Chapter 10
Multiple Choice
1. The two weather elements used most often as indicators of climate are:
a. Pressure and precipitation
b. Wind and pressure
c. Precipitation and temperature
d. Temperature and cloud cover
2. The major climate category does not owe its location to latitude or conform to a general climate pattern is:
a. Mesothermal, mild winter
b. Highland
c. Polar
d. Microthermal, severe winter
3. The "greenhouse gas" that is most significant as the cause of what scientists have labeled global warming is:
a. Nitrogen dioxide
b. Hydrogen peroxide
c. Ferrous oxide
d. Carbon dioxide
4. Which of the following could not reasonably be considered a cause of major climate change?
a. Variations in Earth's orbit
b. Shifts in the paths of cyclonic storms
c. Changes in solar output
d. Changes in Earth's atmosphere
5. Mid-latitude deserts are caused primarily by __________:
a. Subtropical highs
b. Orographic barriers
c. Cold ocean currents
d. Polar highs
6. Which of the following represents a tropical rainforest climatic region?
a. Atacama
b. Amazon Basin
c. Bangladesh
d. North Africa
7. The climate type in which precipitation is less than 1/2 the potential evapotranspiration is:
a. Desert
b. Steppe
c. Both a and b
d. Tropical monsoon
8. As a rule, desert nights are:
a. Warmer than those of humid climates of the same latitude
b. Only slightly different in temperature from desert days
c. Cloudier than the days, creating a marked "greenhouse effect" to slow down outward radiation
d. Significantly lower in temperature than desert days
9. In all humid tropical climates:
a. Summers are never dry
c. Both a and b are correct
b. Winters are never dry
d. Neither a nor b is correct
10. The __________ climates occupy the largest area of Earth.
a. Tropical (A)
b. Arid (B)
c. Mesothermal (C)
d. Polar (E)
11. Which of the following climatic regions would experience the smallest annual temperature range?
a. Marine west coast
b. Humid subtropical
c. Humid continental, mild summer
d. Mediterranean
12. The predominant type of precipitation during the winter in the humid continental climates is:
a. Cyclonic
b. Convectional
c. Orographic
d. Advectional
13. The most important factor in determining the differential climatic zonation of high mountain areas is:
a. Elevation
b. Sun or shadow slope location
c. Windward or leeward slope location
d. Latitude
14. The coldest temperature ever recorded occurred in a(n) __________ climatic region.
a. Marine west coast
b. Subarctic
c. Tundra
d. Ice-cap
15. Which two climates are found on opposite coasts of each land mass in approximately the same latitude?
a. Tropical rainforest--Mediterranean
b. Marine west coast--Mediterranean
c. Low latitude desert--low latitude steppe d. Mediterranean--humid subtropical
16. Which of the following factors prohibits the marine west coast climate of the U.S. from extending farther inland?
a. Latitude
b. Ocean currents
c. Prevailing winds
d. Mountain barriers
17. Which of the following climates would have the least likelihood of THUNDERSTORMS?
a. Marine west coast
b. Humid subtropical
c. Humid continental, hot summer
d. Tropical rainforest
True/False
18. Although climate greatly influences the natural vegetation of a region, it has little impact upon the soils of a region.
19. Microthermal climates (D) are not found in the Southern Hemisphere.
20. In all mesothermal climates the annual precipitation exceeds the annual potential evaporation.
21. Diurnal temperature ranges are small in tundra climates.
22. The polar climates are not found in the Southern Hemisphere.
Matching (Tropical Savanna; Tropical rainforest; Earth-sun; Earth-moon; permafrost)
23. Selva is the most common vegetative growth in __________ climates.
24. The locations and distributions of Earth's climatic regions are based first on the patterns produced by __________
relationships.
25. __________ refers to the permanently frozen subsoil of the subarctic regions.
1. c
2. b
3. d
4. b
5. a
6. b
7. a
8. d
9. a
10. c
11. a
12. a
13. a
14. d
15. d
16. d
17. a
18. t
19. t
20. t
21. f
22. f
23. Tropical rainforest
24. Earth-Sun
25. Permafrost