Geography Midterm 1
It is November 15, and you are standing at the North Pole. How long will the day-length be on this day?
0 hours
A parcel of air is about to be forced over a mountain 3 km in height. The temperature of the parcel at 0 km is 25°C, the dew point is 15°C, the DAR is 10°C/km, the MAR is 5°C/km, and the ELR is 7°C/km. At what elevation will clouds begin to form in the parcel of air?
1 km
The tropopause is approximately how many miles above the earth's surface?
10
Commercially available global positioning system receivers can currently be used to determine location to an accuracy of
10 meters or less
Suppose that it is 11:30 p.m. Tuesday immediately west of the international date line. What is the time and day immediately east of the international date line?
11:30 pm Monday
Now imagine the same situation, but an hour later (12:30 a.m. Wednesday). Again, what time is it immediately east of the international date line?
12:30 a.m. Tuesday
Which of the following representative fractions represents the largest scale?
1:10000 > 1:24000
At the equator the sun is never more than ________ degrees from a line that is perpendicular to the earth's surface.
23.5
Earth's albedo is approximately what value?
31%
Suppose a parcel of air is about to be forced over a mountain 3 km in height. Given that the temperature of the parcel at 0 km is 25°C, the dew point is 15°C, the DAR is 10°C/km, the MAR is 5°C/km, and the ELR is 7°C/km, what will be the temperature of the parcel when it reaches the base of the other side of the mountain?
35°C
Using figure 14.3 in your textbook, which of the following would represent the relative percentages of sand, silt and clay in a clay loam soil?
40,30,30
A parcel of air is about to be forced over a mountain 3 km in height. The temperature of the parcel at 0 km is 25°C, the dew point is 15°C, the DAR is 10°C/km, the MAR is 5°C/km, and the ELR is 7°C/km. What will be the temperature of the parcel at the top (3 km) of the mountain?
5°C
How much of the insolation absorbed by the earth atmosphere system is emitted back to space via longwave radiation?
69%
Suppose you have two functioning wells, fairly close to each other, and one goes dry but the other does not. Which of the following probably explains your predicament?
A cone of depression has developed around the dry well.
Which of the following locations will experience a 12-hour day length at the March equinox?
All latitudes
In which soil horizon is the process of leaching dominant?
E
Which of the following help to explain why we have seasons?
Earth's tilted axis, Earth's axial parallelism, the revolution of Earth around the sun
Earth is constantly receiving new resources and matter.
False
Earth's energy budget is balanced at all latitudes.
False
It is much easier to minimize distortion on small-scale maps.
False
Over the oceans, there is more precipitation than evaporation.
False
Oxisols are very fertile.
False
The temperature of the atmosphere decreases with increasing altitude in the stratosphere, just like in the troposphere.
False
The trade winds just north of the equator are easterly, while those just south of the equator are westerly.
False
Very warm and wet environments usually have soils with the highest amounts of clay and thus the highest fertility.
False
Worldwide, the highest population densities and growth rates occur in areas where water is readily accessible.
False
Which of the following would be used for overlay map analysis where two or more map layers are superimposed or integrated?
GIS
Which of the following is not true regarding motor vehicles in the United States?
In an air pollution study in California, it was found that old cars contribute a relatively greater amount of pollution than newer cars.
Which of the following accurately summarizes the differences in day-length and intensity of insolation with increasing latitude over the course of a year?
Intensity decreases and day-length becomes more variable as you move from low to high latitudes.
Which of the following is true regarding energy that is reflected by the atmosphere?
It does not heat the atmosphere.
Which of the following is true regarding the role of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?
It easily transmits shortwave but not longwave radiation.
Which of the following accurately describes what happens to air as it rises
It expands and cools.
Which of the following statements about the Coriolis force is true?
It helps to produce counterclockwise rotation of air around a low-pressure center in the Northern Hemisphere.
Which of the following statements about groundwater pollution is true?
It is contaminated from both point and nonpoint sources.
