Introduction to Geography

Geographers believe that the essential starting point for understanding how people live on and shape the earth's surface is recognizing

spatial patterns.

When a continental plate collides with an oceanic plate, the oceanic plate is forced down towards the asthenosphere in a process known as

subduction.

The theory of continental drift was formulated because of

the remarkable fit of the continents.

Geography is BEST described as

the study of how and why human and physical attributes vary from place to place on the surface of the earth.

Tsunamis are caused by

underwater earth quakes.

Which one of the following sets of coordinates corresponds to a place on the earth?

34ºN, 84ºW

If it is 5 p.m. at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England, what time is it at 45° E longitude?

8 pm

Which one of the following correctly lists the four main properties of maps?

Area, shape, distance, direction

The United States is the only country with satellites collecting remotely sensed data on the earth.

False

The contour intervals are much greater for flatter surfaces than for mountainous and steeper slopes.

False

The equinoxes occur about June 21 and December 21.

False

The sudden decompression of gases contained within lava results in explosions of rock material to form ashes and cinders.

False

The world's greatest loess deposits are found mainly in the Sahara Desert.

False

The Ridge and Valley region of the eastern United States is the result of what force of diastrophism?

Folding

Which statement is NOT correct regarding Landsat satellites?

Landsat's sensors can depict objects up to 15 meters (50 feet) below the ground.

Which of the following groups contain only landforms produced by glacial deposition?

Lateral moraines, terminal moraines, outwash plain.

What is the general term referring to collecting information about the earth using devices as aerial photography, radar, and thermal scanners?

Remote sensing

Wind movements in the Northern Hemisphere tend to be deflected in what direction?

Right

Which statement is not true about global warming?

Scientists now have the tools to predict the local and regional consequences of global warming.

Which statement about air pressure is correct?

The greater the differences in air pressure between places, the greater the wind.

Which statement is not true about the greenhouse effect?

The green house effect began with the Industrial Revolution.

Which statement is NOT true of the world's hot deserts?

They are dry primarily because of the rain shadow effect.

Which of the following is not true with respect to "places?"

They are unable to interact with other places.

The term cultural landscape suggests the visible imprint of human activity upon the natural environment.

True

When it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere.

True

The Global Positioning System is maintained by the

US Department of Defense

The two most fundamental factors concerning solar insolation are

angle of the sun's rays and number of daylight hours.

Since humans are the active agents in human-environmental interactions, people in general

are frequently unmindful of the dangers of inappropriate environmental exploitation.

A zone of subduction is associated with the occurrence of

deep sea trenches and mountain ranges.

A computer-based set of procedures for handling geographically referenced information is known as

geographic information systems (GIS).

If a land surface where a mountain once stood is now a low, flat plain, __________ have been at work.

graduational processes

A contour interval

is the vertical spacing between contour lines.

Of the following responses, solar energy is most effectively stored in

large bodies of water.

The angle of the sun's rays at a given time and date is most influenced by a location's

latitude

The system of angular measurement for specifying a location distance north or south of the equator is known as

latitude.

Temperature inversions have no effect on air pollution.

False

A temperature inversion occurs when

air at lower altitudes is cooler than air aloft.

Cirques are associated with coastal processes.

False

For as long as geographers have made maps, the prime meridian has always gone through Greenwich, England.

False

Subarctic climates are home to vast deciduous forests.

False

Given a map scale of 1: 63,360, how many inches on the map would be needed to represent 2 miles on the ground?

2 inches

According to the theory of plate tectonics, the entire continental crust was connected in one supercontinent, from which the present day continents began to separate about

225 million years ago.

The most common rock on the earth's surface is the Igneous rock

Basalt

Which of the following is not considered a feature of the natural landscape?

Canal

Which of the following is not one of the principal agents of mechanical weathering?

Chemical reaction

Which statement is most accurate regarding temperatures at a given latitude in marine environments versus continental environments?

Compared to marine environments, continental environments are colder in winter and warmer in summer.

The circulatory motion of descending cool air and ascending warm air is known as

Convection

Which of the following is NOT one of the steps in the rock cycle?

Cooling and solidification of magma into metamorphic rocks.

