Exam #1 Flashcards
(188 cards)
1
Q
What is geography?
A
To write, chart or describe the Earth
2
Q
Where does the word ‘geography’ come from?
A
geo- Earth
Graphy- To write
3
Q
What sets geography apart from other disciplines?
A
Where and Why
Where something is, specifically spatial variation
Why are they where they are
4
Q
If you can ___ it, its geographical
A
map
5
Q
Geograpahy is a _____. A way to learn more and more about more and more
A
continuum
6
Q
what are the 4 steps of the scientific method
A
Making Observations: Measure and collect information
Formulate your hypothesis: Base it on your observations
Experiment & Analyze: See whether your hypothesis was true or false
Theory: Broad/ general way to explain how and why things are the way that they are
7
Q
science is ____
A
dynamic and always changing
8
Q
What is a system?
A
A set of interrelated parts or components that are variable, not constant
9
Q
A change in a system will
A
cause changes throughout the system
10
Q
what is an example of a natural system?
A
Major mountain range
11
Q
Why are major mountain ranges a natural system?
A
FULL CIRCLE
Locations of the mountains influence the precipitation of an area,
Amount of precipitation will influence vegetation,
All 3 of those will influence the soil,
Soil & Vegetation influence erosion,
Erosion wears down the mountains
12
Q
Example of a short term change in a natural system
A
Volcanic eruption
13
Q
Example of a long term change in a natural system
A
coastal erosion or sea level changes
14
Q
the wellbeing of humans depends on ____
A
the wellbeing of our systems
15
Q
what is the atmosphere
A
- Blanket of gases, held in by gravity
- The highest percentage of any gas in the atmosphere is Nitrogen
- Also contains oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, etc
16
Q
what is the lithosphere
A
- Rocks, soil, minerals within the Earth’s crust
- Surface of earth is variable in all landforms
17
Q
what is the hydrosphere
A
All water
-Water, oceans, lakes, rivers, glaciers, ice caps, water vapor, etc
18
Q
what is the biosphere
A
Composed of all living things, from the seafloor to about 8 km (5 miles) above sea level
19
Q
what is an open system
A
matter and energy that have inputs and outputs
20
Q
what is a closed system
A
closed off from its surrounding environment
21
Q
is the earth a closed or open system
A
both
Open in terms of energy but closed in terms of resources and physical matter (finite resources)
22
Q
what is matter
A
assumes physical shape and occupies shape
23
Q
what is energy
A
The capacity to change the motion of matter
24
Q
what are the earth’s 6 special features
A
atmosphere, ozone layer, temperature, atmospheric pressure, rotation, and the sun
25
why is the atmosphere special?
- Held in by gravity
- Distributes heat and moisture
- Keeps in good gases
- Works to our advantage because of the size of the Earth
26
why is the ozone layer special
protects humans from UV Radiation
27
why is the earths temperature special
Average temperature of the Earth is 59° F
A lot of variation in temperature on the Earth
Temperature determines how much liquid water is in our hydrosphere
28
why is the rotation special
The Earth rotates towards the East, counterclockwise
| The Coriolis force is important for the distribution of energy from low latitudes to high latitudes
29
why is the sun special
The sun is at a perfect stage in its life to give the Earth the right amount of energy and to sustain life
30
___ of land of earth is above the equator
3/4
31
Land masses tapper in the
Southern Hemisphere
32
There are fewer obstructions of ocean currents and wind in the
southern hemisphere
33
____ hemisphere has more seasonal extreames than ___ hemisphere
northern; southern
34
oceans ___ their own basins
overflow
35
there is a gentle rise when the ocean meets a ____
continent
36
oceans are divided by ____ and ____
ridges and trenches
37
Iceland is part of the _____ ridge
mid atlantic
38
the mid Atlantic ridge has underwater ____ activity
volcanic
39
A long, narrow, deep depression in the ocean floor
trench
40
Ocean is surrounded by mountains 23,000 ft above sea level which forms the ______
ring of fire
41
The Earth is not a sphere, its ______, which means its semi flat in the poles
an Oblate Spheroid
42
radius of the earth is
4,000 miles
43
Solid Inner Core and Liquid Outer Core are __% of the earths volume
19%
44
the radius of the Solid Inner Core and Liquid Outer Core is
2,200 miles
45
the crust is __% of the earths volume
1%
46
the solid mantle is __% of the earths volume
80%
