geography test 1

geography

earth’s decsription and the study of its features, environments, and the relationships between people and their environments.

lithosphere

the rigid outer part of the Earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle. It includes landforms, soil, and geological processes.

atomosphere

complex mixture of gagses needed to sustain life and protect Earth from space radiation.

hydrosphere

the combined mass of water found on, above, and below the surface of the Earth, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and groundwater.

biosphere

the global sum of all ecosystems, where life exists on Earth, including land, water, and the atmosphere.

cartogrpahy 

the science and art of map-making, including the representation of Earth's surface features.

enviormental determinism

1850-1920

belief human activity and cultures are dictated by phsical enviorment

cultural apporach

enviorment and physical has nothing to do with human behvior but its all human actions and cultural practices that shape societies and environments.

possibilism 

late 1960s-2000

humans are a major factor in culture and activity in physical enviorent can play a factor, more data driven 

prime meridian

The prime meridian is the zero-degree longitude line that divides the Eastern and Western Hemispheres, running from the North Pole to the South Pole through Greenwich, England.

starting point for longitutde

international date line

The international date line is an imaginary line located at approximately 180 degrees longitude, where the date changes by one day when crossed, serving as a boundary for calendar days.

longitute

The geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface, measured in degrees from the prime meridian.

runs N/S but measure E to W

latitude

The geographic coordinate that specifies the north-south position of a point on the Earth's surface, measured in degrees from the equator.

cartogrpahy

the art and science of making maps and representing geographical information.

Geographic information systems (GIS)

wedding of sophisticated software and maps

layers to analyze and visualize geographic data.

cartograms

A type of thematic map that transforms data values into a visual representation, distorting the shapes and sizes of geographic regions to convey information more effectively.

choropleth maps

Maps that use color shading to represent data values across regions, effectively illustrating statistical variations.

topographic maps

Detailed representations of terrain, showing elevation changes, landforms, and physical features such as rivers and roads.

contour lines

Lines on a map that connect points of equal elevation, showing the shape and steepness of the terrain.

revolution of earth

The movement of Earth in its orbit around the Sun, taking approximately one year to complete, resulting in seasonal changes.

earth’s rotation

The spinning of Earth on its axis, which takes about 24 hours to complete, leading to day and night.

great circle

A circle on the surface of a sphere that divides it into two equal halves, representing the shortest path between two points on the globe.

all longitudes are great circles, only one latitude (the equator is a great circle) 

tropic of cancer

The northernmost latitude where the Sun can be directly overhead, occurring at approximately 23.5° N during the summer solstice.

tropic of capricorn

The southernmost latitude where the Sun can be directly overhead, occurring at approximately 23.5° S during the winter solstice.

inclination of earth’s axis

The angle at which Earth's rotational axis is tilted relative to its orbital plane around the Sun, approximately 23.5°. This tilt is responsible for the changing seasons as it affects the distribution of sunlight on Earth.

solstice

The time of year when the Sun reaches its highest or lowest point in the sky at noon, marking the longest and shortest days.

equinoxes

The two points in the year when day and night are of approximately equal length, occurring around March 21 (spring equinox) and September 23 (autumn equinox).

Insolation

the amount of solar radiation received by a surface, typically measured in watts per square meter.

standard meridian

a line of longitude used as a reference for defining time zones and for standardizing time measurements across different regions.

time zones 

regions of the Earth that have the same standard time, typically defined by their offset from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).

each degree is 1 hour of time 

Every degree is 4 minutes of longitude, corresponding to a 1-hour difference in time.

mercator projection

a cylindrical map projection that distorts size and shape of landmasses but maintains accurate direction and distance, commonly used for nautical purposes.

worse projection to edcate 

types of map scale

refers to the different ways in which the size of an area is represented on a map, such as representative fractions, verbal scales, and graphical scales. 

small scale: shows small amount of detail 

large scale: shows large amount of detail

barometer

An instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure, commonly used in weather forecasting.

remote sensing

detecting the nature of an object from a distance

isolines 

lines on a map connecting points of equal value, such as elevation or temperature.

thermal layers 

Refers to distinct layers of the atmosphere characterized by temperature differences, affecting weather and climate patterns.

troposphere (weather)

strsotphere (ozone layer)

exosphere (outer layer)

earth’s gases

carbon dioxide , oxygen, nitrogen, and other trace gases that are essential for life and play a critical role in the Earth's atmosphere.

