GEO 101: Introduction to Earth Environments Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering fundamental geography, Earth-Sun interactions, global grid coordinates, the scientific method, electromagnetic radiation, energy budgets, and temperature controls.

Geography

The study of where things happen, why they happen there, and how human and natural activities are connected.

Physical Geography

The branch of geography that focuses on Earth's natural processes, features, and systems, including weather, climate, landforms, oceans, vegetation, and soils.

Atmosphere

The Earth system that involves the air and gases surrounding the planet.

Hydrosphere

The Earth system that encompasses all water located on, under, and above Earth's surface.

Biosphere

The Earth system comprising all living organisms on Earth.

Lithosphere

The Earth system comprising the solid and rocky portion of Earth.

Scientific Method

An evidence-based process consisting of step-by-step procedures: Observation $\rightarrow$ Hypothesis $\rightarrow$ Methods $\rightarrow$ Data $\rightarrow$ Analysis $\rightarrow$ Accept/Reject $\rightarrow$ Report.

Hypothesis

A possible, testable explanation formulated to explain an observation.

Oblate Ellipsoid

The true three-dimensional shape of Earth, which is slightly wider around the equator (equatorial diameter $\approx 12,756\,\text{km}$) and slightly flattened at the poles (polar diameter $\approx 12,714\,\text{km}$).

Latitude

The angular distance measured north or south of the Equator, ranging from $0^\text{o}$ at the Equator to $90^\text{o}\,\text{N}$ at the North Pole and $90^\text{o}\,\text{S}$ at the South Pole.

Parallels

Lines running east-west that connect locations sharing the same latitude.

Longitude

The angular distance measured east or west of the Prime Meridian, ranging from $0^\text{o}$ at the Prime Meridian to $180^\text{o}\,\text{E}$ and $180^\text{o}\,\text{W}$.

Meridians

Lines running north-south from pole to pole that connect locations sharing the same longitude.

Trilateration

The method used by GPS receivers to determine latitude and longitude by measuring the time radio signals take to arrive from multiple satellites.

Map Projection

A system or method for representing Earth's three-dimensional curved surface on a flat two-dimensional map, which inevitably causes distortion in size, distance, direction, or shape.

Ecliptic Plane

The geometric plane along which Earth orbits the Sun, relative to which Earth's axis is tilted by $23.5^\text{o}$.

Perihelion

The point in Earth's orbit where Earth is closest to the Sun, occurring on approximately January 3.

Aphelion

The point in Earth's orbit where Earth is farthest from the Sun, occurring on approximately July 4.

June Solstice

The astronomical event around June when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun, placing the subsolar point at the Tropic of Cancer ($23.5^\text{o}\,\text{N}$) and marking northern summer.

December Solstice

The astronomical event around December when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun, placing the subsolar point at the Tropic of Capricorn ($23.5^\text{o}\,\text{S}$) and marking northern winter.

Equinox

An event occurring twice annually (March and September) when neither hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun, the subsolar point is at the Equator ($0^\text{o}$), and day and night lengths are approximately equal at $12\,\text{hours}$ globally.

Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR)

Energy moving in the form of electromagnetic waves emitted by all objects warmer than $-273^\text{o}\text{C}$ ($0\,\text{K}$), traveling at the speed of light ($3 \times 10^8\,\text{m/s}$) without needing a physical medium.

Insolation

Incoming solar radiation from the Sun, consisting mainly of shortwave radiation including ultraviolet, visible light, and short-wave infrared.

Terrestrial Radiation

Longwave thermal infrared radiation absorbed and re-emitted into the atmosphere and space by Earth.

Albedo

The percentage of incoming solar radiation reflected by a surface, where high albedo indicates high reflectivity and low albedo indicates low reflectivity and high absorption.

Heat

Thermal energy transferred between systems or locations due to a temperature difference.

Temperature

A measurement of the average molecular motion or kinetic energy within a physical system.

Conduction

The mode of heat transfer occurring through direct physical contact between molecules.

Convection

The mode of heat transfer driven by the circulation or bulk movement of fluids, such as gases or liquids.

Sensible Heat

Heat energy transferred by moving air or mass that directly changes temperature and can be measured with a thermometer.

Latent Heat

Energy stored or absorbed during phase changes of water (e.g., liquid to water vapor through evaporation) without changing its temperature.

Net Radiation

The total surface radiation balance calculated as Net Short-Wave Radiation plus Net Long-Wave Radiation ($\text{NR} = \text{NSW} + \text{NLW}$).

Maritime Effect

The moderation of air temperatures downwind of large bodies of water due to water's higher heat capacity, radiation penetration, convective mixing, and latent heating.

Urban Heat Island Effect

The elevation of temperatures in urban environments relative to surrounding rural areas caused by reduced vegetation, lowered evaporation, increased sensible heat, and waste heat generation.