question

If the maximum temperature for a particular day is 26°C and the minimum temperature is 14°C, the daily mean would be:

answer

20°C

question

If the maximum temperature on a particular day is 30°F and the minimum temperature is 21°F, then the daily temperature range is:

answer

9°F

question

How is the annual mean temperature calculated?

answer

It is the average of all 12 monthly mean temperatures

question

The annual range of temperature may be described as:

answer

the difference between the average temperatures of the warmest and coldest months

question

An isotherm on a map:

answer

connects points of equal temperature

question

A primary reason for drawing isotherms on a map of temperature values is to allow:

answer

recognition of temperature patterns

question

The ________ is defined as the amount of temperature change per unit of distance.

answer

temperature gradient

question

Which of the following associations is CORRECT? A) high latitude — low annual temperature range B) land — distributes heat through convection C) water — high specific heat D) evaporation — raises the temperature of air

answer

C) water — high specific heat

question

All of the following explain the difference between land and water temperature patterns EXCEPT: A) Land has a higher specific heat than water. B) Radiation does not penetrate as deeply in land as it does in water. C) Convective mixing helps distribute heat energy throughout a water body. D) Evaporative cooling is more common over water than over land.

answer

A) Land has a higher specific heat than water.

question

Over a one year period, how thick a layer in the oceans is subject to heating and cooling as the seasons change?

answer

over 200 meters

question

The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1°C is called:

answer

specific heat

question

The highest accepted temperature record for the United States is 57°C (134°F) and was set at:

answer

Death Valley, California

question

The specific heat of water is high; what does this mean?

answer

Water must gain or lose large amounts of energy when its temperature changes

question

A primary reason why land areas warm up more rapidly than water areas is that:

answer

on land, all solar energy is absorbed in a shallow layer

question

Which American state ties Alaska for the lowest recorded high temperature?

answer

Hawaii

question

Two cities are located at the same latitude (40 degrees). City A is in the Southern Hemisphere and City B is in the Northern Hemisphere. Assume the two cities reflect the general characteristics of the hemispheres where they are located. Which city should have the warmer winter temperatures?

answer

City A

question

How does the phase change of water from liquid to vapor generally influence the air temperature experienced in locations near water?

answer

Air temperatures are generally cooler

question

Which of the following factors would have the net effect of making a place warmer in the summer? A) in the middle of a landmass B) at a high elevation C) at a high latitude D) near an ocean

answer

A) in the middle of a landmass

question

The annual temperature range at most latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere is much smaller than that in the Northern Hemisphere. The reason for this is that:

answer

there is a greater percentage of water surface in the Southern Hemisphere

question

A poleward moving (northward moving in the Northern Hemisphere) ocean current is:

answer

a warm current

question

Since the equator-to-pole temperature contrast is the major cause of atmospheric circulations, you would expect wind speeds to be slowest in the:

answer

Summer

question

The primary purpose served by surface ocean currents is to:

answer

transfer heat and equalize the imbalance of energy between the poles and the equator

question

Summer temperatures along the California coast are cooler than along the coast of South Carolina, due to the influence of:

answer

ocean currents

question

Why are average monthly temperatures cooler in Quito, Ecuador than Guayaquil, Ecuador?

answer

Quito is at a higher elevation

question

A location on a windward coast refers to a place where the prevailing wind is:

answer

toward the land

question

A place located along a windward coast:

answer

will probably have cooler summer temperatures than an inland place at the same latitude

question

How is the daily maximum temperature affected by the presence of clouds?

answer

makes it cooler

question

How is the daily temperature range affected by the presence of clouds?

answer

The temperature range is lower when clouds are present

question

What type of severe weather event killed up to 35,000 people in Europe during the summer of 2003?

answer

a heat wave

question

Heat waves are usually more severe in:

answer

large urban areas

question

The annual temperature range at most latitudes in the southern hemisphere is much smaller than in the northern hemisphere. Why?

