Physical Geography FINAL EXAM

Latitude

East/West lines that determine North/South locations.

Longitude

North/South lines that determine East/West locations.

Tropic of Cancer

23.5 Degrees North, the northernmost point on Earth that experiences the direct rays of the sun.

Tropic of Capricorn

23.5 Degrees South, the southernmost point on Earth that experiences the direct rays of the sun.

Arctic Circle

66.5 Degrees North, the farthest point from the North Pole, in the northern hemisphere, that experiences at least one day when the sun does not rise and at least one day when the sun does not set.

Antarctic Circle

66.5 Degrees South, the farthest point from the South Pole, in the southern hemisphere, that experiences at least one day when the sun does not rise and at least one day when the sun does not set.

International Dateline

Line marking the point where each day ends and begins.

Maps

Primary tool of the geographer, a scaled representation of all 4 portions of the Earth's surface.

Graphic Scale

A method of scale representation on a map using a visual graphic.

Stated Scale

A method of scale representation on a map using a written statement.

Representative Fraction (RF)

A method of scale representation on a map using a ratio.

U.S.G.S

United States Geological Survey, in charge of overseeing any geological issue in the country.

Small Scale Maps

Show a lot of area with little detail.

Large Scale Maps

Show a little area with a lot of detail.

Planimetric Maps

Show two-dimensional information only, no reference to altitude.

Thematic Maps

Present a theme or topic, useful in presenting geographic information.

Topographic Maps

Show three-dimensional information, including altitude values.

Map Projections

The way that the surface features of the Earth are projected onto the map surface.

Great Circle

Any line which bisects the Earth into two equal half spheres.

The Universe

All things, the study of which is called cosmology.

Astronomy

The study of space.

Speed of Light

186,000 Miles Per Second, the distance that light will travel in one year's time.

The Light Year

The distance that light will travel in one year's time, approximately 6,000,000,000,000 miles.

The Big Bang

Occurred between 13.6 - 14.0 billion years ago, the event that marked the beginning of the universe.

Galaxies

Organized groups of stars, such as the Andromeda Galaxy.

Formation of Planets

The process by which planets are formed, including the Proto Earth and the Terrestrial and Jovian planets.

The Solar System

The system of planets, asteroids, comets, and other celestial bodies that orbit around the Sun.

Asteroids

Pieces of space rocks, found in the Asteroid Belt.

Comets

Celestial bodies made of ice, dust, and gas, such as Comet Hale-Bopp and Comet 67P.

Meteor

A small celestial body that enters the Earth's atmosphere and burns up, also known as a shooting star.

Size and Shape of the Earth

The dimensions and relief of the Earth, including the Equatorial and Polar Diameters.

Relief

The difference in altitude between the highest and lowest points of an area or region.

Types of Terrain

Different types of landforms, including Low Relief, High Relief, and High Rugged Relief.

Movements of the Earth in Space

The rotation and revolution of the Earth, including the speed and periods of each.

The Seasons

The changes in weather and temperature caused by the Earth's revolution and inclination to the ecliptic.

Constellation

An arbitrary grouping of stars that serve as reference points in the night sky.

Sun's Energy

The energy produced by the Sun through nuclear fusion, including the electromagnetic spectrum and the composition of the Sun's energy.

Distribution of Insolation

The distribution of incoming solar radiation, including the percentage of insolation absorbed, wasted, and distributed by clouds and surface.

Composition of the Atmosphere

The primary and trace gases that make up the Earth's atmosphere, including nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor.

Structure of the Atmosphere

The layers of the Earth's atmosphere, including the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere.

Weather

The condition of the atmosphere with respect to the weather elements for a short period of time.

Climate

The range of weather possibilities and probabilities for long periods of time

Mercurial Barometer

A barometer that uses mercury air pressure to measure atmospheric pressure.

Aneroid Barometer

A barometer that uses a small capsule with flexible sides and no air to measure atmospheric pressure.

High Pressure Centers

Also known as anticyclones, these are areas of high atmospheric pressure that generally result in fair weather.

Low Pressure Centers

Also known as cyclones, these are areas of low atmospheric pressure that generally result in poor weather.

Wind

Air in motion, measured in terms of speed and direction.

Anemometer

An instrument used to measure the speed of the wind.

Wind Vane/Weather Vane

An instrument used to show the direction from which the wind is blowing.

Pressure Gradient

The difference in pressure between high and low pressure areas, which affects wind speed.

Coriolis Force

The deflection in the course of a moving object, such as gases and fluids, caused by the rotation of the Earth.

