Weather and Climate

The graph below shows the average monthly temperatures for three cities in Arizona. All of the cities are located at roughly the same latitude. However, each city is located at a different elevation.

Based on this temperature data, which of the three cities is located at the highest elevation?

• Yuma

• Sedona

• Williams

Which two properties define an air mass?

• moisture content

• altitude

• temperature

During the evaporation step of the water cycle, water changes state from

• a solid to a liquid

• a liquid to a gas

• a gas to a solid

Atmospheric and ocean currents traveling long distances around Earth appear to move in curved rather than straight paths. This is known as the Coriolis effect.

What is the main cause of the Coriolis effect?

• the tilt of the Earth's axis

• the rotation of Earth on its axis

• the revolution of Earth around the sun

Which water cycle process returns water to Earth’s surface?

• transpiration

• precipitation

• evaporation

Fresno and Monterey are two cities located in California. During the summer months, Fresno has much higher average temperatures than Monterey does. Geographic data that can help explain this difference in climate is shown in the table below.

Which geographic factor is most responsible for the summer climate difference between Fresno and Monterey?

• latitude

• elevation

• distance from water

What type of weather do cold fronts usually bring?

• heavy rain and cool temperatures

• light rain and warm temperatures

• clear skies and hot temperatures

What causes air currents in the atmosphere?

• the ocean absorbing excess heat from Earth’s atmosphere

• the moon exerting a gravitational pull on Earth

• the sun heating Earth’s surface unevenly

The diagram below shows part of the water cycle. Letters A through D represent processes that take place during the cycle.

Which letter represents condensation?

• A

• B

• C

• D

How do ocean gyres (large system of rotating ocean currents) redistribute heat around Earth?

• 
  They move warm water to the poles from the tropics.

• They move warm water to the tropics from the poles.

• 
  They move warm water between the two poles.