20

Earth Science, 13e (Tarbuck)
Chapter 20 Climate
1) Within the A group of climates, the two main types are wet tropical climates and tropical
________.
A) rain forest
B) wet and dry
C) highlands
D) lowlands
E) deltas
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Topic: 20.3 Humid Tropical (A) Climates
Bloom's: Remembering
2) Which climate group has precipitation as its primary criterion?
A) D group
B) A group
C) C group
D) E group
E) B group
Answer: E
Diff: 1
Topic: 20.2 World Climates
3) The humid subtropical climate dominates the ________ United States.
A) central
B) southeastern
C) western
D) northeastern
E) southwestern
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Topic: 20.5 Humid Middle-Latitude Climates with Mild Winters (C Climates)
Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.
4) The Kppen climate classification recognizes ________ principal climate groups.

A) two
B) three
C) four
D) five
E) six
Answer: D
Diff: 1
5) Almost ________ of Australia is desert.
A) 10%
B) 20%
C) 30%
D) 40%
E) 50%
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Topic: 20.4 Dry (B) Climates
6) In a climatological sense, dryness is a function of both annual rainfall and ________.
A) altitude
B) solar radiation
C) wind direction
D) slop
E) evaporation
Answer: E
Diff: 1
7) Which one of the following is NOT a component of the climate system?
A) biosphere
B) solid Earth
C) exosphere
D) cryosphere
E) hydrosphere
Answer: C
Diff: 1
Topic: 20.1 The Climate System
Bloom's: Analyzing
8) The name ________ climate is often used as a synonym for the dry-summer subtropical
climate.
A) Australian
B) Indian
C) Mediterranean
D) African
E) European
Answer: C
Diff: 1
9) The ________ west coast climate is situated on the western (windward) side of continents
from about 40 to 65 degrees north and south latitude.
A) Mediterranean
B) marine
C) humid
D) continental
E) subtropical
Answer: B
Diff: 1
10) The two types of dry (B) climates are desert and ________.
A) tundra
B) taiga
C) steppe
D) arid
E) highland
Answer: C
Diff: 1
11) Winterless climates with all months having a mean temperature above 18C are known as
________ climates.
A) humid tropical
B) dry
C) polar
D) humid middle-latitude
Answer: A
Diff: 1
12) The climate in which temperatures average 25C or more each month and total precipitation
for the year is high is the ________ climate.
A) marine west coast
B) humid subtropics
C) humid continental
D) wet tropics
E) highland
Answer: D
Diff: 1
13) The ________ climates are land-controlled climates, the result of broad continents in the
middle latitudes.
A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D
E) E
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Topic: 20.6 Humid Middle-Latitude Climates with Severe Winters (D Climates)
14) The ________ sides of mountains are often wet.
A) leeward
B) sunny
C) windward
D) steep
E) southern
Answer: C
Diff: 1
15) Which one of the following is NOT a trace gas contributing to a future global increase in
temperature?
A) nitrous oxide
B) methane
C) water vapor
D) chlorofluorocarbons
Answer: C
Diff: 1
Topic: 20.10 Carbon Dioxide, Trace Gases, and Global Climate Change
16) For more than 70 years, the best-known and most used climate classification system has been
the ________ classification.
A) Klingel
B) Kppen
C) Smith
D) Hutton
E) Saffir
Answer: B
Diff: 1
17) The two most important elements in a climatic description are temperature and ________.
A) cloud cover
B) pressure
C) wind
D) air mass type
E) precipitation
Answer: E
Diff: 1
18) The subarctic climate is often called the ________ climate.
A) taiga
B) polar
C) highland
D) arctic
E) tundra
Answer: A
Diff: 1
19) The most luxuriant vegetation found in any climatic realm is the ________.
A) tundra
B) mid-latitude forest
C) taiga
D) tropical rain forest
E) savannah
Answer: D
Diff: 1
20) The leeward sides of mountains are typically dry and are often arid enough to be referred to
as ________.
A) rain shadow deserts
B) steppes
C) a Mediterranean climate
D) taigas
E) tundras
Answer: A
Diff: 1
21) Climates where evaporation exceeds precipitation are called ________ climates.
A) humid tropical
B) dry
C) humid middle-latitude
D) polar
E) highland
Answer: B
Diff: 1
22) Kppen believed that the distribution of ________ was an excellent expression of the totality
of climate.
A) solar energy
B) sedimentary rocks
C) ocean basins
D) tsunami
E) natural vegetation
Answer: E
Diff: 1
23) Earth's low-latitude deserts and steppes coincide with the ________ pressure belts.
A) subtropical high
B) equatorial low
C) subpolar low
D) polar high
E) both A and C
Answer: A
Diff: 1
24) The largest area of marine west coast climate is located in ________.
A) South America
B) Asia
C) Europe
D) North America
E) Australia
Answer: C
Diff: 1
25) Compared to places at lower elevations, highland climates are usually cooler and ________.
A) less changeable
B) wetter
C) sunny
D) dryer
E) none of the above
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Topic: 20.8 Highland Climates
26) The combustion of ________ has added great quantities of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
A) fossil fuels
B) wood
C) paper
D) oxygen
E) none of the above
Answer: A
Diff: 1
27) Af and Am climates form a discontinuous belt astride the ________.
A) Tropic of Capricorn
B) equator
C) Tropic of Cancer
D) Arctic Circle
E) Prime Meridian
Answer: B
Diff: 1
28) The ________ climate is located on the eastern sides of continents, in the 25- to 40-degree
latitude range.
A) dry-summer subtropical
B) humid continental
C) humid subtropical
D) Mediterranean
E) marine west coast
Answer: C
Diff: 1
29) The magnitude of a temperature increase due to greenhouse warming will probably be
smallest in the ________.
A) polar regions
B) lower middle-latitudes
C) higher middle-latitudes
D) subtropics
E) tropics
Answer: E
Diff: 1
Topic: 20.13 Some Possible Consequences of Global Warming
Word Analysis. Examine the words and/or phrases for each question below and determine the
relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the option which does not fit the
pattern.
30) lithosphere
atmosphere
Answer: lithosphere
Diff: 1
Bloom's: Analyzing
31) desert
steppe
Answer: subarctic
Diff: 1
Bloom's: Analyzing
hydrosphere
subarctic
biosphere
rain shadow
32) carbon dioxide

