Geosystems: An Introduction to Physical Geography, 9e (Christopherson)
Chapter 10 Global Climate Systems
10.1 Multiple Choice Questions
1) An area defined by characteristic, long-term weather patterns is called
A) a biome.
B) an average weather place.
C) an ecosystem.
D) a climatic region.
2) Climate is
A) the weather of a region.
B) the short-term condition of the atmosphere.
C) the long-term atmospheric condition—including extremes that may occur.
D) a reference to temperature patterns only.
3) The study of the climate and its variability, including long-term weather patterns over time
and space and the controls thereof is
A) climatology.
B) meteorology.
C) weatherology.
D) weather science.
4) The two principle climate components are
A) temperature and pressure.
B) temperature and precipitation.
C) precipitation and pressure.
D) pressure and wind speed.
5) Which of the following is an element of weather and climate?
A) insolation
B) temperature
C) atmospheric moisture
D) air pressure
E) insolation, temperature, atmospheric moisture, and air pressure are all elements of weather
and climate.
6) As distance from the equator increases, seasonal variation in temperature tends to
A) increase.
B) decrease.
C) remain constant.
7) Global circulation patterns of winds and ocean currents, which drive weather systems and,
ultimately, climate patterns are created by
A) the coriolis force.
B) frictional force caused by the Earth’s spinning on its axis.
C) imbalances created by energy surpluses and deficits at the equator and poles, respectively.
D) the differential heating properties of land and water.
8) The annual temperature range of places located in the interior of a continent is ________ those
located along the coast at the same latitude.
A) greater than
B) less than
C) the same as
9) World temperature patterns are primarily controlled by the following control except
A) latitude.
B) elevation.
C) continentality.
D) urban heat islands.
10)
Regarding average annual precipitation, which of the following is correct?
A) The highest amounts occur throughout subtropical latitudes.
B) The drier regions are associated with the eastern portions of major landmasses.
C) The precipitation tends to increase with latitude toward the poles.
D) The highest average values occur along the equator.
11) Which of the following best describes the difference between weather and climate?
A) Weather is the collective pattern of atmospheric conditions in a given region over long
periods of time, whereas climate is the atmospheric conditions at a given time and place.
B) Climate is the collective pattern of atmospheric conditions in a given region over long periods
of time, whereas weather is the atmospheric conditions at a given time and place.
C) Weather refers specifically to the temperature of a given place at a given time, whereas
climate refers to temperature, humidity, pressure, and wind conditions of a given place at a given
time.
D) Climate refers specifically to the temperature of a given place at a given time, whereas
weather refers to temperature, humidity, pressure, and wind conditions of a given place at a
given time.
E) Weather and climate are essentially the same thing.
12) Areas dominated by maritime air masses will be relatively ________, and that those
dominated by cT air masses will be relatively ________.
A) wet; wet
B) wet; dry
C) dry; wet
D) dry; dry
13) A climate classification based on causative factors, such as the interactions of air masses is
a(n)
A) empirical classification.
B) genetic classification.
C) combined classification.
14) A climate classification based on the geographic determinants of climate, such as latitude or
elevation, is an example of a(n)
A) empirical classification.
B) genetic classification.
C) combined classification.
15) A climate classification based on statistics or other data determined by measurements of
observed effects is a(n)
A) empirical classification.
B) genetic classification.
C) combined classification.
16) A climate classification based on moisture using a water budget approach is an example of
a(n)
A) empirical classification.
B) genetic classification.
C) combined classification.
17) An empirical classification is based on, among other factors,
A) the interaction of air masses.
B) the origin or genesis of the climate.
C) the mean annual temperature and precipitation of an area.
D) causative factors.
18) A genetic classification system can be based on, among other factors,
A) the interaction of air masses.
B) statistics or other data used to determine general categories.
C) mean annual temperature.
D) mean annual precipitation.
19) The climate classification system Geosystems uses is based not only on temperature and
precipitation measurements, but also causative factors. This is an example of a(n)
A) genetic classification.
B) empirical classification.
C) combined classification.
20) Which of the following lists the correct, generalized sequence of climates from the equator to
the poles?
A) Tropical → Dry → Mesothermal → Microthermal → Highland
B) Tropical → Mesothermal → Dry → Microthermal → Polar
C) Tropical → Dry → Mesothermal → Microthermal → Polar
D) Polar → Microthermal → Dry → Mesothermal → Tropical
E) Dry → Tropical → Mesothermal → Microthermal → Polar
21) Major ecosystems determined largely by climatic regions and classified largely based on
predominant vegetation are called
A) associations.
