GY 101 CHAPTER 7 EXAM QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE 2026

GY 101 CHAPTER 7 EXAM QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE 2026 ____ is defined as the long-term weather pattern of a place including the variability and extremes of weather. - Answers Climate Weather is a state of short-term atmospheric conditions lasting for a period of time ranging from an hour to a week, whereas climate is _____. - Answers the long-term conditions of a place that last years or decades What are some of the reasons to classify climates using a globally uniform scale? - Answers Creating useful generalizations Communicating regional characteristics Observing broad patterns In 1884, Vladmir ____ first published his climate classification system. A version of this same system is the most widely used system in the world today. - Answers Koppen The deadliest natural disaster in US history was: - Answers the 1900 Galveston hurricane What is an ecotone? - Answers A gradual transition between vegetation and climates types The transition boundary between vegetation and climate types is gradual and is referred to as an: - Answers ecotone Match each of the 5 categories of climate to its classification in the Koppen climate classification system. - Answers A: Tropical climates B: Arid climates C: Temperate Mid-Latitude D: Harsh Mid-Latitude E: Polar How are climate types distributed with increasing latitude? Imagine the Northern Hemisphere, and order the climate types with those closet to the equator at the bottom and those closet to the North Pole at the top - Answers 1. E-types 2. D-types 3. C-types 4. B-types 5. A-types Compare point and non-point sources of pollution by matching them to their descriptions - Answers Point source: a localized source of pollution Non-point source: multiple sources of pollution What are the two primary subtypes of Group B climates using the Koppen classification system? - Answers Desert and steppe What climates experience temperatures below freezing throughout the year or during most of the year and are located at high latitudes? - Answers EF and ET The ____ of a place or region is characterized by several factors including the specifics of Koppen classification system, topography, wind directions, and pollution - Answers climate It is predicted that atmospheric moisture will increase in the atmosphere if the planet _____. - Answers becomes warmer Which four of the gases below are known to significantly contribute to insolation absorbed in the atmosphere or are recognized as greenhouse gases? - Answers water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide Mid-latitude climates in Group D that are primarily located in the Northern Hemisphere and have year-round precipitation, warm to hot summers, and long cold to severe winters are Dfa and Dfb Humid _____ climates. - Answers continental Which climate is characterized as being the hottest and most arid, and covers large areas of Africa, Australia, and the American Southwest? - Answers BWh - Hot desert What four elements make up the majority of air pollution gases (in compounds)? - Answers Hydrogen Oxygen Carbon Nitrogen Temperature climates in the C Group that receive most of their rainfall during hot or warm summers are the Cwa nad Cwb Temperate _____ climates. - Answers Monsoon Match the climate group to where it is common on Earth's surface. - Answers Arid (B): Along 30 N and 30 S latitudes Temperate (C): Between 30 and 60 N and 30 and 60 S Tropical (A): Along and near the equator Harsh mid-latitude (D): Along 60 N and 60 S latitudes Polar (E): Highest latitudes in both hemispheres A climate located near the equator with hot temperatures and abundant precipitation year-round is a(n) ____ climate. - Answers Af - Tropical Rain Forest Snow and ice have high ____, or ability to reflect solar energy, which prevents insolation from warming polar and subpolar regions. - Answers albedo How do topographic features such as coastlines and mountains affect air pollution? - Answers Mountains trap pollution the wind has blown against them; Coastlines cause air pollution to move away from the source due to offshore winds and water-land transitions True or false: global warming results in an increase in temperatures in every region on Earth. - Answers False The area near the equator where trade winds converge to create tropical climates is called the - Answers Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) A climate zone located near the equator that supports grasslands, has warm to hot temperatures, and has precipitation some parts of the year is an: - Answers Aw climate Increases in land and sea _____ due to global warming may affect atmosphere's stability. - Answers temperatures A cool, semiarid climate in the B-Group is the BSk Cold _____ climate that is found in the Great Plains of North America. - Answers steppe Match each of the secondary classification from the Koppen climate classification system to the type of precipitation the climate experiences. - Answers f: wet year-round s: dry summer w: dry winter m: experiences monsoon Global trends in warming or cooling, precipitation patterns, wind directions, and other measures is known as climate ____. - Answers change Which climate is characterized as being both cold and very arid, and includes locations such as southern Mongolia and areas adjacent to cold ocean currents? - Answers BWk - Cold Desert climates Order the steps of modeling for general circulation models (GCM's) from first at the top and last at the bottom. - Answers 1. Data are collected from many sources such as satellites. 