Readings Worksheet 3 Weather and Climate

1.  The three most important elements that make up weather are            

2.   The layer of the earth’s atmosphere that contains virtually all air, clouds, and precipitation is called the            

3.  The amount of incoming solar radiation available at various places on the earth depends mainly upon            

4. The earth’s axis is tilted about ____ away from the perpendicular.            

5.  Spring and autumn equinoxes occur on approximately            

6.  The earth’s atmosphere is heated primarily by the process of            

7.   If the sea level temperature is 100 degrees F (10 degrees C), what is the temperature at an altitude of 10,000ft (610 m)?  (Use the lapse rate.)          

8.   A temperature inversion occurs when            

9.  A pressure gradient causes winds to flow from            

10.   If distance between high- and low-pressure zones are short, ____ are steep and ____ are great.            

11.   The Coriolis effect means than wind appears to deflect towards the          

12.  Which of the following moves in the Northern and Sothern Hemisphere in a west-to-east direction around the earth in an undulating pattern?          

13.   The world’s major ocean currents are set into motion by            

14.  Which of the following climatic phenomena is responsible for keeping northern Europe and the northwest coast of Russia warmer than it would otherwise be?  

15.  Which statement about El Nino is NOT true?      

16.   Rainfall is caused by            
    
            

    
    What type of precipitation is caused by air being heated at the surface of the earth?            
    
            

    
    Orographic precipitation occurs            
    

    
    The boundary between the two different air masses is called            
    
            

    
    Geographically, a hurricane is most likely to develop            
    
            

    
    The Fujita scale is used to measure the strength of            
    

    
    The type of climate found within the equatorial low pressure zone and characterized by warm temperatures and regular convective rainfall throughout the year is the            
    

    
    The ____ climate is characterized by generally warm temperatures throughout the year, dry summers and frontal precipitation in winter.            
    
            

    What type of climate is characterized by hot summers, mild or moderate winters, and plentiful rainfall distributed throughout the year?            
    
            

    
    The name given to the nearly treeless zone to the north of the forested subarctic region of the Northern Hemisphere is            
    
            

    
    Characteristic vegetation of the steppe climate is            
    
            

    
    Characteristic features of the marine west coast climate are            
    
            

    
    What caused the “year without a summer?”            
    
            

    Which of the following statements about carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is NOT true?            
    
            

    
    Which is NOT a likely consequence of global warming and climate change?