Final Ch 15-20 Ivy Tech

Anyone who has ever gone swimming in heavy surf will tell you that if a wave is about to crash over you, the best thing to do is dive down, under the wave.

True

Between 40 and 60 percent of all flood-related deaths occur in vehicles.

True

Burning fossil fuels like petroleum and coal release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

True

Once a tropical depression reaches the tropical storm status, it will be given a name.

True

Photochemical smog occurs when strong sunlight triggers reactions between ozone and pollutants from car exhaust.

True

Rip currents are dreaded by surf swimmers everywhere. The standard recommendation for swimmers is if you get caught in a rip current, swim parallel to the shore.

True

Sea stacks and sea arches commonly form in the same geologic environment.

True

Seasonal changes in wind direction are known as monsoons.

True

Some cloud features may resemble a tornado, but are distinguished from tornadoes if they: are not rotating do not have a debris cloud are not associated with a thunderstorm

True

Subarctic and Taiga are the same climate zone.

True

The 10 warmest years on record have all occurred since 1998.

True

The Coriolis Effect is due primarily to the Earth's rotation.

True

The Earth would not be habitable planet without the greenhouse effect.

True

The Enhanced Fujita scale is based on tornado damage and estimated wind speed.

True

The combustion of ________ has added great quantities of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

fossil fuels

Winterless climates with all months having a mean temperature above 18˚C are known as ________ climates.

humid tropical

In the past approximately 100 years, global temperatures have ________.

increased by nearly 1°C

The hot water ______________ when poured into the glass containing cold tap water.

remained at the top

Below the thermocline, the temperature of ocean water ____________.

remains fairly constant

These are often mistaken for funnel clouds:

scud clouds

What causes seasons?

seasonal changes in the angle of the sun above the horizon

The conversion of a solid directly to a gas is called:

sublimination

The variations in temperature are less extreme in the Southern Hemisphere than in the Northern Hemisphere because ________.

there is more water in the Southern Hemisphere

Condensation nuclei, tiny particles of matter in the air, are important because ________.

they provide a surface for water molecules to form on

The proportion of carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere has been decreasing steadily for the past 200 years.

False

The wide, sandy beaches of Florida, USA are typical of an erosional shoreline.

False

Within Earth's atmosphere, air always flows from areas of lower pressure to areas of higher pressure.

False

On average, which of the following weather phenomena caused the most fatalities between 1980 and 2009?

Flooding

Air pressure is higher near Earth's surface and decreases with altitude.

True

An increase in temperature causes a decrease in relative humidity.

True

Annual temperature ranges are high (large) throughout the D climate zones.

True

Air pressure in space is:

0 mb

If a hurricane moves over warmer water, the storm's strength will decrease.

False

Indiana, USA has always been in the D climate zone.

False

Which one of the following is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere?

Nitrogen

In the Northern Hemisphere, tornadoes are most frequent during the ________.

April-June period

For every 10 degree decrease in the dew-point temperature, air contains about twice as much water vapor.

False

The more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the lower the average global temperature.

False

The ocean shoreline is generally a stable platform on which structures can safely be built.

False

The ozone hole is directly caused by the greenhouse effect.

False

Most of the precipitation that falls in Indiana, USA formed via the collision-coalescence process.

False

Most places on Earth experience one high tide and one low tide each day.

False

On average, a tornado is larger in size than a hurricane.

False

Storm surges are worst when the continental shelf is deep.

False

The Earth's atmosphere is primarily composed of oxygen.

False

The Moon revolves around the Earth once every 365 ¼ days.

False

The Westerlies blow from east to west in the US.

False

The eye of a hurricane has the fastest wind speeds within the entire storm system.

False

The freezing point of water is 32 degrees Celsius; the boiling point of water is 212 degrees Celsius.

False

At which latitudes are the highest surface salinities located?

10 to 30

Standard sea level pressure in millibars is ________.

1013 mb

The line that marks the contact between land and sea is called the Beach.

False

The amount of water vapor in the air (by volume) usually does not exceed ________.

4%

What climate zone has high annual temperatures and a small yearly temperature range?

A

This term is used to describe clouds found in the middle height range.

Alto

Of the two oceans, which ocean has the higher average surface salinities?

Atlantic

Sitka, Alaska is situated within what climate zone?

C

Why is it warmer in most of Europe than in northern California even though both are on the east side of an ocean and Europe is at higher latitude than California?

California is affected by a cold offshore current, whereas Europe has the warm north Atlantic current, the continuation of the Gulf Stream.

A halo around the Sun or Moon indicates that this cloud type is present.

Cirrostratus

What is the name for a cloud shape that has a wispy or feathery appearance?

Cirrus

A generalization of weather conditions over a period of time is called:

Climate

A wind shift from south or southwest to northwest is commonly associated with the passage of a ________ front.

Cold

On a weather map, ________ fronts are shown by a line with triangular points on one side.

Cold

Thunder and lightning are associated with these clouds.

Cumulonimbus

Hail is most commonly associated with ________.

Cumunlonibus

On this date the length of daylight gets progressively longer going south from the equator.

