Amplify Weather and Climate

The map shows the locations of Gainesville and Miami, two cities in Florida. At any one time, the range of temperatures in Gainesville differs from the range of temperatures in Miami. What most likely causes the range of temperatures to differ in Gainesville and Miami?

• Gainesville is located much farther north than Miami is, so its temperatures vary more widely

• Miami is located closer to the ocean than Gainesville is, and winds from the ocean cause its temperatures to vary more widely.

• Miami is located closer to the ocean than Gainesville is, and this causes its temperatures to vary less widely

• Gainesville is farther inland than Miami is, so its climate is more moderate.

An important piece of information for meteorologists is the ratio of the amount of water vapor in the air to the amount of water vapor needed to reach saturation at a given temperature. This information enables meteorologists to better predict the weather. What is this piece of information called?

• wind speed

• air pressure

• wind direction

• relative humidity

Human skin contains melanin. Melanin helps protect the skin from which environmental factor?

• extreme humidity

• subzero temperatures

• ultraviolet rays from the sun

• acid rain

The jet stream usually stays too far north to affect Florida’s weather. What is the jet stream?

• the spinning of the air in the same direction as Earth’s rotation

• the spinning of the air in the opposite direction of Earth’s rotation

• the movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure.

• a narrow band of strong winds that blow in the upper region of the atmosphere

One of the main factors used to determine climate is temperature. For example, a tropical climate has generally warm temperatures throughout the year. What is the other main factor used to determine climate?

• humidity

• air pressure

• precipitation

• wind conditions

Florida beaches are known for their white sand, clear ocean water, and palm trees. A picture of a Florida beach is shown. Which elements seen would be adding water vapor to the atmosphere?

• palm trees only

• ocean water only

• ocean water and sand

• palm trees, ocean water, and sand

If a warm wind passes over snow, the snow can be heated rapidly. When this happens, the snow can change directly into water vapor without first becoming liquid water. What is the correct term for this process?

• deposition

• evaporation

• melting

• sublimation

Eliana measures outdoor temperatures in an area each day for a week at exactly 2:00 p.m. The temperatures she records are all between 25 °C and 30 °C. Eliana concludes that the climate of the area is tropical. What is the most important reason why her conclusion might not be correct?

• She took the temperature readings at the same time each day.

• She made her conclusion based only on temperature and not also on precipitation.

• She made her conclusion based on only one week of data instead of over a long period of time

• She did not calculate the average of her data.

For several days, the weather where Cheyenne lives was cool. When the temperature did warm, Cheyenne noticed that it was also very windy. How could winds influence the temperature?

• Winds carry energy in the form of heat around Earth.

• Winds are caused by the energy of the sun.

• Winds move because of differential heating.

• Winds transfer energy in the form of heat from the air to the ground.

Visitors to Florida sometimes complain about the high humidity. What does high humidity indicate?

• a cool temperature.

• a high-pressure system.

• an approaching cold front.

• a high amount of water vapor in the air.