Mastering Geography Test 2

Front 1

On a cloudless day, what happens to most of the visible light headed toward Earth?

A. It is reflected by Earth's atmosphere.

B. It is absorbed and remitted by gases in Earth's atmosphere.

C. It is completely reflected by Earth's surface.

D. It reaches Earth's surface, where some is reflected and some is absorbed.

Back 1

D. It reaches Earth's surface, where some is reflected and some is absorbed.

Front 2

On a day with half cloud cover, what happens to the visible light headed toward Earth?

A. The clouds reflect some of it back to space, and some still reaches the surface.

B. It is absorbed by the clouds, which causes the clouds to heat up.

C. It reaches the surface just as it does on a cloudless day.

Back 2

A. The clouds reflect some of it back to space, and some still reaches the surface.

Front 3

What happens to the energy that the ground absorbs in the form of visible sunlight?

A. It is returned upward in the form of infrared light.

B. It is returned upward in the form of visible light.

C. It makes the ground continually get hotter and hotter.

Back 3

A. It is returned upward in the form of infrared light.

Front 4

The greenhouse effect raises Earth's surface temperature (from what it would be otherwise) because the infrared light radiated by Earth's surface ______________.

A. Travels directly out to space.

B. Becomes permanently trapped by greenhouse gases.

C. Is temporarily absorbed by greenhouse gases and then reemitted in random directions.

Back 4

C. Is temporarily absorbed by greenhouse gases and then reemitted in random directions.

Front 5

The coolest temperatures in the western half of the United States are associated with which of the following physical features?

A. Basins.

B. Valleys.

C. Plains.

D. Mountains.

E. Coastlines.

Back 5

D. Mountains.

Front 6

In North America, which of the following vegetation types is most commonly associated with average January temperatures below -25 degrees Fahrenheit?

A. Grassland.

B. grassland in Mesquite.

C. Broadleaf evergreen shrubland.

D. Tundra.

E. Needleleaf evergreen forest.

Back 6

D. Tundra

Front 7

Which of the following regions has the largest annual temperature range?

A. North Central Asia.

B. Central Africa.

C. Antarctica.

D. Northern South America.

E. Western Europe.

Back 7

A. North Central Asia

Front 8

Which of the following cities would have temperature is most influenced by a cool ocean current?

A. Los Angeles.

B. Lagos.

C. Rio de Janeiro.

D. Jakarta.

E. Cairo

Back 8

A. Los Angeles

Front 9

Which of the following climate types is dominantly found adjacent to warm ocean currents?

A. Marine west coast.

B. Subarctic.

C. Humid subtropical.

D. Semiarid.

E. Humid continental, cool summer.

Back 9

C. Humid subtropical

Front 10

In areas that receive less than 100 watts per square meter by insolation, what are the average July temperature?

A. Less than 0 degrees Celsius.

B. Between 0 degrees and 6 degrees Celsius.

C. Between 9 degrees and 15 degrees Celsius.

D. Between 18 degrees and 24 degrees Celsius.

E. Greater than 27 degrees Celsius.

Back 10

A. Less than 0 degrees Celsius.

Front 11

The sun's radiant energy reaches the earth across space in approximately ___________.

Back 11

8 minutes

Front 12

Most of the radiation incident upon the earth falls within the ___________ part of the spectrum.

A. Long wave.

B. Radar.

C. Short wave.

D. X ray.

E. Infrared.

Back 12

C. Short wave

Front 13

Which wavelengths are most inefficiently transmitted through the atmosphere?

A. Solar radiation.

B. Long.

C. Short.

D. Radiation of 0.5 micrometer wavelength.

E. Visible blue.

Back 13

B. Long

Front 14

The wavelength of terrestrial radiation from Earth's surface are concentrated in _______________.

A. Cosmic rays.

B. The visible light spectrum.

C. The ultraviolet spectrum.

D. The thermal infrared spectrum.

E. The short infrared spectrum.

Back 14

D. The thermal infrared spectrum.

Front 15

The higher latitudes receive much less intense Insolation than tropical zones because of _______________.

A. Oceans specific heat.

B. Greenhouse effect.

C. Albedo.

D. Water's transmissivity.

E. Sun's angle of incidence

Back 15

E. Sun's angle of incidence

Front 16

Heat transfered laterally in the atmosphere by horizontal wind movements is a process called ________________.

