Geography

Front 1

A small circle gives the shortest distance between two points on Earth.

Back 1

False

Front 2

A person travelling westbound across the International Date Line must subtract one day from the calendar in order to keep an accurate record of the date.

Back 2

False

Front 3

A small scale map has less detail than a large scale map.

Back 3

True

Front 4

A system is a set of living and non-living components that have lost the ability to influence each other.

Back 4

False

Front 5

According to your text, the discipline of geography is governed by the method of spatial analysis.

Back 5

True

Front 6

Understanding the size and shape of Earth is a primary goal of geodesy.

Back 6

True

Front 7

Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) adjusts for daylight savings every year in much the same way as most of North America.

Back 7

False

Front 8

A great circle has a center that coincides with Earth's center.

Back 8

True

Front 9

A meridian is a line that connects all points along the same latitude.

Back 9

False

Front 10

If a world maps shows Greenland and South America to be about the same size (area), it is quite possibly a Mercator projection.

Back 10

True

Front 11

Outputs generated by a system that influence its own operation are called

Back 11

positive and negative feedback

Front 12

The __________ passes through the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England.

Back 12

Prime Meridian

Front 13

The Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn are __________.

Back 13

parallels of latitude

Front 14

A __________ system such as Earth allows for inputs and outputs of energy, with virtually no inputs and outputs of physical matter.

Back 14

closed

Front 15

A __________ is a simplified, idealized representation of the real world used to help us understand complex systems.

Back 15

model

Front 16

A computer-based processing tool for gathering, manipulating, and analyzing geographic information is called a __________.

Back 16

geographic information system

Front 17

The atmosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere are examples of __________ systems.

Back 17

abiotic

Front 18

__________ is the modern international reference for time zones.

Back 18

Coordinated Universal Time

Front 19

Lines of latitude run __________ to each other.

Back 19

parallel

Front 20

__________ is the ratio of the image on a map to that of the real world.

Back 20

Scale

Front 21

Under certain circumstances (especially over warm oceans), increased temperature at Earth's surface will result in increased evaporation and increased cloud formation. The increased cloud cover, in contrast, serves to block more sunlight, resulting in a temperature decrease. This pathway is an example of __________.

Back 21

a negative feedback loop

Front 22

Imagine leaving San Francisco, CA at 9am on a Monday and flying to New York, NY. Assuming your flight takes five hours, the local time when you arrive will be ________.

Back 22

5pm Monday

Front 23

Based on your knowledge of time zones in the U.S., match these cities with the proper relative time.

1.1 Denver, Colorado
1.2 New York, New York
1.3 San Francisco, California
1.4 Fairbanks, Alaska
1.5 Chicago, Illinois
1.6 Honolulu, Hawaii

Back 23

1.1 10am
1.2 Noon
1.3 9am
1.4 8am
1.5 11am
1.6 7am

Front 24

Match these latitudes with the latitudinal geographic zones in which they fall.

2.1 5 degrees south
2.2 41 degrees north
2.3 86 degrees north
2.4 60 degrees south
2.5 28 degrees south

Back 24

2.1 Equatorial and tropical
2.2 Midlatitude
2.3 Arctic
2.4 Sub-antarctic
2.5 Sub-tropical

Front 25

The source of the Sun's energy is a fission reaction in which a hydrogen nucleus splits into several helium nuclei.

Back 25

False

Front 26

The Sun emits radiation composed only of visible light wavelengths.

Back 26

False

Front 27

X-ray radiation is one component of the Sun's electromagnetic spectrum.

Back 27

True

Front 28

Sunspots are the result of magnetic storms on the sun.

Back 28

True

Front 29

At any point along the circle of illumination, the Sun would be on the horizon.

Back 29

True

Front 30

The solar constant is the position of the Sun at perihelion.

Back 30

False

Front 31

If the speed of Earth's rotation increased 50 percent, the length of a year would not change. However, each day would be shorter.

Back 31

True

Front 32

For locations north of the Tropic of Cancer, the Sun's altitude reaches its annual maximum on the December solstice.

Back 32

False

Front 33

At the equator, daylength (duration of exposure to the Sun) is a constant 12 hours/day throughout the year.

Back 33

True

Front 34

The axial tilt of the Earth is 23.5 degrees from a perpendicular to the plane of the ecliptic.

Back 34

True

Front 35

Seasons occur as Earth moves closer to -- and farther from -- the Sun during the course of the year.

Back 35

False

Front 36

The Sun's __________ is the latitude of the subsolar point.

Back 36

declination

Front 37

A(n) __________ is a large magnetic storm that reveals unusual solar activity.

Back 37

sunspot

Front 38

On the December solstice, the __________ is at 23.5 degrees south latitude.

Back 38

subsolar point

Front 39

Daylength for virtually all points on Earth is almost exactly 12 hours on the __________.

Back 39

equinoxes

Front 40

At the South Pole, daylength is 24 hours/day for all days between __________.

Back 40

the September equinox and the following March equinox

Front 41

The top of the atmosphere, also considered the outer boundary of Earth's energy system, is referred to as the __________.

