gc 100 exams
The PGF is the primary cause of allhorizontal air movement. Select one: True False
true
The Santa Ana winds are a good example of Katabatic winds. Select one: True False
true
Figure 8 shows phase changes for H2O, and the concept of sensible heat transfer. Select one: True False
false
A beach is a good example of a static system - very little, if any, change occurs to the beach face. Select one: True False
false
Approximately 29% of the Earth's surface is water or ice, and 71% is solid land. Select one: True False
false
Convergent lifting precipitation occurs in areas of high pressure. Select one: True False
false
Density of a particulate is the most important factor affecting whether a particulate stays aloft. Select one: True False
false
Easterly waves develop in ocean basins best characterized as shallow (less than 150m deep). Select one: True False
false
Figure 6 is a climograph of a midlatitude, transitional C climate. Select one: True False
false
A barometer Select one: a. Is used to measure atmospheric pressure. b. Is used to determine the frictional force exerted on the landscape. c. Is used to determine the direction of flow caused by the Coriolis force. d. Is used to measure zonal flow.
a
Assuming the same rate of energy input, it takes far longer to heat up ocean (water) than land due to the following three characteristics Select one: a. Energy is absorbed much deeper in water than land; vertical mixing; water has a high heat capacity (3x that of land). b. Longwave radiation is much less effective at warming water than land; presence of sea life; land absorbs less energy than water. c. The ozone layer inhibits warming up water bodies; presence of methane in water; energy is absorbed much deeper in land than in water.
a
Cirrostratus clouds Select one: a. Have a layered appearance and occur at altitudes greater than 6km. b. Typically produce heavy rain. c. Are puffy, billowing masses at the lowest altitude. d. Form when masses of fine water droplets suspended in air concentrate near the ground.
a
Evaporation will take place as long as the air is not saturated with respect to water and _________ Select one: a. there is sufficient heat energy available at the water surface to change water to vapor. b. there is a suitable release of latent heat. c. winds must exceed 39 mph d. ambient temperatures must not exceed 3oC.
a
Figure 1 is depicting Select one: a. Orographic precipitation b. Frontal precipitation c. Convectional precipitation
a
Figure 3 shows an example of... Select one: a. Conduction. b. Subduction. c. Solar radiation. d. Convection. e. Contusion.
a
Forces that determine the speed and direction of surface- and upper-level winds include Select one: a. the Coriolis force, frictional force, PGF b. the Coriolis force, meanders, loop current rings c. frictional force, adiabatic cooling, PGF d. decompression melting, gastropod force, PGF
a
In Figure 1, arrow S is pointing to Select one: a. a meridian. b. a parallel. c. latitude. d. longitude.
a
Location E is... a. The zone of partial melting b. A continental volcanic arc c. Oceanic crust
a
Ozone, O3, Select one: a. ...is a variable gas, whose concentration various seasonally, with production highest in the summer. b. ...has a mathematically developable surface. c. ...is an inert, constant gas produced mostly by the radioactive decay of potassium 40. d. ...is a variable gas that is produced by bacteria in wetlands and guts of many animals and people. e. ...is a gas that is responsible for the perihelion.
a
The Earth is an oblate ellipsoid, because... Select one: a. Rotation of the earth around the polar axis introduces outward centrifugal forces perpendicular to the axis. The amount of force varies from zero at each pole, to a maximum at the equator. b. Of the gravitational forces exerted by the Sun on the Earth. c. Rotation of the earth around the polar axis introduces inward centrifugal forces parallel to the axis. The force is at a maximum at each pole, and near zero at the equator. d. The 23.5o tilt of the Earth's axis induces a rotational force that is exceeds the gravitational pull of the moon. e. The plane of the elliptic scribes an oval path around the sun.