47
mantle radius is
1,800 miles
48
crust is only ____ thick
between 5-25 miles
49
oceanic crust has a lot of ____ and ____
silica and magnesium
50
oceanic crust is also known as
sima
51
oceanic crust is more ____ than continental crust
dense
52
continental crust has a lot of ____ and ____
silica and aluminum
53
continental crust is also known as
sial
54
_____ is the Earth’s crust and upper mantle, Shell of brittle rock, 40 miles thick
lithosphere
55
____ is softer, more malleable,
Not hard like the lithosphere,
Consistency of a soft plastic
asthenosphere
56
____ are hard brittle Lithosphere moves over the soft Asthenosphere and there are 14 of them
lithospheric plates
57
In 1912 _____ though all of the land was once together in one large continent later named Pangea
He also thought that they moved away from each other due to the lithospheric plates
Alfred Wegener
58
what are the are 2 parts of Pangea about 200 million years ago
Laurasia (North)
| Gondwanaland (South)
59
whats is sea floor spreading
Hot magma rises and comes into contact with the cold ocean water and solidifies
The older, hardened magma gets pushed to the top to make room for the new magma
The hardened magma then plunges underneath the continental crust because the oceanic crust is more dense than the continental crust
A fissure could arise to form a volcanic mountain range or it could could go back to magma and repeat the cycle (convection currents)
60
divergent boundaries ____
the plates move apart
61
convergent boundaries ____
the plates move towards each other
62
transform boundaries ____
the plates slip past each other
63
divergent boundaries cause
sea floor spreading
64
convergent boundaries cause
subduction Oceanic crust goes under continental crust)
65
transform boundaries cause
earthquakes
66
what are rocks that are made from cooled magma
igneous
67
what are rocks that are made from debris that got compacted together
sedimentary
68
what are rocks that are made from the rock going under heat and pressure and change
metamorphic
69
closest planet to the sun
mercury (3 month orbit)
70
farthest 'planet' from the sun
neptune (165 yr orbit)
71
all planets orbit ____
counterclockwise
72
Earth’s elliptical orbit takes approximately ____
365.25 days
73
the earths average distance from the Sun is
93 million miles
74
what is perihelion
Occurs on January 3rd when the Earth is closest to the sun at 91.5 million miles
75
what is aphelion
Occurs on July 4th when the earth is farthest from the sun at 94.5 million miles
76
seasons are controlled by
the tilt of the earths axis
77
the earth rotates ____ and from ___ to ____
counterclockwise; west to east
78
the earth rotates at
1,000 miles per hour at the equator
79
tilt of the earths axis is
23.5°
80
what is the circle of illumination
the line that divides the illuminated half from the dark half while the Earth is spinning
81
what is the plane of the ecliptic
a plane that goes through the center of the Earth to the center of the Sun
82
the plane of the ecliptic is always
constant and The Earth’s axis is always pointing at the same spot which is parallel to where the plane was previously
83
when is the summer solstice (NH)
june 22
84
when is the winter solstice (NH)
december 22
85
when is the spring equinox (NH)
march 21
86
when is the fall equinox (NH)
september 23
87
what is an oblique ray
sun rays that Diffuse solar energy because the sun is at a lower angle
88
the tropic of cancer receive the most solar energy on
june solstice
89
the tropic of capricorn receive the most solar energy on
march solstice
90
the atmosphere extends ____ above the surface of the earth
20,000 miles
91
the atmosphere ____ on the earth
exerts pressure
92
what are the most important gases in the atmosphere (5)
nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, ozone, and water vapor
93
the most prominent gas in our atmosphere
nitrogen (78%)
94
what is the trophosphere
Where weather and climate occur
| About -57 degrees celcius
95
in the trophosphere as you go up, temperature will on average drop about 3.5℉ every 1000 ft which is known as
the actual lapse rate
96
what is the stratosphere
31 miles above Earth
| 0℃ hits freezing, warmer than the troposphere because of the ozone layer
97
what is the mesosphere
between the stratosphere and the thermosphere when temperature drop to about -90
98
the thermosphere is ___ above earth
50-300 miles
99
The higher the angle of the sun determines the
intensity
100
The low latitudes & the equator have
high angles and more insolation
101