Back 16

Advection

Front 17

________ objects radiate in shorter wavelengths than _________ objects.

A. Big, small

B. Liquid, solid

C. Hot, cold

D. Red, green

E. Tall, short

Back 17

C. Hot, cold

Front 18

The albedo of the Earth system has been determined to be ________ percent.

Back 18

33%

Front 19

Radiation from the earth is mostly absorbed in the lower troposphere and ____________ back towards Earth.

A. Conducted.

B. Reflected.

C. Scattered.

D. Convected.

E. Reradiated.

Back 19

E. Reradiated.

Front 20

Vertical motion and air causes cooling of the lifted air. This phenomenon is governed by the __________ effect.

A. Latitudinal.

B. Conversion.

C. Coriolis.

D. Albedo.

E. Adiabatic.

Back 20

E. Adiabatic

Front 21

The radiation coming from the Sun is most plentiful at 0.5 micrometers. The most plentiful radiation coming from the Earth is at ________ micrometer(s).

A. 2

B. 10

C. 5

D. 0

E. 0.5

Back 21

B. 10 micrometers

Front 22

Only some of the shortwave radiation from the Sun reaches Earth's surface. What is the leading cause of this radiation loss?

A. Reflection by clouds.

B. Absorption by clouds.

C. Absorption by ozone.

D. Scattering by air.

E. Absorption by greenhouse gases.

Back 22

A. Reflection by clouds.

Front 23

How much of the sun's incoming radiation is scattered or reflected back to space before any heating effect is felt on earth?

Back 23

31%

Front 24

How much of the sun's incoming radiation is absorbed by Earth's surface?

Back 24

45%

Front 25

How is energy transferred from Earth's surface to Earth's atmosphere? (Check all that apply)

A. Through the greenhouse effect.

B.Through latent heat and water vapor.

C.Through convection.

D. Through absorption..

E. Through conduction.

Back 25

A. Through the greenhouse effect.

B.Through latent heat and water vapor.

C.Through convection.

E.Through conduction.

Front 26

What would happen to Earth's atmospheric temperature if the amount of incoming shortwave radiation from the Sun decreased and was less than the long wave radiation lost to space?

A. Atmospheric temperature would increase.

B. Atmosphere temperature would decrease.

C. Atmosphere temperature will remain the same.

Back 26

B. Atmosphere temperature would decrease.

Front 27

What would happen to Earth's atmosphere temperature if the amount of outgoing longwave radiation decreased so that it was less than incoming shortwave radiation from the Sun?

A. Atmospheric temperature will remain the same.

B. Atmospheric temperature would decrease.

C. Atmosphere temperature would increase.

Back 27

D. Atmospheric temperature would increase.

Front 28

What would happen to Earth's atmosphere temperature if the amount of incoming shortwave radiation from the Sun was the same as a long wave radiation lost to space?

A. Atmospheric temperature would remain the same.

B. Atmospheric temperature would increase.

C. Atmosphere temperature would decrease.

Back 28

A. Atmospheric temperature would remain the same.

Front 29

What would happen to Earth's atmospheric temperature if the amount of shortwave radiation reflected at Earth's surface increased significantly?

A. Atmospheric temperature would decrease.

B. Atmospheric temperature would remain the same.

C. Atmosphere temperature would increase.

Back 29

A. Atmospheric temperature would decrease.

Front 30

What would happened to Earth's atmospheric temperature if the amount of shortwave radiation reflected by clouds decreased significantly?

A. Atmospheric temperature would remain the same.

B. Atmospheric temperature would decrease.

C. Atmosphere temperature would increase.

Back 30

C. Atmosphere temperature would increase.

Front 31

Major surface currents are set in motion by _________.

Back 31

Winds

Front 32

The normal vertical temperature gradient (average lapse rate) is closest to how many degrees Celsius per 1000 meters?

Back 32

6.5

Front 33

In an inversion, which is true?

A. The temperature increases with altitude.

B. Air rises quickly.

C. Large storms tend to be formed.

D. Wind speeds are very high.

E. The temperature decreases with altitude.

Back 33

A. The temperature increases with altitude.

Front 34

The basic direction of flow of the equatorial counter current is __________.

A. To the northeast.

B. To the west.

C. To the south.

D. To the east.

E. To the southwest.

Back 34

D. To the east

Front 35

Given land/water heating contrasts, where would one expect to find the coldest winter temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere?

A. Near the North Pole.

B. In southern Canada (50°N).

C. Over the oceans off of Alaska.

D. In Siberia (70°N).

E. In Oklahoma 35°N).

Back 35

D. In Siberia (70°N)

Front 36

Solar energy is also known as ____________.

