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EARTH SCIENCE
Weather, Atmosphere, & Climate Regents Questions
Name: _______________________________________________________________ Period:_______
January 2016 13 Which weather instrument is most useful in measuring relative humidity?
(1) barometer (2) anemometer (3) psychrometer (4) wind vane
14 If the air temperature is 20°C and the relative humidity is 58%, what is the dewpoint?
(1) 5°C (2) 12°C (3) 15°C (4) 38°C
15 Equal areas of which type of Earth surface will absorb more insolation and radiate more energy back toward
space in the same amount of time?
(1) light colored and rough (3) light colored and smooth
(2) dark colored and rough (4) dark colored and smooth
16 The map below shows the location of India and the Indian Ocean.
30 On the map of the United States shown below, four lines have been drawn and labeled A, B, C, and D.
Which statement best describes the
monsoon winds during the rainy season
in India?
(1) Warm, moist air flows from India to
the Indian Ocean.
(2) Warm, moist air flows from the
Indian Ocean to India.
(3) Cold, dry air flows from India to the
Indian Ocean.
(4) Cold, dry air flows from the Indian
Ocean to India.
The length of which line best represents the
distance from Earths surface to the top of
the mesosphere?
(1) A (2) B (3) C (4) D
32 The map below shows a position of the polar jet stream over North America in January.
Which map best shows the air-mass movements associated with this jet stream position?
35 The map below shows a portion of the western United States and Canada. Two cities in Canada, Vancouver
and Winnipeg, are labeled on the map.
Which graph best represents the average monthly air temperatures for Vancouver and Winnipeg?
Base your answers to questions 36 through 40 on the weather maps below and on your knowledge of Earth
science. The weather maps show the eastern United States on two consecutive days. Some isobars are labeled
in millibars (mb). Letter X represents a location on Earth’s surface on December 8, 2009.
36 What was the barometric pressure for
location X on December 8?
(1) 1016 mb
(2) 1012 mb
(3) 1008 mb
(4) 1004 mb
37 Which map best shows the general surface wind pattern around the high-pressure system on December 8?
38 In which direction did the high-pressure center move from December 8, 2009, to December 9, 2009?
(1) southwest (2) southeast (3) northwest (4) northeast
39 Which type of front was located just south of New York City on December 9?
(1) cold (2) warm (3) stationary (4) occluded
40 Which information shown on the weather maps best indicates that wind speeds in New York State were
greater on December 9 than on December 8?
(1) The isobars were closer together on December 9.
(2) The fronts were closer together on December 9.
(3) The air pressure over New York State was lower on December 9.
(4) The air pressure over New York State was higher on December 9.
Base your answers to questions 72 through 74 on the generalized climatic moisture map of North America
below and on your knowledge of Earth science. Areas are classified as generally dry or generally wet, and then
ranked by relative moisture conditions. Glacial and mountain climate areas are also shown on the map. Points
A, B, C, D, and E indicate locations on Earths surface.
72 Explain why the climate at location A is
more moist than the climate at location B. [l]
73 State the climate factor that causes a cold
climate at location C. [l]
74 Explain why location D has a cooler
climate than location E. [l]
August 2015
7 During the month of January, at which location in New York State is the Sun lowest in the sky at solar noon?
(1) Massena (2) Niagara Falls (3) Utica (4) New York City
8 Which process releases 2260 joules of heat energy per gram of water into the environment?
(1) melting (2) freezing (3) condensation (4) evaporation
10 Which area is the most common source region for cold, dry air masses that move over New York State?
(1) North Atlantic Ocean (2) Gulf of Mexico (3) central Canada (4) central Mexico
12 Which station model represents a location that has the greatest chance of precipitation?
26 Which diagram best represents how greenhouse gases in our atmosphere trap heat energy?
28 The diagram below represents the circulation of air above Earth’s surface at a coastal location during the
day and at night.
This local air movement is best described
as an example of
(1) conduction between Earth’s surface
and the atmosphere above it
(2) condensation of water vapor during
the day, and evaporation of water during
the night
(3) convection resulting from
temperature and pressure differences
above land and water
(4) greater radiation from the warmer
ocean during the day and from the
warmer land at night
29 A change in the type and location of large high-pressure systems (H) and large low-pressure systems (L)
over Asia creates shifts in prevailing winds that cause a rainy summer season and a dry winter season in
southern Asia. Which set of maps below best represents the type and location of pressure systems and the
wind pattern around these pressure systems that cause these seasonal changes?
