Exam 1 Questions

Question 1

A physical geographer would likely NOT study

a. the impact of Hurricane Sandy’s landfall along the U.S. East Coast.
b. the effects of the removal of dams on the Elwha River in Washington.
c. the 9.0 magnitude earthquake in Japan in 2011.
d. The diffusion of various religions from the so-called Middle East.

Answer 1

d. The diffusion of various religions from the so-called Middle East.

Question 2

Relative to the five fundamental themes of geography, your home address is best described as which of the themes?

a. Location
b. Place
c. Human-Earth relationships
d. Movement
e. Regions

Answer 2

a. location

Question 3

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 a ________ 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

Answer 3

b. positive; out of equilibrium

Question 4

According to the text, the three inorganic Earth realms are the

a. hydrosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere.
b. thermosphere, lithosphere, heterosphere.
c. atmosphere, geoid, and homosphere.
d. stratosphere, magnetosphere, and troposphere.

Answer 4

a. hydrosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere.

Question 5

Which of the following is a true statement regarding the shape of the Earth?

a. it is a perfect sphere
b. there is a geoidal bulge at the equator
c. it is taller than it is wide
d. it is flat
e. it changes throughout the year

Answer 5

b. there is a geoidal bulge at the equator

Question 6

A parallel of latitude

a. is used to measure distances east and west of the equator.
b. measures longitude.
c. is called a meridian.
d. is used to measure distances north or south of the equator.
e. is a line which passes through both poles.

Answer 6

d. is used to measure distances north or south of the equator.

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT true of meridians?

a. They cross parallels at right (90º) angles.
b. They are lines that run in an east-west direction.
c. All meridians are the same length.
d. They are used to measure east-west angular distances.

Answer 7

b. They are lines that run in an east-west direction.

Question 8

If you wanted a map with a lot of detail of a small area you would want a

a. a large scale map.
b. a small scale map.
c. an intermediate scale.
d. a world globe.

Answer 8

a. a large scale map.

Question 9

A line of tangency (also called a standard line) is a line

a. that always corresponds to a great circle.
b. along which shearing occurs.
c. divides Earth into two equal halves.
d. along which no distortion occurs.

Answer 9

d. along which no distortion occurs.

Question 10

A satellite imaging system that beams electromagnetic energy at the surface and then records the energy that is reflected is classified as a(n) ________ system.

a. Active
b. Passive
c. Photographic
d. Holographic

Answer 10

a. Active

Question 11

The plane of Earth’s orbit about the Sun is called

a. perihelion.
b. aphelion.
c. the plane of the ecliptic.
d. a great circle.

Answer 11

c. the plane of the ecliptic.

Question 12

The closest approach of the Earth to the Sun during Earth’s orbit is known as ____ and occurs in ____.

a. tropohelion/June
b. mesohelion/July
c. perihelion/January
d. aphelion/July
e. thermohelion/September

Answer 12

c. perihelion/January

Question 13

Our planet and our lives are powered by

a. energy derived from inside Earth.
b. radiant energy from the Sun.
c. utilities and oil companies.
d. shorter wavelengths of gamma rays, X-rays, and ultraviolet.

Answer 13

b. radiant energy from the Sun.

Question 14

Which of the following is characterized by the longest wavelengths?

a. X-rays
b. gamma rays
c. visible
d. thermal infrared
e. radio waves

Answer 14

e. radio waves

Question 15

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 the areas that are hotter than the rest of the Sun’s surface.
d. They are surface disturbances caused by magnetic storms.

Answer 15

c. They are the areas that are hotter than the rest of the Sun’s surface.

Question 16

The solar constant is measured at

a. the Sun’s surface.
b. the edge of the Sun’s atmosphere.
c. the thermopause.
d. sea level.

Answer 16

c. the thermopause.

Question 17

The uneven distribution of insolation by latitude is primarily a result of

a. variability in the Sun’s output.
b. the changing distance of Earth from the Sun.
c. variation in the value of a watt.
d. Earth’s curvature, which presents varied angles to parallel solar rays.

Answer 17

d. Earth’s curvature, which presents varied angles to parallel solar rays.

Question 18

The sun’s declination migrates through ________ of latitude annually.

a. 47°
b. 23.5°
c. 30°
d. 66.5°

Answer 18

a. 47°

Question 19

One reason for the seasons is that the Earth’s tilt never changes in its orbit around the sun, a property known as:

a. axial parallelism
b. plane of the ecliptic
c. sphericity
d. declination

Answer 19

a. axial parallelism

Question 20

Which of the following is true for our Northern Hemisphere’s 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).

