Human-Environment Interactions
Question Bank
Course Introduction
This course explores the dynamic relationships between human societies and the natural environment, emphasizing how cultural, economic, and political factors influence and are influenced by ecological systems. Students will examine topics such as resource management, environmental challenges, sustainability, and the impact of human activity on ecosystems over time. By integrating perspectives from geography, anthropology, ecology, and environmental science, the course fosters a comprehensive understanding of the reciprocal interactions between people and their environments, and encourages students to analyze contemporary environmental issues with an interdisciplinary approach.
Recommended Textbook
Geosystems An Introduction to Physical Geography 3rd Canadian Edition by Robert W. Christopherson
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21 Chapters
2826 Verified Questions
2826 Flashcards
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Page 2
Chapter 1: Essentials of Geography
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205 Verified Questions
205 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) A line connecting all points along the same longitudinal angle is called a A)meridian.
B)parallel.
C)prime latitudinal angle.
D)great circle.
E)small circle.
Answer: A
Q2) Which of the following is true of models?
A)they are concrete representations of the world.
B)they are unrealistic representations of the world.
C)they are simplified representations of the world.
D)they cannot be used to measure real world phenomena.
E)because they are small,they cannot accurately reflect reality.
Answer: C
Q3) A scale given as "one centimetre to one kilometre" is an example of a A)representative fraction.
B)graphic scale.
C)written scale.
Answer: C
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Page 3
Chapter 2: Solar Energy to Earth and the Seasons
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following accurately describes Earth's distance from the Sun?
A)the Earth-Sun distance averages 150 million kilometers.
B)it takes light an average of 8 hours and 20 seconds to travel from the Sun to Earth.
C)Earth is closer to the Sun in July (perihelion)and farther away in January (aphelion).
D)it varies by up to 50% throughout its orbit
E)it remains constant through time.
Answer: A
Q2) Energy is liberated within the Sun's interior through a process known as nuclear fusion.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q3) The Sun emits streams of charged particles that are collectively referred to as the electromagnetic spectrum.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
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Chapter 3: Earth's Modern Atmosphere
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Sample Questions
Q1) Captain Kittenger came close to the speed of sound during his record-breaking sky dive.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q2) Both nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide are principally produced by automobiles.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q3) Which is true of the amount of CO in our atmosphere?
A)the level of CO is currently more than 386 ppm.
B)the level of CO has been increasing at the rate of 0.001% per year since 2000.
C)the level of CO increased at the rate of 111.1% per year from 1990 to 1999.
D)the level of CO is lower than at any time in the past 800 000 years.
E)the level of CO is currently less than 386 ppm.
Answer: A
Q4) List the four stable gases in the atmosphere by decreasing percentage by volume.
Answer: nitrogen,oxygen,argon,carbon dioxide.
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Page 5
Chapter 4: Atmosphere and Surface Energy Balances
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100 Verified Questions
100 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following combinations of NET R terms would be associated with a hot,dry climate? \( (+\mathrm{SW} \downarrow= \) insolation)- SW = albedo LE = latent heat of evaporation)
A)+ SW large - SW small LE large
B)+ SW large - SW small LE small
C)+ SW small - SW large LE small
D)+ SW small - SW large LE large
E)+SW equals -SW large LE large
Q2) Which of the following is true?
A)practical technology for the use of solar energy has not yet been developed.
B)solar-thermal electrical production is only at the experimental stage.
C)flat-plate solar hot water heaters were sold in newspapers and merchandise catalogs almost 100 years ago.
D)solar energy is nonrenewable,and the technology associated with its use is highly centralized and expensive.
E)solar energy will never be able to contribute significantly to our energy demands.
Q3) Describe and analyze the various methods of tapping solar energy and explain why they do not enjoy more widespread use.
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6
Chapter 5: Global Temperatures
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Sample Questions
Q1) Global temperature change
A)is not affecting animals,but is influencing plant distribution.
B)is affecting body size for sheep in high latitudes.
C)is linked to increases in goat size in Ireland.
D)is allowing tropical plant seeds to germinate in Iceland.
E)is not linked to human activity.
Q2) Which of the following is true regarding clouds?
A)they increase temperature minimums <u> and </u>temperature maximums.
B)they cover about 15 percent of Earth's surface at any one time.
C)they act like insulation in that they have a moderating influence on temperatures.
