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Quiz: Maps and Navigation

Test your understanding of map reading skills and navigation concepts with these questions.

1. What does a political map show?

  1. Mountains, rivers, and natural features
  2. Weather patterns and temperature
  3. Boundaries, states, countries, and cities
  4. Population density and resources
Show Answer

The correct answer is C. A political map shows boundaries that people have created, including country borders, state borders, and city locations. Capital cities are often marked with a star.

Concept Tested: Political Maps

2. On a physical map, what does dark brown coloring usually represent?

  1. Water and oceans
  2. Flat lowland areas
  3. High mountains
  4. Forests and parks
Show Answer

The correct answer is C. On physical maps, dark brown coloring represents high mountains. The darker the brown, the higher the elevation. Green represents low, flat land, and blue represents water.

Concept Tested: Physical Maps

3. What type of map focuses on one specific topic like population or weather?

  1. Political map
  2. Physical map
  3. Thematic map
  4. Road map
Show Answer

The correct answer is C. A thematic map focuses on one specific topic or theme, such as population, weather, climate, or resources. These maps use colors, symbols, or shading to show patterns.

Concept Tested: Thematic Maps

4. On a topographic map, what do contour lines that are close together indicate?

  1. Flat land
  2. A steep slope
  3. A body of water
  4. A city or town
Show Answer

The correct answer is B. When contour lines are close together on a topographic map, it indicates a steep slope. Lines far apart mean gentle slopes or flat land.

Concept Tested: Topographic Maps

5. What do latitude lines measure?

  1. Distance east or west from the Prime Meridian
  2. Distance north or south from the Equator
  3. The height of mountains
  4. The depth of oceans
Show Answer

The correct answer is B. Latitude lines measure distance north or south from the Equator. They run horizontally (east to west) around Earth. The Equator is at 0° latitude.

Concept Tested: Latitude

6. What is the Prime Meridian?

  1. The line at 0° latitude that circles Earth's middle
  2. The line at 0° longitude running through Greenwich, England
  3. The highest mountain on Earth
  4. The deepest part of the ocean
Show Answer

The correct answer is B. The Prime Meridian is the line at 0° longitude that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole through Greenwich, England. It divides Earth into Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

Concept Tested: Prime Meridian

7. What are coordinates used for?

  1. Measuring the temperature
  2. Finding an exact location on Earth
  3. Calculating the population
  4. Drawing pictures on maps
Show Answer

The correct answer is B. Coordinates combine latitude and longitude to give an exact address for any place on Earth. For example, New York City is at 40°N, 74°W.

Concept Tested: Coordinates

8. What is the name for the line at 0° latitude that divides Earth into Northern and Southern Hemispheres?

  1. The Prime Meridian
  2. The International Date Line
  3. The Equator
  4. The Tropic of Cancer
Show Answer

The correct answer is C. The Equator is the line at 0° latitude that circles Earth exactly halfway between the North and South Poles. It divides Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Concept Tested: Equator

9. Which of the following is NOT a type of precipitation?

  1. Rain
  2. Snow
  3. Sunshine
  4. Hail
Show Answer

The correct answer is C. Sunshine is not precipitation. Precipitation is water that falls from the sky, including rain, snow, sleet, and hail.

Concept Tested: Precipitation

10. What is population density?

  1. The total number of people in a country
  2. How crowded a place is, measured in people per square mile
  3. The height of buildings in a city
  4. The number of cities in a state
Show Answer

The correct answer is B. Population density measures how crowded a place is—the number of people living in a certain amount of space (usually people per square mile). New Jersey has the highest population density of any state.

Concept Tested: Population

11. What causes the four seasons?

  1. Changes in the distance between Earth and the Sun
  2. Earth's tilt on its axis as it orbits the Sun
  3. The Moon's gravitational pull
  4. Ocean currents changing temperature
Show Answer

The correct answer is B. Seasons happen because Earth is tilted on its axis. As Earth orbits the Sun, different parts of the planet receive more direct sunlight at different times of year.

Concept Tested: Seasons

12. Which type of natural resource can be replaced after being used?

  1. Oil
  2. Coal
  3. Trees
  4. Iron ore
Show Answer

The correct answer is C. Trees are a renewable resource because new trees can be planted to replace those that are cut down. Oil, coal, and iron ore are non-renewable resources that cannot be replaced once used.

Concept Tested: Natural Resources