Geog 2050 Spring Midterm (LSU)
56) The mean (average) temperature of a given location on Earth is controlled primarily by its ____________ whereas its temperature range is controlled primarily by its ____________. A) evaporation; latitude B) latitude; elevation C) elevation; location with respect to large water bodies D) latitude; location with respect to large water bodies
D.
12) The highest temperature recorded on Earth to date was in A) North America B) Africa C) Mexico D) Asia
B.
10) The temperature control that specifically relates to opaqueness is A) altitude B) transmissibility C) specific heat D) evaporation
B. transmissibily
18) The cool ocean currents that flow along the west coasts of continents promote A) fog B) thunderstorm development C) heavy rainfall D) all of these
A.
19) Which of the following experiences the greatest continentality? A) north central Asia B) central Kansas C) a tropical island D) 200 kilometers inland from the Gulf of Mexico
A.
58) The single most important control on temperature is A) latitude B) evaporation C) distribution of land and water D) altitude
A.
66) The amount of heat energy present in any substance is expressed as its A) sensible heat B) surface motion C) latent heat D) temperature
A.
91) Which of the following is true of the thermal equator during the month of July? A) It trends poleward over continents and equatorward over the oceans. B) Its orientation is apparently random and has yet to be adequately explained. C) It trends equatorward over continents and poleward over the oceans. D) It assumes an orientation that closely parallels that of the equator.
A.
93) As the kinetic energy of the air increases A) its temperature increases B) its temperature is unaffected C) its temperature decreases D) its temperature may either increase or decrease depending upon the circumstances
A.
94) Which of the following would experience the least continentality? A) a tropical island B) north central Asia C) 200 kilometers inland from the Gulf of Mexico D) central Nevada
A.
6) If the surface of the earth were to suddenly turn white, the temperature of the planet would __________ because __________ insolation would be absorbed. A) decrease; less B) decrease; more C) increase; more D) increase; less
A. Decrease; less
4) Which term in the radiation balance equation links the Earth's energy, hydrological, and biological systems? A) latent heat of evaporation B) sensible heat C) infrared energy emitted from the ground D) albedo
A. Latent heat of evaporation
5) Which of the following is false? A) The amount of human-produced heat is not significant in New York City. B) Urbanized surfaces tend to be sealed. C) A city responds much as a desert surface during and after a rainstorm. D) Urban surfaces have lower albedos and higher NET R values.
A. The amount of human-produced heat is not significant in New York CIty
72) Which of the following is true? A) Northern Hemisphere temperatures are more strongly dominated by continentality than are Southern Hemisphere temperatures. B) The Northern and Southern hemispheres are dominated equally by maritime influences. C) The Northern and Southern hemispheres are dominated equally by continentality. D) Southern Hemisphere temperatures are more strongly dominated by continentality than are Northern Hemisphere temperatures.
A.
43) Energy that is reflected from the atmosphere A) increases the energy surplus of the planet B) does not act to heat the atmosphere C) is used to heat the atmosphere D) heats the atmosphere and increases the planet's energy surplus
B.
95) Which of the following has the highest albedo? A) fresh snow B) dry, light sandy soils C) asphalt D) forests
A.
15) The lowest natural temperature on Earth (-89.2 degrees C, -128.56 degrees F) was recorded at A) Verkhoyansk, Siberia, Soviet Union in January B) at the North Pole in July C) at a South Pole scientific base in December D) Vostok, Antarctica in July
D.
52) Earth's average overall albedo is A) 69 percent B) unknown C) 51 percent D) 31 percent
D.
31) Evaporation A) affects the temperature of land surfaces and water bodies the same amount B) affects land more than ocean surfaces C) tends to increase the temperature over water D) tends to increase temperatures over land E) tends to lower temperatures more over water bodies than over land
E.
17) The insolation received at Earth's surface is A) greatest over low-latitude deserts with their cloudless skies B) generally greater at high latitudes because of daylength C) inadequate to sustain life D) usually low at the equator
A.
60) Which of the following results from the fact that there is movement (currents) in heat transferring media? A) Warmer and cooler water mix, thereby spreading heat over a greater volume. B) Heat energy is more evenly distributed in soil and rock than in water. C) Heat energy tends to concentrate in one spot. D) None of the above - currents have no effect on either land or water body temperatures.
A.
65) If the temperature at the surface of the earth (at sea level) is 100 degrees F, what is the temperature at 2000 feet if the normal lapse rate is 3.5 degrees F/1000 feet? A) 93 degrees F B) 96.5 degrees F C) 107 degrees F D) 103.5 degrees F
A.
