UWEC GEOG 104 Exam 1

What do Geographers Study?

Geographers study the surface of the earth because the earth is the home of humans

Scientific Methods

Use evidence to answer questions, solve problems

Big Themes in GEOG

Earth Systems, Interconnections, Cycles of Matter, Patterns

Earth Systems Are

Global, Interconnect, Codependent

Open Systems

Inputs, outputs, storage - Part of the human earth relationship

Inputs (Open Systems)

Components and driving force

Outputs ((Open Systems)

Results and Consequences

EvapoTransporation

Evaporation from Plants

Interconnections lead to cycles

Inputs of matter, energy from systems - receive

Storage in other systems

Output matter, energy to other systems - transmit/transfer

What do cycles create?

Spatial patterns - Nothing is evenly distributed - many things related to others spatially

Three W's

What - Description

Where - Map

Why - Controls

How are patterns reflected in natural regions?

Biomes, climate regions, soil, geomorphic

What is Latitude?

Angular distance of a parallel from the Equator

Tropic of Cancer

23.5 N

Tropic of Capricorn

23.5 S

Arctic Circle

66.5 N

Antarctic Circle

66.5 S

Low Latitudes

Tropics, Subtropics 35 N to 35 S

Midlatitudes

35 to 55 N and S

High latitudes

55 to 90 N and S - Subarctic/Subantarctic, Arctic Antarctic

Longitude

Angular distance of a meridian from the Prime Meridian

What is the Atmosphere?

A thin envelope of air surrounding Earth, which is held to Earth by Gravity, along with small suspended particles

What is matter?

Anything that has mass and occupies space

Difference between mass and weight

Mass is how much matter there is - weight is mass acted upon by gravity

What are the basic building blocks of matter?

Atoms - Molecule two or more atoms bonded, lots of elements are compounds

What are the fundamental forms of matter?

Solid, liquid, gas, plasma

Conservation of Mass

Matter can not be created or destroyed, can only change form

What is the Air density of atmosphere?

1.23 kg/m3

How high is the atmosphere?

50km

What is atmospheric pressure?

1013.25 millibars

What are particulates?

Water droplets and water crystals

Aerosols - tiny particles that are not water

What are the constant gases?

Nitrogen 78%, Oxygen 21%, Argon 9/10%

What is water vapor?

Water that comes from evaporation, transpiration

Ozone

Highly variable throughout the atmosphere

Ground Level Ozone

Bad, Found in places with pollution

Stratospheric ozone?

Good, filters out UV radiation, 100 parts per million

How much C02 in the Atmosphere?

400 ppm

Why is CO2 important for life? - Carbon Cycle

Photosynthesis, decomposition, respiration,

Why is Charles Keeling Important?

Discovered CO2 variability

What are the months carbon cycles?

Lowest carbon value in Sept, highest in may

Coincides with growing seasons

How much Methane (CH4) is in the atmosphere?

1,900 ppb

What does methane oxide into?

H20 and CO2

How is Methane added to the atmosphere?

Added through anaerobic decomposition, decomposition without oxygen, bacteria

Happens with ruminants

Wetlands

What is Energy?

The capacity for doing work

What are the two basics types of energy?

Kinetic

Potential

Some forms of energy

Nuclear, Mechanical, Chemical, Gravitational, Heat, Light

What is the 1st law of Thermodynamics?

The law of conservation of energy

What is the second law of Thermodynamics?

Energy always flows away from where it is concentrated, becoming dispersed and spread out over time.

Radiant Energy is Either:

An invisible stream of particles of energy (photons) or Invisible waves of pure energy (Electro magnetic waves)

What are EMRs?

Invisible waves of pure energy (Electro magnetic waves)

What decides the Quantity of EMR released?

The temperature of the matter emitting it

How is Wavelength of EMR emitted related?

Wave length of EMR emitted is inversely related to the temperature of the matter emitting it

What happens when EMR strikes matter?

It is reflected, deflected or absorbed. It depends on what the matter is, and the wavelength of the EMR.

How much energy does the sun give off?

4.0 x 10^26 watts

How much energy does the earth receive?

1.75 x 10^17 watts across 150,000,000km

What wavelengths does the sun emit?

8% UV, 47 Visible, 45 Near infared

Earth is Sphere, how does this affect isolation?

1. The time of day

2. With latitude

What is the subsolar point?

Point where sun is shining 90 degrees

What is insolation?

Amount of energy from the sun that strikes earth

What is declination?

The latitude of the subsolar point

What determines isolation intensity?

Sun angle

What is the solar constant?

1,370 watts/m2

What is Advection?

Movement of air across the planet

Why do we have seasons?

Changes in Daylength

Changes in noon sun angle

When is the Perihelion?

Jan 3 closest to sun

When is the Aphelion

July 4th furthest from sun

When are the solstices?

December 21st (West), June 21st (East)

When are the Equinoxes?

March 20th (All Light), September 22nd (All Dark)

What is the normal environmental loss rate?

6.5 degrees/km

What are the first two layers of the atmosphere?

Troposphere, Tropopause

Stratosphere, Stratopause

When are the daily min and max temps?

Just after 6:00, sunrise and then just at 2/3 for the max

Spatial Temperature - Latitude

Surface air temperatures decrease with increasing latitude

Annual temperature ranges increase with increasing latitude

What is the Land-Water heating differences?

Surface air temperatures are cooler in summer and warmer in winter near large water bodies than at landlocked locations

What is the continental effect?

Heating differences on land

What is the maritime effect?

Heating differences by sea

What happens to Annual temperature ranges spatially?

Annual temperature ranges are smaller near large water bodies than at landlocked locations

Reasons for Continental

Less evaporation, surface is opaque, land has lower specific heat, land has no mixing between layers

Reasons for Maritime

Greater Evaporation, surface is transparent, water has a higher specific heat, Water has mobility and mixes in vast ocean currents

How do clouds affect temperature?

Cloudy places are cooler in summer and warmer in winter than places with few clouds

LOOK AT WATER PHASE CHANGE

What is a hydrogen bond?

The + and - charge on opposite ends produce polarity which causes molecules to attract.

What is specific Humidity?

A measure of the amount of water vapor actually in the air

What does humidity measure?

Dew point of

Temp at which the air would be saturated

determined by amount of water vapor in the air

What is relative humidity?

How close air is to it's saturation point.

How are clouds created?

By condensation in the atmosphere

What are the two requirements for condensation?

Condensation or deposition nuclei

Saturated air (100% RH)

How does air become saturated?

By the addition of water vapor

By being cooled to it's dew point

What is diabetic cooling?

Cooling due to loss of heat energy

What is adiabatic cooling?

Cooling due to the expansion of air

What is the dry adiabatic rate?

1 Degree / 100m

What is the Lifting condensation level?

When the temperature matches the dew point

What is the Moist Adiabatic Rate?

0.4 - 0.9 degrees / 100m

Why does air rise?

Air rises when lifting mechanisms cause it to rise.

What is Orographic lifting?

What happens when surface winds blowing towards mountains are forced to rise

What is convergent lifting?

What happens when surface winds blow into the same area from different directions

What is frontal lifting?

What happens when a colder air mass advances into a warmer air mass OR when a warmer air mass advances into a colder air mass

What is convectional lifting?

What happens when unequal surface heating creates bubbles of air that are warner than the surrounding air

Where are Earth's cloudiest and wettest places?

Where effective lifting mechanisms exist

Where air is humid

What does each lifting mechanism involve?

Wind

What is wind?

Wind is horizontal movement of air in the atmosphere