GEO102Test1
22) If a system responds to a change in input by moving further away from its equilibrium condition, what type of feedback has occurred? A) positive B) negative C) neutral D) Not enough information is given to indicate what type of feedback has occurred.
A
23) The dominant wavelength of energy emitted by the Sun is A) shorter than that emitted by Earth. B) the same length as that emitted by Earth. C) longer than that emitted by Earth.
A
24) Which of the following is characterized by the longest wavelengths? A) Radio waves. B) Gamma Rays. C) X-‐‐Rays. D) Thermal infrared. E) Visible.
A
36) The Sun's altitude refers to A) the angular height of the Sun above the horizon. B) the angular distance from the equator to the latitude at which direct overhead insolation is received. C) the subsolar point. D) how far the Sun is from Earth.
A
32) The realization that Earth was a sphere A) did not occur in Europe until the first voyages of Columbus. B) had to wait until the modern era (1800s). C) was first made by Pythagoras, 580-‐‐500 BC. D) was made by Isaac Newton.
C
47) Earth's rotation is described as A) east to west. B) clockwise when viewed from above the North Pole. C) west to east. D) north to south.
C
20) Which of the following is false? A) Earth represents a vast integrated system. B) Earth represents an open system in terms of energy. C) Earth represents a closed system in terms of matter. D) New resources and matter are being added to Earth's systems all the time.
D
27) The thermopause refers to A) Earth's magnetic field. B) the Sun's surface. C) the solar atmosphere that extends into space. D) the top of Earth's atmosphere.
D
55) The letters AM stand for A) after midnight. B) after morning. C) ante majolica. D) ante meridiem. E) after meridian.
D
56) The letters PM stand for A) prior majolica. B) previous morning. C) post meridiem. D) possible meridian.
C
98) Which of the following is an example of an active remote sensing device? A) film B) infrared sensor C) video camera D) radar
D
92) Global Positioning System (GPS) units A) recently found the correct height of Mount Everest to be 8850 m (29,035 feet.) B) show your location accurate to 100 m. C) are used in Precision Agriculture. D) are used by surveyors and the military. E) are used for all of these.
E
14) The inductive method of reasoning used by Earth scientists to discern patterns in nature involves reasoning from A) the complex to the simple. B) the simple to the complex. C) the specific to the general. D) the general to the specific.
C
21) Which of the following is TRUE of the Sun's electromagnetic spectrum? A) It consists exclusively of visible light and infrared energy. B) It consists exclusively of streams of charged particles. C) It consists of gamma ray, X-‐‐ray, ultraviolet, visible, and infrared wavelengths. D) It consists exclusively of radiant energy made of gamma ray, X-‐‐ray, and ultraviolet wavelengths.
C
31) Which of the following is TRUE relative to insolation at the thermopause relative to latitude? A) Annually, insolation is evenly distributed with little change by latitude. B) Annually, higher latitudes receive more insolation than lower latitudes. C) Annually, lower latitudes receive more insolation than the higher latitudes. D) Insolation can only be measured longitudinally, not latitudinally.
C
33) What is the name of the location on the surface of Earth that receives insolation when the Sun is directly overhead? (When this occurs, the Sun's rays are perpendicular to this surface.) A) Zenith B) North Polar point C) Subsolar point D) Solar point
C
35) The term "net radiation" refers to A) the total amount of energy radiated by Earth. B) radiation emitted by satellite networks C) the difference in amount of incoming and outgoing radiation. D) the total amount of energy received by Earth.
C
40) Which of the following is TRUE of the number of hours of daylight? A) The number of hours of daylight includes the hours between dawn and twilight, not just the hours from sunrise to sunset. B) The number of hours of daylight varies the most along the equator. C) The number of hours of daylight varies depending on the latitude of the observer. D) The number of hours of daylight varies the least at higher latitudes.
C
41) Which of the following is TRUE regarding daylength? A) Daylength varies more at the equator than at higher latitudes. B) The equator experiences at least six-‐‐hours difference in daylength from winter to summer. C) The people living at 40° N or S latitude experience about six-‐‐hours difference in daylength from winter to summer. D) Nowhere on Earth does daylength vary by as much as 24 hours.
C
43) How far north you live from the equator is measured as your ________, whereas an imaginary line marking all those places at that same distance north of the equator is called a ________. A) longitude; meridian B) meridian; longitude C) latitude; parallel D) parallel; latitude E) location; place
C
44) The basis for defining the length of a day is the fact that A) Earth rotates east to west. B) Earth moves through 365.25 days a year in its orbit about the Sun. C) Earth rotates on its axis in 24 hours, i.e., it rotates 15 degrees of longitude per hour. D) Earth does not rotate; rather, it revolves.