a
The climograph in Figure 5 shows temperature and precipitation curves typical of which climate type? Select one: a. hot, dry desert (BWh) b. humid, subtropical (Cfa) c. severe midlatitude, dry in winter (Dwd) d. monsoon rainforest (Am)
a
The spheres of the Earth system include the... Select one: a. Hydrosphere, biosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere. b. Geosphere, chronosphere, blogosphere. c. Biosphere, phyllosphere, cyanosphere, atmosphere.
a
Which of the below is not a factor in the formation of soils? a. Exfoliation b. Parent material c. Climate d. Topography
a
______________ occurs when air passing over the Earth's surface encounters drag due to rough, uneven terrain. Select one: a. Frictional force b. Valley breeze c. A dust dome d. Stability
a
________________ , a Russian-German geographer, meteorologist, climatologist, and botanist, compared global distribution of vegetation to world distribution of temperatures and precipitation. Select one: a. Wladimir Köppen b. Alfred Wegener c. Bill Watterson d. Norman Bowen
a
A biogeochemical cycle for a single chemical element is... a. The process determined by Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch that plants use to fix nitrogen in chemical factories. b. Determined as the "pathways" and "pools" for the element. c. A term for all the chemical, physical, and biological changes that take place after elements are lithified. d. The amount of time that it takes an element to travel from the atmosphere, to groundwater, and back to the atmosphere.
b
In Figure 1 Area B is referred to as... Select one: a. The windward slope b. The leeward slope c. upslope
b
In Figure 1 the magnitude of PGFis as follows Select one: a. Right to left b. 6 mb/100km = 0.06 mb/km c. 3mb/100km = 0.03mb/km d. (1008mb/6mb) / 100km = 1.68km
b
In Figure 2 airmass B must be Select one: a. cold airmass b. a warm airmass c. an arctic airmass
b
In Figure 2, arrow Q is pointing to Select one: a. the Mesopause. b. the Stratosphere. c. the Turbopause. d. the Mesotrope.
b
In most cases, substances expand when heated and contract as they cool. Which of the following substances behaves in exactly the opposite manner (contracts when heated, and expands as it is cooled/frozen)? Select one: a. carbon dioxide (CO2) b. water (H2O) c. sodium chloride (NaCl) d. methane (CH4)
b
Metamorphic rocks are... a. ...formed by the deposition and subsequent cementation of mineral or organic particles b. ...rocks that are altered by heat, pressure, and fluids. c. ...rocks originating as molten magma
b
Refer to Figure 3 - The scenario: You are at a location in the Northern Hemisphere that is experiencing extremehigh pressure. Winds begin rotating as indicated in Figure 3. This feature is referred to as a(n) ____________. The type of weather you are experiencing is _________________ Select one: a. anticyclone; cloudy with rain b. anticyclone; sunny, clear and windy c. cyclone; partly cloudy and warm d. cyclone; sunny and windy
b
Refer to Figure 4. At a latitude of 60o North,near the end of October, there is/are... Select one: a. Between 14 and 16 hours of daylight. b. Between 10 and 12 hours of daylight. c. Between 18 and 20 hours of daylight. d. Continuous daylight. e. Virtually no daylight.
b
Referring to Figure 2, the air pressure at an altitude of 20 km is roughly __________ that at an altitude of 10 km. Select one: a. One-third b. One-quarter c. Double d. Three times
b
The process pictured in Figure 4 is Select one: a. an example of rotational heating b. an example of convectional precipitation c. radiation fog d. adiabatic cooling
b
This type of fog forms when there is a light wind, there are clear skies, and there is moisture in the air and the ground is wet. Select one: a. radial fog b. radiation fog c. advection fog d. upslope fog
b
Tropical rainforest, mediterranean scrub, and northern coniferous forests are types of... a. soils b. biomes c. climates d. high altitude (H) climates
b
Zonal flow is defined as... Select one: a. North-south flow of air along a meridian. b. East-west flow of air roughly parallel to the equator. c. Data collected nationwide showing that rivers in the U.S.A. flow zonally toward the south. d. Overland floodwater in the middle of a divided highway.
