Question 1

Which of the following does not accurately describe Earth's distance from the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A) Earth is closest to the Sun in January (perihelion). 
B) The Earth-Sun distance averages 150 million kilometers (93 million miles). 
C) Due to Earth's circular orbit,it is always equidistant from the sun throughout the year. 
D) Earth is farthest away from the Sun in July (aphelion). 
E) It takes light an average of 8 minutes and 20 seconds to travel from the Sun to Earth. 
A) Earth is closest to the Sun in January (perihelion). 
B) The Earth-Sun distance averages 150 million kilometers (93 million miles). 
C) Due to Earth's circular orbit,it is always equidistant from the sun throughout the year. 
D) Earth is farthest away from the Sun in July (aphelion). 
E) It takes light an average of 8 minutes and 20 seconds to travel from the Sun to Earth.

Question 2

On its way to Earth,solar winds first encounter

Accepted Answer

A) the ionosphere. 
B) the lower atmosphere. 
C) the stratosphere. 
D) the magnetosphere. 
E) Earth's surface. 
A) the ionosphere. 
B) the lower atmosphere. 
C) the stratosphere. 
D) the magnetosphere. 
E) Earth's surface.

Question 3

Which of the following statements is correct?

Accepted Answer

A) The Northern Hemisphere's vernal equinox is the Southern Hemisphere's summer equinox. 
B) The Northern Hemisphere's vernal equinox is the Southern Hemisphere's autumnal equinox. 
C) The Northern Hemisphere's vernal equinox is the Southern Hemisphere's winter solstice. 
D) The Northern Hemisphere's vernal equinox is the Southern Hemisphere's vernal equinox. 
E) The Northern Hemisphere's vernal equinox is the Southern Hemisphere's summer solstice. 
A) The Northern Hemisphere's vernal equinox is the Southern Hemisphere's summer equinox. 
B) The Northern Hemisphere's vernal equinox is the Southern Hemisphere's autumnal equinox. 
C) The Northern Hemisphere's vernal equinox is the Southern Hemisphere's winter solstice. 
D) The Northern Hemisphere's vernal equinox is the Southern Hemisphere's vernal equinox. 
E) The Northern Hemisphere's vernal equinox is the Southern Hemisphere's summer solstice.

Question 4

For observers in the Northern Hemisphere,which of the following is true?

Accepted Answer

A) Daylength decreases from the winter solstice until the vernal equinox,when it begins to increase. 
B) Daylength becomes increasingly longer during the period from the summer solstice until the winter solstice. 
C) The longest day of the year occurs on the December solstice. 
D) Daylength variations are negligible for all locations throughout the year except above the Arctic Circle. 
E) Daylength is longest on the summer solstice and is shortest on the winter solstice. 
A) Daylength decreases from the winter solstice until the vernal equinox,when it begins to increase. 
B) Daylength becomes increasingly longer during the period from the summer solstice until the winter solstice. 
C) The longest day of the year occurs on the December solstice. 
D) Daylength variations are negligible for all locations throughout the year except above the Arctic Circle. 
E) Daylength is longest on the summer solstice and is shortest on the winter solstice.

Question 5

How does daylength and the Sun's altitude vary throughout the year for the location in which you live?

Accepted Answer

Answers will vary depending on

Question 6

A portion of the electromagnetic spectrum of radiant energy from the Sun

Which of the following sequences is arranged in order from shorter wavelength to longer wavelength?

Accepted Answer

A) visible,gamma rays,radio waves,infrared 
B) gamma rays,microwaves,visible,X-rays 
C) radio waves,visible,heat,X-rays 
D) infrared,visible,ultraviolet,X-rays 
E) X-rays,ultraviolet,visible,infrared 
A) visible,gamma rays,radio waves,infrared 
B) gamma rays,microwaves,visible,X-rays 
C) radio waves,visible,heat,X-rays 
D) infrared,visible,ultraviolet,X-rays 
E) X-rays,ultraviolet,visible,infrared

Question 7

The plane of Earth's orbit about the Sun is called

Accepted Answer

A) the great circle. 
B) perihelion. 
C) aphelion. 
D) the subsolar point. 
E) the plane of the ecliptic. 
A) the great circle. 
B) perihelion. 
C) aphelion. 
D) the subsolar point. 
E) the plane of the ecliptic.

