Download File: ch01, Chapter 1: The Earth as a Rotating Planet

INTRODUCTORY GEOGRAPHY
GEOG 1200 WINTER TERM
Value: 12.5% of course grade
Time allowed: 1 hour
Number of questions to be attempted: 50
Answer all of the following multiple choice questions, using the IBM and a pencil. Write your
name and student number as directed at the top of the IBM sheet.
There are 50 questions. For each there are 5 possible answers, lettered a, b, c, d and e to
choose from. Choose the BEST answer and then against the relevant question number place a
pencil mark within the bubble at the appropriate letter on the IBM sheet.
NOTE: You must not make more than one mark for each question; multiple choices will result in
the question being scored "incorrect". You must ensure that any errors are erased completely.
1. Latitude ______________________.
a. describes the east-west locations on the globe.
b. is a measure of the rotation of the Earth.
c. lines are all the same length.
d. lines include the Equator.
e. lines include the International Date Line.
2. When the Sun is at its maximum inclination in the Northern Hemisphere it is
__________________.
a.
the summer solstice.
b.
the winter solstice.
c.
the autumnal equinox.
d.
the vernal equinox.
e.
the spring equinox.
3. The point on the Earth’s surface where the Sun is directly overhead is __________________.
a.
subsolar point.
b.
circle of illumination.
c.
great circle.
d.
small circle.
e.
arctic circle.
4. At the moment of the aphelion, the earth's position is _____________________.
a.
directly between the plane of the ecliptic and the Tropic of Capricorn.
b.
farthest from the Sun.
c.
closest to the Sun.
d.
farthest from the Moon.
e.
closest to the Moon .
5. What forces cause the Earth to assume the shape of an oblate ellipsoid?
a.
Gravity
b.
Earth's rotation on its axis
c.
Earth's revolution around the Sun
d.
Tectonic forces
e.
Gravitational influence of the Moon
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6. Passengers traveling by air from Tokyo to San Francisco hear the pilot announce that the
plane is about to cross the international date line. Their watches at that moment indicate that the
correct local time is 2:00 p.m. on Monday. Upon crossing the date line they should _______.
a.
change their watches to 3:00 p.m. on Monday.
b.
change their watches to 1:00 p.m. on Monday.
c.
change their watches to 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
d.
change their watches to 2:00 p.m. on Sunday.
e.
change their watches to 3.00 p.m. on Tuesday.
7. The boundary between the half of the Earth in sunlight and the half of the Earth in darkness is
the __________.
a.
solar zenith.
b.
international dateline.
c.
arctic circle.
d.
plane of the ecliptic.
e.
circle of illumination.
8. The earth's axis is always tilted at an angle of __________ degrees to the plane of the ecliptic.
a.
15
b.
23.5
c.
33.3
d.
66.5
e.
90
9. Oxygen accounts for approximately ________ % of the air that surrounds us.
a.
3.5
b.
7.0
c.
10.5
d.
21.0
e.
50.0
10. The average albedo of the planet Earth is around __________________
a.
20%.
b.
30%.
c.
50%.
d.
70%.
e.
80%.
11. Approximately what proportion of the total solar radiation entering the Earth’s atmosphere is
directly absorbed by the Earth’s surface?
a. 27%
b. 31%
c. 49%
d. 69%
e. 100%
12. Which of the following has the longest wavelength?
a.
ultra-violet (UV radiation)
b.
visible light
c.
x-rays
d.
infrared radiation
e.
gamma radiation
13. What is the range of wavelengths of visible light?
a.
1.2 to 3.0 micrometers
b.
0.7 to 1.2 micrometers
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c.
d.
e.
0.4 to 0.7 micrometers
8 to 12 micrometers
3 to 6 micrometers
14. The ozone layer absorbs which of the following wavelengths of radiation?
a.
ultraviolet
b.
visible
c.
infrared
d.
near infrared
e.
gamma radiation
15. Insolation is __________.
a.
incoming solar radiation.
b.
outgoing solar radiation.
c.
outgoing terrestrial radiation.
d.
the name given to the blanket-like effect the earth's atmosphere has on global warming.
e.
the warming effect of clouds.