74) A vertical air current that is generated by temperature-induced density differences is an example of heat transfer by A) convection B) diffusion C) conduction D) advection E) transmission
A.
78) In the surface energy budget, the term - SW represents A) the albedo value of the surface B) incoming energy C) heat D) NET R
A.
86) As a result of the characteristics of water, cities located near a coast should experience a temperature range that is ____________ those of cities located in the interior at the same latitude. A) smaller than B) larger than C) the same as
A.
90) The effect of wind and temperature on the human skin is called the A) wind chill factor B) heat index C) sensible heat measurement D) apparent temperature index
A.
50) Which of the following is true of the albedo of water? A) It is less for frozen water than for liquid water. B) It changes, depending upon the sun angle. C) It never changes - albedos are constant values. D) It is greatest when the sun is low in the sky.
B.
54) The Western Pacific Warm Pool A) is located around the Hawaiian Islands B) averages 28 degrees to 30 degrees C (82 degrees to 86 degrees F) and is measured both by satellite and surface instruments C) averages 20 degrees to 22 degrees C (68 degrees to 72 degrees F) D) is not the region of the highest average ocean temperatures in the world
B.
70) The wind-chill index A) uses the same variables as the heat index does B) takes into account infrared solar radiation C) does not consider whether or not a person is engaged in physical activity D) assumes people are wearing a basic layer of clothing
C.
73) The passage of shortwave and longwave energy through the atmosphere or water is an example of A) absorption B) insolation C) transmission D) refraction
C.
80) Mirrors are used to A) shine light on photovoltaic cells B) shine light on passive solar collectors C) generate steam D) none of the above - mirrors are not used to harness solar energy
C.
9) When light passes from one medium to another A) refraction occurs - a process that is important to the formation of rainbows B) Rayleigh scattering is the predominant effect C) it is usually not affected physically D) transmission happens
A. refraction occurs- a process that is important to the formation of rainbows
22) Longwave radiation (+ LW) arriving at the surface A) comes from UV radiation reflected from the bottoms of clouds B) comes primarily from infrared energy emitted by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere C) comes from diffuse solar radiation D) comes directly from the sun
B.
76) An increase in the Earth's albedo would A) have no effect on the planet's temperature because insolation is constant B) cool the planet C) warm the planet
B.
23) The Celsius scale A) places freezing at 32 degrees and boiling at 212 degrees B) was developed by the British physicist Lord Kelvin C) places freezing at 0 degrees and was formerly called centigrade D) was developed by Fahrenheit, who also developed the alcohol and mercury thermometers E) is used exclusively in the United States
C.
36) Which of the following is an effect of high temperature exposure? A) reduced blood flow to the skin, so that the skin becomes pale in color B) shivering C) decreased urine volume D) increased appetite
C.
13) The annual temperature range map (Figure 3-28) shows that the A) greatest ranges occur in the subtropics over the oceans B) greatest ranges occur over the continental masses in the Southern Hemisphere C) lowest ranges occur over continental interiors in the Northern Hemisphere D) greatest ranges occur in east central Siberia in Russia
D.
2) Ocean currents are produced by A) the Coriolis force and water density differences B) the frictional drag of winds C) land-sea breezes D) both a and b are correct
D.
1) Air flow is initiated by the A) pressure gradient force B) Coriolis force C) friction force D) centrifugal
a.
24) Air temperature is a measure of the presence of which of these? A) sensible heat B) apparent temperature C) relative humidity D) heat capacity
A.
26) Conduction refers to A) the vertical movement of air in response to temperature-induced density differences B) the molecule-to-molecule transfer of heat energy that diffuses through the material C) strong vertical motions in the atmosphere D) the behavior of something
B.
64) Sensible heat transfer (H) refers to energy transfer between the air and the surface by A) evaporation of water B) turbulent eddies, convection, and conduction C) reflection of insolation D) all of the above
B.
67) The reflective quality of a surface is known as its A) absorption B) albedo C) scattering D) conduction
B.
87) Because of the process known as __________ the sun appears above the horizon ____________ it has actually risen. A) transmission; before B) refraction; before C) refraction; after D) transmission; after E) reflection; before
B.
1) The temperature control that includes the heat capacity of a substance is A) movement B) specific heat C) cloud cover D) evaporation
B. Specific Heat
4) The western side of subtropical high pressure cells tend to be A) cool and moist B) dry, stable, and warm, with cooler ocean currents C) warm, moist, and unstable D) generally in the same position all year, i.e., they do not migrate with the high Sun
C.
