Exam 1

Question 1

1+2
What are the 4 spheres of Physical Geography?

Answer 1

Lithosphere, Biosphere, Atmosphere, Hydrosphere

Question 2

1+2
What is “Township and Range”

Answer 2

A form of land subdivision created by Jefferson Thomas. It consists of 36 1-mile squares that form a township. Road often follow section lines of land subdivision, and this system has made land-division easier.

Question 3

1+2
History and Advantages of the Mercator Map

Answer 3

History: Created by Gerardus Mercator in 16th century.
Advantages:
-Preserves shape of countries
-Preserves direction for navigation
-Google uses Mercator

Question 4

1+2
Disadvantages of Mercator Map

Answer 4

-Furthers Imperialism by making the US and Europe look bigger.
-Cannot compare area of land masses

Question 5

1+2
Longitude and Latitude?

Answer 5

Longitude Runs N-S Vertically (0-90 degrees)
Latitude Runs E-W Horizontally (0-180 degrees

Question 6

1+2
Be able to identify where the steep slopes are on a contour map

Question 7

1+2
Which city does the longitude system start at 0 degrees?

Answer 7

Greenwich, England

Question 8

1+2
What is an Isoline map?

Answer 8

A map that connects similar data points. It is used to display points as lines. It is used to display elevation, height, temperature, and air pressure among other things.

Question 9

1+2
What is Remote Sensing?

Answer 9

Remote Sensing involves collecting data from a distance. It can collect images or info like height, temp, meteorological info etc. High vantage points, planes, and now satellites are some examples.

Question 10

1+2History and advantages/Disadvantages of the Goode Map

Answer 10

Created in 1923, became popular in the 60s.
It is commonly called the Orange-Peel map.
Advantages:
-It approximately represents land area.

Disadvantages:
-Bad for navigation
-Splits globe into sections
-Not very attractive

Question 11

1+2
On a Mercator map, Greenland is roughly the same size as Africa even though Africa is roughly ___ times larger.

Answer 11

14

Question 12

3+4
According to Big Bang Theory, the earth is ___ years old

Answer 12

14 billion

Question 13

3+4
Scientists estimate our Milky Way Galaxy contains ___ stars.

Answer 13

400 Billion

Question 14

3+4
Earth’s orbit around the sun is ___.
When the earth is nearest the sun, it is winter in the northern hemisphere. Why?

Answer 14

Elliptical
The tilt of the earth is 23.5 degrees which exposes different parts of the earth to varying degrees of light at different times.
During Winter, the northern hemisphere is turned away from the sun.

Question 15

3+4
The earth’s ___ causes the seasons to occur.
The earth’s tilt is ___ degrees

Answer 15

Tilt
23.5

Question 16

3+4
Two equal sun rays hit earth at different angles. What happens?

Answer 16

Sun Ray A is colder because it is at a shallower tilt (not a right angle), therefore the light is spread over a larger area, resulting in less heat.
Sun Ray B is hotter because it hits the earth at a steeper tilt (a right angle), covering less area, resulting in higher heat.

Question 17

3+4
Describe the process of how the earth is warmed by EM radiation from the sun.

Answer 17

The Sun sends short wave radiation to the earth. The earth converts it into long-wave EM radiation and bounces it back. These long waves produce heat. It takes 4-6 weeks of this to warm the earth.

Question 18

3+4
What kind of trees should you plant to save heating/cooling cost on your home in SoCal?

Answer 18

Evergreens in the North and Deciduous trees in the south.

Question 19

3+4
What are constant and variable gases in relation to the earth’s atmosphere?

Answer 19

Constant: Don’t change
-Nitrogen (78%)
-Oxygen (21%)
Variable: Change
-Water vapor (1% in deserts, 4% in tropics)
-Carbon Dioxide (.04%) creates greenhouse effect

Question 20

3+4
Co2 makes up .04% of atmospheric gases, but has huge impact on atmosphere. Why?

Answer 20

It creates greenhouse effect. It traps light energy and warms the earth.

Question 21

3+4
What percentage of the sun’s EM solar energy is reflected back into space?

Answer 21

30% is reflected back via clouds, ice, snow, and glaciers.

