A) is usually closest to the SunB) reflects the greatest amount of insolationC) receives the most hours of daylightD) receives the most nearly perpendicular

insolation

1. The hottest climates on Earth are located near theEquator because this region

A) the east coast of North America and the westcoast of Australia

B) the east coast of Asia and the east coast of NorthAmerica

C) the west coast of Africa and the east coast ofSouth America

D) the west coast of North America and the westcoast of South America

2. Which two 23.5°–latitude locations are influenced bycool surface ocean currents?

A) B)

C) D)

3. The diagram below shows the position of the Earth inrelation to rays of light from the Sun. A, B, and C arethree positions on the Earth's surface.

Which graph best shows the relationship betweenintensity of insolation and position on the Earth'ssurface?

A) partially melted snowfieldB) blacktop parking lotC) white sand beachD) lake surface

4. Equal areas of which surface will absorb the mostinsolation?

5. Base your answer to the following question on "the diagram below, which represents Earth in its orbit around the Sun. The position of Earth on the firstday of each season is labeled A, B, C, and D.

"

A) A B) B C) C D) D

At which location are the Sun's noontime rays perpendicular to Earth's surface at the Tropic of Cancer?(23.5° N)?

A) decrease, onlyB) increase, onlyC) decrease, then increaseD) increase, then decrease

6. A student in North Carolina observes the altitude ofthe Sun at solar noon each day from January 1through June 1. The altitude of the Sun will

A)

B)

C)

D)

7. Which graph best represents the relationship betweenthe angle of insolation and the intensity of insolation?

8. Base your answer to the following question on the diagram below and on your knowledge of Earthscience. The diagram represents four apparent paths of the Sun, labeled A, B, C, and D, observed inJamestown, New York. The June 21 and December 21 sunrise and sunset positions are indicated. LetterS identifies the Sun's position on path C at a specific time of day. Compass directions are indicatedalong the horizon.

A) A B) B C) C D) D

The greatest duration of insolation in Jamestown occurs when the Sun appears to travel along path

A) B)

C) D)

9. Which graph best shows the length of a shadow cast from sunrise to sunset by a flagpole in New YorkState?

A) has a lower angle of insolationB) has a higher angle of insolationC) is closer to the Prime MeridianD) is farther from the Prime Meridian

10. The graph below shows air temperatures on a clearsummer day from 7 a.m. to 12 noon at two locations,one in Florida and one in New York State.

Air temperature rose slightly faster in Florida than inNew York State because Florida

A) March 21 B) June 21C) June 21 D) December 21

11. In Maine, which day has the shortest duration ofinsolation?

A) least intense and of shortest durationB) least intense and of longest durationC) most intense and of shortest durationD) most intense and of longest duration

12. Locations in California are warmest in summerbecause sunlight in summer is

A) 0° and 23 ° N B) 23 ° N and 47° NC) 47° N and 66 ° N D) 66 °N and 90°N

13. On June 21, some Earth locations have 24 hours ofdaylight. These locations are all between thelatitudes of

14. Base your answer to the following question on the diagram below, which shows the tilt of Earth on itsaxis in relation to the Sun on one particular day. Points A through E are locations on Earth’s surface.Point D is located in Virginia. The dashed line represents Earth’s axis.

A) E B) B C) C D) D

On this day, which location has the greatest number of hours of daylight?

A) September 23 and December 21B) December 21 and March 21C) March 21 and June 21D) March 21 and September 23

15. On which two dates could all locations on Earthhave equal hours of day and night?

A) early June to mid-JuneB) mid-July to early AugustC) late August to mid-SeptemberD) mid-September to early October

16. When do maximum surface temperatures usuallyoccur in the Northern Hemisphere?

A) February B) JulyC) April D) October

17. In the middle latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere,the warmest month is usually

A) March 21, September 22, December 21 B) June 21, September 22, December 21C) September 22, December 21, March 21 D) December 21, March 21, June 21

18. The table below shows the duration of insolation at different latitudes for three different days duringthe year.

Which dates are represented most correctly by Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3, respectively?

Base your answers to questions 19 and 20 on the graph below which represents the duration ofinsolation at four different latitudes on Earth on four different dates.

