GEOG 102 1nd Edition Lecture 3 Outline of Last Lecture I. What is scale?II. What’s a region?III. Why geographers use regions?IV. 7 ways we study each world region.V. Why be careful when comparing world regions?Outline of Current Lecture I. North America Physical PatternsA. LandformsB. ClimateII. Human/Environment InteractionsCurrent Lecture Physical features: - Mountain ranges- River valleys- Basins- CliffsPangea ~ Modern World- Pangea fragmented over time to make the modern world.These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.- Made possible through plate tectonics- Plate tectonics:- Earth surface- Composed of large plates- Float on molten rocks- Plate movements and interactions = large feature of the Earth’s surface (ex: Mountains, shorelines)Landforms:- Rocky Mountain Zone- A wide mass of mountains and basins that dominate North America- Also known as “Sierra Madre” in Mexico- Collision of Pacific Plate and North American Plate - Still active plates create earthquakes - Appalachian Mountains:- Older, more eroded than the Rockies- Central Lowlands:- Between the Rocky and Appalachian mountains- Undulating plains- From the Artic to the Gulf of Mexico- Great Lakes:- Glaciers during the Ice Ages- Melted- Depressions in land = Great Lakes (H.O.M.E.S)- Soil deposits great for agriculture- Coastal Lowlands:- East of the Appalachians- New Brunswick, NJ~ Florida- Sweeps west to central lowland along the Gulf of Mexico- Louisiana and Mississippi filled by the Mississippi River DeltaWhat is Climate?- Weather: day to day forecast. Spatially limited expression of climate- Climate: consistent long term weather patterns within a region- Long term balance of temperature and precipitation o Factors that influence Climate: Sunlight  Earth’s rotation Earth’s revolution around the sun : results in the seasons Latitude: distance from the equator 66.5 degrees North Artic Circle 23.5 degrees North Tropic of Cancer 23.5 degrees South Tropic of Capicorn 66.5 degrees South Antarctic Circle Elevation Precipitation Winds Tropic Polaro Types Of Climate: Tropical  Sub-tropical Sub-polar Polar HighlandsThe Landforms in the Continental expanses of North America influence how air circulation in the region flows.Orographic Rainfall: air rises and cools and falls as precipitation.- Southern west coast- Summers: mild, dry, warm- Winters: cool and moist- East of the Pacific Coastal Mountains:- dry- East of the Rocky Mountains:- Moisture from the Gulf of MexicoGenerally, central North America is the wettest in the eastern and southern parts, and driest in the north and west The large size of North America creates wide temperature variationsHuman/Environment Interactions:- How physical features shape human activities- Environmental Issues:- extraction of natural resources- logging/clear cutting- coal mining- Climate Change and Air Pollution- North Americao 5% of world populationo 26% of global greenhouse gasses o High consumption of fossil fuels**Moisture in the air forced to rise as it passes over a mountain range.- Interregional Linkage: - connections between distant regions- Global interdependence and international trade- Globalization- Changes produced by interregional linkage- Economic and beyond**Global linkage intensified during an age of empire and colonization by European powers starting in 1492 (Columbus sailed the ocean blue)**Global linkage allowed for trade and was funded through slave labor and British ruleCanada and U.S.- Relationship between Canada and U.S.- Asymmetries o Population: US = 10x the size of Canadao Economy: US 12.4 trillion annually/Canada 1.11 trillion annuallyo Politics and Military: US is a global super power. Canada most concerned with US/Canada relationship- Similaritieso Former British colonieso Federations and representative democracies Similar legal systems Longest unfortified border in the world Similar patterns of ethnic diversity US and Canadian cities and suburbs look alike- Interdependenceo Each is the others largest trading partner o Canada is more dependent on the USo Both countries economies have transitioned together Farming~ Industrial~ service oriented economieso Decline in Manufacturing by the 1960s Automation decreased employment Factories relocated to the southeast US Lower wages/absence of labor unionso North American free trade agreement in 1994 Industries moved to Mexico or overseas Growth in service AKA Economic Base of North America 75% of regions GDP Employment: US 77%/Canada 76% Sale of services: Transportation, utilities, wholesale, and retail, health, leisure, customer service, etc. Few high paying jobs More low paying