Names ____________________________ School ____________________ Team # ________
Science Olympiad Invitational 2009 Meteorology Event - Climate
Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
____ 1. The average, year-after-year conditions of temperature, precipitation, winds, and cloud in
an area are known as its
a. climate.
b. weather.
c. global warming.
d. seasons.
____ 2. The farther you live from an ocean, the more likely your climate will be a
a. marine climate.
b. tropical climate.
c. continental climate.
d. subtropical climate.
____ 3. Summers are caused by
a. a combination of longer days and more direct rays from the sun.
b. less direct rays from the sun.
c. longer days and longer nights.
d. Earth in its orbit moving closer to the sun.
____ 4. The seasons are caused by
a. Earth’s varying distance from the sun.
b. Earth’s changing rate of rotation.
c. the tilt of Earth’s axis as Earth revolves around the sun.
d. shifting climates on Earth’s surface.
____ 5. Climates are classified according to two major factors:
a. elevation and precipitation.
b. latitude and temperature.
c. elevation and latitude.
d. precipitation and temperature.
____ 6. In addition to temperature and precipitation, Köppen’s climate system classified climates by
a region’s
a. microclimates.
b. vegetation.
c. seasonal winds.
d. air masses.
____ 7. Clues to ancient climatic conditions are likely to come from all of the following EXCEPT
a. ice cores.
b. stars.
c. dendrochronology.
d. ancient plant pollens found in lacustrine sediments.
____ 8. An important principle scientists follow to determine ancient climates is:
a. Larger plants and animals require warmer climates.
b. If an organism today needs certain conditions to live, then a similar
organism that lived in the past needed similar conditions.
c. Earth was warmer long ago, so the climates were too.
d. Climatic changes today occur faster than in ancient times.
____ 9. The most recent major ice age in North America extended as far south as
a. northern Minnesota and Wisconsin.
b. Nebraska and Iowa.
c. New Mexico and Oklahoma.
d. southern Texas and Florida.
____ 10. During an ice age, Earth’s sea level
a. rises.
b. lowers.
c. remains unchanged.
d. rises and lowers rhythmically.
___ 11. Which of the following can cause global cooling?
A. Ash from volcanic eruptions
B. Increasing CO2
C. Decreasing clouds
D. Ozone depletion
____ 12. Some scientists theorize that continental movements may cause climate changes by
a. changing patterns of winds and ocean currents.
b. shifting the equatorial and temperate zones.
c. altering the makeup of the troposphere.
d. redistributing Earth’s vegetation.
____ 13. Over the past 100 years, the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has
a. decreased slightly.
b. increased until recently, and then decreased.
c. increased steadily.
d. stayed about the same.
____ 14. Increased carbon dioxide may cause global warming by
a. allowing more sunlight into the atmosphere.
b. reflecting more sunlight from clouds.
c. reducing the amount of oxygen in the air.
d. trapping more heat in the atmosphere.
____ 15. Earth’s ozone layer
a. has been thickening over the past several years.
b. filters harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
c. exists only over Antarctica.
d. traps carbon dioxide in the stratosphere.
____ 16. Chlorine atoms in the stratosphere
a. break down ozone into oxygen atoms.
b. increase the amount of ozone.
c. combine with oxygen to form poisonous gases.
d. prevent light from passing through the ozone layer.
____ 17. The sun’s rays are least direct
a. near the poles.
b. near the equator.
c. at high altitudes.
d. far from the ocean.
____ 18. Scientists predict that banning the use of chlorofluorocarbons will
a. have no effect on the ozone layer.
b. gradually restore the ozone layer.
c. increase ultraviolet light reaching Earth.
d. increase the rate of ozone depletion.
____ 19. The climate on the leeward side of a mountain differs from that on the windward side
mostly in
a. the strength of the winds.
b. the direction of the winds.
c. the angle of sunlight.
d. the amount of rainfall.
____ 20. Sea and land breezes over a large region that change direction with the season are called
a. savannas.
b. prevailing westerlies.
c. monsoons.
d. doldrum winds.
____ 21. Near the end of both March and September,
a. spring begins in both hemispheres.
b. the sun’s rays strike Earth with the same intensity everywhere.
c. Earth’s axis is no longer pointing at the North Star.
d. neither end of Earth’s axis is tilted toward the sun.
____ 22. El Niño is a weather pattern that forms in the
a. polar Pacific Ocean.
b. tropical Pacific Ocean.
c. tropical Atlantic Ocean.
d. polar Atlantic Ocean.
____ 23. Day and night are caused by
a. the tilt of Earth’s axis.
b. Earth’s revolution around the sun.
c. eclipses.
d. Earth’s rotation on its axis.
____ 24. One complete revolution of Earth around the sun takes about
a. one rotation.
b. one season.
c. one year.
d. one eclipse.
____ 25. When the north end of Earth’s axis is tilted toward the sun, North America will experience
a. more indirect rays and shorter days.
b. more indirect rays and longer days.
c. more direct rays and shorter days.
d. more direct rays and longer days.
____ 26. Which of the following is true of El Niño?
a. Scientists fully understand the conditions that create El Niño.
b. El Niño affects only the ocean, not the land.
c. El Niño can cause severe storms and can prevent upwelling in certain
areas.
d. El Niño usually occurs twice a year.
____ 27. The two most abundant gases in today’s atmosphere are
a. carbon dioxide and oxygen.
b. carbon dioxide and nitrogen.
c. nitrogen and oxygen.
d. nitrogen and hydrogen.