Back 41

thermopause

Front 42

__________ is the balance between incoming shortwave and outgoing longwave radiation.

Back 42

Net radiation

Front 43

The Earth is at __________ during the Northern hemisphere winter (on or about January 3).

Back 43

perihelion

Front 44

The Earth's __________ produces the continually changing daily pattern of day and night.

Back 44

rotation

Front 45

The __________ consists of billions of stars as well as our own solar system.

Back 45

Milky Way galaxy

Front 46

Match the approximate dates with the Sun's declination on that date.

1.1 December 21
1.2 June 21
1.3 September 22
1.4 March 21

Back 46

1.1 23.5 degrees south latitude
1.2 23.5 degrees north latitude
1.3 Equator (then continuing north in the following days)
1.4 Equator (then continuing south in the following days)

Front 47

Match the terms with the brief definitions.

2.1 rotation
2.2 revolution
2.3 perihelion
2.4 aphelion
2.5 insolation

Back 47

the movement of Earth in its orbit around the Sun
radiant energy from the Sun
the spin of Earth on its axis
Earth's closest position to the Sun, occurs around January 3

Front 48

Air pressure decreases rapidly with increasing altitude.

Back 48

True

Front 49

By chemical composition, the atmosphere is divided into the troposphere and the heterosphere.

Back 49

False

Front 50

The thermosphere, mesosphere, stratosphere, and troposphere are layers of the atmosphere with distinctly different temperature characteristics.

Back 50

True

Front 51

Gases in the heterosphere are evenly mixed and generally inert.

Back 51

False

Front 52

The thermosphere comprises roughly the same layer as the homosphere.

Back 52

False

Front 53

The ionosphere protects us from dangerous radiation by absorbing (or filtering) the shortest and most dangerous wavelengths coming from the Sun.

Back 53

True

Front 54

For practical purposes the atmosphere is considered to extend to 480 kilometers from the Earth's surface. Beyond this is the exosphere.

Back 54

True

Front 55

The tropopause is located at the top of the troposphere.

Back 55

True

Front 56

A temperature inversion occurs when temperature decreases with altitude, effectively creating a layer of cold air between two layers of warm air.

Back 56

False

Front 57

Transportation is the major anthropogenic (human-caused) source for carbon monoxide in the atmosphere.

Back 57

True

Front 58

Animal waste is the single largest source of ozone in the lower atmosphere.

Back 58

False

Front 59

Volcanoes, forest fires, and dust storms are all natural sources of air pollution.

Back 59

True

Front 60

Surface ozone is even more beneficial to humans than the ozone found higher up in the atmosphere.

Back 60

False

Front 61

When we measure air ________, we are measuring the vibrational (or kinetic) energy of the air molecules.

Back 61

temperature

Front 62

In the list below, the layer of the atmosphere that shields Earth's surface from harmful ultraviolet radiation is the ____________.

Back 62

ozonosphere

Front 63

Gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, and argon are considered ____________ components of the modern atmosphere.

Back 63

stable

Front 64

While ________________ is a naturally occurring gas in Earth's atmosphere, it became a pollution problem only after fossil-fuel burning vehicles became concentrated in urban areas.

Back 64

carbon monoxide

Front 65

A temperature inversion can be described as a temporary reversal in the __________.

Back 65

normal lapse rate

Front 66

Photochemical ____________ is formed when the products of automobile exhaust are exposed to sunlight.

Back 66

smog

Front 67

According to your text, we might describe the next phase in the atmosphere's evolution as the ______________ atmosphere.

Back 67

anthropogenic

Front 68

Sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere reacts with oxygen to form sulfer trioxide, a highly reactive gas that, in the presence of water, forms ________ acid.

Back 68

sulfuric

Front 69

__________ consist(s) of dirt, dust, soot, and ash from industrial and natural sources.

Back 69

Particulate matter (PM)

Front 70

Ninety percent (90%) of the total mass of the atmosphere can be found in the ___________.

Back 70

troposphere

Front 71

Correctly apply the normal lapse rate (6.4 C degrees per 1000 meters) to the following scenario. Assuming a surface temperature of 40 degrees C (over 100 degrees F!), what will the temperature be 10 kilometers (6 miles) above the surface?

Back 71

-24 degrees C (-12 degrees F)

Front 72

The passage of shortwave and longwave radiation through the atmosphere is called refraction.

Back 72

False

Front 73

Surfaces with high albedo reflect more light than those with low albedo.

Back 73

True

Front 74

Energy is transferred from low latitudes to high latitudes by advection.

Back 74

True

Front 75

Emissions of sulfer dioxide may offset some of the effects of greenhouse warming by increasing albedo.

Back 75

True

Front 76

Naturally occurring carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is responsible for the greenhouse effect.

Back 76

True

Front 77

Urban heat islands result from the fact that metal, glass, concrete, and other construction materials reflect more insolation than do natural vegetation and soil.

Back 77

False

Front 78

Most longwave energy emitted by Earth's surface is absorbed by the atmosphere before it reaches space.