70% reaches earth and is transformed into long wave radiation

Question 22

3+4
Top negative impacts of global warming in SoCal

Answer 22

-Increased Air Pollution
-More Deforestation
-More Wildfires
-Greater Droughts
-Sea level rises at key economic cities

Question 23

3+4
Scientists say as much as ___ % of new methane green house gas emissions come from cows ___

Answer 23

30
farting

Question 24

6
Characteristic of Low Pressure Systems

Answer 24

L
Commonly called cyclones
Warm air rises, and as it cools, condensation occurs.
It runs counter clockwise in NH,
clockwise in SH
Water + Humid air = condensation

Question 25

6 Characteristic of High pressure Systems

Answer 25

H Sometimes called anti-cyclones Vertically sinking air. Rotates clockwise in NH Counter-clockwise in SH Makes things HOT in summer, but warm in winter.

Question 26

6 Why does a high pressure system move towards a low pressure system and not vice versa?

Answer 26

High density air will move towards low density air. Once a pressure gradient is released there is a lot of pressure behind it.

Question 27

6 What is another name for the Santa Ana winds?

Answer 27

Diablo Winds. They are typically high pressure systems that cause hot/dry weather. Potentially named after general Santa Ana as a curse on the US.

Question 28

6 What is the Coriolis force and how does it cause winds to deflect to the right in the Northern Hemisphere?

Answer 28

The earth's rotation deflects winds to the right in NH or left in SH.

Question 29

6 Where are the mid-latitudes located?

Answer 29

Between 30 and 60 degrees north or south of the equator.

Question 30

6 Why is most of the worlds population located in or near the mid-latitudes?

Answer 30

More access to water allows for better farming. The weather is also warmer and more temperate.

Question 31

6 Basic characteristics of the Jet-stream?

Answer 31

It is a narrow band of very strong predominately westerly air currents encircling the globe. Wind speeds often exceed 250 MPH They are located several miles above Earth. There are 2-3 jet streams in each hemisphere. The worst weather in the world is on Mt Washington 6,288 ft, home of polar jet stream

Question 32

7 What % of Earth's surface is covered in water?

Answer 32

71%

Question 33

7 Why is the Ocean important in stabilizing the earth's climate and atmosphere?

Answer 33

Water can absorb and store large amounta of heat without a large increase in temperature. It releases this heat slowly over long periods of time. It stores heat in hot seasons, cooling the earth without getting much hotter, and releases heat in winter, heating the earth.

Question 34

7 Most of the earth is covered in water, but only ___ % of this is available for land plants, land animals, and humans.

Answer 34

0.02

Question 35

7 Lifting of air is important to earth's climate because it causes ____ ____ to ____ into rain and ____

Answer 35

water vapor, condensate, snow

Question 36

7 What are the 4 kinds of uplift?

Answer 36

Convectional Frontal Convergent Orographic

Question 37

7 Convectional Uplift?

Answer 37

Air rises due to the sun heating the earth's surface. Warm air rises like boiling water in a pot. Higher surface temperatures = higher convection. The rising air sucks more air downward.

Question 38

7 Frontal Uplift?

Answer 38

Occurs when less dense warm air is forced to rise over cooler, denser air as weather fronts move.

Question 39

7 Convergent Uplift?

Answer 39

In low-pressure systems, winds converge towards the center, forcing air to rise, which creates clouds.

Question 40

7 Orographic Uplift?

Answer 40

A mountain forces air to rise, cooling as it rises. The windward side receives most of the water while the leeward side is dryer, called the "rain shadow."

Question 41

7 Categories of clouds:

Answer 41

Cumulus - bulging, stereotypical, defined, individual, white top and dark bottom Stratus - layered clouds Cirrus - whispy/hairlike

Question 42

7 Cirrus clouds

Answer 42

Whispy and hairlike, exist at high altitudes. They form in advance of a warm front and mean weather change is coming.

Question 43

7 Cumulus clouds

Answer 43

Cauliflowery individual clouds. They indicate fair weather. They can grow into cumulonimbus clouds that produce rain showers.

Question 44

7 Alto = Nimbus =

Answer 44

High Rainy

Question 45

7 Stratus Clouds

Answer 45

Low level layered clouds. Uniform gray/white, very dull. They are the lowest level clouds. They are associated with little/no rain but can drizzle or snow.

Question 46

7 Humidity is the amount of ___ ___ IN THE AIR. Air can hold different amounts of ___ depending on the ____ and can vary from ___% in the deserts to ___% in the tropics

Answer 46

water vapor water temperature 1, 4