Deck 1: The Science of Geography

Question 1

Geography

A)does not use systems analysis.
B)does not consider process in explaining systems.
C)is not a science.
D)is derived from geo and graphein; literally,ʺto write Earth.ʺ

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Relative to the five fundamental themes of geography,areas that display uniform characteristics refer to

A)location.
B)place.
C)human-Earth relationships.
D)movement.
E)regions.

Answer 2

E

Question 3

Relative to the five fundamental themes of geography,communication and diffusion refer to

A)location.
B)place.
C)regions.
D)human-Earth relationships.
E)movement.

Answer 3

E

Question 4

ʺGeographyʺ literally means

A)map making.
B)to write (about)Earth.
C)the study of rocks.
D)place memorization.

Question 5

Relative to the five fundamental themes of geography,latitude and longitude refer to

A)location.
B)place.
C)human-Earth relationships.
D)movement.
E)regions.

Question 6

Which of the following comprise the fundamental duality in the field of geography?

A)Political versus environmental
B)Economic versus political
C)Physical versus human/cultural
D)Physical versus economic

Question 7

Shale gas extraction using hydraulic fracturing falls within which of the five themes?

A)location
B)place
C)human-Earth relationships
D)movement
E)regions

Question 8

The word spatial refers to

A)eras of time.
B)things that are unique and special.
C)items that relate specifically to society.
D)the nature and character of physical space and the distribution of phenomena within it.

Question 9

Relative to the five fundamental themes of geography,the Cienega de Santa Clara,an ecotourism destination on the Colorado River delta,is best described within which of the five themes?

A)location
B)place
C)human-Earth relationships
D)movement
E)regions

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT true of scientific theories?

A)They are broad in scope because they unify known facts about the world.
B)They are based on natural laws (such as those pertaining to gravity,relativity,atomic theory,etc.).
C)They are based on hypothesis testing.
D)They are absolute truths and can never be proven wrong.

Question 11

Relative to the five fundamental themes of geography,resource management and sustainable growth refer to

A)location.
B)place.
C)human-Earth relationships.
D)movement.
E)regions.

Question 12

The main methodology governing geographic inquiry

A)involves spatial analysis.
B)uses chronological organization.
C)is field work.
D)is behavioral analysis.

Question 13

Which of the following most accurately characterizes the goal of geography?

A)Memorization of the names of places on world and regional maps.
B)Memorization of the imports and exports of a country.
C)The production of maps.
D)Understanding distributions and movements across Earth.

Question 14

Geography is described as

A)a spatial science.
B)an Earth science.
C)a human science.
D)a physical science.

Question 15

Which is NOT true of geographers?

A)They are Earth systems scientists.
B)They use spatial analysis.
C)They are concerned with spatial and temporal relationships.
D)They are primarily concerned with place names.

Question 16

A physical geographer would likely NOT study

A)the effects of the removal of dams on the Elwha River in Washington.
B)the impact of Hurricane Sandyʹs landfall along the U.S.East Coast.
C)the 9.0 magnitude earthquake in Japan in 2011.
D)The diffusion of various religions from the so-called Middle East.

Question 17

Which of the following terms characterizes the discipline of geography?

A)Unscientific
B)Integrative
C)Eclectic
D)Both eclectic and integrative

Question 18

Which of the following is the most strongly supported by extensive hypothesis testing?

A)Educated guess
B)Speculation
C)Theory
D)Dogma

Question 19

Relative to the five fundamental themes of geography,characteristics of a site refers to

A)location.
B)place.
C)human-Earth relationships.
D)movement.
E)regions.

Question 20

Which of the following best describes the field of physical geography?

A)Understanding soil development.
B)The spatial analysis of all the physical elements,processes,and systems that make up the environment.
C)The study of weather.
D)Mapping of rock types.

Question 21

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 that feedback has occurred and that the planet is .

A)positive; out of equilibrium
B)negative; out of equilibrium
C)negative; in equilibrium
D)positive; in equilibrium

Question 22

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

A)stratosphere,magnetosphere,and troposphere.
B)hydrosphere,lithosphere,and atmosphere.
C)atmosphere,geoid,and homosphere.
D)thermosphere,lithosphere,heterosphere.

Question 23

Which of the following is INCORRECT?

A)Earth represents an open system in terms of energy.
B)Earth represents a vast integrated system.
C)New resources and matter are being added to Earthʹs systems all the time.
D)Earth represents a closed system in terms of matter.

Question 24

What type of feedback maintains stability in a system; i.e.,what type of feedback keeps a system functioning properly?