Question 8

Which is true of the December solstice?

Accepted Answer

A) The Arctic Circle is completely within the circle of illumination. 
B) The subsolar point is at the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° N) 
C) The subsolar point is at the equator. 
D) The North Pole experiences 24 hours of daylight. 
E) The Antarctic Circle is completely within the circle of illumination. 
A) The Arctic Circle is completely within the circle of illumination. 
B) The subsolar point is at the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° N) 
C) The subsolar point is at the equator. 
D) The North Pole experiences 24 hours of daylight. 
E) The Antarctic Circle is completely within the circle of illumination.

Question 9

Earth and the Sun formed specifically from

Accepted Answer

A) black holes. 
B) unknown origins. 
C) a nebula of dust and gases. 
D) the Milky Way Galaxy. 
E) other planets. 
A) black holes. 
B) unknown origins. 
C) a nebula of dust and gases. 
D) the Milky Way Galaxy. 
E) other planets.

Question 10

Daily net radiation patterns at the top of the atmosphere.Averaged daily net radiation flows measured at the top of the atmosphere by the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE).Units are W/m2.[Data for map courtesy of GSFC/NASA.]

Average daily net radiation flows tend to be

Accepted Answer

A) lowest in the midlatitudes (40° to 60° N/S). 
B) equal at all latitudes. 
C) positive at lower latitudes. 
D) negative at lower latitudes 
E) highest in the midlatitudes (40° to 60° N/S). 
A) lowest in the midlatitudes (40° to 60° N/S). 
B) equal at all latitudes. 
C) positive at lower latitudes. 
D) negative at lower latitudes 
E) highest in the midlatitudes (40° to 60° N/S).

Question 11

Which of the following is not true of sunspots?

Accepted Answer

A) More sunspots indicate increased solar radiation. 
B) Sunspots are brighter than the rest of the Sun's surface. 
C) Sunspots can be up to 12 times larger than Earth. 
D) Sunspots are surface disturbances caused by magnetic storms. 
E) Sunspots can produce flares and prominences. 
A) More sunspots indicate increased solar radiation. 
B) Sunspots are brighter than the rest of the Sun's surface. 
C) Sunspots can be up to 12 times larger than Earth. 
D) Sunspots are surface disturbances caused by magnetic storms. 
E) Sunspots can produce flares and prominences.

Question 12

The Goldilocks zone is best described as

Accepted Answer

A) any area on a planet in our solar system in ample solar radiation is received,enabling conditions in which rudimentary life may yet evolve. 
B) the regions on Earth that receives the "just right" combination of solar energy and precipitation,enabling life to flourish. 
C) an area of orbit about a star where conditions make it "just right" for living organisms,i.e.a habitable zone. 
D) orbital zones in other solar systems in which the "three bears," i.e.a star,a moon,and an Earth-sized planet are found. 
E) regions of space in which Earth-size planets are found and,therefore,may be "just right" for human colonization. 
A) any area on a planet in our solar system in ample solar radiation is received,enabling conditions in which rudimentary life may yet evolve. 
B) the regions on Earth that receives the "just right" combination of solar energy and precipitation,enabling life to flourish. 
C) an area of orbit about a star where conditions make it "just right" for living organisms,i.e.a habitable zone. 
D) orbital zones in other solar systems in which the "three bears," i.e.a star,a moon,and an Earth-sized planet are found. 
E) regions of space in which Earth-size planets are found and,therefore,may be "just right" for human colonization.

Question 13

Which is true of the June solstice?

