Deck 1: Physical Geography: Earth Environments and Systems

Question 1

Because physical geography is so broad and complex, the scientific method does not apply. ​

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Some environmental changes that occur on Earth accumulate very slowly so that careful scientific study over the long term is required to understand what is occurring.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The ecosystem concept can be applied on almost any scale. ​

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Most Earth subsystems are open systems. ​

Question 5

"How do the grasslands of the North American Great Plains compare to the grasslands of Argentina?" is a question about ____. ​

A)spatial distribution
B)spatial interaction
C)change over time
D)the characteristics of places
E)absolute location

Question 6

A model is a useful simplification of a more complex reality.

Question 7

A system is ____. ​

A)any human-built machine with more than two components
B)any organized entity that consists of interrelated and interacting components
C)a process in one place that has an impact on other places
D)used to predict an outcome or the probability of an outcome
E)a technique or strategy for testing a hypothesis

Question 8

Systems analysis involves defining a system, breaking the system down into its components, and examining how the components interact with one another.

Question 9

Geographers are concerned with how physical and human processes affect, have affected, or will affect our planet and its natural and human environments.

Question 10

An example of an absolute location is ____. ​

A)anywhere on Earth's surface
B)400 kilometers (250 mi)southwest of Chicago
C)downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam
D)south of the Rocky Mountains
E)40 degrees north latitude and 90 degrees west longitude

Question 11

Which field focuses on the relationships between organisms and their environment?

A)ecology
B)environmental protection
C)ecosystemics
D)oncology
E)bioinformatics

Question 12

A conceptual model of a place and its spatial components is called a "mental map". ​

Question 13

The lines on maps that depict the boundaries between natural areas or environmental regions generally represent abrupt changes on the surface. ​

Question 14

The arrangement of multiple individuals of the same type of feature or event over Earth's surface is the ____. ​

A)absolute location
B)spatial distribution
C)spatial interaction
D)spatial pattern
E)relative location

Question 15

The lithosphere is made up of all the living things on Earth.

Question 16

Natural regions can change in size and shape over time in response to environmental changes. ​

Question 17

Earth processes can have a direct impact on humans and their built environment, just as humans and their built environment can have an impact on Earth. ​

Question 18

Asking what effect stricter chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)controls in North America will have on the future size of the ozone hole over Antarctica is one example of analyzing a spatial interaction.

Question 19

Negative feedback is an "unnatural process" that is generally detrimental to the functioning of an environmental system. ​

Question 20

If an increase in a deer population depletes the animals' food supplies, leading to a decrease in population back toward the original number, this would be an example of a positive feedback.

Question 21

Pike's Peak is located 36 kilometers (22 mi)west of Colorado Springs. What is this statement describing? ​

A)global address
B)absolute location
C)relative location
D)geospatial address
E)dynamic location

Question 22

A spatial ____ exists if a condition, an occurrence, or a process in one place has an impact on other places. ​

A)distribution
B)extent
C)interaction
D)pattern
E)threshold

Question 23

Because its various parts are always changing, an ecosystem can be described as ____.

A)open
B)spatial
C)Static
D)closed
E)dynamic

Question 24

Systems that continually adjust slightly one way or another, within a range of tolerance, as they react to variations in inputs are at ____. ​

A)output
B)feedback
C)dynamic equilibrium
D)threshold
E)overshoot

Question 25

Which field focuses on the nature, processes, and variations in space and time of human-generated phenomena, including culture? ​

A)geology
B)astronomy ​
C)soils geography
D)meteorology
E)human geography

Question 26

Physical geography is a(n)____ discipline because it includes analyzing and explaining the locations, distributions, patterns, variations, and similarities or differences among phenomena on Earth's surface.

