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Geography Quiz - Tropical Rainforests 01 (Questions)

This KS3 Geography quiz takes a look at tropical rainforests. Tropical rainforests experience high temperatures and a lot of rain. A tropical rainforest is a place found roughly within 25 degrees north or south of the equator. Over an acre of rainforest is being lost every second with possible serious consequences to us all. There are two issues. Firstly, the rainforests absorb a lot of carbon dioxide from the air, so as they are being cleared, less of this greenhouse gas is removed. When the rainforest is cleared, a lot of the trees are burnt, this releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Managing the tropical rainforests sustainably is not an easy thing to do. As the world population increases, there is a greater need for land and resources. The rainforests contain reserves of metal ores and mining these (both legally and illegally) destroys the forest. Logging for timber also is a major concern. It is possible to carry out logging sensitively in a way that preserves large areas. But it is cheaper and easier for logging companies just to clear fell to get at wood they want.

1. Which continent does not have tropical rainforests?
[ ] Africa
[ ] Europe
[ ] South America
[ ] South-East Asia
2. Tropical rainforests grow in what type of climate?
[ ] Cold and wet
[ ] Hot and humid
[ ] Mild and damp
[ ] Warm and dry
3. Large wide tree roots above ground have what name?
[ ] Buttress roots
[ ] Fortress roots
[ ] Mega roots
[ ] Stabilising roots
4. Which river is famous for its rainforest?
[ ] Amazon
[ ] Ganges
[ ] Limpopo
[ ] Mississippi
5. Roughly how much of the earth's surface is covered by tropical rainforests?
[ ] 0.15
[ ] 0.25
[ ] Less than 2%
[ ] More than 50%
6. Why are rainforest soils poor and infertile?
[ ] Because of a vicious fungus
[ ] Due to animal activity
[ ] Heavy rain washes out the nutrients
[ ] The sun dries them out
7. Which term means using rainforest resources in a way that preserves them for the future?
[ ] Extended development
[ ] Programmable development
[ ] Strategic development
[ ] Sustainable development
8. What type of tree would not grow in a tropical rainforest?
[ ] Mahogany
[ ] Pine
[ ] Rubber
[ ] Teak
9. The dense 'roof' of treetops is called what?
[ ] Awning
[ ] Blanket
[ ] Canopy
[ ] Umbrella
10. Tropical rainforest vegetation takes in which gas?
[ ] Argon
[ ] Carbon Dioxide
[ ] Hydrogen
[ ] Oxygen

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Tropical rainforests

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Geography Quiz - Tropical Rainforests 01 (Answers)
1. Which continent does not have tropical rainforests?
[ ] Africa
[x] Europe
[ ] South America
[ ] South-East Asia
It is too far north
2. Tropical rainforests grow in what type of climate?
[ ] Cold and wet
[x] Hot and humid
[ ] Mild and damp
[ ] Warm and dry
The clue to this answer lies in the name!!
3. Large wide tree roots above ground have what name?
[x] Buttress roots
[ ] Fortress roots
[ ] Mega roots
[ ] Stabilising roots
They have evolved to support the incredibly tall trees
4. Which river is famous for its rainforest?
[x] Amazon
[ ] Ganges
[ ] Limpopo
[ ] Mississippi
It's in South America
5. Roughly how much of the earth's surface is covered by tropical rainforests?
[ ] 0.15
[ ] 0.25
[x] Less than 2%
[ ] More than 50%
Yet they are home to well over 50% of all life forms. There may still be new species to be discovered and they are a source of raw materials for medicines
6. Why are rainforest soils poor and infertile?
[ ] Because of a vicious fungus
[ ] Due to animal activity
[x] Heavy rain washes out the nutrients
[ ] The sun dries them out
Rain washing out nutrients is called leaching
7. Which term means using rainforest resources in a way that preserves them for the future?
[ ] Extended development
[ ] Programmable development
[ ] Strategic development
[x] Sustainable development
Sustainable development is becoming more and more important as the population increases
8. What type of tree would not grow in a tropical rainforest?
[ ] Mahogany
[x] Pine
[ ] Rubber
[ ] Teak
Pine is a tree that grows in colder conditions and it can survive many months in sub-zero conditions
9. The dense 'roof' of treetops is called what?
[ ] Awning
[ ] Blanket
[x] Canopy
[ ] Umbrella
The canopy cuts out light from the forest floor
10. Tropical rainforest vegetation takes in which gas?
[ ] Argon
[x] Carbon Dioxide
[ ] Hydrogen
[ ] Oxygen
We say that the tropical rainforests are a carbon sink, in other words they absorb and store carbon