Back 78

True

Front 79

When solar energy entering the Earth/atmosphere system is accounted for, 31% is absorbed at Earth's surface, 21% is absorbed by atmospheric gases, dust, and clouds, 3% is absorbed by ozone, and the remaining 45% is reflected back to space.

Back 79

False

Front 80

Insolation is absorbed by atmospheric gases, dust, clouds, and statospheric ozone, as well as by land and water surfaces.

Back 80

True

Front 81

In the natural radiation balance between Earth and the atmosphere, nonradiative transfers of energy occur by convection, conduction, and latent heat of evaporation.

Back 81

True

Front 82

Light entering the atmosphere bends in a process known as _________________

Back 82

refraction

Front 83

________________ is the difference between absorbed and emitted radiation.

Back 83

Net radiation

Front 84

From approximately 36 degrees N latitude to 36 degrees S latitude, an energy __________ occurs in the radiation balance.

Back 84

surplus

Front 85

_________ is the molecule-to-molecule transfer of heat energy as it diffuses through a substance.

Back 85

Conduction

Front 86

Albedo is properly associated with ______________ of shortwave radiation.

Back 86

reflection

Front 87

An increase in albedo caused by clouds is described by the term __________.

Back 87

cloud-albedo forcing

Front 88

Rainbows and mirages are examples of __________.

Back 88

refraction

Front 89

Over time, Earth reradiates back to space an average of __________ percent of total incoming energy.

Back 89

69

Front 90

__________ is the unobstructed and unaltered passage of shortwave and longwave energy through either the atmosphere or water.

Back 90

Transmission

Front 91

Of the total solar energy arriving, an average of __________ percent is reflected back to space by the Earth's surface and atmosphere. This is called the Earth's albedo.

Back 91

31

Front 92

Assume the following hypothetical radiation data collected at some point on Earth: 60 units incoming shortwave (radiation from the Sun), 15 units outgoing shortwave (sunlight reflected back toward space), 50 units incoming longwave (from the atmosphere), and 25 units outgoing longwave (emitted from Earth toward space). The albedo of the surface is _________.

Back 92

25%

Front 93

Altitude is the single most important influence on temperature variations.

Back 93

False

Front 94

Within the troposphere, temperatures decrease with increasing altitude above Earth's surface.

Back 94

True

Front 95

Approximately 84 percent of all evaporation on Earth is from the land.

Back 95

False

Front 96

Mixing spreads available energy over a greater volume. Thus, the oceans have more evenly spread surface temperatures than do the continents.

Back 96

True

Front 97

Locations near the centers of continents are described as having more "maritime" influences than are locations near the coasts.

Back 97

False

Front 98

On average, the coldest region of Earth is in northern Canada.

Back 98

False

Front 99

Apparent temperature is the perception of temperature, and it varies among individuals and cultures.

Back 99

True

Front 100

The coldest wind-chill factors are produced by low temperatures and high winds.

Back 100

True

Front 101

The heat index is a combination of temperature and humidity.

Back 101

True

Front 102

In July, isotherms in the northern hemisphere shift toward the poles over land since higher temperatures occur in continental interiors.

Back 102

True

Front 103

Compared to a land surface exposed to the same solar radiation, an ocean surface should have a higher annual temperature range.

Back 103

False

Front 104

A traveler heading due east from San Francisco, CA in January will generally experience warmer overall temperatures as he/she approaches the interior of the continent.

Back 104

False

Front 105

The _______________ temperature scale is used in scientific research because temperature readings are proportional to the actual kinetic energy in a material.

Back 105

Kelvin

Front 106

Holding all other factors constant, air temperature decreases with increasing altitude because the ________ of the atmosphere changes.

Back 106

density

Front 107

On a sunny summer day, we can attribute the difference in temperature between the hot surface of a sandy beach and the cooler sand a few centimeters below the surface to the very low ________________ of the sand.

Back 107

transparency

Front 108

One of the primary reasons that water changes temperature more slowly than soil or rock is because of its higher ________.

Back 108

specific heat

Front 109

Temperature maps commonly use lines of constant (equal) temperature called __________________ to portray the spatial pattern of temperature.

Back 109

isotherms

Front 110

Everything else being equal, you would expect higher temperatures associated with _______________.

Back 110

low elevations

Front 111

The isoline corresponding to the highest temperatures on Earth's surface is called the___________.

Back 111

thermal equator

Front 112

The ____________ is an indicator of apparent temperature resulting from the interaction of temperature and water vapor.

Back 112

heat index

Front 113

Places with the lowest annual temperature ranges on Earth are __________________.

Back 113

at low latitudes, especially near coastal areas

Front 114

On a global scale, ____________ is the single most important direct influence on temperature.

Back 114

insolation

Front 115

An outdoor thermometer reading ________ degrees Celsius would indicate a very hot but bearable day.

Back 115

40

Front 116

Match these temperatures with their significance.