Clouds reflect a lot of ______, mostly in rainy places
solar radiation
102
The percentage of solar radiation that is reflected is called the
albedo
103
Low Albedo
Most solar radiation is absorbed
| Ex: Asphalt, Black Sand Beaches, Desert
104
high Albedo
Most solar radiation is reflected
| Concrete, Snow, Ice Fields
105
The darker the surface the ____ the albedo
lower
106
what is conversion from one form of energy to another from radiation turning into molecules of matter
absorption
107
what is where gas and liquids transfer energy by movements and the movement includes a strong vertical motion
convection
108
what is the molecule to molecule transfer of heat energy as it diffuses through a substance
conduction
109
what is where gas and liquids transfer energy by movements and the movement includes a strong horizontal motion
advection
110
what is when the sun releases shortwave radiation, some of it reaches the surface of the earth where it gets heated and produces long wave radiation where most of it gets trapped by greenhouse gases
the greenhouse effect
111
long wave radiation is stronger than short wave true or false?
false, short is more intense
112
what are the 3 greenhouse gases
methane, carbon dioxide, water vapor
113
the ______ is the rest of the atmosphere beyond 300 miles that is filled with small amounts of gases like hydrogen and helium
exosphere
114
the rate at which air cools is the _____
Environmental Lapse Rate
115
what are the principal controls of temperature (4)
latitude, altitude, cloud cover, water
116
what does latitude do in regards to temperature
High latitudes receive less solar radiation
117
what does altitude do in regards to temperature
In the troposphere as you go up your temperature decreases
Altitude and temperature have an inverse relationship
Low altitudes have higher temperatures
118
what does cloud cover do in regards to temperature
Clouds reflect substantial amounts of solar radiation
| Can reduce the amount of solar radiation that reaches the earth
119
what does water do in regards to temperature
Proximity to water causes the places to be warmer than places more inland
Land-Water heating differences: water takes longer to heat up and cool down than land
120
what is the average atmospheric pressure
1013.2 mb
121
how are winds named
from where they originate (easterly winds originate from the eats but blow to the west)
122
places near a large body of water experience less seasonal extremes due to ___
ocean currents
123
_____ currents will dull the air above it and are also taking polar water to the equator
cold
124
____ currents take warm water from the equator to the high latitude
warm
125
What are the 3 forces that determine wind speed and direction
Gravitational force, pressure gradient force, the Coriolis force, and friction
126
how does pressure gradient force determine wind speed and direction
it drives wind from areas of low pressure to areas of high pressure
127
air diverges and air descends to replace it in an area of ___ pressure
high
128
air converges and rises in areas of ____ pressure
low
129
close isobars have ___ winds
strong
130
the _____ force is important to wind direction and deflects things that travel over the earth’s surface
coriolis
131
the coriolis force in the northern hemisphere deflects to the ____
right
132
the coriolis force in the southern hemisphere deflects to the ____
left
133
in the Northern hemisphere high pressure moves ____ and low pressure moves ____
high- clockwise
| low- counterclockwise
134
in the southern hemisphere high pressure moves ____ and low pressure moves ____
high- counterclockwise
| low- clockwise
135
anticyclones are always ___ pressure and direction depends on the hemisphere
high
136
cyclones are always ___ pressure and direction depends on the hemisphere
low
137
the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) is in the ____ hemisphere in January and in the ____ hemisphere in July
southern; northern
138
anticyclones drive ocean currents in
January (southern hemisphere) and July (northern hemisphere)
139
what are the four atmospheric lifting mechanisms
convergence, convection, orographic uplift, and frontal uplift
140
_____ : Air goes from high pressure to low pressure,
Air goes from the ground and rises up,
Happens with the trade winds and at the ITCZ,
A lot of moisture
convergence
141
______: Localized type of uplift,
When the surface of the Earth warms, rises, and gets cooled by the colder air in the atmosphere,
The air then becomes unstable and turns into condensation and precipitation,
