Climate

Practice Test
      
  1.According to the table, which of these climates are most likely to be found near the equator?

Type of Climates Description TitleDefining Characteristics
Tropical climates Tropical wet High temperatures year round

High rates of precipitation
Tropical wet and dry High temperatures year round

Wet summers, dry winters
Mild climates Marine west coast Cool summers, mild winters

Abundant precipitation
Mediterranean Warm summers, mild winters

Moderate precipitation
Humid subtropical Wet, warm summers

Dry, cool winters
Dry climates Semiarid Scarce vegetation

Little precipitation
Arid Very scarce vegetation

Very little precipitation
Continental climates Warm summer Warm summers, relatively cold winters

Moderate precipitation
Cool summer Cool summers, relatively cold winters

Moderate precipitation
Subartic Cold summers, cold winters

Moderate precipitation
Polar climates Tundra Cold year-round

Scarce vegetation
Ice cap Very cold year-round

No vegetation
High elevation Highlands Variation of polar climate on mountains
Uplands Variation of polar climate on high plateaus


 
  a.   mild climates  
  b.   high elevation  
  c.   polar climates  
  d.   tropical climates  
      
  2.The climates of coastal zones are affected by __________.  
  a.   orogenic lifting  
  b.   the polar zones  
  c.   topographic effects  
  d.   the tropics  
      
  3.What region are meteorological normals correctly describing?  
  a.   The entire state where the meteorologic data were collected.  
  b.   Only the specific climate zone where the meteorologic data were collected.  
  c.   All the area within a 50 mile radius of where the meteorologic data were collected.  
  d.   Only the specific place where the meteorologic data were collected.  
      
  4.Most scientists agree that __________.  
  a.   the greenhouse gases are decreasing  
  b.   Earth's temperature is decreasing due to natural effects  
  c.   Earth's temperature is rising due to human effects  
  d.   global warming is occurring  
      
  5.According to the map, which climates are found near the poles?



 
  a.   tropical wet and tropical dry  
  b.   semiarid and arid  
  c.   highlands and uplands  
  d.   tundra and ice caps  
      
  6.What type of climate is common in the southeastern United States?  
  a.   dry-summer subtropical  
  b.   temperate  
  c.   humid subtropical  
  d.   tropical  
      
  7.Approximately how long is a sunspot cycle?  
  a.   10,000 years  
  b.   14,000 years  
  c.   100 years  
  d.   11 years  
      
  8.The natural heating of Earth's surface by the atmosphere is called __________.  
  a.   global warming  
  b.   the ozone hole  
  c.   El Nino  
  d.   the greenhouse effect  
      
  9.If global warming continues too far, which climates shown in the figure will be affected?  
  a.   tundra  
  b.   ice cap  
  c.   all of the above  
  d.   arid  
      
  10.The increase in temperature caused by an increase of greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere is called __________.  
  a.   El Nino  
  b.   global warming  
  c.   the ozone hole  
  d.   the greenhouse effect  
      
  11.What characterizes tropical climates of Köppen's classification?  
  a.   little precipitation  
  b.   palm trees  
  c.   wet and dry zones  
  d.   constant high temperatures  
      
  12.The area of the globe that receives the most solar radiation year round is called the __________?  
  a.   temperate region  
  b.   south pole  
  c.   north pole  
  d.   tropics  
      
  13.How is climate different than weather?  
  a.   Weather is easier to predict.  
  b.   Weather is more variable.  
  c.   Climate describes the long-term weather patterns.  
  d.   Climate describes only the average weather.  
      
  14.During the last Ice Age, which climates shown in this map grew the most?



 
  a.   ice cap  
  b.   arid  
  c.   tropical, wet  
  d.   mediterranean  
      
  15.What type of climate is common along the western coast of the United States?  
  a.   tropical  
  b.   humid, subtropical  
  c.   dry-summer, subtropical  
  d.   temperate  
      
  16.Which of the following can increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?  
  a.   deforestation  
  b.   industrial burning of fossil fuels  
  c.   automobile exhaust  
  d.   all of these answers are correct  
      
  17.What can block solar radiation and have a short-term effect on climate?  
  a.   the intensity of sunspots  
  b.   the shape of Earth's orbit  
  c.   the wobble of Earth's axis  
  d.   the ashes in the atmosphere from a volcanic eruption  
      
  18.These graphs compare the average temperature and precipitation of two cities. What is the most significant difference between the climates of City X and City Y?

 
  a.   City X is in a very cold area.  
  b.   City Y has a higher average temperature.  
  c.   City Y has more mild weather.  
  d.   City X has consistent rainfall throughout the year.  
      
  19.Throughout geologic time, Earth has been __________.  
  a.   only warmer than the present  
  b.   always colder then the present  
  c.   warmer and colder than the present  
  d.   a steady temperature  

 
   
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