1.1 the melting point of ice
1.2 lowest recorded temperature in Southern Hemisphere (Vostok, Antarctica)
1.3 lowest recorded temperature in Northern Hemisphere (Verkhoyansk, Russia)
1.4 average room temperature
1.5 boiling point of water (at sea level air pressure)
1.6 highest recorded temperature for North America (Death Valley, CA)
1.7 approximate average body temperature

Back 116

1.1 0 degrees Celsius (32F)
1.2 -89 degrees Celsius (-129F)
1.3 -68 degrees Celsius (-90F)
1.4 20 degrees Celsius (68F)
1.5 100 degrees Celsius (212F)
1.6 57 degrees Celsius (134F)
1.7 37 degrees Celsius (98F)

Front 117

Match these locations with their approximate annual temperature ranges. Assume that these are Northern Hemisphere locations.

2.1 low latitude marine location
2.2 low latitude continental location
2.3 high latitude marine location
2.4 high latitude continental location

Back 117

2.1 1-2 Celsius degrees
2.2 3-5 Celsius degrees
2.3 15-25 Celsius degrees
2.4 50-60 Celsius degrees

Front 118

The Polar Jet Stream is a westerly wind roughly located at the Polar Front.

Back 118

True

Front 119

In a Northern Hemisphere anticyclone, the dominant surface air circulation pattern can be described as clockwise and outward.

Back 119

True

Front 120

Frictional forces vary according to the type of surface over which the wind blows.

Back 120

True

Front 121

If one were able to look down on the Earth from some point above the North Pole, one would see that the Earth rotates in a clockwise direction.

Back 121

False

Front 122

The pressure gradient force acts in a direction perpendicular to the isobars, from low to high pressure.

Back 122

False

Front 123

The wind would tend to flow more closely parallel to the isobars over gently rolling hills than several thousand meters above Earth's surface.

Back 123

False

Front 124

Surface high pressure is best associated with fair weather.

Back 124

True

Front 125

If you compare pressure over land to pressure over ocean, you generally expect to see little or no difference between land and ocean in summer.

Back 125

False

Front 126

Along the equator, winds converge into the equatorial high creating the Intertropical Convergence Zone.

Back 126

False

Front 127

Equatorial ocean currents "pile up" as high as 15 cm (6 in) against the eastern shores of continents.

Back 127

True

Front 128

Some of Earth's prime fishing regions occur in areas of downwelling currents.

Back 128

False

Front 129

The odds of a sea breeze occurring on a day in early August along the California coast at around 3 or 4pm are much better when compared to the same time in early December.

Back 129

True

Front 130

Mountain breezes are most likely to occur during the heat of the day.

Back 130

False

Front 131

Northern Australia is most likely to experience its monsoon rains during July and August.

Back 131

False

Front 132

We measure wind speed using a/an ____________.

Back 132

anemometer

Front 133

We measure air pressure using ______________.

Back 133

a barometer

Front 134

The surface flow of a Southern Hemisphere cyclone (low pressure system) would be ________.

Back 134

inward and clockwise

Front 135

Refer to this satellite image to answer the following questions.


Point ______ is located in the equatorial low-pressure trough.

Back 135

A

Front 136

Point _____ indicates weather systems along the polar front.

Back 136

C

Front 137

Point ______ is located in the doldrums.

Back 137

A

Front 138

A ship would be most likely to catch the northeast trade winds near ______.

Back 138

F

Front 139

Point _____ is likely a thermal high pressure area.

Back 139

H

Front 140

Point _____ is likely a thermal low pressure area.

Back 140

A

Front 141

Point _____ is in the ITCZ.

Back 141

A

Front 142

A bird at F travelling with the prevailing winds would, most likely, end up near _____.

Back 142

J

Front 143

Point _____ is most likely a subtropical high-pressure cell.

Back 143

B

Front 144

Water is the most common compound on the Earth's surface.

Back 144

True

Front 145

Worldwide changes in sea level are called outgassing.

Back 145

Flase

Front 146

The sum of ice sheets, glaciers, and subsurface groundwater accounts for more than 99 percent of Earth's freshwater.

Back 146

True

Front 147

Lake Baykal, located in Siberian Russia, is the single largest body of freshwater on Earth.

Back 147

True

Front 148

The transition from liquid water to ice or ice to liquid water is called sublimation.

Back 148

False

Front 149

The water vapor content of air is called humidity.

Back 149

True

Front 150

The temperature at which air achieves saturation is called the sublimation temperature.

Back 150

False

Front 151

The dry adiabatic rate (DAR) is the rate at which an expanding, unsaturated parcel of dry air cools.

Back 151

True

Front 152

Air is saturated if it contains all of the water vapor that it can hold at a given temperature. This is also when the relative humidity reaches 100 percent.

Back 152

True

Front 153

The eight-sided appearance of ice crystals (e.g. snowflakes) reflects the structure of water molecules and the way they are arranged when water takes a solid form.

Back 153

False

Front 154

Water's "wetness," and many of its other important properties, are the result of the polarity of water molecules.

Back 154

True

Front 155

Assuming no change in the actual amount of water vapor in the air, as air temperature rises, relative humidity decreases.

Back 155

True

Front 156

Assuming no change in the actual amount of water vapor in the air, as air temperature rises, relative humidity decreases.

