Instructions: This portion of the midterm is open book.

To answer the following questions select the most correct answer. You must complete this portion of the exam in one sitting. You will have 2 hours to answer the following 50 questions. Each question is worth 2 points.

1. The two most abundant gasses in the atmosphere are:

(a) Carbon dioxide and water vapor

(b) Nitrogen and water vapor

(c) Nitrogen and oxygen

(d) Oxygen and carbon dioxide

2. What is located at 58d00'N 175d00'W?

(a) Vancouver, Canada

(b) Stewart Island, New Zealand

(c) The Bearing Sea

(d) The Caspian Sea

3. Water molecules bind tightly to one another. This is a result of ___________.

(a) hydrogen bonding

(b) covalent bonding

(c) atomic friction

(d) molecular hold

4. Sydney, Australia is located at:

(a) 20d40'N, 130d30'E

(b) 40d10'S, 60d11'E

(c) 12d10'N, 152d45'W

(d) 33d55'S, 151d17'E

5. As air sinks down the leeward side of a mountain, it will move into a region of _______ air pressure and will therefore be ________ by compression.

(a) higher; heated

(b) higher; cooled

(c) lower; heated

(d) lower; cooled

6. Which of the following is a cylindrical map projection?

(a) Robinson

(b) Mercator

(c) Goode's homolosine

(d) Lambert

7. -273C (-459.4F) is

(a) the same as 273 Kelvin.

(b) an average boiling temperature.

(c) absolute zero temperature.

(d) not possible on any scale.

8. The atmospheric lapse rate is:

(a) 0.8 degrees C per kilometer.

(b) 2.2 degrees C per kilometer.

(c) 6.4 degrees C per kilometer.

(d) 10.1 degrees C per kilometer.

9. Excess surface water percolates through the zone of ____ to reach the zone of ____ and the water table.

(a) hydration; infiltration

(b) porosity; permeability

(c) water table; water deposit

(d) aeration; saturation

10. Which of the following is true of chloroflurocarbons (CFC)?

(a) The main component of CFC molecules responsible for destroying ozone is the carbon in the CFC molecule.

(b) The main component of CFC molecules responsible for destroying ozone is the fluorine in the CFC molecule.

(c) The CFC molecules react with ultraviolet light to release chlorine which then destroys ozone.

(d) Most of the CFC-induced ozone destruction is occurring near the equator, rather than the poles.

11. Which of the following is true regarding ozone depletion in Antarctica?

(a) Increasing levels of ultraviolet radiation have not actually been measured at this time.

(b) The atmosphere above Antarctica has experienced a complete loss of protective ozone.

(c) Maximum ozone depletion occurs during the Antarctic spring, following the development of polar stratospheric clouds in winter.

(d) There has actually been a decrease in ultraviolet levels measured at the surface -- which is contrary to what is predicted by ozone depletion models.

12. Which of the major global wind patterns is the most constant and stable?

(a) Westerlies

(b) Trade Winds

(c) Polar Easterlies

(d) Sub-Polar Lows

13. In the horse latitudes, surface winds are ____ because _____.

(a) strong; air converges into this region from both north and south

(b) strong; the horse latitudes are located directly under a high-pressure zone characterized by descending, rather than horizontally moving air

(c) weak; air converges into this region from both north and south

(d) weak; the horse latitudes are located directly under a high pressure zone characterized by descending, rather than horizontally moving air

14. What is located at 35d14'N, 101d49'W?

(a) Santiago, Chile

(b) Tokyo, Japan

(c) Amarillo, TX

(d) San Diego, CA

15. What is located at 36d53'S 174d45'E?

(a) Auckland, New Zealand

(b) Tbilisi, Georgia, US

(c) Hobart, Australia

(d) Georgetown, Guyana

16. Time zones are determined by:

(a) 15 degree increments of latitude.

(b) 15 degree increments of longitude with considerations for political boundaries.

(c) 10 degree increments of longitude.

(d) 10 degree increments of longitude with considerations for political boundaries.