85) When light passes from space into the atmosphere, it changes ___________ in a process known as _______________. A) speed and direction; reflection B) speed and direction; refraction C) color; reflection D) color; Rayleigh scattering E) color; refraction
B.
Which of the following is true? A) Practical technology for the use of solar energy has not yet been developed. B) flat-plate solar collectors were sold in newspapers and merchandise catalogs almost 100 years ago C) Solar energy is nonrenewable, and the technology associated with its use is highly centralized and expensive. D) Solar-thermal electrical production is only at the experimental stage.
B.
21) Which of the following has the lowest albedo? A) forests B) dry, light sandy soils C) the Moon's surface in full sunlight D) pack ice off the coast of Antarctica E) snow that is polluted and several days old
C.
39) The ocean temperature rarely rises above 31 degrees C (88 degrees F) because of ______ feedback caused by _______. A) positive; evaporation B) negative; ocean currents C) negative; evaporation D) positive; ocean currents
C.
49) Which of the following is related to Earth's albedo? A) convection B) transmission C) scattering D) none of these
C.
If the Gulf Stream shifted away from Iceland and England, winter temperatures in these locations would A) become warmer, thereby increasing the average winter temperature B) remain the same C) become cooler, thereby decreasing the average winter temperature D) it is impossible to say what would happen to the winter temperatures
C.
2) The land surface cools off more rapidly at night than water does because A) the amount of energy stored in the land is less than that stored in the water column B) the energy is stored in a shallow layer near the surface of the land, and so it can be radiated away faster C) all of these D) none of the above - land does not cool off more rapidly than water at night
C. All of These
3) Which of the following is true regarding anthropogenic heat production in cities? A) It is too small to be considered a relevant part of the energy budget. B) It contributes little heat energy relative to that arriving from insolation. C) It can contribute 250% more heat energy in winter than is contributed by insolation. D) The production of this heat energy contributes very little to air pollution.
C. It can contribute 250% more heat energy in winter than is contributed by insolation.
30) The Gulf Stream A) creates a warming effect on Japan and the Aleutians B) moves equatorward, warming the California coast C) moves southward and moderates temperatures in eastern South America D) moves northward in the western Atlantic, moderating temperatures in Iceland
D.
45) Which of the following is true regarding the specific heat of land and water? A) The temperature of water will rise faster than that of land when exposed to the same amount of insolation. B) Land surfaces have a higher specific heat than water surfaces. C) Land and water have very similar specific heat values. D) Water can hold more heat energy than a comparable volume of rock.
D.
57) The highest natural temperature on Earth (+58 degrees C, 136 degrees F) was recorded at A) Alice Springs, central Australia B) Elko, Nevada C) Death Valley, California D) Al-Aziziyah, Libya
D.
61) Which of the following would be true for the net radiation balance in a midlatitude location? A) Net R is constant throughout the year. B) The season at which surpluses and deficits occur varies from one year to the next. C) There is a deficit of Net R during the summer and a surplus during the winter. D) There is a surplus of Net R during the summer and a deficit during the winter.
D.
63) The highest maximum temperatures recorded on Earth occur in interior deserts during July because: A) insolation is greater than at other latitudes B) little evaporation occurs to supply moisture to the atmosphere C) the skies are cloudless D) all of the above E) b and c only
D.
71) Mirages (such as the appearance of "water" on a dry, hot road) are caused by A) differences in the air density of layers near the surface B) refraction C) differences in the air temperature of layers near the surface D) all of the above E) temperature and density differences only
D.
88) Based on information discussed earlier in the course, you know that seasonal variation in daylength __________ with increasing distance from the equator because __________. A) decreases; the Earth rotates more slowly near the poles B) remains constant throughout the year; the earth is a sphere C) decreases; the Earth's axis is titled relative to the plane of the ecliptic D) increases; the Earth's axis is titled relative to the plane of the ecliptic E) increases; the Earth rotates more slowly near the poles
D.
89) Net radiation (NET R) refers to A) the amount of insolation not absorbed at the surface B) the net energy expended for ground heating and cooling C) the amount of insolation coming into the surface D) the balance of all radiation incoming and outgoing at Earth's surface
D.
92) Official temperatures are measured using thermometers placed in shelters that are A) placed a few feet above the ground B) white C) placed in the shade D) all of the above E) none of the above
D.