Accepted Answer

A) The subsolar point is at the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5° N). 
B) The Arctic Circle is completely within the circle of illumination. 
C) The South Pole experiences 24 hours of daylight. 
D) The Antarctic Circle is completely within the circle of illumination. 
E) The subsolar point is at the equator. 
A) The subsolar point is at the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5° N). 
B) The Arctic Circle is completely within the circle of illumination. 
C) The South Pole experiences 24 hours of daylight. 
D) The Antarctic Circle is completely within the circle of illumination. 
E) The subsolar point is at the equator.

Question 14

______is a measure of the average kinetic energy of individual molecules in matter.

Accepted Answer

A) Heat 
B) Visible light 
C) Temperature 
D) Electromagnetic radiation 
E) Thermal infrared through radiation 
A) Heat 
B) Visible light 
C) Temperature 
D) Electromagnetic radiation 
E) Thermal infrared through radiation

Question 15

One June 21st,the Sun's declination is at

Accepted Answer

A) the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5° S). 
B) the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° S). 
C) the equator. 
D) the Arctic Circle. 
E) the Antarctic Circle. 
A) the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5° S). 
B) the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° S). 
C) the equator. 
D) the Arctic Circle. 
E) the Antarctic Circle.

Question 16

The auroras in the upper atmosphere are caused by

Accepted Answer

A) UV and visible light interaction with the asthenosphere. 
B) interaction of the solar wind and upper layers of Earth's atmosphere. 
C) sun spot activity and gravitational accretion. 
D) coronal mass ejections entering the atmosphere at lower latitudes (below 30°). 
E) stratospheric ozone depletion. 
A) UV and visible light interaction with the asthenosphere. 
B) interaction of the solar wind and upper layers of Earth's atmosphere. 
C) sun spot activity and gravitational accretion. 
D) coronal mass ejections entering the atmosphere at lower latitudes (below 30°). 
E) stratospheric ozone depletion.

Question 17

The basic idea behind the planetesimal hypothesis is that

Accepted Answer

A) small grains of cosmic dust and other solids gradual accrete to form planetesimals that may grow to become protoplanets and eventually planets. 
B) cosmic debris from the Big Bang coalesced to form planets as they neared the gravitational pull of the Sun. 
C) planets form as a direct result of the nuclear fusion of nebular gases. 
D) early in the Solar System's history,a star passed near the Sun and pulled off gases that eventually condensed to form planets. 
E) planets form from the remains of super-giant planetesimals that blow apart,thereby creating smaller objects-the planets. 
A) small grains of cosmic dust and other solids gradual accrete to form planetesimals that may grow to become protoplanets and eventually planets. 
B) cosmic debris from the Big Bang coalesced to form planets as they neared the gravitational pull of the Sun. 
C) planets form as a direct result of the nuclear fusion of nebular gases. 
D) early in the Solar System's history,a star passed near the Sun and pulled off gases that eventually condensed to form planets. 
E) planets form from the remains of super-giant planetesimals that blow apart,thereby creating smaller objects-the planets.

Question 18

What is a light-year? Why is the light-year a useful unit of measurement for astronomical distances?

Accepted Answer

A unit of measurement equivalent to the

Question 19

The Tropic of Cancer refers to

Accepted Answer

A) 0° latitude when the Sun crosses the equator. 
B) the location of the subsolar point on or around December 21. 
C) the parallel that occurs at 23.5° South. 
D) the parallel that is the farthest northern location of the subsolar point during the year. 
E) the location of the subsolar point on or around September 22. 
A) 0° latitude when the Sun crosses the equator. 
B) the location of the subsolar point on or around December 21. 
C) the parallel that occurs at 23.5° South. 
D) the parallel that is the farthest northern location of the subsolar point during the year. 
E) the location of the subsolar point on or around September 22.

Question 20

The subsolar point occurs

Accepted Answer

A) only within a few degrees north or south of the equator. 
B) at all latitudes at least once throughout the year. 
C) only at lower latitudes between the Tropics (23.5° N/S). 
D) at all latitudes between 60° N and S. 
E) primarily in the Northern Hemisphere to 33.5° N. 
A) only within a few degrees north or south of the equator. 
B) at all latitudes at least once throughout the year. 
C) only at lower latitudes between the Tropics (23.5° N/S). 
D) at all latitudes between 60° N and S. 
E) primarily in the Northern Hemisphere to 33.5° N.

