continental with cool summers (Dfb)