What are the characteristics of maritime polar air masses?

Clay is watching the weather to prepare for a trip to the beach tomorrow. The forecast predicts that a low-pressure system will move in overnight. Which type of weather can Clay MOST likely expect in the morning?

Which statement BEST explains why the force of a hurricane diminishes as the hurricane moves over land?

Tornado intensity is measured on the _______.

At which location would you forecast thunderstorms?

The high winds and torrential rains of a hurricane can cause damage to cities and natural areas in its path. A hurricane is likely to gain the MOST strength when it travels over which of the following?

The map shows a typical jet stream pattern in the United States during spring months. During one spring, the jet stream shifted southward, moving across Texas and northern Florida. How would weather in North Carolina that spring compare to that of a typical year?

On a map showing pressure readings, what are the lines connecting points of equal pressure called?

Which of these has been controlled in an attempt to reduce the depletion of ozone in Earth’s atmosphere?

Which activity MOST affects the atmosphere?

Which of these air pollutants can react with chemicals in the atmosphere and cause acid rain?

Joan picked up a brochure on North Carolina and learned the facts listed below. It may experience either hot, humid summer conditions or more moderate summer conditions. The annual rainfall across the state ranges from 37 to 90 inches. Which aspect of North Carolina was Joan focusing on from the brochure?

Which of these events is an example of a change in climate?

Which statement BEST describes the climate of an area?

Which is least likely to cause changes in global climate?

Which form of water, when present in the atmosphere, is MOST likely to contribute to global warming?

Visible light reaches Earth’s surface while infrared light is trapped as heat. Which characteristic of Earth’s atmosphere causes this to happen?

Which could increase the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?

What long-term impact could the destruction of large areas of forests have on Earth?

Urban City X has been referred to as an urban heat island because it tends to be warmer than the surrounding rural areas. The report below lists changes that have occurred in one year in Urban City X. Report for Urban City X: Eight roads were repaved. The population increased by 20%. Public transportation increased by 5%. Four new apartment complexes were built. Plans were drafted to build a local park. A meeting was held about alternative energy sources. What is the main cause of Urban City X being an urban heat island?

What will most likely influence global sea levels?

The average temperature of Earth’s surface has increased approximately 1°C in the past century. Which of the following can BEST explain this increase in temperature?

The average global ocean temperature in 1912 was 15.8°C, and in 2011 this temperature was 16.5°C. Corals are sensitive to the temperature of ocean water. The health of corals is a concern if the ocean temperature continues to rise. Which of these is a likely prediction based on the current trend in ocean temperature data?

Which biome has the MOST vegetation?

The temperate deciduous forest and temperate grassland biomes have the same maximum temperature. Which of the following is a reason they have different plant and animal species?

Which is a biotic factor that could affect an ecosystem?

How could a global decrease in plant diversity affect the biosphere?

Why is it important to conserve the biodiversity of Earth?

Biodiversity can include genetic diversity within a population or variation of populations within an ecosystem. Given this information, which of the following is likely to have the MOST biodiversity?

Two farmers decide to plant fewer types of corn in their fields. How will changing the biodiversity of the corn crop affect the fields?

If fossil fuel usage were unlimited, what effect would this have on Earth’s biosphere?

How could the introduction of a nonnative species of plant affect an ecosystem in North Carolina?

What would most likely happen if coastal North Carolina increased implementation of wind energy?

Wave energy from the ocean can be harnessed to power generators to make electricity. Energy from ocean tides can also be used to make electricity. How would you categorize these two sources of energy?

The main disadvantage of using solar energy to generate electricity is that solar panels

Which would be the best way to reduce the environmental impact of conventional agricultural practices?

While on a trip to Peru, Carlos saw that a mountainside had been terraced by the ancient Inca Indians. The Incas had terraced the side of the mountain to grow food. Which other purpose did the terracing of the mountain serve?

Which change would best aid a farmer in making the transition from conventional farming techniques to more sustainable farming techniques?

As human populations increase, more shelter is needed. Increasing shelter often requires making a trade-off with another resource. In which case is a food resource decreased to increase a shelter resource?

Which renewable resource would be LEAST affected by increasing global temperatures?

Most of the trash in the United States is currently disposed of in one of three ways: 32.5% is recycled or composted 12.5% is incinerated 55% is put into landfills Which change would decrease the ecological footprint of a town MOST?

Which human activity MOST likely contributes to the solid waste pollution in streams and landfills?

A large company constructs a deep well to obtain water for industrial use. The location of the well is shown in the figure below. What is one benefit to the company of placing the well where they did instead of making the well shallower?

The table compares a family’s annual water use to an average household and a water-wise household. The family compares their information to the other information in the table. Which of these changes would help them become a more water-wise household?

El Niño and La Niña are sea-surface temperature changes that occur periodically. This graph shows how these events may affect hurricane landfalls in the U.S. The graph implies effects on which of these from El Niño and La Niña?

The line graph below shows global temperature data since 1970. Which inference is BEST supported by the data?

The REUWS study examined residential water use in North America in 1999. This study measured gallons of water used per household per day (gphd) in twelve cities. Researchers repeated the study in certain cities in 2012. The graph compares the results of the first study to results from households in Tacoma, Washington, more than a decade later. Assume that behaviors surrounding water use have not changed significantly since the last study. Under this assumption, which of the following manufacturers could claim to have achieved the greatest success in the development and marketing of water conservation technology?

Carbon dioxide is one of the greenhouse gases that help keep Earth warm enough to support life. Increasing the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases the temperature. Below are two tables that show natural and human-made sources of carbon dioxide. Earth’s atmosphere is getting warmer. Do the data in the tables enable you to determine whether humans are responsible for an increase in Earth’s atmospheric temperature?

This graph illustrates temperatures for an area collected over several years. Why is the graph useful for making predictions of future temperatures for the area?

As human populations increase, more shelter is needed. Increasing shelter often requires making a trade-off with another resource. In which case is a food resource decreased to increase a shelter resource?