C
44) Which of the following characterizes Earth's revolution? A) It is responsible for creating the circle of illumination, and hence, day/night relationships. B) It takes approximately 24 hours. C) It determines the timing of seasons and length of the year. D) It is clockwise when viewed from above the North Pole.
C
5) Our planet and our lives are powered by A) shorter wavelengths of gamma rays, X-‐‐rays, and ultraviolet. B) energy derived from inside Earth. C) radiant energy from the Sun. D) utilities and oil companies.
C
51) Which of the following cannot be attributed to the effects of Earth's rotation? A) Deflection of the winds B) Daylength C) Latitudinal variations in net radiation D) Deflection of the ocean currents E) Rise and fall of tides
C
54) The Southern Hemisphere's summer solstice occurs A) during the Northern Hemisphere's equinox. B) on or around December 21. C) on or around June 21. D) at the same time as the Northern Hemisphere's summer solstice.
C
63) The equinox A) occurs four times during the year. B) is the longest day of the year at any given place. C) has 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night for all locations. D) is when the subsolar point is at one of the tropics.
C
78) The larger the scale of a map, the ________ the area covered by the map and the ________detail it provides. A) larger; more B) larger; less C) smaller; more D) smaller; less
C
73) A map scale of 1:24,000 means that A) one inch on the map equals 24,000 inches on the ground. B) one centimeter on the map equals 24,000 centimeters on the ground. C) one foot on the map equals 24,000 feet on Earth. D) all of these E) none of these
D
8) Light travels at a speed of approximately A) 1,000,000,000 kilometers per second (621,118,012 miles per second). B) 300,000 kilometers per hour (186,336 mph). C) 80,500 kilometers per hour (50,000 mph). D) 300,000 kilometers per second (186,333 miles per second).
D
99) Which of the following is a capability of a geographic information system (GIS)? A) data storage B) data manipulation and analysis C) map production with overlays of different information layers D) GIS systems can do all of these. E) data storage, manipulation, and analysis only
D
19) The number of waves passing a fixed point in 1 second is known as the A) frequency. B) electromagnetic spectrum. C) Kelvin. D) wavelength.
A
2) The word spatial refers to A) the nature and character of physical space. B) items that relate specifically to society. C) things that are unique and special. D) eras of time.
A
20) The Sun produces which of the following? A) Mainly visible light and infrared energy B) Only solar wind C) Only radiant energy that is beneficial to life D) Mainly ultraviolet and X-‐‐rays
A
27) The increase in meltponds in Arctic regions is an example of A) positive feedback, because the melt ponds absorb more solar energy than the ice did. B) positive feedback, as the melt ice freezes it increases the area of ice. C) negative feedback, because the ponds reflect more sunlight than ice and therefore absorb less energy. D) negative feedback, as the ice melts the water freezes, increasing the amount of ice.
A
29) The average insolation received by the thermopause when Earth is at its average distance from the sun is known as the A) solar constant. B) energy balance. C) incoming solar radiation. D) solar wind input to the atmosphere.
A
34) Which of the following is TRUE of the subsolar point? A) It only occurs at latitudes between the tropics (23.5° N/S). B) It never occurs beyond a few degrees of the equator. C) It occurs at all latitudes at least once throughout the year. D) The highest latitude at which it occurs is 60° N/S.
A
37) The Sun's declination refers to A) the latitude of the subsolar point. B) its altitude, in thousands of feet, above the horizon. C) how far the Sun is from Earth. D) the angular height of the Sun above the horizon.
A
39) Which of the following is CORRECT regarding daylength? A) The equator always receives equal hours of day and night. B) The range of daylength is shortest in the polar regions. C) Daylength is uniform at all latitudes throughout the year. D) The equator experiences six hours difference in daylength between the summer and winter.
A
42) An angular distance measured east or west of a prime meridian from the center of Earth is termed A) longitude. B) latitude. C) zenith. D) Greenwich distance.
A
43) Which of the following is NOT a reason for the seasons? A) The timing of Earth's perihelion and aphelion B) The shape of Earth C) Earth's axial tilt D) The revolution of Earth around the Sun
A
46) Latitude is A) the angular distance measured north or south of the equator. B) the angular distance measured east or west of a prime meridian. C) the basis for establishing meridians. D) portrayed on a globe as lines that cross the equator at right angles.
