AP Human Geography Chapter 1 Multiple Choice Test – Flashcards

Which of the following statements is most correct regarding the origins of geography? A. Geography was invented as a science in the late 18th century. B. Physical geography has been studied since ancient times but human geography was first studied in the 20th century. C. Geographers owes its existence to the Renaissance period in western Europe. D. Humans have practice similar geography at least since time of ancient Greek civilization. E. Human geography was not practice until powerful computers capable of mapping detail information were invented.

According to the surviving evidence the first person to write the word geography was: A. Aristotle B. Eratosthenes C. Strabo D. Thales of Miletus E. Thucydides

What elements of study do human and physical geography have in common? A. They are taught or studied within the same department in major universities, but only rarely. B. They're concerned with where things occur and why they occur where they do. C. They are deadly dedicated primarily to managing national parks systems. D. They are focused primarily on managing the worlds growing human population. E. They represent a network of academic professionals dedicated primarily to studying coal mining's effects on physical and human systems.

Scale is: A. The system used by geographers to transfer locations from a globe to a map. B. The spread of a phenomenon over a given area. C. The difference in elevation between two points in an area. D. The relationship between the length of an object on a map and that feature on landscape. E. The ratio of the largest to smallest areas on a map.

1:24,000 is an example of what kind of scale? A. A bar line B. A metric scale C. A graphic scale D. A written scale E. A ratio or fraction

A mathematical process for transferring locations from a globe to a flat map is a: A. distribution B. interruption C. rendition D. scale E. projection

The art and science of making maps is: A. Cardemography B. Cartography C. Topography D. Geomorphology E. Geography

You are given the coordinates 128 E longitude, 45 N latitude this is an example of a: A. mathematical location B. placename on the grid system C. situation on the grid system D. mathematical grid interchange E. site-situation intersection

Which statement is more accurate? A. Every meridian is actually a circle rather than a curved line. B. Every meridian is the same length and has the same beginning and end. C. Every parallel begins and ends at the polls. D. Every parallel is the same length. E. Every meridian is distorted by magnetic declination.

Greenwich Mean Time is measured from: A. 0° latitude B. 0° longitude C. 90° latitude D. 180° longitude E. 90° longitude

The international dateline is measured approximately from: A. 0° latitude B. 0° longitude C. 90° latitude D. 180° longitude E. 90° longitude

We can judge from the various kinds of maps shown in this chapter that: A. Fairly accurate navigational maps could only be produced after the start of the Industrial Revolution. B. The first "true" maps appeared because of modern printing presses in the 20th century. C. Sailors during the European Renaissance had paper maps that were far more useful to them then were the "stick charts" possessed by the Polynesian sailors and fishers. D. Maps have appeared in many forms in different societies and times including modern paper maps, GPS in cars, the "stick charts" of Polynesia, and the card carved maps of ancient Turkey. E. Maps that distort the sizes of Greenland and Antarctica are generally the best, although they make Africa and South America appear too small while simultaneously expanding the size of Europe.

A map projection may distort a continent, making it appear stretched in some areas and smashed in others in order to: A. Distort the shapes of other continents. B. Distort the distances and relative sizes of countries and continents. C. Depict a map that accurately represents a globe in every detail. D. Depict accurately the physical area of a country or continent. E. Depict accurately the shape of that same continent.

If the scale of a map is 1:100,000, then 1 cm on the map represents _________ on earth surface. A. 1 kilometers B. 10 kilometers C. 10,000 kilometers D. 100,000 kilometers E. 1000 centimeters

Which of the following types of maps would have the largest scale? A. world B. continent C. state D. city E. country

Distortion is especially severe and apparent on: A. globes B. small-scale maps C. large-scale maps D. topographic maps E. all maps

You see the coordinates 5 E longitude, 10 N latitude. You do not need to look at a map in order to deduce that this location is: A. near both the equator and the prime meridian. B. near the equator but quite far from the prime meridian. C. near the international dateline as well as the North Pole. D. near the international dateline and the prime meridian. E. near both the equator and the international dateline.

The coordinates 150 E longitude, 89 N latitude are: A. Near both the international dateline and the North Pole. B. Near the equator but quite far from the prime meridian. C. Near the international dateline and the equator. D. Near the north pole and the prime meridian. E. Near both the Tropic of Cancer and the international dateline.

