Unit 4 Review

1. Clay is watching the weather to prepare for a trip to the beach tomorrow. The forecast predicts that a low-pressure system will move in overnight. Which type of weather can Clay most likely expect in the morning?

A. foggy B. sunny C. clear and colder D. cloudy and rainy

Correct Answer D cloudy and rainy

2. Weather Conditions

• Cold front moving in behind warm, moist air

• Heavy, constant winds

• Sudden hail

• Unstable atmosphere

Which type of severe event is most likely to occur during these weather conditions?

A. blizzard

B. hurricane

C. tornado

D. drought

Correct Answer: C (tornado).

3. What is the name of the process in the water cycle shown by label 1?

A. infiltration B. evaporation

C. condensationD. precipitation

Correct Answer: B (evaporation).

4. Coastal areas have high tides and low tides. When is the difference between high and low tide greatest?

A. when sunshine is most direct

B. when the Moon is closest to Earth

C. when a half moon appears in the sky

D. when the Sun, the Moon, and Earth line up

Correct Answer: D (when the Sun, the Moon, and Earth line up).

5. The water cycle describes the movement of the water of Earth. About 96% of the water of Earth is the salt water found in the oceans while the remaining 4% is fresh water. Where would the majority of the freshwater on Earth be found?

A. groundwater and aquifers

B. swamps and wetlands

C. ice caps and glaciers

D. lakes and rivers

Correct Answer: C (ice caps and glaciers).

6. What is the primary source of energy that causes evaporation of water from the surface of bodies of water?

A. solar radiation

B. transpiration by plants

C. heat from nearby land masses

D. convection currents in the water

Correct Answer: A (solar radiation).

7. Which of these will cause a high rate of water evaporation?

A. low wind speeds

B. low transpiration

C. high humidity

D. high temperatures

Correct Answer: D (high temperatures).

8. What type of precipitation occurs when raindrops freeze as they fall?

A. hail

B. frost

C. sleet

D. snow

Correct Answer: C (sleet).

9. Which is a natural cause of rivers drying up?

A. pollution

B. erosion

C. water tables rise

D. lack of precipitation

Correct Answer: D (lack of precipitation).

10. Which of these is most likely to cause the greatest increase in condensation of water from the air?

A. low wind speeds

B. high wind speeds

C. low temperatures

D. high temperatures

Correct Answer: C (low temperatures).

11. Which process in the water cycle returns water from the surface of Earth to the atmosphere?

A. condensation

B. evaporation

C. precipitation

D. runoff

Correct Answer: B (evaporation).

12. Ocean water is usually not used for drinking or watering crops. Which property of ocean water makes it less usable for drinking or watering crops than the water from rivers and streams?

A. Ocean water contains salt.

B. Ocean water contains sand.

C. Ocean water is far away from many people.

D. Ocean water has many organisms living in it.

Correct Answer: A (Ocean water contains salt).

13. When water vapor rises in the atmosphere it cools. This cooling causes ________

A. ionization.

B. condensation.

C. evaporation.

D. precipitation.

Correct Answer: B (condensation).

14. Which factor causes surface ocean currents?

A. the Sun

B. the wind

C. the Moon

D. hurricanes

Correct Answer: B (the wind).

15. What is the major cause of ocean waves?

A. wind

B. Moon’s gravity

C. salinity

D. Earth’s rotation

Correct Answer: A (wind).

16. Which process moves water from the oceans to the atmosphere?

A. condensation

B. transpiration

C. evaporation

D. precipitation

Correct Answer: C (evaporation).

17. Which process of the water cycle transports water from plants to clouds?

A. precipitation

B. transpiration

C. condensation

D. sublimation

Correct Answer: B (transpiration)

18. A forecast for “wintry mix” indicates that vapor in the air will form both rain and snow. Which of these is a correct principle illustrated by this event?

A. There is little water in the atmosphere of Earth.

B. Most water on Earth is found as vapor.

C. Water exists in all three states on Earth.

D. Water on Earth tends to form a solid over time.

Correct Answer: C (Water exists in all three states on Earth).

19. High-altitude cirrus clouds are primarily formed from which substance?

A. carbon dioxide gas

B. solid ice crystals

C. nitrogen compounds

D. ozone molecules

Correct Answer: B (solid ice crystals).

20. Ocean tides result mainly from

A. surface winds.

B. radiant heat from stars.

C. Earth’s tilt on its axis.

D. the Moon’s gravitational pull.

Correct Answer: D (the Moon’s gravitational pull).

21. Water that evaporates from lakes and streams condenses into clouds and later falls as rain. The property of water that is demonstrated is the ability to

A. act as a universal solvent.

B. change from a liquid to a gas.

C. boil at a high temperature.

D. absorb large amounts of energy.

Correct Answer: B (change from a liquid to a gas).

22. Which factor determines whether precipitation will be in the form of rain or snow?

A. wind

B. humidity

C. air pressure

D. temperature

Correct Answer: D (temperature).

23. North of the equator there is an area of the Atlantic Ocean that has high evaporation and little rainfall. How does this area most likely compare to other parts of the Atlantic Ocean?

A. Its density is lower.

B. Its salt content is greater.

C. Its oxygen levels are more variable.

D. Its pressure remains the same at different depths.

Correct Answer: B (Its salt content is greater).

24. Earth’s distance from the Sun enables water to be readily available for organisms. Which property of water is most important for these organisms?

A. its ability to freeze

B. its specific heat capacity

C. its ability to exist as a liquid

D. its high surface tension

Correct Answer: C (its ability to exist as a liquid).

25. Approximately 71 % of the Earth’s surface is covered with water. The majority of this is salt water and is found in the oceans. Where is the majority of the Earth’s fresh water found?

A. ice

B. lakes

C. rivers

D. the atmosphere

Correct Answer: A (ice).

26. What is the main source of energy that causes water to evaporate from the surface of Earth?

A. lightning

B. sun

C. gravity

D. wind

Correct Answer: B (sun)

27. An iceberg breaks off of a glacier and floats into the ocean. In the ocean, the iceberg begins to melt. Which temporary effect does this melting have on ocean water in the immediate area of the iceberg?

A. The melting ice lowers the freezing point of the ocean water.

B. The melting ice reduces the salinity of the ocean water.

C. The melting ice releases the carbon dioxide stored in ocean water.

D. The melting ice increases the acidity of the ocean water.

Correct Answer: B (The melting ice reduces the salinity of the ocean water).

28. In general, how does the climate differ between higher elevations and low flatlands?

A. Higher elevations have clearer skies than low flatlands. B. Higher elevations have cloudier nights than low flatlands. C. Higher elevations have colder temperatures than low flatlands. D. Higher elevations have drier summer seasons than low flatlands.

Correct Answer: C (Higher elevations have colder temperatures than low flatlands).

29. A city had high heat at noon and then cool temperatures, high winds, and thunderstorms in the evening. Which of the following best describes the change?

A. climateB. weather

C. warm front D. atmospheric pressure

Correct Answer: B (weather).

30. The water cycle is important for recycling the water on Earth. Which of these is the source of most of the water vapor in Earth’s atmosphere?

A. river flooding

B. glacier melting

C. ocean evaporation

D. plant transpiration

Correct Answer: C (ocean evaporation).