Back 156

True

Front 157

The moisture droplets in clouds average about 300 micrometers in diameter.

Back 157

False

Front 158

A lapse rate is a change of ___________ with height.

Back 158

temperature

Front 159

Suppose an air mass warms as it moves over a land surface, but no water vapor is added or lost. The relative humidity will ___________ while the specific humidty will ____________.

Back 159

fall/not change

Front 160

The Peru Current is a cold ocean current off the west coast of South America. If a warm, moist air mass passed over this current, ____________ might result.

Back 160

advection fog

Front 161

____________ is most likely when the environmental lapse rate is large (for example, 12 Celsius degrees/1000m).

Back 161

Atmospheric instability

Front 162

Descending air always warms at the _____________.

Back 162

dry adiabatic lapse rate

Front 163

The ____________ is the ratio of the actual amount of water vapor in the atmosphere to the maximum amount of water possible at that temperature.

Back 163

relative humidity

Front 164

Air that returns to its original position after an initial vertical displacement is called __________.

Back 164

stable

Front 165

A(n) _________ is an aggregation of tiny moisture droplets and ice crystals suspended in the air.

Back 165

cloud

Front 166

Clouds are usually classified on the basis of __________ and __________.

Back 166

altitude/shape

Front 167

Clouds that are flat and layered are in the general group called __________.

Back 167

stratiform

Front 168

The __________ process is the predominant cloud-forming process in the tropics, where clouds form above freezing temperatures.

Back 168

collision-coalescence

Front 169

The foggiest region of the United States is the ___________.

Back 169

Pacific northwest

Front 170

In unstable conditions, a parcel of air will __________ than the surrounding air.

Back 170

rise because it is warmer

Front 171

Assume a parcel of air at sea level (0 meters) has a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius. Further, assume that this parcel is forced upward to 2000 meters elevation, where the surrounding air temperature is 6 degrees Celsius. These conditions would be described as __________________. (Note: There are no clouds present in this scenario.)

Back 171

unstable, because the parcel is warmer than the surrounding air

Front 172

Assume that a parcel of air has an actual specific humidity of 8 g/kg and a relative humidity of 50%. This same parcel of air, then, would be able to hold ________ if it were completely saturated.

Back 172

16 g/kg

Front 173

1.1 ......1 degree Celsius
1.2 ......10 degrees Celsius
1.3 ......20 degrees Celsius
1.4 ......30 degrees Celsius
1.5 ......40 degrees Celsius

Back 173

1.1 100%
1.2 50%
1.3 27%
1.4 14%
1.5 8.5%

Front 174

Match the following types of fog with their description and/or root cause.

2.1 evaporation fog
2.2 radiation fog
2.3 valley fog
2.4 advection fog
2.5 upslope fog

Back 174

2.1 forms over water bodies as water vapor comes in contact with the cold air above
2.2 forms at night over cold moist ground
2.3 forms as dense, cold air settles into low spots and depressions
2.4 can form as moist air moves horizontally over a cold ocean surface
2.5 forms a stratus layer of fog due to adiabatic cooling in mountain areas

Front 175

Match each term with the appropriate response.

3.1 vapor pressure
3.2 specific humidity
3.3 relative humidity
3.4 condensation nuclei
3.5 dew point

Back 175

3.1 generally measured in millibars
3.2 can be measured in grams of water per kilogram of air
3.3 the percentage of water vapor in the air compared to capacity
3.4 natural pollution required for cloud formation
3.5 the temperature at which air is saturated

Front 176

Weather data needed for synoptic analysis includes barometric pressure, dew point temperature, wind speed, and sea surface temperature.

Back 176

False

Front 177

As a result of orographic lifting, precipitation occurs on the windward slopes of mountain ranges and a rainshadow occurs on the leeward slopes.

Back 177

True

Front 178

A midlatitude cyclone is a vast, migrating low pressure system that is guided by the jet streams in the upper troposphere.

Back 178

True

Front 179

Mesocyclones often spawn tornadoes because they contract horizontally, causing winds to accelerate in an inward vortex.

Back 179

True

Front 180

As anybody who has seen the movie "Twister" or "The Wizard of Oz" knows, tornadic winds, while strong, are not strong enough to lift cattle, trucks, houses, or wicked witches into the air.

Back 180

False

Front 181

Tornadoes with a Fujita rating of F5 are less likely to cause severe damage than the rarer, and far more powerful F1 tornadoes.

Back 181

False

Front 182

This satellite image shows Hurricane Mitch, a tropical cyclone that formed in the southern Caribbean Sea in October of 1998, ultimately strengthening into a Category 5 hurricane. For more information on Mitch, visit the image source.

Back 182

True

Front 183

Precipitation at Point C is likely to be higher than at A or B.

Back 183

False

Front 184

Latent heat released through condensation at Point B is probably higher than at A or C.

Back 184

True

Front 185

Chinook winds are the cool, upward airflows characteristic of the windward side of mountains.

