Physical Geography Practice Quiz: Seasons and the Earth's Orbit II

1. On what date is the Earth is at its greatest distance from the Sun?

A. January 3

B. July 4

C. September 21

D. March 20

E. June 21

 

2. When the Earth is closest to the Sun in its orbit, what is this position is called?

A. Aphelion

B. Ecliptic

C. Perpendicularity

D. Perihelion

E. Parallelism

 

3. The summer solstice for the Northern Hemisphere occurs on or around what date?

A. September 22

B. March 20

C. December 21

D. July 4

E. June 21

 

4. On December 21, how many hours of darkness does the area north of the Arctic Circle experience?

A. 24

B. 12

C. 0

D. 8

E. Impossible to determine

 

5. The part of the Earth south of what latitude will never receive the direct (perpendicular) rays of the Sun?

A. The equator

B. 23.5 degrees north

C. 66.5 degrees north

D. 23.5 degrees south

E. The Arctic Circle

 

6. On June 21, where is the Sun is directly overhead at noon?

A. The equator

B. 66.5 degrees north

C. 23.5 degrees south

D. The Tropic of Cancer

E. 0 degrees

 

7. What is the latitude of the Tropic of Cancer?

A. 66.5 degrees north

B. 23.5 degrees north

C. 66.5 degrees south

D. 45 degrees north

E. 23.5 degrees east

 

8. Which latitude always receives 24 hours of daylight?

A. The equator

B. 66.5 degrees south

C. The Tropic of Capricorn

D. The North Pole

E. No latitude always receives 24 hours of daylight

 

9. True or False: At the equator, the Sun is always directly overhead at noon.

A. True

B. False

 

10. What would be the angle of the Sun above the horizon, at noon on March 20, if you were standing on the Tropic of Cancer?

A. 90 degrees (directly overhead)

B. 0 degrees (on the horizon)

C. 45 degrees (halfway between the horizon and the zenith)

D. 66.5 degrees

E. 23.5 degrees