Interactions of Spheres Pre/Post Test

Areas along coastlines, such as Florida, often do not experience winters as severe as areas inland

– even though some of these coastal areas lie further north. Why do coastal areas tend to have more mild winter weather patterns?

• Warm ocean waters heat the air above them, the warm air flows over coastal areas, but cannot reach areas inland.

• Cold ocean waters cool the air above them, the cool air flows over coastal areas, but cannot reach the areas inland.

• Warm ocean currents only flow east to west and cannot reach inland areas.

• Cold ocean currents only flow east to west and cannot reach inland areas.

Amy and Scott are preparing a presentation on climate in Florida. Which of the following statements would BEST support the idea that Florida has a subtropical climate?

• Florida has a long pattern of experiencing hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters.

• Florida’s location near the equator makes it cooler than most of the United States.

• Florida received 35 inches of rain this past year.

• Florida had record high temperatures this past summer.

During the spring, Florida’s weather becomes rainy and warm. Florida’s spring rains are an example of which part of the water cycle?

• evaporation

• condensation

• precipitation

• run off

The surface of the oceans are warmer than deeper ocean waters. Which of these is a direct result of uneven heating of water in the oceans due to solar energy?

• ocean currents

• salt in the ocean

• icebergs in the ocean

• ocean tides

Solar energy does not warm Earth’s surface evenly. For example, during the day, land areas warm up faster than nearby bodies of water. How does this uneven warming affect the movement of air over land and water?

• The warmer, less dense air above the land flows toward the cooler, denser air above the water, causing a land breeze.

• The cooler, denser air above the water flows toward the warmer, less dense air above the land, causing a sea breeze.

• The cooler air over the water would absorb water vapor and rise, resulting in rainy conditions over the shoreline.

• The warmer air over the land would transfer energy to the cooler air by conduction, leading to a uniform air temperature.

The graphs above show the average temperature range and average precipitation in Denver, Colorado.

Using the graphs, what is one statement that can be made about Denver’s climate?

• The winters are cooler and drier than the summers.

• The warmest month is February

• The temperature and precipitation do not change over the year.

• The month with the greatest precipitation is October.

During a summer day on the beach, the sand on the beach and the air temperature feel hot, but the ocean water feels cold. At night, why would the ocean water be warmer than the air?

• Air changes temperature faster than water, so the water is warmer and the air is much cooler than it was during the day.

• As a cool breeze blows off the water onto the land, the water warms up.

• The heat from the air transfers to the water during the night, making the water warmer than it was during the day.

• Air stays warmer longer than water so your body is warm when you jump into the water.

El Niño is a weather event that causes great changes in weather worldwide. During an El Niño event, the polar jet stream shifts northward. Which change will an El Niño event most likely cause?

• warmer than usual temperatures in the northern United States

• colder temperatures in the southern United States

• drier than usual weather in the northern United States

• drier than usual weather in the southern United States

The temperature inside of a classroom is measured to be 26oC. Which of the following temperatures could result from heat being transferred into the room?

• 30 °C

• 20 °C

• 10 °C

• 0 °C

Jonathan performed an experiment using a heating lamp, a cup of water (A), an empty cup (B), and two thermometers as shown in the illustration below. After 40 minutes he observed the temperature inside each cup.

Based on the illustration above, what do you think Jonathan observed at the end of his experiment?

• The temperature measured in Cup A is lower than Cup B.

• The temperature measured in Cup A is higher than Cup B.

• The temperatures in Cup A and Cup B are the same.

• The temperatures in Cup A and Cup B did not change.