Base your answers to questions 41 through 43 on the diagrams below and on your knowledge of Earth
science. The diagrams, labeled A, B, and C, represent equal-sized portions of the Sun’s rays striking Earth’s
surface at 23.5° N latitude at noon at three different times of the year. The angle at which the Sun’s rays hit
Earth’s surface and the relative areas of Earth’s surface receiving the rays at the three different angles of
insolation are shown.
41 As viewed in sequence from A to B to C, these diagrams represent which months and which change in the
intensity of insolation?
(1) December → March → June; and decreasing intensity
(2) December → March → June; and increasing intensity
(3) June → September → December; and decreasing intensity
(4) June → September → December; and increasing intensity
42 As the angle of the Sun’s rays striking Earth’s surface at noon changes from 90° to 43°, the length of a
shadow cast by an object will
(1) decrease (2) increase (3) decrease, then increase (4) increase, then decrease
43 Which graph best shows the duration of insolation at this location as the angle of insolation changes?
Base your answers to questions 51 through 54 on the passage and the graph below and on your knowledge
of Earth science.
Great Lake Effects
The Great Lakes influence the weather and climate of nearby land regions at all times of the year. Much of this
lake effect is determined by the relative temperatures of surface lake water compared to the surface air
temperatures over those land areas. The graph below shows the average monthly temperature of the surface
water of Lake Erie and the surface air temperature at Buffalo, New York. In an average year, four lake-effect
seasons are experienced. When surface lake temperatures are colder than surface air temperatures, a stable
season occurs.
The cooler lake waters suppress cloud development and reduce the strength of rainstorms. As a result, late
spring and early summer in the Buffalo region tends to be very sunny. A season of lake-effect rains follows.
August is usually a time of heavy nighttime rains, and much of the rainy season is marked by heavy, localized
rainstorms downwind from the lake. Gradually, during late October, lake-effect rains are replaced by snows.
Generally, the longer the time the wind travels over the lake, the heavier the lake effect becomes in Buffalo.
Finally, conditions stabilize again, as the relatively shallow Lake Erie freezes over, usually near the end of
January. Very few lake-effect storms occur during this time period.
51 The passage states, “The cooler lake waters suppress cloud development…” because the water cools the
air above its surface. Explain why this cool air above the lake surface reduces the amount of cloud
development. [1]
52 Identify one weather variable that determines whether Buffalo receives rain or snow from a lake-effect
storm in October. [1]
53 On the map below, draw one straight arrow in Lake Erie to show the winter wind
direction most likely to bring the heaviest lake-effect snows to Buffalo. [1]
54 Explain why the Buffalo surface air temperatures increase faster and earlier in the year than do the surface
water temperatures of Lake Erie. [1]
Base your answers to questions 77 through 80 on the map in your answer booklet and on your knowledge of
Earth science. The map shows the path of a tornado that moved through a portion of Nebraska on May 22, 2004
between 7:30 p.m. and 9:10 p.m. The path of the tornado along the ground is indicated by the shaded region.
The width of the shading indicates the width of destruction on the ground. Numbers on the tornado’s path
indicate the Fujita intensity at those locations. The Fujita Intensity Scale (F-Scale), in the left corner of the map,
provides information about wind speed and damage at various F-Scale intensities.
77 On the map below, place an X at a location where the tornado damage was greatest. [1]
78 State a possible wind speed of the tornado, in kilometers per hour (km/h), when it was moving through the
town of Bennet. [1]
79 Identify the weather instrument usually used to measure wind speed. [1]
80 Describe one safety precaution that should be taken if a tornado has been sighted approaching your home. [1]
June 2015 6 A student using a sling psychrometer measured a wet-bulb temperature of 10°C and a dry-bulb temperature of
16°C. What was the dewpoint?
(1) -10°C (2) 45°C (3) 6°C (4) 4°C
7 Most of the hurricanes that affect the east coast of the United States originally form over the
(1) warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean in summer
(2) warm land of the southeastern United States in summer
(3) cool waters of the Atlantic Ocean in spring
(4) cool land of the southeastern United States in spring
8 The ozone layer protects life on Earth by absorbing harmful ultraviolet radiation. The ozone layer is located
between 17 kilometers and 35 kilometers above Earth’s surface in which atmospheric temperature zone?
