Regents Earth Science Climate Factors

Dry areas caused by sinking air and diverging surface winds are located at which two latitudes?

• 0º and 30º N

• 30º N and 30º S

• 0º and 60º S

• 60º N and 60º S

Which two climate factors are most directly responsible for the amount of snowfall normally received in Bu alo, New York?

• ocean currents and storm tracks

• mountain barriers and average temperatures

• elevation and potential evapotranspiration

• prevailing wind direction and nearness to a large body of water

The weather map shows a portion of a low-pressure system. Which front will most likely pass over location A during the next two hours?

• warm

• stationary

• cold

• occluded

The average temperature at Earth's North Pole is colder than the average temperature at the Equator because the Equator

• receives less ultraviolet radiation

• receives more intense insolation

• has more cloud cover

• has a thicker atmosphere

A city located on the coast of North America has warmer winters and cooler summers than a city at the same elevation and latitude located near the center of North America. Which statement best explains the difference between the cities' climates?

• Ocean surfaces change temperature more slowly than land surfaces.

• Warm, moist air rises when it meets cool, dry air.

• Wind speeds are usually greater over land surfaces than over ocean surfaces.

• Ocean surfaces have a lower specific heat than land surfaces.

Liquid water can store more heat energy than an equal amount of any other naturally occurring substance because liquid water

• covers 71% of Earth's surface

• has its greatest density at 4º C

• has the higher specific heat

• can be changed into a solid or a gas

Which event is inferred by most scientists to be responsible for a climate change that has recently led to a decrease in the size of most glaciers?

• a decrease in the rate of divergence of lithospheric plates along a mid-ocean ridge

• a decrease in the amount of insolation reaching Earth's surface

• an increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere

• an increase in the amount of vegetative cover in the tropics

Adjacent water and landmasses are heated by the morning Sun on a clear, calm day. After a few hours, a surface wind develops. Which map best represents this wind's direction?

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Arrows on the maps below show differences in the direction of winds in the region of India and the Indian Ocean during January and July. Isobar values are recorded in millibars. Heavy monsoon rains usually occur in India during

• January, when winds blow from the land

• January, when winds blow toward high pressure

• July, when winds blow from the ocean

• July, when winds blow toward high pressure

The station model shows several weather variables recorded at a particular location. What was the most likely dewpoint at this location?

• 32º F

• 40º F

• 61º F

• 70º F