Earth Science

Absolute vs. relative direction
• Absolute vs. relative location
• Absolute vs. relation distance
• Cultural vs. physical landscape
• Formal region
• Functional region
• Geodesy
• Geoid
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Global Positioning System (GPS)
• Geovisualization
• Great circle
• Grid System
• International Dateline
• Large Scale
• Latitude
• Longitude
• Map
• Map Projection
• Map Scale
• Mental Map
• Oblate spheroid
• Prime Meridian
• Projection
• Regions
• Remote Sensing
• Scale
• Small Scale
• Spatial
• Vernacular Region
Short Answer Examples
Identify and define three types of regions. Give an example of each. Why do geographers regionalize the
world? Explain.
Define small and large scale maps. What are the effects on the map as a result of changing scales? Identify
the two main map controls. How do these map controls impact what is displayed on a map

Define a great circle, great circle route, small circle. In terms of these concepts, describe the equator, other
parallels and the meridians.
Define a geographic information system. Define global position system. Describe one way geographers use
remotely sensed data to perform geographic analysis?
Describe the latitudinal zones roughly subdivide the surface of the earth. What zone do we live in?

Analemma
• Anthropogenic pollution
• Aphelion
• Arctic/Antarctic Circles
• Aurora borealis
• Aurora astralis
• Axial parallelism
• Axial tilt
• Axis
• Circle of illumination
• Daylength
• Declination
• Fall equinox
• Frequency
• heterosphere
• homosphere
• Insolation
• Mesosphere
• noctilcuent clouds
• particulates
• Perihelion
• photochemical smog
• Plane of the ecliptic
• Revolution
• Rotation
• Sphericity
• Spring equinox
• stratosphere
• Subsolar point
• Summer solstice
• temperature inversion
• thermopause
• Tropic of Cancer
• Tropic of Capricorn
• Troposphere
• wavelength
• Winter solstice
• Tropopause
Short Answer Examples
1. Describe the 5 physical facts that operate together to produce the seasons.
2. Describe the seasonal conditions at each of the four key seasonal anniversary dates during the year. What
are the solstices and equinoxes, and what is the sun’s declination at that time?
3. Describe the effects a change in axial tilt from 23.5° to 30° would have on earth. Specifically address the
impact on the Artic/Antartic Circles, and the Tropics, as well as sunlight/darkness on earth.
Describe the change in the location of the circle of illumination throughout the course of a year.
4. Define a geographic information system. Define a global position system. Describe one way geographers
use remotely sensed data to perform geographic analysis?
5. Identify and describe the latitudinal zones that roughly subdivide the surface of the earth. What zone do we
live in?

Lecture Terms
• trilateration
• space segment
• control segment
• user segment
• atmospheric delay
• signal multipath
• receiver clock errors
• satellite geometry and shading
• selective availability
• wide area augmentation system
• differential GPS
Critical Thinking/Discussion Questions
1. Describe the basics of how GPS works. What are some of the accuracy problems associated with GPS?
2. Describe selective availability. How has this changed how GPS is used?

Absorption
• Albedo
• Altitude
• Altitudinal zonation
• Cloud Cover
• Continental effects
• Distribution of Energy by Latitude
• Evaporation
• Evapotranspiration
• Heat index
• Heat Wave
• Insolation and
• Instrument Shelter
• Isotherm
• Land–Water Heating Differences
• Latitude
• Marine effect
• Microclimate
• Min-max thermometer
• Mirages
• Movement
• Poles
• Principal Temperature Controls
• rainbows
• Rayleigh scattering
• Refraction
• Reflection
• Specific heat
• Sun dogs
• Temperature
• Thermal equator
• Thermometer
• tierra caliente
• tierra templada
• tierra fría
• tierra helada
• tierra nevada
• Transparency
• Transpiration
• Tropics
• Urban Heat Island
• Wind chill
Sample Short Answer Questions
1) Describe the land and water heating differences in terms of continental and marine effects. What
happens to temperatures because of the continental and marine effects? Give an example of one
continental and one marine location.
2) Identify and define the 3 principal temperature controls. How do each impact temperature.