Physical Geography Practice Quiz: The Geographic Grid and Time Zones

1. True or False: The Earth has the shape of a true sphere.

A. True

B. False

 

2. What is a great circle?

A. A circle of constant compass bearing

B. Any line of latitude

C. A circle whose center coincides with the center of the Earth

D. The longest distance between two points on the Earth’s surface

E. A circle formed by a line which circles the Earth from north to south

 

3. What does latitude measure?

A. The angular distance east and west of the prime meridian

B. The distance in miles east and west of the prime meridian

C. The angular distance east and west of the equator

D. The angular distance north and south of the equator

E. The distance in kilometers north and south of the equator

 

4. We measure latitude up to _____ degrees.

A. 360

B. 180

C. 0

D. 145

E. 90

 

5. Which of the following is true of meridians?

A. The arcs of great circles

B. East-west lines

C. Lines that diverge as they get to the Poles

D. The same thing as parallels

E. Lines that measure distance north and south

 

6. True or False: the Tropic of Cancer is an example of a great circle.

A. True

B. False

 

7. True or False: The International Dateline is in the middle of a time zone.

A. True

B. False

 

8. If it is 12 noon at 15 degrees west longitude, what time is it at the prime meridian?

A. 12 noon

B. 11 AM

C. 12 midnight

D. 1 PM

E. 2 PM

 

9. You are traveling east from Japan to San Diego. As you are just about to fly across the International Dateline (IDL), it is 8 AM on Wednesday. What time is it right after you cross the IDL?

A. 8 AM on Wednesday

B. 8 AM on Thursday

C. 9 AM on Wednesday

D. 9 AM on Tuesday

E. 8 AM on Tuesday

 

10. If it is 4 PM at 105 degrees east longitude, what time is it at 60 degrees east longitude?

A. 3 PM

B. 5 PM

C. 7 PM

D. 1 PM

E. 4 AM