Physical Geo Final

Normal Air (atmospheric) pressure at sea level

• 14.7 lbs per square inch

• 29.92 inches (mercurial barometer)

• 1013.2 mb ( aneroid barometer)

shifting pressure belts

- Equatorial low
- subtropical highs
- subpolar lows
- polar highs

Products of condensation

Dew, fog, clouds, rain/drizzle

Dew: moisture that forms as a result of water changing from a vapor to a liquid

Fog: cloud of small water droplets, near the ground, reduces visibility
Clouds: visible acclimations of tiny water droplets or ice crystals in earths atmosphere

Rain: water falling from the sky, liquid precipitation

Products of Sublimation

Frost, snow, ice crystal clouds (cirrus)

- Frost: water vapor that becomes solid. Ice crystals

- Snow: accumulation of packed ice crystals

- Ice Crystal Clouds (cirrus): Made from water crystals, wispy, thin, proceed a warm front

Changes in state of water

Sublimation, gas, deposition, solid

Sublimation - heat absorbed (solid to gas)

Gas - heat absorbed, then released

Deposition - heat released

Solid - heat released, then absorbed

Sublimation takes the most energy

2 factors affecting wind speed

- Pressure Gradient (Steepness):
the difference between high and low pressure (a big difference results in FAST wind and a small difference results in SLOW wind)

- Friction:
goes against wind speed which slows the wind down

2 factors affecting wind direction

Pressure Gradient ( orientation ):

• surface arrangement of the pressure centers

Coriolis Force:

• Deflection in the course of a moving object, especially gasses and fluids, brought about by the rotation of the earth

•  Strength of the Coriolis force increases with increasing latitude

• Nonexistent at the equator; full in force at the poles

Horse Latitudes

subtropical regions known for calm winds and little precipitation. Subtropical Highs are located here.

2 ways to change relative humidity

• adding or subtracting water vapor

• change temperature

4 damaging aspects of hurricanes

• High winds

• Torrential rains 

• Large Waves

• Storm Surge

4 factors affecting precipitation distribution

1. Latitude (pressure belts) 

• High pressure belts

• ( N+S subtropical highs) (N+S polar highs) = fair weather little precipitation  

2. Continentality

• Oceans are primary source of atmospheric water vapor, closer to oceanic water vapor source 

3. Ocean Currents

• Warm ocean currents flow along east coasts = wetter

• Cold ocean current flow along west coasts = dryer

4. Mountains

• found in high mountain regions

• Windwards side (facing the wind) = wetter

• leeward side (facing away from wind) = dryer

rain-shadow effect

 windward side is in the shadow of the leeward side

4 characteristics of rising air

• Temperature goes down

• Pressure goes down 

• Volume expands 

• Relative humidity goes up

4 characteristics of descending air

• Temperature goes up 

• Pressure goes up 

• Volume contrates 

• Relative humidity goes down

windward and leeward

Windwards side: (facing the wind) = wetter

Leeward side: (facing away from wind) = dryer

Geologic time:

The Age of the Earth, estimated to be around 4.6 billion years.

Geologic Time Scale:

A timeline that divides Earth’s history into different periods and epochs based on major geological and biological events.

Structure of the Earth:

• Core: (inner and outer) 4400 miles thick

• Mantle: largest portion of the earths interior (about 1800 miles thick)

• Crust: 2.5-40 miles thick; thinnest under the ocean (oceanic crust) and thickest under the continents (continental crust)

Lithosphere:

the part of the crust and upper rigid mantle that compress tectonic plates; also refers to the entire solid earth

Athenosphere:

the plastic layer of the upper mantle that underlies the lithosphere. Its rock is dense but very hot and therefore weak and easily deformed

3 Basic Types of Rocks:

• Igneous: formed by the cooling of molten rock ex. Granite, basalt, and pumice

• Sedimentary: formed by sediments (particles of rock shells and vegetative material) ex. Limestone, sandstone, and coal

• metamorphic: Changed shape; most igneous and sedimentary rocks have metamorphic counterparts. Ex. Gnice, schist

Alfred Wegener:

Proposed the idea of Pangea and the Continental Drift Theory

Theory of Continental Drift:

Theory proposed by Alfred Wegener that suggests the continents were once joined together as a supercontinent called Pangea.

Plate Tectonics:

Massive Slabs of solid rock that make up Earth’s lithosphere and move due to convection currents in the mantle.

Plate Boundaries:

The boundaries between tectonic plates, including rifts, plate collisions, and transform faults.

Pacific ring of fire:

The coastlines of the Pacific Ocean characterized by numerous volcanoes and earthquake activity

Earthquakes:

ground shaking energy released by sudden movement of the earth’s crust. Usually the result of displacement along a fault.

Richter Scale:

rates the earthquakes on the order of magnitude

Earthquake Focus:

the underground center of motion

Earthquake Epicenter:

the point on the earth’s surface directly above the focus

Geomorphology:

The study of landforms

Tectonic Forces:

forces that build up landforms (endogenetic)

Diastrophism:

solid state

Folding

bending of rock called stratum

Faulting:

breaking of rock

Volcanism

molten state - movement of magma from Earth’s interior to or near the surface

Intrusive:

(magma) movement of molten rock beneath the earth’s surface

Extrusive:

(lava) movement of molten rock above the earth’s surface

Gradational Forces:

Forces which wear down exogenetic forces (forces from outside the earth)

Degradation:

the wearing down of rock material

Weathering:

Breaking down (chemical and physical weathering)

Erosion

Removal (water, wind, and ice all cause erosion)

Aggradation:

Depositing (beaches, deltas (Mississippi delta), and dunes)

William Morris Davis:

Davis: Father of Geography; geomorphologist; developed the Geomorphic cycle

Geomorphic Cycle:

Landforms go through a series of of stages of development

(youthful landforms, mature landforms, old age landforms)

Dry Climates

Precipitation is low. Two types: arid (most dry) and semiarid (receives enough precipitation to support grasslands)

Baltimore’s Climate Type:

Continental, or humid subtropical - cold winters and hot summers

Climograph:

A graphical representation of climate data, showing the average monthly temperature and precipitation for a specific location

Highland Climate

Number of climates existing in a proximity - found in mountainous areas