GEOG 110 Exam 1
The Sun's declination migrates through ________ of latitude annually?
47 degrees
A great circle is?
A circle of circumference whose center coincides with the center of Earth
With respect to air, water, and material resources, which of the following is true? A forest is an open system. A forest is a closed system. A forest is an open system in terms of air, but closed in terms of material resources. A forest is an open system in terms of water, but closed in terms of energy resources. A forest cannot be considered either on open or closed system.
A forest is an open system
On which one of the following projections do great circle routes appear as straight lines? Mercator projection A gnomonic projection Winkel-Tripel Goode's homolosine projection Any conic projection
A gnomonic projection
Earth's equator is an example of?
A great circle
If you wanted a map with a lot of detail of a small area, you would want?
A large scale map
Which of the following possesses all of Earth's properties of area, shape, direction, proximity, and distance, correctly? Mercator projection Albers equal-area Conic projection Winkel-Tripela world globe Robinson projection
A world globe
The ozonosphere is critical to life because it?
Absorbs most ultraviolet wavelengths
The Montreal Protocol?
Aims to reduce and eliminate all ozone depleting substances
Which of the following is false? Air molecules exert air pressure through their motion, size, and number. Over half of the total mass of the atmosphere lies below 5.5 km (3.14 mi). Air pressure decreases with increasing altitude.The atmosphere exerts an average force of 1 kg/cm2 at sea level. Air pressure decreases through the troposphere though increases in the stratosphere.
Air pressure decreases through the troposphere though increases in the stratosphere
The electromagnetic spectrum encompasses?
All possible wavelengths of electromagnetic energy
A line of tangency (also called a standard line) is a line?
Along which no distortion occurs
The name given to the most recent geological epoch to reflect the human influence on climate and ecosystems is the?
Anthropocene
A system is best described as?
Any set of ordered, interrelated components working as a unified whole
The tropopause altitude is highest ________ because of the ________?
At the equator; air expansion from intense heating at the surface
Living systems are considered?
Biotic
Systems encountered in nature at Earth's surface, such as a forest, are?
Both open systems in terms of energy and open systems in terms of matter
Three criteria used for classification of the atmosphere are?
Composition, temperature, and function
Which map projection preserves the property of true shape?
Conformal
UTC refers to?
Coordinated Universal Time
Which of the following are affected by the loss of ozone?
Crop yields, phytoplankton populations, immune systems, and eye tissues
Which of the following is correct regarding daylength?
Day length is always 12 hours long at the equator.
For observers in the Northern Hemisphere, which of the following is true? Daylength variations are negligible for all locations throughout the year except above the Arctic Circle. The longest day of the year occurs on the December solstice. Daylength decreases from the winter solstice until the vernal equinox, when it begins to increase. Daylength becomes increasingly longer during the period from the summer solstice until the winter solstice. Daylength is longest on the summer solstice and is shortest on the winter solstice
Daylength is longest on the summer solstice and is shortest on the winter solstice
The term "net radiation" refers to the?
Difference in the amount of incoming and outgoing radiation
Which of the following does not accurately describe Earth's distance from the Sun? Earth is closest to the Sun in January (perihelion). Earth is farthest away from the Sun in July (aphelion). Due to Earth's circular orbit, it is always equidistant from the sun throughout the year. The Earth-Sun distance averages 150 million kilometers (93 million miles). It takes light an average of 8 minutes and 20 seconds to travel from the Sun to Earth.
Due to Earth's circular orbit, it is always equidistant from the sun throughout the year
Which of the following is not true?
During the winter months, Earth's axis is aligned towards Southern Cross
The basis for our global time system is?
Earth rotates 15° of longitude per hour
The capacity to change the motion of, or to do work on, matter is the definition of?
Energy
What conditions would one expect to find in Quito, Ecuador, located at 0° 15' N, 78° 35' S?
Equal daylengths throughout the year
The actual distance on the ground spanned by a degree of longitude is greatest at the?
Equator
The diameter of Earth is largest when measured around the?
Equator
Which of the following describes the property of equal area on a map? Equidistance Proximity Conformality Angular Equivalence
Equivalence
On approximately which dates is the subsolar point 16° S?
February 5 and November 5
Based on temperature, the atmosphere is divided into?
Four regions, ranging from the troposphere to the thermosphere
The three inorganic Earth "spheres" around which Geosystems is designed are the?
Hydrosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere
Temperatures within the stratosphere?
Increase with altitude because of the absorption of ultraviolet radiation
The dominant wavelength emitted by Earth is?
Infrared
The carbon dioxide absorbed by plants is an example of a(n) ________ to a forest and an ________ from the atmosphere?
