Geology Quiz Answers Chapter 13

Chapter 13: ● What are the primary causes of wind? ○ Movement of air from areas of higher pressure to areas of lower pressure ○ Uneven heating of Earth's surface ● During the daytime, air rises over the relatively warm land and sinks over the cool ocean, creating a _____ breeze. ○ Sea or onshore ● Air that is heated at the equator moves upward, then either north or south, where it sinks at approximately 30°, in a ______. ○ flow cell ● Temperature, pressure, and humidity are all factors that influence the type of ______ that forms and whether any forms at all. ○ Precipitation ● Although the percentage does vary by location, the average amount of water vapor in the atmosphere is ______ percent. ○ One ● The Sun warms equatorial regions of Earth ______ than the poles. This causes an area of ______ pressure to develop near the equator. As a result, the northeast and southeast trade winds are created as air at the surface then flows ______ the equator. ○ more; low; toward ● Which of the following accurately explain a sea breeze (the wind is blowing onshore)? ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ○ ○ The land has warmed faster than the sea; it is likely daytime. Match the type of storm with its appropriate description. ○ Tornado ■ Violently rotating, funnel-shaped column of air that extends down to the ground; winds typically hundreds of kilometers per hour ○ Hurricane ■ Tropical circulating mass of warm, moist air located over water; winds in excess of 117 kph ○ Supercell ■ A column of turbulent, moist air with lightning, rain, hail, and strong wind; a violent thunderstorm What are gyres in the world's oceans? ○ Large oval--shaped circulation patterns of surface currents Which of the following factors influence the formation of precipitation? ○ Pressure ○ Temperature ○ Humidity Surface ocean currents are mostly driven by ______, whereas deep-ocean currents are driven by ______. ○ wind; temperature and salinity Some areas deviate from the expected pattern of SST because of ______ currents carrying cold water away from the poles and warm water away from the equator. ○ Surface Place the storm events in relative order from shortest lasting (on top) to longest lasting (minutes to hours to days). ○ Tornado ○ Supercell thunderstorm ○ Hurricane Match the location on the map with the most appropriate description of events. ○ ○ A ■ Water cools and becomes more saline; water sinks ○ B ■ Water upwells to the surface, bringing nutrients with it. ○ C ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ■ Cold water travels as a deep current and mixes with water formed near Antarctica. Which of the following are true about the surface currents in the world's oceans? ○ Warm and cold currents link up to form oval-shaped circulation patterns called gyres. ○ Ocean currents transfer large amounts of energy around the surface of Earth. The climate of eastern Australia is ______ due to the flow of winds across the ______ Current. In Europe, winds blow across the ______ to make the climate ______. ○ wetter; East Australian; Gulf Stream; more moderate Which of the following are major factors affecting regional climate? ○ Types of ocean currents nearby ○ Prevailing winds ○ Latitude ○ Elevation Shallow, wind-driven ocean currents traveling clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere are called ______. Ocean currents that sink as a result of increased density and are part of the thermohaline conveyor are called ______. ○ surface currents; deep currents The seasonal changes in prevailing wind direction are called ______, and often result in torrential rainstorms when the changes bring steady onshore winds. ○ Monsoons The most easily observed, general pattern of SST is that ______. ○ temperatures decrease with increased latitude The thermohaline conveyor ______. ○ takes about 1,000 years for water to complete the trip ○ involves cold, saline water sinking ○ transports deep water nearly around the globe ○ is a deep-water current ○ is driven by density differences ● An extended period of below-average precipitation caused by changes in wind directions, weather patterns, or ocean currents is called ______. ○ Drought ● When warm surface currents flow past a landmass, and winds blow toward the land from the water, what happens to the climate of the land? ○ The climate of the land becomes warmer and wetter, as the wind takes heat and moisture from the warm current toward the landmass. ● Match the feature on the map with its correct description ○ ○ Alluvial fan ■ Loose rocks that accumulate on mountain slopes and are transported by streams and debris flows ○ Playa ■ Shallow, closed basin that either partially or totally dries ○ Arroyo ■ River channel that is usually dry, but fills quickly with water during floods ● The overall ______ of a region may be directly affected by latitude, elevation, ocean currents, prevailing wind directions, and other factors. ○ Climate ● The natural stains on these desert rocks are created by ______. ○ ○ deposits of iron and magnesium carried by dripping water ● Which one of the following statements best summarizes Earth's climate over its long history? ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ○ It has been much warmer and much colder than it is today; climate change is usual for Earth. We currently refer to the measured 40-year trend of increasing temperatures in the atmosphere and oceans as global ________ ○ Warming Which may be causes of drought? ○ Change in weather patterns ○ Change in wind direction ○ Change in the direction of an ocean current Tree rings, fossils, stalactites, ice cores, and tiny marine organisms are all types of ______ evidence we use to study past climate change. ○ Proxy Match the desert feature with its description. ○ Caliche ■ This is a soil-related accumulation of calcareous material that cements clasts, creating a hard layer ○ Pediment ■ This is a gently sloping surface, created by the erosion of bedrock. ○ Desert wash (arroyo) ■ This is a sand and gravel-rich channel created during intense, high flow rain events. ○ Alluvial fan ■ This is a triangular-shaped deposit of loose sediment where channel drainage changes from steep to gentle. ○ Playa ■ This is a shallow, closed basin. The greenhouse effect ______. ○ occurs when infrared energy radiating upward from Earth's surface is trapped by the atmosphere Identify possible consequences of climate change. ○ Some regions might get colder. ○ Snow and ice might melt faster, thus reducing the extent of glaciers. ○ The distribution of communities of plants and animals may shift in response to changing climate. As the sea-surface temperatures increase with global warming, storms may become more severe because ______. ○ the rate of evaporation would increase, allowing more heat energy to be carried into the atmosphere Match the plate-tectonic activity with its effect on climate. ○ Mountain building ■ Changes precipitation patterns; increases chemical weathering; removes some CO2 from the atmosphere ○ Increased rates of seafloor spreading ■ Causes flooding of lowlands; changes local climates; removes some CO2 from the atmosphere ○ Volcanic eruptions ■ Global warming caused by increases in CO2 and H2O in the atmosphere; global cooling from increased aerosols ● Match the type of proxy data used to study past climate change with its description. ○ Fossils ■ We compare these to the modern examples to understand the climate in which they lived. ○ Tree rings ■ We measure the width of the seasonal layers, as well as density and carbon isotopes from these. ○ Stalactites ■ Found in caves, we can measure isotopes and other chemicals in the distinct layers of these features. ○ Marine organisms ■ We gather these in drill cores, and they provide us information of the ocean's conditions when they lived. ○ Ice cores ■ These not only contain seasonal layers, but also bubbles preserving past atmospheric gases that we sample. ● In the region shown, which of the following about how landscapes are affected by climate is true? ○ ○ Uplift and erosion are "in balance" in some areas, and in other areas uplift outpaces erosion. ● Which are true of the greenhouse effect? ○ Some light is absorbed by the land and oceans, which radiate infrared energy back into the atmosphere. ○ Some infrared energy is absorbed by gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), water vapor (H2O), and methane (CH4). ○ Some sunlight is absorbed and some is reflected by the atmosphere. ● Hurricane Sandy caused a unusual amount of damage not because of its ______ but because of its ______. ○ intensity; size ● Which of the following may change as the amount of sea ice and glacial coverage on land decreases as the climate warms? ○ The location and strength of surface currents ○ The location and strength of the thermohaline conveyor ● A warmer climate might lead to an increase in the amount of severe weather because ______. ○ upper-level air circulation might change, causing underlying areas to experience more severe weather ○ warmer sea-surface temperatures will lead to more evaporation and more energy to power storms ● Climate may affect landscapes by ______. ○ altering rates of weathering and erosion on the land's surface ● Which of the following accurately describe Hurricane Sandy? ○ Sandy was large (wide) compared to a typical hurricane. ○ It merged with a cold front associated with a low-pressure system centered over New England. ○ It started as a storm in the tropics. .