Q&A Hero

Q: The longest wavelengths on the electromagnetic spectrum are ________. A) gamma B) ultraviolet C) radio D) infrared

Q: The wavelength or the distance from peak to peak of energy waves is a characteristic of ________. A) conduction B) convection C) contraction D) radiation

Q: Which mechanism for heat transfer can operate in a vacuum? A) contraction B) conduction C) radiation D) convection

Q: The heat transfer mechanism that requires the movement of material is ________. A) radiation B) convection C) conduction D) contraction

Q: The least significant form of heat transfer in the atmosphere is ________. A) contraction B) convection C) radiation D) conduction

Q: Heat flows ________. A) from hot to cold B) from cold to hot C) in both directions D) in neither direction

Q: Which of the following is not a mechanism for heat transfer? A) conduction B) contraction C) radiation D) convection E) They are all mechanisms for heat transfer.

Q: The differences in summer and winter temperatures are greatest for locations ________. A) near the equator B) near the tropic of Cancer or Capricorn C) near 60 degrees north or south latitude D) near the Poles E) The location does not affect the range of temperatures.

Q: The 90o angle solar rays are striking the Tropic of Cancer on ________. A) June 21 B) March 21 C) September 21 D) December 21

Q: The North Pole has a higher noon Sun angle than New York City on this date. A) June 21 B) March 21 C) September 21 D) none of these

Q: On this date the length of daylight gets progressively longer going south from the equator. A) June 21 B) March 21 C) September 21 D) December 21

Q: Which one of the following statements is true about the equinoxes? A) They occur in June and December. B) The Sun's vertical rays are striking either the Tropic of Cancer or the Tropic of Capricorn. C) Days and nights are equal in length everywhere. D) The length of daylight at the Arctic and Antarctic Circles is 24 hours.

Q: The north end of Earth's axis is tilted 23.5 degrees toward the Sun on ________. A) December 21 or 22 B) March 21 or 22 C) June 21 or 22 D) September 22 or 23 E) none of the above

Q: The angle of the noon sun varies by ________ degrees each year. A) 15 B) 23.5 C) 47 D) 73.5 E) It is different in different places.

Q: How is the earth's rotation axis oriented relative to the revolution orbit? A) It changes with time so that it is perpendicular in June and December. B) It is fixed and always points toward the North Star regardless of season. C) It varies somewhat randomly over small angles, less than 23.5 degrees. D) We don't really know how much it varies because we have not been able to make observations from space for more than about 60 years.

Q: What causes seasons? A) the elliptical orbit of the earth B) the changing tilt angle of the earth C) differences in the amount of daylight D) seasonal changes in the angle of the sun above the horizon E) none of the above

Q: What causes ocean currents? A) density differences in the oceans B) temperature differences in the oceans C) unequal heating of the earth D) winds E) none of the above

Q: The fall equinox in the Southern Hemisphere occurs on this date. A) June 21 B) March 21 C) September 21 D) December 21

Q: Solar rays will strike the Tropic of Capricorn at an angle of 90 degrees on ________. A) June 21 B) March 21 C) September 21 D) December 21

Q: The tropopause is the boundary between ________. A) the troposphere and stratosphere B) tropical and polar air masses C) the troposphere and mesosphere D) two layers of high ozone concentration

Q: On the AVERAGE, for every 1 km increase in altitude in the troposphere, the air temperature ________. A) drops about 6.5oC B) rises about 6.5oC C) remains constant D) rises only during the day

Q: In the outer most layer of the atmosphere, gas molecules can have a temperature of 1000C because ________. A) that is the temperature of an object that is entering the earth's atmosphere at a high speed B) that is the temperature of the solar radiation C) that is the speed of the individual molecules D) there is no filter to keep the sun from heating the outer atmosphere E) none of the above

Q: Important weather phenomena typically occurs in the ________. A) stratosphere B) troposphere C) thermosphere D) mesosphere E) all of the above

Q: As you go up in elevation, the temperature ________. A) decreases B) increases C) stays constant D) It depends on what atmospheric layer you are in. E) none of the above

Q: One half of the atmosphere is below ________. A) 1 km (0.6 miles) B) 3.5 km (2.1 miles) C) 5.6 km (3.5 miles) D) 7.2 km (4.3 miles) E) 10 km (6 miles)

Q: As you go up in elevation, the atmospheric pressure ________. A) decreases B) increases C) stays constant D) none of the above

Q: Where is the top of the atmosphere? A) 21 km above sea level B) 32 km above sea level C) 100 km above sea level D) There is no defined upper limit to the atmosphere.

Q: The normal lapse rate in the troposphere is about ________ per kilometer. A) 3.5oC B) 6.5oC C) 1.5oC D) 9.5oC

Q: The lowest layer of the atmosphere is the ________. A) troposphere B) mesosphere C) stratosphere D) ionosphere

Q: The Montreal Protocol is a UN agreement that is intended to ________. A) reduce ozone in the atmosphere B) reduce CFCs in the atmosphere C) reduce CO2 in the atmosphere D) make everyone feel good about the environment without really fixing anything E) reduce air pollution globally

Q: The major risk to humans from the depletion of ozone is the increase in ________. A) deaths due to skin cancer B) chlorine in the atmosphere, which is poisonous to most humans C) deaths due to lung cancer D) CO2 from plant production E) cataracts and damage to the immune systems

Q: Ozone is important to humans because it ________. A) absorbs infrared radiation which is harmful to humans B) absorbs ultraviolet radiation with is harmful to humans C) is a pollutant that is harmful to humans D) reflects solar rays that would cause global warming E) passes solar rays that would maintain our present climate range

Q: Why is ozone concentrated in a particular range of levels in the atmosphere? A) It requires a unique temperature and light level which occur at that range in the atmosphere. B) It is formed from air pollution that reaches that level in sufficient quantities to form ozone. C) It requires a catalyst, an isolated oxygen atom, and an oxygen molecule, all of which occur in sufficient quantities at that range of levels. D) It reflects light back into space at that level, and the energy from that reaction fuels the formation of ozone.