Input; output
Solar radiation that is intercept by Earth is called?
Insolation
Which of the following characterizes Earth's revolution?
It determines the timing of seasons and length of the year
Which of the following is true of the biosphere?
It extends from the floor of the oceans to 8 km (5 mi.) into the atmosphere
The high temperatures in the thermosphere occur because?
It is in direct contact with high energy solar radiation
An angular distance measured north or south of the equator from the center of Earth is termed?
Latitude
Which of the following cannot be attributed to the effects of Earth's rotation?
Latitudinal variations in net radiation
An angular distance measured east or west of a prime meridian from the center of Earth is termed?
Longitude
How far west you live from the prime meridian is measured as your ________, whereas an imaginary line marking all those places at that same distance west of the prime meridian is called a ________?
Longitude; meridian
The sun emits radiant energy composed of?
Mainly visible light and infrared energy
The transformation of a spherical globe to a 2D surface is a?
Map projection
What type of feedback maintains stability in a system; i.e., what type of feedback keeps a system functioning properly?
Negative
If Earth warmed up, and more snow fell because of more water vapor in the atmosphere, and that snow then reduced Earth's temperature, which increased snow cover, then the initial increase in snow fall would be ________ feedback, while the continued increase in snow fall would be ________ feedback?
Negative; positive
Which of the following is incorrect? New resources and matter are being added to Earth's systems all the time. Earth represents a vast integrated system. Systems in nature are generally not self-contained. Earth represents an open system in terms of energy. Earth represents a closed system in terms of matter.
New resources and matter are being added to Earth's systems all the time
The three stable (i.e., nonvariable) gases in the atmosphere, in order of abundance from most to least, are?
Nitrogen, oxygen, argon
The Southern Hemisphere's summer solstice occurs?
On or around December 21
The subsolar point occurs?
Only at lower latitudes between the Tropics (23.5° N/S)
The scientific method is described by which of the following?
Organized processes and procedures for analyzing phenomena and acquiring new knowledge
Why does temperature increase with altitude in the stratosphere?
Ozone converts UV radiation from the sun into heat energy
As arctic temperatures rise, summer sea ice and glacial melt accelerates; lighter color surfaces are thereby replaced with darker-colored surfaces leading to more absorption and surface heating. This is an example of a(n) ________ feedback?
Positive
If a system responds to a change in input by moving further away from its equilibrium condition, what type of feedback has occurred?
Positive
As we burn fossil fuels and release carbon dioxide, the temperature of our planet and the oceans will increase. When the oceans warm they will release more carbon dioxide, further warming the planet and oceans. This is an example of a ________ feedback loop and may result in the crossing of a(n) ________?
Positive; threshold
Most of the processes in our biosphere are fueled by?
Radiant energy from the sun
Scale in the context of examining physical geographic patterns and processes is best described as the?
Relative spatial and/or temporal size or extent of some attribute
________ refers to changes in daylength and the Sun's altitude over the course of the year?
Seasonality
Which of the following relationships is incorrect? March equinox subsolar point at 0° September equinox subsolar point at 23.5° S June solstice subsolar point at 23.5° N June 21 subsolar point at 23.5° N December solstice subsolar point at 23.5° S
September equinox subsolar point at 23.5°
The sun radiates ________ concentrated around ________?
Shorter wavelength; 0.5 μm
A scale of 1:900,000 is ________ a scale of 1:24,000?
Smaller than
In which two atmospheric zones does temperature increase with altitude?
Stratosphere and thermosphere
What is the name of the location on Earth's surface that receives the Sun's perpendicular rays?
Subsolar points
Which of the following best describes the condition of steady-state equilibrium?
System inputs and outputs fluctuate around a stable average
________ is a measure of the average kinetic energy of individual molecules in matter?
Temperature
Which of the following is not true about the troposphere? The altitude of the upper limits of the troposphere (the tropopause) varies with season and latitude. An average temperature of -57°C (-70°F) defines the tropopause. Approximately 90% of the total mass of the atmosphere is within the troposphere. The bulk of all water vapor occurs in the troposphere. Temperatures increase with altitude in the troposphere because the higher in altitude, the closer to the sun.
Temperatures increase with altitude in the troposphere because the higher in altitude, the closer to the sun
Which is true of the December solstice? The subsolar point is at the equator. The subsolar point is at the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° N) The North Pole experiences 24 hours of daylight. The Arctic Circle is completely within the circle of illumination. The Antarctic Circle is completely within the circle of illumination.
The Antarctic Circle is completely within the circle of illumination
Which of the following is true of chlorofluorocarbons?
