Midterm

______________ is the study of the long-term state of the atmosphere.

Climatology

The direction and speed of wind represents the balance between three basic forces acting on it. Which of the following are these? (Mark three)

Coriolis force surface friction pressure gradient

Which of the following emphasis includes Sustainability as a major component? (Mark all that apply).

Energy Efficiency Direct and indirect solar energy

What causes thunder?

Lightning

Which of the following plant communities at the Arroyo Seco is dominated by the Coast Live Oak and is found on north slopes and shady ravines?

Live Oak Woodland

Indicate if the geographic coordinates below are lines of Latitude. (Mark all that apply).

N 34° 08' 44.9" S 18° 09' 30.3"

Which of the following geographic coordinates is INCORRECT because it does not exist?

N 34° 08' 66.6"

Why do coastal areas flood when tropical cyclones make landfall? (Mark all that apply).

Storm surge Large amounts of precipitation

You notice on weather.com that the barometric pressure is rising. What weather condition is most likely to follow?

Sunny weather is approaching

Where does the past 150 years of instrumental climate data come from? (Mark all that apply).

Thermometers Barometers

As a hurricane's atmospheric pressure decreases, its' storm surge increases.

True

What step BEGINS the chain reaction that forms natural ozone in the atmosphere?

UV radiation from the sun

Tanning beds have a higher proportion of ___________ radiation than does natural sunlight.

UVA

What information does the SPF number on sunscreen bottles give you?

Your protection from UVB rays

On a topographic map, what would a closed depression look like?

a circle with hash marks

At the Lower Arroyo Seco, what are the secondary channels away from the main concrete channel? (mark all that apply).

a result of restoration efforts by the City these are replacements for what would be naturally occurring meanders of the river these side streams create riparian habitat and shaded trails by diverting water from the concrete channel these streams support Mulefat and Willow Scrub and Alluvial Fan scrub plant communities

A parcel of rising air is least likely to do this.

contract

Tropical cyclones in the northern hemisphere rotate ____________

counterclockwise

Which of the following processes shows the correct order of how wind is created on earth?

energy gradient -> temperature gradient -> pressure gradient -> wind

The study of weather does NOT include ________.

geocaching

If you were reading a topographic map, what would you look for if you were trying to determine your elevation?

index contour line

Air that contains as much water as it can hold:

is saturated.

Lines connecting points of equal air pressure are used to show pressure patterns on constant height maps. What are they called?

isobars

During aphelion the Earth is farthest from the Sun on its orbit. How does this affect Earth's seasons?

it does not affect the seasons

Which of the following is the most effective way to minimize the amount of material that enters the waste stream?

minimize packaging for products

The relative humidity can increase or decrease even though the water vapor content doesn't change because:

relative humidity is temperature dependent.

What are the potential drawbacks of GPS Technology? (Mark all that apply).

roads of questionable quality (i.e. dirt or gravel) poor GPS signal outdated roads GPS can run out of power

What types of data would a geographer need to determine how susceptible is your house to a wildfire? (Mark all that apply).

slope proximity to dead end streets local street data levels of tree and brush fuel

What is the the longest day of the year for places located north of Tropic of Cancer?

summer solstice

Which of the following statements accurately describes the Arroyo Seco? (Mark all that apply).

supports thriving natural ecosystems that include several native plant communities refers to both the stream course and the canyon a protected parkland and open space with 22 miles of trails and myriad recreational opportunities provides shelter, food and nesting sites for hundreds of wildlife species

What is the major difference between weather and climate?

the duration of time

On a topographic map, what would a steep slope look like?

tightly spaced contour lines

Recall the topography of the Sierra Nevada Mountains east of California's central valley. Which of the following locations would have the highest average annual precipitation levels?

western slope

Which of the following zones of latitude is: the area where the Polar Easterlies blow? Description of Map: A map of the world with 4 zones of latitude shaded. From north to south they are shaded and labeled letter A between 90 degrees north and 80 degrees north latitude, letter C between 5 degrees north and 5 degrees south latitude, letter B between 13.5 degrees south and 33.5 degrees south latitude, and letter D between 45.5 degrees south and 66.5 degrees south latitude.

A

The earliest maps were made on (mark all that apply):

clay tablets wooden blocks

Use the map below to match the letter with the following climate regions.