2. Data are reviewed for quality and obvious errors. 3. Simulations are run for atmospheric variables at each point for a set time in the feature. 4. Simulation iterations continue at each data point for times farther in the future. 5. Predictions are generated for the future, and results are plotted on a map Compare positive and negative feedbacks by the changes they make to climate systems - Answers Positive: changes are amplified, causing more changes in the same direction Negative: changes are dampened, undoing some or all of the changes What are the differences in A-type tropical climate precipitation patterns? - Answers Tropical rain forest: receives precipitation year-round Tropical monsoon: receives precipitation seasonally Tropical savanna: receives precipitation for half the year True or false: The ITCZ, located near the equator, moves very little and provides consistent precipitation to A-type climates throughout the year - Answers False; the ITCZ does shift and causes Tropical Monsoon and Tropical Savanna climates to have dry months lasting one to six months of the year Which of the following is characterized among the hottest but lesser arid climates and serves as a transition zone from hot deserts to more humid areas? - Answers BSh climates (Hot steppe climates) Temperatures in deserts, such as those in the American Southwest with hot days and cool nights, are controlled in part by ____. - Answers insolation from high Sun angles Insolation is able to heat land surfaces in Group B Desert climates when _____ because very little of the insolation is absorbed in the atmosphere. Under the same conditions, longwave radiation is lost to space at night, cooling the atmosphere and land surfaces. - Answers atmospheric moisture is low How does elevation affect temperature in Group B Desert and steppe climates? - Answers Desert and steppe climates are colder at higher elevations What factor affects arid regions downwind of nonarid mountain ranges? - Answers rain shadows Climates classified in Group B of the Kopean classification system are arid and must have the ability to lose more moisture through potential ____ than they receive in precipitation. - Answers evapotranspiration Temperate, mid-latitude climates that experience moderate temperatures and precipitation and support large amounts of human activity are designated as Group ____ in the Koppen climate classification system. - Answers C Humid ___ climates are classified in Group C of the Koppen climate system and are characterized as being hot and wet all year with short or intermittent cold seasons. - Answers subtropical Which climates are characterized as being very pleasant to live in year-round with wet winters but dry, warm summers and are generally located along the western coasts of continents? - Answers CSo and CSb (Mediterranean) Mid-latitudes climates in Group C that have an abundant supply of moisture and cool to warm summers with cold but not severe winters are Cfb and Cfc ____ West Coast climates. - Answers marine What mid-latitude climate experiences warm, wet summers with long severe, dry winters and is mostly located in Asia? - Answers Dwb (Continental dry winter/warm summer climates) What effects does the ITCZ have on precipitation in A-type climates as it shifts north and south of the equator through the year? - Answers The ITCZ stays close to Tropical Rain Forest climates, where it generates rain all year, and causes fluctuating precipitation for Tropical Monsoon and Tropical Savanna climates BSh Hot ____ climates are one of the hottest but not the most arid. They surround deserts and represent a transition from more humid regions. - Answers steppe How do clouds and atmospheric moisture affect temperatures in desert climates? - Answers Low humidity allows insolation to travel through the atmosphere to the land surface without being absorbed, causing an increase in temperatures What kind of climates are designated as Group C climates using the Koppen climate classification system? - Answers Temperate mid-latitude climates True or false: very small drops of liquids in steam, such as those derived from sulfur dioxide, contribute to air pollution. - Answers True Computer models used to analyze atmospheric conditions are called general ____ models. - Answers circulation When observed atmospheric and oceanic temperatures increase compared to a mean global temperature, we call the process ____ warming. - Answers global Do feedbacks from changes in global climate systems amplify or dampen the response from processes such as climate change? - Answers Feedbacks may amplify or dampen changes In this image of a city, what factors are contributing to, or increasing, the urban heat island effect? - Answers Concrete buildings, paved surfaces, storm drains, industrial waste heat When large amounts of concrete and glass replace open space vegetation, what is the resulting effect called? - Answers Urban heat island effect Higher