The CFC molecules react with ultraviolet light to release chlorine which then destroys ozone
Which of the following is an example of a closed system?
The Earth in terms of matter
In terms of incoming solar radiation (insolation), which is the correct order?
Thermosphere, mesosphere, stratosphere, troposphere
The term "geography" (geo graphein) literally means?
To write (about) Earth
If you were standing at 20° North you would be within which latitudinal geographic zone?
Tropical
Which atmospheric zone supports the biosphere and is the region of principle weather activity?
Troposphere
The difference in Sun time between two places located 30° in longitude apart from one another is?
Two hours
Based on function, the atmosphere has?
Two zones that absorb radiation from the Sun
Earth's main energy inputs are?
Ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared radiation
As viewed from the equator, Earth's rotation is described as?
West to east
The high temperature in the upper thermosphere?
Would feel cold to humans due to few molecules for heat transfer
Which of the following sequences is arranged in order from shorter wavelength to longer wavelength? infrared, visible, ultraviolet, X-rays X-rays, ultraviolet, visible, infrared visible, gamma rays, radio waves, infrared gamma rays, microwaves, visible, X-rays radio waves, visible, heat, X-rays
X-rays, ultraviolet, visible, infrared
The solar constant is measured at?
The thermopause
The solar constant is measured at?
The top of the atmosphere (480 km (300 mi))
The Sun passes directly overhead at 25° N ________ times a year?
0
At sea level, the pressure of the atmosphere is about ________ kg/cm2?
1.0
Which of the following statements is correct? The Northern Hemisphere's vernal equinox is the Southern Hemisphere's winter solstice. The Northern Hemisphere's vernal equinox is the Southern Hemisphere's vernal equinox. The Northern Hemisphere's vernal equinox is the Southern Hemisphere's summer solstice. The Northern Hemisphere's vernal equinox is the Southern Hemisphere's autumnal equinox. The Northern Hemisphere's vernal equinox is the Southern Hemisphere's summer equinox.
The Northern Hemisphere's vernal equinox is the Southern Hemisphere's autumnal equinox
Which of the following is true? The radiation emitted by the Sun and Earth are roughly the same wavelength. The Sun emits shortwave radiation, whereas Earth emits longwave radiation. While the wavelengths emitted by the Sun and Earth are mostly the same, Earth tends to emit more shortwave radiation than the Sun. The Sun emits longwave radiation, whereas Earth emits shortwave radiation. Because the Sun is so far away, it is impossible to measure the wavelengths of its radiation.
The Sun emits shortwave radiation, whereas Earth emits longwave radiation
On the March equinox all latitudes on Earth except the equator experience unequal daylengths. the Arctic Circle is completely within the circle of illumination.the subsolar point is at the South Pole. the Sun's direct rays strike perpendicular to the Tropic of Capricorn(23.5° S). all latitudes between the poles experience equal daylength.
The Sun's direct rays strike perpendicular to the Tropic of Capricorn(23.5° S)
One June 21st, the Sun's declination is at?
The Tropic of Cancer (23.5° S)
Which of the following statements about Earth's shape is correct? Earth is a prolate spheroid. The polar diameter is 10 km (6 mi.) greater than the equatorial diameter. The polar diameter is 42 km (26 mi.) greater than the equatorial diameter. Earth is perfectly spherical. The equatorial diameter is 42 km (26 mi.) greater than the polar diameter.
The equatorial diameter is 42 km (26 mi.) greater than the polar diameter.
Which of the following is true of the number of hours of daylight?
The hours of daylight varies depending on the latitude of the observer
The Sun's declination refers to?
The latitude of the subsolar point
The Tropic of Capricorn refers to?
The parallel that occurs at 23.5° South
The plane of Earth's orbit about the Sun is called?
The plane of the ecliptic
Which of the following is true regarding the prime meridian?
The prime meridian passes through the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, England
If a clock on a ship indicates that it is 2:00 P.M. 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?
The ship is 30° west of its home port
Which is true of the March equinox? The subsolar point is at the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5° S). The subsolar point is at the equator. The subsolar point is at the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° N). The subsolar point is at the North Pole. The subsolar point is at the South Pole.
The subsolar point is at the equator
On the September Equinox all latitudes on Earth except the equator experiences unequal daylengths. the Northern Hemisphere's spring officially begins.the sun rises at the South Pole and will remain over the horizon for the next six months. the subsolar point is at the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° S). the Arctic Circle is completely within the circle of illuminations and experiences 24 hours of daylength.
The sun rises at the South Pole and will remain over the horizon for the next six months