17. Which of the following is false?

(a) GIS stands for Geographic Information Systems

(b) Satellite weather images are an excellent example of remote sensing

(c) GIS represents an important planning tool

(d) A GIS model does not require the use of a map

18. The plane of the earth's orbit around the sun is called the

(a) perihelion

(b) aphelion

(c) the plane of the ecliptic

(d) a great circle

19. What is the name of the location on the surface of the earth that receives insolation when the sun is directly overhead? (When this occurs, the sun's rays are perpendicular to this surface.)

(a) strong solar point

(b) zenith

(c) subsolar point

(d) aphelion

20. If you were preparing a map showing the distribution of world climates, which type of map projection would you want to use to allow accurate comparison of areas and regions?

(a) equal area

(b) a gnomic projection

(c) true shape

(d) a Mercator projection

21. While standing at the Tropic of Cancer, Achmid's shadow points north at noon (sun time). Based on this, which of the following can be definitely concluded?

(a) It must be the summer solstice.

(b) It must be the winter solstice.

(c) It must not be the summer solstice.

(d) It must not be the winter solstice.

22. Tokyo, Japan is located at:

(a) 37d30'N 142d10'W

(b) 35d42'N 139d46'E

(c) 140d15'N 36d12'E

(d) 31d08'S 120d54'W

23. Rivers are:

(a) a significant percentage of all surface water on earth.

(b) a location of water storage in the water cycle.

(c) where water may end up after overland flow.

(d) key elements in the global evapotranspiration cycle.

24. The Caspian Sea is located at:

(a) 46d10'S, 20d45'E

(b) 39d30'N, 52d00'E

(c) 3d40'S, 121d10'W

(d) 70d12'N, 18d50'W

25. Both City A and City B are located at the same latitude. City A has a mean annual temperature of 27 degrees C, and a temperature range of 22 degrees C. City B has a mean annual temperature range of 26 degrees C and a temperature range of 10 degrees C. Which city is located in the interior of the continent?

(a) City A

(b) City B

(c) Both are located in the interior of the continent.

(d) Neither is located in the interior of the continent.

26. What is located at 28d54'N, 77d13'E?

(a) Delhi, India

(b) Madrid, Spain

(c) Montevideo, Uruguay

(d) Miami, FL

27. At any one time, the majority of water on earth can be found in the:

(a) Atmosphere

(b) Lakes, rivers and streams

(c) Ocean

(d) Glaciers and snow

28. Longitude is:

(a) an angular distance measured north or south of the equator.

(b) an angular distance measured east or west of a prime meridian.

(c) determined by the sun altitude above the horizon.

(d) a method by which geographers measure distance.

29. Global Net Radiation (NETR)

(a) is highest over the poles because of the high albedo of the surface.

(b) is highest in the tropics because the subsolar point is found in this location.

(c) is highest in the tropics because the tropics have a lot of low albedo land.

(d) is highest at the poles because the poles receive diffuse solar energy.

30. Our planet and our lives are powered by

(a) energy derived from inside the earth.

(b) electromagnetic radiation from the sun.

(c) utilities and oil companies.

(d) dDuracell.

31. The passage of shortwave and longwave radiation through the atmosphere or water is an example of:

(a) Absorption

(b) Transmission

(c) Refraction

(d) Insolation

32. Mountain-Valley breezes are caused by:

(a) warmer air descending mountain slopes during the day.

(b) valley air ascending the mountain slopes at night.

(c) warm air rising upslope during the day, and cooler air descending the slopes at night.

(d) gravity drainage.

33. The amount of heat energy present in any substance is expressed as its

(a) temperature.

(b) latent heat.

(c) sensible heat.

(d) surface motion.

34. As regards average annual precipitation, which of the following is correct?

(a) The highest amounts occur throughout subtropical latitudes.

(b) The drier regions are associated with the eastern portions of major landmasses.

(c) The precipitation tends to increase with latitude toward the poles.

(d) The highest average values occur along the equator.