Which of the following best describes the value of a theory in the scientific method?
It stimulates continued observation and testing.
Which of the following statements regarding the global hydrologic cycle is true?
It suggests that precipitation and evaporation are balanced.
Which of the following is not true regarding ozone?
It traps thermal radiation emitted by the earth.
If a parcel of air above its dew point is cooled, and the specific humidity remains constant, what will happen to the relative humidity of that parcel?
It will increase.
Which of the following correctly describes the behavior of a system with positive feedback?
It will respond to a change in input by moving further from its equilibrium condition.
Which of the following represents a body of facts that is specific to geography?
None
Among layers of the soil horizon, which one contains the most organic material?
O
Which soil profile contains the largest amounts of humus?
O
Which of the following comes first in the scientific method?
Observation
Which of the following is true regarding motor vehicles in the United States?
Overall gas mileage in vehicles decreased from 2002 to 2007. Fuel efficiency standards for SUVs and pickups have not changed since 1975 and were further relaxed in 2005. SUVs and pickups trucks accounted for over half of new sales from 2002 to 2007.
Which of the following example stations experiences the greatest moisture deficits?
Phoenix, Arizona
What type of system has an even amount of negative couplings?
Positive feedback
Under which of the following conditions would a water deficit occur for a given area and time?
Potential evapotranspiration is greater than precipitation and soil moisture storage.
Suppose you have two functioning wells, fairly close to each other, and one goes dry but the other does not. Which of the following would be the best, long-term solution to the problem in the previous question?
Reduce water extraction to match the aquifer recharge rate.
Which of the following winds frequently helps to produce major brushfires in Southern California?
Santa Ana
Which of the following objects radiates electromagnetic energy?
Sun, earth, you
Why do hurricanes not form between the equator and about 5° latitude?
The Coriolis force is not strong enough.
Which of the following accurately describes the earth's distance from the sun? Select all that apply.
The earth is closer to the sun in January and farther away in July. The distance between them averages about 150 million km (93 million mi). It takes light an average of 8 minutes and 20 seconds to travel from the sun to the earth.
Which of the following is true with regards to the earth's energy budget?
The earth loses the same amount of energy as it gains.
On the March equinox, which of the following events takes place at the North Pole?
The sun rises above the horizon for the first time in six months.
Which of the following is true regarding temperature inversions?
They occur when the normal decrease in temperature with increasing altitude in the troposphere is reversed.
Anthropogenic pollutants are usually more harmful to humans than natural pollutants.
True
Clouds are an important factor affecting the earth's energy budget.
True
During summer, maritime locations tend to be cooler than continental locations.
True
Hotter objects emit energy at shorter wavelengths than colder objects.
True
It is possible for water vapor to change directly to ice.
True
Relative humidity can increase without new water vapor being added to the atmosphere.
True
The land-sea breeze and mountain-valley breeze cycles are controlled by shifting thermal high and low pressure systems.
True
Wind-generated energy resources are currently the fastest growing energy technology in terms of new capacity.
True
Which of the following accurately describes the commonly used Mercator projection?
True shape, cylindrical
You have just been shipwrecked on an island. Fortunately you have abundant seeds in your 72-hour kit. Assuming you are going to have to grow your own food to survive long-term, which of the following conditions would you be happiest to find?
You are on a volcanic island.
In terms of matter, Earth is
a closed system
What type of front is produced where a cold air mass is moving into a warm air mass at the surface?
a cold front
Which of the following describes the moisture condition if precipitation and soil moisture are inadequate to meet potential evapotranspiration?
a deficit
Which of the following would you be most likely to find associated with a warm front?
a gentle shower
If you are making a map that is likely to be photocopied and enlarged or shrunk by users, which type of scale would be best to include on your map?
a graphic scale
What is the term for a soil with approximately equal amounts of sand, silt, and clay?
a loam
Geography is
a spatial science
The Intertropical Convergence Zone is an example of which of the following?
a thermal low-pressure zone
A regional ocean current that is flowing from the equator towards a pole is most likely
a warm current.