Trade Winds

The wind system that blows between the subtropical highs and equatorial lows, covering a large surface area.

Westerlies

The wind system of the temperate world, including the conterminous United States, where most weather systems come from the west.

Polar Easterlies

The weakest of the major surface wind systems, blowing between the polar highs.

Equatorial Low

A region of low pressure near the equator, characterized by strong winds and thunderstorms.

Monsoon

A seasonally reversing wind flow system, resulting in a rainy summer and a dry winter in South and Southeast Asia.

Jet Stream

A high-speed, narrow air current that serves as the steering current for surface weather disturbances.

Humidity

The general term referring to the moisture in the air.

Relative Humidity

The ratio of the amount of water vapor actually in the air to the maximum amount it can hold at a given temperature, expressed as a percentage.

Dew Point

The temperature at which relative humidity reaches 100% and condensation occurs.

Precipitation

Water falling from the atmosphere in various forms, such as rain, drizzle, snow, sleet, and hail.

Rain Gauge

A meteorological instrument used to measure the amount of rainfall over a specific area during a specified period of time.

Hydrologic Cycle

The continuous path of water from the Earth to the atmosphere and back to the surface, replenishing our water supply.

Aquifers

Underground layers of permeable rock or sediment that hold water.

Clouds

Visible masses of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere.

Cumulus Clouds

Puffy clouds with flat bottoms that represent the atmospheric dew point.

Cirrus Clouds

High altitude clouds made up of ice crystals, usually preceding a warm front.

Cumulonimbus Cloud

A dense, towering vertical cloud that forms from water vapor condensing in the lower troposphere, associated with thunderstorms.

Contrails

Condensation trails formed by jets, resulting from the rising air characteristics.

Orographic Lifting

The rising of air over high mountains.

Frontal Lifting

The rising of air over weather fronts, where warm air rises relative to cold air.

Convectional Lifting

The spontaneous rising of heated air.

Cyclonic Lifting

The upward spiral of air into the low of a well-developed storm, characteristic of tornadoes and hurricanes.

Latitude

The distance from the equator, affecting precipitation distribution due to pressure belts.

Continentality

The location within a continent, affecting precipitation due to proximity to oceanic water vapor sources.

Ocean Currents

The temperature of the water in the current affects the temperature of the air above it, influencing precipitation patterns.

Mountain Barriers

High mountains that create a rainshadow effect, resulting in wetter windward sides and drier leeward sides.

Isohyet

Lines connecting points of equal precipitation on a precipitation map.

Precipitation Variability

The extent to which precipitation varies from month to month and year to year, influencing agricultural practices worldwide.

Air Mass

A large body of air with uniform temperature and moisture characteristics.

Cold Front

The leading edge of a cold air mass that moves into a region of warm air.

Warm Front

The leading edge of a warm air mass that moves into a region of cold air.

Occluded Front

Occurs when a cold front catches up to and merges with a warm front, marking the end of a midlatitude cyclone.

Stationary Front

A front where air masses and fronts stop moving, resulting in little to no change in weather conditions.

Maritime Tropical

An air mass characterized by warm and moist conditions, typically originating over tropical oceans.

Maritime Polar

An air mass characterized by cool and moist conditions, typically originating over polar oceans.

Continental Polar

An air mass characterized by cold and dry conditions, typically originating over polar land areas.

Hurricane

A well-developed whirl of air around a calm eye, typically forming in tropical oceans between 6 and 30 degrees latitude.

Storm Surge

The most damaging aspect of a hurricane, referring to the rise in sea level caused by the storm's winds and low atmospheric pressure.

Tornado Alley

A region in the central United States and Canada where tornadoes are most frequent.

Fujita Scale

A scale used to rate the intensity of tornadoes based on the damage they cause.

Squall Line

A line of severe thunderstorms that can form along or ahead of a cold front, often associated with strong winds, heavy rain, and tornadoes.

Air Mass Modification

The process by which air masses change their characteristics as they move, such as a cold air mass becoming warm or a dry air mass becoming wet.

Climate Classification

The categorization of long-term patterns of temperature, humidity, wind, precipitation, and other atmospheric conditions in a particular region.

Koppen System

The most widely used climate classification system, which identifies a dozen major climate groups and their respective climate types.

Climograph

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

Paleoclimatology

The study of prehistoric climates, often using methods such as tree ring analysis, oxygen isotope analysis, and radiocarbon dating.

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.

Continental Drift

The theory proposed by Alfred Wegner that suggests the continents were once joined together as a supercontinent called Pangea.