Name: Key Concepts Choose the letter of the best answer. (5 points each) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Date: A city located in the middle of North America experiences extreme temperature changes during the year. This is an example of a(n) A. ocean current B. ice age C. marine climate D. continental climate It rained yesterday. Today it is sunny. Rain is predicted again for tomorrow. These are examples of A. changes in the weather B. changes in climate C. changes in both weather and climate D. changes in neither weather nor climate Concord, New Hampshire, has a three-month period during the year that is very cold. This is an example of A. a microclimate B. a seasonal pattern C. El Niño D. a rain shadow Scientists group climates by A. evaporation and condensation B. condensation and precipitation C. evaporation and temperature D. precipitation and temperature Places with tropical wet climates are often located near the equator. Tropical wet climates are characterized by A. hot temperatures B. cool temperatures C. high altitudes D. severe winters Which is a cause of urban heat islands? A. fields B. buildings C. ponds D. forests What might cause a rain shadow to form? A. a beach B. a city C. a lake D. a mountain Which of these factors may affect a climate for a few years only? A. a single volcanic eruption B. the release of greenhouse gases C. ice sheets melting D. movement of continents Which of these affects only a local climate? A. global warming B. movement of continents C. a sea breeze D. ice ages Scientists predict that during this century, ice on many mountains will melt because of A. rain shadows B. continent movement C. El Niño D. global warming Climate.tgt, Version: 1 1
Analyzing Graphs Using the graph, answer the following questions. (5 points each) 11. During which month is the average precipitation over Smalltown the highest? 12. During which month is the average temperature the lowest? 13. During which month is the average temperature the highest? 14. Smalltown is in the humid tropical climate zone. This climate zone has two subclimates. A tropical wet subclimate is hot and receives large amounts of rain year-round. There is no dry season. A tropical wet and dry subclimate has hot and rainy weather with a dry season in the winter. Which of these best describes the subclimate of Smalltown? Explain. Interpreting Visuals Using the map, answer the following questions. (6 points each) 15. How does El Niño affect the northwestern coast of South America during the months of December through March? 16. How does El Niño affect the southeastern region of the United States during the months of December through March? Climate.tgt, Version: 1 2
17. List the continents that have areas with warmer than usual conditions during the months of December through March because of El Niño. Extended Response Answer the following questions on the back of this paper or on a separate sheet of paper. (6 points each) 18. Explaining Explain how latitude and altitude affect the temperature of a location. 19. Describing A rain shadow is a microclimate that occurs near tall mountains. Describe a rain shadow. In your description, explain how it is formed. Use the following terms: mountain, winds, precipitation, and dry. Climate.tgt, Version: 1 3
Answer Sheet 1. D. continental climate 2. A. changes in the weather 3. B. a seasonal pattern 4. D. precipitation and temperature 5. A. hot temperatures 6. B. buildings 7. D. a mountain 8. A. a single volcanic eruption 9. C. a sea breeze 10. D. global warming 11. June 12. January 13. July 14. Smalltown has no dry season. Its subclimate is best described as a tropical wet subclimate. 15. El Niño brings wetter than normal conditions to the northwestern coast of South America. 16. The southeastern region of the United States is wetter than normal. 17. Asia and North America 18. Extended Response Rubric 6 points for a response that correctly explains the effects of latitude and altitude on temperature using the following three concepts: Earth's curved surface causes uneven heating. Temperatures vary between the poles and the equator. Air expands and cools as it rises. Sample: Latitude is the distance in degrees north or south of the equator. Because Earth's surface is curved, the Sun's energy is concentrated differently at different locations. This uneven heating causes places near the equator to be warmer than places closer to the poles. Low-latitude areas, therefore, tend to have climates with higher temperatures than do high-latitude areas. Altitude is the height of a location above sea level. In Earth's lower atmosphere, air expands and cools as it rises. This cooling causes temperature to decrease with altitude. In fact, mountains located near the equator may have snow-covered peaks. 5 points: correctly explains two of the listed concepts and partially explains the other 4 points: correctly explains two of the listed concepts 3 points: correctly explains one of the listed concepts and partially explains another 2 points: correctly explains one of the listed concepts 1 point: partially explains one of the listed concepts 19. Extended Response Rubric 6 points for a response that correctly describes a rain shadow including how it forms, and uses the four terms accurately Sample: Rain shadows are areas on the downwind side of a mountain that are dry as a result of heavy precipitation on the upwind side. Rain shadows form when winds that are heavy with water rise along the face of a mountain. The water condenses into clouds as the air cools at higher altitudes. The clouds then release precipitation. The upwind side of a mountain may get large amounts of precipitation. The winds blow over the top of the mountain and down the other side. The air flowing over the downwind side is much drier because so much water has been lost to precipitation. This drier air creates a rain shadow. 5 points: correctly describes a rain shadow, including how it forms and uses three terms accurately 4 points: correctly describes a rain shadow, including how it forms and uses two terms accurately 3 points: partially describes a rain shadow and uses two terms accurately 2 points: partially describes a rain shadow and uses one term accurately 1 point: partially describes a rain shadow or uses one term accurately Climate.tgt, Version: 1 4
Standards Summary NSES D.1.j NSES D.3.d NY 4.A.1.a.9 NY 4.A.2.b.10 P2061 4.B.6 P2061 4.B.7 Global patterns of atmospheric movement influence local weather. Oceans have a major effect on climate, because water in the oceans holds a large amount of heat. The sun is the major source of energy for phenomena on the earth's surface, such as growth of plants, winds, ocean currents, and the water cycle. Seasons result from variations in the amount of the sun's energy hitting the surface, due to the tilt of the earth's rotation on its axis and the length of the day. The tilt of Earth's axis of rotation and the revolution of Earth around the Sun cause seasons on Earth. The length of daylight varies depending on latitude and season. Climate is the characteristic weather that prevails from season to season and year to year. Climates have sometimes changed abruptly in the past as a result of changes in the earth's crust, such as volcanic eruptions or impacts of huge rocks from space. Even relatively small changes in atmospheric or ocean content can have widespread effects on climate if the change lasts long enough. The cycling of water in and out of the atmosphere plays an important role in determining climatic patterns. Water evaporates from the surface of the earth, rises and cools, condenses into rain or snow, and falls again to the surface. The water falling on land collects in rivers and lakes, soil, and porous layers of rock, and much of it flows back into the ocean. Climate.tgt, Version: 1 5