Earth System Sciences Test 1

What is geography?

the interaction of physical and human phenomena at individual places and how interactions among places create patterns and organize larger spaces

What does geography literally mean?

Geo=earth and graphia=writing. So, geography means writing about Earth.

what is the difference between physical and human geography?

Physical geography studies the natural environment, like climate, atmosphere, land, and biogeography. Human geography is the study of people and what they do, like cities, roads, and economics.

Geography studies…

places and patterns, as well as human’s influence on Earth

What is the difference between a location and a place?

a location is a place on a map, whereas a place has specific aspects associated with it.

what is the foundation of geography?

Where is it and why is it there?

What is the first big question of physical geography?

WHAT are the physical characteristics?

What is the second question having to do with physical geography?

Where (having to do with location). Absolute location has to with the exact coordinates and relative location has to do with where something is compared to something else.

What is the third question having to do with physical geography?

How (process). What natural processes caused it, like ice —>glaciers

4th question?

When? (Time). How long did it take to form and how fast is it changing?

5th question?

Why (importance). Why is it important to humans or earth systems.

What is scale in geography?

Scale is the size of the area you’re studying. Different scales show different patterns. Think about zooming in and out on google maps.

what are inputs and outputs?

What goes in a system are inputs and what goes out is outputs.

What is a system?

A system is a group of interacting parts that function as a whole through: inputs, outputs, processes, feedbacks

What are energy and matter?

energy comes from the sun. Matter is the things on earth like air, water, rocks, plants, and gases

What is the difference between an open and closed system?

a closed system means that matter cannot enter or leave, but energy can. Open systems are where energy and matter can both move.

Give an example of closed systems

Earth is almost a closed system for matter.

Give an example of open systems:

rivers, forests, cities

what is feedback?

when outputs loop back and become inputs again. System → Output → Goes back into system

What is negative feedback?

Inputs and outputs counteract each other to keep things stable. This leads to homeostasis.

What is an example of negative feedback?

More heat → more clouds → reflect sunlight → cools Earth

what is positive feedback?

Inputs and outputs strengthen each other and make changes more extreme. It has the amplification effect.

What is an example of positive feedback?

Ice melts → darker surface → absorbs more heat → more melting

What is equilibrium?

when the inputs= outputs

What is the first type of equilibrium?

Static (steady-state) equilibrium. related to negative feedback. System stays constant.

Dynamic equilibrium

system changes but returns to an average. related to positive feedback + stabilization over time.

What is an example of dynamic equilibrium?

climate warms and cools but stays within a range (usually)

what is the greenhouse effect?

greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor trap heat in the atmosphere. This is natural and essential to human life

is earth a perfect sphere?

no, it is an oblate spheroid, meaning it is flattened at the poles and bulging at the equator. This is because gravity pulls everything inward. Centrifugal force (from Earth’s rotation) pushes outward at the equator

What are Earth’s dimensions?

pole to pole diameter: 12,714 KM (7,900 Miles)

Equator diameter: 12,758 KM (7,927 miles)

earth is wider than it is tall, making it an oblate spheroid

What is gravity?

pulls mass toward earth’s center, trying to make Earth a sphere

what is centrifugal force?

Earth’s rotation causes outward force strongest at the equator → bulge.

what is a geoid?

The most accurate and mathematical model of Earth’s surface. It counts for uneven gravity and shows the lumpy shape of the Earth. It is used for precise measurements (satellite and GPS). It is very complex.

For the sphere model of the earth, what is the accuracy and complexity?

Low accuracy, but simple

For the oblate spheroid what Is the accuracy and complexity?

Medium accuracy and moderate complexity

True or False: Longitude is north to south and latitude is east to west

True

List important lines of latitude and their degrees:

equator: 0

Tropic of Cancer 23.5 n; Tropic of Capricorn 23.5 s

Artic circle 66.5 n; antarctic circle 66.5 S

North Pole: 90 N and South Pole S

lines of latitude are also called

parallels

lines of longitude are also called

meridians

What are key lines of longitude?

prime meridan= 0 degrees

international date line is about 180

Explain time zones

Every 15 degrees of longitude = 1 hour of time

How are coordinates written?

Degrees, minutes, seconds; 1 degree = 60 min and 1 min = 60 secs 60 seconds

How to convert latitude to feet?

1. Approximate the earth distance for one degree of latitude

   1. 1 degree of latitude  is about 69 miles

2. Convert the degree distance to easy to interpret units for calcs

   1. 1 mile = 5280 feet 

3. Calculate the earth distance covered by one minute of latitude 

   1. 1 latitude=60 mins of latitude so

   2. 364,320 / 60 = 6072

4. Calculate the earth distance covered by one second of latitude 

   1. 1 minute of latitude = 60 seconds of latitude, so

   2. 6072 feet/60 = 101.2 feet

How do quadrants work?

Just like regular quadrants in trig.

Quadrant 1: North and East

Quadrant 2: North and West

Quadrant 3: South and West

Quadrant 4: South and East

What is earth'‘s axial tilt?

23.5 degrees

What causes Earth’s seasons?

The axial tilt (23.5 degrees), Earth’s revolution around the sun, the parallelism of Earth’s axis. The distance from the son does not cause seasons

What is the difference between rotation and revolution?

Rotation is the earth spinning on its axis 1 day. Revolution is the Earth orbiting the sun 365 ¼ days. Leap year is that extra ¼

What is perihelion?

January 3, when the Earth is closest to the Sun

What is aphelion?

July 4th when the earth is farthest of the sun

What does Earth’s axis determine?

Determine the tropics, determines where the sun can be directly overhead, controls season

What/when is the June solstice?

