Course: 9 th Grade Earth Systems Science Standard 3: Students will understand the atmospheric processes that support life and cause weather and climate. Instructions: In the space provided, write the letter of answer choice that best completes each statement or best answers each question. Core Question Answer S3.O1.a S3.O1.a 1. Where is sunlight changed to heat? A. when the rays from the sun are scattered by the atmosphere B. as it travels to Earth from the sun C. when it is reflected from the surface back into space D. when it is absorbed by the atmosphere and Earth s surface 2. How will the graph change if the snow and ice melted and was reduced as a percentage of Earth s surface? The amount of radiation absorbed A. by Earth s surface would decrease. B. by the atmosphere would decrease. C. by the clouds would increase. D. by Earth s surface would increase
S3.O1.c 3. Match the letter on the globe with the season in respect to angle of insolation in the Northern Hemisphere. Letters may be used more than once. Season 1. Winter 2. Spring 3. Summer 4. Fall
Use this diagram below to answer the next two questions. S3.O1.d 4. What is the pattern of movement in the Hadley cells? A. Warm air rises, cooler air sinks B. Air moves from north to south C. Air moves from east to west D. Cool air rises, warm air sinks. 5. What net effect do these circulation patterns have on Earth? A. They alter the path of sunlight and create hot spots. B. They distribute energy and heat on the surface. C. They slow down the movement of wind and air. D. They cause local winds, tornadoes and hurricanes. S3.O1.e 6. List the atmospheric layer where each ozone type is located. Explain why one is considered beneficial and the other is considered harmful. Beneficial Ozone Harmful Ozone 1. Location: 3.Location: 2. Benefit is: 4.Harmful because:
S3.O2.a S3.O2.b S3.O2.c 7. Match the weather instrument to the weather element that it is measuring. Write in the letter representing the weather element next to the weather instrument that measures that element. 1. Thermometer A. Humidity 2. Rain Gauge B. Wind speed 3. Hygrometer C. Cloud cover 4. Barometer D. Air pressure 5. Anemometer E. Precipitation 6. Satellite Imaging F. Temperature 8. Why are states in the mid-central United States more likely to have tornados than other areas? A. Their buildings are poorly made structures that do not resist strong winds. B. The cold dry air from Canada contacts warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico. C. The Coriolis Effect is stronger over land that is flat and far from ocean. D. The lack of mountains to stop the winds from blowing allows tornados to form. Below are two imaginary columns of air molecules exerting pressure on the surfaces below them. The left column contains fewer air molecules than the right column. A B 9. Which column is more representative of the atmosphere above a high pressure center? A. Fewer air molecules B. More air molecules Sourced from: http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(gh)/guides/crclm/act/prs.rxml
S3.O2.d S3.O2.d 10. What determines the type of air mass that forms in an area? A. the amount of oxygen present B. the direction of the air flow C. the amount of air present D. the location where it forms 11. Which diagram shows a cold front? A. B. C. D. (S3.O2.c) S3.O2.e S3.O3.a S3.O3.b 12. The students think that changes in the air pressure will occur before a storm arrives. How should they write their hypothesis? A. If the barometer reading falls, then a storm is coming. B. If the thermometer reading goes down, then a storm is coming. C. If the anemometer reading rises, then a storm is coming. D. If the hygrometer reading rises, then a storm is coming 13. If you collect data on March 9 for air temperature, humidity, cloud cover and air pressure, what are you measuring? A. radiation B. soil type C. climate D. weather 14. Which factor altered the reflection of solar radiation, ocean and air currents, and volcanic action on Earth s surface leading to climate changes in the past? A. ice ages B. plate tectonics C. ozone hole D. global warming
S3.O3.c S3.O3.d 15. The large increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide in the last 50 years most likely comes from.. A. An increase in cellular respiration B. Increased decomposition by bacteria C. An increase in the burning of fossil fuels D. An increase in photosynthesis The two graphs below show the average CO 2 concentration at Mauna Loa Hawaii and the global temperatures since 1960. 16. What conclusions have most scientists reached when comparing temperature and carbon dioxide concentrations? A. there is no relationship between carbon dioxide and temperatures on Earth B. the warming Earth is creating an increase in carbon dioxide. C. increasing levels of CO 2 are increasing Earth s temperatures D. increasing levels of CO 2 are decreasing Earth s temperatures
S3.O3.e Coral Bleaching Warmer water temperatures can result in coral bleaching. When water is too warm, corals will expel the algae living in their tissues, causing the coral to turn completely white. When a coral bleaches, it is not dead but is stressed and may die unless conditions improve. In 2005, the U.S. lost half of its coral reefs in the Caribbean in one year due to a massive bleaching event. http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_bleach.html 17. Why has the ocean water warmed? A. submerged volcanoes B. atmospheric warming C. heat of formation D. magnetic striping