The Gulf Stream current along the east coast of the United States is an example of
a warm current.
Insolation does not heat the earth until it is
absorbed
When water evaporates, latent heat is
absorbed by water molecules.
The wavelength of electromagnetic energy changes when it is
absorbed.
Which of the following types of fog results when warm, moist air moves horizontally to a colder area?
advection fog
What is the term for a water-bearing rock stratum?
an aquifer
A well in which water rises to the surface without any necessary pumping is known as
an artesian well.
What is the generic term for any line that connects points of equal value on a map?
an isoline
Circulation around a high pressure center is termed
anticyclonic.
What is the largest general climatic type worldwide, occupying more than 35% of earth's land area?
arid and semiarid climates
Which of the following climatic types would you find in most of northern Africa?
arid desert
Which of the following soil orders is most common worldwide?
aridisols
Which soil order has the greatest extent in the world?
aridisols
Which of the following objects would have the lowest albedo?
asphalt
At which of the following locations is solar energy most concentrated?
at places where the angle of incidence is 90°
A parcel of air always becomes saturated under which of the following points?
at the dew point temperature
According to the land-sea breeze cycle, what type of wind should a person expect when visiting a coastal beach during the day?
blowing from sea towards land
Why is it difficult to establish agriculture in aridisols?
buildup of salts, insufficient water, excessive evapotranspiration
Which of the following air masses is usually the most stable?
cP
Which of the following types of water is readily available to plants?
capillary water
Which of the following cloud types would be found at the highest altitude?
cirrus
Which is the smallest soil particle?
clay
Which of the following soil particles has the highest porosity?
clay
Which of the following soils would have the highest field capacity?
clay
Regional-scale ocean currents or gyres in the Northern Hemisphere typically flow
clockwise.
Which of the following are the three criteria used to classify the atmosphere?
composition, temperature, and function
What provides most of the energy that strengthens tornadoes?
condensation
Which of the following accurately describes atmospheric conditions if the environmental lapse rate is between the dry adiabatic and moist adiabatic rates?
conditionally unstable
Which type of energy transfer involves molecule-to-molecule contact?
conduction
The consistent afternoon thunderstorms that occur in the southeastern United States during the summer are usually produced by which lifting mechanism?
convection
What is the term for the physical transfer of heat through physical mixing of air including strong vertical motion?
convection
Which of the following is a capability of a geographic information system? Select all that apply.
data storage, manipulation and analysis, map production with different spatial information layers
Satellite images are based on
digital data that are stored electronically and then transmitted to earth by radio waves
Which area of the world experiences the largest annual range in temperature?
eastern Siberia
Leaching is synonymous with which of the following terms?
eluviation
The property of equivalence in a map projection is also known as
equal area.
Which of the following types of fog is most likely to form over water rather than land?
evaporation fog
At the surface of the earth, air flows
from high pressure to low pressure.
Which of the following processes produces the energy we receive from the sun?
fusion
Which of the following terms best describes the shape of the earth?
geoid
Which of the following terms best identifies the focus of physical geography?
geosystems
Most of the earth's fresh water is in which of the following forms?
glaciers and ice caps
Pumping of groundwater that exceeds the amount of natural recharge of an aquifer is called
groundwater mining.