16. Which of the following orderings of atmospheric layers is correct as one moves from the
earth's surface through the atmosphere?
a.
troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere
b.
troposphere, thermosphere, stratosphere, mesosphere
c.
thermosphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, troposphere
d.
stratosphere, thermosphere, troposphere, mesosphere
e.
thermosphere. mesosphere, stratosphere, troposphere
17. Overall, net radiation is greatest at _____________ latitudes and smallest at
______________ latitudes.
a.
low / middle
b.
low / high
c.
middle / low
d.
high / low
e.
middle / high
18. In which atmospheric layers does temperature increase with altitude?
a.
troposphere
b.
tropopause
c.
stratosphere
d.
stratopause
e.
mesosphere
19. The greenhouse effect is the result of the atmosphere's _______ of _______ radiation
emitted by the earth.
a.
reflection/infrared
b.
absorption/longwave
c.
refraction/counterd.
reflection/shortwave
e.
absorption /shortwave
20. During a temperature inversion _______.
a.
there is no change in air temperature as one ascends through the troposphere
b.
there is no change in air temperature as one descends through the troposphere
c.
temperatures increase as one ascends through the lower atmosphere
d.
temperatures decrease as one ascends through the lower atmosphere
e.
the stratosphere is the same temperature as the troposphere
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21. A parcel of air at the base of a mountain range has a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius . If
the parcel of air moved 500 metres up the slope, its temperature would be approximately
_______ degrees Celsius.
a.
24
b.
27
c.
33
d.
36
e.
40
22. Lines connecting locations having the same temperature are referred to as:
a.
isotherms
b.
isolines
c.
isobars
d.
isohypses
e.
isohyets
23. Thunderstorms are most associated with which of the following precipitation-producing
mechanisms?
a. Orographic uplift
b. Advection
c. Conduction
d. Convection
e. Wave cyclone development
24. Precipitation totals are normally greatest on the _____________ of mountain ranges
a. northern slopes
b. southern slopes
c. leeward slopes
d. windward slopes
e. slopes with gentle gradients
25. Which of the following types of cloud is found at the highest altitudes?
a. stratus
b. cumulus
c. cirrus
d. nimbostratus
e. altocumulus
26. The dry adiabatic lapse rate is _______ degrees Celsius per 1,000 metres.
a.
2.5
b.
10.0
c.
0.10
d.
6.4
e.
0.64
27. The temperature at which a parcel of air becomes saturated and condensation begins is
called the _______.
a.
point of vaporization
b.
dew point
c.
absolute humidity
d.
latent heat of fusion
e.
specific humidity
28. Why is the wet adiabatic lapse less than the dry adiabatic lapse rate?
a.
Water is colder at high altitudes
b.
Dry air heats more quickly than wet air
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c.
d.
e.
Evaporation as air rises keeps air dry and therefore warmer
Condensation of water releases heat
Formation of water droplets absorbs latent heat
29. If the sky appears to be completely gray during the day, what type of clouds are present?
a.
cumulus
b.
cirrus
c.
stratus
d.
cumulonimbus
e.
altocumulus
30. As a volume of air rises, __________.
a.
it expands and becomes cooler.
b.
it expands and becomes warmer.
c.
it contracts and becomes cooler.
d.
it contracts and becomes warmer.
e.
it expands but its temperature does not change.
31. An air mass where air converges at the surface, ascends and rotates in a clockwise direction
is:
a. a low pressure cell in the Northern Hemisphere
b. a low pressure cell in the Southern Hemisphere
c. a high pressure cell in the Northern Hemisphere
d. a high pressure cell in the Southern Hemisphere
e. both a low pressure cell in the Southern Hemisphere or a a high pressure cell in the Northern
Hemisphere
32. In high pressure systems __________________
a. air rises and converges at the surface.
b. air rises and diverges at the surface.
c. air subsides and converges at the surface.
d. air subsides and diverges at the surface.
e. air subsides but neither converges or diverges.