____ 28. Ozone is
a. a form of oxygen with three oxygen atoms in each molecule.
b. a form of nitrogen with three nitrogen atoms in each molecule.
c. a form of oxygen with two oxygen atoms in each molecule.
d. a form of nitrogen with two nitrogen atoms in each molecule.
____ 29. The ozone layer is found in the
a. troposphere.
b. stratosphere.
c. mesosphere.
d. thermosphere.
____ 30. The ozone layer protects living things on Earth from
a. visible light.
b. infrared rays.
c. ultraviolet radiation.
d. carbon dioxide.
____ 31. Earth has seasons because
a. it rotates on its axis.
b. the distance between Earth and the sun changes.
c. its axis is tilted as it moves around the sun.
d. the temperature of the sun changes.
_____ 32. Normally __________ trade winds push warm surface water to the western Pacific Ocean.
A. easterly
B. westerly
C. northerly
D. southerly
_____33. Normally warm water is pushed by the trade winds toward
A. The United States
B. Australia and Asia
C. South America
D. Antarctica
_____ 34. Where there is warm water there are usually
A. winter storms
B. clouds and rain
C. droughts
D. tornadoes
_____ 35. Since warm water is usually pushed to the west, ________ usually occurs near Peru
A. downwelling
B. flooding
C. swimming
D. upwelling
_____ 36. Ozone depletion refers to the
B. warming of Earth by certain gases
C. cooling of Earth by certain gases
D. destruction of the ozone layer
E. warming of the Earth by aerosols and CFC’s
_____ 37. The ozone layer is being destroyed by
A. aerosols and CFC’s
C. carbon dioxide
_____ 38. One result of ozone depletion is
A. cooler temperatures
C. skin cancer
B. burning fossil fuels
D. Ultraviolet rays
B. warmer temperatures
D. allergies
_____ 39. A square meter of which of these surfaces would absorb the most energy on a clear day?
A. freshly fallen snow
B. a dark-green forest
C. a beach with white sand
D. a snow covered field
_____ 40. As more of the polar ice caps and global sea ice melts, the earth will
A. reflect more sunlight to space, resulting in warmer temperatures
B. absorb more sunlight, resulting in warmer temperatures
C. reflect more sunlight to space, resulting in cooler temperatures
D. absorb more sunlight, resulting in cooler temperatures
Short Answer
Use the diagram to answer each question.
41. Which zones are polar zones?
42. Which zone is the tropical zone?
43. Which zones are temperate zones?
44. Which continent lies almost completely within a polar zone?
45. Give the names of the zones in which South America lies.
Essay
46.
Prevailing winds blow from the Pacific Ocean toward two cities separated by mountains.
City A is on the leeward side of the mountains and city B is on the windward side. Which
city is likely to have a wetter climate? Explain your answer.
47. Explain why one hemisphere has spring at the same time the other hemisphere has
autumn.
48. Briefly describe two hypotheses for the cause of global warming.
49. Briefly describe three theories scientists have proposed to explain natural climate changes.
50.
Explain how the ozone layer has changed and why this is dangerous to humans.
51. Define upwelling and explain its importance.
52. Describe two ways in which natural processes add harmful particles to the air.
53. How might humans evolve or adapt to adjust to a permanently thinner ozone layer?
54. In your own words and/or labeled diagram(s), describe how the Greenhouse effect is
warming the Earth.
Use the diagram to answer the question below.
55. If the current trend of rising temperatures in the United States continues for another 1000
years, explain two ways in which the distribution of climate zones shown on the above
graphic is likely to change.
Use the graphs below to answer questions 56-61.
56. How has the atmospheric concentration of CO2 changed over the past 400,000 years?
57. How do these changes appear to impact the Earth’s temperature over time?
58. Based on this data and what you know about how the concentration of CO 2 is changing today,
what predictions can you make?
59. This graph shows that the atmospheric concentration of CO2 was changing over time long before
humans were on the Earth, what could account for these changes?
60. What was the source for this paleoclimate data?
61. Name two other sources for paleoclimate data, explain how they are obtained, and how they help
us to learn information about ancient climates.
Use the graph below to answer question 62.
62. Based on the data shown above, what effect would you expect volcanic eruptions to have on
global average temperatures? Explain why eruptions will have this effect.
Use the graph below to answer questions 63 and 64.
63. The above graph shows the relationship between Earth’s surface temperatures and what two
other variables?
64. What conclusions could be drawn from this graph?
65. List two conditions that could increase the Earth’s albedo, explain why.
66. List two conditions that could decrease the Earth’s albedo, explain why.
67. What could be a result of a decrease in Earth’s albedo, explain why.
68. Most scientists concerned about global warming are also concerned about changes in Earth’s
albedo, why?
69. How might rising global average temperatures impact the distribution of organisms living in
mountainous regions?
70. How can daily and annual maximums and minimums be used to monitor climate change?
71. What is the thermohaline circulation? How might changes in this circulation be impacted by or
have an impact on climate change?
72. What are the three Milankovich Cycles and what role may they play in long term climate change?
73. Describe the Solar Cycle; what role may it play in long-term climate change?
74. How are humans causing desertification around the world?
75. The Younger Dryas event is considered an example of abrupt climate change. During this event,
the earth went from ice age conditions to interglacial conditions and back into ice age conditions in a
geologically short period of time. One explanation for this event involves a thermohaline circulation
shutdown, triggered by a catastrophic discharge of freshwater from Lake Agassiz. Why are many
scientists now studying this event very carefully to understand the possible consequences of global
warming? (http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/res/pi/arch/examples.shtml)