Back 36

Insolation

Front 37

What is the cause of the average lapse rate?

A. Latent heat.

B. Differences in specific heat.

C. The greenhouse effect.

D. The albedo.

E. The angle of incidence.

Back 37

C. The greenhouse effect

Front 38

Over the long run, all energy the earth receives from the Sun is returned to space. T/F

Back 38

True

Front 39

Flowing air responding to the difference between higher and lower pressure is responding to the ___________.

A. Intertropical Convergence.

B. Trade winds.

C. Coriolis effect.

D. Pressure gradient.

E. Anticyclone.

Back 39

D. Pressure gradient

Front 40

The pressure of a gas is proportional to its temperature and ____________.

A. Atomic number.

B. Turbidity.

C. Atomic weight.

D. Density.

E. Volume of water vapor.

Back 40

D. Density

Front 41

When air is heated it expands and _________.

A. Contracts.

B. Sinks.

C. Explodes.

D. Lowers its pressure.

E. Burns.

Back 41

D. Lowers its pressure.

Front 42

Which set of forces act on upper air winds?

A. The pressure gradient force and the Coriolis effect.

B. The pressure gradient force, friction, and the Coriolis effect.

C. The pressure gradient force alone.

D. Friction and Coriolis effect.

E. The pressure gradient force and friction.

Back 42

A. The pressure gradient force and the Coriolis effect.

Front 43

Which statement correctly describes differences between the forces acting on Winds near the surface and those aloft?

A. Latitude has no relationship to the direction of surface winds and winds aloft.

B. Friction increases with altitude.

C. The Coriolis effect is stronger on surface winds because of friction.

D. Higher wind speeds aloft increase the Coriolis effect.

E. The pressure gradient force is parallel to the isobars on winds aloft.

Back 43

D. Higher wind speeds aloft increase the Coriolis effect.

Front 44

What is a cyclone?

Back 44

A center of low atmospheric pressure

Front 45

Which way does air converge on a cyclone in the Northern Hemisphere?

Back 45

In a counterclockwise direction

Front 46

Which way does air converge on a cyclone in the southern hemisphere?

Back 46

In a clockwise direction

Front 47

How does air move near the top of a cyclone?

Back 47

In the same direction as air in the upper atmosphere

Front 48

Why are cyclones generally associated with clouds and rain?

Back 48

Cyclones undergoe cooling as it rises

Front 49

What is an anticyclone?

Back 49

A center of high atmospheric pressure

Front 50

Which way does air move in an anticyclone in the Northern Hemisphere?

Back 50

Down, and in a clockwise direction

Front 51

Which way does air move in an anticyclone in the southern hemisphere?

Back 51

Down, and in a counterclockwise direction

Front 52

Why are anti cyclones not generally associated with clouds and rain?

Back 52

Anticyclones undergo warming as the air descends.

Front 53

What are the surface conditions associated with an anticyclone?

A. The air is rising in the pressures high.

B. The air is rising in the pressure is low.

C. The air stationary, so the pressure cannot be measured.

D.The air is sinking and the pressure is low.

E. The air sinking in the pressure is high.

Back 53

E. The air sinking in the pressure is high.

Front 54

A counterclockwise atmospheric circulation in the northern hemisphere is known as a(n) _____________.

A. Pressure gradient.

B. Troposphere.

C. Coriolis effect.

D. Anticyclone.

E. Cyclone.

Back 54

E. Cyclone

Front 55

Sinking air that diverges when it reaches earth's surface is closely associated with ___________.

A. Tornadoes.

B. Anticyclones.

C. Cyclones.

D. The absence of Coriolis effect.

E. The absence of friction.

Back 55

B. Anticyclones

Front 56

In a surface anticyclone in the southern hemisphere, winds spiral ____________.

Back 56

Counterclockwise and outward

Front 57

In a surface cyclone in the southern hemisphere, winds spiral ___________.

Back 57

Clockwise and inward

Front 58

In the northern hemisphere, air converging in a counterclockwise direction, is termed a(n) _____________.

A. Dyne

B.Cyclone.

C. Westerly.

D. Anticyclone.

E. Coriolis effect.

Back 58

B. Cyclone

Front 59

Generally, where are the belts of low atmospheric pressure?

Back 59

At the Equator, 60°N, and 60°S

Front 60

"Zonal" airflow in the middle latitudes means a(n) __________ flow of air.