Answer 20

b. The Antarctic Circle is completely within the circle of illumination.

Question 21

On Earth, the Sun passes directly overhead at Brookings ________ times a year.

a. 0
b. 1
c. 2
d. 4

Answer 21

a. 0

Question 22

Three criteria used for classification of the atmosphere explained in the text are

a. structure, origin, temperature
b. structure, origin, evolution.
c. composition, origin, evolution.
d. composition, temperature, and function.

Answer 22

d. composition, temperature, and function.

Question 23

The region of the atmosphere that is so evenly mixed that it behaves as if it were a single gas is the

a. homosphere.
b. heterosphere.
c. exosphere.
d. thermosphere.

Answer 23

a. homosphere.

Question 24

In which two atmospheric zones does temperature increase with altitude?

a. troposphere and mesosphere
b. troposphere and stratosphere
c. stratosphere and mesosphere
d. stratosphere and thermosphere

Answer 24

d. stratosphere and thermosphere

Question 25

The ozonosphere is critical to life because it

a. affects temperatures.
b. absorbs most ultraviolet wavelengths.
c. absorbs visible light wavelengths.
d. produces the auroras.

Answer 25

b. absorbs most ultraviolet wavelengths.

Question 26

Which of the following is true of chlorofluorocarbons?

a. They have been used as propellants in spray cans.
b. They are used in refrigeration systems.
c. The CFC molecules react with ultraviolet light to release chlorine which then destroys ozone.
d. All of the above are true.

Answer 26

d. All of the above are true.

Question 27

Temperature inversions occur

a. when surface temperatures are higher than overlying layers of air.
b. when there is good air drainage and ventilation of the surface air.
c. when surface temperatures are lower than warmer overlying air.
d. during episodes of reduced air pollution.\

Answer 27

c. when surface temperatures are lower than warmer overlying air.

Question 28

The Clean Air Act

a. has resulted in the significant reduction in various atmospheric pollutants.
b. is proposed legislation to address climate change.
c. costs more than the actual benefits.
d. has not met its stated objectives.

Answer 28

a. has resulted in the significant reduction in various atmospheric pollutants.

Question 29

Earth’s main energy outputs are

a. gamma rays, X-rays, and ultraviolet radiation.
b. ultraviolet radiation and visible radiation.
c. visible and infrared radiation.
d. thermal infrared radiation.

Answer 29

d. thermal infrared radiation.

Question 30

Net radiation (NET R) refers to

a. the net energy expended for ground heating and cooling.
b. the balance of all radiation incoming and outgoing at Earth’s surface.
c. the amount of insolation coming into the surface.
d. the amount of insolation not absorbed at the surface.

Answer 30

b. the balance of all radiation incoming and outgoing at Earth’s surface.

Question 31

The principle that explains the differential scattering of shorter wavelength radiation and accounts for the Earth’s blue sky is

a. mirage scattering.
b. refraction.
c. Rayleigh scattering.
d. transmission.

Answer 31

c. Rayleigh scattering.

Question 32

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

Answer 32

d. water vapor and carbon dioxide

Question 33

An image that appears near the horizon when layers of air are at different temperatures and densities is a(n) ________ and an example of ________.

a. reflection; albedo
b. Rayleigh scatter; albedo
c. reflection; refraction
d. mirage; refraction

Answer 33

d. mirage; refraction

Question 34

The 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines ________ global albedo, resulting in a temporary ________ of the Earth.

a. increased; cooling
b. decreased; cooling
c. increased; warming
d. decreased; warming

Answer 34

a. increased; cooling

Question 35

Which of the following is correctly matched?

a. conduction —molecule-to-molecule heat transfer
b. advection —strongly vertical mixing
c. radiation —assimilation and conversion of
d. convection —strongly horizontal mixing

Answer 35

a. conduction —molecule-to-molecule heat transfer

Question 36

An increase in the amount of high altitude, thin clouds would

a. cool the planet in a process called cloud-albedo forcing.
b. warm the planet in a process called cloud-greenhouse forcing.
c. have no effect on the planet’s temperature because insolation is constant.

Answer 36

b. warm the planet in a process called cloud-greenhouse forcing.

Question 37

The relationship between the daily radiation curve and the air temperature curve

a. shows air temperature reaches a maximum afternoon, whereas insolation reaches a maximum at noon.
b. shows little or no relationship between the two variables.
c. shows that peak temperatures occur near noon, whereas peak insolation receipt is at 3:00 or 4:00 P.M.
d. coincide at noon.

