The Uneven Heating of Earth

The Uneven Heating of Earth

By Stacy Reed

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Multiple Choice

When you blow across a cup of hot chocolate, you create tiny ripples on its surface that continue to move after you’ve stopped blowing. The ripples in the cup are tiny waves, just like the waves that wind forms on the ocean surface.

But what makes the wind start to blow?

• Heat from the mantle

• The Corioiis Effect

• Heat from the Sun

• Earth's rotation

Multiple Choice

Earth’s equator is warmed by the most direct rays of the Sun, air at the equator is hotter than air further north or south.

What happens to this hotter air?

• The hotter air sinks and is replaced by cooler air.

• The hotter air rises and is replaced by cooler air.

• The hotter air remains in place and continues to get hotter and hotter.

• The hotter air becomes more dense and sinks.

Multiple Choice

Surface currents play a large role in determining climate. These currents bring warm water from the equator to cooler parts of the ocean; they transfer heat energy.

The Gulf Stream is an ocean current that ----

• transports warm water from the equator past the east coast of North America and across the Atlantic to Europe.

• transports cool water from the Artic to the Gulf of Mexico.

• transports warm water from the Arctic to the Gulf of Mexico.

• Transports warm water from Europe across the Atlantic to the east coast of the U.S..

Multiple Choice

The Gulf Stream’s warm waters give Europe a much warmer climate than other places at the same latitude. What would happen if the Gulf Stream were severely disrupted?

• Temperatures would drop on the east coast of the U.S.

• Temperatures would plunge in Europe.

• Temperatures in Europe would increase.

• Temperatures in Europe are not affected by the Gulf Stream.