Semester Exam Review - Earth Systems

About how long does it take for Earth to complete a revolution around the sun?

• 7 days

• 31 days

• 365 days

• 1,000 days

The major distinction between weather and climate is that –

• weather is climate over a long period of time.

• climate simply describes the atmosphere at any given time.

• weather supports diverse ecosystems, while climate does not

• climate is weather in a region over a long period of time.

The location of the sun, as viewed from Earth, appears to change with the seasons because –

• Earth’s axis is tilted.

• the sun revolves on an orbit.

• Earth’s distance from the sun changes.

• the sun rotates.

The Earth’s crust and top layer of mantle make up the

• atmosphere

• hydrosphere

• lithosphere

• biosphere

What are the three processes that create landforms?

• tectonic processes, erosion, and weathering

• tectonic processes, erosion, and sediment

• erosion, sediment, and weathering

• sediment, tectonic processes, and weathering

Why do most areas near the equator have warm climates?

• They receive the most direct rays from the Sun.

• Their surfaces reflect the greatest amount of sunlight.

• The Sun is directly over the equator at noon year-round.

• They receive equal amounts of daylight hours and nighttime hours.

Which statement best describes the orographic effect?

• The orographic effect causes coastal flooding during winter storms.

• Air forced over mountains cools and releases moisture on the windward side of the mountain.

• Warming of the air as it rises over mountaintops creates thunderstorms on the leeward side of the mountain.

• The orographic effect is responsible for the warming of the oceans and melting polar ice caps.

All of the following are results of tectonic activity EXCEPT –

• mountains

• faults

• volcanoes

• deserts

Which of the following are caused by the rotation of the earth?

• Seasons

• Day and Night

• Earthquakes

• Droughts

Which group of factors influences the distribution of climate regions across the continents?

• elevation, latitude, wind systems, landforms

• landforms, revolution of the Earth, volcanic eruptions, elevation

• the equator, latitude, tectonic forces, wind systems

• soil-building processes, wind systems, latitude, temperature