Answer 37

a. shows air temperature reaches a maximum afternoon, whereas insolation reaches a maximum at noon.

Question 38

Temperature is

a. a form of energy.
b. heat, as perceived by humans and other living things.
c. a function of insolation and windspeed.
d. measure of the average kinetic energy of individual molecules in matter.

Answer 38

d. measure of the average kinetic energy of individual molecules in matter.

Question 39

A temperature of 212° Fahrenheit is equal to ______ ° Celsius.

a. 0
b. 32
c. 50
d. 72
e. 100

Answer 39

e. 100

Question 40

The principal controls and influences of temperature patterns include

a. Earth’s tilt, rotation, revolution, and sphericity.
b. latitude, altitude, land-water heating differences, cloud cover, ocean currents, and surface conditions.
c. the distance of the Earth from the sun and sunspot activity.
d. the seasons and human activity.

Answer 40

b. latitude, altitude, land-water heating differences, cloud cover, ocean currents, and surface conditions.

Question 41

Which of the following is incorrect regarding the differences in the heating of land and water?

a. Soil has a higher specific heat than water.
b. Water has mobility and is mixed in ocean currents.
c. Light transmits through water better than soil.
d. A greater amount of evaporation occurs over oceans than over land.

Answer 41

a. Soil has a higher specific heat than water.

Question 42

During summer, coastal cities are ________ than inland cities at the same latitude, while in the winter they are ________.

a. warmer; warmer
b. warmer; cooler
c. cooler; warmer
d. cooler; cooler

Answer 42

c. cooler; warmer

Question 43

Lines on a temperature map connecting points of equal temperature is called an

a. isobar.
b. isohyet.
c. isotherm.
d. isobath.

Answer 43

c. isotherm.

Question 44

In July, the thermal equator

a. trends equatorward over continents.
b. trends poleward over continents.
c. assumes an orientation that closely parallels that of the equator.
d. is apparently random and has yet to be adequately explained.

Answer 44

b. trends poleward over continents.

Question 45

Average sea level pressure is:

a. 23.2 inches of mercury
b. 980.2 mb
c. 1000.2 mb
d. 1013.2 mb
e. 1030.2 mb

Answer 45

d. 1013.2 mb

Question 46

High-altitude winds that flow parallel to the isobars are called:

a. Tradewinds
b. Westerlies
c. Easterlies
d. cyclonic winds
e. geostrophic winds

Answer 46

e. geostrophic winds

Question 47

Winds are named based on

a. the direction from which they originate.
b. the direction in which they are blowing.
c. the scientist who first described them.
d. the altitude at which they occur.

Answer 47

a. the direction from which they originate.

Question 48

On a weather map of air pressure, what can you infer from a closer spacing of isobars?

a. little without knowing temperature patterns
b. a steep pressure gradient creating a slower flow of air
c. a steep pressure gradient creating a faster flow of air
d. higher pressures
e. a weak pressure gradient creating a slower flow of air

Answer 48

c. a steep pressure gradient creating a faster flow of air

Question 49

Which of the following is true regarding the effects of the Coriolis force?

a. The amount of Coriolis deflection is uniform from equator to poles.
b. Coriolis deflection occurs only along parallels, not meridians.
c. The Coriolis force is zero at the poles, increasing to maximum along the equator.
d. The Coriolis force is zero along the equator, increasing to one-half of maximum at 30° latitude and maximum at the poles.

Answer 49

d. The Coriolis force is zero along the equator, increasing to one-half of maximum at 30° latitude and maximum at the poles.

Question 50

Which is true of air flowing into low pressure center?

a. Air converges and ascends
b. Air diverges and ascends
c. Air converges and descends
d. Air diverges and descends

Answer 50

a. Air converges and ascends

Question 51

Which Country is Nancy from?

a. Japan
b. North Korea
c. China
d. Singapore

Answer 51

c. China

Question 52

In class, we watched a video about how volcanic eruption can cause global -scale climate change, which volcano is this video talking about:

a. Mt. Pinatubo
b. Mt. Tambora
c. Mt. St. Helens
d. Mt. Kilimanjaro

Answer 52

b. Mt. Tambora

Question 53

Is it true that toilet water drains differently in N. and S. Hemispheres because of Coriolis effect?

a. True
b. Not True

Answer 53

b. Not True