Without looking at a map, we might deduce that the coordinates 170 W longitude, 11 S latitude are likely: A. Just west of the international dateline and just north of the equator. B. Just south of the equator and just east of the prime meridian. C. Just east of the international dateline and just south of the equator. D. Just east of the prime meridian and just south of the equator. E. Just south of the international dateline and just east of the equator.

If we did not have a map handy, we would deduce that the coordinates 171 E longitude, 12 S latitude are likely: A. Just east of the international dateline and just north of the equator. B. Just south of the equator and just east of the prime meridian. C. Just west of the international dateline and just south of the equator. D. Just west of the prime meridian and just south of the equator. E. Just south of the international dateline and just east of the equator.

Without glancing at a map, we can guess that the coordinates 178 E longitude, 20 S latitude are likely: A. Just east of the international dateline in the Pacific ocean. B. In the Pacific ocean just north of the equator. C. In the Pacific ocean just west of the international dateline. D. Just west of the prime meridian in the Atlantic Ocean. E. Just south of the equator in the Atlantic ocean.

A ships position is given at 0° latitude and 27° West longitude. We can conclude from this information that the ship is located: A. On the equator and in the Atlantic ocean. B. At the north or south pole and in the Arctic Ocean. C. On the prime meridian and in the Atlantic ocean. D. Astride the international dateline in the Pacific ocean. E. Equidistant between the prime meridian and the international dateline.

Driving around to gather information for street navigation devices is called: A. Ground truthing B. Remote sensing C. GIS programming D. GPS grounding E. GPS

The acquisition of data about earths surface from a satellite, spacecraft, or a specially equipped high-latitude balloon is: A. GIS B. GPS C. remote sensing D. aerial photography E. USGS

A computer system that stores, organizes, retrieves, analyzes, and displays geographic data is: A. GIS B. GPS C. remote-sensing D. USGC E. topographic analysis

Global positioning system reference _______ location: A. relative B. situational C. mathematical D. toponymic E. exact

If NASA sends a space probe into orbit around mars, and that probe transmits images of the Martian surface back to earth, we could say that: A. The space probe is gathering surface data, but it cannot be described as engaging in remote sensing because this is an operation that, by definition, can only be accomplished from Earth orbit. B. The space probe is generating data for GPS. C. The space probe is engaging in remote-sensing, although it is gathering data from a planet other than earth. D. The probe is engaging in aerial photography, although it is taking it's "pictures" from outer space. E. The USGC has programmed the space probe to mimic the work of earth satellites.

If a geographer uses some of the components and applications of a computer system to organize and display maps, but she doesn't use it for other functions: A. She is still using a GIS, although she may not be using all of its potential to store, organize, retrieve, and analyze data. B. She is still utilizing a GPS, although she may not be using all of its potential to store, organize, retrieve, and analyze data. C. She is using only the components of a remote sensing system, because she is not storing, organizing, retrieving, and analyzing she is using only the components of a remote sensing system, because she is not storing, organizing, retrieving, and analyze data. D. She is not using a GIS, because she is not using all of the systems potential to store, organize, retrieve, and analyze data. E. She is using only the topographic analysis functions, because she is not using all of its potential to store, organize, retrieve, and analyze data.

A geographer might use a GPS to: A. Log of the locations where photographs were taken, but not to find the best route to a store. B. Make a map but not to drive a car. C. Find the best route to a store or log the locations where photographs were taken. D. Record toponyms and terracentric calculations. E. Make a map or find a route to a favorite store, But not to log the locations where photographs were taken over the course of a research project.

The name of a location on earth surface is a: A. scale name B. site C. situation D. toponym E. geonym

Situation identifies a place by its: A. Location relative to other objects or places. B. Mathematica location on earth surface. C. Nominal location. D. Unique, internal physical and cultural characteristics. E. Primary dimensions.

Sites identifies a place by its: A. Location relative to other objects in places. B. Mathematica location on earth surface. C. Nominal location. D. Unique, internal physical and cultural characteristics. E. Primary dimensions.

New York City's _________ is approximately 100 miles northwest of Philadelphia and 100 miles southwest of Boston: A. location B. site C. situation D. toponym E. jurisdiction

A geographer would be primarily interested in determining or locating a suitable __________ if he were wishing to study a remote, rural valley in western Africa where diamonds are mined. A. geocache B. site C. situation D. toponym E. jurisdiction

Which of the following are fundamental elements of culture?: A. Customary beliefs, volcanic mountain ranges, and river settlements. B. Material beliefs, customary forms, physical norms, and material social traits. C. Social forms, material traits, customary beliefs, and physical environments. D. Customary beliefs, material traits, and social forms. E. Physical environments and material traits.