Back 185

False

Front 186

__________ is the short-term, day-to-day condition of the atmosphere.

Back 186

Weather

Front 187

_____________ is the long-term average of weather conditions in a region.

Back 187

Climate

Front 188

__________ is the term which refers to air being forcibly pushed up a mountain slope.

Back 188

Orographic lifting

Front 189

A __________ is produced when a cold front overtakes a cyclonic warm front, wedging beneath it.

Back 189

occluded front

Front 190

Tornadoes are characterized by ________ atmospheric pressure at the core.

Back 190

Extremely low

Front 191

A __________ commonly results in the formation of towering cumulonimbus clouds.

Back 191

cold front

Front 192

__________ fronts travel faster than __________ fronts.

Back 192

Cold/warm

Front 193

Cyclonic storms and air masses move across the United States along __________, which shift in latitude with the seasons.

Back 193

storm tracks

Front 194

Of the list provided, __________ air masses tend to have the lowest specific humidity.

Back 194

continental polar

Front 195

In North America, most thunderstorms occur in areas dominated by __________ air masses.

Back 195

maritime tropical

Front 196

Match these Northern American summer air masses with their approximate average specific humidity.

1.1 Maritime Polar
1.2 Maritime Tropical
1.3 Continental Polar
1.4 Continental Tropical
1.5 Maritime Equatorial
1.6 Continental Arctic

Back 196

1.1 4.4g/kg
1.2 13-17g/kg
1.3 1.4g/kg
1.4 10g/kg
1.5 doesn't affect North America
1.6 0.1g/kg (generally only present in winter)

Front 197

Match these atmospheric lifting mechanisms with their basic cause.

2.1 convectional lifting
2.2 frontal lifting
2.3 convergent lifting
2.4 orographic lifting
2.5 hydrographic lifting

Back 197

2.1 involves air moves over a warm surface
2.2 involves collision of air masses of significantly different temperatures
2.3 involves collision of air masses as they move into a low pressure
2.4 involves collision of an air masses into a mountain slope
2.5 no such lifting mechanism exists

Front 198

The hydrologic cycle operates across the entire surface of the planet, from several kilometers below ground level to several kilometers above it.

Back 198

True

Front 199

As water evaporates from a lake surface, there is a release of latent heat to the lake, and a resulting increase in water temperature.

Back 199

False

Front 200

Potential evapotranspiration is the amount of water that would evaporate and transpire under optimum conditions (i.e., if water were constantly available).

Back 200

True

Front 201

Compared to an evaporation pan, a lysimeter is a simpler, but less accurate, device for determining potential evapotranspiration.

Back 201

False

Front 202

The wilting point is the point at which the soil contains only hygroscopic water, which cannot be accessed by plant roots.

Back 202

True

Front 203

As soil-moisture recharge removes soil water, plants must exert greater effort to extract the same amount of moisture.

Back 203

False

Front 204

Permeability is the amount of pore space in soil.

Back 204

False

Front 205

The zone of aeration is the part of the subsurface in which pores are not completely filled with water.

Back 205

True

Front 206

The height to which water can rise without the aid of pumps is referred to as the potentiometric surface.

Back 206

True

Front 207

A confined aquifer is less susceptible to surface pollution than is an unconfined aquifer.

Back 207

True

Front 208

The pore spaces within aquifers can collapse as a result of prolonged overpumping, causing the ground above them to subside.

Back 208

True

Front 209

Earth's largest known aquifer, the High Plains Aquifer, would require about 1000 years to recover from historic pumping if all groundwater mining stopped today.

Back 209

True

Front 210

__________ is/are the largest potential freshwater source(s) in the hydrologic cycle.

Back 210

Groundwater

Front 211

________ is defined as the penetration of water into the soil surface and subsurface.

Back 211

Groundwater

Front 212

__________ is inaccessible to plants because it is tightly bound to each soil particle.

Back 212

Hygroscopic water

Front 213

A well that brings water to the surface under its own pressure is called a/an __________.

Back 213

artesian well

Front 214

A/an __________ forms as a result of excessive drawdown and the lowering of the water table around a well.

Back 214

cone of depression

Front 215

After excess water drains from the larger pore spaces, the soil is said to be at __________.

Back 215

field capacity

Front 216

__________ streams are characteristic of dry regions where the water table is generally lower than the streambed.

Back 216

Influent

Front 217

The High Plains Aquifer has been pumped extensively and primarily for __________.

Back 217

agricultural use

Front 218

Waste dilution, wildlife preservation, and hydroelectric power production are all examples of __________ uses of water.

Back 218

instream

Front 219

On a worldwide basis, the majority of water withdrawal occurs for __________ use.

Back 219

agricultural

Front 220

A doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide may increase the average global temperature by about 2 - 4 Celsius degrees.

Back 220

True

Front 221

A genetic classification of climate is based on causative factors such as interaction of air masses.

Back 221

True

Front 222

Climate may reasonably be defined as the average of weather conditions over a long period of time.

Back 222

True

Front 223

Carbon dioxide concentrations have increased measurably since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.

Back 223

True

Front 224

An El Niño event is generally brought on by a strengthening of the trade winds in the eastern Pacific.

Back 224

False

Front 225

Climate has only changed in response to human activities. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, average temperature and precipitation values essentially remained constant.

