Environmental Studies Study Guide
Questions
Course Introduction
Environmental Studies is an interdisciplinary course that examines the complex relationships between humans and their natural environment. The course covers fundamental concepts in ecology, conservation, sustainability, and environmental policy, exploring how social, economic, and political factors influence environmental decision-making. Students will analyze current environmental challenges such as climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, and resource management, and will assess strategies for creating more sustainable communities. Emphasis is placed on developing critical thinking skills and understanding the role individuals and societies play in shaping a sustainable future.
Recommended Textbook
Introducing Physical Geography 5th Edition by Alan H. Strahler
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17 Chapters
1169 Verified Questions
1169 Flashcards
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Page 2
Chapter 1: The Earth As a Rotating Planet
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52 Verified Questions
52 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) On which of the following projections does a straight line represent a true and constant compass bearing?
A)conic
B)cylindrical
C)isarithmic
D)equal-area
E)Mercator
Answer: E
Q2) The Meridian at 0 degrees is:
A)the Prime Meridian
B)the Equator
C)the Arctic Circle
D)the Antarctic Circle
E)the International Date Line
Answer: A
Q3) The declination of the Sun is the angle of the Sun measured at solar noon.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
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Page 3
Chapter 2: The Earths Global Energy Balance
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59 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) What is the solar constant?
A)The amount of solar radiation per unit area received at the Earth's surface
B)The amount of solar radiation per unit area received outside the Earth's atmosphere
C)The amount of solar radiation per unit area received emitted at the Sun's surface
D)The amount of solar radiation per unit area received at the equator
E)The amount of solar radiation per unit area received at the pole
Answer: B
Q2) Imbalances in net radiation between low and high latitudes results in:
A)poleward heat transfer
B)latent heat transfer
C)sensible heat transfer
D)counter radiation
E)the greenhouse effect
Answer: A
Q3) If the Earth was not tilted on its axis there would be no seasons whatsoever.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
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4
Chapter 3: Air Temperature
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58 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Using 3.20 which of the locations has the most continental and high latitude climate?
A)Yakutsk
B)Hamburg
C)Aswan
D)Manaus
Answer: A
Q2) The environmental lapse rate is:
A)2.2 degrees per 100 meters
B)4.4 degrees per 1000 meters
C)3.2 degrees per 1000 meters
D)6.4 degrees per 1000 meters
E)10 degrees per 1000 meters
Answer: D
Q3) Isotherms make a large north-south shift from January to July over continents in mid-latitude and subarctic zones.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
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Chapter 4: Atmospheric Moisture and Precipitation
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Sample Questions
Q1) Is air pollution an issue for your location? Describe the sources of that pollution and the prevailing atmospheric phenomena that accentuate local pollution.
Q2) The dry adiabatic lapse rate is _______ degrees Celsius per kilometer.
A)2.5
B)10.0
C)0.10
D)6.4
E)0.64
Q3) The rainshadow is located on the:
A)leeward side of a mountain range
B)windward side of a mountain range
C)peak of a mountain range
D)edge of desert regions
E)edge of coastal regions
Q4) If a cloud forms close to the ground it is called:
A)dew
B)low lying stratus clouds
C)fog
D)ground induced precipitation
E)a cloudbank
Page 6
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Chapter 5: Winds and the Global Circulation System
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60 Verified Questions
60 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The greatest wind speeds occur in the center of jet streams with velocities decreasing away from the center.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Using an annotated diagram,describe the bands of pressures and winds on an ideal Earth.
Q3) How does the magnitude of the Coriolis force vary with latitude?
A)Deflection is zero at the equator and maximum at the poles
B)Deflection is zero at the poles and maximum at the equator
C)Deflection is zero at the equator and poles and maximum at mid-latitudes
D)Deflection is zero at mid-latitudes and maximum at the equator and poles
E)Deflection is constant across the Earth's surface
Q4) Surface winds converge towards __________________.
A)an anticyclone
B)a cyclone
C)an area of high pressure
D)the Subtropical high
E)the Polar high
Q5) Explain the concept of "El Nino".
Q6) Describe and explain the local winds of your region.
Page 7
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Chapter 6: Weather Systems
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Sample Questions
Q1) Using a current weather map (either from a newspaper or the Internet)identify the wave cyclones and their current stage of development.
