Chapter 2 Measuring the Earth
Chapter Questions:
The latitude of a point in the Northern Hemisphere may be determined by measuring the
a. apparent diameter of Polaris
b. altitude of Polaris
c. distance to the Sun
d. apparent diameter of the Sun
Distances north or south of the equator are measured in degrees of
a. latitude
b. longitude
c. parallels
d. meridians
A person knows the solar time on the Prime Meridian and the local solar time. What
determination can be made?
a. The date.
b. The altitude of Polaris.
c. The longitude at which the person is located.
d. The latitude at which the person is located.
What is the latitude of an observer if the altitude of Polaris is 43 0?
a. 230 N
b. 430 N
c. 470 N
d. 900 N
Ship X and ship Y are sailing along the equator. The difference in local solar time between them
is two hours. What is their difference in longitude?
a. 00
b. 150
c. 300
d. 450
According to the Earth Science Reference Tables, what city is located nearest to 430 North
latitude and 760 West longitude?
a. Utica
b. Niagara Falls
c. Watertown
d. Syracuse
Upon what measurement is Earth’s latitude and longitude system based?
a. star angles
b. gravity intensity
c. magnetism direction
d. apparent solar diameter
As a ship crosses the Prime Meridian, the altitude of Polaris is 650. What is the ship’s location?
a. 00 longitude, 650 South latitude
b. 00 longitude, 650 North latitude
c. 00 latitude, 650 West longitude
d. 00 latitude, 650 East longitude
A stream has a source at an elevation of 1,000 meters. It ends in a lake that has an elevation of
300 meters. If the lake is 200 kilometers away from the source, what is the average gradient of
the stream?
a. 1.5 m/km
b. 3.5 m/km
c. 10 m/km
d. 15 m/km
A contour line that has tiny comblike marks along the inner edge indicates the presence of a
a. mountain
b. steep cliff
c. river valley
d. depression in the ground
What assumption must be made about the sun’s rays if you use Eratosthenes’ method for
determining the circumference of the Earth?
What is the largest internal angle of latitude that can be measured from the equator?
a. 450
b. 600
c. 900
d. 1800
What is the latitude of the North Pole?
a. 00
b. 900 N
c. 900 S
d. 1800 W
As the temperature difference between two points increases, what happens to the spacing of
the isotherms?
a. the spacing decreases
b. the spacing increases
c. the spacing remains the same
d. the lines touch
What do contour lines represent on a topographic map?
a. elevation
b. temperature
c. pressure
d. latitude
What is meant by the contour “interval” on a topographic map?
a. time between two lines
b. space between two lines
c. vertical height between two lines
d. miles between two lines
The contour lines on a section of map being interpreted appear much closer together than
elsewhere on the same map. The close spacing of contour lines indicates that
a. the gradient is greater here than elsewhere on the map.
b. the gradient is less here than elsewhere on the map.
c. there are more rivers in this area than elsewhere on the map.
d. there is a greater distance represented here than elsewhere on the map.
At which New York State location will an observer most likely measure the altitude of Polaris as
approximately 420?
a. Jamestown
b. Platsburgh
c. Oswego
d. New York City
The average temperature at Earth’s equator is higher than the average temperature at Earth’s
South Pole because the South Pole
a. receives less intense insolation.
b. receives more infrared radiation.
c. has less land area.
d. has more cloud cover.
Approximately how many degrees per day does the Earth revolve in its orbit around the Sun?
a. 10
b. 130
c. 150
d. 23.50
The approximate latitude of Utica, New York, is
a. 430 05’ N
b. 430 05’ S
c. 750 15’ E
d. 750 15’ W
The movement of the tectonic plates is inferred by many scientists to be driven by
a. tidal motions in the hydrosphere.
b. density differences in the troposphere.
c. convection currents in the asthenosphere.
d. solidification in the lithosphere.