December 21st

Which of the following is NOT a type of precipitation?

Dew

Which of the following sources is the largest greenhouse gas emission in the US?

Energy/Electricity

Af and Am climates form a discontinuous belt astride the ________.

Equator

A barometer measures wind speed.

False

A neap tide has the greatest daily tidal range (biggest change between high and low tides).

False

A spring tide occurs during a First Quarter Moon.

False

A storm with a greenish hue always produces hail.

False

A tropical depression has faster wind speeds than a tropical storm.

False

A water molecule is made of 2 oxygen atoms and 1 hydrogen atom.

False

Arctic air is cold; polar air is very cold.

False

Before humans evolved, there was no greenhouse effect.

False

Dew is a type of fog.

False

Earth's revolution refers to the movement of Earth on its axis; Earth's rotation refers to the movement of Earth around the sun.

False

El Nino events are caused by a dramatic increase in barometric pressure over large portions of the eastern Pacific.

False

Evaporation and temperature are the two main factors that control the concentration of salts in seawater.

False

What is the difference between a funnel cloud and a tornado?

Funnel clouds do not reach the ground while tornadoes are in contact with the ground

Why does the Florida peninsula experience the greatest frequency of midafternoon thunderstorms of any place in the United States?

It gets winds blowing from the oceans on both sides and they collide in the middle of Florida and rise to generate thunderstorms.

Why is the Santa Ana wind a danger signal in southern California?

It is a warm, dry wind that can quickly dry out brushlands and spread fires.

If you live on the east coast of Florida or the Gulf Coast, why might you hope for an El Niño year?

It will decrease the probability of tropical cyclones.

Fast moving currents of air found near the top of the troposphere are called ________.

Jet streams

Which of the following cloud types is most commonly associated with precipitation?

Nimbostratus

The north end of Earth's axis is tilted 23.5 degrees toward the Sun on ________.

June 21st or 22nd

What type of tide occurs when the Sun, Moon, and Earth form a right triangle in space?

Neap

You are watching the local weatherman on TV. You live in mid-latitudes in North America, and the weatherman says that winds high in the atmosphere are blowing toward the northwest. Is this normal?

No, Northern Hemisphere winds aloft always move from west to east because of the Coriolis force.

A hurricane will lose strength as it moves over land.

True

The major difference between a wet tropical region and a tropical wet and dry region is ________.

Precipitation

Earth receives energy from the Sun in this way.

Radiation

Because of the Coriolis effect, surface ocean currents are deflected to the ________ of their path of motion in the Northern Hemisphere.

Right

A tornado is an updraft feature, while large hail is a downdraft feature.

True

When someone says we have a southeast wind, what direction would you look to face into the wind?

Southeast

Which of the following is NOT a method for stabilizing a shoreline? Breakwater Spit Jetty Groin

Spit

The daily tidal range is GREATEST during ________ tide.

Spring

Ozone is found mainly in the ________.

Stratosphere

The subarctic climate is often called the ________ climate.

Taiga

Asia has an intense monsoon, but North America also experiences a low-intensity monsoon. What causes monsoons?

The heating of the continent during the summer produces a persistent low pressure over the continent that draws warm moist air masses from adjacent oceans.

Why do humid tropical regions have only small variations in temperature throughout the year?

The location of this climatic region is limited to an area where the solar radiation does not vary significantly.

Coastal California is famous for fog and smog (fog mixed with smoke). Why is the California coast foggy/smoggy, whereas Houston, Texas, which is at similar latitude, might get occasional smog from too many cars, but fog is relatively rare?

The ocean is warm off the Texas coast, but a cold current running offshore California generates fog when the cold, moist air is drawn ashore by a sea breeze.

When a mass of cold air collides with a mass of warm air, what happens?

The warm air rises above the cold air

When prevailing winds blow from onshore to offshore, what generally happens?

The winds cause offshore surface water to flow away from shore, forcing deeper water to rise to the surface.

Carbon Dioxide concentrations in Earth's atmosphere have increased rapidly since the Industrial Revolution.

True

Carbon dioxide is largely responsible for the greenhouse effect of the atmosphere.

True

Climate data cannot predict the weather.

True

Combustion of fossil fuels adds carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

True

Deep-ocean circulation is driven primarily by density differences.

True

Deforestation plays a major role in climate change.

True

During an El Nino event, winter temperatures are warmer than normal in the north-central US.

True

Each year around January 3, Earth closer to the sun than at any other time of the year (perihelion).

True

Earth is currently tilted 23.5 degrees from the perpendicular.

True

El Nino is associated with warmer water currents than normal.

True

Fog is defined as a cloud with its base at or very near the ground surface.

True

Frontal wedging plays a major role in producing clouds and precipitation in the midwestern portion of the US.

True

Global mean temperature is now higher than at any time in at least the past 500 to 1000 years.

True

Heat is absorbed when water evaporates.

True

Hurricanes are more common in Florida than California because of the warmer water temperatures and prevailing wind direction.

True

If the weather forecaster predicts a quick drop in air pressure, you can assume there will also be an increase in wind.

