Geography Final Exam

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