Earth’s Sphericity, Rotation and Revolution. - SS1 Geography Past Questions and Answers - page 2
What effect of Earth's rotation causes moving air and water to curve?
Plate tectonics
Axial precession
Coriolis effect
Gravitational pull
What do we call the change in the direction of Earth's axis over a period of time?
Axial precession
Eccentricity
Polar shift
Coriolis effect
Which celestial body primarily influences the tides on Earth?
The Moon
The Sun
Jupiter
Mars
Why does circumnavigation make sense on a spherical Earth but not on a flat surface?
Because of gravitational forces
Due to the Coriolis effect
Because Earth is round
It is a unknown
Which phenomenon is responsible for the different gravitational forces at the Earth's poles and equator?
Revolution
Axial tilt
Plate tectonics
Rotation
Explain the concept of the Coriolis effect and how it relates to the Earth's rotation.
The Coriolis effect is the deflection of moving objects, like air and water, caused by the Earth's rotation. It makes things curve rather than moving in a straight line, and it's responsible for the rotation direction of storms and global wind patterns.
How does the changing position of the Earth during its revolution around the Sun lead to the four seasons?
The changing position of the Earth during its revolution around the Sun leads to the four seasons. When a hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun, it experiences summer, and when tilted away, it's winter. Spring and autumn occur during the transitional periods in between.
Describe one piece of evidence, other than ships disappearing over the horizon, that supports the idea of the Earth being spherical.
One piece of evidence supporting the Earth's sphericity is the different constellations visible when you travel north or south. This happens because your line of sight changes with the Earth's curvature.
Why is Earth's shape slightly flattened at the poles and bulging at the equator, and how does this relate to its rotation?
Earth's shape is slightly flattened at the poles and bulging at the equator due to its rotation. It's like a squished sphere, known as an oblate spheroid, with the equator being farther from the center.
What are the long-term effects of Earth's orbital variations, such as eccentricity, on the planet's climate and geological history?
Long-term effects of Earth's orbital variations, like eccentricity, influence climate patterns and can lead to the timing of ice ages. They affect how much sunlight the Earth receives, which, in turn, impacts the climate and geological events over thousands of years.