A. Fast.

B. North south.

C. East west.

D. West east.

E. South north.

Back 60

D. West east

Front 61

The __________ is/are found in the equatorial zone.

A. Horse latitudes.

B. Westerlies.

C. Trade winds.

D. Intertropical Convergence Zone.

E. Polar easterlies.

Back 61

D. Intertropical Convergence Zone

Front 62

Which statement describes the weather in a monsoon area in the Northern Hemisphere?

A. The westerlies supply the moisture to monsoon areas during the wet season.

B. The rainiest months are typically November through March.

C. Cloud cover during the winter keeps nice warmer than one might expect.

D. December had cold, dry, northerly winds; June, in contrast, have warm, moist, southerly winds.

E. In the evening, the wind blew the smoke from the campfire out to see, but the next morning, the smoke blue from the beach to the campground.

Back 62

D. December had cold, dry, northerly winds; June, in contrast, have warm, moist, southerly winds.

Front 63

Cold winds pouring down hill because of gravity are called ___________.

A. Valley breezes.

B. Trade winds.

C. Monsoons.

D. Katabatic winds.

E. Cyclones.

Back 63

D. Katabatic winds

Front 64

The "snow-eater" wind of the Rocky Mountains is called the __________.

A. Hadley.

B. Chinook.

C. Monsoon.

D. Rossby.

E. Santa Ana.

Back 64

B. Chinook

Front 65

Which situation is often associated with El Nino events?

A. The subtropical jet stream direct winter storms into the southwestern United States and blizzards into the Midwest.

B. Heavy rains occur in northern Australia and Indonesia as ocean levels rise.

C. High-pressure dominates the west coast of South America, providing dry conditions. D. D. Fish are plentiful in the cold, nutrient rich waters off of Peru, because of Hadley cell circulation.

E. The South Asian monsoon a strongly developed and brings heavy rainfall.

Back 65

A. The subtropical jet stream direct winter storms into the southwestern United States and blizzards into the Midwest.

Front 66

The __________ is the boundary between near-surface and cold, deep ocean waters.

Back 66

Thermocline

Front 67

What happens to sensible heat energy in water when the water evaporates?

A. The heat becomes latent and remains in the water.

B. It becomes latent energy in air when water molecules containing the heat break free from an evaporating surface to become gas.

C. The heat passes into the air and increases the relative humidity, the speeding up the evaporation process.

D. The heat remains in the water and causes of temperature to increase.

E. The heat passes into the air and causes that collision coalescence process to occur.

Back 67

B. It becomes latent energy in air when water molecules containing the heat break free from an evaporating surface to become gas.

Front 68

Water that stays in liquid form at temperatures below freezing is ___________.

A. Exhibiting vapor pressure.

B. Supercooled

C. At the dew point.

D.White frost.

E. Releasing the latent heat of vaporization.

Back 68

B. Supercooled

Front 69

Evaporation ___________.

A. Is a heating process.

B. Is it cooling process.

C. Has its greatest rates when the air is already humid.

D. Is a process not requiring energy.

E. Releases latent heat in the air.

Back 69

B. Is a cooling process

Front 70

Which of the following promotes evaporation?

A. Cold air.

B. Warm water.

C. Rising air.

D. Already humid air.

E. Slow moving air.

Back 70

B. Warm water

Front 71

Which of the following is not a measure of water vapor in the atmosphere?

A. Relative humidity.

B. Absolute humidity.

C. Specific humidity.

D. Dew point.

E. Potential evapotranspiration.

Back 71

E. Potential evapotranspiration.

Front 72

Water vapor is visible to the human eye. T/F

Back 72

False

Front 73

If the air temperature is 0 degrees Celsius, the water vapor capacity is 10.6 grams kilograms, and the water vapor in the air is 4.24 grams kilograms, what is the relative humidity?

Back 73

40%

Front 74

Air containing all of the water vapor it can hold is _____________.

A. Dew point.

B. Convective.

C. Saturated.

D. Unstable.

E. Adiabatic.

Back 74

C. Saturated

Front 75

Usually, the highest relative humidity is ___________.

A. In the late afternoon.

B. At sunset.

C. At dawn.

D. At midnight.

E. In the evening.

Back 75

C. At dawn

Front 76

The capacity of air to hold water ____________.