The concept that the distribution of one phenomenon is related to the location of other phenomena is: A. Geographic analysis B. Spatial analysis C. Spatial association D. Spatial distribution E. Regional Association

An area distinguished by one or more unique characteristics is a: A. Biome B. landscape C. region D. uniform unit E. ecosystem

The nine regions that the census bureau has established within the United States are examples of: A. Governmental regions B. functional regions C. nodal regions D. formal regions E. vernacular regions

The state of Texas is best considered a formal region because: A. Only one language is spoken in most of the cities of the region. B. The same state laws apply everywhere in the region. C. The climate is the same everywhere in the region. D. Transportation systems converge in the major highways of the region. E. It is a part of the United States.

Culture means to: A. Care about and nurture something. B. Nurture the growth of a plant but not ideas, custom, or beliefs. C. Develop new varations. D. Discard effective practices. E. Teach art, music, and literature.

The south is established as a vernacular region of the United States by: A. Climate, low educational attainment, cotton production, and the prevalence of talk radio stations. B. Climate, low high-school graduation rates, and the Roman Catholic and baptist churches. C. Low high school graduation rates, climate, cotton and corn (maize) production, and abuses of the rights of voters and minorities. D. High cotton production, high church attendance, the prevalence of right-wing talk radio stations, and limits placed on the civil rights of ethnic and racial minorities. E. Climate, low educational attainment, cotton production, and the prevalence of Baptist churches.

Which of the following is most likely a functional region? A. An area where new ideas seem to be circulating the fastest. B. The area of dominance of a particular church or sect. C. The area that a person regards as a hometown. D. The are of dominance of a television station. E. Area where people tend to be fans of a particular professional football team.

Which of the following could be a vernacular region? A. a sports "conference" or area within which sports teams compete with one another. B. The are of dominance of a television station. C. The market area of a supermarket. D. The area of dominance of a certain worldview or philosophy. E. The are served by a pizza delivery person.

Moving toward the southwestern border of the United States, Spanish is increasingly spoken in addition to English. What type of region this gradual change of language reflect? A. Formal B. Functional C. Vernacular D. Geo-linguistic E. Bilingual

Which of the following best describes the idea of a cultural landscape? A. A landscape that has been completely modified, like a city center. B. A landscape set aside for historical preservation, like a Civil War battlefield. C. Land that has been developed with museums, concert halls, and schools. D. A landscape where each human activity has modified the natural environment in some way. E. A landscape untouched by human activity, featuring mountains, rivers, and plants.

Examining maps of cancer death rates drawn at different scales reveals that: A. Most cancer deaths are still caused by smoking. B. A region with an overall low cancer death rate may have some areas with high cancer death rates. C. Corporations will strongly oppose civil suits that attempts to hold them liable for cancer. D. The use of different scales only confuses such a study, and it is best to use only one there at a small scale. E. If a state has a high cancer death rate, every county in that state has a high cancer death rate.

When geographers say that the south is partly defined as a region by the Baptist Church, they understand that: A. Low educational attainment and economic factors are not as important as religion in determining the boundaries and characteristics of this region. B. The Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Methodist, and other churches also attract adherents in the south, but to a lesser extent then do Baptist churches. C. The Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Methodist, and other churches also attract almost no adherents because the Baptist Church has obtained such a high amount of power and state support there. D. The Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Methodist, and other churches are supported by the state governments of the south. E. Christian legislators in state governments do not let religious convictions and related biases interfere with their work.

To geographers, the spread of McDonald's around the world represents: A. Economic proliferation. B. A unique taste in nearly every location. C. The relocation diffusion of a restaurants. D. Economic globalization but not cultural globalization. E. Economic and cultural globalization.

In recent years, the global movement of money has been enhanced primarily by: A. Establishment of new stock exchanges in London, New York, and Tokyo. B. Improvements in electronic communications. C. Relocation of production from core to peripheral regions. D. Uneven development of national banking sectors. E. Safeguards to ensure that economic recessions do not result from bank policies.

Globalization of the economy has: A. Leveled economic differences between places. B. Heightened economic differences among the places. C. Decreased investment in less developed countries. D. Drained resources from more developed countries. E. Decrease regional specialization of production.