7) Air pollution acts to ______ the albedo of cities and therefore ____ the urban heat island effect. A) decreases; diminishes B) decreases; enhances C) increase; enhances D) increases; diminishes
D. Increases; diminishes
48) Which of the following is incorrectly matched? A) Trondheim - continentality B) Vancouver - marine C) Winnipeg - continentality D) Wichita - continentality E) Verkhoyansk - continentality
A.
59) The principal controls and influences of temperature patterns include A) land-water heating differences only B) specific heat only C) latitude, altitude, land-water heating differences, cloud cover, ocean currents, and surface conditions D) Earth's tilt, rotation, revolution, and sphericity
C.
53) As reported by the National Weather Service, the heat index A) relates temperature and relative humidity B) combines air pressure and temperature in a comfort index C) is generally reported during critical winter months D) gives you an indication of the effect of wind on the skin
A.
28) When water evaporates, the energy that was used to evaporate the water A) is conducted into the underlying layer of water B) is stored as latent heat in the evaporated water C) is transferred to the air by advection when the water evaporates D) is stored as sensible heat in the evaporated water
B.
11) Which of the following is true regarding locations at high elevations? A) Higher elevations experience higher temperatures during the day because they are closer to the sun. B) The density of air increases with increasing elevation. C) Higher elevations experience lower average temperatures during both day and night. D) Temperatures at night, and in the shadows, are greater at higher elevations.
C.
14) The science that specifically studies the climate at or near Earth's surface is A) geography B) micrometeorology C) meteorology D) microclimatology E) astronomy
C.
41) Transmissibility A) produces a heat loading at the surface of water bodies B) is greater in land than water C) refers to the fact that land is opaque and water is transparent D) produces a photic layer that normally is 2000 m (6600 ft) deep
C.
42) During summer, cities located near the coast are __________ than those in the interior at the same latitude, while in the winter they are _____________. A) cooler; cooler B) warmer; warmer C) cooler; warmer D) warmer; cooler
C.
75) The Celsius and Fahrenheit scales only coincide at: [ degrees C right arrow degrees F = ( degrees C equiv 1.8) + 32] A) -273 degrees B) 212 degrees C) -40 degrees D) 0 degrees
C.
81) Based on information discussed previously in the course, you know that average temperatures in the troposphere ____________ with increasing elevation because the atmosphere is heated ___________. A) increase; from the top-down by insolation B) decrease; from the bottom-up by reflected insolation C) decrease; from the bottom-up by terrestrial infrared energy D) increase; from the top-down by energy emitted from the stratosphere
C.
84) Which of the following is true of insolation? A) It is the only energy input driving the Earth's atmospheric system. B) It consists of direct radiation. C) It consists of diffuse radiation. D) All of these are true. E) None of these are true.
D.
96) When water evaporates from a surface, which of the following occurs? A) Energy is stored within the water. B) The surface is cooled. C) Energy is removed from the surface. D) All of the above occur.
D.
8) Which of the following is true regarding clouds? A) They increase temperature minimums and temperature maximums. B) They cover about 15% of Earth's surface at any one time. C) They decrease nighttime temperatures and increase daytime temperatures. D) They act like insulation in that they have a moderating influence on temperatures
D. They act like insulation in that they have a moderating influence on temperatures.
62) An isoline that connects all points of highest mean temperature on a world map is called A) the highest mean temperature isoline B) an isobar C) the temperature range line D) min/max line E) the thermal equator
E.
69) The people of La Paz, Bolivia can grow wheat and barely at an elevation of 4103 m (13,461 ft) because A) the air is thicker than normal at their location and it therefore traps more heat energy - making the climate much warmer than would be expected based on its location B) La Paz is located fairly close to the equator C) daylength does not vary much at La Paz and this provides relatively uniform temperatures throughout the year D) of all of the above. E) b and c only
E.
29) On a cloudy day, Earth's surface receives A) a reduced daylength B) diffuse radiation C) direct radiation D) direct insolation
B.
20) The lowest temperature recorded on Earth to date was in A) Antarctica in July B) Alaska in February C) Russia in January D) Antarctica in January
A.
25) Which two gases are primarily responsible for the greenhouse effect because of their ability to absorb infrared energy? A) water vapor and carbon dioxide B) oxygen and hydrogen C) ozone and dust D) nitrogen and oxygen
A.
27) In terms of latitudinal distribution, the highest annual value for LE over land A) is between 10 degrees and 10 degrees S latitudes B) is between 15 degrees to 30 degrees N and S latitudes C) is the same for both the El Mirage and Pitt Meadows examples D) coincides with the distribution of the value for H
A.
