GES 2613 EXAM 1 QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
100% PASS
systems - ANSWER set of ordered, interrelated components and their attributes, linked
by energy flows and matter
events - ANSWER shape our planet
ex: El Niño, earthquakes, hydroelectric dams, hurricanes, technology
geography - ANSWER studies relationships among natural environments, geographic
areas, human society, and the interdependence of all of these across earth
"to write the Earth"
-the scope of ___ = broad
spatial analysis - ANSWER tool to explain distributions and movement across Earth and
interactions with human activity
-why certain things are where they are
physical - ANSWER living and non-living *systems*
ex: hydrology, climatology, meteorology, biogeography, ecology, geology, soils, and
geomorphology
human - ANSWER spatial *interactions* and *patterns* related to human activities
ex: economics, history, health, transportation, politics, urban issues, culture, tourism
physical geography - ANSWER helps you understand how our planet works
addresses issues of *sustainability*
integrates the human and physical world
,human population - ANSWER 7.1 billion today
8.5 billion in 2025
10 billion in 40 years
(too many births, not enough deaths)
Erasthothenes - ANSWER Greek scholar living in Egypt; Chief Librarian at Alexander
Library
-created the first world map with a rectangular grid to locate places around 200 BCE
-thought Earth was round (uncommon then)
-sticks and shadows experiment
scientific method - ANSWER simple, organized steps leading toward concrete, objective
conclusions about the natural world
Observations, Questions and Variables, Hypothesis, Testing (Experimentation), Results
- ANSWER Scientific Method Steps
scientific theory - ANSWER a widely accepted explanation for a phenomenon that is
based on evidence and experimentation
The Human Denominator - ANSWER the totality of human impact on the Earth
Sustainability - ANSWER ability to continue a defined activity over the long term in a way
that minimizes adverse impacts on the environment
open system - ANSWER not self-contained - energy and matter flow in and out of a
system
ex: forest, Earth, free-flowing rivers
, closed system - ANSWER self-contained (rare in nature) - not exchanging abilities with
space
ex: Earth
feedback - ANSWER system gives _____
feedback loops - ANSWER outputs generated by a system that return to various points
in the system via pathways
negative feedback loop - ANSWER discourages change in the system (NO CHANGE =
GOOD)
positive feedback loop - ANSWER encourages change in the system
steady state system - ANSWER remains balanced over time
dynamic system - ANSWER a changed trend over time (eventually all systems are)
threshold - ANSWER tipping point where a system can no longer maintain its character
and shifts to a new operation level
abiotic
biotic - ANSWER the four open systems are split into ____ and ____
atmosphere
hydrosphere
lithosphere - ANSWER the abiotic (nonliving) systems
100% PASS
systems - ANSWER set of ordered, interrelated components and their attributes, linked
by energy flows and matter
events - ANSWER shape our planet
ex: El Niño, earthquakes, hydroelectric dams, hurricanes, technology
geography - ANSWER studies relationships among natural environments, geographic
areas, human society, and the interdependence of all of these across earth
"to write the Earth"
-the scope of ___ = broad
spatial analysis - ANSWER tool to explain distributions and movement across Earth and
interactions with human activity
-why certain things are where they are
physical - ANSWER living and non-living *systems*
ex: hydrology, climatology, meteorology, biogeography, ecology, geology, soils, and
geomorphology
human - ANSWER spatial *interactions* and *patterns* related to human activities
ex: economics, history, health, transportation, politics, urban issues, culture, tourism
physical geography - ANSWER helps you understand how our planet works
addresses issues of *sustainability*
integrates the human and physical world
,human population - ANSWER 7.1 billion today
8.5 billion in 2025
10 billion in 40 years
(too many births, not enough deaths)
Erasthothenes - ANSWER Greek scholar living in Egypt; Chief Librarian at Alexander
Library
-created the first world map with a rectangular grid to locate places around 200 BCE
-thought Earth was round (uncommon then)
-sticks and shadows experiment
scientific method - ANSWER simple, organized steps leading toward concrete, objective
conclusions about the natural world
Observations, Questions and Variables, Hypothesis, Testing (Experimentation), Results
- ANSWER Scientific Method Steps
scientific theory - ANSWER a widely accepted explanation for a phenomenon that is
based on evidence and experimentation
The Human Denominator - ANSWER the totality of human impact on the Earth
Sustainability - ANSWER ability to continue a defined activity over the long term in a way
that minimizes adverse impacts on the environment
open system - ANSWER not self-contained - energy and matter flow in and out of a
system
ex: forest, Earth, free-flowing rivers
, closed system - ANSWER self-contained (rare in nature) - not exchanging abilities with
space
ex: Earth
feedback - ANSWER system gives _____
feedback loops - ANSWER outputs generated by a system that return to various points
in the system via pathways
negative feedback loop - ANSWER discourages change in the system (NO CHANGE =
GOOD)
positive feedback loop - ANSWER encourages change in the system
steady state system - ANSWER remains balanced over time
dynamic system - ANSWER a changed trend over time (eventually all systems are)
threshold - ANSWER tipping point where a system can no longer maintain its character
and shifts to a new operation level
abiotic
biotic - ANSWER the four open systems are split into ____ and ____
atmosphere
hydrosphere
lithosphere - ANSWER the abiotic (nonliving) systems