answer

There is more area covered by water in the southern hemisphere

question

The annual temperature range is quite small near the equator. This is true primarily because:

answer

solar radiation is nearly uniform all year

question

Locations on Earth which have the largest annual temperature change from summer to winter are often:

answer

at high altitudes

question

The most important cause of temperature variations is:

answer

differences in receipt of solar radiation

question

Temperatures at the Earth's surface tend to DECREASE when solar radiation:

answer

is less than Earth's longwave radiation

question

The minimum temperature usually occurs near sunrise because:

answer

Earth experiences a net loss of radiation until then

question

Daily and seasonal temperature cycles depend primarily on:

answer

the combined effects of solar and terrestrial radiation

question

The lag of extreme temperatures with respect to minimum or maximum values of solar radiation is due to:

answer

the influence of the total radiation balance

question

The lag of the maximum is exhibited when:

answer

the maximum temperature for the day occurs several hours after maximum solar radiation receipt

question

An energy surplus in the atmosphere from solar radiation occurs:

answer

in the early afternoon

question

The daily maximum temperature occurs at the time:

answer

when outgoing radiation equals incoming

question

Overnight temperatures are warmer when the air is humid because:

answer

water vapor is a good absorber of outgoing longwave radiation

question

The effect of urban heat production on the urban heat island is GREATEST in the:

answer

winter

question

Which of the following is NOT a valid explanation of the urban heat island effect? A) Urban areas retain heat longer and do not cool off as quickly at night as surrounding rural areas. B) Pollution trapped over a city enhances the greenhouse effect of the atmosphere. C) Urban areas generally have a higher albedo than surrounding rural areas. D) Increased runoff on urban surfaces reduces evaporative cooling in the area.

answer

C) Urban areas generally have a higher albedo than surrounding rural areas.

question

Which month is most likely to be the HOTTEST in the northern hemisphere?

answer

August

question

The ________ is often used in making a thermograph.

answer

bimental strip

question

The ________ instrument contains a liquid of low density such as alcohol.

answer

minimum thermometer

question

A small dumbbell-shaped index is part of the:

answer

minimum thermometer

question

Where is the best location to place a thermometer for an accurate air temperature reading?

answer

inside a shelter painted white

question

Absolute zero equals:

answer

-273°C

question

The boiling point of water occurs at:

answer

100°C

question

The number of degrees separating the ice point and the steam point:

answer

is identical for both the Kelvin and Celsius scales

question

The Kelvin scale is preferred in some scientific applications because:

answer

0 K actually represents absolute zero, so the scale is based on the actual scientific definition of temperature.

question

The Fahrenheit scale is considered to be the LEAST useful temperature scale for scientific purposes because:

answer

the original fixed points for the scale were arbitrarily (and poorly) chosen, giving 0°F no real meaning

question

65°F is equal to ________°C

answer

18.3

question

7°C is equal to ________°F

answer

44.6

question

45°F is equal to ________K

answer

280.2

question

38°C is equal to ________K

answer

311

question

Which temperature scale was developed first?

answer

Fahrenheit

question

The city with the highest average of annual heating degree-days is:

answer

Anchorage, AK.

question

The city with the HIGHEST average annual cooling degree-days between 1971 and 2000 was:

answer

Miami, FL

question

On a particular day, a place accumulates 15 heating degree days. What was the daily mean temperature on that day?

answer

50°F

question

The daily mean temperature in a particular place is 83. How many cooling-degree days were accumulated?

answer

18 cooling degree days

question

Assume that there is a linear relationship between the number of heating degree-days and fuel consumption. If the number of heating degree-days tripled from one month to the next for a building, we would expect the fuel bill to:

answer

triple

question

Which of these factors influences the sensation of temperature that the human body feels? A) wind speed B) air temperature C) humidity D) wind speed, air temperature, and humidity

answer

D) wind speed, air temperature, and humidity

question

Isotherm lines do not always pass directly through observing station locations, true or false?

answer

TRUE

question

There are two ways to measure the daily mean temperature, and they could give two different results, true or false?

answer

TRUE

question

Locations that have the same Sun angle always have very similar temperatures, true or false?

answer

FALSE

question

Surface air temperatures rise and fall more slowly over land areas, true or false?

answer

FALSE

question

Typically, daily temperature changes in land surfaces are greater than those for water surfaces, true or false?

answer

TRUE

question

The warmest temperature ever recorded in the United States occurred in Death Valley, CA, true or false?

answer

TRUE

question

The hottest surface temperature ever recorded in the United States was 134°F, true or false?

answer

TRUE

question

Land cools more slowly than water during autumn because the land has a smaller specific heat value, true or false?

answer

FALSE

question

The influence of large lakes or oceans generally reduces the annual temperature range, true or false?

answer

TRUE

question

Evaporation of water from lakes and moist soil increases their temperatures, true or false?