A
49) At all times during the year, the circle of illumination A) divides Earth between equal halves of lightness and darkness. B) separates winter from summer. C) divides Earth between Northern and Southern Hemispheres. D) divides Earth into eastern and western halves.
A
50) A line connecting all points along the same longitudinal angle is called a A) meridian. B) parallel. C) prime latitudinal angle. D) great circle.
A
50) The plane of Earth's orbit about the Sun is called A) the plane of the ecliptic. B) a great circle. C) perihelion. D) aphelion.
A
53) Which of the following is TRUE regarding Earth's axis? A) The axis is tilted 23.5° from a perpendicular to the plane of the ecliptic. B) The axis remains parallel to the plane of the ecliptic. C) Axial tilt is unrelated to the phenomenon of seasonal change. D) The amount of axial tilt fluctuates during the year and forms the basis for seasonal changes.
A
56) Which of the following is TRUE for the March Equinox? A) The subsolar point is at the equator. B) The subsolar point is at the Prime Meridian. C) The subsolar point is at the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° N). D) The subsolar point is at the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5° S).
A
57) Which of the following is TRUE for the September Equinox? A) The circle of illumination passes through both the poles. B) There is 24 hours of daylight at the North Pole. C) The Arctic Circle is completely within the circle of illumination. D) There is 24 hours of daylight at the South Pole. E) The Antarctic Circle is completely within the circle of illumination.
A
59) Which of the following is TRUE of the September equinox? A) The sun rises at the South Pole, where it will remain over the horizon for the following six months. B) All latitudes on Earth, except the Equator, experience unequal daylengths. C) The subsolar point is at the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° N). D) The subsolar point is at the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5° S).E) The Northern Hemisphere spring officially begins.
A
6) Which of the following is TRUE? A) The Sun produces energy through fusion processes. B) The Milky Way is part of our Solar System. C) The Sun is also a planet. D) The Sun is the largest star in the Milky Way Galaxy.
A
64) If it is 10:00 AM in Miami, Florida (Eastern time zone), what time is it in Los Angeles, California located 3 time zones to the west in the Pacific Time zone? A) 7:00 AM B) 8:00 AM C) 1:00 PM D) 2:00 PM
A
9) Which of the following does NOT accurately describe Earth's distance from the Sun? A) Earth's orbit around the sun is presently circular and, therefore Earth is always equidistant from the sun throughout the year. B) Earth is closer to the Sun in January (perihelion) and farther away in July (aphelion). C) The Earth-‐‐Sun distance averages 150 million kilometers (93 million miles). D) It takes light an average of 8 minutes and 20 seconds to travel from the Sun to Earth.
A
3) The planetesimal hypothesis pertains to the formation of the A) universe. B) planets. C) ocean basins. D) galaxy.
B
32) The uneven distribution of insolation by latitude is primarily a result of A) variability in the Sun's output. B) Earth's curvature, which presents varied angles to parallel solar rays. C) variation in the value of a watt. D) the changing distance of Earth from the Sun.
B
38) The sun's declination migrates through ________ of latitude annually. A) 66.5°. B) 47°. C) 30°. D) 133°. E) 23.5°.
B
39) Which of the following is easily determined using the position of the Sun or stars? A) longitude B) latitude C) altitude
B
4) Earth and the Sun formed specifically from A) unknown origins. B) a nebula of dust and gases C) the galaxy. D) other planets.
B
40) An angular distance measured north or south of the equator from the center of Earth is termed A) longitude. B) latitude. C) zenith. D) Greenwich distance.
B
45) The elapsed time between two crossings of the equator by the Sun is known as the ________. A) summer. B) tropical year. C) parallelism. D) inter-‐‐equinox.
B
48) Longitude is A) an angular distance measured north or south of the equator. B) an angular distance measured east or west of a prime meridian. C) the basis for establishing parallels. D) determined by Sun altitude above the horizon.
B
48) Which of the following is NOT true regarding rotational velocities at different latitudes? A) At 60° latitude, the rotational velocity is 838 kmph (521 mph). B) At 90° latitude, the rotational velocity is 1452 kmph (902 mph). C) At 30° latitude, the rotational velocity is 1452 kmph (902 mph). D) At 0° latitude, the rotational velocity is 1675 kmph (1040 mph).
B
52) Which of the following is NOT true? A) Throughout the year, Earth's axis maintains the same alignment relative to the plane of the ecliptic. B) During the winter months, Earth's axis is aligned towards Southern Cross. C) The axis through Earth's two poles points just slightly off Polaris. D) Earth's axis is titled 23.5° relative to the plane of the ecliptic.