33. Trade winds __________________.
a. are easterlies.
b. are westerlies.
c. flow from the ITCZ to the Polar Front.
d. flow from the Polar Front to the Subtropical belts.
e. flow from the ITCZ to the Subtropical High.
34. The name given to the apparent deflecting influence of the earth's rotation on moving objects
such as wind and ocean currents is called _______.
a. the aphelion effect.
b. the ecliptic process.
c. Parallelism.
d. the Coriolis force.
e. the pressure gradient force.
35. A sea breeze flows __________.
a. during the day from the body of water towards the adjacent land area.
b. during the day from the land surface towards the adjacent body of water.
c. during the night from the body of water towards the adjacent land area.
d. during the night from the land surface towards the adjacent body of water.
e. during the night from mountain regions towards the adjacent body of water.
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36. At the ITCZ __________.
a. air descends to the surface creating a high pressure belt.
b. descending air collides with ascending air creating an unstable air interface.
c. air ascends from the surface to the tropopause and flows poleward.
d. air ascends from the upper atmosphere where it meets ionized air which is descending from
the troposphere.
e. descending air, from the upper atmosphere, meets ionized air creating a high pressure belt.
37. The polar zones are associated with _________ pressure and ________ winds.
a. low/ easterly
b. low/ westerly
c. high/ westerly
d. high/ easterly
e. high/ southerly
38. Which of the following factors is responsible for the monsoon?
a. The seasonal movement of the ITCZ over Africa and Asia
b. Development of high pressure over Asia in July
c. Development of low pressure over Asia in January
d. Flow of air from the Indian ocean over the land surface in January
e. All of the above
39. The mistral wind of the Rhone Valley in Southern France is an example of which type of
wind?
a. Sea breeze
b. Land breeze
c. Drainage wind
d. Mountain wind
e. Valley wind
40. Undulations in the westward flow of the upper-air westerlies are referred to as
__________________.
a. Hadley cells.
b. Gyres.
c. Jet Streams.
d. The Polar Front.
e. Rossby waves.
41. Which belt of winds corresponds with the subtropical high?
a.
doldrums
b.
horse latitudes
c.
southeast trades
d.
prevailing westerlies
e.
northeast trades
42. The phenomena known as El Nino occurs in which ocean?
a.
Pacific
b.
Indian
c.
North Atlantic
d.
South Atlantic
e.
Arctic
43. The pressure gradient force _______.
a.
increases as differences in atmospheric pressure increase per unit of distance
b.
decreases as differences in atmospheric pressure increase per unit of distance
c.
is unrelated to differences in atmospheric pressure
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d.
e.
is related to vertical changes in water vapour per unit of atmospheric volume
cancels out the Coriolis force at high altitudes where wind speeds are greater
44. Which ocean currents are categorized as thermohaline?
a.
Upwelling currents
b.
Surface ocean currents
c.
Deep ocean currents
d.
Tropical gyres
e.
Subtropical gyres
45. Surface winds converge towards __________________.
a.
an anticyclone
b.
a cyclone
c.
an area of high pressure
d.
the Subtropical high
e.
the Polar high
46. The art and science of map-making is referred to as:
a.
geographic information systems
b.
cartography
c.
remote sensing
d.
mapology
e.
plotting
47. Remote sensing is:
a.
the art and science of map-making
b.
whereby aircraft and satellites provide images of the Earth’s surface
c.
the collection of data about the Earth’s surface by surveyors on the ground
d.
the examination of physical features that are located far from human habitation
e.
not used extensively and is therefore not often discussed in physical geography
48. The true distance between places and how that distance is represented on a map is referred
to as the:
a.
map projection
b.
map system
c.
map scale
d.
spatial database
e.
spatial directory
49. A road would be represented on a map by a/n:
a.
point
b.
node
c.
line
d.
area
e.
icon
50. On which of the following projections does a straight line represent a true and constant
compass bearing?
a.
conic
b.
cylindrical
c.
isarithmic
d.
equal-area
e.
Mercator
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