A. Is it constant.

B. Is not related to temperature.

C. Increases as temperature increases.

D. Increases as temperature decreases.

E. Decreases as evaporation decreases.

Back 76

C. Increases as temperature increases

Front 77

Relative humidity is "relative" to ____________.

A. Moisture.

B. Temperature.

C. Evaporation.

D. Vapor pressure.

E. Saturation.

Back 77

E. Saturation

Front 78

Maximum absolute humidity is governed by ______________.

A. The adiabatic rate.

B. Vapor content.

C. The hydrologic cycle.

D.Temperature.

E. Proximity to water surface.

Back 78

D. Temperature

Front 79

If the ___________ of air changes, the value of the absolute humidity changes even though there is no change in the actual amount of water vapor present.

A. Rate of emission of electromagnetic energy.

B. Volume.

C. Temperature.

D. Color.

E. Wind speed.

Back 79

B. Volume

Front 80

In order for atmosphere condensation to take place, ___________.

A. The relative humidity must be low.

B. Plenty of "surfaces" need to be present in the atmosphere.

C. The temperature must be above freezing.

D. There has to be near sea level.

E. Air must be very cold.

Back 80

B. Plenty of "surfaces" need to be present in the atmosphere.

Front 81

The average lapse rate in the troposphere _____________.

A. Is quite variable by time and region.

B. Is absolute the same as a dry diabetic lapse rate.

C. Describes temperatures in adiabatic air.

D. Is 10 degrees Celsius / 1,000 meters.

E. Is proof that temperatures usually increases altitude.

Back 81

A. Is quite variable by time and region.

Front 82

Rising air, warm by the release of latent heat, cools at a rate called ___________.

A. The variable lapse rate.

B. Stability.

C. The saturated adiabatic lapse rate.

D. The average lapse rate.

E.The dry adiabatic lapse rate.

Back 82

C. The saturated adiabatic lapse rate.

Front 83

Air that resists vertical movement is said to be ___________.

A. Unstable.

B. Anticyclonic.

C. Cyclonic.

D. Stable.

E. Adiabatic.

Back 83

D. Stable

Front 84

Buoyant air will rise until it ___________.

A. Makes clouds.

B. Becomes warmer.

C. Reaches the temperature of the surrounding air.

D. Reaches the stratopause.

E. Becomes unstable.

Back 84

C. Reaches the temperature of the surrounding air.

Front 85

A piece of unsaturated air is forced to rise. The lapse rate in the surrounding air is much less than the rate in change of temperature in the rising air. The rising air is said to be ___________.

A. About to produce much rain.

B. Stable.

C. Metastable.

D. Unstable.

E. Conditionally unstable.

Back 85

D. Unstable

Front 86

When and where is air most unstable?

Back 86

During the afternoon.

Front 87

Which of the following is most closely associated with stable air?

A. Very moist air.

B. Fast wind speeds in the air.

C. Rising air.

D. Cooling of rising air.

E. Descent of air.

Back 87

E. Descent of air

Front 88

With instability, rising air will be buoyant without any of lifting force. T/F

Back 88

True

Front 89

In the ice crystal formation process, precipitation occurs because ice crystals __________.

A. Have a low specific heat.

B. Form from raindrops.

C. Melt as they fall.

D. Hope together.

E. Grow at the expense of raindrops.

Back 89

E. Grow at the expense of raindrops

Front 90

When air is forced to rise over a mountain, what is the type of lifting?

A. Orographic.

B. Conversion.

C. Convective.

D. Frontal.

E. Bergeron.

Back 90

A. Orographic

Front 91

Which is not among the main types of atmospheric lifting and precipitation?

A. Convective.

B. Advective.

C. Orographic.

D. Convergent.

E. Frontal.

Back 91

B. Advective

Front 92

A precipitation TYPE extremely characteristic of the lower latitudes is __________.

A. Frontal lifting.

B. Sleet.

C. Rain shadow.

D. Ice crystals.

E. Convergent lifting.

Back 92

E. Convergent lifting

Front 93

T/F convective uplift often accompanies and enhances frontal and orographic lifting.

Back 93

True

Front 94

The state of water that is the most important at least obvious in the atmosphere is __________.

A. Rain.

B. Ice crystals.

C. Water vapor.

D. Hail.

E. Evaporation.

Back 94

C. Water Vapor

Front 95

The state of water that is the most important at least obvious in the atmosphere is __________.

A. Rain.

B. Ice crystals.

C. Water vapor.

D. Hail.

E. Evaporation.

Back 95

C. Water Vapor