OCE Ch. 6

Which of the following is the correct order of formation of sea ice as it forms directly from seawater?

(START) Slush; Pancake Ice; Ice Floes; Sea Ice (FINISH)

Of the following statements about the transfer of heat on Earth, which is/are true? Choose all that apply. -Air currents move warmer air from the tropics to higher latitudes. -Earth's albedo reflects back into space all of the sunlight hitting Earth. -Ocean currents move warm water from the tropics to higher latitudes. -Water vapor in the air carries latent heat with it, which is released in other areas. -Greenhouse gases in the air decrease the amount of heat retained by Earth's atmosphere.

-Air currents move warmer air from the tropics to higher latitudes. -Ocean currents move warm water from the tropics to higher latitudes. -Water vapor in the air carries latent heat with it, which is released in other areas.

The image below shows that about 30 percent of the Sun's energy is reflected and scattered back into space. How would a 50 percent increase in Earth's albedo impact average surface temperatures? Select all that apply. -Surface temperatures would increase, causing a decrease in surface water and/or ice on Earth, and would thus cause a further increase in albedo. -A higher albedo means more of the Sun's radiation is absorbed by Earth's surface. -Ice sheets would advance, thereby increasing Earth's overall albedo and further cooling Earth's surface. -Higher albedo would result in cooler temperatures on Earth.

-Ice sheets would advance, thereby increasing Earth's overall albedo and further cooling Earth's surface. -Higher albedo would result in cooler temperatures on Earth.

Of the following statements about the Coriolis effect in the Northern Hemisphere, which is/are true? Choose all that apply. -The Coriolis effect causes air to move counterclockwise around low pressure. -The Coriolis effect causes air to move counterclockwise around high pressure. -The Coriolis effect causes air to move clockwise around high pressure. -The Coriolis effect causes air to move clockwise around low pressure. -The Coriolis effect does not cause air to move in a circular pattern around either high or low pressures

-The Coriolis effect causes air to move counterclockwise around low pressure. -The Coriolis effect causes air to move clockwise around high pressure.

Which of the following locations has/have the potential to reliably harness wind power as a renewable energy source? Choose all that apply. -along the equator -between 5 and 30 degrees latitude -around 30 degrees latitude -between 30 and 60 degrees latitude -at the poles

-between 5 and 30 degrees latitude -between 30 and 60 degrees latitude

The major deserts of the world occur in which of the following regions?

30 degrees

Storms are most common in which of the following regions?

30 to 60 degrees

The average albedo of Earth's surface is about:

30%

A boundary or belt characterized by variable winds and stormy, cloudy weather year round occurs in which of the following regions?

60 degrees

The polar front occurs in which of the following regions?

60 degrees

Of the following statements about the tilt of Earth's axis, which one is true?

An increase in Earth's tilt would cause colder winters and warmer summers

Weather (short-term conditions of air temperature, wind speed/direction, precipitation, and atmospheric pressure) occurs because

Earth's surface is heated unevenly by the Sun

A boundary or belt characterized by cold deserts occurs in which of the following regions?

Poles (90 degrees)

Judge the following sentence according to the criteria given below: Atmospheric pressure decreases with increasing altitude BECAUSE it depends on the weight of the column of air above.

The assertion and the reason are both correct, and the reason is valid.

Judge the following sentence according to the criteria given below: The rate of sea ice formation slows as sea ice thickens BECAUSE the ice insulates the underlying water from freezing due to its poor heat conduction.

The assertion and the reason are both correct, and the reason is valid.

Which of the following statements about the Coriolis effect is correct?

The magnitude of the Coriolis effect depends on how long the object is in motion

Jet streams are fast-moving streams of air high above Earth's surface. A divergence or convergence in the jet stream above a high- or low-pressure center can drive the actions of these pressure centers. If the air in the jet stream is converging or diverging faster than the air at the surface is moving out or in, the driving force of the jet stream is compensated by an increase in surface winds. A jet stream generally diverges above a low-pressure (warm) center. However, at Earth's surface, air converges at a low-pressure center. If the divergence of the jet stream is greater than the convergence of air at the surface low-pressure center below it, what will happen to the surface winds?

The surface winds will likely get stronger

The atmospheric high-pressure cells over North America in the map suggest that the atmospheric patterns shown most likely represent which season for the northern hemisphere?

Winter

The percentage of solar radiation reflected from the surface of Earth back into space is known as the

albedo

Earth's polar regions (above 60° latitude) are classified as deserts because

cold, dry sinking air in the polar high regions produces little precipitation

The Doldrums occur in which of the following regions?

equatorial (0 to 5 degrees)

The trade winds blow in which of the following directions in the Northern Hemisphere?

from northeast to southwest

The intensity of solar radiation received at lower latitudes (near the equator) compared to higher latitudes (near the poles) is:

greater

When ice forms from seawater, the remaining seawater will have a:

higher salinity

The prevailing westerly winds blow in which of the following directions in the Southern Hemisphere?

northwest to southeast

A person experiences a popping feeling in their ears during the takeoff or landing of an airplane or while driving on steep mountain roads due to changes in the ________ of the atmosphere.

pressure

Earth's atmosphere is heated primarily by

re-radiation of solar energy from Earth's surface back into the atmosphere as infrared radiation

Air warmed by the land that rises and is replaced by cooler air from the ocean may produce a:

sea breeze

The two factors that are most important in determining the density of air are:

temperature and water vapor content

The thickness of sea ice is limited primarily by

the insulating nature of the ice itself

Hurricanes frequently make landfall on the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts, but rarely, if ever, occur on the Pacific coast. The primary reason for the rarity of west coast hurricanes is that

the ocean water does not get warm enough to supply the needed heat energy for hurricanes

The Coriolis effect is caused by

the rotation of Earth

As a result of the Coriolis effect in the northern hemisphere, winds always are deflected:

to the right of their original direction

The wind belt(s) with strong, reliable, generally easterly winds is (are) the:

trade winds

The lowermost portion of the atmosphere where most weather occurs is called the:

troposphere

The Coriolis effect is due to changes in the ________ of Earth with latitude.

velocity

Which of the following is not one of the names associated with huge rotating masses of low pressure characterized by strong winds and torrential rain?

vortex

All the following are true of the movement of Earth's atmosphere except :

warm air is less dense than cool air so it tends to sink toward the Earth's surface

The majority of the world's tropical cyclones are formed in the waters north of the equator in the ________ Ocean.

western Pacific