GEOG 110 Most Missed Exam Questions

A ________ occurs when convergent motion forces rocks to move upward along the fault plane. A) reverse fault B) lateral fault C) normal fault D) strike-slip fault E) shear fault

A

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

At which of the following locations is new ocean crust being formed? A) oceanic rift zones B) along collision zones between two continents C) along collision zones between two oceanic plates D) in oceanic trenches

A

The dry adiabatic rate (DAR) is: A) 6 C° per 1000 m (3.3 F° per 1000 ft). B) the rate used for a saturated parcel of air. C) a term that refers to the temperature decrease in the still, calm air that surrounds a moving air parcel. D) 10 C° per 1000 m (5.5 F° per 1000 ft.).

D

Which two gases are primarily responsible for the greenhouse effect because of their ability to absorb infrared energy? A) oxygen and hydrogen B) ozone and dust C) nitrogen and oxygen D) water vapor and carbon dioxide

D

Milankovitch cycles refer to: A) changes in Earth-Sun distance due to changes in the Earth's orbit around the sun, the Earth's axial rotation, and the Earth's axial tilt. B) cyclical changes in solar irradiance caused by increases and decreases in sunspot activity. C) increases and decreases in atmospheric gases and aerosols, primarily caused by natural activity such as volcanic activity and changes in net primary productivity. D) tectonic changes in continental positions. E) topographic changes from orogeny, erosion, and mass wasting.

A

Scientists use ________ to study past climates, using ________ to reconstruct climates that extend back further than our present instrumentation allows. A) proxy methods; climate proxies B) direct measurements; historical records C) indirect evidence; conjecture D) computer models; algorithms E) inference; supposition

A

The portion of air pressure exerted by water vapor is the A) vapor pressure. B) absolute humidity. C) psychrometer. D) dew point.

A

The tropopause altitude is highest ________ because of the ________. A) at the equator; intense heating from the surface B) at the poles; diffuse solar radiation C) during the summer; increased atmospheric pressure D) during the winter; Sun's direct rays hitting the Tropic of Capricorn

A

When water evaporates from a surface, which of the following occurs? A) Energy is stored within the water. B) Energy is released to the surface. C) The surface is warmed. D) Heat is transferred back and forth between the air and surface.

A

A lower 18O/16O ratio in ocean sediment cores indicates a(n) ________ climate, whereas a higher 18O/16O ratio indicates a(n) ________ climate. A) cooler; warmer B) warmer; cooler C) cooler; cold D) imbalanced; balanced E) stable; unstable

B

Ice cores provide a climate record for the past ________ years. A) 5,000 B) 800,000 C) 2 million D) 10 million E) 70 million

B

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 D) open E) closed

B

Which of the following is true of the subsolar point? A) The highest latitude at which it occurs is 60° N/S. B) It only occurs at lower latitudes, between the tropics (23.5° N/S). C) It occurs at all latitudes at least once throughout the year. D) It never occurs beyond a few degrees of the equator.

B

A craton is best described as: A) the product of active folding and faulting. B) the surface accumulation of molten rock. C) the stable remains of ancient tectonic activity. D) a landform undergoing constant tectonic activity.

C

The principles of buoyancy and balance, when applied to Earth's crust, helps us to explain fluctuations in Earth's outer crust, a property known as: A) folding. B) Moho effect. C) isostasy. D) orogenesis. E) faulting.

C

The thermopause is located: A) between the mesosphere and the thermosphere. B) wherever -90°C (-130°F) is recorded. C) approximately 480 km (300 mi.) above Earth's surface. D) at the bottom of the homosphere.

C

When the soil is at field capacity, A) a surplus definitely exists. B) no gravity drainage has occurred. C) excess gravitational water has drained. D) the capillary force is not acting. E) water is unavailable to plants.

C

Which of the following phase changes of water is incorrectly matched? A) Sublimation—energy absorbed B) Deposition—energy released C) Freezing—energy absorbed D) Melting—energy absorbed

C

Which of the following properly describes the formation of continental crust? A) All continental crust was formed millions of years ago. There is no active continental crust being formed. B) The formation of continental crust is independent of the formation of oceanic crust, involving only volcanism over the land masses. C) The formation of continental crust involves the entire sequence of seafloor spreading, subduction, remelting of oceanic crust, and subsequent rise of the remelted material. D) New continental crust is formed essentially in the same many as oceanic crust - from upwelling at mid-continental ridges. E) Continental crust, unlike oceanic crust, forms along transform plate boundaries where small amounts of magma are able to upwell to the surface, slowly forming new continental crust.

C