A)Positive
B)Neutral
C)Negative

Question 25

Which of the following is an example of a closed system?

A)An automobile
B)A river drainage basin
C)A forest
D)Earth (in terms of matter)

Question 26

The carbon dioxide absorbed by plants is an example of an to a forest and an from the atmosphere.

A)input; input
B)output; input
C)output; output
D)input; output

Question 27

The key idea behind the scientific method is

A)unbridled speculation about the world.
B)the use of intuition in testing theories.
C)the testing of ideas through controlled observations and experiments.
D)an appeal to supernatural explanations when natural explanations have not yet been found for a phenomenon.

Question 28

A large flood in a river may cause abrupt shifts leading to the carving of a new channel.The point at which this change occurs is a(n).

A)input
B)type of dynamic equilibrium condition
C)type of metastable equilibrium
D)threshold

Question 29

If feedback information encourages a change in a system,what type of feedback has occurred?

A)Neutral
B)Positive
C)Negative
D)Not enough information is given to indicate what type of feedback has occurred.

Question 30

In terms of matter and resources,Earth is essentially a(n)system; In terms of energy,Earth is a(n)system.

A)closed; open
B)open; closed
C)closed; closed
D)open; open

Question 31

As arctic temperatures rise,summer sea ice and glacial melt accelerates; lighter color surfaces are thereby replaced with darker-colored surfaces leading to more absorption and surface heating.This is an example of a(n)feedback.

A)dynamic
B)positive
C)negative
D)reverse

Question 32

is mass that assumes a physical shape and occupies space.

A)Entropy
B)A system
C)Energy
D)Matter

Question 33

The scientific method is described by which of the following?

A)A single,definitive method for doing science.
B)Irreproducible results accepted as theory.
C)The development of hypotheses for testing and prediction.
D)The acceptance of supernatural explanations for phenomenon until science proves otherwise.

Question 34

Which of the following best describes the condition of steady-state equilibrium?

A)System inputs always exactly balance outputs so the system never changes.
B)System inputs produce large,random fluctuations in output,forcing the system into a new state of equilibrium.
C)System inputs and outputs fluctuate around a stable average so the system does not move far from its average condition.
D)Systems slowly adjust to long-term changes in input and output.

Question 35

Which of the following is TRUE of models?

A)They are simplified,idealized representations of the real world.
B)They are never used in physical geography because of their inherent limitations.
C)They perfectly replicate the real world,but at a different scale.
D)They complicate our understanding of Earth system science.

Question 36

The capacity to change the motion of,or to do work on,matter is the definition of

A)acceleration.
B)plasma.
C)thermodynamics.
D)system.
E)energy.

Question 37

If global temperatures increased and caused more water vapor to enter the air and more snow to fall in cooler latitudes,then the initial increase in snowfall would be a feedback,whereas a sustained increase in the temperatures could lead to the loss of snow cover even at those latitudes and cause a feedback.

A)positive; positive
B)negative; negative
C)positive; negative
D)negative; positive

Question 38

Systems encountered in nature at Earthʹs surface,such as a forest,are

A)open systems in terms of matter.
B)closed systems in terms of energy.
C)open systems in terms of energy.
D)both open systems in terms of energy and open systems in terms of matter.
E)both closed systems in terms of energy and open systems in terms of matter.

Question 39

Which of the following is CORRECTLY matched?

A)Steady state equilibrium small fluctuations about an average condition
B)Tipping point same as steady state equilibrium
C)Threshold balance of inputs and outputs
D)Dynamic equilibrium large fluctuations that changes abruptly over time

Question 40

With respect to air,water,and material resources,which of the following is TRUE?

A)A forest is an open system.
B)A forest is a closed system.
C)A forest is an open system in terms of air,but closed in terms of material resources.
D)A forest is an open system in terms of water,but closed in terms of energy resources.

Question 41

Who made a significant,early contribution to cartography by adding a grid and orienting the map with north at the top? He also divided the circumference of Earth into 360 °,with each degree comprising 60 minutes,and each minute comprising 60 seconds.

A)Magellan in the sixteenth century A.D.
B)Pythagoras in the sixth century B.C.
C)Sir Isaac Newton in the seventeenth century A.D.
D)Ptolemy in the second century A.D.

Question 42

The science that specifically attempts to determine Earthʹs shape and size by surveys and mathematical means is called

A)geodesy.
B)astronomy.
C)geology.
D)cartography.
E)geography.

