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What are the two branched of geography?
Human & Physical
What is Physical Geography
involves the study of the four main spheres of Earth Atmosphere•
Hydrosphere (and Cryosphere)•
Biosphere•
Lithosphere
What is Human Geography
the branch of geography dealing with how human activity affects or is influenced by the earth's surface.
What is Atmosphere?
the envelope of gas that surrounds the planet and is held by the Earth's gravitational attraction (approximately 10 km)
What is Hydrosphere
All the water areas on Earth Includes oceans, lakes, rivers, ground water, and glaciers (approximately 70% of Earth's surface)
What is Biosphere?
is the zone of life that includes all of the Earth's plants, animals, and soil.
What is Cryosphere?
includes all frozen water on Earth (e.g., glaciers, snow cover, permafrost)
Latitude
Lines of latitude are parallel lines that run E-W across the globe and measure 0° to 90° North or South of the Equator
Longitude
Lines of longitude are N-S lines that measure from 0° to 180° East or West of the Prime Meridian
(Intersect at the poles)
Time Zone
Dependent on longitude
What is the international date line
At the 180° meridian of longitude, is the International Date Line (IDL), where each new day begins •
New dates begin at the IDL and proceed westward, so that west of the line is always one day later than east of the line.
Conical Projection Map
cylindrical projection
planar projection maps
Mercator Map
From cylindrical Projection
Robinson Map
Representative fraction
1:63,360
Topographic Maps
elevation or temp. differences
Dot Density Map
dense vs. not dense areas
Proportional Circle Map Type
emphasizing volume
Choropleth Map
different categories and intensity
Cartogram
displaying a phenomena in relation to area
Flow Line map
show diffusion patterns
What is Remote sensing
a tool used in Geography that involves obtaining information (images) about an area without having physical contact with that area
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
use the map and information to manipulate, analyze and graphically display referenced information
What is Statistical Analysis
to verify a statistically significant relationship
What is meteorology
the study of the atmosphere and atmospheric processes
([Weather - present state of the atmosphere]
What is climatology?
study of weather conditions for the longer period
[Climate - average of all weather conditions for an area]
What is the role of the atmosphere
Supplies oxygen we breathe and carbon dioxide for plants
• Shields Earth from UV rays (ozone layer) •
Acts as a blanket to hold in heat (greenhouse gases) and redistributes heat across the globe (wind circulation) •
Helps maintain the hydrologic cycle
Evolution of Earth Atmosphere: Primordial (4.6 billion yrs ago)
Hydrogen and Helium
Evolution of Earth Atmosphere: Primitive (4.5-3.8 billion yr ago)
Earth begins to cool and degassing occurs •
Water Vapor (80%), Carbon dioxide (10%), and some Nitrogen
Evolution of Earth Atmosphere: Heavy Precipitation Period (3.8 billion years ago)
Water Vapor to Liquid Water •
Carbon dioxide levels dwindle; Nitrogen levels increase
Evolution of Earth Atmosphere: Oxygen Period (3 billion years ago)
Water Vapor molecules split to Hydrogen and Oxygen •
Oxygen combined with another O molecule - ozone layer •
Photosynthesis occurring in oceans
Earths Atmosphere Composition
mixture of solids (dust and ice), liquids (water) and gases
Green House Gasses
responsible for the actual heating of Earth (without GHG's, the Earth would be below freezing and there would be no liquid water)
Structure of the Atmosphere: Troposphere (0-10 km)
Where most weather takes place
Structure of the Atmosphere: Stratosphere (10-50 km)
Temperature inversion - increase elevation, increase temperature •
Ozone layer (shields Earth from UV rays)
Structure of the Atmosphere: Mesosphere (50-80 km)
Increase elevation, decrease in temperature
Structure of the Atmosphere: Thermosphere (80 km and higher)
Very few molecules - cold; essentially outer space
Structure of the Atmosphere: Ionosphere (60-1000 km)
area dominated by ions (particles with electrical charges); area important for radio transmission and both northerly and southerly lights
What is heat energy
is the total kinetic energy in an object
Heat energy ALWAYS moves from higher temperatures to lower temperatures
Three ways heat is transferred
conduction, convection, radiation
What is temperature
the measure of the average kinetic energy in a substance
What does solar radiation cause
ultimate source of energy that drives our weather
(30% of radiation is reflected or scattered)
How much radiation from solar radiation
50% absorbed by Earth and 15% absorbed to atmosphere
what is terrestrial radiation
Solar radiation reaches Earth's surface and the Earth then radiates that energy (heat).
What is revolution?
Earth revolves around the sun in an elliptical orbit - 365 days, 5 hours and 48 minutes (365 ¼ day).
What is Rotation?
Earth rotates on an imaginary axis every 24 hours. This is what causes day and night
Revolution Vs Rotation
The earth rotates on its axis and revolve around the sun
Plane of Ecliptic
imaginary plane is based on the plane formed by the sun and Earth's orbital path
Tilt of the earth
Earth remains at a constant angle relative to the plane of ecliptic
Slope Aspect
North-facing slopes - receive less solar energy (cooler and more moist) -
South-facing slopes - receive more solar energy (warmer and more arid)
Cloudy Day
Loss of energy through clouds (scattered, reflected and absorbed), so temperatures cooler on Earth's surface
Cloudy night
Clouds trap terrestrial radiation leaving Earth, so temperatures warmer on Earth's surface
Albedo
percent of sunlight reflected off of a surface
High albedo
cooler temperatures (absorbs less solar radiation)
Low albedo
warmer temperatures (absorbs more solar radiation)
Daily mean temp
the average maximum and minimum temperature for a day
Daily range of temperature
the difference between the high and low temperature on a given day
Monthly mean temperature
average temperature of the month (summing daily mean temp/# days in a month)
Annual mean temperature
summing the monthly mean temperature and dividing by 12
Annual temperature range
the difference between the means of the warmest and coldest month
Urban Heat Island
Urban climate warmer than rural climate due to the change in surface cover (roads, buildings, factories, etc.)