D)they decrease nighttime temperatures and increase daytime temperatures.
E)they absorb large amounts of energy warming the atmosphere during both day and night.
Q3) Relative to latitude and surface energy receipts,which of the following is true?
A)insolation intensity increases with distance from the subsolar point.
B)daylength decreases with increasing latitude in <u>summer</u>.
C)insolation intensity decreases with distance from the subsolar point.
D)seasonal effects increase toward the equator.
E)variations in energy receipt are minimal at the poles.
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Page 7
Chapter 6: Atmospheric and Oceanic Circulations
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Sample Questions
Q1) The pressure gradient force drives air from areas of higher pressure to areas of lower pressure.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Which of the following matches is correct relative to air circulation?
A)anticyclone = low pressure center
B)cyclone = low pressure center
C)anticyclone = clockwise circulation in the southern hemisphere
D)cyclone = clockwise in the northern hemisphere
E)anticyclone = clockwise in the southern hemisphere
Q3) The polar jet tends to flow above the A)ITCZ.
B)subtropical high.
C)polar front.
D)polar high.
E)the Arctic Circle.
Q4) An area of high pressure circulates <u> counterclockwise</u> in the northern hemisphere and is called an anticyclone.
A)True
B)False
Page 8
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Chapter 7: Water and Atmospheric Moisture
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164 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is true regarding condensation nuclei?
A)maritime air masses generally possess more nuclei per cubic metre than continental air masses.
B)clear sky conditions indicate a lack of any nuclei.
C)continental air masses average about a billion nuclei per cubic metre.
D)continental air masses contain more than 10 times the condensation nuclei of maritime air masses.
E)continental air masses and maritime air masses differ very little with respect to condensation nucleii.
Q2) First present the characteristics of water that make it capable of hydrogen bonding.Then discuss why water is a good solvent and so readily exhibits capillarity.Finally,examine the heat properties of water,specifically those involved with phase changes,with special focus on the importance of latent heat of vaporization and latent heat of condensation.
Q3) The destructive energy associated with major storms is derived largely from the <u>condensation </u> of water.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Present the important aspects of water's changes between phases.
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Chapter 8: Weather
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129 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which site is experiencing warm,steady rain and wind from the southwest?
A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D
Q2) Which of the following is true of tropical cyclones?
A)sea surface temperatures must exceed 16 degrees Celsius for one to form.
B)they form around an intense high pressure center at the surface.
C)worldwide,about 10% of all tropical disturbances could become tropical cyclones.
D)they have hit Brazil,France,and Hudson Bay.
E)they travel in a north-south direction.
Q3) Hurricanes are perhaps the most impressive weather event on Earth.Write an essay in which you first examine the typical conditions that spawn hurricanes in the Atlantic.Then give the physical characteristics of a hurricane and examine why it can be so devastating to land.
Q4) Chinook winds are cold,dry winds.
A)True
B)False
Q5) How do air masses form? What are their general characteristics?
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Chapter 9: Water Resources
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is true regarding an <u>unconfined</u> aquifer?
A)it consists of a permeable sediment layer surrounded by impermeable layers above and below it.
B)it is recharged by the downward flow of water under the influence of gravity.
C)water cannot migrate into the aquifer through pore spaces directly above it.
D)it collects water from a very restricted recharge area.
E)water is forced out of the aquifer when a well is drilled.
Q2) When hygroscopic water is present,a surplus exists.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Water could be pumped faster from a geologic unit composed of sand than from one composed of clay.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Which of the following is true regarding groundwater?
A)it is unlimited when compared with the amount of surface water supplies.
B)when polluted,it is actually easier to clean up than is surface water.
C)the total amount of groundwater has been reduced by the mining of water.
D)in terms of total amount,it is second to streams in the United States.
E)it is an independent source of water,not tied to surface sources.
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Chapter 10: Climate Systems and Climate Change
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135 Verified Questions
135 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) General circulation models (GCMs)of the atmosphere
A)produce very specific results as to time and place.
B)are now in operation at over a dozen places in Canada.
C)are based on statistical three-dimensional boxes that characterize portions of the atmosphere and ocean in terms of climate-related variables.
D)are essentially unrelated to mathematical models originally established for forecasting weather.
E)are based on short term weather data for many places on Earth.
Q2) What characteristics distinguish the marine west coast climates,and what factors are responsible for those characteristics?
