Question

9. On some small islands in the Pacific Ocean, the average sea level is rising on the beaches little by little each year. Residents of the islands are worried that their island, and their homes, may become flooded in a few years. What is the most likely cause for the water level to increase?

a. They are getting more rain in their area.
b. The tides are more dramatic because of the number of full moons they have experienced.
c. Ice from the North and South poles is melting and adding to the water in the ocean.
d. The waves are bigger because of increased winds.

10. Hurricanes are large storms that form over warm waters out in the ocean. Hurricanes are associated with low-pressure regions in the atmosphere. How does the low pressure associated with a hurricane help them to grow big and powerful?
a. Air in the atmosphere tends to move toward low-pressure regions, which would increase the winds surrounding a hurricane.
b. Low-pressure regions push away other air in the atmosphere, which would make the hurricane bigger.
c. Low-pressure air heats up the water and therefore makes the hurricane stronger.
d. Low-pressure conditions means slow winds, which makes the hurricane stronger.

11. Based on the northern location of England on the map, it appears that it would have a cold, harsh climate. In reality, England has a mild climate because of the warm Gulf Stream current in the Atlantic Ocean. How does the Gulf Stream current help keep England's climate mild?
a. The warm water of the Gulf Stream warms the land of England where they meet.
b. The warm Gulf Stream waters heat the air over the ocean, which then moves over England.
c. The warm Gulf Stream waters make the air very humid, which results in a milder climate in England.
d. The warm Gulf Stream waters attract the cold air from England, thus keeping England mild.

12. The atmosphere surrounding Earth helps to maintain the various climates found around the world and keeps Earth from becoming extremely cold all over. How does the atmosphere help to keep Earth insulated and warm?
a. The atmosphere creates heat as Earth moves through space, helping to insulate Earth.
b. The atmosphere traps the heat generated by Earth's core and helps maintain Earth's climate.
c. The atmosphere helps spread the warmth from the water near the equator to other parts of Earth.
d. The atmosphere helps trap heat energy from the Sun and energy radiated from Earth to maintain the climate.

13. Convection currents in the atmosphere influence many weather patterns. What property of the air has the most influence on convection currents?
a. the direction of the wind
b. the velocity of the wind
c. the temperature of the air
d. the mass of the air

14. When nitrogen is returned to the soil when dead plants decompose, the interaction is between which two spheres?
a. Hydrosphere and geosphere
b. Cryosphere and geosphere

Answer 1

Rising sea levels in the Pacific Islands are likely caused by melting polar ice. Hurricanes grow in power due to low atmospheric pressure that draws in air to increase wind speeds. The Gulf Stream maintains a mild climate for England by heating the air over the ocean, which then affects the land.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most likely cause for the water level to increase on some small islands in the Pacific Ocean is melting ice from the North and South poles adding water to the ocean (option c). The low pressure associated with a hurricane helps them grow big and powerful because air in the atmosphere tends to move toward low-pressure regions, increasing the winds surrounding a hurricane (option a). The Gulf Stream current helps keep England's climate mild because the warm Gulf Stream waters heat the air over the ocean, which then moves over England (option b). The atmosphere helps keep Earth insulated and warm mainly by trapping heat energy from the Sun and energy radiated from Earth to maintain the climate (option d). The property of the air that has the most influence on convection currents is the temperature of the air (option c). When nitrogen is returned to the soil when dead plants decompose, the interaction is between the biosphere and the geosphere (not among the options given, but more accurate than the options presented).