NAEP Science Grade 12

Category - Earth Science

Which of the following would be an appropriate use of global positioning system (GPS) technology?
  1. Monitoring the motion and development of a storm system.
  2. Locating the latitude and longitude of a geologic outcrop in the field.
  3. Estimating the percent of land area covered in forest vegetation.
  4. Calculating the moisture content of soil over a large geographic area.
Explanation
Correct Response: B. The global positioning system (GPS) is a satellite-based navigational system that can give the latitude and longitude of a particular location. A handheld device receives signals from the satellites. This makes GPS technology useful for determining the latitude and longitude of a particular geologic outcrop. A storm system is typically monitored by Doppler radar (A) and not GPS because GPS requires a receiver to calculate position. Although GPS is useful in locating where field data is being collected by foresters and soil scientists, GPS is not in itself a tool for estimating the extent of forest cover (C) or calculating the soil's moisture content (D) because it only provides latitude, longitude, and time of day.
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