b
A(n) _______ is characterized as having access to plenty of heat, plenty of moisture (due to rainfall in the ITCZ),contains monsoon systems, and may spawn easterly waves. Select one: a. B climate b. C climate c. A climate d. high altitude H climate
c
A(n) _______________ is a weak trough in sea level pressure. Select one: a. Westerlie b. Polar Jetstream c. Easterly wave d. cyclone
c
Adiabatic cooling and heating is best described Select one: a. as a process whereby insolation removes excess heat from the mantle and crust, transferring that energy to the stratosphere. b. as a rising air parcel that is not saturated with respect to methane. c. as a physical process where heat is neither removed or added. d. as the condition that occurs when the dry adiabatic lapse rate (DALR) exceeds atmospheric moisture conditions resulting in absolute cloud instability.
c
Figure 4 is showing the viewer that... Select one: a. The Coriolis force deflects air masses toward the right in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. b. The Pressure Gradient Force deflects air masses toward the right in the Southern Hemisphere. c. The Coriolis force deflects air masses and ocean currents to the right in the Northern Hemisphere. d)Surface friction deflects air masses to the left in the Northern Hemisphere.
c
In Figure 1, arrow T is pointing to Select one: a. the North Pole. b. a parallel. c. longitude. d. the prime meridian.
c
Latent heat transfer is... Select one: a. The average energy input at the top of the atmosphere. b. A type of heat transfer where the energy from the sun that is reflected by the Earth. c. A type of heat transfer associated with the flow of water vapor, or a change of state. d. Longwave radiation emitted by the Earth. e. Heat flowing through a medium with the help of movement or flow of the substance
c
Low latitude weather systems are influenced by ___________ and are characterized by ___________ Select one: a. tidal pull; strong high pressure cells b. low-angle insolation; latent heat of vaporization and strong release of latent heat c. the ITCZ; plenty of water vapor and excess heat d. maritime tropical airmasses; high pressure and strong vertical cloud development
c
Melting: Liquid water + __________ = solid ice Select one: a. latent heat of fusion b. frontal lifting c. release of latent heat d. latent heat of vaporization
c
Refer to Figure 2. Atmospheric pressure on the top of the Himalayan peak, K2,is about 325mb. What is the approximate altitude of K2, assuming that the pressure at the summit falls on this curve? Select one: a. 21 km b. 2.5 km c. 8.5 km d. 15 km
c
The Subtropical High is best described as Select one: a. An atmospheric zone between 0oand 30o north that is greater than elevation 8,000 feet above sea level. b. A zone of low pressure centered roughly over the equator. c. A region of high pressure located between the trades and the westerlies. d. The region of Florida that was designed for, and occupied by, retirees from mountainous regions of the U.S.A. e. None of the above
c
The continental lithosphere is at location... a. E b. A c. C
c
The definition of "Solstice" is the following: Select one: a. A time when day and night are of equal length (roughly March 21 and September 23). b. The two days of the month when the Earth's centrifugal forces are zero at the north and south poles. c. The two days of the year when the "sun stands still" - in the Northern Hemisphere this occurs on the longest day of the year (around June 22) and the shortest day of the year (around December 22). d. When heat flows through a medium with the help from the movement/flow of the substance. e. Rotation of the earth around the polar axis introduces outward centrifugal forces perpendicular to the axis.
c
The large "O" stands for ocean. In Figure 1 the ocean serves to: Select one: a. Act to block prevailing winds. b. Remove moisture from prevailing winds. c. Add moisture to prevailing winds.
c
Choose the type of airmass described as follows: This air mass forms in the "interior of subtropical continents at about 15o to 35o north and south latitude. They are hot and dry air masses due to the temperature and moisture characteristics at their source region" Select one: a. cA - continental arctic b. mT - maritime tropical c. cT - continental tropical d. mP - maritime polar
c?
