GEOG 1114: EXAM 1
111 Cards in this Set
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Geography
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defined as a method of study that focuses on human and physical environment
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human geography
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deals with cultural diversity of place, urbanization, population, political, cultural and economics. How people differ from place to place
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Physical geography
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deals with natural environment. specifically how natural characteristics of places differ
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atmosphere
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air
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lithosphere
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earths crust/ shape
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biosphere
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all parts where living organisms are
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hydrosphere
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water/ice
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landscape
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complex physical environment that encompasses the physical environment as it comes together
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Earths vertical relief
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20 km or 12 miles
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earths equatorial diameter
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12, 756 km
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polar diameter
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12,714 km
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earths diameter
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8,000 miles
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geographic grid
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used to determine location on spherical earth
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great circle
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represents the circumference of that sphere and divides it into hemispheres
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tropic of cancer/capricorn
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23.5 degrees N & S
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equator
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0 degrees
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North and south poles
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90 degrees N&S
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Arctic circle
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66.5 degrees N
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antarctic circle
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66.5 degrees S
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prime meridian
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0 degrees long.
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rotation
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works with gravitational pull of moon and coriolis effect
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coriolis effect
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water and air are deflected towards the right in the northern hem and towards the left in the southern hem to give us tides
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revolution
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elliptical orbit where earths distance from sun is not constant
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perihelion
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earth is closest to sun around jan. 3 (147,166,480 km)
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aphelion
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earth is furthest away from sun around july 4 (152,171,500 km)
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tilt/inclination
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affects how much sun hits the earth and where on earths surface it is hitting
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earths seasons
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primarily caused by earths tilt and revolution from latitudinal position
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summer solstice
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-around june 21 sun is directly above tropic of cancer (23.5 deg N)
-antarctic circle is in 24 hour darkness
-longest day of the yr for our summer
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winter solstice
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-around dec 21 perpendicular rays hit the tropic of capricorn (23.5 deg S)
-arctic circle has 24 hours of darkness
-longest day of the winter
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fall equinox
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-around sept 22 sun is directly above equator
-days are shorter and cooler
-equal day and night
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spring equinox
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-around march 20 days start to get longer
-equal day and night
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Map
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spatial representation of phenomena
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purpose of maps
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used to convey information, help people understand spatial distributions and identifying patterns, teach about size, distance, directions and understanding layout of planet
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scale
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mathematical relationship between object on map and real world
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small scale
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large area with small detail (large denominator)
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large scale
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small area with large detail (small denominator)
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fractional map scale
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expressed as ratio or fraction
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graphic map scale
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depicts scale with bar graph
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verbal map scale
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1 inch = 1 mile
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map projections
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systematic representation of all or part of 3D earths surface onto flat surface
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mercator(most famous)
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cylindrical projections. wrap the globe in a cylinder of paper tangent to the earth at the equator. there is a conformal projection
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azimuthal (plane projection)
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project the globe onto a paper that is tangent to the globe at some point. it displays on the area well as an equivalent projection
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conic
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map is projected onto the cone tangent to or intersecting the globe. longitudes are the straight lines; latitudes are the parallel lines. used for mapping small areas on earth (or weather maps)
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cartography
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art and science of mapping. can work manually with a computer and with scientific visualization
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remote sensing
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science and art of obtaining information about an object using an instrument not in contact with the object.
ex. aerial photography, satellite images, sonar and radar
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geographic information systems (GIS)
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automated systems for the capture, storage, retrieval, analysis and display of spatial data
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major roles of the atmosphere
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supplies oxygen, supplies carbon dioxide for plants, helps maintain earths weather supply, insulates earth against temperature extremes, shields earth from too many UV rays, has major effect on weather and climate and important transmitter of energy
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3 major gasses made up in atmosphere
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nitrogen (78%)
oxygen (21%)
argon (.934%)
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water vapor (H2O) 0-4%
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-amount present determines humidity and how much moisture you have available for rain
-varies by geographic location
-has significant effect on weather and climate
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carbon dioxide (CO2)
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-found uniformly in lower levels of atmosphere
-has significant impact on weather and climate
-can absorb IR radiation; helps warm the lower atmosphere
increasing levels causing global climate change
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ozone (O3)
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-composed of 3 oxygen molecules
-found in ozone layer between 15 & 48 km above earth
-absorbs UV light and filters these rays to protect life
-breakdown of ozone layer with CFC's has created a hole and increased UV light on earth
-montreal protocol- international treaty to help slow i…
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troposphere
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decreasing temp; lowest 10-15 km of atmosphere
most weather occurs here
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stratosphere
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increasing 18-50 km; stagnant air
ozone layer is here holding energy
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mesosphere
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decreasing 52-80 km
no more ozone and it cools down
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thermosphere
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100-225 km
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exosphere
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increasing >225 km; transitions into interplanetary space
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atmospheric pressure
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-refers to the weight of overlying air- measured with barometer
-the taller the column of air above an object, the greater the pressure
-decreases rapidly with increasing altitude
-pressure highest at sea level
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weather
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daily condition
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climate
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long-term averages and patterns and what to expect