global temperatures due to global warming would likely cause an increase in the melting of ____. - Answers glaciers Match the climate factors used to subdivide climates into their main groups with the climate type. - Answers A-Tropical: Hot temperatures occur year-round; precipitation occurs either all year to half the year B-Arid: Temperatures vary above or below 54 degrees F; precipitation is limited C-Temperate: Temperates vary and winters are short; precipitation occurs either all year or seasonally D-Harsh Mid-latitude: Temperatures vary and winters are severe; precipitation occurs either all year or seasonally E-Polar: Temperatures are very cold; precipitation is mostly frozen Air ____ is an assortment of gases, liquids, and solids introduced to the atmosphere by human activities and is considered harmful to living creatures and other aspects of ecosystems - Answers pollution What groups in the Koppen climate classification system are mid-latitude climates with moderate temperature swings dominated by oceanic air masses? Most have mild winters and summers, whereas a few have more severe winters. - Answers Groups C and D Sinking air, such as during a temperature inversion, causes air pollution to _____. - Answers sink close to the ground and its source The ____ effect occurs when longwave radiation between Earth's surface and the atmosphere and keeps the planet warm. - Answers greenhouse Climates with very cold temperatures all year that support trees and occur at high latitudes or very high elevations are _____ (Dfc and Dfd) climates. - Answers subartic What happens to the shortwave portion of insolation when it interacts with air pollution by reflecting, scattering, or being absorbed? - Answers Reflected insolation: shortwave energy is sent back to space, cooling the atmosphere Scattered insolation: shortwave energy is sent in many directions, heating the atmosphere and ground. Absorbed insolation: shortwave energy is contained, heating the atmosphere but not the ground and reducing chances of precipitation. What are tiny drops of liquids and solid particles in the atmosphere called, regardless of their source? - Answers aerosois Secondary pollutants form when ____. These compounds can be more harmful than the original compounds. - Answers original pollutants react with sunlight, water, or other contaminants. Order the steps of modeling for general circulation models (GCM's) from first at the top to last at the bottom. - Answers 1. Data are collected from many sources such as satellites 2. Data are reviewed for quality and obvious errors 3. Simulations are run for atmospheric variables at each point for a set time in the future. 4. Simulation iterations continue at each data point for times farther in the future. 5. Predictions are generated for the future, and results are plotted on a map Some desert and steppe climate areas occur due to their proximity to cold ____ currents, which limit the amount of moisture in the air and promote atmospheric stability. - Answers ocean What surfaces absorb enough insolation to cause an increase in temperature on Earth or in the atmosphere? - Answers Land, oceans, aerosois, clouds What are some specific ways atmospheric data is used or applied in general circulation models (GCM's)? - Answers Three-dimensional grids with several vertical levels are used to spatially organize the data. Spectral models are used to convert data into sine and cosine waves to measure inputs of energy, matter, and momentum The process of desertification caused by climate change would mean less ____ and possibly warmer temperatures in an affected region. - Answers precipitation The angle of the Sun in Polar and Subarctic climates is _____ during the summer, and the Sun is below the horizon during the winter. This results in little sunlight per unit area during the summer, keeping temperatures low and causing darkness all day during the winter. - Answers low The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has concluded that the temperature of Earth's atmosphere has increased since approximately year ______. - Answers 1800 What climate impacts, besides heating, do urban heat islands create? - Answers Changes to the spatial distribution and quantities of precipitation, changes to wind speeds and directions, reduction of humidity in non-arid environments What happens to the shortwave radiation heat absorbed by aerosois in the atmosphere when the aerosois act as a condensation nuclei, attract water, and eventually form rain? - Answers The heat is released back to the atmosphere How will an increase in sea-surface temperature (SST) due to global warming change storm intensity and duration? - Answers Evaporated water and latent heat in the atmosphere will increase When oceans absorb an abundant amount of CO2, the gas begins to change the ocean's chemistry and lowers the pH. This is called ocean ____. - Answers acidification Observing the map of average precipitation pH, what areas are most prone to acid rain? - Answers Regions with high humidity, industrialized areas What factors influence climate classification patterns and how they are distributed? - Answers Location on a continent and proximity to oceanic bodies affect climate, latitudes above, below, or at the equator affects climate