1. Geography is described as
a. an Earth science
b. a human science
c. a physical science
d. a spatial science
2. A principal methodology governing geographic inquiry
a. is behavioral analysis
b. involves spatial analysis
c. uses chronological organization
d. is field work
3. Which of the following best describes the current emphasis in the
field of physical geography?
a. understanding soil development
b. modeling of economic interrelationships among countries
c. the study of weather
d. understanding how Earth processes interact to
produce the phenomena observed in nature
4. Which of the following compose the fundamental duality in the
field of geography?
a. physical versus human/cultural
b. physical versus economic
c. economic versus political
d. political versus environmental
5. Which of the following is an example of a system?
a. a leaf
b. a river drainage basin
c. a midlatitude cyclonic storm
d. all of these are examples of systems
e. none of these are examples of systems
6. 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
7. If a system responds to a change in input by moving further away
from its equilibrium condition, what type of feedback has occurred?
a. positive
b. negative
c. neutral
d. Not enough information is given to indicate
what type of feedback has occurred.
8. Which of the following is correctly matched?
a. equilibrium; balance of inputs and outputs
b. steady state equilibrium; small fluctuations
about an average condition
c. dynamic equilibrium; small fluctuations about
an average condition that changes gradually over time
d. all of the above are correctly matched
9. The carbon dioxide that is being added to the atmosphere by the
burning of fossil fuels is an example of an ________ variable to the atmosphere
and an ________ variable from the lithosphere.
a. input; input b.
input; output c. output; output d. output; input
10. Which of the following is true of models?
a. They are abstract representations of the world.
b. They are idealized representations of the
world.
c. They are simplified representations of the
world.
d. All of the above are true.
e. a and b only
11. The three inorganic Earth realms are the
a. hydrosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere
b. thermosphere, lithosphere, heterosphere
c. atmosphere, geoid, homosphere
d. stratosphere, magnetosphere, and troposphere
12. Living systems are considered
a. biotic b.
inorganic c. part of the lithosphere d.
abiotic
13. The realization that the Earth was a sphere
a. did not occur in Europe until the first voyages
of Columbus
b. had to wait until the modern era (1800s)
c. was first made by Pythagoras, 580-500 BC
d. was made by Isaac Newton
14. A value for Earth's circumference was first calculated by
a. Columbus
b. Pythagoras
c. modern satellite measurements
d. a librarian at Alexandria named Eratosthenes
15. The oblateness of the Earth occurs at the
a. poles b.
equator c. subtropics d. prime meridian
16. Relative to the speed of light, Earth is, on average, only 8
minutes and 20 seconds from the Sun. a.
True b. False
17. Earth is at perihelion in early January when it is closest to the
Sun.
a. True b. False
18. Earth is farthest from the Sun at perihelion and closest at
aphelion.
a. True b. False
19. Energy is liberated within the Sun's interior through a process
known as nuclear fusion.
a. True b. False
20. Sunspots vary in a cycle from 7 to 17 years, averaging 11 years
from a maximum to maximum peak. a. True b. False
21. The correct order for wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation,
from shortest to longest is: gamma rays, X-rays, infrared, radio waves, visible
light, and ultraviolet. a. True b.
False
22. The amount of the solar energy received by a given location is not
really constant--it varies depending upon the season and the Earth's distance
from the sun. a. True b.
False
23. Rotation is Earth's motion on its axis; revolution is its motion
about the Sun.
a. True b. False
24. Earth's axis is tilted 23.5ø from a perpendicular to the plane of
the ecliptic.
a. True b. False
26. All places on Earth receive the same period of day and night on
March 21.
a. True b. False
27. The duration of dawn and twilight tends to increase with increasing
latitude.
a. True b. False
28. Weather (rain, fog, storms, etc.) occurs primarily in the troposphere.
a. True b. False
29. Based on composition, the atmosphere is divided into two broad
regions: the ionosphere and the ozonosphere.
a. True b. False
30. The heterosphere has a layered structure, whereas the homosphere
occurs as an even mixture of gases.
a. True b. False
31. The principal gases of the homosphere (by volume) are nitrogen,
helium, and argon.
a. True b. False
32. The ozone layer protects Earth's surface from most of the incoming
ultraviolet radiation.
a. True b. False
33. Both nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide are principally produced
by automobiles.
a. True b. False
34. Photochemical smog results from the interaction of sunlight with
the combustion products of automobiles.
a. True b.
False
35. More than half the air pollution in the U.S. is produced by
automobiles.
a. True b. False
36. Air pressure is produced through the motion, size, and number of
air molecules.
a. True b. False
37. The atmosphere exerts an average force of approximately 1 kg/cm2
(14.7 lbs/in2) at sea level. a. True b.
False
38. The passage of shortwave and longwave energy through the atmosphere
or water is an example of…
a. absorption
b. transmission
c. refraction
d. insolation
39. The insolation received at Earth's surface is
a. usually low at the equator
b. generally greater at high latitudes because of daylength
c. greatest over low-latitude deserts with their
cloudless skies
d. inadequate to sustain life
40. 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
41. When light passes from one medium to another
a. transmission happens
b. Rayleigh scattering is the predominant effect
c. refraction occurs--a process that is important
to the formation of rainbows
d. it is usually not affected physically
42. When light passes from space into the atmosphere, it changes
___________ in a process known as _______________.
a. color; reflection
b. color; refraction
c. color; Rayleigh scattering
d. speed and direction; reflection
e. speed and direction; refraction
43. The reflective quality of a surface is known as its
a. conduction b.
absorption c. albedo d. scattering
44. Which of the following has the highest albedo?
a. forests b.
asphalt c.
dry, light sandy soils
d. fresh snow
45. If the surface of the earth were to suddenly turn white, the
temperature of the planet
would __________ because __________ insolation would be
absorbed.
a. decrease; less b. decrease; more c.
increase; less d. increase; more
46. Earth's average overall albedo is
a. 31 percent b.
51 percent c. 69 percent d. unknown
47. Which of the following has the lowest albedo?
a. pack ice off the coast of Antarctica
b. snow that is polluted and several days old
c. dry, light sandy soils
d. forests
e. the Moon's surface in full sunlight
48. An increase in the Earth's albedo would
a. warm the planet
b. cool the planet
c. have no effect on the planet's temperature
because insolation is constant
49. The sky is blue because
a. the albedo of the Earth is such that blue light
is absorbed more than other wavelengths
b. the Earth's atmosphere allows only blue light
to enter
c. the atmosphere scatters blue light more than
any other visible wavelength
d. the majority of radiation coming from the sun
is in the blue end of the visible spectrum
50. On a cloudy day, Earth's surface receives
a. direct insolation b. diffuse radiation
c. direct radiation d. a
reduced daylength