Question 43

Which of the following is TRUE regarding the 0° prime meridian?

A)International agreement regarding the location of the prime meridian was not resolved until the 1980s when a treaty was completed.
B)Earthʹs prime meridian passes through the old Royal Observatory at Greenwich,England,as set by an 1884 treaty.
C)The key to measuring angular distances east and west of the prime meridian was the development of accurate compasses.
D)The prime meridian passes through Paris,France.

Question 44

Which of the following is TRUE of the biosphere?

A)It is not connected to the overlapping inorganic spheres.
B)It extends from the floor of the oceans to 8 km (5 mi.)into the atmosphere.
C)It is never referred to as the ecosphere.
D)It is static,never to rarely changing.

Question 45

Which of the following statements regarding the development of models by scientists is NOT true?

A)Adjusting the variables in a model simulates different conditions and allows predictions of possible system operations.
B)Most scientists believe that any system can eventually be modeled with 100 percent accuracy.Thus,models can be perfect representations of reality.
C)A model is a simplification designed to help us understand complex processes.
D)A model is only as good as the assumptions and accuracy of information upon which it is based.

Question 46

Longitude is

A)the basis for establishing parallels.
B)an angular distance measured east or west of a prime meridian.
C)determined by Sun altitude above the horizon.
D)an angular distance measured north or south of the equator.

Question 47

As Figure 1.15 shows,the International Dateline follows generally the

A)principal meridian.
B)prime (0°)meridian.
C)180° meridian.
D)daylight savings line.

Question 48

A parallel of latitude

A)is a line which passes through both poles.
B)measures longitude.
C)is used to measure distances east and west of the equator.
D)is used to measure distances north or south of the equator.
E)is called a meridian.

Question 49

The basis for defining the length of a day is the fact that

A)Earth rotates east to west.
B)Earth does not rotate; rather,it revolves.
C)Earth rotates on its axis in 24 hours; i.e.,it rotates 15° of longitude per hour.
D)Earth moves through 365.25 days a year in its orbit about the Sun.

Question 50

Which of the following is TRUE of the biosphere?

A)Life processes generally are shaped to the abiotic spheres.
B)It is more a hypothetical concept than an actual ʺsphereʺ in physical geography terms.
C)It only occurs in the hydrosphere.
D)It is the least important of the four ʺspheres.ʺ

Question 51

Latitude is

A)the angular distance measured east or west of a prime meridian.
B)the angular distance measured north or south of the equator.
C)the basis for establishing meridians.
D)portrayed on a globe as lines that cross the equator at right angles.

Question 52

Which of the following statements about Earth is CORRECT?

A)Earth is perfectly spherical.
B)It is elongated.
C)The equatorial diameter is 42 km (26 mi.)greater than the polar diameter.
D)Earth is the second largest planet in the solar system.

Question 53

The oblateness of Earth occurs at the

A)subtropics.
B)equator.
C)prime meridian.
D)poles.

Question 54

Isaac Newton reasoned that Earth was NOT perfectly spherical because of

A)gravitational force created by Earthʹs more rapid rotation at the equator.
B)gravitational force created by Earthʹs more rapid rotation at the poles.
C)centrifugal force created by Earthʹs more rapid rotation at the equator.
D)centrifugal force created by Earthʹs more rapid rotation at the poles.

Question 55

An angular distance measured east or west of a prime meridian is termed

A)longitude.
B)latitude.
C)Greenwich distance.
D)zenith.

Question 56

How far north you live from the equator is measured as your ,whereas an imaginary line marking all those places at that same distance north of the equator is called a .

A)meridian; longitude
B)parallel; latitude
C)latitude; parallel
D)longitude; meridian
E)location; place

Question 57

An angular distance measured north or south of the equator is termed

A)latitude.
B)Greenwich distance.
C)zenith.
D)longitude.

Question 58

The realization that Earth was a sphere

A)had to wait until the modern era (1800s).
B)did not occur in Europe until the first voyages of Columbus.
C)was first made by Pythagoras,580-500 B.C.
D)was made by Isaac Newton.

Question 59

The diameter of Earth is largest when measured around the

A)subtropics.
B)prime meridian.
C)equator.
D)poles.

Question 60

Living systems are considered

A)inorganic.
B)abiotic.
C)part of the lithosphere.
D)biotic.

Question 61

The difference in Sun time between two places located 30 ° in longitude apart from one another is

A)30 seconds.
B)30 minutes.
C)one hour.
D)two hours.
E)three hours.

Question 62

If you were standing at 20° north latitude you would be within which latitudinal geographic zone?

