Planet Earth Geography 201 - Essentials of Geography Flashcards

A comprehensive set of QUESTION_AND_ANSWER style flashcards covering essential geography topics: spatial analysis, five themes, Earth systems, location/time, maps, projection, remote sensing, and satellite orbits.

What is the geography method described as 'spatial analysis' and what does it study?

Characteristics of a place, including its measurements and how things are distributed within it.

List the five spatial themes of geography.

Location, Region, Movement, Place, and Human-Earth Relationships.

What does 'Location' refer to in geographic themes?

Absolute and relative location.

What is a 'Region' in geography?

An area with uniform characteristics; how regions form and change.

What does 'Movement' include in geography?

Circulation, communication, migration; global interdependence links regions.

What does 'Place' mean in geography?

Tangible and intangible characteristics; memories and emotional responses that make places unique.

What is 'Human-Earth Relationships' in geography?

How humans affect the earth and how the earth affects people (resources exploitation, pollution, etc.).

What is the difference between Open and Closed Systems in Earth Systems Concepts?

Open systems have inputs/outputs and external influence; closed systems are isolated from surroundings.

What is 'System feedback'?

Outputs that shape the system, either positively or negatively, changing future outputs.

Define 'Steady State Equilibrium'.

A stable average of fluctuation within a system; maintains the same operational level.

Define 'Dynamic Equilibrium'.

An overall trend with fluctuations around a stable average.

Define 'Meta-Stable'.

Relatively steady until a threshold tipping point changes future trend (e.g., natural disaster).

What is the purpose of the 'Status of System Operations' section?

Describes how things within a system change over time (whether they change or stay the same).

What is the shape of the Earth as defined in these notes, and why?

Oblate ellipsoid; caused by geoidal bulge from rotation; not a perfect sphere.

How is absolute location defined on Earth?

Using latitude and longitude on a geographic grid, measured relative to Earth's center.

What is the latitude measure and what are the major reference lines?

Latitude lines (parallels) run east-west; key lines include Equator 0°, Arctic Circle 66.5°N, Tropic of Cancer 23.5°N, Tropic of Capricorn 23.5°S, Antarctic Circle 66.5°S.

What is the equator's latitude and what are the major circles with fixed latitudes?

Equator is 0°; Arctic Circle 66.5°N; Tropic of Cancer 23.5°N; Tropic of Capricorn 23.5°S; Antarctic Circle 66.5°S.

What is longitude and what is the Prime Meridian?

Meridians run north-south; Prime Meridian is 0° longitude.

What is GMT and how does it relate to time zones?

Greenwich Mean Time, Universal Time; time zones are based on 24 zones, each spanning 15° of longitude.

How are time zones defined relative to central meridians?

Each time zone spans 7.5° on either side of its central meridian; 24 zones total.

What is the International Date Line?

The line at 180° where the day changes.

What is a map?

A generalized view of an area seen from above and reduced in size.

What is scale in cartography and how is it expressed?

The ratio of map units to ground units; expressed as a representative fraction or a graphic scale.

What is projection and what is its major limitation?

Process of transforming a spherical Earth to a flat map; all projections have distortion and cannot have both equal area and true shape.

What is remote sensing?

Gathering information about objects or surfaces without physical contact using aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, etc.

Which parts of the electromagnetic spectrum can be measured beyond visible light?

Ultraviolet, infrared, and microwave.

What are the two main satellite orbits discussed?

Geostationary Orbit and Polar Orbit.

What characterizes a Geostationary Orbit?

Rotates at Earth's speed and remains over one part of Earth, typically along the equator; like satellite TV.

What characterizes a Polar Orbit?

Rotates north-south and passes over the poles.

Which geographic method studies the characteristics of a place, including its measurements and how things are distributed?

Spatial analysis.

Which of the following is NOT one of the five spatial themes of geography? A) Location, B) Region, C) Climate, D) Movement.

C) Climate.

In geographic themes, 'Location' refers to both and location.

Absolute; relative.

An area with uniform characteristics, that forms and changes over time, is known as a _ in geography.

Region.

Movement in geography considers which of the following? A) Circulation, B) Communication, C) Migration, D) All of the above.

D) All of the above.

Which geographic theme encompasses tangible and intangible characteristics, including memories and emotional responses that make areas unique?

Place.

The geographic theme of Human-Earth Relationships examines: A) How humans affect the earth, B) How the earth affects people, C) Resource exploitation, D) All of the above.

D) All of the above.

A system that is isolated from its surroundings and has no inputs or outputs is known as a(n) _ system.

Closed.

Open systems, unlike closed systems, _. A) Have no inputs/outputs, B) Are isolated, C) Have inputs/outputs and external influence, D) Do not change over time.

C) Have inputs/outputs and external influence.

When outputs from a system shape its future operation, either positively or negatively, this is called _.

System feedback.

A stable average of fluctuation within a system that maintains the same operational level is termed as _.

Steady State Equilibrium.

What kind of equilibrium describes an overall trend with fluctuations around a stable average?

Dynamic Equilibrium.

A system that is relatively steady until a threshold or tipping point causes a sudden change in its future trend (e.g., a natural disaster) is in a _ state.

Meta-Stable.

The 'Status of System Operations' section primarily describes: A) The physical components of a system, B) How things within a system change over time, C) The external forces acting on a system, D) The historical development of a system.

B) How things within a system change over time.

The Earth's shape is best described as a(n) , due to the .

Oblate ellipsoid; geoidal bulge from rotation.

Absolute location on Earth is defined using and on a geographic grid.

Latitude; longitude.

Which of the following is NOT a major reference line of latitude? A) Equator, B) Arctic Circle, C) Prime Meridian, D) Tropic of Cancer.

C) Prime Meridian.

The Equator is at 0° latitude. Which of the following is correctly matched with its latitude? A) Tropic of Cancer, 23.5°S; B) Arctic Circle, 66.5°N; C) Antarctic Circle, 23.5°S; D) Tropic of Capricorn, 66.5°N.

B) Arctic Circle, 66.5°N.

Meridians run - and measure longitude. The 0° longitude line is known as the _.

North-south; Prime Meridian.

GMT stands for Greenwich Mean Time, also known as Universal Time. How many degrees of longitude does each of the 24 time zones span?

15°.

Each time zone typically spans _° on either side of its central meridian.

7.5°.

The International Date Line is located at _° longitude, where the day changes.

180°.

A generalized view of an area seen from above and reduced in size is called a _.

Map.

In cartography, the ratio of map units to ground units is known as . It can be expressed as a or a _.

Scale; representative fraction; graphic scale.

What is the process of transforming a spherical Earth to a flat map?

Projection.

What is the major limitation of map projections?

All projections have distortion and cannot have both equal area and true shape.

Gathering information about objects or surfaces without physical contact, using tools like aircraft or satellites, is known as _.

Remote sensing.

Remote sensing can measure parts of the electromagnetic spectrum beyond visible light, including: A) Ultraviolet, B) Infrared, C) Microwave, D) All of the above.

D) All of the above.

Name the two main types of satellite orbits discussed in geography.

Geostationary Orbit and Polar Orbit.

Which type of satellite orbit rotates at Earth's speed, remaining over one part of Earth, typically along the equator?

Geostationary Orbit.

A satellite orbit that rotates north-south and passes over the poles is known as a _.

Polar Orbit.