Also in Figure 1, the large arrow indicates Select one: a. the direction of low pressure b. the magnitude of the 1011 mb isoline c. the direction of the Coriolis Force d. the direction of the PGF
d
Aristotle believed the Earth was spherical based on... Select one: a. The fact that on one day of each month the sunlight reflected off the water at the bottom of a deep well. b. The characteristics of the boundary between the half of the earth that is in daylight and the half of the earth that is in darkness. c. His observations that air or water at one temperature moves to a location with a different temperature. d. Astronomical (stars and lunar eclipse) observations, and sailing ship observations. e. None of the above
d
Figure 3 shows water balance averages by latitude for the N. Hemisphere. Choose the letter(s) on the evaporation curve that best represents the average evaporation found in the region(s) dominated by the trade winds. Select one: a. C b. A & E c. A, C & E d. B & D
d
Figure 5 was produced using a Mercatorprojection. One drawback of this type ofprojection is that... Select one: a. The size of continents is exaggerated towardthe N and S poles. b. Not all continents are portrayed (i.e.,the Antarctic is missing). c. Spacing between parallels is not uniform. d. All of the above.
d
In Figure 2, arrow P is pointing to Select one: a. the Geosphere. b. the Mesocline. c. the Stratosphere. d. the Mesopause.
d
Kinetic energy of prevailing surface winds imparts momentum on the water surface, which generates kinetic energy of surface water movement. Once an ocean current is moving ... Select one: a. the current experiences deflection due to the Coriolis force. b. the water experiences deflection relative to the wind flowing over the water. c. Coriolis steers the surface current to flow at an angle of about 45 degrees to the right of the wind (in the Northern Hemisphere) d. all of the above.
d
Midlatitude cyclones Select one: a. form in areas where the polar jet stream diverges b. are also called surface lows c. bring clear but very windy weather d. both a and b e. both a and c
d
Figure 7 is a thumbnail sketch of ocean currents in the North Atlantic gyre. This gyre experiences Ekman Transport in the vicinity of location "T". Select one: True False
false
Referring to Figure 4, this type of precipitation usually occurs... Select one: a. In the morning, when the sun first comes up. b. After the sun has set. c. In the early morning, before the sun comes up. d. In the afternoon, after the sun has warmed the land and air.
d
Severe midlatitude (D) (or microthermal) climates... a. Are typical of land areas far from moderating oceans. b. Are typically found between the equator and 10 degrees north (or south) latitudes. c. Have at least one month when the mean temperatures is below freezing. d. Both a and c.
d
The cloud in Figure 2 formed Select one: a. through frontal lifting b. as warm air B was displaced by cold cold air A. c. by condensation of rising air B d. all of the above e. none of the above
d
The five subtropical gyres are named as follows: Select one: a. North Indian, South Mediterranean, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, South Pacific b. South Atlantic, North Atlantic, Dead Sea, North Pacific, South Indian c. South Indian, North Atlantic, North Pacific, South Atlantic, North Indian d. North Pacific, North Atlantic, South Pacific, South Atlantic, Indian
d
There are three basic types of map projection surfaces that are mathematically developable. These developable surfaces are Select one: a. Rhombohedral, triangular, and spherical. b. Conical, rectilinear, and rectangular. c. Azimuthal, pyramidal, and cylindrical. d. Conical, azimuthal/planar, and cylindrical.