Rather than flowing in a straight line from the polar region to the equator, winds are deflected due to the

Criolis effect

The term "geography" was reportedly coined by which Greek scientist?

Eratosthenes

What term refers to the increasing interconnection of all societies in all parts of the world?

Globalization

What type of map symbol do contour lines represent?

Isoline

Which of the following is not true of the natural landscape?

It determines how people live in a particular place.

Which of the following statements about carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is NOT true?

It is not naturally occuring.

Spring and autumn equinoxes occur on approximately ______________________ respectively.

March 21 and September 21

Which of the following rock types is formed by heat, pressure, or chemical reactions within the earth's crust acting on the other two major types of rocks?

Metamorphic

Which of the following correctly lists the five fundamental themes of geography?

Movement, regions, relationships within places, location, place

Which of the following is NOT a way to show a quantity at a point on a map?

Pixels

Human systems in geography include

Population, political, cultural

Which of the following statements regarding the physical characteristics of a place is not correct?

They dictate exactly the manner in which people will live in an area.

Which of the following statements about topographic maps is NOT correct?

They portray the terrain rather than features people have added to the natural landscape.

Which of the following is not a thematic map type?

Topographic map

A false-color image is one on which colors do not appear natural.

True

A typhoon and a hurricane are essentially the same phenomenon.

True

No projection can provide correct shapes for large areas.

True

Over geologic time, both igneous and metamorphic rocks can be converted to sedimentary rocks.

True

Savannas are characterized by dry winters.

True

The Peters projection attempts to promote social justice by showing the true areas of developing countries.

True

The location of Chicago at 41° 49' N latitude and 87° 37' W longitude is an example of

absolute location.

Found in the South Pacific, reefs that are formed in shallow water around a volcano that has since been covered or nearly covered by water are known as

atolls.

The U.S. network of bronze markers which indicate latitude, longitude, and elevation are called

bench marks.

Maps that adjust the size of area units based on the values of the data they depict are called

cartogram maps.

Oxidation, hydrolysis, and carbonation are forms of _______.

chemical weathering

Hurricane Sandy is a good example of a storm causing

coastal erosion.

According to Strabo, the purpose of geography was to

describe known parts of the world and to assess the differences among countries.

Spatial interaction is affected by

distance, accessibility, and connectivity.

As opposed to absolute location, the concept of relative location

expresses spatial interconnection and interdependence.

Fine-grained, windblown silt deposits are known as

loess.

The breaking up of rock by freezing and thawing is the result of

mechanical weathering.

A particular chemical combination that has a hardness, density, and definite crystal structure of its own is called a(n)

mineral.

Which of the following landforms are found in the floodplains of humid areas?

natural levees, oxbow-shaped lakes

Geography as a discipline

originated in ancient Greek interest in the nature of the universe and the varying character of the known parts of the earth.

Geographically, a hurricane is most likely to develop

over warmer ocean waters.

An example of a choropleth map would be a map showing

population density by county.

If distances between high-and low-pressure zones are short, __________ are steep and __________ are great.

pressure gradients, wind velocity

The earth's atmosphere is heated primarily by the process of

re radiation from the Earth.

The term "location matters" refers to

relative location.

An equidistant projection

shows true distance in all directions from one or two central points.

The vegetation native to Mediterranean climates is characterized by

shrubs and small deciduous trees like the scrub oak.

An example of a formal region is

the area of France where the Breton language is spoken.

Earthquakes result from

the buildup of tension as tectonic forces are applied.

The visible imprint of human activity is known as

the cultural landscape

The word geography is derived from Greek words meaning

the description of the Earth.

Which one of the following best identifies the cultural landscape?

the natural landscape as modified by human occupancy

As geographers use the term, scale tells us

the relationship between earth distance and map distance.

The Fujita scale is used to measure the strength of

tornadoes

Based on survey lines oriented in the cardinal directions, the Land Ordinance of 1785 established a systematic survey known as

township and range.

Geography differs from disciplines such as geology, meteorology, and cultural anthropology in that it

uses data from related disciplines to study spatial relationships.

The major volcanic belt is located near the major earthquake and fault zones because

volcanoes, earthquakes, and faults tend to be concentrated at or near plate boundaries.

Diffusion rates of ideas or things are least affected by

weather.