Q3) Which of the following is true regarding the concentration of CO in the lower atmosphere?
A)it is 1/3 higher than it was 1750.
B)it has stabilized.
C)it is presently at 150 ppm.
D)it is unrelated to the amount of forest cover.
E)it is not related to fossil fuel use.
Q4) List the weather components that combine to produce climates.
Q5) What is a GCM and how are they used to study possible future climates?
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Chapter 11: The Dynamic Planet
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is true regarding Alfred Wegener's theory of continental drift?
A)it was immediately adopted because of his geological background.
B)although he provided a mechanism for continental drift,he could not find evidence of it.
C)he was the first to propose that the continents moved.
D)he believed that 225 million years ago all the continents were joined together to form Pangaea.
E)he proved that the continents float on water and move with convection currents.
Q2) The ocean floor is a maximum of about 200 million years in age because
A)Earth is only 200 million years old.
B)the ocean floor is pushed up onto continental material during plate collisions.
C)the ocean floor subducts during plate collisions.
D)hot spots continuously destroy the ocean floor.
E)continents erode the ocean floor when they roll over them,and new floor has to continually be created.
Q3) Describe the important aspects of the formation and breakup of Pangaea.
Q4) Describe the characteristics of Earth's mantle.
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Chapter 12: Tectonics, Earthquakes, and Volcanism
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138 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is an example of a third order of relief?
A)the Alps
B)a continental platform
C)the Ottawa Valley
D)the Basin and Range Province
E)the southern ocean
Q2) All earthquakes re-rated using the moment magnitude scale have been rated higher than they had been rated using the Richter scale.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Scientific evidence regarding the nature of faulting and crustal movement in California suggests
A)that a number of small earthquakes may preceed a major earthquake.
B)that there is no warning sign of an impending large earthquake.
C)that a portion of southern California is poised to break from the mainland and fall into the ocean.
D)that a new mountain chain is developing along the fault system.
E)that humans do not know enough about earthquakes to properly plan large cities in this region.
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Chapter 13: Weathering, Karst Landscapes, and Mass Movement
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114 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) In what ways can water be involved in physical and chemical weathering processes?
Q2) The material from which stalactites and other cave formations develop is derived from
A)halite that was dissolved from the overlying rock as groundwater flowed through it and then precipitated when the water evaporated.
B)various types of gases in the cave,which sublimate to form a solid.
C)calcite that was dissolved from the overlying rock as groundwater flowed through it and then precipitated when the water evaporated.
D)calcite that sublimates from air trapped within the cave when temperatures fall below a certain level-about -10°C.
E)phosphates that were carried into the cave by groundwater and then precipitated as the groundwater evaporated.
Q3) The most common type of mass movement in a moderately sloped and dry environment is soil creep.
A)True
B)False
Q4) As weathering mechanisms,how does hydration differ from hydrolysis?
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Chapter 14: River Systems and Landforms
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Sample Questions
Q1) What happens to the flow velocity and erosive power of a stream during a high discharge event if levees have been created to confine flow to the channel? (Remember Q = wdv)
A)velocity increases because the width does not increase,and the erosive power increases.
B)velocity increases because depth does not increase,and the erosive power increases.
C)velocity decreases because the depth of the channel is significantly greater,and the erosive power increases.
D)velocity decreases because the depth of the channel is significantly greater,and the erosive power decreases.
E)there is no change to flow velocity and erosive power as the river is still the same water body.
Q2) The average size of sediment in a natural levee is ________ that found in the surrounding floodplain.
A)larger than B)smaller than C)the same size as
Q3) What conditions lead to the creation of an oxbow lake?
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Chapter 15: Eolian Processes and Arid Landscapes
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Sample Questions
Q1) Addition of more dams on the Colorado River would result in ________ available water because ________.
A)more of the obvious fact that dams create reservoirs which store water that would otherwise flow into the sea
B)less some of the impounded water would seep into rock and become unavailable
C)more less of the water would evaporate
D)more the pressure head from the surrounding area would force groundwater to flow into the area.
Q2) Desert pavement refers to
A)specially constructed roadbeds in dry and hot regions.
B)surfaces of concentrated pebbles and gravels.
C)surfaces that evidently were not affected by the 1991 Persian Gulf War.
D)sand-covered surfaces.
E)roads in the Sahara desert.
Q3) Which of the following is true of loess deposits?
