Discuss how inaccuracies in the first calculation of Earth's circumference led to discovery of the New World by
Columbus. What will be an ideal response?
ANSWER: Eratosthenes of Cyrene was the second librarian at Alexandria and was the first to calculate the circumference of Earth. Though his calculation was fairly accurate it was still about 8%
of the true value. Later, Ptolemy furthered the work of Eratosthenes and published an
estimate of the size of Earth that was too small - about 70% of the true value. This error,
coupled with his mistake of overestimating the size of Asia, greatly reduced the apparent
width of the unknown part of the world between the Orient and Europe. Columbus, 1500
years later, used these estimates of the size of Earth to convince people he could reach Asia
by sailing west. Columbus mistook the New World for India or Japan. He made three more
trips to the New World believing he had found Asia
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A) Africa B) South America C) Europe D) North America E) China and India
Describe two kinds of human/cultural features that follow the Public Land Survey grid.
The question is based on Map T-17 in the back of the Lab Manual, showing a portion of the “Antelope Peak, Arizona,” quadrangle (scale 1:62,500; contour interval 25 feet); a portion of this map is reproduced in black-and-white in Figure 31-3 as well. The map’s marginal information is visible along the left and top margins (“T.5S,” “R.2E,” etc.). What will be an ideal response?
The relationship between frequency and magnitude predicts that ____
a. ?events of larger magnitude occur more frequently b. ?events of smaller magnitude occur less frequently c. ?more frequent events have a larger magnitude d. ?less frequent events have a larger magnitude e. ?the magnitude and frequency of an event are unrelated
In the western United States, rain shadows most frequently occur on
A) the leeward, east side of mountain ranges. B) the windward, west side of mountain ranges. C) the northern slopes of mountains, which receive less sunlight. D) the southern slopes of mountains, which receive more sunlight.