Q2) Describe the anatomy of a hurricane,with particular reference to cloud types,wind speeds and atmospheric pressure.
Q3) Describe the potential impact of global warming in the development of hurricanes.Explain why the nature of such impacts is still a matter of debate.
Q4) Jet streams contribute to the movement of air masses from one region to another.
A)True
B)False
Q5) In the mid- latitudes,the most prominent system to bring precipitation is:
A)the sub-tropical high pressure belt
B)the Hadley cell
C)the westerlies
D)the traveling wave cyclone
E)the continental polar air mass
Q6) Explain the difference between mP and mT air masses.
Q7) A pool of warm,moist air remains aloft after a wave cyclone has dissolved.
A)True
B)False
Page 8
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Chapter 7: Global Climates
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96 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) What does the "w" stand for in the climate classifications of Aw and Cwa?
A)dry summer season
B)dry winter season
C)wt summer season
D)wet winter season
E)wet all year round
Q2) Compare and contrast the nature of boreal and tundra climates.Explain the factors responsible for these differences.
Q3) Describe the spatial and temporal factors involved in the annual climate of your region.
Q4) Describe and explain the seasonal changes associated with a monsoon climate
Q5) Wheat production is the dominant crop of the moist subtropical climate type.
A)True
B)False
Q6) Compare and contrast the nature of arid and semi-arid climates.Explain the factors responsible for these differences.
Q7) Identify two examples each of dry and moist climates.Explain the factors that are responsible for their precipitation regimes.
Q8) Describe the climate and vegetation of the Mediterranean climate.
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Chapter 8: Biogeographic Processes
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117 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The process whereby nitrogen is removed from the soil and returned to the atmosphere is referred to as:
A)denitrification
B)nitrogen fixation
C)denudation
D)outgassing
E)combustion
Q2) Using examples,either from your local region or a region of your choice,compare and contrast different types of competition between animals.
Q3) What proportion of the Earth's atmosphere is comprised of nitrogen?
A)24%
B)35%
C)49%
D)78%
E)87%
Q4) Using an annotated diagram,describe the general operation of the carbon cycle.Explain the likely impact of the large-scale and long-term burning of fossil fuels.
Q5) Describe the factors that promote and limit the dispersal of species.
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Chapter 9: Global Biogeography
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Sample Questions
Q1) Buttress roots characterize trees in which of the following forest types?
A)low-latitude rainforest
B)subtropical evergreen forest
C)mid-latitude deciduous forest
D)needleleaf forest
E)coastal needleleaf forest
Q2) In which of the following locations would you find alpine tundra?
A)Above the tree line and with snow and ice all year round
B)Above the tree line and with short seasons in which snow and ice thaws
C)Below the tree line and with short seasons in which snow and ice thaws
D)Below the tree line and with periods of constant darkness or daylight
E)Below the tree line and with desert-type vegetation
Q3) Monsoon forest typically has a dense closed canopy with few plants at lower levels.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Ecosystems fall into two major groups,marine and terrestrial.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 10: Global Soils
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Sample Questions
Q1) If clay minerals can hold abundant base ions,the soil is of low base status and is generally less fertile.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Argillic horizons are characteristic of oxisols,alfisols and mollisols.
A)True
B)False
Q3) In which of the following soils is the original parent material comprised largely of volcanic ash?
A)vertisol
B)entisol
C)aridisol
D)andisol
E)histosol
Q4) Describe the major factors in soil and soil development,and explain their differing role in a selection of soil orders.
Q5) Describe and explain the role of colloids and soil pH in the retention of soil nutrients.
Q6) Describe the nature of soil texture and explain its role in a soil water budget
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Chapter 11: Earth Materials
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111 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is a type of chemically precipitated rock?
A)Sandstone
B)Coal
C)Mudstone
D)Limestone
E)Conglomerate
Q2) At spreading boundaries,new lithosphere is being formed by consumption.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Which of the following statements best describes mafic rocks?
A)high in calcium and iron
B)high in magnesium and iron
C)high in magnesium and feldspar
D)high in feldspar and calcium
E)high in feldspar and silica
Q4) Chert forms from layers of silica deposited in sea water.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Compare and contrast the different types of sedimentary rocks.
Q6) Using an annotated diagram describe the components of the lithosphere.