A)they are principally composed of sands and gravels.
B)they are formed of fine-grained clays and silts.
C)they are found only in Antarctica.
D)they form only following glacial activity.
E)they are found only in Europe.
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Chapter 16: The Oceans, Coastal Processes, and Landforms
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is true of the ocean deep zone?
A)temperatures remain approximately 4°C within most of this layer.
B)the water in this zone does not freeze because of the intense pressure exerted by the weight of overlying water.
C)The water in this zone freezes in spite of its salinity.
D)moving deeper,the water warms geothermally.
E)salt accumulates in this zone,creating super-saline water.
Q2) Which of the following is an example of an erosional coastal landform?
A)sea arch
B)tombolo
C)barrier island
D)spit
E)longshore bar
Q3) A one metre rise in sea level would cause shorelines to move inland an average of only three to four metres.
A)True
B)False
Q4) As the potential evapotranspiration increases,salinity decreases.
A)True
B)False
Page 18
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Chapter 17: Glacial and Periglacial Processes and Landforms
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Sample Questions
Q1) Solifluction requires
A)an active layer,flat surfaces,and water.
B)soil saturation,an active layer,and sloping surfaces.
C)sloping surfaces,an active layer and gravel.
D)flat surfaces,water,and freezing temperatures.
E)freezing temperatures,a saturated layer,and sand.
Q2) Glacial ice forms more quickly in polar environments than in midlatitude,alpine environments.
A)True
B)False
Q3) A glacier that is confined in a bowl-shaped recess is called a A)piedmont glacier.
B)mountain glacier.
C)cirque glacier.
D)valley glacier.
E)paternoster glacier.
Q4) Permafrost describes those portions of the ocean that are constantly covered by floating ice.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 18: The Geography of Soils
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Sample Questions
Q1) Irrigated land accounts for only about 4 percent of the world's food harvests.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Which of the following soils would have limited horizon development and would be destructive of buildings and roads?
A)Brunisolic
B)Vertisolic
C)Chernozemic
D)Solonetzic
E)Luvisolic
Q3) Pick seven of the 10 soil orders.For each order,give a description and a typical location and climate where the soil order is likely to be found.
Q4) Farmers are concerned with soil from the standpoint of A)geomorphology.
B)pedology.
C)edaphology.
D)plantology.
E)glaciology
Q5) List and briefly describe the main soil properties.
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Chapter 19: Ecosystem Essentials
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Sample Questions
Q1) Biomass is the net dry weight of organic material available to feed the food chain.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Most ecosystems are relatively uniform,with few,if any,patches of former landscapes.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Carbon in the ocean is often stored in the form of carbon dioxide and calcium carbonate.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Alexander von Humboldt first proposed the idea that plant communities change with altitude just as they do with latitude.This is known as the A)altitude-latitude hypothesis.
B)vegetation similarity theory.
C)life zone concept.
D)"plant fallacy hypothesis" since the idea was later disproved.
E)ecotone concept.
Q5) What are important aspects of Humboldt's life-zone concept?
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Chapter 20: Terrestrial Biomes
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Sample Questions
Q1) The creosote bush secretes chemical toxins into the soil in order to compete for A)sunlight.
B)moisture.
C)nutrients.
D)warmth.
Q2) An epiphyte is an example of a formation class.
A)True B)False
Q3) The biosphere-reserve effort specifically involves principles of A)geography.
B)biology.
C)geology.
D)island biogeography.
E)geoarcheology
Q4) According to the best scientific evidence currently available,there is no reason to be hopeful that the planet's ecosystems will readily and positively adapt to projected changes in climate brought about by anthropogenic \( \mathrm{CO}_{2} \)emissions.
A)True B)False
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Chapter 21: Earth and the Human Denominator
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following regions has the highest per-capita energy use?
A)North America
B)Asia
C)Europe
D)South America
E)Australasia
Q2) Write an essay on human oil consumption and the pollution caused by it.
Q3) Scientists should
A)limit their activities to studying nature and not deal with the practical and ethical implications of their findings.
B)inform people of the consequences of certain types of actions so that humanity can avoid hurting or destroying itself and the biosphere.
C)tell their students exactly who to vote for in various elections in order to implement their agenda.
D)have a direct line to government leaders to inform them of consequences to political decisions.
Q4) Each year we add more than 70 000 000 people to Earth.
A)True
B)False
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