B) zoogeographic regions.
C) biomes.
D) climate zones.
22)
Which air mass appears to predominately influence the humid subtropical region?
A) maritime polar (mP)
B) maritime tropical (mT)
C) continental tropical (cT)
D) continental polar (cP)
E) maritime equatorial (mE)
23) Tropical climates are typically located
A) straddling the equator between 20° N/S.
B) all areas of the Earth influenced by a subtropical high pressure system.
C) primarily in areas associated with cold ocean currents.
D) higher latitudes influenced by continental tropical air masses.
24) Which of the following is not a characteristic of tropical climates?
A) short, though relatively mild, winters
B) consistent day lengths
C) unstable air masses
D) warm ocean temperatures
25) In terms of total land and ocean area, which of the following climate classifications is the
most extensive at 36 percent percent of Earth’s surface?
A) tropical climates
B) dry climates
C) mesothermal climates
D) microthermal climates
26) The tropical rain forest climate receives most of its rainfall as a result of
A) frontal uplift.
B) orographic uplift.
C) convectional uplift.
D) None of these answer choices are correct.
27) The bulk of the Amazon River drainage basin is dominated by which one of the following
climate classifications?
A) tropical monsoon
B) tropical savanna
C) tropical rainforest
D) humid subtropical
28) The dry season in the tropical monsoon climate occurs when
A) cold air masses dominate the region.
B) the ITCZ has moves away from the region.
C) a continental polar air mass influences the region.
D) cold ocean currents shift into the region.
29) Which of the following characterizes a tropical savanna climate?
A) It experiences a summer wet season, and is dominated by the ITCZ for nearly 12 months of
the year.
B) The sun’s direct rays are overhead (subsolar point) are overhead twice each year.
C) All months receive precipitation in excess of 6 cm (2.4 in.).
D) Its annual temperature variability is less than that of the tropical rain forest.
30) The tropical savanna climate has
A) the ITCZ in summer and the subtropical high in winter.
B) the polar front in winter and the subtropical high in summer.
C) the ITCZ all year-round.
D) the polar front all year-round.
31) Vegetation in the tropical savanna is
A) lush (thick and green year-round).
B) dominated by grassland.
C) deciduous forest.
D) desert-like succulents.
32) Which of the following is not related to the 98th meridian in the United States?
A) It corresponds closely to the 51 cm (20 in.) isohyet of mean annual precipitation.
B) Tall grass prairies occur to the east of it, and short grass prairies to the west.
C) The area bordering this meridian was originally dominated by native grasses growing in a
deep-sod cover.
D) The land is drier to the east of the meridian and wetter to the west.
E) Corn, wheat, and soybean production occur in this area.
33) Marine west coast climates are dominated by what air masses?
A) continental polar (cP)
B) maritime tropical (mT)
C) continental tropical (cT)
D) maritime polar (mP)
34) Which of the following is not true of marine west-coast climates?
A) They are dominated by mP air masses.
B) The air masses in this region are unstable.
C) These climates experience very cold winters because of their high latitude (about 45° to 55°
north).
D) The weather is quite unpredictable.
35) A climate that is mesothermal and has a long, hot, dry summer would be designated by
which of the following?
A) tropical savanna
B) semiarid steppe
C) Mediterranean
D) humid subtropical hot-summer
E) humid continental hot-summer
36) Which of the following is false regarding the Mediterranean classification?
A) Summers are hot.
B) Seventy percent of the precipitation occurs in the winter months.
C) Summers are influenced by shifting subtropical high cells.
D) The bulk of precipitation occurs in the summer months.
37) Mediterranean dry-summer climates
A) experience dry conditions in summer due to the subtropical high overhead.
B) experience wet conditions in winter due to the ITCZ overhead.
C) are bordered poleward by steppe climates.
D) experience wet conditions in summer due to the ITCZ overhead.
38) Which type of vegetation grows in the Mediterranean climate?
A) taiga
B) chaparral
C) rain forest
D) boreal forest
39) The largest percentage of Earth’s population lives within the
A) tropical climates.
B) desert climates.
C) mesothermal climates.
D) microthermal climates.
40) Which of the following is true of microthermal climates?
A) They have a small seasonal temperature range, hence the term microthermal.
B) Because of the latitude at which they occur, these climates occupy the largest land area of any
climate.