A - Tropical Climate Region B - Mesothermal Climate Region C - Polar Climate Region D - Desert Climate Region E - Highland Climate Region

Latitude and Longitude are based on the concept that a full circle can be divided up into ______ degrees.

360

Which of the following letters is over an area that experiences thunderstorms primarily due to cold and warm fronts? A map of North America with 5 areas labeled (A through E) from north to south in the following order: C over North Western Canada, A over north Central U.S. (the Midwest), B over the Rocky Mountain Range, D over Florida, and E over the Gulf of Mexico.

A

Which of the following plant communities at the Arroyo Seco are dominated by scalebroom, a rare native plant found on the sandy streambanks?

Alluvial Fan Scrub

Which of the following zones of latitude is: an area with the highest global insolation? Description of Map: A map of the world with 4 zones of latitude shaded. From north to south they are shaded and labeled letter A between 90 degrees north and 80 degrees north latitude, letter C between 5 degrees north and 5 degrees south latitude, letter B between 13.5 degrees south and 33.5 degrees south latitude, and letter D between 45.5 degrees south and 66.5 degrees south latitude.

B

Which of the following zones of latitude is: an area with High Atmospheric Pressure? (Mark all that apply) Description of Map: A map of the world with 4 zones of latitude shaded. From north to south they are shaded and labeled letter A between 90 degrees north and 80 degrees north latitude, letter C between 5 degrees north and 5 degrees south latitude, letter B between 13.5 degrees south and 33.5 degrees south latitude, and letter D between 45.5 degrees south and 66.5 degrees south latitude.

B A

Which of the following letters indicates: A location receives direct rays of sunlight twice a year? Description of Image. A map of the world with 5 lines of latitude marked and labeled (D through A) from north to south in the following order: E at 66.5 degrees North, D at 23.5 degrees North, C at the Equator, B at 23.5 degrees South, and A at 66.5 degrees South.

C

Which of the following letters is over an area that experiences the least thunderstorm activity in N. America? A map of North America with 5 areas labeled (A through E) from north to south in the following order: C over North Western Canada, A over north Central U.S. (the Midwest), B over the Rocky Mountain Range, D over Florida, and E over the Gulf of Mexico.

C

What is the shortest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere?

June Solstice

The current rate at which Earth's temperature is increasing can be explained due to natural Earth processes.

False

Look at the topographic map below. Think about how rising water would flood the land. Where does it flood first? Where does it flood last? Which of the descriptions below best represents the potential flood? Topographic Map Caption: The map has a series of roughly concentric oval contour lines. Index contour lines are labeled from South to North: 2200, 2300, 2400, 2500, 2600, 2500, 2400.

Flooding begins at the bottom of the map, followed by water moving in from the top right.

What European Explorer visited the Arroyo Seco and named it?

Gaspar de Portolá

Which of the following behaviors are NOT contributing toward sustainability? (Mark all that apply)

I drink bottled water. I dry clean my clothes.

Why do we have leap years?

It takes the Earth 365.24 days to complete its orbit around the sun

In which of the following ways does our modern perception of "Nature" disconnect us with the natural world? (Mark all that apply).

Nature is scary and far away Humans are used to being superior and independent of nature. Nature is somewhere in the woods, ocean, or desert, not in the city

The seasonal change in snow and ice is much more visible in the ______________ hemisphere due to large bodies of land located at high latitudes.

Northern

Which of the following emphasis includes Sustainability as a major component? (Mark all that apply).

Population stabilization

Which of the following factors is a part of "Design for the Dump?" (Mark all that apply).

Products that are cheaper to buy new than repair or fix Goods that are difficult to find parts for Products that are expensive to repair Goods that become obsolete quickly Products with short-life spans

Which of the following plant communities at the Arroyo Seco is a drought tolerant community of shrubs thriving on east, west and south slopes?

Sage Scrub

A seasonal mood variation believed to be related to light is _______ .

Seasonal Affective Disorder

What hemisphere receives the most lightning strikes in January?

Southern

Desert climates (mark all that apply) - incorrect

are dominated by high pressure have large daily temperature ranges are typically found in rain shadow locations

Lines of latitude _____.

are parallel to each other

Which of the following objects would have the lowest albedo?

asphalt

What type of map uses color to show variations in quantity, density, percent, etc. within a defined geographic area?

choropleth map