Back 225

False

Front 226

Arid and semi-arid climates generally characterized by extremely high average temperatures and near complete lack of vegetation.

Back 226

False

Front 227

The increase in atmospheric methane over the past 150 years has been primarily a result of industrial sources.

Back 227

False

Front 228

As of 2004, the five warmest years in recorded history (since the use of reliable instrumentation began) occurred between 1995 and 2003.

Back 228

True

Front 229

The Polar and Highland climates encompass both Earth's high altitudes and high latitudes.

Back 229

True

Front 230

The Microthermal Climates experience very high temperature ranges related to continental locations and conflicts between air masses.

Back 230

True

Front 231

Worldwide, sea level is projected to decrease in response to the current trend of global warming.

Back 231

False

Front 232

The __________ climates have virtually no winter due to consistent day length and an almost perpendicular sun angle.

Back 232

tropical

Front 233

The __________ climates have distinct seasons, but generally average above freezing. Additionally, they are the location of over half (55 percent) the world's population.

Back 233

mesothermal

Front 234

Increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere __________.

Back 234

are associated with increased temperatures in the lower atmosphere.

Front 235

This forecast output from the the IMAGE 2.0 model shows the predicted change in average annual temperature, relative to what it was in 1970. Temperature change is likely to be greatest __________.

Back 235

in the high latitudes

Front 236

In ___________ climates, rainfall is low, highly variable, and undependable.

Back 236

midlatitude cold steppe

Front 237

The __________ climate type is a result of fairly constant subsidence (i.e., the subtropical high pressure belts).

Back 237

desert

Front 238

Moisture deficit is a predominant, semi-permanent characteristic of the __________ climate.

Back 238

desert

Front 239

This climograph represents a location which is __________.

Back 239

in the Southern Hemisphere

Front 240

This climograph represents a location which is __________.

Back 240

strongly influenced by the ITCZ in virtually all months

Front 241

This climograph represents a location which is __________.

Back 241

located at a high latitude, continental location in the Northern Hemisphere

Front 242

This climograph represents a location which is __________.

Back 242

under strong influence of sub-tropical high pressure during summer months

Front 243

The oldest rocks on Earth's crust tend to be located near the centers of ocean basins.

Back 243

False

Front 244

The Earth's lithosphere is comprised of fourteen moderate to large size plates, with numerous smaller pieces and microplates.

Back 244

True

Front 245

Marble, a metamorphic rock, is commonly derived from limestone that is exposed to extreme heat and pressure.

Back 245

True

Front 246

Plate tectonic processes include the subduction of heavier (more dense) continental crust under lighter (less dense) oceanic crust.

Back 246

False

Front 247

The rock granite is strongly associated with the ocean floors and the rocks beneath the continental masses.

Back 247

False

Front 248

The Hawaiian islands formed as a result of the sea floor spreading at a divergent plate boundary.

Back 248

False

Front 249

The entire mantle represents about 80% of the Earth's total volume.

Back 249

True

Front 250

Since Earth has no internal heat source, temperature decreases continually from Earth's crust all the way down to the core.

Back 250

False

Front 251

Magma is molten rock beneath the surface, while lava is molten rock which has been extruded onto the surface.

Back 251

True

Front 252

Transform plate boundaries can occur where plates slide past each other at right angles to a sea-floor spreading center.

Back 252

True

Front 253

Chemical and clastic are terms usually associated with metamorphic rocks.

Back 253

False

Front 254

Alfred Wegener's ideas regarding the movement of continents were widely accepted immediately after he published them in 1915.

Back 254

False

Front 255

Vertical movements of the Earth's crust related to the buoyancy of Earth materials are explained by the principle of __________.

Back 255

isostacy

Front 256

Lithosphere is comprised of Earth's _____________.

Back 256

crust and uppermost mantle

Front 257

From the surface down to the core, the density of Earth materials _________ .

Back 257

increases continuously

Front 258

Earth's age is estimated by scientists to be ________ years.

Back 258

4,600,000,000

Front 259

We are currently living in the _____________ period of the _____________ era.

Back 259

quaternary / cenozoic

Front 260

____________ is the primary scientific method used to determine absolute ages for crustal rock that is millions or billions of years old.

Back 260

radiometric dating

Front 261

Some of the most common intrusive igneous rocks, listed in order from ultra-mafic to felsic, include ________________.

Back 261

Peridotite, Gabbro, Diorite, and Granite

Front 262

Conglomerate, Sandstone, Siltstone, and Shale are _________ rocks which are primarily distinguished by differences in __________.

Back 262

clastic sedimentary / grain size

Front 263

Lithospheric plates move at roughly __________, with some slightly faster and some slightly slower.

Back 263

5 centimeters per year

Front 264

The world's deep ocean trenches coincide with _________.

Back 264

subduction zones

Front 265

Match each description with the best term.

