Q 01/05

The word 'Arctic' comes from the Greek word for which animal?

A) Wolf

B) Bear

C) Seal

D) Whale

Answer · why

B) Bear

Arktos refers to the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, the Great and Little Bears that hang over the northern sky.

Q 02/05

At roughly what latitude does the Arctic Circle sit?

A) 55°N

B) 60°N

C) 63°N

D) 66°34'N

Answer · why

D) 66°34'N

It marks the southernmost latitude where the Sun never sets at the June solstice and never rises at the December one.

Q 03/05

Ecologists define the Arctic as where the warmest month's average temperature stays below what?

A) 10 °C

B) 12 °C

C) 15 °C

D) 20 °C

Answer · why

A) 10 °C

The northern tree line roughly follows that July isotherm, and the warming climate is pushing the line, and the Arctic itself, poleward.

Q 04/05

What is the approximate coldest temperature ever recorded in the Arctic?

A) −68 °C

B) −62 °C

C) −55 °C

D) −48 °C

Answer · why

A) −68 °C

Average winter lows reach −40 °C. Most of the region gets under 50 cm of precipitation a year; wind-blown snow just makes it look like it is always sn...

Q 05/05

Which Russian city is the only one in the world located directly on the Arctic Circle?

A) Salekhard

B) Vorkuta

C) Norilsk

D) Arkhangelsk

Answer · why

A) Salekhard

Finland's Rovaniemi sits 6 km south of the line; Norilsk and Vorkuta lie well north of it.