A) 0° B) 23 ° N C) 23 ° S D) 90° N

19. On September 23, the duration of insolation at all four locations is 12 hours. The Sun is directlyoverhead at which latitude?

A) March 21 B) June 22 C) September 23 D) December 22

20. Buenos Aires, located at 41° S, receives the shortest duration of insolation on

21. Base your answer to the following question on the graph below which shows variations in Earth'smonthly temperatures from normal Earth temperatures between January 1990 and January 1995.

A) cooler than normal due to the reflection of sunlight by volcanic dustB) cooler than normal due to the formation of a hole in the ozone layer by the explosionC) warmer than normal due to the heat released into the atmosphere by the volcanic explosionD) warmer than normal due to the heat spread by convection of the volcanic dust

In late summer 1991, Mt. Pinatubo, a volcano in the Philippines, exploded and sent thousands of tonsof volcanic dust into the atmosphere. Scientists have suggested that Earth's average monthlytemperatures for many months after the explosion generally were

A) Light-colored surfaces reflect more sunlightthan dark-colored surfaces.

B) Rough surfaces reflect more sunlight thansmooth surfaces.

C) Soil surfaces reflect more sunlight than cloudsurfaces.

D) Vegetative surfaces reflect more sunlight thanice surfaces.

22. The data table below compares the percentage ofsunlight reflected from various types of Earthsurfaces.

Which statement is best supported by the table?

A) warmer because ash and dust decreaseatmospheric transparency

B) warmer because ash and dust increaseatmospheric transparency

C) cooler because ash and dust decreaseatmospheric transparency

D) cooler because ash and dust increaseatmospheric transparency

23. For weeks after a series of major volcanic eruptions,Earth's surface air temperatures are often

24. Base your answer to the following question on the diagram below which shows two identical houses,A and B, in a city in North Carolina. One house was built on the east side of a factory, and the otherhouse was built on the west side of the factory. Both houses originally had white roofs, but the roofon house B has been blackened by factory soot falling on it over the years.

A) usually less B) usually greaterC) always the same D) less in summer and greater in winter

Compared to the amount of insolation reflected by the roof of house A, the amount of insolationreflected by the roof of house B is

A) Clouds block sunlight during the day andprevent heat from escaping at night.

B) Clouds block sunlight during the day and allowheat to escape at night.

C) Clouds allow sunlight to reach the Earth duringthe day and prevent heat from escaping at night.

D) Clouds allow sunlight to reach the Earth duringthe day and allow heat to escape at night.

25. How do clouds affect the temperature at the Earth'ssurface?

A) grassy field B) fresh snow C) sand D) forest

26. The diagram below indicates the amount of solar radiation that is reflected by equal areas of variousmaterials on Earth's surface.

Which material absorbs the most solar radiation?

A) A and B, only B) A and C, onlyC) C, only D) B and C, only

27. The diagram below represents what normallyhappens to insolation as it enters the Earth'satmosphere.

An increase in cloud cover and water vapor withinthe Earth's atmosphere will cause an increase in

A) snow cover B) green grassC) dark soil D) lake water

28. Which of the following Earth surfaces usuallyreflects the most incoming solar radiation?

A) reflected B) refractedC) scattered D) absorbed

29. Compared to dull and rough rock surfaces, shiny andsmooth rock surfaces are most likely to causesunlight to be

A) B)

C) D)

30. The diagram below shows a cylinder filled with clean water. At the left of the cylinder is a lightsource, and at the right of the cylinder is a meter that measures the intensity (brightness) of light as itpasses through the water. One minute after the light is turned on, a mixture of sand, silt, and clay ispoured into the cylinder.

Which graph shows the probable change in light intensity (brightness) recorded during the 6-minuteperiod after the light is turned on?

