Convection, Weather, and Climate

For billions of years, our sun, a yellow main sequence star, has radiated solar energy into space. The energy that reaches earth has been most responsible for which of the following?

• Creating electricity from solar panels
• Changing ocean levels known as tides
• Convection within earth’s atmosphere leading to weather patterns
• The limited plant life found at the poles

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Ocean currents move warm and cold water throughout the oceans, affecting weather systems and climates. Where do warm ocean currents originate?

• near the poles
• near the equator
• near continents
• near the middle of oceans

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

The front that is moving across the United States is most likely heading toward the southeast because …

• All wind patterns in the United States move in a southeastern direction
• The southeastern portion of the United States is dominated by high pressure air systems
• The prevailing jet stream moves cold air from polar areas in an eastern direction across the United States
• A hurricane is likely forming in the Gulf of Mexico

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

The southeastern region of Texas has mild temperatures with relatively small changes in temperature between daytime and nighttime. Which of these is most responsible for keeping the daily temperature range small?

• daily high wind speeds
• slow moving cold fronts
• heat from deserts
• moisture from coastal waters

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

The illustration below shows the Gulf Stream carrying warm water up the east coast of America on its way to Western Europe. These warm equatorial surface currents are responsible for the moderate winter climates of certain countries such as France and Spain. Which of the following is most responsible for this occurrence?

• The sun heats earth’s oceans causing convection currents to travel from the equator to the poles
• Differences in the ocean’s salinity cause deep water convection currents
• Convection within earth’s mantle caused by a hot iron core
• Global wind patterns that determine the direction of surface currents

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

During the climatic phenomenon, El Niño, surface seawater temperatures off the west coast of South America are higher than normal. This tends to increase rainfall in the western parts of North and South America because warm water —

• precipitates more easily than cool water
• evaporates at a higher rate than cool water
• absorbs more heat energy than cool water
• condenses at lower altitudes than cool water

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Based on the weather map shown, the current conditions in Colorado are likely -

• cold and wet
• cold and dry
• warm and wet
• warm and dry

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

The following diagram depicts the observations of a student as a science teacher demonstrates the process of convection. Which of the following correctly relates the components of the demonstration to real life processes?

• The candle represents the sun’s heat and the spinner represents the tectonic plates
• The candle represents the sun’s heat and the moving spinner represents movements in the atmosphere
• The candle represents heat within the earth and the spinner represents movements in the atmosphere
• The candle represents heat within the earth and the string represents the gravitational pull between the earth and sun

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Two students are studying temperature averages in July over a ten year period. One notices that U.S. cities on the East Coast have warmer temperatures than U.S. cities at similar latitudes on the West Coast. Which of the following is responsible for the difference?

• El Niño brings rain and cool weather to the West Coast but does not affect the East Coast as much.
• The Pacific Ocean is larger and deeper than the Atlantic Ocean and is, therefore, colder than the Atlantic Ocean.
• Ocean currents from the Tropical Atlantic warm the East Coast, while currents from the Northern Pacific cool the West Coast.
• During the summer, the East Coast is often hit by hurricanes, which bring warm air as they move along the coast.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

What type of weather most likely occurred in Denver between Monday and Tuesday?

• Increased temperature with dry conditions
• Decreased temperature with precipitation
• Increased temperature with precipitation
• Decreased temperature with dry conditions

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-5