True

In determining the size of hail stones, weather spotters should report the longest dimension of the largest hail stone.

True

In general, lower air pressure indicates stormy weather, while higher air pressure indicated fair weather.

True

In the western Pacific, a large tropical storm is called a typhoon.

True

Nitrogen and oxygen make up 99 percent of the volume of clean, dry air on Earth.

True

On a weather map, the surface position of a warm front is shown by a red line with red semicircles pointing in the direction the front is moving.

True

On average, a hurricane has a longer duration (lasts longer) than a tornado.

True

The best strategy for a swimmer to exist a rip current is to swim parallel to shore.

True

The best-known climatic effect of increased altitude is lower temperatures.

True

The eye of a hurricane is the warmest part of the storm.

True

The warmer the air, the more water vapor is required to saturate it.

True

Tiny solid and liquid particles within the atmosphere are collectively called Aerosols.

True

Tornadoes of F1 to F2 in strength account for most of the tornadoes observed.

True

Warm air is less dense than cold air.

True

Water vapor is the source of all clouds and precipitation.

True

When a hurricane moves onto land, it rapidly declines because of friction and lack of warm, moist air.

True

When glaciers melt, sea level increases.

True

Wind drives surface ocean waves.

True

With increased elevation, temperatures within the stratosphere increase.

True

Ozone filters out most of the ________ radiation in sunlight.

Ultraviolet

The dry adiabatic rate of change for unsaturated air is 10°C/1000 m. What does this mean?

Unsaturated air will get warmer as it sinks and colder as it rises.

The ________ sides of mountains are often wet.

Windward

If you live in the Midwestern United States or Canada and you experience several days of winter temperatures below -20°C with clear weather, you are undoubtedly experiencing ________.

a Continental Polar air mass

Hurricane Sandy produced some of the greatest destruction along the New Jersey coast in communities situated along narrow strips of land between the beach and a coastal lagoon to the west. These communities were vulnerable because they were built on a low-lying landscape of ________.

a barrier island

We are likely to have our highest relative humidity ________.

about sunrise

If Earth were not rotating ________.

air would move directly from high to low pressure

A rain-free base of an updraft is ________. a sign that the updraft is tilted all of these where the vast majority of tornadoes develop associated with longer-lasting storms none of these

all of these

Which of the following is designed to prevent or retard shoreline erosion? beach nourishment groin seawall all of these

all of these

A wall cloud is ________.

an area of lowered clouds persistently rotating under a thunderstorm's updraft

You are in mid-latitudes in winter. You experience heavy snow followed by a dramatic drop in temperature as a cold front passes, but for almost 24 hours the weather is clear. Then, high clouds appear in the west, thicken to stratus clouds and you receive a light new snowfall (aka snow flurries) but the temperature remains cold. You have just seen the passage of:

an occluded front

Ocean water at high latitudes has ____________ surface temperatures and ____________ surface densities.

cold, high

The salt water ______________ when poured into the glass containing cold tap water.

collected at the bottom

Low air pressure systems are usually associated with ________.

converging air, precipitation, and high pressure aloft

Lightning is most prominent in _____.

cumulonimbus clouds

Which one of the following statements is true about the equinoxes?

days and nights are equal in length everywhere

In general, salinity will ___________ with depth in the equatorial and tropical regions and will __________ with depth at high latitudes.

decrease, increase

Thermohaline circulation is:

deep circulation of water driven by a combination of cold temperature and high density related to high salinity from formation of sea ice, producing descending high density waters that flow southward to equatorial regions

On the AVERAGE, for every 1 km increase in altitude in the troposphere, the air temperature ________.

drops about 6.5˚C

Climates where evaporation exceeds precipitation are called ________ climates.

dry

This pressure zone is associated with abundant precipitation and warm temperatures.

equatorial low

Widely spaced isobars often indicate ________.

light winds

Temperature decreases most rapidly with depth at ___________ latitudes.

low

Cold water is ________ than warm water and salty water is ________ than fresh water.

more dense; more dense

If you go to a beach in the continental United States and you are standing on a long, flat strand of sand, and you look away from the open ocean and see only a few low sand dunes and then a large, open waterway, where are you?

on a barrier island on the Florida Gulf Coast

Irregular heating of the air can produce thermals, which are ________.

pockets of warm air that rise

The Montreal Protocol is a UN agreement that is intended to ________.

reduce CFCs in the atmosphere

A Santa Ana (or Chinook or Foehn) wind is a ________.

very dry, warm wind flowing down a mountain slope

The Coalescence-Collision Process applies to ________ .

warm clouds

The eye of a hurricane is ________.

warmer than the rest of the storm

Most of the United States is situated in which zone of prevailing winds?

westerlies

The major difference in vegetation between the different humid tropical (A) regions is that ________.

wet tropical regions have rain forests and tropical wet and dry regions have grasslands

The climate in which temperatures average 25˚C or more each month and total precipitation for the year is high is the ________ climate.

wet tropics

Compared to places at lower elevations, highland climates are usually cooler and ________.

wetter