World Geo Unit 1 Test: Ch. 1-4

What does thinking like a geographer help us understand?

The beauty and complexity of the world.

What do geographers study?

Where people live, why they live there, and how they interact with each other and the land.

What are spatial elements in geography?

They include the location of a place, its size and shape, and how it interacts with other places.

What is a landscape?

A portion of Earth's surface that can be viewed at one time from one location.

What does it mean that Earth is dynamic?

It means Earth is always changing, with some changes being rapid and others gradual.

What are the five themes of geography?

Location, place, region, human-environment interaction, and movement.

What is the difference between relative location and absolute location?

Relative location is where a place is compared to another place; absolute location is an exact location on Earth.

What defines a place in geography?

A location on Earth that is meaningful or special due to its distinct characteristics.

What does region refer to in geography?

Places located near one another that share some features.

What is human-environment interaction?

How people affect and are affected by where they live.

What does movement refer to in geography?

How people, products, ideas, and information move from one place to another.

What are the six essential elements of geography?

The world in spatial terms, places and regions, physical systems, human systems, environment and society, and the uses of geography.

What are lines of latitude and longitude used for?

To locate places on Earth.

What is the Prime Meridian?

An important line of longitude with a value of 0° longitude.

What is the most accurate kind of map?

A globe, because it is a sphere like Earth.

What divides Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres?

The Equator.

What divides Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres?

The Prime Meridian and the International Date Line.

What is a general purpose map?

A map that shows a lot of information, such as landforms and boundaries.

What is a thematic map?

A map that has one main purpose, such as a road map.

What does GPS stand for?

Global Positioning System.

What is GIS?

Geographic Information System, which uses computers to gather, store, and analyze geographic information.

How have satellites been used since the 1970s?

To gather data about Earth's surface.

How long does one rotation of Earth take?

One rotation takes 24 hours.

What are the three layers of Earth?

The three layers are the inner core, outer core, and mantle.

What is the crust of the Earth?

The crust is Earth's rocky outer shell, ranging from 2 miles (3.2 km) under oceans to about 75 miles (121 km) under mountains.

What are the four physical systems of Earth?

The four physical systems are the hydrosphere (water), lithosphere (crust), atmosphere (gases), and biosphere (all living things).

How does Earth's tilted axis affect seasons?

Earth's tilted axis causes the sun's direct rays to reach different parts of the globe at different times, resulting in seasons.

When does summer begin in the Northern Hemisphere?

Summer begins on or about June 21.

When does winter begin in the Southern Hemisphere?

Winter begins on or about June 21.

What does weather refer to?

Weather refers to conditions in the atmosphere at any given time.

What is climate?

Climate describes the average weather conditions in an area over a long period of time.

What are the climate zones of Earth?

The climate zones are tropical, desert, humid temperate, cold temperate, polar, and high mountain.

What is global warming?

Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of Earth's atmosphere, which some scientists attribute to human activity.

What are tectonic plates?

Tectonic plates are 16 enormous pieces that make up Earth's crust.

What causes tectonic plates to move?

Heat within the mantle causes the tectonic plates to move.

What is the difference between weathering and erosion?

Weathering wears down rock and soil, while erosion moves weathered bits of rock elsewhere by water, wind, or ice.

How do human activities change Earth's surface?

Human activities such as coal mining, blasting tunnels, digging canals, and cutting forests change Earth's surface rapidly.

What are landforms?

Landforms are natural features of the Earth's surface grouped by characteristics such as elevation, location, and formation process.

What are the seven continents?

The seven continents are Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America.

What percentage of Earth's water is salt water?

About 97 percent of Earth's water is salt water.

What are the four largest oceans?

The four largest oceans are the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Arctic Ocean.

What is the water cycle?

The water cycle is the process by which Earth recycles the same water again and again.

What is acid rain?

Acid rain is produced when pollution combines with water vapor in the air, leading to environmental damage.

What are some problems associated with population growth?

Disease, poverty, crime, lack of employment, and harm to the environment.

How is population density defined?

The average number of people living within a square mile or a square kilometer.

What are common reasons for human migration?

Natural disasters, economic problems, or war.

