Global Climate Test Review

What phenomenon is most likely responsible for currents' circulation patterns?

• Coriolis Effect

• density differences

• Sun's tidal effect

• temperature

A layer of CO2 and other gases naturally warms earth's lower layer and surface. What process?

• Global Warming

• Formation of sun spots

• the greenhouse effect

• changes in the shape of earth's orbit

Subsurface ocean currents circulate from warm at equator to cold waters. What causes these currents?

• Differences in topography along ocean floor

• Differences in density of ocean water

• The rotation of Earth on its axis

• movement of jet stream

Which describes characteristics of continentals drift that likely causes global climate change?

• location of continent affects amount of sunlight reflected

• Continental plate depth determines specific heat

• Continental drift absorbs large amounts of kinetic energy

• Temperature of a continent is affected by its nearest ocean

What is the primary energy source driving ocean currents on Earth?

• Geothermal heating

• Planetary rotation

• Solar heating

• Lunar tidal forces

The eastward movement of warm water in Pacific during El Nino tends to cause what effect?

• Flooding on las masses in Western Pacific Ocean

• Heavy rainfall over land masses in the eastern Pacific Ocean

• Cold, windy conditions on land masses in eastern Pacific Ocean

• Frequent, shallow tsunamis reaching land in Western Pacific Ocean

Which form of water, when in atmosphere, is most likely to contribute to global warming?

• Cloud

• Rain

• Vapor

• Snow

Centers of N America and Africa are dry climates? This lack of rain results mainly from what?

• Centers have few lakes and rivers for effective evaporation

• Center receive little heat from sunlight over most of year

• rate of air mass movement over centers are low

• The average amount of annual precipitation decreases

Mixing of cold Arctic water with warm surface Atlantic currents off NW coast of Europe causes

• sinking of water as it circulates

• reversal of current direction back toward the European coast

• rise in water salinity and upwelling of affected currents

• rapid evaporation and acceleration of currents toward pole

The oceans most influence global climate by

• releasing heat to the atmosphere

• cooling bordering land masses

• providing continuous offshore winds

• removing water vapor from the atmosphere