NYSTCE CST Multisubject Part 3 (245)
Actual Study Test Exam Questions With
Well Elaborated Solutions
Factors that Influence Weather - ANSWER -The water cycle - sun warms the
surface of Earth, water rises in form of vapor (evaporation) Vapor provides
moisture that forms clouds; eventually returns to Earth in form of precipitation.
Air masses - When air hovers for a while over a surface area with uniform
humidity and temperature, it takes on the characteristics of the area below. These
massive volumes of air often cover thousands of miles and reach to the
stratosphere. Overtime, mid-latitude cyclonic storms and global wind patterns
move them to locations far from their source regions.
What happens when 2 air masses meet? The cold air pushes the hot air upwards,
when going up the temperature drops and the air can't hold as much water when it
is warm, so the cold water molecules condense and form clouds.
Jet stream - A jet stream is the name given to the area of air above where two air
masses of different temperature converge e.g. a cold front meeting a warm front.
The greater the temperature difference between the air masses, the greater the air
pressure difference, and the faster the wind blows in the jet stream. This river of air
has wind speeds which often exceed 100 mph, and sometimes over 200 mph. Jet
streams more commonly form in the winter, when there is a greater difference
between the temperature of the cold continental air masses and warm oceanic air
masses.
This meandering current of high-speed wind, a jet stream is usually found around
five to ten miles above Earth's surface.
It generally flows west to east, often in a non-continuous wavy fashion, with cold,
Equator-ward dips and warm, Pole-ward bulges.
Weather fronts - The transition zone between two air masses of different humidity
and temperature is called a front. Along a cold front, cold air displaces warm air;
along a warm front, warm air displaces cold air. When neither air mass displac
, Volcanism - ANSWER -Various processes and phenomena associated with the
surficial discharge of molten rock, pyroclastic fragments, or hot water and steam,
including volcanoes, geysers, and fumaroles.
Volcanic activity frequently occurs at the boundaries of the Earth's tectonic plates
which are a series of large blocks moving between each other. The movement of
these plates plays a significant role in the type of volcano formed, which influences
its shape.
Spreding plate margins
Where plates move away from each other at spreading or divergent plate margins,
volcanic eruptions are gentle extrusions of basaltic lava. Most of these occur
underwater where magma rises from great depth below to fill the space created by
seafloor spreading which occurs at a rate of about 10 centimetres a year.
Subducting plate margins
At subducting plate margins, one plate is pushed under a neighbouring plate as
they squeeze together. In addition to the old, weathered plate being forced down
and melted, wet sediment and seawater is forced down creating andesitic lava and
more violent eruptions containing ash. These volcanoes form classic cone shapes.
Some volcanoes are found at great distances from plate boundaries and are referred
to as intraplate, within plate or hot spot volcanoes. These form above hot mantle
upwellings or plumes which rise from great depths. As the plate overlying the
plume moves away from the hot spot and a new volcano is formed, the previous
one cools to become dormant and eventually extinct. This sequence forms a
volcanic chain such as that currently found in the Hawaiian Islands. Hotspot
volcanism forms very large, low gradient shield volcanoes and are similar in
composition and eruption style to those found at divergent plate boundaries.
Erosion - ANSWER -Soil compaction, low organic matter, loss of soil structure,
poor internal drainage, salinisation and soil acidity problems are other serious soil
degradation conditions that can accelerate the soil erosion process.
Erosion by water: rainfall intensity and runoff, soil erodibility, slope gradient and
length, vegetation
Erosion by wind: erodability of soil, soil surface roughness, climate, un-sheltered
distance, vegetative cover
Actual Study Test Exam Questions With
Well Elaborated Solutions
Factors that Influence Weather - ANSWER -The water cycle - sun warms the
surface of Earth, water rises in form of vapor (evaporation) Vapor provides
moisture that forms clouds; eventually returns to Earth in form of precipitation.
Air masses - When air hovers for a while over a surface area with uniform
humidity and temperature, it takes on the characteristics of the area below. These
massive volumes of air often cover thousands of miles and reach to the
stratosphere. Overtime, mid-latitude cyclonic storms and global wind patterns
move them to locations far from their source regions.
What happens when 2 air masses meet? The cold air pushes the hot air upwards,
when going up the temperature drops and the air can't hold as much water when it
is warm, so the cold water molecules condense and form clouds.
Jet stream - A jet stream is the name given to the area of air above where two air
masses of different temperature converge e.g. a cold front meeting a warm front.
The greater the temperature difference between the air masses, the greater the air
pressure difference, and the faster the wind blows in the jet stream. This river of air
has wind speeds which often exceed 100 mph, and sometimes over 200 mph. Jet
streams more commonly form in the winter, when there is a greater difference
between the temperature of the cold continental air masses and warm oceanic air
masses.
This meandering current of high-speed wind, a jet stream is usually found around
five to ten miles above Earth's surface.
It generally flows west to east, often in a non-continuous wavy fashion, with cold,
Equator-ward dips and warm, Pole-ward bulges.
Weather fronts - The transition zone between two air masses of different humidity
and temperature is called a front. Along a cold front, cold air displaces warm air;
along a warm front, warm air displaces cold air. When neither air mass displac
, Volcanism - ANSWER -Various processes and phenomena associated with the
surficial discharge of molten rock, pyroclastic fragments, or hot water and steam,
including volcanoes, geysers, and fumaroles.
Volcanic activity frequently occurs at the boundaries of the Earth's tectonic plates
which are a series of large blocks moving between each other. The movement of
these plates plays a significant role in the type of volcano formed, which influences
its shape.
Spreding plate margins
Where plates move away from each other at spreading or divergent plate margins,
volcanic eruptions are gentle extrusions of basaltic lava. Most of these occur
underwater where magma rises from great depth below to fill the space created by
seafloor spreading which occurs at a rate of about 10 centimetres a year.
Subducting plate margins
At subducting plate margins, one plate is pushed under a neighbouring plate as
they squeeze together. In addition to the old, weathered plate being forced down
and melted, wet sediment and seawater is forced down creating andesitic lava and
more violent eruptions containing ash. These volcanoes form classic cone shapes.
Some volcanoes are found at great distances from plate boundaries and are referred
to as intraplate, within plate or hot spot volcanoes. These form above hot mantle
upwellings or plumes which rise from great depths. As the plate overlying the
plume moves away from the hot spot and a new volcano is formed, the previous
one cools to become dormant and eventually extinct. This sequence forms a
volcanic chain such as that currently found in the Hawaiian Islands. Hotspot
volcanism forms very large, low gradient shield volcanoes and are similar in
composition and eruption style to those found at divergent plate boundaries.
Erosion - ANSWER -Soil compaction, low organic matter, loss of soil structure,
poor internal drainage, salinisation and soil acidity problems are other serious soil
degradation conditions that can accelerate the soil erosion process.
Erosion by water: rainfall intensity and runoff, soil erodibility, slope gradient and
length, vegetation
Erosion by wind: erodability of soil, soil surface roughness, climate, un-sheltered
distance, vegetative cover