What term is used for people who flee violence or persecution?

Refugees.

What is one effect of migration on culture?

Cultural blending, creating new, unique cultures.

What is urbanization?

The growth of urban areas.

How is culture defined?

The set of beliefs, behaviors, and traits shared by a group of people.

What factors shape culture?

Language, religion, history, the arts, sports, and government.

How does a democracy shape culture?

Citizens make decisions for the group by voting.

What is a representative democracy?

A system where citizens elect representatives to make laws on their behalf.

What is a monarchy?

A government ruled by a king or queen, often with elected officials running the government.

What characterizes a dictatorship?

One person has all the power, and people have few personal freedoms.

What is globalization?

The process whereby nations, cultures, and economies become integrated.

What is scarcity in economics?

The basic economic problem due to unlimited wants and needs with limited resources.

What are the three basic economic questions?

What goods and services will be produced? How will they be produced? Who will consume them?

What are the four types of economic systems?

Traditional, Market, Command, and Mixed Market.

What characterizes a traditional economy?

Common in developing countries where children follow in their father's trade.

What defines a market economy?

People and businesses own resources, decide production, and set prices.

What is a command economy?

An economy where government planners decide what will be made and set prices.

What is a mixed market economy?

An economy with elements of all three systems, allowing individuals and businesses to make decisions with some government oversight.

What are the three factors of production?

Natural resources, labor, and capital.

What does the primary sector produce?

Raw materials and basic goods.

What does the secondary sector do?

Manufactures finished products.

What does the tertiary sector provide?

Services such as sales and medical care.

What are the World Trade Organization (WTO) and International Monetary Fund (IMF)?

Groups that encourage world trade.

What are renewable resources?

Resources that can be replenished quickly, such as water, trees, wind, and sun.

What are nonrenewable resources?

Fossil fuels like oil, coal, and natural gas that cannot be replaced once used.

Natural Resources

Materials in the natural environment that people value and use to satisfy their needs

Energy Sources: Fossil Fuels

Industrialized countries have been dependent on fossil fuels for over 100 years

Oil and Natural Gas Reserves

Unevenly distributed through the world

Coal Reserves

Abundant, but coal power is very dirty and hard on the environment

Energy Sources: Nuclear Energy

Generation of electric power by use of fission reactors and steam generators

Nuclear Energy Cleanliness

Relatively clean, but accidents can have serious, long-term consequences

Nuclear Fuel Disposal

Disposal of used nuclear fuel is also a problem

Alternative Energy Sources: Water

Use of water at man-made dams for power generation (hydro-electric power)

Alternative Energy Sources: Wind

Windmills for power generation; power transmission has limited its use

Alternative Energy Sources: Solar

Use of solar arrays to convert sunlight into electricity

Distribution of Resources

Natural resources are unevenly distributed around the world

Primary Economic Activities

Those which rely directly upon natural resources

Examples of Primary Economic Activities

Hunting, gathering, fishing and herding animals, Farming, Subsistence, Commercial

Secondary Economic Activities

Those where people use natural resources to produce or manufacture new products of greater value

Examples of Secondary Economic Activities

Cottage industries, Commercial industries

Tertiary Economic Activities

Service industries where people do not gather or process natural resources but pursue activities which serve others

Examples of Tertiary Economic Activities

Professionals (Doctors, Lawyers, Accountants), Sales, Transportation (truck drivers, railroads), Public Safety (police, firefighters)

Quaternary Economic Activities

Work which focus on the acquisition, processing and sharing of information

Examples of Quaternary Economic Activities

Education, Government Jobs, Information Processing, Research

Trade Balance

Governments seek to balance imports and exports

Trade Imbalances

Can have negative economic effects such as: Unemployment, Inflation/unstable currency, Increased indebtedness

Factors Influencing Trade Routes

Geography, Transportation technology, International relations

Levels of Development

Large differences in the level of development among countries

Modern Industrial Societies

Highly industrialized, Fully integrated into world markets, High standard of living

Developing Societies

Partially or unevenly industrialized, Reliant on primary economic activities, Lower standard of living, Low per capita income