The basis for defining the length of a day is the fact that
Earth rotates on its axis in 24 hours; i.e., it rotates 15 deg of longitude per hour
The term "net radiation" refers to
the difference in amount of incoming and outgoing radiation
the Gulf Stream
moves northward in the western Atlantic, moderating temperatures in Iceland
The most extreme northern and southern parallels to experience perpendicular rays of the Sun at local noon are located at
23.5 deg north and south
a non rechargeable battery can best be described as a/an _________ energy system and a/an _________ material system
closed; closed
carbon monoxide is potentially dangerous because it
replaces oxygen on red blood cells
based on information discussed previously in the course, you know that the average temperature in the troposphere ________ with increasing elevation because the atmosphere is heated ___________.
decrease; from the bottom-up by terrestrial infrared energy
the annual temperature range map in your text shows that the
greatest ranges occur in east central Siberia in Russia
three criteria used for classification of the atmosphere explained in the text are
composition, temperature, and function
6.4 deg C/1000 m refers to
the normal lapse rate
the single most important control on temperature is
latitude
the plane of earth's orbit about the sun is called
the plane of the ecliptic
according to figure 2.76, given the tilt of the axis (20 deg), the arctic circle would be located at
70 deg N
in figure 2.76, what position corresponds to the winter solstice for observers in the northern hemisphere?(assume north is toward the top of the page)
C
according to fig 2.76, at what two locations would daylight last for 12 hours for all locations on the planet
B and D
the equinox
has 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night for all locations
which of the following best describes the field of physical geography
understanding how earth's processes interact to produce the phenomena observed in nature
based on composition, the atmosphere is divided into
two broad classifications: homosphere and heterosphere
a satellite imaging system that beams electromagnetic energy at the surface and then records the energy that is reflected is classified as a(n) ________ system
active
the sun produces which of the following
mainly visible light and infrared energy
earths diameter is
about 40,000 km
an angular distance measured east or west of a prime meridian from the center of earth is termed
longitude
which of the following is true regarding locations at high elevations
higher elevations experience lower average temperatures during both day and night
the reflective quality of a surface is known as its
albedo
light travels at a speed of approximately
300,000 km per second
an isoline that connects all points of the same temperature on a map is called
an isotherm
which of the following would experience the least continentality?
a tropical island
which of the following sequences is arranged in order from shorter wavelength to longer wavelength
X-rays, ultraviolet, visible, infrared
which of the following is false regarding sulfur dioxide?
it is odorless
which of the following has the highest albedo?
fresh snow
as a result of the characteristics of water, cities located near a coast should experience a temperature range that is _______ those of cities located in the interior at the same latitude
smaller than
the dominant wavelength emitted by earth is
infrared
which of the following explains why the sky is blue
small molecules scatter short wavelengths of light more than long wavelengths
geography" literally means
to write (about) earth
evaporation
tends to lower temperatures more over water bodies than over land
with respect to air, water, and material resources, which of the following is true?
a leaf is an open system
the highest temperatures in the atmosphere occur in the _________ because _________.
thermosphere; it is in direct contact with high energy solar radiation
which of the following is true regarding the depletion of ozone in the ozonosphere?
it results from chemical reactions with chlorine derived from CFCs
temperature inversions occur
when surface temperatures are lower than warmer overlying air
remote sensing is
the monitoring of a distant object without physical contact
the tropic of cancer refers to
the parallel that is the farthest northern location for the subsolar point during the year
a by product of photosynthesis is
oxygen
what is the name of the location on the surface of earth that receives insolation when the sun is directly overhead?
subsolar point
which of the following is true regarding acid deposition
acids have been causally linked to fish kills in the northeastern US
which of the following is true of earth's orbit about the Sun?
it is elliptical
which type of map scale would be appropriate to use if the map were to be enlarged by photocopying?
graphic
on june 21st, the sun's declination is at
the tropic of cancer
which two gases are primarily responsible for the greenhouse effect because of their ability to absorb infrared energy?
water vapor and carbon dioxide
the temperature on a cloudy night is likely to be ________ the temperature on a clear night - all other factors being equal
warmer than
the lower the pH of a liquid
the more acidic it is
sources of natural variable gases and materials include all of the following except
industrial acitivity
temperatures decrease with increasing altitude in what two atmospheric layers?
troposphere and mesosphere
if the temperature at the surface if Earth (at sea level) is 100 deg F, what is the temperature at 2000 feet if the normal lapse rate is 3.5 deg/1000 feet?
93 deg F
the effect of wind and temperature on the human skin is called the
wind chill factor
what is the name for solar energy that is intercepted by earth?
insolation
which of the following is true regarding global temperatures?
human society appears to be causing short-term changes in global temperatures and temperature patterns
as reported by the national weather service, the heat index
relates temperature and relative humidity
earth's main energy inputs are
ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared radiation
the science of physical geography is based on the realization that
nature can best be described and understood as a set of interrelated components through which matter and energy flow
the reaction of automobile exhaust and ultraviolet light
produces photochemical smog
-273 deg C is
0 deg absolute temperature
when water evaporates, the energy that was used to evaporate water
is stored as latent heat in the evaporated water
the relationship btwn the insolation curve and the air temperature curve on a graph of daily surface energy
exhibits a lag of several hours between the plotted lines
the dominant wavelength of energy emitted by the sun is
shorter than that emitted by earth
if a system responds to a change in input by moving further away from its equilibrium condition, what type of feedback has occurred?
positive
the diameter of earth is largest when measured around the
equator
what two pollutants react with water to produce acid rain?
sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides
if you wanted a map with a lot of detail of a small area you would want a
large scale map
conduction refers to
the molecule to molecule transfer of heat energy
earths average overall albedo is
31 percent