32) The sky is blue because A) the atmosphere scatters blue light more than any other visible wavelength B) the Earth's atmosphere allows only blue light to enter C) blue light is absorbed more than other wavelengths D) most of the light coming from the sun is in the blue end of the visible spectrum
A.
33) Solar cookers could replace _________ as an affordable source of energy in rural villages in third world countries. A) fire wood B) nuclear power C) natural gas D) fusion power
A.
38) Which of the following is false relative to the Earth-atmosphere radiation system? A) Only convection transfers heat energy to the atmosphere from the surface. B) The surface exhibits an overall positive radiation balance. C) The atmosphere exhibits an overall negative radiation balance. D) If the surface and the atmosphere are considered separately, neither exhibits a balanced radiation budget.
A.
40) On the average, which of the following is true regarding the distribution of shortwave and longwave energy at Earth's surface by latitude? A) The distribution shows an imbalance of net radiation from equator to poles. B) The polar regions are areas of net surpluses. C) The equatorial zone is a region of net deficits. D) More energy is lost than is gained in the equatorial regions.
A.
3) Which of the following is true regarding the effects of the Coriolis force? A) Coriolis deflection occurs only along parallels, not meridians. B) The Coriolis force is zero along the equator, increasing to one-half of maximum at 30degree latitude and maximum at the poles. C) The Coriolis force is zero at the poles, increasing to maximum along the equator. D) The amount of Coriolis deflection is uniform from equator to poles.
B.
34) The relationship between the insolation curve and the air temperature curve on a graph of daily surface energy A) shows little or no relationship between the two variables B) exhibits a lag of several hours between the plotted lines C) shows that peak temperatures occur near noon, whereas peak insolation receipt is at 3:00 or 4:00 P.M. D) coincide at noon
B.
44) The analogy of a greenhouse is A) not discussed in the chapter B) useful, but not fully applicable because greenhouse gases merely absorb heat, thereby delaying losses to space; they do not trap heat as does the glass in a greenhouse C) not applicable to Earth's atmosphere in any way, and is a bizarre concept that should never have been used to describe global warming D) exactly how the Earth-atmosphere system operates
B.
46) Which of the following is not responsible for the urban heating effect? A) Less evaporation occurs from city surfaces. B) The albedo of urban environments is substantially higher than that of natural landscapes. C) The concentration of people, machines and heat generating devices adds more heat to the environment. D) The materials cities are constructed from store heat better than natural soils. E) The materials cities are constructed from conduct heat better than natural soils.
B.
47) The temperature on a cloudy night is likely to be ___________ those on a clear night - all other factors being equal. A) the same as B) warmer than C) colder than
B.
55) Land has a ________ specific heat than water and therefore heats more ________. A) higher; quickly B) lower; quickly C) lower; slowly D) higher; slowly
B.
77) The greatest annual temperature ranges are characteristic of places like A) Los Angeles and London B) Verkhoyansk and Oymyakon C) Los Angeles and Vancouver D) Santa Fe and Kansas City
B.
79) 6.4C degrees/1000m (3.5F degrees/1000 ft) refers to A) a latitudinal lapse rate B) a normal lapse rate C) a measure of air pressure D) an environmental lapse rate
B.
83) An isoline that connects all points of the same temperature on a map is called A) the thermal equator B) an isotherm C) the mean temperature isoline D) min/max line E) an isobar
B.
16) The Mount Pinatubo eruption in June 1991 affected the atmosphere in the following way A) the atmospheric albedo increased B) a worldwide decrease in surface temperatures occurred in the two years after the eruption C) an increase occurred in the amount of energy absorbed in the atmosphere D) all of these were effects of the eruption E) none of these effects occurred
D.
51) The highest annual values for latent heat of evaporation (LE) on land occur in the tropics because A) the dark color of forests (as opposed to sandy soils) results in the absorption of heat energy by vegetation B) rainfall makes water available for evaporation from soils C) there is a net annual energy surplus there D) all of the above E) b and c only
D.
68) Which of the following is not associated with urban environments? A) increased precipitation relative to surrounding rural areas B) lower annual mean wind speeds relative to surrounding rural areas C) greatly increased condensation nuclei relative to surrounding rural areas D) higher relative humidity than that in surrounding rural areas
D.
82) As regards the Earth's energy balance, inputs into the atmosphere consist primarily of A) near infrared and far infrared (i.e., longwave radiation) B) longwave radiation and ultraviolet light C) gamma rays, X-rays, and ultraviolet radiation D) ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared radiation
D.
