Chapter 1 Physical, Spatial, And Environmental Science

Question 1

What is physical geography?

Answer 1

The branch of geography that deals with the natural environment and physical processes.

Question 2

What is geography?

Answer 2

The study of the Earth’s landscapes, environments, and the relationships between people and their environments.

Question 3

What is human geography?

Answer 3

The branch of geography that focuses on the study of human activities and their relationship with the environment.

Question 4

What is a spatial discipline?

Answer 4

A field of study that examines the arrangement of phenomena across space.

Question 5

What is a region?

Answer 5

An area defined by certain unifying characteristics.

Question 6

What is cartography?

Answer 6

The art and science of map-making.

Question 7

What is the scientific method?

Answer 7

A systematic process for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge.

Question 8

What is a system?

Answer 8

A set of interconnected components that work together to form a complex whole.

Question 9

What is the Earth system?

Answer 9

The complex system of interactions between the atmosphere, lithosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere.

Question 10

What is a subsystem?

Answer 10

A smaller, self-contained system within a larger system.

Question 11

What is the atmosphere?

Answer 11

The layer of gases surrounding the Earth.

Question 12

What is the lithosphere?

Answer 12

The rigid outer layer of the Earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle.

Question 13

What is the biosphere?

Answer 13

The global sum of all ecosystems, where life exists.

Question 14

What is the hydrosphere?

Answer 14

All the water on Earth, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and groundwater.

Question 15

What is absolute location?

Answer 15

The precise location of a point on the Earth’s surface, usually expressed in coordinates.

Question 16

What is relative location?

Answer 16

The position of a place in relation to other places.

Question 17

What is spatial distribution?

Answer 17

The arrangement of a phenomenon across the Earth’s surface.

Question 18

What is spatial pattern?

Answer 18

The geometric arrangement of objects in space.

Question 19

What is spatial interaction?

Answer 19

The movement and flow of people, goods, and information between locations.

Question 20

What is the environment?

Answer 20

The surrounding conditions in which an organism lives.

Question 21

What is ecology?

Answer 21

The branch of biology that studies the interactions between organisms and their environment.

Question 22

What is an ecosystem?

Answer 22

A community of living organisms and their interactions with the environment.

Question 23

What is a natural hazard?

Answer 23

A natural event that poses a threat to human life or property.

Question 24

What is environmental degradation?

Answer 24

The deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources.

Question 25

What is pollution?

Answer 25

The introduction of harmful substances or products into the environment.

Question 26

What is a natural resource?

Answer 26

Materials or substances occurring in nature that can be exploited for economic gain.

Question 27

What is environmental overshoot?

Answer 27

The situation where humanity's demand on the Earth's ecosystems exceeds what the planet can regenerate.

Question 28

What is environmental sustainability?

Answer 28

The ability to maintain the qualities that are valued in the physical environment.

Question 29

What is a model?

Answer 29

A simplified representation of a system used to understand and predict its behavior.

Question 30

What is a pictorial/graphic model?

Answer 30

A visual representation of a concept or system.

Question 31

What is a physical model?

Answer 31

A tangible representation of an object or system.

Question 32

What is a mathematical/statistical model?

Answer 32

A model that uses mathematical equations to represent relationships within a system.

Question 33

What is a computer-generated model?

Answer 33

A model created using computer software to simulate real-world processes.

Question 34

What is a conceptual model?

Answer 34

A representation of a system that outlines its components and relationships.

Question 35

What is a mental map?

Answer 35

An individual's internal representation of the world or a specific area.

Question 36

What is systems analysis?

Answer 36

The study of a system's components and their interactions.

Question 37

What is input?

Answer 37

The resources or data that are put into a system for processing.

Question 38

What is output?

Answer 38

The results or products generated by a system after processing inputs.

Question 39

What is an open system?

Answer 39

A system that exchanges matter and energy with its environment.

Question 40

What is a closed system?

Answer 40

A system that does not exchange matter with its environment.

Question 41

What is equilibrium?

Answer 41

A state of balance within a system.

Question 42

What is dynamic equilibrium?

Answer 42

A state of balance that changes over time but remains stable overall.

Question 43

What is feedback?

Answer 43

The process by which a system's output is returned as input.

Question 44

What is negative feedback?

Answer 44

A process that reduces the output of a system, promoting stability.

Question 45

What is positive feedback?

Answer 45

A process that increases the output of a system, potentially leading to instability.

Question 46

What is a threshold?

Answer 46

The point at which a system changes from one state to another.

Question 47

What is resilience?

Answer 47

The ability of a system to recover from disturbances.

Question 48

What is a feedback loop?

Answer 48

A cycle in which outputs of a system are circled back as inputs.