C) In the Southern Hemisphere, these climates develop only in highland regions.
D) All of the subtypes of this climate have a uniform annual precipitation regime.
41) Which of the following is not a causal element of microthermal climates?
A) increasing seasonality
B) latitudinal; effects on temperature
C) very limited continentality
D) cyclonic activity
42) Which of the following is true regarding humid continental hot-summer and humid
continental mild-summer climates?
A) Humid continental mild-summer climates are located further equatorward than humid
continental hot-summer climates.
B) Overall, humid continental mild-summer climates receive more precipitation than humid
continental hot-summer. climates.
C) Agriculture is not feasible in humid continental mild-summer climates due to the cooler
weather, whereas it is very important in humid continental hot-summer climates.
D) Snowfall is notably heavier in humid continental mild-summer climates than in humid
continental hot-summer climates and plays an important role in soil moisture recharge.
43) Which climate is characterized by the largest change in monthly average temperatures; i.e.,
the greatest change in temperatures from one month to the next?
A) boreal forest
B) tundra
C) ice cap
D) dry-midlatitude
44) Which of the following has a typical subarctic,very cold winter climate?
A) Churchill, Manitoba
B) Dalian, China
C) Verkhoyansk, Siberia, Russia
D) Duluth, Minnesota
45) Which of the following is a causal element of polar and highland climates?
A) extremes of daylength between summer and winter
B) high precipitation, primarily in the form of snow
C) low surface albedo due to ground cover
D) high sun altitude during the summer months
46) Which of the following is incorrect regarding tundra climates?
A) Spruce, fir and larch trees survive in this climate zone.
B) There is no true summer in this region.
C) Summer temperatures are never higher than 10°C (50°F).
D) The land is under continuous snow cover from 8 to 10 months.
47) Which of the following is incorrect regarding ice-sheet climates?
A) The climate is dominated by dry, frigid air masses.
B) There is very little precipitation.
C) The only month with an average temperature above freezing corresponds to the summer
solstice (June in the Northern Hemisphere, December in the Southern Hemisphere).
D) There are vast expanses that never warm above freezing.
48) Annual temperature ranges near the southern tip of Greenland, in the Bearing Sea, northern
Iceland, South Georgia Island, and northern Norway are low despite their high latitude because
A) the climate is dominated by dry, frigid air masses year-round.
B) they are influenced by maritime environments.
C) higher than average precipitation for the climate type mitigates against the extreme cold
weather.
D) they are oriented on sunward side of large topographic features.
49) Potential evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation in all parts of which climate type?
A) tropical savanna
B) Mediterranean
C) semiarid steppe
D) humid subtropical winter-dry
50) Which climatic region occupies the most extensive area of land on Earth?
A) polar climates
B) dry climates
C) mesothermal climates
D) tropical climates
51) Dry climates are divided into two types according to moisture. These are
A) deserts and steppe.
B) deserts and tundra.
C) steppe and chaparral.
D) chaparral and tundra.
52) Which of the following is not a causal element of dry climates?
A) Seasonal influence of the ITCZ.
B) Dry, subsiding air associated with subtropical high pressure systems.
C) Location in the rain shadow of mountains.
D) Cool, stabilizing ocean currents along the western margins of continents.
53) The low-latitude hot desert climates occur
A) in the tropics and subtropics.
B) only in midlatitude rainshadow positions.
C) in polar regions.
D) along the midlatitude, west coasts of continents.
54) Which of the following is not true of tropical and subtropical hot desert climates?
A) In most years, they do not receive any precipitation.
B) Annual average temperatures are above 18°C (64.4°F).
C) They are generally found on the western side of continents.
D) They are under the influence of subtropical high pressure systems.
55) Along the periphery of hot deserts, where shifting subtropical high pressure cells create a
distinct summer-dry and winter-wet pattern, one finds
A) tropical, subtropical hot steppe climates.
B) marine west coast climates.
C) tropical monsoon climates.
D) humid subtropical hot-summer climates.
56) Humid subtropical hot-summer climates receive ________ precipitation during the summer
and ________ precipitation in winter.
A) convectional; frontal
B) frontal; convectional
C) orographic; frontal
D) convectional; ITCZ
57) Which of the following is false regarding the tropical rain forest climate?
A) It is influenced by the ITCZ year-round.
B) It does not experience a winter season.
C) The annual temperature range is larger than the daily temperature range.
D) Thunderstorms occur almost daily.