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4 major effects of weather and climate
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-temperature: changes daily and seasonally because we tilt and revolve
-pressure: change of pressure gradient creates wind
-moisture: dynamics in the atmosphere creates changes in temperature creating changes in moisture
-wind
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7 controls of weather and climate
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-latitude
-distribution of land and water
-general circulation of the atmosphere
-general circulation of the oceans
-altitude
-topographic barriers
-storms
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the sun
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-primary source of energy
-giant thermonuclear reactor producing energy by fusion
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global heat budget
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incoming solar radiation > insolation > shortwave radiation > fairly constant
outgoing terrestrial radiation > longwave > reflected > thermal infrared > variable
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electromagnetic spectrum
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-insolation characterized by wavelengths
-incoming solar radiation- most comes in form of visible light-constant
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absorption
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body absorbs radiation
good radiator, good absorber (water, sand)
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reflection
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-objects repel EMR
-size, material, condition, portion of spectrum play a role
-good absorbers reflect little
-snow on a warm day
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scattering
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-deflection of light waves by molecules and particles (dust, water)
-wavelength dependent
-blue portion has this; hence blue sky
-sun sets: dust; EMR travels a longer distance, reduced angle-more orange and red
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transmission
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-electromagnetic waves pass completely through a medium
-water = good at this
-atmosphere: gives shortwave radiation well
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conduction
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-movement of heat from one molecule to another
-results from molecular collision
-air is poor, metal is good
-allows heat to be transferred from one object to another
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convection
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-heat transfer by vertical circulation
-molecules move in tandem
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advection
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-horizontal transfer of heat
-in atmosphere, wind may transfer warm or cool air horizontally
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evaporation
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-liquid water is converted to a gaseous water vapor
-rates depend on temperature, location and pressure
- cooling process-energy is stored
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condensation
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-water vapor changes into a liquid
-warming process
-energy is realized- sensible heat(latent heat)
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latent heat
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-heat is released or absorbed during a phase change
-heat is not felt
-most common phase changes: evaporation and condensation
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unequal heating
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-variations in the angle at which solar radiation strikes earth
-influence of the atmosphere itself on the intensity of radiation transmitted to earths surface
-seasonal variations in day length
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land heating
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low specific heat, low inertia, low conductivity, low capacity
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water heating
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high specific heat, five times more than land, high inertia, high conductivity, high capacity
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five oceans
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-atlantic
-pacific
-indian
-arctic
-southern
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isotherm
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a type of equal temperature at a given date or time on a geographic map
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spatial variation
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in air pressure, this is responsible for air movement
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air pressure
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-the force exerted by gas molecules in the atmosphere about 14.7 pounds per square inch at sea level
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air density
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mass of matter in a unit volume- varies from place to place because gas expands as far as environmental pressure will allow
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isobars
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lines of equal pressure
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ridge
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high pressure separates two isobars of low pressure
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trough
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low pressure separates two isobars of high pressure
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three agents of atmospheric motion
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-pressure gradient (high pressure= hill)
-coriolis effect
-friction
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geostrophic winds
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-battle between pressure gradient and CE
-these tend to occur at higher altitudes where effects of CF are greater and friction is less
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anticyclones
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-high pressure circulation pattern surface divergence and high pressure indicate sinking motion;
sinking motion results in sunny sky
-air diverges away from high pressure-centers
-NH= spirals away from center in clockwise direction
-SH= spirals out in counter-clockwise direction
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cyclones
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low pressure circulation patterns, surface convergence and low pressure indicate rising motion
results in clouds and storms
NH= converging counter clockwise flow
SH= converging clockwise flow
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trade winds
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diverge from subtropical highs
exist between 25 degrees N and 25 degrees S latitude
easterly winds: southeasterly in SH, northeasterly in NH
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hadley cell
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convection cell
vertical movement of wind from low at the equator to subtropical high
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westerlies
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-wind system of the midlatitudes
-form on pole ward sides of subtropical highs
-jet streams (e/w)
-rossby waves (n/s)
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intertropical convergence zone
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-semi-permanent band of low pressure
-low pressure belt near the equator
-constant rising motion and storminess in this region
-position seasonally shifts (more over land than water)
-doldrums
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polar highs
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high pressure cells that develop over the poles build up very cold temperatures produce thermal high
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polar easterlies
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move east to west
typically cold and dry but quite variable
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polar front
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subpolar lows-
-low pressure area between polar high and westerlies
-air masses conflict between warm westerlies and cold polar easterlies
-rising motion and precipitation
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monsoons
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-winds onshore during the summer and offshore during the winter
-develop due to shifts in the position of the ITCZ
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hydrologic cycle
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-evaporation
-condensation
-precipitation
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absolute humidity
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amount of water vapor in a given volume of air
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specific humidity
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mass of water vapor in a given mass of air
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relative humidity
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ratio between the water vapor in the air and the amount the air could hold if it were saturated
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dew point
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temperature at which saturation occurs (100% humidity) and condensation begins
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condensation process
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process by which water vapor in the atmosphere changes phase to become a liquid or a solid. this happens when moist air is cooled to saturation (dew point) by the adiabatic process
-saturation and condensation nuclei needed
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dew
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-usually originates from terrestrial radiation
-moisture condensation on surfaces that have been cooled to saturate
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frost
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occurs when the saturation point is below 0 degrees C
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fog
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formed when air at the earth's surface cools below its dew point
when enough water vapor is added to their air to saturate
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cirrus
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thin and wispy
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stratus
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continuous
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cumulus
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billowy with vertical component
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precipitation
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needs evaporation from the ocean and evaporation from plants
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atmosphereic lifting
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-convective
-orographic
-frontal lifting
-convergent
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GEOG 1114: MIDTERM