Climate

Practice Test
      
  1.During the last Ice Age, which climates shown in this map grew the most?



 
  a.   tropical, wet  
  b.   arid  
  c.   mediterranean  
  d.   ice cap  
      
  2.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.   polar climates  
  b.   high elevation  
  c.   mild climates  
  d.   tropical climates  
      
  3.In what climate do evaporation rates exceed precipitation rates?  
  a.   tropical climates  
  b.   polar climates  
  c.   temperate climates  
  d.   dry climates  
      
  4.What happens when moist air is lifted higher in the atmosphere?  
  a.   It evaporates and disappears.  
  b.   It condenses and becomes cooler.  
  c.   It sublimates.  
  d.   It condenses and releases latent heat.  
      
  5.According to the station model shown in the figure, how much has the barometric pressure changed over the last three hours?



 
  a.   --1.2 millibars  
  b.   --12 millibars  
  c.   1.2 millibars  
  d.   12 millibars  
      
  6.What type of thunderstorms are tornadoes associated with?  
  a.   sea-breeze thunderstorms  
  b.   frontal thunderstorms  
  c.   air-mass thunderstorms  
  d.   supercells  
      
  7.The table shows the water level of the Green River during a thunderstorm. If the flood plain is 3.8 meters, when would this river have flooded?

Time 10:00 A.M. 11:00 A.M. NOON 1:00 P.M. 2:00 P.M. 3:00 P.M.
Water Level (m) 3 3.1 3.4 4.0 5.0 5.2


 
  a.   just after 10:00 a.m.  
  b.   just after 1:00 p.m.  
  c.   just after noon  
  d.   just after 11:00 a.m.  
      
  8.Approximately how long is a sunspot cycle?  
  a.   10,000 years  
  b.   14,000 years  
  c.   100 years  
  d.   11 years  
      
  9.The increase in temperature caused by an increase of greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere is called __________.  
  a.   El Nino  
  b.   the ozone hole  
  c.   global warming  
  d.   the greenhouse effect  
      
  10.What is the definition of cartography?  
  a.   the use of road maps  
  b.   the use of computers to make maps  
  c.   the science of mapmaking  
  d.   the use of satellites to make topographic maps  
      
  11.What is the wind-chill factor?  
  a.   the length of a cold wave  
  b.   the freezing point of water  
  c.   the phenomenon of heat loss from human skin due to wind and temperature  
  d.   the point at which human skin will become frostbitten  
      
  12.As the instability of the air __________, the strength of the thunderstorms' updrafts and downdrafts __________.  
  a.   increased, decrease  
  b.   decreases, decrease  
  c.   increases, increase  
  d.   decreases, increase  
      
  13.What instrument is used to measure temperature?  
  a.   an anemometer  
  b.   a thermometer  
  c.   a barometer  
  d.   a radiosonde  
      
  14.What is a heat island?  
  a.   an island that is warmer than the surrounding ocean  
  b.   an area where the climate is colder due to an increase in elevation  
  c.   a subtropical island  
  d.   an area where climate is warmer due to concrete and asphalt  
      
  15.According to the map, which climates are found near the poles?



 
  a.   semiarid and arid  
  b.   tundra and ice caps  
  c.   highlands and uplands  
  d.   tropical wet and tropical dry  
      
  16.Which of the following can increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?  
  a.   all of these answers are correct  
  b.   deforestation  
  c.   automobile exhaust  
  d.   industrial burning of fossil fuels  
      
  17.Which location on the map shows an area of low pressure?

Click here for figure

 
  a.   Syracuse, New York  
  b.   Winslow, Arizona  
  c.   Winnipeg, Canada  
  d.   Atlanta, Georgia  
      
  18.Thunderstorms that have intense, rotating updrafts are called __________.  
  a.   air-mass thunderstorms  
  b.   supercells  
  c.   downbursts  
  d.   tornadoes  
      
  19.What is the distance of 1° longitude?  
  a.   360 km  
  b.   60 km  
  c.   it changes from 111 km to a point  
  d.   it is always 111 km  
      
  20.__________ is used to measure the speed of raindrops toward or away from a specific point.  
  a.   ASOS  
  b.   Doppler radar  
  c.   A ceilometer  
  d.   a radiosonde  

 
   
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