Deck 1: Introduction to Earth

Question 1

has adopted permanent Daylight Savings Time in effect all year round.

A) Argentina
B) Brazil
C) Canada
D) Russia
E) The U.S.A.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

While the United States spans six time zones, Russia is spread over time zones.

A) 3
B) 9
C) 24
D) 36
E) 12

Answer 2

B

Question 3

To Earth people, Polaris is an important star because it

A) is a guide for navigation.
B) is the brightest in the sky.
C) has shown hints of extraterrestrial life.
D) exploded and created a comet.
E) is the one usually hidden by the sun.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

The highest numbered latitude used in the geographic grid is °.

A) 100
B) 90
C) 365
D) 360
E) 180

Question 5

The Earth is one of planets in the solar system.

A) over one hundred
B) four
C) eight
D) twenty
E) thirty six

Question 6

The north end of Earth's axis points towards

A) the Moon.
B) Mars.
C) Polaris.
D) Venus.
E) Ork.

Question 7

The size of the Universe is best described as

A) in terms of the width of 5 galaxies across.
B) small.
C) vast beyond comprehension.
D) 100,000 light years across.
E) 1 astronomical unit across.

Question 8

Using a gnomon, one can

A) predict the phases of the moon.
B) theorize about amount of time since the "big bang".
C) tell local time.
D) calculate the radius of Earth.
E) estimate the exact height of tall mountains.

Question 9

The closest position taken by the Earth relative to the Sun is million kilometers.

A) 10
B) 47
C) 14,700
D) 1,470
E) 147

Question 10

Which of the following is out of order in the ideal application of the scientific method?

A) formulate a rule
B) design an experiment
C) observe the outcome of an experiment
D) observe a phenomenon that stimulates a question
E) make a hypothesis

Question 11

The Milky Way is one of, at least, galaxies in the Universe.

A) two million
B) two thousand
C) two hundred billion
D) two trillion
E) two hundred thousand

Question 12

A nebula is

A) a cloud of gas and dust.
B) a black hole.
C) a bright star.
D) a faded star.
E) none of the above

Question 13

Which of the following is a topic of study in a physical geography course?

A) soil
B) landforms
C) flora
D) climate
E) all of the above

Question 14

is the deepest spot in the ocean.

A) The middle of the Atlantic Ocean
B) The Mariana Trench
C) Just offshore of California
D) The Grand Canyon
E) The Hudson Canyon

Question 15

Which of the following is a central meridian in the standardized time system?

A) 20°W
B) 15°W
C) 5°W
D) 10 °W
E) 25°W

Question 16

"Greenwich Mean Time" is also known as .

A) The Plane of the Ecliptic
B) Universal Time Coordinated
C) European Time
D) Polaris
E) the perihelion

Question 17

The word geography comes from the Greek, meaning .

A) the study of rocks
B) the study of human culture
C) drawing of maps
D) planet measurement
E) Earth description

Question 18

Which of the below takes the LONGEST time?

A) revolution of the moon
B) a revolution of the Earth
C) the rotation of the Earth
D) a solar day
E) They all take approximately the same time.

Question 19

On June 21, the Sun's ray are directly over the

A) Arctic Circle.
B) Equator.
C) Tropic of Capricorn.
D) Plane of the Ecliptic.
E) Tropic of Cancer.

Question 20

The angular inclination of the Earth's axis with respect to a line perpendicular to the plane of the ecliptic

A) varies through the year.
B) is 23.5 degrees.
C) is 66.5 degrees.
D) is 90 degrees.
E) is 0 degrees.

Question 21

At the time of the aphelion, Earth is million kilometers from the Sun.

A) 5.2
B) 1,520
C) 152
D) 52
E) 15,200

Question 22

One degree of longitude equals 0 miles on the ground at the .

A) Arctic Circle
B) Tropic of Cancer
C) Antarctic Circle
D) Tropic of Capricorn
E) North Pole

Question 23

In science, the term "theory" is

A) a first guess.
B) an unsupported hunch.
C) not relevant.
D) revolution around Earth.
E) the highest order of understanding.

Question 24

One can tell when it is solar noon by observing

A) a graticule.
B) a clock.
C) the time of Sunrise.
D) a calendar.
E) the length of shadows.

Question 25

Geography is

A) an art, not a science.
B) a combination of physical and social sciences.
C) a social science.
D) a physical science.
E) much the same as geology.

Question 26

When the vertical rays of the Sun cross the Equator on their way northward, the date is known as in the Northern Hemisphere.