B
55) Which of the following is TRUE for the December Solstice? A) The subsolar point is at the equator. B) The Antarctic Circle is completely within the circle of illumination. C) The Arctic Circle is completely within the circle of illumination. D) The subsolar point is at the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° N).
B
63) Standard time zones A) have yet to be generally established. B) are 15 degrees wide because Earth rotates through that distance in one hour. C) are only used in the developed countries. D) are spaced at 5 degree intervals of longitude in North America.
B
94) Remote sensing is A) a subjective determination of temperature. B) the monitoring of a distant object without physical contact. C) an earthbound technique not used in modern satellites. D) based on the principle that surfaces must be physically handled and directly measured for study.
B
14) On its way to Earth, the solar wind first encounters A) Earth's surface. B) the lower atmosphere. C) the atmosphere. D) the magnetosphere.
D
16) The scientific method is described by which of the following? A) the application of common sense B) a series of procedures developed by Sir Isaac Newton C) the development of hypotheses for testing and prediction D) All of these are correct.
D
17) The Sun gives off electromagnetic radiation because A) matter and energy totally annihilate one another in matter-‐‐antimatter reactions. B) energy is converted into matter. C) kinetic energy is converted into potential energy. D) matter is converted into energy.
D
18) The distance between corresponding points on any two successive waves is known as the A) electromagnetic spectrum. B) frequency. C) Kelvin. D) wavelength.
D
18) Which of the following is an example of a system? A) a leaf B) a river drainage basin C) a midlatitude cyclonic storm D) All of these are examples of systems. E) None of these is an example of systems.
D
19) A battery can best be described as a/an ________ energy system and a/an ________ material system. A) closed; closed B) closed; open C) open; open D) open; closed
D
22) Which of the following is TRUE? A) Because the Sun is so far away, it is impossible to measure the wavelengths of its radiation.1 B) The radiation emitted by the Sun and the are roughly the same wavelength. C) The Sun emits longwave radiation, whereas Earth emits shortwave radiation. D) The Sun emits shortwave radiation, whereas Earth emits longwave radiation.
D
28) Incoming solar radiation is called A) thermosphere. B) solar constant. C) solar wind. D) insolation.
D
30) The solar constant is measured at A) sea level. B) the Sun's surface. C) the edge of the Sun's atmosphere. D) the thermopause.
D
33) A value for Earth's circumference was first calculated by A) Columbus. B) Pythagoras. C) modern satellite measurements. D) Eratosthenes.
D
4) Which of the following best describes the current emphasis in the field of physical geography? A) understanding soil development B) modeling economic interrelationships among countries C) studying weather D) understanding how Earth's systems interact to produce natural phenomena
D
42) Changes in daylength, the Sun's altitude above the horizon, and the Sun's declination over the course of the year A) produce Earth's rotation. B) are factors that follow an irregular, random cycle. C) are phenomena that occur only at the equator. D) are responsible for the seasons.
D
46) Which of the following best describes the direction of Earth's rotation? A) Eastward B) Clockwise. C) Counterclockwise D) Counterclockwise when viewed from the North Pole; clockwise when viewed from the South Pole, eastward when viewed from the equator.
D
5) Which of the following most accurately characterizes the goal of geography? A) the production of maps B) memorization of the names of places on world and regional maps C) memorization of the imports and exports of a country D) understanding why a place has the characteristics that it does
D
58) Based on your understanding of the march of the seasons, which of the following is TRUE of Quito, Ecuador (0° 15' N, 78° 35' S)? A) At noon on June 21st, the sun is directly overhead in Quito. B) During the June Solstice, Quito experiences 24 hours of darkness because it is completely outside of the circle of illumination. C) Quito is at a latitude that is never the subsolar point. D) Quito experiences days and nights of equal lengths throughout the year.
D
60) If a clock on a ship indicates that it is 2:00 PM in its home port, while another clock on the ship indicates that it is 12:00 noon at the ship's present location, what is the difference in longitude between the ship's position and its home port? A) The ship is 2 degrees east of its home port. B) The ship is 2 degrees west of its home port. C) The ship is 30 degrees east of its home port. D) The ship is 30 degrees west of its home port. E) The ship is 45 degrees west of its home port.
D
60) Which of the following is TRUE of the March equinox? A) Moving south of the equator, the daylength increases, while moving north of the equator the daylength decreases. B) The suns direct rays strike perpendicular at the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5° S). C) In the Southern Hemisphere, it is known as the vernal equinox D) At all latitudes between the poles, day and night are of equal length.
