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Name Roy G Biv Page 1 Name Roy G Biv 1. Base your answer to the following question on the passage and cross section below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The cross section represents a generalized region of the Pacific Ocean along the equator during normal (non-El Niño) conditions. The relative temperatures of the ocean water and the prevailing wind direction are indicated. El Niño Under normal Pacific Ocean conditions, strong winds blow from east to west along the equator. Surface ocean water piles up on the western part of the Pacific due to these winds. This allows deeper, colder ocean water on the eastern rim of the Pacific to be pulled up (upwelling) to replace the warmer surface water that was pushed westward. During an El Niño event, these westward-blowing winds get weaker. As a result, warmer water does not get pushed westward as much, and colder water in the east is not pulled toward the surface. This creates warmer surface ocean water temperatures in the east, allowing the thunderstorms that normally occur at the equator in the western Pacific to move eastward. A strong El Niño is often associated with wet winters along the northwestern coast of South America and in the southeastern United States, and drier weather patterns in Southeast Asia (Indonesia) and Australia. The northeastern United States usually has warmer and drier winters in an El Niño year. Page 1 Which cross section best represents the changed wind conditions and Pacific Ocean temperatures during an El Nino event? [Diagrams are not drawn to scale.] 1 2 3 4 Page 2 Base your answers to questions 2 through 5 on the graphs and map below. The map shows a view of Earth from above the North Pole. Points on the map indicate the positions of Reykjavik, Iceland, and Yakutsk, Russia. The graphs show average monthly air temperature (line graphs) and amount of precipitation (bar graphs) for both locations. 2. Identify one warm and one cool ocean current that affect the climate of Iceland. Warm: _____________________________ Cool: ______________________________ 3. Describe one way the yearly precipitation in Yakutsk differs from that in Reykjavik. 4. Explain why Reykjavik has cooler summers and warmer winters than Yakutsk. 5. Write the two-letter weather map symbol for an air mass that originates over Yakutsk. Page 3 6. Base your answer to the following question on the map and passage below. The map shows isolines of average yearly rainfall, in centimeters, for the Congo River region of Africa. The climate of the Congo River region is mainly influenced by air from two source regions. One air-mass source region is over the Benguela Current along the west coast of Africa. This air mass moves at low altitudes toward the Congo River region. A second air-mass source region is located over the South Equatorial Current along the east coast of Africa. This air mass moves at higher altitudes over the Congo River region. Explain why air masses that form over the South Equatorial Current move at higher altitudes than air masses that form over the Benguela Current. Page 4 Base your answers to questions 7 and 8 on the graph below, which shows the average monthly temperatures for a year for city X and city Y. Both cities are located at the same latitude. 7. What evidence shown on the graph indicates that both cities, X and Y, are located in the Northern Hemisphere? 8. Explain why city X has a greater difference between summer and winter temperatures than city Y. Page 5 Base your answers to questions 9 and 10 on the diagram below, which shows the temperature change when a parcel of air warms, rises, and expands to form a cloud. Location A is at the base of the cloud. 9. Assume the cooling rate of the rising parcel of air is constant. Determine the temperature of the air parcel at the 3350-foot altitude. Express your answer to the nearest tenth of a degree. ________________ ºF 10. Explain why the warmer air rises. Page 6 Base your answers to questions 11 through 13 on the map and data tables below. The map shows the location of Birdsville and Bundaberg in Australia. Data table 1 shows the average monthly high temperatures for Birdsville. Data table 2 includes the latitude and longitude, elevation above sea level, and the average rainfall in January for Birdsville and Bundaberg. 11. On the map, draw the 30° S latitude line. 12. State one reason for the difference in the average January rainfall for Birdsville and Bundaberg. 13. State one factor that could account for the difference between the average high temperatures recorded in December for Birdsville and Bundaberg. Page 7 Base your answers to questions 14 through 16 on the cross section and bar graph below. The cross section shows a portion of Earth's crust along the western coast of the United States. The points show different locations on Earth's surface. The arrows show the prevailing wind direction. The bar below each point shows the yearly precipitation at that location. 14. State one reason why colder temperatures would be recorded at the top of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range than at the top of the Coastal Mountain Ranges. 15. What is the yearly precipitation total for the four points located in the Coastal Mountain Ranges? 16. Explain why the valleys have lower amounts of precipitation than points on the western slopes of the mountain ranges. Page 8 Base your answers to questions 17 and 18 on the data table below, the map on the following page, and on your knowledge of Earth science. The data table shows the air pressure in the eye (center) and the maximum sustained wind speed around the eye of Hurricane Wilma from October 18 through October 25, 2005. The data were collected at the same time each day. The map shows the geographic locations of the eye of Hurricane Wilma from October 18 to October 25. Page 9 17. State the compass direction in which Hurricane Wilma moved from October 22 through October 25. 18. Identify the latitude and longitude of the eye of Hurricane Wilma on October 24. Label your answer with the correct units and directions. Page 10 19. Base your answer to the following question on the data table below and on your knowledge of Earth Science. The table shows the area, in million square kilometers, of the Arctic Ocean covered by ice from June through November. The average area covered by ice from 1979 to 2000 from June to November is compared to the area covered by ice in 2005 for the same time period. Page 11 Scientists have noted that since 2002, the area of the Arctic Ocean covered by ice during these warmer months has shown an overall decrease from the long-term average (1979-2000). State one way in which this ice coverage since 2002 and the ice coverage shown in the 2005 data above provide evidence of global warming, when compared to this long-term average. Page 12 Base your answers to questions 20 and 21 on the climate graph below, which shows the average monthly precipitation and average monthly air temperatures at city X. City X is located near a mountain range in the Southern Hemisphere. 20. Below state whether the climate of city X is dry or wet. Then, on the cross section, place an X on Earth’s surface to indicate the most likely location of city X. 21. What evidence shown on the graph indicates that city X is located in the Southern Hemisphere? Page 13 Base your answers to questions 22 through 24 on the map and passage below. A Lake-Effect Snowstorm A snowstorm affected western New York State on October 12 and 13, 2006. A blend of weather conditions caused more than 24 inches of heavy, wet, lake-effect snow, bringing much of western New York to a standstill. The New York State Thruway was closed to traffic between exits 46 and 59, which are circled on the map. The isolines on the map show the amount of snowfall, measured in inches, resulting from this storm. Points A and B represent locations on Earth's surface. 22. Identify the most probable direction from which the wind was blowing to produce the pattern of snowfall shown on the map. Page 14 23. Identify two hazards to human life or property that can result from a snowstorm of this size. 24. On the grid, construct a profile of the snowfall amounts along line AB by plotting the isoline amounts that cross line AB. The amounts for points A and B have been plotted. Complete the profile by connecting all the plots with a line. 25. Base your answers to the questions below on the information below. The climate of an area is affected by many variables such as elevation, latitude, and distance to a large body of water. The effect of these variables on average surface temperature and temperature range can be represented by graphs on grids that have axes labeled as shown below. a) On Grid I, draw a line to show the relationship between elevation and average surface temperature. b) On Grid II draw a line to show the relationship between latitude and average surface temperature. c) On Grid III draw a line to show the relationship between distance to a large body of water and temperature range. d) Explain why the climate near the Equator is warm and moist. Page 15 26. Base your answer to the following question on Read the passage below: Greenhouse Effect The warming of Earth's surface and lower atmosphere tends to intensify with an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide.
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