exam 1

Question 1

what is GIS

Answer 1

geographic information system. represented in data LAYERS: looking for fastest/smoothest routes

Question 2

what is GPS?

Answer 2

global positioning system. help define SPATIAL relationships via trilateration

Question 3

how is latitude measured?

Answer 3

in parallels… degrees N to S.. equator, tropics, circles and poles

Question 4

how is longitude measured?

Answer 4

in MERIDIANS… measured E to W… includes prime meridian (@ 0*) thru greenwich, england

Question 5

where is the international date line?

Answer 5

180* degrees

Question 6

passive systems vs. active systems

Answer 6

passive: measure naturally emitted energy (heat light, etc.) SATELLITE!

active: direct a beam of energy + measure amount of return RADAR!

Question 7

name 3 things about spatial distribution

Answer 7

• phenomena across a landscape
• processes that created and changed distributions
• implications of those distributions on people

Question 8

name the 4 layers and their significance

Answer 8

• troposphere: our weather.. very mixed
• stratosphere: protects us from UV… layered and contains ozone
• mesosphere: cold and coolin’
• thermosphere: fuckin’ HOT. aurora borealis

Question 9

what gases make up our atmosphere?

Answer 9

mostly: nitrogen, oxygen, & argon

trace: carbon dio, methane, water vapor

Question 10

explain kinetic heat vs. potential heat

Answer 10

kinetic: movement! = warmer…. how temp is expressed

potential: contained within molecular bonds

Question 11

heat is transferred from ___ temp to ___ temp objects

Answer 11

high -> low !!!.

warming gains energy from surroundings, while cooling is the loss of energy

Question 12

what is conduction?

Answer 12

heat transfer via direct contact
(ex. walking on a hot sidewalk)

Question 13

what is radiation?

Answer 13

heat transfer via electromagnetism
(ex. sun!!!)

Question 14

what is convection?

Answer 14

heat transfer via vertical flow of material
(ex. cooking on stovetop)

Question 15

what is advection?

Answer 15

heat transfer via horizontal flow
(ex. water pollution)

Question 16

EMR is….?

Answer 16

electromagnetic radiation… aka energy radiated by particles

Question 17

explain the stephan-boltzman law

Answer 17

the amount of EMR released by an object increases with temp…

hot objects emit more EMR

Question 18

describe wien’s law

Answer 18

the relationship between temperature and wavelength

• shorter = warmer and faster
• longer = cooler and slower

Question 19

what types of energy are reaching earth and which types are leaving?

Answer 19

mostly UV and visible light are reaching (SW)

mostly infrared is leaving (LW)

Question 20

what is insolation?

Answer 20

incoming short wave (solar radiation) from the sun

Question 21

whats a solar constant?

Answer 21

the avg amount of insolation emitted

Question 22

when is the earth closest to the sun? and what is it called?

Answer 22

perihelion! its in early january

Question 23

when is the earth furthest from the sun? and what is it called?

Answer 23

aphelion! it occurs in early july

Question 24

whats the angle between the sun and horizon called? at what degree?

Answer 24

45* sun angle…: opposite direction 45* is the zenith angle

Question 25

explain the concept of beam spreading

Answer 25

insolation from a lower sun angle will cover more surface

Question 26

explain the concept of atmospheric attenuation

Answer 26

insolation from a lower sun angle passes thru more atmosphere

Question 27

how does the sun angle affect the poles, the equator, and mid-latitude areas?

Answer 27

poles: low sun angle, more attenuation and spreading... less energy equator: high sun angle = high energy mid-latitudes: just right

Question 28

what is solar declination?

Answer 28

latitude where the sun is directly overhead

Question 29

what is the solar declination at the equinox and at the solstices?

Answer 29

equinox: 0* summer sol: 23.5* N (tropic cancer) ^ polar day winter sol: 23.5* S (tropic cap) ^ polar night

Question 30

explain transmission, reflection, absorption, and scattering

Answer 30

transmission -- transparent reflection -- some radiant energy bounces off absorption -- retains some energy scattering -- energy strikes and scatters

Question 31

what's albedo?

Answer 31

% reflected

Question 32

what stops gamma and x-rays? what stops UV rays?

Answer 32

nitrogen and oxygen filter gamma and x-rays ozone filters UV

Question 33

what is the human effect on the atmosphere called?

Answer 33

*anthropogenic* activity

Question 34

of the 100% of energy that enters earth's system....

Answer 34

- 49% is absorbed, heating the surface 51%: - 20% turns into clouds - 31% is reflected & lost in space

Question 35

what areas have the highest albedo?

Answer 35

snowy areas and dry desert

Question 36

what are knoxville's coordinates?

Answer 36

36* N, 84* W

Question 37

what things do geographers study?

Answer 37

* natural hazards * weather/climate * soil, topography * water, ocean currents * plants and animals... human activity / complex issues, interconnections, geographic perspective /

Question 38

*how* do geographers study things?

Answer 38

- field work - satellites - aerial photos - lab methods - surveys

Question 39

explain latent heat vs. sensible heat

Answer 39

latent heat: the heat required to change a substance's state of matter... it's absorbed energy stored in molecules sensible heat: transferred heat from warmer -> cooler objects ^ must be transferred to measuring device to track (ie: temp, infrared)

Question 40

describe the level of energy and lengths in UV, visible, & infrared

Answer 40

UV - high energy, short-wave visible - medium energy and wavelengt infrared - low energy, long-wave