Deck 8: Climate and Climate Change

Question 1

To the Greeks, their land fell within the ________ zone in their early classification of climate.

A) frigid
B) temperate
C) torrid
D) homeland
E) hinterland

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The lowercase letter symbolizing "moist, with no dry season" in the Köppen classification system is ________.

A) w
B) s
C) f
D) k
E) a

Answer 2

C

Question 3

For many centuries before the present one, scholars believed that the world had ________ climatic zones.

A) 0
B) 1
C) 5
D) 10
E) 20

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Of the main Köppen climate zones, ________ is the only one that does not occur in the Southern Hemisphere.

A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
E) E

Question 5

In tropical regions the "winter" season is merely the ________ period.

A) zodiac
B) low sun
C) intertropical convergence
D) easterly wave
E) tropical cyclone

Question 6

The Köppen system of climate classification is based on ________.

A) solar radiation
B) temperature and precipitation
C) evapotranspiration
D) sensible temperature indices
E) cumulative humidity indices

Question 7

Looking at a world climate map, ________ has the most symmetrical of the distributions of major climatic types on either side of the Equator.

A) Australia
B) South America
C) Africa
D) Europe
E) Asia

Question 8

The three climate zones of the classical Greeks were "torrid," "temperate," and "________."

A) Arctic
B) cold
C) warm
D) equatorial
E) frigid

Question 9

Presently, the most widely used classification system was derived by ________.

A) the ancient Greeks
B) Norwegian meteorologists of the 20^th century
C) The National Weather Service of the United States
D) C.W. Thornthwaite
E) Wladimir Köppen

Question 10

Currently, with many climatic classification schemes which have been devised, scholars generally recognize that there are ________ basic climate types on Earth.

A) 0
B) 5
C) 10
D) 20
E) infinitely many

Question 11

The desire to simplify, organize, and generalize the vast array of climatic data into a comprehensible system that helps us understand the distribution of climates over Earth leads to ________.

A) classification
B) averaging
C) weather forecasting
D) compromise
E) frustration

Question 12

The Köppen system of climatic classification ________.

A) is the most recent numerical system
B) is seldom used today
C) uses human comfort to determine climate boundaries
D) uses data difficult to obtain
E) is the one used in your textbook

Question 13

The text makes frequent use of ________, which are charts showing average monthly temperatures and precipitation amounts.

A) rain graphs
B) climographs
C) barographs
D) weather graphs
E) isohyets

Question 14

In most classification schemes, which principal indicator is used to delineate five zones and their subtypes?

A) Precipitation
B) Temperature
C) Cloudiness
D) Daylength
E) Vegetation types

Question 15

The modified Köppen climate classification as used in the textbook includes ________ major climatic groups.

A) 3
B) 5
C) 8
D) 10
E) 15

Question 16

In what year did Köppen first publish his classification system?

A) 1492
B) 1760
C) 1850
D) 1918
E) 1971

Question 17

The classification scheme of the ancient Greeks was discarded ________.

A) before written history
B) in the 1^st century BC
C) in the Dark Ages
D) in the Renaissance
E) in the 20^th century

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT one of the world's five basic climatic types?

A) high latitude wet
B) tropical hot-dry
C) equatorial warm-wet
D) midlatitude cool temperate
E) subtropical warm temperate

Question 19

The textbook uses climographs. Climographs are useful in ________.

A) predicting weather
B) classifying climate
C) recording relative humidity
D) judging the strength of storms
E) calculating climatic change

Question 20

The Greek classification of climate included all but ________.

A) the torrid zone
B) the temperate zone
C) the frigid zone
D) a knowledge of longitude
E) a knowledge of latitude

Question 21

Tropical monsoon climates are found where ________.

A) Earth's hottest temperatures occur
B) summer temperatures much hotter than winter temperatures
C) there is much more yearly evapotranspiration than precipitation
D) winter precipitation much greater than summer precipitation
E) the ITC comes overhead in the summer

Question 22

The world record for greatest precipitation received in a single year is on the order of ________ centimeters.

A) 2.6
B) 26
C) 260
D) 2,600
E) 260,000

Question 23

In an Af climate, what time of day is precipitation most likely?

A) at dawn
B) at mid-morning
C) at noon
D) at mid-afternoon
E) at midnight

Question 24

"Night is winter" is best applied to the ________ climate.

A) Af
B) Am
C) BWk
D) Csa
E) Dfa

Question 25

The single most descriptive word that can be applied to Tropical Wet climates is ________.

A) variability
B) seasonality
C) comfortable
D) invigorating
E) monotonous

Question 26

The maximum poleward extent of Af climates is found ________.