On June 21st. It is when the Tropic of Cancer (23.5 N). It is the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere and the shortest day in the Southern Hemisphere. it is 24 hours of daylight above arctic circle.

What/when is the December solstice?

Sun overhead at Tropic of Capricorn (23.5 S). Longest day in Southern Hemisphere. 24 hours of darkness above arctic circle.

When are the two equinoxes? (Day and night are equal everywhere)

March 21 and September 21

what is a solstice?

maximum sunlight difference.

What are direct rays?

concentrated sunlight (61-90 degrees)

What are intermediate rays?

31-60 degrees

what are oblique rays?

0-30 degrees. they are weak and diffuse.

angle of incidence controls…

temperatures

what is the maximum possible solar energy?

90 degrees

Why are tropics hot?

Sun rays strike nearly straight (high angle)

Why are poles cold?

rays strike at low angles, energy is spread out, and pass through more atmosphere

Where is there overhead sun?

occurs only between 23.5 n and 23.5 s (tropics). never overhead outside the tropics

What does SADD stand for when it comes to maps?

all maps are distorted in one or more properties: shape, area, distance, and direction

What the cylindrical (mercator) type of projection?

used for navigation. preserves shape and direction. distorts area and distance.

what is the planar (azimuthal) type of projection?

preserves distance and direction from center point but distorts shape and area outward. Used for polar maps and flight paths.

What about conical?

Preserves distance & area but distorts shape & direction. Good for mid-latitudes (like the US)

what about robinson?

It distorts all properties a little bit. Looks like a flattened globe.

What is a large scale map?

zoomed in with a lot of detail on a small area. small denominators.

what is a small scale map?

zoomed out over a lot of area with little detail. big denominators.

what is a representative fraction?

Map Distance/ Earth Distance. Typically 1 is the numerator.

How many meters in 1 KM and how many cm in 1 m?

1 km = 1000 m. 100 cm= 1 m

What is GIS (Geographic Information System)?

Stores, analyzes, and displays spatial data. The parts are Software (arcGIS), hardware, data, and users. It is used for overlay analysis, proximity (pollution near water), and the shortest path (GPS).

What is LiDAR

light detection and arrangement. it is an active sensor. Admits a beam of light and that is how the data is collected. used for archaeology and landform analysis.

what is the difference between discrete and continuous data?

discrete data is tied to a specific location or feature, like a city’s population. Continuous data can be measured anywhere on earth, like temperature or rainfall.

What are isolines?

they connect points of equal value to show patterns in continuous data.

what are common isolines?

Isotherm	Equal temperature
Isobar	Equal pressure
Isohyet	Equal rainfall
Contour	Equal elevation
Isogonal	Equal magnetic variation

How do we interpret isolines?

spacing = slope. Close together → steep. Far apart → gentle slope. As for flow direction, Water flows downhill → perpendicular to contour lines
Crenulation (V-shape) points uphill.

What is Earth’s atmosphere?

About 480 km (300 miles) thick. Provides gases needed for life like oxygen. Regulates temperature and climate. Shields life from harmful UV radiation.

what is the atmosphere composed of?

Nitrogen (about 78%), oxygen (20-21%), Argon, Carbon Dioxide, and other gases, like ozone, water vapor, and hydrogen.

what are atmospheric layers defined by?

temperature changes, chemical composition, and functional roles

What is the troposphere?

• Ground → 8–16 km

• Where all weather happens

• Where life exists

• Temperature decreases with height

Boundary= tropopause

What is the stratosphere>

• Tropopause → 56 km

• Contains ozone layer

• Temperature increases because ozone absorbs UV

Boundary: Stratopause

What is the mesosphere?

• Stratopause → 80 km

• Temperature decreases again

• Coldest layer

Boundary: Mesopause

What is thermosphere>

• Mesopause → 100+ km

• Temperature rises dramatically

• Can reach 1100°C

• Karman line (edge of space)

What are the chemical layers of the atmosphere?

Homosphere	Gases mixed evenly (lower layers)
Heterosphere	Gases stratified by weight (upper layers)

What are the functional layers of the atmosphere?

Ozonosphere (15–50 km)	Absorbs UV radiation
Ionosphere (60–400 km)	Radio signal transmission

What is the greenhouse effect?

The Sun sends shortwave radiation to Earth.
Earth’s surface absorbs it and re-emits it as longwave radiation (heat). It is necessary and good for life.

What is the difference between short wave and long wave?

Shortwave=from the sun, high energy. Longwave= from earth, heat energy

What are the main greenhouse gases?

Carbon Dioxide, methane, water vapor

Difference between weather and climate?

Climate is long term weather average (30+ years). Weather is short term atmospheric conditions.

What is the first major control of climate?

latitude. it controls angle of sunlight and the amount of energy received.

Low latitude (tropics) → direct rays → hot
High latitude (poles) → oblique rays → cold

what is the second control of climate?

land vs water distribution. Water heats and cools down SLOWER than land. This is called continentality. Smaller temps changes near oceans, bigger temps change inland.

What are sea and land breezes?

During the day, the wind goes from sea to land. at night it’s the opposite.

why do winds move around the planet?

Uneven heating of Earth and pressure differences

What are the major wind belts?

Trade Winds	0°–30°	East → West
Westerlies	30°–60°	West → East
Polar Easterlies	60°–90°	East → West

Warm currents…

carry heat poleward and warm coastal climates.

Cold currents…

bring cool water towards the equator and cool coastal climates.

temperature decreases with altitude. this is called the environmental lapse rate. What is the average ELR?

6.5 c per 1000 meters or 3.6 F per 1000 feet.

What is the orographic effect?

1. Moist air rises

2. Cools

3. Condenses

4. Rains (windward side)

5. Air descends

6. Warms

7. Dry climate (leeward side)