chapter 10 GEOG. exam #3 questions

Based on principles discussed earlier in the course, you know that as distance from the equator increases, seasonal variation in temperature tends to A) increase. B) decrease. C) remain constant.

A

Which of the following characterizes a tropical savanna climate? A) It experiences a summer wet season, and is dominated by the ITCZ for nearly 12 months of the year. B) It experiences a wet summer and dry winter, and is dominated by the ITCZ for 6 months or less during the year. C) All months receive precipitation in excess of 6 cm (2.4 in.). D) It has an average warmest month below 18°C (64.4°F).

B

The tropical rain forest climate receives most of its rainfall as a result of A) frontal uplift. B) orographic uplift. C) convectional uplift.

C

Which type of plants grow in desert climates? A) taiga B) boreal forests C) xerophytic D) chaparral

C

An area defined by characteristic, long-term weather patterns is called A) a biome. B) an average weather place. C) an ecosystem. D) a climatic region.

D

The ITCZ migrates with the high Sun and influences the tropical monsoon climates.

true

Duluth, Minnesota, Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Russia are within which climate classification? A) Humid continental, mild summer B) Humid subtropical, mild summer C) Ice cap and ice sheet D) Humid subtropical, winter-dry

A

Humid subtropical hot summer climates in ; typically experience . A) Asia; dry winters due to monsoonal conditions. B) Asia; wet summers due to cyclonic storm tracks. C) North America; dry winters due to cold ocean currents. D) North America; wet summers due to monsoonal conditions.

A

Mediterranean dry-summer climates A) experience dry conditions in summer due to the subtropical high overhead. B) experience wet conditions in winter due to the ITCZ overhead. C) are bordered poleward by steppe climates. D) experience wet conditions in summer due to the ITCZ overhead.

A

The tropical savanna climate has A) the ITCZ in summer and the subtropical high in winter. B) the polar front in winter and the subtropical high in summer. C) the ITCZ all year-round. D) the polar front all year-round.

A

Which Which climate is characterized by the largest change in monthly average temperatures; i.e., the greatest change in temperatures from one month to the next? A) Subarctic B) Marine West Coast C) Humid Subtropical D) Mediterranean

A

Which of the following is not true of the humid continental, hot-summer climate regions in North America? A) It has mild winters. B) Most of the precipitation occurs in summer. C) It is influenced by maritime air masses in summer. D) It is one of the regions that experiences significant frontal activity because of the interaction of conflicting air masses in winter. E) It is dominated by cP air masses in winter.

A

Which of the following is true of the Mediterranean climate? A) dry summers and wet winters B) year-round drought C) year-round rainfall D) high sun season is rainy season

A

Based on principles discussed earlier in the course, you know that areas dominated by maritime air masses will be relatively __________, and that those dominated by cT air masses will be relatively __________. A) wet; wet B) wet; dry C) dry; wet D) dry; dry

B

Based on principles discussed earlier in the course, you know that coastal areas located adjacent to cold ocean currents experience __________. A) more precipitation than areas located adjacent to warm currents B) less precipitation than areas located adjacent to warm currents C) the same amount of precipitation as areas located adjacent to warm currents

B

Los Angeles, located in a Mediterranean climate zone, is kept __________ during the summer because of the presence of __________. A) dry; mountains along the western side of the city B) dry; the cold California current off the coast C) wet; mountains along the western side of the city D) wet; the warm California current off the coast

B

Precipitation mechanisms in marine west-coast climates do not include which of the following? A) orographic B) ITCZ C) cyclonic storm tracks D) convective

B

The dry season in the tropical monsoon climate occurs when A) cold air masses dominate the region. B) the ITCZ is not overhead. C) the ITCZ is overhead. D) cold ocean currents shift into the region.

B

Which of the following is not true of the subarctic climate regions of Canada and Asia? A) Permafrost occurs here. B) Broadleaf deciduous trees, such as maple and sweetgum, dominate the area. C) The area can experience summer temperatures in the nineties. D) This climate zone constitutes the maximum poleward extent of forests. E) This is the zone that experiences the greatest temperature range of any place on Earth

B

Which of the following is not true of the tundra zone? A) Mosquitoes and gnats are plentiful in the summer in this region. B) It is found only in the southern hemisphere. C) Plants grow here during a short warm period. D) Permafrost occurs here.