A) in the Sahara desert
B) on east coasts of continents
C) in New Zealand
D) at the Equator
E) at the Intertropical Convergence

Question 27

The ________ climatic type has, by far, the smallest annual temperature range of any climatic type.

A) ET
B) Dfa
C) BWh
D) Csa
E) Af

Question 28

In the Tropical Monsoonal climates, summer is NOT the warmest season because of ________.

A) position of the Sun in the sky
B) the presence of cool air masses
C) wind flow from the Arctic Ocean
D) increased cloudiness
E) greater evaporation from vegetation

Question 29

A small island on the Equator would most likely be classified ________.

A) Aw
B) BS
C) Cfa
D) Af
E) Dfa

Question 30

The intertropical convergence zone is most closely associated with which of the Köppen system's major climate types?

A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
E) E

Question 31

In the tropical wet climate, precipitation is mainly ________.

A) frontal
B) unreliable
C) convective
D) orographic
E) drizzle

Question 32

The poleward limits of the Aw climate are approximately equivalent to ________.

A) tropical coastlines
B) limit of atoll formation
C) average 0°C isotherm
D) poleward maximum migration of the ITC
E) average annual 15°C isotherm

Question 33

There are more square kilometers of A climates in ________ than in any other region.

A) Australia
B) Asia
C) Africa
D) South America
E) Antarctica

Question 34

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the tropical humid climates?

A) The shortest daylengths are not much shorter than the longest daylengths.
B) The Sun is high in the sky every day of the year.
C) The Intertropical Convergence Zone is rarely overhead.
D) Precipitation is plentiful over the year.
E) They experience warm temperatures all year long.

Question 35

On which continent is the intertropical convergence furthest from the equator in the summer season?

A) North America
B) South America
C) Europe
D) Africa
E) Asia

Question 36

The one-year record rainfall took place in a ________ climate type.

A) rainforest
B) monsoon
C) mediterranean
D) west coast marine
E) humid subtropical

Question 37

The largest amount of tropical rainforest is on the continent of ________.

A) Africa
B) Asia
C) South America
D) North America
E) Australia

Question 38

Where in the world does average daily temperature exceed the annual temperature range?

A) everywhere
B) the polar latitudes
C) the middle latitudes
D) the tropical latitudes
E) nowhere

Question 39

The tropical monsoon climate bears a letter classification of ________.

A) Aw
B) BW
C) Am
D) BS
E) Cfa

Question 40

The world's highest average annual precipitation is associated with a mountain in Hawaii where a total of CLOSEST TO ________ centimeters is received.

A) 10
B) 100
C) 1,000
D) 10,000
E) 100,000

Question 41

The world's largest expanse of middle latitude dry climates is on the continent of ________.

A) Asia
B) Africa
C) Australia
D) Europe
E) North America

Question 42

Midlatitude deserts experience a ________ maximum in precipitation.

A) winter
B) summer
C) low sun
D) steppe
E) bi-modal (two different months of)

Question 43

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the midlatitude desert climate type?

A) colder than its tropical counterpart
B) far removed from oceanic moisture
C) blocked from oceanic moisture by mountains
D) found in Asia, North America, and South America
E) a winter maximum of precipitation

Question 44

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of desert climates?

A) Precipitation exceeds evapotranspiration.
B) Precipitation is scarce.
C) Precipitation is unreliable.
D) Precipitation is intense when it comes.
E) Cold ocean currents cool coastal zones.

Question 45

The B climates are dry most usually because of lack of ________.

A) uplift in the air
B) solar energy
C) moisture in the air
D) high altitude
E) occurrence near the polar front

Question 46

The main reason for the occurrence of subtropical deserts around the world is ________.

A) locations of anticyclones
B) the westerly winds
C) the intertropical convergence
D) easterly winds
E) position of the cold ocean currents

Question 47

The greatest one-day range of temperature was recorded in a BWh climate in ________.

A) Denver
B) Algeria
C) Australia
D) Antarctica
E) India

Question 48

The climatic type for the desert areas is ________.

A) Am
B) BW
C) Aw
D) Dfa
E) Cfa

Question 49

The hottest places on Earth are ________.

A) associated with the longest day lengths
B) hot all year round
C) also the most humid places
D) found at the Equator
E) associated with a lack of clouds

Question 50

Which of the following climate types takes up the most land area?

A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
E) H

Question 51

This desert is in a "double rain shadow."

A) Sahara
B) Kalahari
C) Atacama
D) Mojave
E) Saudi

Question 52

The BWh climate is "caused" by the ________.

A) subtropical highs
B) trade winds
C) westerlies
D) warm ocean currents
E) none of the above

Question 53

The world record highest one-day rainfall is ________ centimeters (2.54 centimeters = 1 inch).