Which of the following is correctly matched? Select all that apply.
high pressure—sinking air in the Northern Hemisphere low pressure—counter-clockwise rotation in the Northern Hemisphere
What does a Mediterranean climograph look like?
https://byuis.brainhoney.com/Resource/45940248,0/Assets/Media/Images/MediterraneanClimograph.jpg
Which of the following would best describe an area with a very high dew point?
humid
Which two climatic types are found along most of the East coast of the United States?
humid continental and humid subtropical
Which of the following climatic types would you find in most of the southeastern United States?
humid subtropical
Which of the following climatic types would you be least likely to find on the west coast of the midlatitudes?
humid subtropical (as opposed to marine west coast and Mediterranean)
What is the term for the collection of minerals and oxides in a portion of the soil profile?
illuviation
According to the mountain-valley breeze cycle, which of the following times would be best to take a bicycle trip up a canyon, assuming you want the wind at your back?
in the afternoon
In most places, when is relative humidity usually the lowest?
in the afternoon
Loss of stratospheric ozone is occurring primarily in which of the following places?
in the higher latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere
Which of the following would be most likely to be portrayed on a very large-scale map?
individual streets in a town
What controls the climatic type represented by the climograph (monsoon)?
influence of the ITCZ during summer and subtropical highs during winter
What controls the climatic type represented by this climograph (Mediterranean)?
influence of the westerlies during winter and the subtropical highs during summer
Electromagnetic energy reaches the earth atmosphere system from the sun via which of the following energy transfer processes?
insolation
Because geography uses elements from both the physical and human systems to explain the spatial distribution of various phenomena, we can call geography a(n) ____________ science.
integrative
What is the main source of energy for both tornadoes and hurricanes?
latent heat
What is the name of the heat energy involved in phase or state changes in water?
latent heat
By which of the following processes does the earth's surface lose most of the insolation it absorbs?
latent heat transfer
Which pedogenic regime is most associated with the tropics?
laterization
Which of the following most strongly controls patterns of temperature on the surface of the earth?
latitude
If you decided to take up farming, which of the following combinations of soil texture would you be happiest to find on your property, assuming moisture availability was of prime importance?
loam
Maximum temperatures usually occur after peak radiation in a given day or year. In a maritime location, this lag is usually
longer compared to a continental location.
Radiation emitted from the earth falls within which of the following parts of the electromagnetic spectrum?
longwave
The specific heat of land is ________ than that of water, and therefore heats more ________.
lower; quickly
What type of air mass would you most likely experience in Florida?
mT
Which of the following air masses would be warm and wet?
mT
What two air masses usually collide to produce strong midlatitude cyclones, severe thunderstorms, and tornadoes?
mT and cP
Which of the following most completely describes the makeup of soil?
minerals, gases, water, and organic matter
Which soil order has the highest agricultural productivity?
mollisols
The Coriolis force is strongest
near the poles.
Which type of feedback will produce self-regulation and stability in a system?
negative feedback
What causes conditionally unstable air to become unstable? Select all that apply.
net condensation, the release of latent heat, the rising parcel of air switches from the DAR to the MAR
Which of the following cloud types would be associated with rain?
nimbostratus
Which of the following cloud types would be found at the lowest altitude?
nimbostratus
During which stage of a midlatitude cyclone does a cold front catch up to a warm front?
occluded
Which of the following mechanisms of atmospheric uplift is least likely to be found over the ocean, helping to explain why evaporation is greater than precipitation over the oceans in the hydrologic cycle?
orographic
Which soil order would you be least likely to find in the continental United States?
oxisols
Which of the following characteristics of soil is affected by the presence of clay? Select all that apply.
porosity, water availability, nutrient availability, permeability
Which of the following is an example of active remote sensing?
radar
If a farmer is having trouble with waterlogged soils, which of the following would be best to add to the soil?
sand
Solar radiation is primarily ________ whereas radiation from the Earth is exclusively ________
shortwave; longwave
The larger the scale of a map, the ________ the extent covered by the map and the ________ the amount of detail it provides.
smaller; greater
In the Northern Hemisphere, an object traveling from west to east will initially be deflected to the ________ by the Coriolis force.
south
When light passes into the atmosphere, it changes ________ in a process known as ________.
speed and direction; refraction
Air that sinks or does not rise is considered
stable
Select all the options that correctly complete this statement: When ice melts or water evaporates, latent heat is
stored in water molecules.