(1) troposphere (2) stratosphere (3) mesosphere (4) thermosphere
9 Which weather map symbol is associated with extremely low air pressure?
17 Which process is responsible for the greatest loss of energy from Earth’s surface into space on a clear night?
(1) condensation (2) conduction (3) radiation (4) convection
28 The map below indicates an air-pressure field over North America. Isobar values are recorded in millibars.
At which city was the greatest wind speed occurring?
(1) Boise (2) Denver (3) Kansas City (4) Austin
29 The striped areas on the map below show regions along the Great Lakes that often receive large amounts
of snowfall due to lake-effect storms.
These storms generally develop when
(1) cold air moves to the east over warmer lake water
(2) cold air moves to the west over warmer land regions
(3) warm air moves to the east over colder lake water
(4) warm air moves to the west over colder land regions
30 The graph below shows the heating effect that different land uses have on surface air temperatures on a
summer afternoon.
Base your answers to questions 36 through 38 on the diagrams below and on your knowledge of Earth
science. The diagrams represent electromagnetic waves being transmitted (T) by a Doppler radar weather
instrument and waves being reflected (R) by rain showers. This instrument produces computer images that
show the movement of rainstorms.
Which land use results in the least
heating effect in urban areas?
(1) commercial
(2) downtown
(3) residential
(4) parks
36 The computer image below shows a rainstorm over Texas. Letters A and B represent locations on Earth’s
surface.
If Doppler radar is used at locations A and B, as this rainstorm moves eastward, reflected wavelengths from
this storm will be
(1) shorter at both locations A and B (3) shorter at location A and longer at location B
(2) longer at both locations A and B (4) longer at location A and shorter at location B
37 This Doppler radar instrument transmits electromagnetic energy in the form of microwaves. Some
microwave wavelengths are between the wavelengths of
(1) gamma rays and x rays (2) infrared and radio waves (3) ultraviolet and infrared (4) x rays and ultraviolet
38 Which weather instrument was used to measure the amount of rainfall from this storm?
(1) barometer (2) anemometer (3) precipitation gauge (4) wind vane
Base your answers to questions 52 and 53 on the weather map below and on your knowledge of Earth
science. The map indicates the location of a low-pressure system over New York State during late summer.
Isobar values are recorded in millibars. Shading indicates regions receiving precipitation. The air masses are
labeled mT and cP. The locations of some New York State cities are shown. Points A and B represent other
locations on Earth’s surface.
52 An air mass acquires the characteristics of the surface over which it forms. Circle the type of Earth surface:
land or ocean and describe the relative temperature of the surface over which the mT air mass most likely
formed. [1]
53 The cross section below represents the atmosphere along the dashed line from A to B on
the map. The warm frontal boundary is already shown on the cross section. Draw a curved line to
represent the shape and location of the cold frontal boundary. [1]
Base your answers to questions 62 through 65 on the graph and map below and on your knowledge of Earth
science. The average monthly temperatures for Eureka, California, and Omaha, Nebraska, are plotted on the
graph. The map indicates the locations of these two cities.
62 Calculate the rate of change in the average monthly temperature for Omaha during the two-month period
between October and December, as shown on the graph. [1]
63 Explain why Omaha, which is farther inland, has a greater variation in temperatures throughout the year
than Eureka, which is closer to the ocean. [1]
64 Identify the month with the greatest difference in the average temperature between these two cities. [1]
65 Identify the surface ocean current that affects the climate of Eureka. [1]
66 The cross section below represents the windward and leeward sides of a mountain range. Arrows show the
movement of air over a mountain. Points X and Y represent locations on Earth’s surface.
Describe how the air’s temperature and water vapor content at point X is different from the air’s temperature
and water vapor content at point Y. [1]
January 2015
11 Which map best represents the surface wind pattern around Northern Hemisphere high-pressure
and low-pressure centers?
12 What is the dewpoint when the dry-bulb temperature is 12°C and the wet-bulb temperature is 7°C?
(1) 1°C (2) -5°C (3) 28°C (4) 48°C
13 The station model below shows some weather conditions at a location on Earth’s surface.
Which present weather symbol represents the most likely type of precipitation occurring at this location?