d
When the air temperature is the same as the ______________, the air is at ___________ - at this point we begin to see water droplets forming. Select one: a. maximum humidity; the subsolidus b. dew point temperature; the adiabatic minimum c. minimum absolute humidity; release of latent heat d. dew point temperature; saturation point
d
_____________ are tropical storms with sustained wind speeds > 74 mph. Select one: a. Tropical cyclones b. Tropical depressions c. Hurricanes d. Both a and c
d
______________ wind results when the Coriolis force and pressure gradient force PGF balance each other out. Select one: a. Gelisol b. ELR c. Tonal d. Geostrophic e. Gastropic
d
The Santa Ana winds develop when Select one: a. Air is forced through mountain passes in the Sierra Nevada from the east, and descends toward theCalifornia coast to the west. b. A high pressure cell moves in over the desert east of the Sierra Nevada and is paired with a low pressure cell over the Pacific ocean. c. As air descends from the mountain passes it experiences adiabatic warming and dries out. d. All of the above. e. Options b and c.
e
If a rising air mass is warmer than the surrounding air column, the air parcel will experience conditions of absolute stability. Select one: True False
false
In Figure 5, the two yellow arrows are pointing to the westerlies. Select one: True False
false
In Figure 7, a cold airmass (A) is advancing on a warm airmass (B). Select one: True False
false
Jet streams typically are located just beneath the mesopause. Select one: True False
false
Meanders in the polar jet stream are caused by convection and distortion. Select one: True False
false
Nearly all tundra (ET) climate types are found in the southern hemisphere. Select one: True False
false
Referring again to Figure 5, what is pictured is a cross section of both Hadley Cells with the Ferrel Cell sandwiched between. Select one: True False
false
Referring to Figure 6 - Area "C" is an area of low pressure. Select one: True False
false
The Earth is closest to the Sun during summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Select one: True False
false
The ITCZ is an equatorial area of high pressure that stays in roughly the same location year-round. Select one: True False
false
The Thermocline begins at 1,000 meters depth and contains roughly 97% of the total ocean. Select one: True False
false
The figure shows the variation, by latitude, of longwave radiation. Select one: True False
false
The three constant gases found in the homosphere are nitrogen(N2), ozone (O3), and argon (Ar). Select one: True False
false
The rain shadow effect results in extensive precipitation and thus lush vegetation on the windward slope of a mountain range. Select one: True False
true
The Hydrologic Cycle, a closed system, is basically composed of two subsystems (ignoring surface runoff): precipitation and evaporation over oceans, and precipitation and evapotranspiration over land. Select one: True False
true
Referring to Figure 6 - At location "A", the physical distance (height) from the ground to the top of a column of air extending up to the 800mb surface, would be greater than the physical height of the column of air extending to the 800mb surface at location "C". Select one: True False
true
Referring to Figure 6 - The appropriate label for location B is "Wind generated by the Pressure Gradient force" Select one: True False
true
All objects lose heat by radiation. Select one: True False
true
Atmospheric rivers are a short-lived atmospheric feature that contain huge volumes of water vapor. Select one: True False
true
Climate is the long-term conditions of all the weather over a region, summarized by averages and measures of variability. Select one: True False
true
Contour lines (a type of isoline used to portray topography) on a topographic map are inklines that represent a specific, constant elevation. Select one: True False
true
Figure 6 shows a cross section of the ocean and ocean floor. The region labeled Z is best described as the continental shelf. Select one: True False
true
Ionization, a phenomenon partly responsible for the aurora borealis in the Northern Hemisphere, occurs in the thermosphere. Select one: True False
true
It is typical that to initiate cloud formation there must be substantial condensation nuclei, and the air must be saturated. Select one: True False
true
Midlatitude "C" climates are transitional between the tropics and the upper mid-latitudes. Select one: True False
true
Ocean currents are sometimes called drifts because the water in the current is moving very slowly. Select one: True False
true
Ocean water warms up faster and cools more quickly than continental landmasses. Select one: True False
true
Referring again to Figure 5, the regions indicated by "X" are referred to as the horse latitudes. Select one: True False
true
When a rising air parcel contains water vapor that is changing to water droplets (i.e., a phase change is occurring), latent heat energy is given off. Select one: True False
true
When considering subpolar gyres, landmasses and sea ice tend to interrupt surface flows. As a result, the flows remain relatively warm. Select one: True False
true
