Unit Checkpoint

Answer: Movement. This theme examines how and why people, goods, and ideas move from one place to another. Rural-to-urban migration involves understanding push and pull factors that cause people to relocate.

Answer: The Amazon Basin is located near the equator (low latitude), receives direct sunlight year-round, and has high humidity from extensive water evaporation. The combination of consistent warmth and abundant moisture creates ideal conditions for tropical rainforest development.

Answer: Physical geography (terrain, climate, water availability, soil quality) creates constraints and opportunities that humans adapt to. Humans then modify the landscape through agriculture, urbanization, and resource extraction. This interaction is continuous - human changes affect physical systems, which then influence future human decisions.

Answer: Choropleth maps are best for showing data that varies by geographic area, such as population density by country, income levels by state, or voting patterns by county. They use color shading to represent different values across defined regions.

Answer: Temperature data comparing coastal and inland cities at similar latitudes, showing that coastal cities have smaller temperature ranges (warmer winters, cooler summers). Additional evidence could include information about ocean currents and the specific heat capacity of water, which explains why oceans moderate nearby temperatures.

Answer: European explorers in the 1500s had not yet fully mapped these continents. They relied on limited observations from coastal voyages, reports from other explorers, and sometimes imagination. Without accurate surveying tools or satellite technology, early maps reflected incomplete knowledge and the perspectives of their creators.

Answer: Regions group areas that share common characteristics (physical, cultural, economic, or political), making it easier to study patterns, make comparisons, and communicate about places. Regions can be formal (defined boundaries), functional (organized around a focal point), or perceptual (based on people's mental images).

Answer: As elevation increases, temperature decreases (approximately 3.5 degrees F per 1,000 feet). This is why mountain peaks can have snow while valleys below are warm. Elevation also affects precipitation patterns, vegetation zones, and the types of human activities possible at different altitudes.

Answer: This claim is partially true but incomplete. Many deserts (Sahara, Arabian, Australian) are located near these latitudes due to descending dry air in subtropical high-pressure zones. However, deserts also form in rain shadows (Gobi, Great Basin), polar regions, and coastal areas with cold ocean currents (Atacama). The claim oversimplifies desert formation.

Answer: A comprehensive investigation would use: satellite images showing forest cover change over time, census and economic data on population growth and land use, primary accounts from local residents, government reports on environmental policies, scientific studies on biodiversity loss, and climate data. Comparing these sources helps verify accuracy, identify causes, and understand multiple perspectives on the issue.