A) both absorb and reflect less insolationB) both absorb and reflect more insolationC) absorb less insolation and reflect more

insolationD) absorb more insolation and reflect less

insolation

31. Compared to a light-colored rock with a smoothsurface, a dark-colored rock with a rough surfacewill

A) a decrease in cloud coverB) a decrease in solar radiationC) an increase in airborne dust particlesD) an increase in the duration of insolation

32. An increase in the transparency of Earth’satmosphere is often caused by

A) refracted B) transmittedC) reflected D) absorbed

33. Most insolation striking a smooth, light-colored,solid surface is

A) decrease due to increased reflection ofinsolation

B) decrease due to increased infrared absorptionC) increase due to increased reflection of

insolationD) increase due to increased infrared absorption

34. If large amounts of dust are added to the atmosphere,the average air temperature will most likely

A) a basaltic sand beachB) a pine tree forestC) a glacial ice sheetD) a blacktop parking lot

35. Under identical conditions, which surface will reflectthe greatest amount of insolation?

Base your answers to questions 36 through 38 on the diagrams and graphs below. The diagrams showthe general effect of the Earth's atmosphere on insolation from the Sun at middle latitudes during bothclear-sky and cloudy-sky conditions. The graph shows the percentage of insolation reflected by theEarth's surface at different latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere in winter.

A) absorption by cloud droplets B) reflection by cloud dropletsC) absorption by clear-air gas molecules D) reflection by clear-air gas molecules

36. Which factor keeps the greatest percentage of insolation from reaching the Earth's surface on cloudydays?

A) 50% B) 65% C) 85% D) 100%

37. According to the graph, on a winter day at 70º North latitude, what approximate percentage of theinsolation is reflected by the Earth's surface?

A) The North Pole is tilted toward the Sun in winter.B) Snow and ice reflect almost all insolation.C) The colder air holds much more moisture.D) Dust settles quickly in cold air.

38. Which statement best explains why, at high latitudes, reflectivity of insolation is greater in winterthan in summer?

A) light colored and roughB) dark colored and roughC) light colored and smoothD) dark colored and smooth

39. Equal areas of which type of Earth surface willabsorb more insolation and radiate more energy backtoward space in the same amount of time?

A) decrease B) increaseC) remain the same

40. As the concentration of pollution particles in theatmosphere increases, the amount of insolation thatreaches the Earth's surface will most likely

41. Base your answer to the following question on the table and map below. The table shows the durationof insolation, in hours, at Barrow, Alaska, on the twentieth day of each month during 2008. The mapshows the location of Barrow at 71° N 156.5° W.

Explain why Barrow is in a different time zone than New York City.

Base your answers to questions 42 and 43 on the diagram below. The diagram represents daytime andnighttime on Earth. Point X is a location on Earth's surface. Earth's rotational surface velocity isshown in miles per hour (mi/h) at specific latitudes.

42. On the grid below, draw a line to show the general relationship between distance from the equatorand Earth's rotational surface velocity.

43. Record, to the nearest hour, the duration of insolation at location X for one Earth rotation.

Base your answers to questions 44 and 45 on the experiment description and diagram below.

A student was interested in how the angle of insolation affects absorption of radiation. Thestudent took three black metal plates, each containing a built-in thermometer, and placed them atthe same distance from three identical lamps. The plates were tilted so that the light from thelamps created three different angles of incidence with the center of the plates, as shown in thediagram. The starting temperatures of the plates were recorded. The lamps were turned on for 10minutes. Then the final temperatures were recorded.

44. How would the final temperatures of the three metal plates be different if the experiment wasrepeated using white metal plates? Explain why the white plates would have these final temperatures.

45. The metal plate at a 90° angle of incidence represents a location on Earth at solar noon on March 21.What is the latitude of this location?

Answer KeyInsolation Practice Test

1. D2. D3. A4. B5. C6. B7. B8. A9. D10. B11. D12. D13. D14. A15. D16. B17. A18. B19. A20. B21. A22. A23. C24. A25. A26. D27. B28. A29. A30. B31. D32. A33. C34. A35. C36. B

37. C38. B39. B40. A41. — Barrow is

approximately 80°west of New YorkCity. — Barrow'slongitude is differentfrom New York City.— Earth rotatesfrom west to east, sothe Sun rises later inBarrow.

42.

43. 12 h44. Final temperatures:

— lower — coolerExplanation: —More light isreflected off thewhite surface. —Less energy isabsorbed by thewhite surface. —Black absorbsenergy better.

45. 0° latitude or theequator.