Geography exam cards

Absolute Location

The exact position of a place using coordinates (45^{\circ}N, 75^{\circ}W).

Relative Location

The position of a place compared to other locations (e.g., Canada is north of the United States).

Physical Characteristics (Place)

The natural features of a location, such as climate, landforms, vegetation, and water.

Human Characteristics (Place)

Man-made features of a location, including buildings, population, culture, and language.

Physical Geography

The study of natural features of the Earth, such as mountains, rivers, climate, and earthquakes.

Human Geography

The study of how humans interact with the Earth, including population, cities, transportation, and culture.

Political Geography

The study of boundaries and governments, such as countries, provinces, borders, and capitals.

Economic Geography

The study of how people make and use money and resources, including industries, trade, and natural resources.

Geographer's Main Work

To identify patterns on the Earth's surface and explain why those patterns exist.

Four Questions Geographers Ask

1. Where is it? 2. Why is it there? 3. What is important about it? 4. What do we do now?

The Five Great Lakes

Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario.

General Canada Facts

It is the 2^{nd} largest country in the world, bordered by 3 oceans, and known for natural resources (forestry, mining, fishing).

Continental Plate

Huge, slow-moving blocks of rock that make up the Earth's crust and float on the semi-molten mantle.

Alfred Wegener

The German scientist who developed the Continental Drift Theory, suggesting continents were once joined together.

Pangea

A supercontinent that included all current continents before they drifted apart.

Crust

The thin outer layer of the Earth, made of solid rock, where we live.

Mantle

The thicker layer beneath the crust made of semi-molten magma upon which the plates move.

Outer Core

A liquid layer made mostly of iron and nickel that creates the Earth's magnetic field.

Inner Core

The extremely hot, solid center of the Earth made mostly of iron and nickel.

Precambrian Era

The longest era, involving the formation of Earth and the first simple life forms.

Paleozoic Era

The period when life developed in oceans, plants and early animals appeared, and the first land animals emerged.

Mesozoic

The current time period

period of mammals humans