Your friend, knowing you are enrolled in Geography 101, decides to test your knowledge by asking you to identify the extensive, flat layer of clouds that has formed at low altitudes. Which of the following terms would you appropriately use?
stratus
If you do not like extreme seasonal changes in temperature, in which of the following climatic types would you be least happy?
subarctic
Which climatic type experiences the greatest annual temperature ranges due to continentality?
subarctic
What are the dominant controls over Mediterranean climates?
subtropical highs during summer and the westerlies (cyclonic storm tracks) during winter
The makeup of sand, silt, and clay determines which of the following soil properties?
texture
Which of the following pressure cells are located near 60° N in the Pacific Ocean? Select all that apply.
the Aleutian Low
Most of the United States is located between which of the following pairs of parallels?
the Arctic Circle and and the Tropic of Cancer
What controls the climatic type represented by this climograph (tropical rainforest)?
the ITCZ
Which of the following pairs of the earth's global pressure systems are involved in the monsoon phenomenon?
the ITCZ and the subtropical highs
You are standing at the Tropic of Cancer at noon and you have no shadow. What day is it?
the June solstice
Where are most of the world's desalination plants located?
the Middle East
The "greenhouse effect" refers to
the absorption of longwave radiation by carbon dioxide, water vapor, and other gases.
Which of the following correctly defines potential evapotranspiration?
the amount of water that would evaporate or transpire if it were available
the amount of water that would evaporate or transpire if it were available
the amount of water that would evaporate or transpire if it were available
Where would you be most likely to find frontal lifting?
the midlatitudes
If net condensation is occurring in a rising parcel of air, at what rate will the parcel of air cool as it rises?
the moist adiabatic rate
The plane of the earth's orbit about the sun is known as
the plane of the ecliptic.
Which region in the United States is most susceptible to water deficits?
the southwest
In which of the following locations would one be most likely to find warm, dry, descending air?
the subtropical highs
What is the principal control over arid desert climates?
the subtropical highs
When isotherms on a temperature map bend poleward, it indicates a location where
the temperature is warmer than expected based on latitude.
When were problems with air pollution first reported?
the time of the Romans (2000 years ago)
About 90% of the total mass of the atmosphere is contained within which of the following layers?
the troposphere
What is the term for the boundary between the zone of aeration and the zone of saturation?
the water table
Air flowing from the subtropical highs to the subpolar lows produces which of the following global wind belts?
the westerlies
Which global wind belt is most common in the contiguous 48 United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii)?
the westerlies
You are standing at the Tropic of Capricorn at noon and you have no shadow. What day is it?
the winter (December) solstice
Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska are all part of
tornado alley.
Which of the following climatic types has very strong seasonality with regards to precipitation, but not temperature?
tropical monsoon
Which of the following climatic types does not have a strong seasonal component?
tropical rainforest
Which climatic type is influenced by the ITCZ during part of the year, and the subtropical highs during another part?
tropical savanna
How many times each year does the subsolar point pass over the equator?
twice
Which of the following best describes the current emphasis in the field of physical geography?
understanding how the earth's systems interact to produce natural phenomena
Which of the following most accurately characterizes the goal of geography?
understanding why a place has the characteristics that it does
A parcel of air that is warmer than its surroundings is considered
unstable
Which of the following accurately describes atmospheric conditions if the environmental lapse rate is 12°C/km, the dry adiabatic rate is 10°C/km, and the moist adiabatic rate is 6°C/km?
unstable
The peak of radiation we receive from the sun falls within which of the following parts of the electromagnetic spectrum?
visible
What conditions are found with a thermal low pressure center?
warm, rising air
Areas that experience monsoon circulation are characterized by ________ summers and ________ winters.
wet; dry
Which of the following is affected most strongly by the Coriolis force?
winds in the upper atmosphere
Which of the following best describes moisture conditions for Mediterranean climates?
winter-wet, summer-dry
What is the term for the subsurface zone where air exists with water in the space between soil and rock particles?
zone of aeration