A) the winter solstice
B) the fall equinox
C) the perihelion
D) the spring equinox
E) the summer solstice

Question 27

At the North Pole, one degree of longitude extends kilometers on the ground.

A) 10
B) 0
C) 100
D) 1,000
E) 10,000

Question 28

How many time zones are contained within Alaska?

A) 4
B) 5
C) 2
D) 3
E) 1

Question 29

Earth rotates around its rotational axis. A plane at a right angle to and bisecting Earth's axis is known as the _ .

A) Arctic Circle
B) North Pole
C) plane of the meridian
D) plane of the Ecliptic
E) plane of the Equator

Question 30

The surfaces of the inner planets of our solar system seem to be composed of

A) mineral matter.
B) frozen carbon dioxide.
C) molten lava.
D) gases.
E) frozen water.

Question 31

The Milky Way is a galaxy some light years in diameter.

A) 1,000
B) 100,000
C) 10
D) 100
E) 10,000

Question 32

Meridians

A) are the same thing as parallels.
B) are east- west lines.
C) are numbered from 0- 100 in three hemispheres.
D) diverge as they near the poles.
E) are semicircles.

Question 33

At New York City, this is the shortest day of the year and the Sun is also lowest in the sky.

A) Vernal equinox
B) June solstice
C) Aphelion
D) Autumnal equinox
E) December solstice

Question 34

What happened 5 billion years ago?

A) the light we see today left the Sun
B) the "Big Bang" occurred
C) earth's oceans formed
D) the beginning of our solar system
E) The first student flunked a physical geography exam.

Question 35

Pluto's orbit is in the

A) Alpha Centauri galaxy.
B) same orbital plane as the main planets in the solar system.
C) "Big Bang" area.
D) Crab Nebula.
E) Kuiper belt.

Question 36

The response to Earth's rotation is

A) Death Valley.
B) polar flattening.
C) equatorial flattening.
D) wind.
E) Mt. Everest.

Question 37

Pluto is now classified as a

A) moon.
B) protostar.
C) comet.
D) dwarf planet.
E) meteorite.

Question 38

Earth is

A) one of the largest planets.
B) one of the biggest planets.
C) one of the planets having the most gas.
D) the smallest planet.
E) one of the inner planets.

Question 39

At the International Date Line, there is a change of .

A) season
B) day
C) hour
D) day and time zone
E) year

Question 40

The line connecting the points of maximum flattening on Earth's surface is called the

A) Equator.
B) Plane of the Ecliptic.
C) Arctic Circle.
D) radius.
E) axis.

Question 41

A spot on Earth's surface rotates fastest at the .

A) Arctic Circle
B) Equator
C) North Pole
D) Tropic of Cancer
E) Tropic of Capricorn

Question 42

Which of the following best describes the latitude and longitude of North America?

A) eastern and southern hemispheres
B) northern and eastern hemispheres
C) northern and southern hemispheres
D) northern and western hemispheres
E) eastern and western hemispheres

Question 43

The geographic grid line 180 degrees of longitude from the Prime Meridian is the .

A) 180th meridian
B) Tropic of Cancer
C) Tropic of Capricorn
D) 90th meridian
E) 320th meridian

Question 44

The is the basic Système International (metric system) unit of mass.

A) gram
B) mole
C) ton
D) meter
E) ampere

Question 45

At the June solstice, day length varies from hours at the Equator to hours at the North Pole.

A) 12, 24
B) 0, 24
C) 24, 12
D) 24, 0
E) 12, 0

Question 46

Our solar system contains _ moons revolving around the planets.

A) no
B) more than one hundred
C) two
D) ten
E) twenty

Question 47

An equinox has the property of

A) 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night at all latitudes.
B) the Sun at the same angle at all latitudes.
C) the vertical rays of the Sun at the Tropic of Cancer.
D) total darkness north of the Arctic Circle.
E) 24 hours of darkness at the Equator.

Question 48

The shape of the Milky Way is similar to a(n)

A) sphere.
B) spiral- shaped disk.
C) oblate spheroid.
D) circle.
E) pancake.

Question 49

The Earth rotates about its

A) axis.
B) inclination.
C) great circle.
D) Equator.
E) revolution.

Question 50

is considered a dwarf planet.

A) Mars
B) Pluto
C) Earth
D) Neptune
E) Venus

Question 51

The shape of Earth's orbit around the Sun is a(n)

A) circle.
B) ellipse.
C) spheroid.
D) oblate spheroid.
E) parabola.

Question 52

A cross section of Earth cut from pole to pole would reveal which shape?

A) sine curve
B) parabola
C) crescent
D) circle
E) ellipse

Question 53

The circle of illumination just touches the Antarctic Circle on or about .