A)earth
B)historical
C)spatial
D)social
E)political

Question 27

All living things of the Earth system constitute the ____. ​

A)atmosphere
B)lithosphere
C)hydrosphere
D)biosphere
E)asthenosphere

Question 28

Being open to all factors that might be involved in the solution to a problem, including human ones, is called a ____. ​

A)simplistic approach
B)experimental method
C)holistic approach
D)humanistic approach
E)spatial technique

Question 29

A negative feedback ____. ​

A)tends to maintain equilibrium in a system
B)reinforces the direction of an initial change
C)is, by definition, harmful for a system
D)occurs when an ecosystem loses species due to human impacts
E)is a condition that causes a system to change dramatically

Question 30

In most natural systems, "equilibrium" generally means that ____. ​

A)factors in the system are constantly changing
B)interrelated factors in the system are not well-adjusted to one another
C)all factors in the system are equally important to the way that the system functions
D)inputs into the system are balanced by outputs
E)no changes are occurring

Question 31

An adjustment in one part of a system in response to a change that occurred in another part is called ____. ​

A)positive feedback
B)negative feedback
C)steady state
D)feedback
E)dynamic state

Question 32

Referring to Earth and its subsystems as dynamic means that they are ____.

A)indestructible
B)always unpredictable
C)holistic
D)continuously changing
E)mobile

Question 33

Oceans, lakes, rivers, glaciers, and water in the soil, atmosphere, and organisms make up the ____. ​

A)atmosphere
B)lithosphere
C)exosphere
D)biosphere
E)hydrosphere

Question 34

An outcome, or the probability of an outcome, can be predicted using ____.

A)visualizations
B)positive feedback
C)absolute locations
D)cartography
E)mathematical and statistical models

Question 35

In a systems model, movement of energy or matter into the system is a(n)____. ​

A)subsystem
B)output
C)input
D)closed system
E)equilibrium

Question 36

A condition that causes a system to change dramatically is a ____. ​

A)dynamic equilibrium
B)threshold
C)model
D)subsystem
E)natural hazard

Question 37

Physical geography focuses on ____.

A)mapping political boundaries
B)projecting climate change
C)understanding human features of a region
D)the composition of Earth's crust
E)understanding the natural processes and features of Earth

Question 38

Examining where certain natural features are abundant, and where they are rare, is an example of analyzing ____. ​

A)cultural geography
B)changes over time
C)relative locations
D)spatial interaction
E)spatial distribution

Question 39

The problem of using more of a resource in a year than its annual renewal, growth, or replacement is known as ____. ​

A)natural hazard
B)dynamic equilibrium
C)pollution
D)environmental overshoot
E)sustainability

Question 40

The mind imagery that we use for understanding our surroundings and experiences are called ____. ​

A)open systems
B)regions
C)mathematical and statistical models
D)thresholds
E)conceptual models

Question 41

The _______________ layer in the upper atmosphere protects us by blocking much of the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV)radiation, which causes ski cancer and cell mutations.

Question 42

The art of making maps is called _______________. ​

Question 43

A world globe, or a three-dimensional replica of a region's terrain, is an example of a(n)_______________ model. ​

Question 44

Explain how natural regions can change in size or shape over time in response to environmental changes. ​

Question 45

An interconnecting process between two locations or areas is called spatial _______________. ​

Question 46

A(n)_______________ approach to research, generally considers and examines all phenomena that are relevant to a given problem or issue.

Question 47

An ecosystem is an example of a(n)_______________ system since energy and matter are freely exchanged at its boundaries. ​

Question 48

Natural processes, typically of unusual intensity, that put environments and human life or property at risk of damage or destruction are called _______________. (two words)​

Question 49

An undesirable or unhealthy contamination in an environment is called _______________. ​

Question 50

Illustrate with two examples how some interactions between people and their environment are advantageous, whereas others are detrimental or hazardous. ​

Question 51

The study of landforms and their development is called _______________. ​

Question 52

Why is systems analysis such a powerful concept for developing an understanding of an environment or an environmental problem? Discuss and provide a clear example.

Question 53

Because of geography's focus on where and how things are located, and why, it is often called the _______________ discipline. ​

Question 54

A coordinate system can be used to describe a(n)_______________ location. ​

Question 55

A sequence of changes that reinforces the direction of initial change is known as _______________ feedback. ​

Question 56

A(n)_______________ to explain an observation has to be tested before it can be accepted as true. ​

Question 57

Areas identified by distinctive characteristics that distinguish them from surrounding areas are known as ____. ​

Question 58

How does Earth as a planet compare to an orbiting space station in terms of providing a life support system for its inhabitants? Other than size, what are some of their differences and similarities in terms of habitation? ​

Question 59

The four major subsystems of the Earth system are the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and _______________. ​

Question 60

Using an example, explain the advantage of applying a spatial science perspective to understanding or solving a physical geography-related problem. ​