Q: Ozone is concentrated in the ________. A) troposphere B) mesosphere C) stratosphere D) ionosphere

Q: Ozone filters out most of the ________ radiation in sunlight. A) infrared B) gamma C) ultraviolet D) microwave

Q: Latent heat that is the energy source for many storms can be transported by ________. A) water vapor B) carbon dioxide C) ozone D) dust E) aerosols

Q: Which of the following gases is an efficient absorber of the earth's emitted energy? A) oxygen B) carbon dioxide C) argon D) nitrogen E) none of the above

Q: Which one of the following are the three most abundant gases in the dry atmosphere? A) oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide B) argon, carbon dioxide, nitrogen C) carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen D) nitrogen, oxygen, argon

Q: Air may best be described as ________. A) an element B) a compound C) a mixture D) none of these

Q: The United States spans ________. A) from the tropics to temperate zones B) from the tropics to the arctic C) from the temperate zone to the arctic D) the middle latitudes E) the entire range of the Northern Hemisphere

Q: Which of the following is not an element that influences weather? A) humidity B) clouds C) wind D) longitude E) temperature

Q: The main difference between weather and climate is that ________. A) climate is the daily variations that actually occur at a location and weather is the general pattern of climate over time B) weather is the daily variations that actually occur at a location and climate is the general pattern of weather over time C) climate is the regional pattern based on latitude and humidity while weather is the daily pattern based on season. D) weather is the regional pattern based on latitude and humidity while climate is the daily pattern based on season. E) climate is a political opinion while weather is reality.

Q: There has been some political discussion in the past few years about whether we are experiencing "Global Climate Change." How would you evaluate this debate?

Q: You are given a six-month assignment by your employer to work at a remote location in Australia. In order to pack as lightly as possible, you try to research the climate of the small town in Australia, but there is little data since no major cities are located within 300 miles. What are some geographic or other considerations that might help you "predict" what general weather patterns exist at the location?

Q: Considering the albedo of various surfaces, compare daily temperature ranges and means for an urban area to a more rural setting of crops and forests. Also, are there any other factors other than albedo that might affect these temperature variations?

Q: Label the mechanisms of heat transfer on the diagram below.

Q: Label the troposphere, thermosphere, mesosphere, and stratosphere on the diagram below.

Q: The fraction of the total radiation encountered that is reflected by a surface is called its ________.

Q: A variety of techniques and efforts are used to stabilize shorelines throughout the world. Are all of these efforts only temporary measures or are any of them permanent? Also, does urbanization and development of coastal areas always contribute to shoreline erosion? Explain.

Q: Briefly discuss the movement of sand on a beach environment. Include those factors, both natural and human-induced, that affect sand movement.

Q: Shorelines are temporary geologic and topographic features. Explain this statement.

Q: The low-lying zones that are alternately covered by water during flood tide and exposed following ebb tide are called ________.

Q: A barrier built at a right angle to the beach for the purpose of trapping sand that is moving parallel to the shore is called a(n) ________.

Q: Structures called ________ are built parallel to the shoreline to protect boats from the force of large breaking waves.

Q: What term denotes a sand bar built across the former mouth of an estuary, separating it from the open sea?

Q: When caves on opposite sides of a headland unite, a(n) ________ results.

Q: Low and narrow offshore, emergent ridges of sand that parallel the coast are called ________.

Q: A ridge of sand that connects an island to the mainland or to another island is a(n) ________.

Q: What type of current is illustrated in the diagram below?

Q: Currents within the surf zone that flow parallel to the shore are known as ________ currents.

Q: As a deep-water wave enters shallow water, the wave slows down and rotates toward being parallel with the shoreline. This process is known as ________.

Q: Because deep ocean circulation is driven largely by variations in water temperature and salinity, it is also called ________ circulation.

Q: The ________ effect causes ocean currents to be deflected to the right of their path of motion in the Northern Hemisphere.

Q: The rising of cold water from deeper layers to replace warmer surface water is called ________.

Q: Large circular-moving currents of water within an ocean basin are called ________.

Q: As the tide rises, water flows in toward the shore as the ebb tide.

Q: Neap tides occur about the time of the first quarter and third quarter phases of the Moon.

Q: The largest daily tidal range occurs in association with spring tides.

Q: Although the Sun influences the tides, its effect is considerably less than the effect of the Moon.

Q: Tidal flats are submerged during ebb tide.

Q: Elevated wave-cut platforms in Southern California are evidence that this coastal area is emergent.

Q: The Gulf Coast lacks barrier islands.

Q: Seawalls stabilize beaches producing renewed deposition on the beach.

Q: Rock breakwaters will produce erosion of beaches on the lee side of the breakwater.

Q: Groins are constructed for the purpose of maintaining or widening beaches that are losing sand.

Q: A barrier island is a static feature that has been unchanged for thousands to hundreds of thousands of years.

Q: Marine terraces are old, uplifted wave-cut platforms.

Q: Spits, baymouth bars and sea stacks are all features produced by longshore transport of sediments.

Q: A baymouth bar is a manmade feature designed to control wave erosion.

Q: Longshore sand transport and longshore currents depend on waves impinging parallel to a shoreline.