A) March 23
B) December 21
C) June 21
D) September 23
E) January 1

Question 54

The 0° Meridian is the same line as the .

A) geographic grid
B) Prime Meridian
C) Equator
D) International Date Line
E) Perihelion

Question 55

In angular measurement, a minute contains seconds.

A) 10
B) 60
C) 0
D) 360
E) 3,600

Question 56

Any standard time zone extends degrees of latitude to the east and west of the central meridian.

A) 7.5
B) 25
C) 50
D) 5
E) 15

Question 57

The plane of the ecliptic is

A) the same as the plane of the Equator.
B) another way of describing the latitude of the vertical sun.
C) not important in physical geography.
D) the same thing as the Tropic of Cancer.
E) at an angle from the plane of the Equator.

Question 58

The term "a.m."

A) means "before solar noon".
B) is no longer used by most of the world.
C) refers to standard time at Greenwich.
D) was first used in the 1880s.
E) means "at solar noon".

Question 59

The altitudinal difference (relief) between the top of the tallest mountain and the bottom of the deepest ocean trench is CLOSEST to kilometers.

A) 200,000
B) 20,000
C) 2,000
D) 20
E) 200

Question 60

The most important physical effect of the Earth's rotation is .

A) seasonal change
B) to cause continents to "drift"
C) the alternation of sunlight and darkness
D) Daylight Saving Time
E) the blue appearance of clear sky

Question 61

The first nearly correct measurement of the Earth's circumference was made by .

A) Eratosthenes
B) Newton
C) Plato
D) Columbus
E) Einstein

Question 62

The origin of the universe is called by astronomers.

A) the "nebula"
B) the "Big Bang"
C) primordial solar system
D) the "worm hole"
E) Earth Day

Question 63

At the Equator, one degree of latitude is approximately equal to

A) 1,000 kilometers of longitude.
B) one degree of longitude.
C) a great circle.
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 64

The Earth's polar and equatorial diameters vary by percent.

A) 27
B) 0
C) 10
D) 7.5
E) 0.3

Question 65

Which of the following is not a major topic taught in a course of introductory physical geography?

A) climate
B) population
C) soil
D) landforms
E) flora

Question 66

The perihelion is during the month of

A) July.
B) December.
C) March.
D) September.
E) January.

Question 67

The Sun's rays are directly overhead at the on or about December 21.

A) Antarctica Circle
B) Tropic of Capricorn
C) North Pole
D) Tropic of Cancer
E) Arctic Circle

Question 68

Earth's radius is CLOSEST to kilometers.

A) 60
B) 6
C) 600
D) 600,000
E) 6,000

Question 69

The acceptance of of a theory or hypothesis is based on

A) a preponderance of evidence.
B) belief.
C) a hunch.
D) the pronouncements of authorities.
E) all of the above

Question 70

Which of the following is NOT defined by latitude?

A) meridian
B) parallel
C) North Pole
D) Antarctic Circle
E) Arctic Circle

Question 71

The fact that at any time during the year, the Earth's axis is parallel to its orientation at all other times is called its parallelism, or _.

A) revolution
B) polarity
C) aphelion
D) rotation
E) perihelion

Question 72

The solar system's outer planets are most likely composed of .

A) interstellar dust
B) granite
C) basalt
D) water
E) gas

Question 73

Which of the following subsystems includes all living things on Earth?

A) biosphere
B) hydrosphere
C) atmosphere
D) lithosphere
E) stratosphere

Question 74

Standardization in world time zones, dates from .

A) 1884
B) 1684
C) 1984
D) 1784
E) 1584

Question 75

The moon is some _ kilometers distant from Earth.

A) 385
B) 3,850
C) 38,500,000
D) 3.85
E) 385,000

Question 76

The Earth/Sun aphelion occurs once per year during the month of .

A) December
B) January
C) July
D) March
E) September

Question 77

The farthest north the vertical rays of the Sun ever reach north of the equator, occurs on or about .

A) December 21
B) March 23
C) June 21
D) September 23
E) Juyly 4

Question 78

The Earth is 3.3 percent closer to the Sun during the Northern Hemisphere than when it is farthest away.

A) Spring
B) Winter
C) Summer
D) Fall
E) Aphelion

Question 79

Mt. Everest is the tallest mountain on Earth and its altitude is closest to meters.

A) 900
B) 90
C) 900,000
D) 90,000
E) 9,000

Question 80

At the Equator (0°), a given point on Earth's surface travels about kilometers per hour.

A) 16,000
B) 60,000,000
C) 160,000
D) 1,600
E) 1,600,000