ozone
nitrous oxide
methane
Answer: ozone
Diff: 2
Bloom's: Analyzing
33) The windward sides of mountains are often wet.

Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Bloom's: Analyzing
34) The dry-summer subtropical climate is the only humid climate that has a strong winter
rainfall maximum.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Bloom's: Analyzing
35) The two main types of A climates are wet tropical climates and tropical wet and dry climates.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Bloom's: Analyzing
36) The terms variety and changeability best describe mountain climates.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Bloom's: Analyzing
37) Earth's middle-latitude deserts exist principally because of their positions in the deep
interiors of large landmasses, far removed from the oceans.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Bloom's: Analyzing
38) The largest stretch of continuous forests on Earth coincides with a subarctic climate.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Bloom's: Analyzing
39) The climate system involves only Earth's atmosphere and solid surface.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1
Bloom's: Analyzing
40) The southeastern United States is a good example of a humid subtropical climate.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Bloom's: Analyzing
41) Positive feedback mechanisms produce results that are opposite of the initial change and tend
to offset it.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1
Topic: 20.11 Climate-Feedback Mechanisms
Bloom's: Analyzing
42) Four of the major climate groups are defined on the basis of temperature characteristics.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Bloom's: Analyzing
43) Altitude and precipitation are the two most important elements in a climatic description.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1
Bloom's: Analyzing
44) The tundra climate is a treeless climate found almost exclusively in the Southern
Hemisphere.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1
Topic: 20.7 Polar (E) Climates
Bloom's: Analyzing
45) The largest area of Cfb climate is located in Europe.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Bloom's: Analyzing
46) Kppen believed that the distribution of solar radiation was an excellent expression of the
totality of climate.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1
Bloom's: Analyzing
10
47) As a result of global warming, a significant melting of glaciers is expected during the next
century.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Topic: 20.13 Some Possible Consequences of Global Warming
Bloom's: Analyzing
48) A savanna is a tropical grassland with scattered drought-tolerant trees.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Bloom's: Analyzing
49) The hydrosphere refers to the snow and ice that exist at Earth's surface.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1
Bloom's: Analyzing
50) Annual temperature ranges are high throughout a humid continental climate.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Bloom's: Analyzing
51) A semiarid climate represents a transition zone that surrounds a desert and separates it from
the bordering humid climates.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Bloom's: Analyzing
52) The five parts of the climate system are the ________, ________, ________, ________, and
________.
Answer: atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, biosphere, cryosphere
Diff: 1
53) What are the three variables used in the K"ppen system to establish the boundary between
dry and humid climates?
Answer: average annual precipitation, average annual temperature, seasonal distribution of
precipitation
Diff: 1
11
54) Winterless climates with all months having a mean temperature above 18C are called
________ climates.
Answer: humid tropical
Diff: 1
55) Af and Am climates form a discontinuous belt astride the ________.
Answer: equator
Diff: 1
56) Wintertime precipitation in ________ and ________ climates is chiefly associated with the
passage of fronts connected with traveling middle-latitude cyclones.
Answer: humid middle-latitude, mild winters (C); humid middle-latitude, severe winters (D)
Diff: 1
Topic: 20.5 Humid Middle-Latitude Climates with Mild Winters (C Climates) and 20.6 Humid
Middle-Latitude Climates with Severe Winters (D Climates)
57) The two types of polar climates are the ________ climate (ET) and the ________ climate
(EF).
Answer: tundra; ice cap
Diff: 1
Topic: 20.7 Polar (E) Climates
58) Earth's low-latitude deserts and steppes coincide with the ________ pressure belts.
Answer: subtropical high
Diff: 1
59) Kppen believed that the distribution of natural ________ was an excellent expression of the
totality of climate.
Answer: vegetation
Diff: 1
60) Extending from Norway to the Pacific coast of Russia is a great expanse of ________
climate, often referred to as the taiga climate.
Answer: subarctic
Diff: 1
12
61) The two most important elements in a climatic description are ________ and ________.
Answer: temperature; precipitation
Diff: 1