35. Air pollution acts to ___ the albedo of cities and therefore ___ the urban heat island effect.

(a) increase; enhances

(b) increase; diminishes

(c) decrease; enhances

(d) decrease; diminishes

36. Water vapor in the atmosphere is called:

(a) Water

(b) Rain

(c) Humidity

(d) Evaporation

37. In which of the following areas will thunderstorms NOT develop?

(a) In areas of orographic uplift

(b) In areas of surface convergence

(c) Along frontal boundaries

(d) Under areas of strong high pressure

38. Which of the following is NOT a correct match:

(a) Trade winds= blow toward the equator

(b) Polar easterlies= winds from the polar highs blow into the mid-latitudes

(c) Westerlies= blow from the pole to the sub tropical high belt

(d) Polar highs= cold surface conditions around the poles yield high pressure centers

39. About ___ percent of lightning strikes occur over water.

(a) 10

(b) 20

(c) 45

(d) 70

40. The Sun produces which of the following?

(a) Only visible light and infrared energy

(b) Streams of charged particles and electromagnetic energy

(c) Only solar wind

(d) Only radiant energy that is beneficial to life

41. Which of the following is NOT an important factor in controlling the earth's surface temperature?

(a) Latitude

(b) Longitude

(c) Land-water heating differences

(d) Altitude

42. Which of the following statements is not correct:

(a) The primary reason that we have seasons is that one hemisphere is further from the sun than the other due to the earth's tilt. The hemisphere further from the sun experiences winter.

(b) Land changes temperature more rapidly than water because land has a lower heat capacity and a lower albedo than water.

(c) In January the earth is at its perihelion, the closest distance to the sun it reaches all year. This is why the insolation reaching the southern hemisphere during its summer is more intense than the insolation reaching the northern hemisphere during its summer.

(d) The unequal distribution of sunlight over the spherical, tilted earth is the primary cause of seasons.

43. Radio waves have a ___ wavelength than visible light and are therefore ____ energetic.

(a) longer; less

(b) longer; more

(c) shorter; less

(d) shorter; more

44. Which of the following phase changes involves the greatest number of calories?

(a) melting

(b) evaporation

(c) condensation

(d) sublimation

45. High latitudes receive less energy than the equatorial regions because

(a) the orientation of the Earth's surface relative to the sun's rays diminishes the intensity of solar radiation at high latitudes.

(b) the Sun's rays must pass through more atmosphere at higher latitudes.

(c) both A & B

(d) none of the above -- each latitude receives the same amount of energy at the surface.

46. If the surface of the earth were to suddenly turn white, the temperature would ____ because _____ insolation would be absorbed.

(a) decrease; less

(b) decrease; more

(c) increase; less

(d) increase; more

47. City A is located west of City B. The time at City A is ______ than that at City B because the earth rotates from ________ when viewed from above the North Pole.

(a) earlier; west to east (counterclockwise)

(b) earlier; east to west (clockwise)

(c) later; west to east (counterclockwise)

(d) later; east to west (clockwise)

48. Some insects can walk on water. This is possible because

(a) they are "enlightened."

(b) because they have no weight.

(c) of a water property known as surface tension.

(d) of a water property known as capillarity.

49. The sky is blue because

(a) the albedo of the Earth is such that blue light is absorbed more than other wavelengths.

(b) the Earth's atmosphere allows every color but blue to be reflected back out to space.

(c) the atmosphere scatters blue light more than any other visible wavelength.

(d) the majority of radiation coming from the sun is in the blue end of the visible spectrum.

50. Land has a ____ heat capacity than water, and therefore it heats up and cools down more _____.

(a) Higher; slowly

(b) Higher; quickly

(c) Lower; slowly

(d) Lower; quickly

Midterm Part II - Essay

Instructions: This portion of the exam is open book, take-home style. Be sure to define all geography terms that you use. Your essay should be between 550 and 700 words.

1. Compare and contrast the following two scenarios: What would happen if the earth were tilted at 45 degrees? What would happen if the earth were not tilted at all? Discuss the effect of the above scenarios on the subsolar point at the equinoxes and solstices as well as the circle of illumination.

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