B

Which type of vegetation grows in the Mediterranean climate? A) taiga B) chaparral C) rain forest D) boreal forest

B

A climate that is mesothermal and has a long, hot, dry summer would be designated by which of the following? A) Tropical savanna B) Semiarid steppe C) Mediterranean D) Humid subtropical, hot summer E) Humid continental, hot summer

C

Climate is A) the weather of a region. B) the short-term condition of the atmosphere. C) the long-term atmospheric conditions, including extremes that may occur. D) a reference to temperature patterns only.

C

Which climatic region contains and feeds the greatest number of people in the world? A) wet equatorial B) tropical savanna C) mesothermal D) microthermal

C

Which of the following climate types is characterized by soils that are so wet they are extremely low in nutrients? A) Humid continental B) Humid subtropical C) Tropical rain forest D) Tundra

C

Which of the following is false regarding the tropical rain forest climate? A) It is influenced by the ITCZ year-round. B) It does not experience a winter season. C) The annual temperature range is larger than the daily temperature range. D) Thunderstorms occur almost daily.

C

Which of the following is not true of marine west-coast climates? A) They are dominated by mP air masses. B) The air masses in this region are unstable. C) These climates experience very cold winters because of their high latitude (about 45° to 55° north) D) The weather is quite unpredictable.

C

Which of the following lists the correct, generalized sequence of climates from the equator to the poles? A) Highland → Microthermal → Mesothermal → Desert → Tropical B) Highland → Desert → Mesothermal → Microthermal → Polar C) Tropical → Desert → Mesothermal → Microthermal → Polar D) Polar → Microthermal → Mesothermal → Desert → Tropical E) Desert → Tropical → Microthermal → Polar → Mesothermal

C

In which of the following areas would the least amount of precipitation occur? A) in areas affected by maritime air masses B) along windward coasts C) in low-pressure regions D) on the leeward side of a mountain range in the interior of a continent

D

Regarding average annual precipitation, which of the following is correct? A) The highest amounts occur throughout subtropical latitudes. B) The drier regions are associated with the eastern portions of major landmasses. C) The precipitation tends to increase with latitude toward the poles. D) The highest average values occur along the equator.

D

The Pacific Northwest region of the U.S. is a moist environment because of A) the effect of maritime air masses. B) the presence of mountains. C) the predominant direction the winds blow at that latitude (about 45° to 50° N). D) all of the above

D

Which of the following is false regarding the Mediterranean classification? A) Summers are hot. B) Seventy percent of the precipitation occurs in the winter months. C) It is also called the Mediterranean dry-summer climate. D) The bulk of precipitation occurs in the summer months.

D

Which of the following is false regarding the tropical rain forest ecosystem? A) The soils are nutrient-poor. B) Very little light reaches the forest floor. C) Organic matter decomposes very rapidly. D) Low-growing vegetation is dense on the forest floor.

D

Many of the desert regions of the southwestern U.S. have developed as a result of A) their interior position within the continent. B) the presence of mountains to the west of their location. C) their location within a low-pressure zone. D) all of the above E) A and B only

E

A climograph is a mechanical instrument used for measuring climates

false

Antarctica is buried under thousands of feet of ice because heavy snowfalls occur there each year.

false

Chaparral is a type of vegetation found in subarctic climates.

false

Land in the tropics that is cleared for agricultural crop production is very fertile and will require little, if any, fertilizer to maintain intensive agriculture.

false

The condition of the atmosphere at any given time and place is called climate.

false

The soils in tropical environments are nutrient-rich as indicated by the vast amount of vegetation that grows there.

false

Climates can be stable over several human generations, and also change over longer time periods (thousands to millions of years).

true

Climatic regions are characterized by distinctive weather patterns.

true

The Mediterranean climate requires the use of irrigation for most crops.

true

The climate of an area can be classified in different ways depending upon the criteria used to define it.

true

Tundra can occur on high mountains as well as in the coastal margins of the subarctic realm.

true