62) Tropical wet and dry climates are located ________ of the wet tropics and ________ of the
tropical deserts.
Answer: poleward; equatorward
Diff: 1
63) List the three trace gases that, along with carbon dioxide, are contributing to a future global
increase in temperature.
Answer: methane (CH4), nitrous oxide(N2O), certain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
Diff: 1
64) Which climate is situated on the western (windward) side of continents, from about 40 to 65
degrees north and south latitude?
Answer: marine west coast
Diff: 1
65) The Kppen climate classification system uses mean monthly and annual values of ________
and ________.
Answer: temperature; precipitation
Diff: 1
66) ________ climates are those in which the average temperature of the coldest month is below
-3C and the warmest monthly mean exceeds 10C.
Answer: Humid middle-latitude, severe winters
Diff: 1
13
67) The two types of dry climates are ________ or desert and ________ or steppe.
Answer: arid; semiarid
Diff: 1
68) The boundaries of the Kppen climates are largely based on the limits of certain ________
associations.
Answer: plant
Diff: 1
69) Compared to nearby places at lower elevations, sites with ________ climates are cooler and
usually wetter.
Answer: highland
Diff: 1
70) Atmospheric carbon dioxide is transparent to incoming ________-wavelength solar
radiation, but it is not transparent to some of the ________-wavelength outgoing terrestrial
radiation.
Answer: short; longer
Diff: 1
71) The ________ climate is also referred to as a Mediterranean climate.
Answer: dry-summer subtropical
Diff: 1
72) ________ climate is summer-less with the average temperature of the warmest month below
10C.
Answer: Polar
Diff: 1
73) The most studied and well-documented urban climatic effect is the ________.
Answer: urban heat island
Diff: 1
Topic: 20.9 Human Impact on Global Climate
14
Critical Thinking and Discussion. Use complete sentences, correct spelling, and the
information presented in Chapter 20 to answer the questions below.
74) Climatic zones are often based on different types of vegetation that result from the prevailing
climatic conditions. Considering such zones, what are some of the potential problems when
using fossil plant assemblages to interpret ancient climates? What are some of the factors
(geological or otherwise) that would influence your conclusions?
Answer: It would be difficult to determine the exact boundaries of ancient plant boundaries
because geologies of certain areas may not have preserved plant fossils as well as others. Today,
we can clearly see plant boundaries because they are on the surface, however, it would most
likely be more difficult to see ancient boundaries when they are buried underground. Also, it
would be difficult to account for species that are nonexistent today that may have thrived in
unique climates that do not occur today or were transitional climates between climactic periods.
Diff: 3
Bloom's: Applying
75) How are carbon dioxide and other trace gases thought to be potentially related to global
warming? Are the levels of these gases in our atmosphere increasing or decreasing and why are
levels changing? Finally, what are some of the observed climatic trends and possible
consequences associated with global warming?
Answer: Carbon dioxide and other trace gases are thought to be potentially related to global
warming because they are responsible for the greenhouse effect in the atmosphere. These gases
absorb heat, so it is logical that increasing their presence in the atmosphere would also increase
the greenhouse effect of the atmosphere. Levels of these gases are increasing due to the
combustion of fossil fuels, deforestation, and ever-increasing industrialization. Some of the
possible consequences of increased warming include sea-level rise, melting of arctic sea ice,
melting of permafrost, local changes to the hydrologic cycle, and other "surprises" that cannot be
predicted.
Diff: 3
Topic: 20.10 Carbon Dioxide, Trace Gases, and Global Climate Change and 20.13 Some
Possible Consequences of Global Warming
15
76) Observe the desert and steppe climates on Figure 20.8 below. How are these climates
distributed relative to latitude? What is the relationship of dry climates to global circulation
discussed in chapter 18?
Answer: The vast majority of the desert and steppe climates are located in and around 30
degrees latitude, both north and south. Latitudes near 30 north and south of the equator are
dominated by the hot, dry conditions of the subtropical high-pressure zone.
Diff: 1
Bloom's: Applying
16

20

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

20

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Earth Science, 13e (Tarbuck)

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.

4) The Kppen climate classification recognizes ________ principal climate groups.

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.

32) carbon dioxide

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.

33) The windward sides of mountains are often wet.

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.

You might also like