Convective precipitation is common on tropical islands
Convection
142
____: Mountains are barriers to wind, Relative humidity will increase as the air goes up the windward side of the mountain
orographic uplift
143
_____ side of the mountain has a lot of precipitation
windward
144
_____ side is dry because the humidity evaporates before it reaches this side
leeward
145
____ winds are warm and dry winds. This indigenous term used in places like Calgary, Can and Colorado Springs
Chinook
146
____ occurs on the leeward side of the mountain and is very dry
the rain shadow
147
____ are lines that connect places of the same amount of precipitation
Isohyets
148
____ uplift is important in the mid latitudes in regards to precipitation
frontal
149
a ___ front is where the cold air nudges the warm air to rise and then cool
The air cools which forms clouds and precipitation
cold
150
the precipitation associated with ___ fronts is usually hard, torrential downpour
cold
151
with ____ there is a sudden drop in barometric pressure and temperature
cold front
152
a ____ front is where the warm air slowly rises over the cold front and cools
warm
153
a ____ front has slow, dull, light precipitation for a prolonged period of time
warm
154
with a ____ temperatures rise slightly and there is a gradual decrease in barometric pressure
warm front
155
what is the jet stream
Upper level flow of air that moves from west to east
156
there is one ____ is the southern hemisphere and one in the northern hemisphere
jet stream
157
____ are important in tracking and guiding cyclones and storms
the jet stream
158
the ____get the highest amount of precipitation because they’re under the influence of the ITCZ
tropics
159
Towards the poles are the ____ places, also very ___ in Northern Africa and most of Australia because they’re under subtropical high pressure
driest; dry
160
The inner continental US and Eurasia are also very ___ due to them being far from a large body of water
dry
161
Southern South America (Andes Mountains) are ___ on the left windward side and ___ on the right leeward side
wet; dry
162
poles are dry because
cold air cannot hold a lot of moisture, not much uplift, and extremely low evaporation rates and sun angles
163
______ and ______ affect precipitation greatly
Wind direction and ocean currents
164
______ causes the air above the water to become cold and resist rising and become stagnant
Cold ocean currents
165
what is humidity
The amount of water vapor in the air
166
_____ humidity is direct amount of humidity expressed in g/m3 (Weight/Volume)
absolute humidity
167
_____ humidity is not used often and is expressed in g/kg
| Mass/Mass
specific humidity
168
_____ humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air compared to the maximum amount the air can hold
- Most commonly used of all of the humidities
- Expressed as a percentage %
relative humidity
169
what is evaporation
the phase change from a liquid to a gas by heat
170
what is condensation
the phase change from a gas to a liquid by cooling
171
Instability occurs air is ____ if it is buoyant and wants to rise
unstable
172
______ is when air is stable and not inclined to rise
Air either stays put or descends
Usually fair skies and high pressure
stability
173
______ of the air parcel determines the stability or instability of the air
Temperature
174
____ air cannot hold as much water vapor as ____ air
cold; warm
175
_____ are segments of air in the lower atmosphere that share similar characteristics like temperature and humidity, cause weather, and are classified by the surface they originate over
air masses
176
if the air mass originates over land its ___ and is dry with low humidity
continental (c)
177
if the air mass originates over water its ___ and is wet with high humidity
Maritime (m)
178
if the air mass originates near the poles its ___ and is cold and in the high latitudes
polar (P)
179
if the air mass originates near the subtropics its ___ and is hot and in the low latitudes
tropical (T)
180
a cP air mass is
dry and cold
181
a cT air mass is
dry and hot
182
a mP air mass is
wet and cold
183
a mT air mass is
wet and hot
184
__ air effects North America (Southern Canada and Northern US) in winter
cP
185
__ air effects the Gulf of Mexico area and the southern US in winter
mT
186
__ air effects the west coast of the US (Northern California and Oregon in winter
mP
187
in the summer __ and __ will retreat into northern Canada
cP and mP
188
in the summer __ goes inward and will affect the midwestern and southern US
mT