They regulate temperature and support the processes of respiration and photosynthesis.

montreal protocol

An international treaty designed to phase out substances that deplete the ozone layer.

greenhouse gases

are gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect and global warming. Key examples include carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide.

garbage patch

A large area in the ocean where debris, particularly plastics, has accumulated due to ocean currents. This phenomenon poses significant environmental hazards for marine life and ecosystems.

weather vs climate

Weather refers to short-term atmospheric conditions, while climate is the long-term average of those conditions in a specific region.

coriolis effect

is the phenomenon where the Earth's rotation causes moving air and water to turn and twist rather than move in a straight line, affecting weather patterns and ocean currents.

wind belts

Regions of the Earth's atmosphere where prevailing winds blow consistently in each hemisphere, influencing weather and climate patterns.

Gulf Stream

a major ocean current originating in the Gulf of Mexico, flowing along the eastern coast of the United States and influencing climate in the North Atlantic Ocean.

land breezes and sea breezes

are local winds that occur due to temperature differences between land and water. Land breezes blow from land to sea during the night, while sea breezes blow from sea to land during the day.

valley and mountian breezes

occur in valleys and mountains due to temperature differences between the air at higher elevations and the air in the valleys. Mountain breezes flow down into valleys at night, while valley breezes ascend during the day.

percentage of insolation tha reaches the surface

is known as "solar radiation percentage" or "solar insolation". It reflects the portion of solar energy that successfully passes through the atmosphere and reaches the Earth's surface.

langwave and shortwave radiation

refers to different types of electromagnetic radiation based on their wavelengths. Longwave radiation is emitted by the Earth and is primarily thermal in nature, while shortwave radiation comes from the Sun and includes visible light and ultraviolet radiation.

ways energy is transmitted

include conduction, convection, and radiation; these processes describe how thermal energy is transferred between different substances.

normal lapse rate

is the rate at which temperature decreases with an increase in altitude in the Earth's atmosphere, averaging about 6.5 degrees Celsius per kilometer.

temperature inversion

occurs when the temperature increases with altitude instead of decreasing, trapping cooler air and pollutants near the ground.

donora tragedy

refers to a significant air pollution event in 1948 in Donora, Pennsylvania, where a temperature inversion trapped emissions from zinc smelting, leading to severe smog and respiratory issues for residents.

isotherms

are lines on a map connecting points of equal temperature, used to visualize temperature distribution in a given area.

air pressure

is the force exerted by the weight of air above a given point, commonly measured in millibars or inches of mercury.

pressure gradient 

is the rate at which air pressure changes within a specific distance, influencing wind speed and direction.

jet stream

is a narrow band of strong winds in the upper levels of the atmosphere that typically flow from west to east, influencing weather patterns and systems.

monsoon

is a seasonal wind pattern characterized by heavy rainfall during the summer months and dry conditions in winter, primarily affecting South Asia.

katabatic winds

are cold, dense winds that flow down the slopes of high mountains and can lead to significant temperature drops in adjacent valleys, often occurring in polar and mountainous regions.

chinook winds

are warm, dry winds that descend the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, leading to rapid warming and reduced snowfall in the affected areas.

santa anna winds

are strong, dry winds that originate in the inland desert regions of Southern California and can lead to increased fire risk due to their hot and dry nature.

el nino

is a climate pattern characterized by the warming of ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific, which affects weather patterns worldwide.

la nina

is a climate pattern that involves the cooling of ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific, typically leading to opposite weather effects compared to El Niño.

hydrologic cycle

is the continuous movement of water within the Earth and its atmosphere, involving processes such as evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and run-off.

cumulus clouds

low level clouds , white fluffy tops 

cirrus clouds 

high altitude clouds whispy, feathers 

stratus

low altitude clouds, typically gray and overcast, often bringing continuous rain or drizzle.

nimbostratus

long steady rainfall 

humidity

the amount of water vapor present in the air, often expressed as a percentage.