1.1 molten rock beneath the Earth's surface
1.2 molten rock extruded onto the Earth's surface
1.3 any intrusive igneous body of rock
1.4 a type of intrusive igneous rock
1.5 a type of extrusive igneous rock
1.6 a pluton with a surface are greater than 100 square kilometers

Back 265

1.1 magma
1.2 lava
1.3 pluton
1.4 granite
1.5 basalt
1.6 batholith

Front 266

Match each description with the best term.

2.1 transform plate boundary
2.2 convergent plate boundary
2.3 divergent plate boundary
2.4 volcanic activity related to a hot spot
2.5 volcanic activity related to a subduction zone

Back 266

2.1 San Andreas Fault, California
2.2 Andes Mountains, South America
2.3 Rift Valley, East Africa
2.4 Mauna Loa, Hawaii
2.5 Mt. Pinatubo, Philippinees

Front 267

Most of the Earth's surface is actually below sea level.

Back 267

True

Front 268

This image from ARC Science Simulations shows three scenes of North America at increasing levels of detail. Second order relief features, such as the Rocky Mountains, Great Salt Lake, and the horst and graben topography of the Great Basin, are evident in the middle image.

Back 268

True

Front 269

The creation of the Himalaya Mountains (H) is a prime example of extensional orogenesis.

Back 269

False

Front 270

Both the Zagros (Z) and Himalaya ranges are examples of oceanic plate-continental plate orogenesis.

Back 270

False

Front 271

The person in the photograph might be in danger from pyroclastic flows (common in subduction zones like the one in which this photograph was most likely taken).

Back 271

False

Front 272

In time, the low viscosity lava fountain shown will produce a landform such as this one. (Source)

Back 272

True

Front 273

Over thousands of years, the same landform will look like this one.

Back 273

False

Front 274

Earthquakes associated with faulting are called tectonic earthquakes.

Back 274

True

Front 275

The Moment Magnitude scale measures earthquake intensities on a logarithmic scale.

Back 275

True

Front 276

The San Andreas fault is a strike-slip fault and occurs at the boundary between the Pacific and North American plates.

Back 276

True

Front 277

The epicenter of an earthquake is the point at which fault slippage actually occurs and is usually located deep within the lithosphere.

Back 277

False

Front 278

Despite the fact that many large population centers are located in tectonically and volcanically active areas (for example, Tokyo, Manila, Los Angeles, Naples...), such hazards pose little danger to humans.

Back 278

False

Front 279

Normal faults result from tensional forces pulling rocks apart, while reverse faults are caused by compressional forces associated with plate convergence.

Back 279

True

Front 280

The Red Sea was formed as the Arabian Peninsula rifted apart from Africa. As expected, this region has many examples of normal faults.

Back 280

True

Front 281

Slowly migrating pieces of the Earth's crust that have become attached or accreted to continental plates are called __________.

Back 281

terranes

Front 282

The Basin and Range regions of the western United States are a result of __________.

Back 282

the formation of horsts and grabens

Front 283

Horizontal movement along a fault plane is called a __________ fault.

Back 283

strike-slip

Front 284

_________ is an example of first order relief.

Back 284

A continental platform

Front 285

The Sierra Nevada of California and the Grand Tetons of Wyoming are examples of __________.

Back 285

tilted fault block mountain ranges

Front 286

Volcanism usually does not occur __________.

Back 286

along the convergent boundary where two continental plates collide

Front 287

__________ result(s) from compression stress like that found at convergent plate boundaries.

Back 287

folding

Front 288

Flood basalts are associated with __________.

Back 288

effusive eruptions and hot spots

Front 289

__________ record vibrations in the Earth's crust that may be associated with earthquakes.

Back 289

Seismographs

Front 290

An anticline is a type of __________.

Back 290

fold

Front 291

You are looking down from a helicopter on a small road in the desert. A major earthquake has just split the road, leaving the lanes looking like this. Since there doesn’t seem to be any vertical displacement, this is probably a _________ fault.

Back 291

right lateral strike-slip

Front 292

This fault, shown here in a profile (sideview) diagram, would most likely be found in association with a _________ plate boundary.

Back 292

convergent

Front 293

This is a hypothetical map of locations along the San Andreas Fault in California.

Which two locations will move next to each other (become adjacent) in the shortest period of time?

Back 293

W and Z

Front 294

Match each term with the appropriate definition.

1.1 molten rock material
1.2 basin-shaped depression associated with the collapse of a volcanic mountain
1.3 circular surface depression near the summit of a volcano
1.4 cone-shaped hill formed from pyroclastic material and scoria
1.5 steep-sided mountain formed from an explosive eruption
1.6 gently-sloping mountain formed from an effusive eruption

Back 294

1.1 lava
1.2 caldera
1.3 crater
1.4 cinder cone
1.5 composite volcano
1.6 shield volcano

Front 295

Match each process or landform with the region in which it occurs.

2.1 The Appalachian Mountains
2.2 The Himalayas
2.3 The Rift Valley, Africa
2.4 The Big Island, Hawaii
2.5 southern California
2.6 The Cascade Mountains

Back 295

2.1 folding
2.2 continental plate collision orogenesis
2.3 horsts and grabens
2.4 shield volcanoes
2.5 faulting
2.6 composite volcanoes