Which of the following does not accurately describe Earth's distance from the Sun?

On its way to Earth,solar winds first encounter

Which of the following statements is correct?

For observers in the Northern Hemisphere,which of the following is true?

How does daylength and the Sun's altitude vary throughout the year for the location in which you live?

A portion of the electromagnetic spectrum of radiant energy from the Sun Which of the following sequences is arranged in order from shorter wavelength to longer wavelength?

The plane of Earth's orbit about the Sun is called

Which is true of the December solstice?

Earth and the Sun formed specifically from

Daily net radiation patterns at the top of the atmosphere.Averaged daily net radiation flows measured at the top of the atmosphere by the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE).Units are W/m2.[Data for map courtesy of GSFC/NASA.] Average daily net radiation flows tend to be

Which of the following is not true of sunspots?

The Goldilocks zone is best described as

Which is true of the June solstice?

______is a measure of the average kinetic energy of individual molecules in matter.

One June 21st,the Sun's declination is at

The auroras in the upper atmosphere are caused by

The basic idea behind the planetesimal hypothesis is that

What is a light-year? Why is the light-year a useful unit of measurement for astronomical distances?

The Tropic of Cancer refers to

The subsolar point occurs

Essentials of Geography

Earth’s Atmosphere

Atmospheric Energy and Global Temperatures

Atmospheric and Oceanic Circulations

Water and Atmospheric Moisture

Weather

Water Resources

Earth’s Climatic Regions

Climate Change

The Dynamic Planet

Tectonics, Earthquakes, and Volcanism

Weathering, Karst Landscapes, and Mass Movement

River Systems

Aeolian Processes and Arid Landscapes

Oceans and Coastal Systems

Glacial Landscapes and the Cryosphere

The Geography of Soils

Ecosystem Essentials

Terrestrial Biomes

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Exam 2: Solar Energy to Earth and the Seasons

Which of the following does not accurately describe Earth's distance from the Sun?

On its way to Earth,solar winds first encounter

Which of the following statements is correct?

For observers in the Northern Hemisphere,which of the following is true?

How does daylength and the Sun's altitude vary throughout the year for the location in which you live?

A portion of the electromagnetic spectrum of radiant energy from the Sun Which of the following sequences is arranged in order from shorter wavelength to longer wavelength?

The plane of Earth's orbit about the Sun is called

Which is true of the December solstice?

Earth and the Sun formed specifically from

Daily net radiation patterns at the top of the atmosphere.Averaged daily net radiation flows measured at the top of the atmosphere by the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE).Units are W/m2.[Data for map courtesy of GSFC/NASA.] Average daily net radiation flows tend to be

Which of the following is not true of sunspots?

The Goldilocks zone is best described as

Which is true of the June solstice?

______is a measure of the average kinetic energy of individual molecules in matter.

One June 21st,the Sun's declination is at

The auroras in the upper atmosphere are caused by

The basic idea behind the planetesimal hypothesis is that

What is a light-year? Why is the light-year a useful unit of measurement for astronomical distances?

The Tropic of Cancer refers to

The subsolar point occurs

Essentials of Geography

Earth’s Atmosphere

Atmospheric Energy and Global Temperatures

Atmospheric and Oceanic Circulations

Water and Atmospheric Moisture

Weather

Water Resources

Earth’s Climatic Regions

Climate Change

The Dynamic Planet

Tectonics, Earthquakes, and Volcanism

Weathering, Karst Landscapes, and Mass Movement

River Systems

Aeolian Processes and Arid Landscapes

Oceans and Coastal Systems

Glacial Landscapes and the Cryosphere

The Geography of Soils

Ecosystem Essentials

Terrestrial Biomes

Filters