Download Weather and Topography Test Review KEY

Weather and Topography Test Review KEY
Topography:
1. Define the terms below:
Elevation- the distance (in feet or meters) above sea level that a specific point lies. This is indicated by a
contour line
Contour Line- connects points of equal elevation
Contour Index- dark brown lines on a topo map. Usually have a number along them that denotes the
elevation along the lines.
Contour Interval- the designated elevation difference which tells you how much you are going up or
going down in elevation.
Hilltop- a contour line that forms a closed loop with no other contour lines inside it indicates a hilltop.
Profile- the side view of a relief that shows the outlines of the highest and lowest points of an object
Steep Slope- An area that sharply increases/decreases in elevation represented by closely spaced contour
lines. Closer the spacing the steeper the slope.
Gentle Slopes- An area that gently increases/decreases in elevation represented by widely spaced
contour lines. The greater the spacing the more gentle the slope.
Mechanical Weathering- the physical breaking down of an object. It is the process by
which small rocks are removed from big rocks.
Erosion- the movement or transportation of particles
Deposition- the placement or depositing of particles in a certain area after removal and
transportation. This is how a delta is built.
2. Below or on a separate sheet of paper draw me an example of each of the above topography terms:
You can draw multiple illustrations or just one illustration, but either way your illustration(s) must
be labeled or titled correctly.
Profile:
Steep vs Gentle (gradual) Slopes
Contour Lines: each individual
loop represents a different
elevation
Contour Interval: 20 meters
Index Contour Line
Elevation:
Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition:
Hilltop
July 2, 1756
July 2, 2014
3. Using this illustration, explain how topographic maps are affected by
weather and erosion…
In illustration A, the erosional feature such as a river is moving weathered particles
down stream in between 2 mountain ranges. I notice the slopes along the
mountainside are a constisten slope that falls in between steep in gentle therefore the
contour lines would be widely spaced. As time goes by as in illustration B, the river
water would weather the sides of the mountain range, erode the particles downstream,
and deposit them somewhere else. As a result, this causes the sides of the mountain
range at the top to become less gentle and more steep causing the contour lines on the
topographic map to become closer to each other. Towards the bottom the weathered
and eroded particles would “fill in” the valley bottom and make the slope at the
bottom more gentle and almost flat.
Weather: The condition of the atmosphere at a certain time and place.
1. Define the terms below:
Cold front- forms when cold air moves under warm air which is less dense and pushes air up (produces
thunderstorms heavy rain or snow. Cold fronts can move into regions quickly.
Warm front- A front where warm air moves over cold air and brings drizzly rain and then are followed by
warm and clear weather. Warm fronts move more slowly than cold fronts.
Humidity- the amount of water vapor in the air. Higher humidity reduces the effectiveness of
sweating in cooling the body by reducing the rate of evaporation of moisture from the skin.
Air mass- A large body of air that has similar temperature, humidity and air pressure throughout.
Types of Air MassesMaritime Tropical (mT)- Wet, hot air masses - Usually brings summer showers and thunderstorms in the
eastern United States. In winter, it brings heavy rain or snow.
Maritime Polar (mP)- Wet, cold air masses. These affect the west coast more than the east. They bring
fog, rain and cool temperature.
Continental Tropical (cT)- Dry, hot air masses. They affect mostly the southwest and Mexico bringing
hot, dry weather.
Continental Polar (cP)- Dry cold air masses. They bring bitterly cold weather with low humidity. In
summer they are much milder.
Continental Arctic (cA) air represents extremely cold and dry conditions as, due to its temperature, it
contains very little water vapor.
High Pressure System- formed when air moves all the way around a high-pressure center. Most highpressure systems are large and change slowly. When a high-pressure system stays in one location for a
long time, an air mass may form. The air— and resulting air mass—can be warm or cold, moist or dry.
This system generally brings clear skies and calm air or gentle breezes. This is because as air sinks to
lower altitudes, it warms up a little bit. Water droplets evaporate, so clouds often disappear.
Low Pressure System- is a large weather system that surrounds a center of low pressure. It begins as
air moves around and inward toward the lowest pressure and then up to higher altitudes. The upward
motion of the air lowers the air pressure further, and so the air moves faster. The pattern of motion
strengthens into a low-pressure weather system. The rising air produces stormy weather.
A low-pressure system can develop wherever there is a center of low pressure. One place this often
happens is along a boundary between a warm air mass and a cold air mass.
2. What condition(s) do hurricanes need to form?
Warm waters of temperatures of 27 degrees Celsius or higher.
3. Why do hurricane paths seem to be deflected?
The Coriolis effect due to the Earths rotation.
4. What are the different terms that also refer to hurricanes around the world?
Typhoons and Cyclones
5. Where around the world do hurricanes form? Why?
Near the equator; because there are warm water conditions that can fuel the hurricane.
Tectonic Plates Reminder: WINK WINK!!! 
1. How do convection currents work? Can you draw one?
Convection Currents are
caused by uneven heating
of the asthenosphere.
When the magma is
heated it will rise and as it
reaches the crust it will
cool, move away from the
heat source, and sink back
to the heat source. This
process will repeat over
and over again!
2. What is happening in the Pacific Ocean west of Peru that causes El Nino to occur? How does
this affect countries surrounding this event?
In the tropical Pacific, trade winds generally drive the surface waters westward. The
surface water becomes progressively warmer going westward because of its longer exposure
to solar heating. El Niño is observed when the easterly trade winds weaken, allowing
warmer waters of the western Pacific to migrate eastward and eventually reach the South
American Coast (shown in orange). The cool nutrient-rich sea water normally found along
the coast of Peru is replaced by warmer water depleted of nutrients, resulting in a dramatic
reduction in marine fish and plant life.
3. Explain the process of subduction and the land features that are created. Draw a picture:
Subduction occurs when two tectonic
plates meet that are different in
density. In this case it is when the
oceanic crust, which is very dense,
meets continental crust. Since the
oceanic crust is denser it is subducted
or pushed down into the
asthenosphere and burning up into
magma.
Practice Questions:
1. Which temperature and moisture conditions describe an air mass that originates over the Atlantic Ocean
near the equator?
a. warm and dry
b. cool and dry
c. warm and humid
d. cool and humid
2. Which of the following statements are true?
a.
A low pressure system is associated with wet, cloudy weather
b.
A high pressure system is associated with wet, cloudy weather
c.
A low pressure system is associated with dry, clear weather
d.
A high pressure system is associated with wet, cloudy weather
*Use
the diagram below to answer questions 3-4
3. Air mass A has what sort of characteristics
a. Warm, moist
b. Warm, dry
c. Cold, moist
d. Cool, dry
B
A
4. Air mass B has what sort of characteristics
a.
Cold, moist
b.
Warm, dry
c.
Warm, moist
d.
Cold, dry
5. Match each image below with the appropriate word description.
i. __C__ Gentle slope on all sides.
ii. __D___ Round hill with two peaks.
iii. __A___Steep south side.
iv. __B__ Two peaks, with east side higher.