Page 13
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Chapter 12: Volcanic and Tectonic Landforms
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101 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) A circular or oval structure in which strata have been forced upward,often associated with igneous intrusions or upthrusting on deep faults is a/an:
A)mesa
B)butte
C)monadnock
D)cuesta
E)dome
Q2) Hotspots occurring beneath continental crust can provide vast areas of flood basalts.
A)True
B)False
Q3) The compass direction of the line of intersection of an inclined rock plane and a horizontal plane of reference is referred to as the:
A)dip
B)strike
C)bedding plane
D)tilt
E)ridge
Q4) Compare and contrast stratovolcanoes with shield volcanoes.
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Chapter 13: Weathering and Mass Wasting
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60 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Landslides are triggered by heavy rains rather than earthquakes or sudden rock failures.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Niche formation is associated with which of the following types of weathering?
A)acid action
B)oxidation
C)frost action
D)salt-crystal growth
E)granular disintegration
Q3) Describe and explain the different forms of mass wasting.
Q4) Exfoliation is the result of which of the following processes?
A)biological weathering
B)unloading
C)carbonation
D)oxidation
E)frost action
Q5) Describe and explain the different forms of physical weathering.
Q6) Compare and contrast the features of natural mass wasting to the impacts of scarification.
Page 15
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Chapter 14: Fresh Water of the Continents
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51 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The accumulation of excess nutrients that stimulate freshwater plant growth may lead to which of the following processes?
A)salinization
B)acidification
C)eutrophication
D)subsidence
E)sublimation
Q2) Sand or Sandstones' ability to hold water often make it a good ____________ .
A)recreational site
B)construction material
C)aquifer
D)building location
E)none of the above
Q3) How does urbanization impact stream flow?
A)The development of large areas of permeable surfaces
B)Overland flow across the urban area decreases
C)Storm sewers slow the rate at which water is delivered to nearby rivers and streams
D)Recharge of groundwater beneath the urban area is reduced
E)Decrease the frequency and height of flood peaks after heavy storms
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Page 16
Chapter 15: Landforms Made by Running Water
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50 Verified Questions
50 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Splash erosion can eventually cause a soil to be less able to absorb water.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The rolling or sliding of particles in a stream moves larger debris referred to collectively at the.
A)Solution load
B)stream load
C)dissolved load
D)bed load
E)suspended load
Q3) Which of the following features develops once a river has reached a graded condition?
A)lakes
B)levee
C)terrace
D)braided channel
E)floodplain
Q4) Compare and contrast the landscapes inherent in early,middle and late stages of stream gradation.
Q5) Describe and explain the development of alluvial fans.
Page 17
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Chapter 16: Landforms Made by Waves and Wind
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60 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The most important agent shaping coastal landforms is ___________ action.
A)storm
B)stream
C)salinization
D)wave
E)gravity
Q2) Coral reef coasts occur in warm water,near the surface and free of suspended sediment.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Relatively small sand dunes that are crescent-shaped are termed:
A)barchans
B)star dunes
C)transverse dunes
D)longitudinal dunes
E)seif dunes
Q4) Using an example of a tide timetable (either obtained locally or from the Internet)explain the sequences of tides and their characteristics.
Q5) Compare and contrast the different types of coral reefs.
Q6) Using an annotated diagram describe the features in a barchan dune.
Page 18
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Chapter 17: Glacier Landforms and the Ice Age
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Sample Questions
Q1) Compare the rate of movement in a surging glacier with other physical geography processes.Identify some of the possible causes of surging and the impacts of surging upon the environment.
Q2) Where is the rate of flow fastest in an alpine glacier?
A)At the surface and closest to actively forming moraines
B)At the surface and toward the edges of the glacier
C)At the bottom and toward the edges of the glacier
D)Near the midline and toward the top of the glacier's surface
E)Near the midline and toward the edges of the headwall
Q3) Using an annotated diagram,describe the general features of a valley glacier.Identify and define the processes that dominate each zone.
Q4) Which of the following types of till is an unstratified mixture of rock fragments ranging in size from clay to boulders?
A)till
B)stratified drift
C)ground moraine
D)lodgment till
E)ablation till
Q5) Describe and explain the possible causes of the Late Cenozoic Ice Age.
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