Geography 203 Planet Earth Exam 1 Review Chapters 1 5 Introduction to Earth Systems Chapter 1 of text and Lecture 1 notes 1 What is geography and what is physical geography a Geography is the science that studies the interdependence and interaction among geographic areas natural systems processes society and cultural activities over space a spatial science lives and the way humans alter Earth s systems focuses upon the character of and processes shaping the land surface of the Earth deals with powerful Earth systems that influence our b Physical geography 2 Importance of physical geography and vulnerability a Physical geography b Vulnerability and vice versa 3 Different spheres of physical geography things will change and adjust to the way the world works i Atmosphere thin gaseous veil surround Earth held to the planet a Abiotic non living systems by the force of gravity directly below the crust term sometime refers to entire solid planet water exists as liquid solid and gas Earth s crust and a portion of the upper mantle ii Hydrosphere iii Lithosphere b Biotic living system i Biosphere links all organisms with their physical environment 4 Form and Process a Form description of the phenomena and spatial appearance i Way things look a set of actions that operate in some special order central to b Process geographic analysis i The why ii Why do rivers meander 1 Obstacles in way path of least resistance elevation weave to make less work downhill to slow down get right speed increases distance 5 Models in physical geography and geosystems Model abstraction of reality that provides a simple explanation of the physical environment a Numerical physical and geographical 6 Elements attributes and relationships a Elements b Attributes measure c Relationships attributes the parts that make up a system characteristics of the elements that may be perceived and associations that occur between elements and their 7 Morphological Cascading and Process response systems describes attributes and relationships of them web of a Morphological effects b Cascading c Process response elements to explain the relationship between attributes describes the flow cascade of energy between describes the flow of energy or matter between elements 8 Black grey and white box models some understanding about what happens between inputs and outputs do not understand what happens between inputs and outputs ex a Black Cell phone computer car don t understand middle b Gray ex Everything in textbook enzymes c White between inputs and outputs ex Making a sandwich or digestion understanding about everything well almost that happens 9 System change Static steady state metastable and dynamic attributes are unchanging with time over seconds a Static b Steady state a mean or base level over weeks i Ex Body weight constantly fluctuating in small amounts some change around c Metastable steady jump dramatic change internal or external change pushes system across a threshold i Threshold tipping point system pushed to a limiting condition causing major change d Dynamic slowly increasing decreasing trend over centuries 10 Feedback positive and negative a Positive usually rare amplifies or encourages response in a system i The more you do the more you get ii End product stimulates more product ex Glacier iii Good movie reviews high ticket sales b Negative information slows or discourages response in a system i Self regulation in a system don t want to be out of balance ii End product prohibits more product from occurring iii Bad movie reviews drop in sales cloud cover Climate and Energy Chapters 2 through 5 of text and Lecture 3 notes 1 Radiation wavelengths and relation to heat of object sun v earth a Solar radiation emitted as part of the electromagnetic spectrum b Dominant wavelength depends on surface temperature c Spectrum composed of energy with different wavelengths 2 Energy balance of the earth sun in and heat out 3 Variation in sun energy with latitude direct at equator v indirect at poles 4 Variation in sun energy from night to day a Rotation of the earth 5 Variation in sun energy with seasons tilt of the earth equinox solstice dates a Revolution of earth around the sun b Shape of orbit 6 Angle of sun in sky varies with latitude and season change in shape of orbit 7 Variations in orbit a Eccentricity b Obliquity varies between 22 an 24 due to a tidal bulge at the equator reason for switch in seasons c Precession as the Earth rotates on its axis it wobbles like a spinning top relates to changes in tilt of the Earth as it orbits around the sun 8 Energy transmission through the atmosphere a Transmission is the flow of energy through the atmosphere b Person to person 8 types of energy transmission c Transmission insolation input scattering refraction conduction convection advection and latent heat 9 Solar input to top of atmosphere see above a Solar Constant atmosphere thermosphere when at the average distance from the sun is the average insolation received at the top of the 10 Scattering 11 Refraction a Physical interaction of insolation with gas molecules and dust in the atmosphere reason for a blue sky b Short wavelengths scattered more than long wavelengths a Bending of light rays from one medium to another water to air b Reason for rainbows and 8 extra minutes of daylight 12 Reflection albedo for different colors and objects including high and low clouds a Energy reflected off particles and objects in the atmosphere or at the earth s surface b Reflection albedo i Dark objects low reflectivity low albedo ii Light objects high reflectivity high albedo 13 Contrails shiptrails forest fires dust volcanoes and pollution impacts on albedo clouds left my planes blocks sun decrease in temperature clouds left by ships more direct control a Contrails b Shiptrails c Forest fires d Dust dust storm we get dust from China and Sahara desert e Volcanoes f Pollution blocks sunlight need a lack of water rain vegetation drought infertility to have a aka aerosols dust ash smoke block sun drop temperature 14 Absorption and the greenhouse effect the assimilation of radiation by molecules of matter and its a Absorption conversion from one form of energy to another clouds b Greenhouse effect heat is trapped in atmosphere when sun is blocked by i The process whereby radiatively active gases absorb insolation and emit the energy at longer wavelengths which are retained longer delaying the loss of infrared to space ii This makes the lower troposphere