A)Subarctic
B)Equatorial
C)Midlatitude
D)Tropical
E)Subtropical

Question 63

If it is 10:00 PM on July 3rd at 30° west,what date and time is it at 15° east?

A)July 3rd; 9 P.M.
B)July 3rd; 11 P.M.
C)July 3rd; 6 P.M.
D)July 4th; 2 A.M.
E)July 4th; 1 A.M.

Question 64

If you were standing at 60° north latitude you would be within which latitudinal geographic zone?

A)Antarctic
B)Subarctic
C)Midlatitude
D)Subtropical
E)Subantarctic

Question 65

Which of the following is NOT true of meridians?

A)They are used to measure east-west angular distances along parallels.
B)They are lines that run in an east-west direction.
C)All meridians are the same length.
D)They cross parallels at right angles.

Question 66

Standard time zones

A)are only used in the developed countries.
B)have yet to be generally established.
C)are spaced at 5° intervals of longitude in North America.
D)are 15° wide because Earth rotates through that distance in one hour.

Question 67

If City A is located 35° west of City B,the time at City A is that at City B.

A)earlier than
B)earlier during daylights saving only than
C)the same as
D)later than

Question 68

The letters A.M.stand for

A)ante meridiem.
B)after meridian.
C)after morning.
D)after midnight.
E)ante majolica.

Question 69

A line connecting all points along the same longitudinal angle is called a

A)prime latitudinal angle.
B)meridian.
C)parallel.
D)great circle.

Question 70

Which of the following is TRUE of the prime meridian?

A)It is used to determine latitude using lines that run east and west.
B)It is that place on Earth where the days officially change.
C)It was not established until 1884 and is centered on an observatory near London.
D)It was first used in the 1500s at the time of initial circumnavigation voyages.

Question 71

Travelers flying west from Los Angeles (118° W)to Tokyo (139°

A)International Dateline; lose a day (Example: Saturday becomes Sunday.)
B)International Dateline; gain a day (Example: Sunday becomes Saturday.)
C)prime meridian; lose a day (Example: Saturday becomes Sunday.)
D)prime meridian; gain a day (Example: Sunday becomes Saturday.)
E)will cross the and,as a result,they will when crossing this meridian.

Question 72

If a clock on a ship indicates that it is 2:00 P.M.in its home port,while another clock on the ship indicates that it is 12:00 noon at the shipʹs present location,what is the difference in longitude between the shipʹs position and its home port?

A)The ship is 30° west of its home port.
B)The ship is 2° west of its home port.
C)The ship is 45° west of its home port.
D)The ship is 30° east of its home port.
E)The ship is 2° east of its home port.

Question 73

A great circle is

A)a correct magnetic compass direction on a flat map.
B)any parallel of latitude.
C)a circle of circumference whose center coincides with the center of Earth.
D)the longest distance between two places on the surface of Earth.

Question 74

Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)is

A)established 24 standard meridians around the globe at equal intervals from the prime meridian.
B)replaced Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)and became the legal reference for official time in all countries.
C)the same as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
D)two-hours ahead of Zulu time,indicating the single moment when all locations on the planet are on the same calendar day.

Question 75

Earthʹs equator is an example of

A)a prime meridian.
B)a small circle.
C)a great circle.
D)a line of equal longitude.

Question 76

UTC is based on

A)average time calculations from atomic clocks collected worldwide
B)very precise pendulum motion in Greenwich,U.K.
C)the pulse rate of pulsar stars.
D)Big Ben

Question 77

Which of the following is TRUE of the 1884 international treaty establishing the prime meridian (0°)?

A)No consensus was met at the 1884 treaty,putting off the decision until a 1907 treaty was passed.
B)The United States designated the Washington meridian for land maps and marine maps.
C)The Greenwich meridian was established as the prime meridian by the treaty.
D)Each country selected its own prime meridian for their marine maps.

Question 78

The letters P.M.stand for

A)previous morning.
B)possible meridian.
C)post meridiem.
D)prior majolica.

Question 79

If you began a trip at 60° west,20° north and traveled 120° farther west and 50° south,your new position would be

A)30° north,120° west.
B)the International Dateline at 30° south latitude.
C)the International Dateline at 70° north latitude.
D)the Greenwich meridian at 70° north latitude.
E)the Greenwich meridian at 30° south latitude.

Question 80

UTC refers to

A)Universal Time Conference.
B)Universal Time Circles.
C)Coordinated Universal Time.
D)the International Date Line.