A) 7
B) 53
C) 188
D) 767
E) 3,105

Question 54

Subtropical deserts are so dry because of ________ associated with the presence of the STHs.

A) subsidence
B) instability
C) storminess
D) convergence
E) orographic effects

Question 55

In Am climates, the hottest time of year is ________.

A) winter
B) summer
C) fall
D) spring
E) the rainy season

Question 56

The site of the world's record lowest average annual precipitation is on the continent of ________.

A) North America
B) Asia
C) Australia
D) South America
E) Europe

Question 57

The midlatitude steppe fits into the Köppen classification as ________.

A) BWk
B) Cwa
C) Aw
D) BSk
E) ET

Question 58

The presence of the cold Humboldt current and the Andes Mountains help to create the coastal ________ Desert.

A) Sahara
B) Gobi
C) Sonoran
D) Atacama
E) Mojave

Question 59

In the BS climatic type, the "S" stands for ________.

A) steppe
B) seasonal
C) selva
D) savanna
E) semi-annual

Question 60

Deserts are arid; steppes are ________.

A) subtropical
B) semiarid
C) temperature
D) humid
E) adiabatic

Question 61

Steppe climates can be thought of as occupying transitional positions between deserts and ________.

A) polar climates
B) Köppen's "B" climates
C) humid climates
D) tropical climates
E) coastal climates

Question 62

The Cs climatic type is usually located on the ________ side of the continents.

A) north
B) south
C) east
D) west
E) highland

Question 63

The greatest day-to-day and seasonal contrasts of climate are found in the ________ climates.

A) polar
B) middle latitude
C) subtropical
D) tropical
E) desert

Question 64

Which of the following is NOT a climate type found in South America?

A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
E) H

Question 65

Another designation for the mediterranean climate is ________.

A) dry summer subtropical
B) midlatitude steppe
C) upland savanna
D) boreal forest
E) midlatitude monsoon

Question 66

Which of the following climate types is found at the highest latitudes?

A) humid subtropical
B) Mediterranean
C) marine west coast
D) midlatitude desert
E) subtropical steppe

Question 67

A middle latitude climate type located on the western edges of the continents is the ________ climate.

A) Cfa
B) Dfa
C) Dwa
D) Csb
E) BWh

Question 68

The area most closely associated with D climates is ________.

A) Central America
B) Australia
C) Canada
D) Southern Africa
E) the Amazon basin

Question 69

Which climate type is known for clear skies in the summertime?

A) Af
B) Cfa
C) Dfa
D) Csa
E) Am

Question 70

Mediterranean climates experience dry summers because of ________.

A) a double maximum of sun elevation
B) the position of subtropical high pressure
C) the cool ocean currents
D) adjacent rain shadows
E) the strong jet stream influence

Question 71

In midlatitude desert (BWk) climates, the ________ temperature is greater than in subtropical desert (BWh) climates.

A) average annual
B) daily high
C) annual median
D) annual range of
E) daily low

Question 72

Which of the following would be an expected average annual precipitation total in a marine west coast climate?

A) 10 centimeters
B) 100 centimeters
C) 1,000 centimeters
D) 10,000 centimeters
E) none of the above

Question 73

Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere and the maximum precipitation in its Csa climate type falls in the month of ________.

A) January
B) March
C) June
D) September
E) December

Question 74

The furthest north citrus can be grown in North American is at ________ North latitude in the California Cs climate type.

A) 8°
B) 18°
C) 38°
D) 58°
E) 78°

Question 75

A Cfa climate exists on the southeastern coast of the United States. Which climate type exists on the southwestern coast of the United States?

A) Cfa
B) Csa
C) Cfb
D) BWh
E) Dfa

Question 76

The two temperate climate zones recognized in most climatic classifications differ on the basis of ________.

A) dominance of summer versus winter
B) average annual precipitation
C) average annual relative humidity
D) proximity to an ocean
E) longitude

Question 77

Which of the following climates does NOT have a summer wetter than its winter?

A) monsoon
B) humid subtropical
C) mediterranean
D) humid continental
E) subarctic

Question 78

The classic Marine west-coast climate is the ________.

A) Csa
B) Cfa
C) Cfb
D) Csb
E) Cwa

Question 79

Usually, the Csa, Csb and ________ are west coast climates.

A) Cfa
B) Cfb
C) Dfa
D) Dfb
E) Dwd

Question 80

Both great distances from oceanic moisture sources and blockage of moist flow by topography are both associated with dryness in the ________ desert.

A) Sahara
B) Atacama
C) Sonoran
D) Central Asian
E) Arabian