BSocSc Bachelor of Social Science Bachelor of Social Science Geography 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In GIS, what does a 'raster' data model represent?
- Vector lines connecting GPS waypoints
- A grid of cells (pixels) where each cell stores an attribute value (Correct answer)
- A database of street addresses
- A polygon layer of administrative boundaries
Correct answer: A grid of cells (pixels) where each cell stores an attribute value
Raster data models divide space into a regular grid of cells, each assigned a value representing an attribute such as elevation, temperature, or land cover.
Question 2: Which concept explains why cities of similar size often have similar types of services, but smaller cities have fewer service types?
- Rank-size rule
- Central place theory (Correct answer)
- Urban primacy model
- Bid-rent theory
Correct answer: Central place theory
Central place theory, developed by Walter Christaller, explains the size, number, and distribution of settlements based on the threshold and range of goods and services they provide.
Question 3: What term describes the process by which ocean floors spread apart at mid-ocean ridges?
- Subduction
- Seafloor spreading (Correct answer)
- Continental rifting
- Isostatic rebound
Correct answer: Seafloor spreading
Seafloor spreading occurs when tectonic plates diverge at mid-ocean ridges, allowing magma to rise and create new oceanic crust.
Question 4: Which term describes the practice of drawing electoral district boundaries to favor one political party?
- Zoning
- Gerrymandering (Correct answer)
- Redistricting
- Apportionment
Correct answer: Gerrymandering
Gerrymandering is the manipulation of electoral district boundaries to give one party an unfair advantage in elections.
Question 5: In environmental geography, 'ecosystem services' refers to:
- Government-funded conservation programs
- Benefits that humans derive from natural ecosystems, such as clean air, water purification, and pollination (Correct answer)
- International treaties protecting endangered species
- Carbon trading markets
Correct answer: Benefits that humans derive from natural ecosystems, such as clean air, water purification, and pollination
Ecosystem services are the direct and indirect benefits that functioning ecosystems provide to human well-being, including provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services.
Question 6: Which migration theory proposes that most migrants travel only short distances and that long-distance migration occurs in steps?
- Push-pull theory
- Ravenstein's laws of migration (Correct answer)
- Gravity model of migration
- Zelinsky's mobility transition model
Correct answer: Ravenstein's laws of migration
Ravenstein's laws of migration, formulated in the 19th century, include the observation that most migrants move short distances and that long-distance moves tend to follow a step-by-step process.
Question 7: What does 'urban heat island effect' describe?
- Higher flood risk in downtown areas
- The phenomenon where urban areas experience significantly higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas (Correct answer)
- Heat-related migration from equatorial cities
- The concentration of industry in city centers
Correct answer: The phenomenon where urban areas experience significantly higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas
The urban heat island effect occurs because buildings, pavements, and human activity in cities absorb and retain more heat than vegetated rural landscapes.
BSocSc Bachelor of Social Science Bachelor of Social Science Geography 5
In GIS, what does a 'raster' data model represent?