Content Benchmark E.12.A.4
Students know convection and radiation play important roles in moving heat energy in the Earth
system. E/S
Sample Test Questions
1st Item Specification: Explain how the processes of radiation, conduction, and convection
occur in the atmosphere.
Depth of Knowledge Level 1
1. Use the diagram to answer the following question.
(From http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/images/cascade.GIF)
Analyzing the input and output of solar radiation reveals that
A. Earth’s surface reflects more solar radiation than do the clouds.
B. Earth reflects 100% of the radiation it receives from the Sun.
C. more solar radiation is absorbed by Earth’s surface than is reflected.
D. the atmosphere and clouds absorb more solar radiation than the surface.
2. As solar radiation passes through Earth’s atmosphere, which of the following does NOT
occur? Some of the solar radiation
A. reflects back into space.
B. scatters into the atmosphere.
C. decays into stable elements.
D. is absorbed by Earth’s surface.
3. The ability of a surface or substance to reflect solar radiation is its
A. albedo.
B. refractive index.
C. luster.
D. solar constant.
Depth of Knowledge Level 2
4. Use the diagram to answer the following question.
(From http://www.answers.com/topic/convection)
The flow of air around this heater is a useful comparison to how air flows in convection
cells within Earth’s atmosphere. This diagram demonstrates each of the following
EXCEPT
A. heated air ascends within the atmosphere.
B. cooled air descends within the atmosphere.
C. air blows laterally along Earth’s surface and converges between adjacent cells.
D. air blows laterally in the upper atmosphere and converges between adjacent cells.
5. Air is a poor conductor. Which of the following is NOT true of how the atmosphere is
primarily affected by conduction?
A. Most energy transfer by conduction occurs right at Earth's surface.
B. At night, the ground cools, conducting heat away from the adjacent air.
C. During the day, solar radiation heats the ground, heating the air next to it.
D. Molecules in the atmosphere are heated, causing the atmosphere to vibrate.
2nd Item Specification: Explain how the processes of radiation, conduction, and convection
affect weather and climate.
Depth of Knowledge Level 1
6. Convection distributes heat energy by
A. transferring energy without involving a physical substance in the transmission.
B. transporting groups of molecules from one place to another within a substance.
C. direct, point-to-point contact with static, neighboring molecules.
D. emitting alpha and beta particles from unstable atomic nuclei.
7. A parcel of hot, moisture-laden air rises within the atmosphere. Which occurrence is
UNLIKELY to follow? The parcel of air will
A. get warmer and continue to rise.
B. get cooler and stop rising.
C. begin to condense into a cloud.
D. begin to precipitate.
8. A sea breeze forms when warm air above land rises and cold air over ocean water sinks,
causing a convection cell that occurs during the
A. daytime and moves air from the land out toward the ocean.
B. daytime and moves air from the ocean in toward the land.
C. nighttime and moves air from the land out toward the ocean.
D. nighttime and moves air from the ocean in toward the land.
Depth of Knowledge Level 2
9. This albedo diagram depicts the percentage of incoming solar radiation reflected back into
space by various Earth features. Use the diagram to answer the following question.
(From http://www.geo.lsa.umich.edu/~crlb/COURSES/117-IntroductiontoGeology/Lec23/albedo.gif)
Increasing the amount of land covered by forests would likely cause
A. an increase in reflection of solar energy with no temperature change.
B. a decrease in the albedo of grasslands with no temperature change.
C. lesser absorption of solar energy and decreases in temperature.
D. greater absorption of solar energy and increases in temperature.
10. Refer to the diagram below to answer the following question.
(From http://aquarius.nasa.gov/images/six_cell.jpg)
Which of the following statements about adjacent atmospheric convection cells is NOT
correct?
A. Low pressure regions are found where air between cells is ascending.
B. High pressure regions are found where air between cells is descending.
C. Descending air makes the equatorial region an area of high pressure.
D. Surface winds between adjacent cells move in opposite directions.
Content Benchmark E.12.A.4
Students know convection and radiation play important roles in moving heat energy in the Earth
system. E/S
Answers to Sample Test Questions
1. C, DOK level 1
2. C, DOK level 1
3. A, DOK level 1
4. D, DOK level 2
5. D, DOK level 2
6. B, DOK level 1
7. A, DOK level 1
8. B, DOK level 1
9. D, DOK level 2
10. C, DOK level 2