answer

FALSE

question

The Southern Hemisphere is also referred to as the water hemisphere, true or false?

answer

TRUE

question

Ocean currents owe their existence primarily to the rapid rotation of the earth about its axis, true or false?

answer

FALSE

question

The California coast is influenced by a cold ocean current, true or false?

answer

TRUE

question

The daily temperature range is greater at higher elevations. true or false?

answer

TRUE

question

The influence of altitude upon temperature results in surface temperatures falling more rapidly with height than the normal lapse rate value, true or false?

answer

FALSE

question

A leeward coastal city will display climate patterns typical of a continental climate, even though they are located on the coast of an ocean, true or false?

answer

TRUE

question

Cloud cover reduces both the daily high and daily low temperatures, true or false?

answer

FALSE

question

Clouds have a significant influence on surface temperatures because they absorb most solar radiation, true or false?

answer

FALSE

question

The seasonal shift of isotherms is greater over the continents than over the ocean, true or false?

answer

TRUE

question

Isotherms are more irregular in the Southern Hemisphere than in the Northern Hemisphere, true or false?

answer

FALSE

question

Latitude is a major control of temperature since latitude determines the Sun angle, true or false?

answer

TRUE

question

The daily range of temperatures depends only on the amount of solar radiation received, true or false?

answer

FALSE

question

During a typical day, the lowest temperature usually occurs about midnight, true or false?

answer

FALSE

question

Air temperature drops when the rate of terrestrial energy loss is less than the rate of solar energy gain, true or false?

answer

FALSE

question

A dry location is more likely than a humid location to have its maximum temperature in the late afternoon, true or false?

answer

TRUE

question

Thermistors are electrical thermometers commonly used in radiosondes, true or false?

answer

TRUE

question

The coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth was -129°C, true or false?

answer

FALSE

question

The melting point of ice is 32°C, true or false?

answer

FALSE

question

Comfortable room temperature is roughly 22°C, true or false?

answer

TRUE

question

Negative values are not possible on the Celsius temperature scale, true or false?

answer

FALSE

question

Heating degrees days are used to evaluate energy demand and consumption, true or false?

answer

TRUE

question

Miami, FL averages less than 500 annual heating-degree days, true or false?

answer

TRUE

question

If the mean daily temperature is 70°F, then there are 5 heating degree days accumulated, true or false?

answer

FALSE

question

Calculating the accumulated growing degree-days for a crop can help a farmer tell when his crop will be ready for harvest, true or false?

answer

TRUE

question

If other factors are constant, an increase in humidity will lead to an increase in the rate of perspiration evaporation from skin, true or false?

answer

FALSE

question

The calculations of growing degree days, heating degree days and cooling degree days all require ________ to be known.

answer

Mean daily temperature

question

List three factors that contribute to the differential heating of land and water:

answer

Any three: 1) land is opaque, water is more transparent 2) water mixes, land does not 3) specific heat of water is higher than for land 4) evaporation from water bodies is greater than from land

question

Two inland cities are located at the same latitude and within 50 km of each other. City A has an annual mean that is 12°C lower than City B. What control is the most likely cause for the much lower annual mean at City A?

answer

altitude

question

Less water is available for evaporation in cities. Why is this so?

answer

Drainage systems remove most surface water and there is little vegetation compared to rural areas

question

In addition to a good quality thermometer, list three factors that are needed to obtain an accurate temperature reading

answer

-thermometer must be shaded from direct sunlight -shielded from radiating surfaces -Good ventilation is essential.

question

A growing trend in urban design is the concept of a rooftop garden. If every building in a city were to install a rooftop garden, how might the urban heat island be affected? Describe and explain at least two different impacts you might observe.

answer

Rooftop gardens might impact the urban heat island in the following ways: 1) Rooftop gardens would trap and store water that would normally run off and disappear from the city's non-porous surfaces. Increased evaporation, and therefore cooling, would result. 2) Rooftop gardens insulate a building and reduce energy loss from the roof. This means that less heat is released into the air around the building, reducing the urban heat island effect. 3) Rooftop gardens improve the energy efficiency of a building by insulating it, meaning that less energy is required to heat/cool the building. By reducing energy use, the building in turn reduces the amount of greenhouse gases and air pollution released into the atmosphere, which would have a net cooling affect. Page Ref: 84

Meteorology Chapter 3 – Flashcards

Unlock all answers in this set

Haven't found what you were looking for?

Search for samples, answers to your questions and flashcards