D
61) On Earth, the Sun passes directly overhead at 25° north latitude ________ times a year. A) 4 B) 1 C) 2 D) 0
D
62) Which of the following statements is TRUE? A) The Northern Hemisphere vernal equinox is the Southern Hemispheres summer solstice. B) The Northern Hemisphere vernal equinox is also the Southern Hemispheres vernal equinox. C) The Northern Hemisphere vernal equinox is the Southern Hemispheres winter solstice. D) The Northern Hemisphere vernal equinox is the Southern Hemispheres autumnal equinox.
D
64) The Tropic of Capricorn refers to A) the parallel that is the farthest northern location for the subsolar point during the year. B) the location of the subsolar point on September 22. C) that parallel that is 66.5° south latitude. D) that parallel that is 23.5° south latitude.
D
7) Which of the following is FALSE? A) Compared with other stars in the Galaxy, the Sun is average in temperature, size, and color. B) The Sun and Solar System are part of the Milky Way Galaxy. C) The Sun produces energy through fusion. D) The Sun is by far the largest star in the Milky Way Galaxy.
D
13) A magnetic disturbance on the Sun's surface is called A) a sunspot. B) a magnetospheric cyclone. C) the solar wind. D) the electromagnetic spectrum.
A
16) The auroras in the upper atmosphere are caused by A) the interaction of the solar wind and upper layers of Earth's atmosphere. B) AM radio broadcasts. C) various weather phenomena. D) visible light interaction with the asthenosphere.
A
15) Earth's magnetosphere is generated by A) nuclear fusion in Earth's core. B) dynamo-‐‐like motions in Earth's interior. C) gravitational accretion. D) nuclear fission in Earth's core.
B
2) ________ is a supermassive black hole sitting in the galactic center of the Milky Way. A) Centaurus A B) Sagittarius A* C) The Orion Spur D) Messier 31
B
21) What type of feedback maintains stability in a system, i.e., what type of feedback keeps a system functioning properly? A) positive B) negative C) neutral
B
24) Which of the following best describes the condition of steady-‐‐state equilibrium? A) System inputs always exactly balance outputs so the system never changes. B) System inputs and outputs fluctuate around a stable average so the system does not move far from its average condition. C) System inputs produce large, random fluctuations in output, forcing the system into a new state of equilibrium. D) Systems slowly adjust to long-‐‐term changes in input and output.
B
25) If increased levels of carbon dioxide lead to further increases in temperature by promoting the release of even more carbon dioxide from the oceans, this means that ________ feedback has occurred and that the planet is ________. A) positive; in equilibrium B) positive; out of equilibrium C) negative; in equilibrium D) negative; out of equilibrium
B
25) The dominant wavelength emitted by Earth is A) gamma radiation. B) thermal infrared. C) X-‐‐ray radiation. D) visible light.
B
26) Which of the following sequences is arranged in order from shorter wavelength to longer wavelength? A) Gamma rays, microwaves, visible, X-‐‐rays B) X-‐‐rays, ultraviolet, visible, infrared C) Infrared, visible, ultraviolet, X-‐‐rays D) Radio waves, light, heat, X-‐‐rays
B
3) A principal methodology governing geographic inquiry A) is behavioral analysis. B) involves spatial analysis. C) uses chronological organization. D) is field work.
B
1) Geography is described as A) an Earth science. B) a human science. C) a physical science. D) a spatial science.
D
1) Which of the following is NOT true about our Solar System? A) It is embedded in the the Orion Spur of the Sagittarius Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy. B) It contains 8 planets and 4 dwarf planets. C) It is some 30,000 lightyears from Sagittarius A*, the black hole at the center of the Milky Way. D) It is located in the approximate center of the Milky Way Galaxy.
D
10) Which of the following is TRUE of Earth's orbit about the Sun? A) It takes approximately the same time for Earth as it does the rest of the planets in the solar system to orbit the Sun. B) It is perfectly circular. C) The orbit does not vary over millions of years. D) It is elliptical.
D
11) When does Earth's perihelion position, the point of orbit when it is closest to the Sun, occur? A) During the Northern Hemisphere's summer. B) During the Northern Hemisphere's spring. C) During the Northern Hemisphere's autumn. D) During the Northern Hemisphere's winter.
D
12) Which of the following is NOT true of sunspots? A) They can be several times larger than Earth. B) They can produce flares and prominences. C) They are surface disturbances caused by magnetic storms. D) They are brighter than the rest of the Sun's surface.
D
