Chapter 1 Vocab

Question 1

environment

Answer 1

surroundings

Question 2

geography

Answer 2

study of Earth’s physical features and how people interact with them

Question 3

latitude

Answer 3

distance north or south of the equator measured in degrees

Question 4

longitude

Answer 4

distance east or west of the prime meridian measured in degrees.

Question 5

erosion

Answer 5

wearing away or land by the action of wind or water

Question 6

basin

Answer 6

a deep sunken area

Question 7

topography

Answer 7

physical features of the land such as mountains or plateaus

Question 8

mesa

Answer 8

a large flat-topped but steep-sided landform

Question 9

butte

Answer 9

and isolated hill or mountain with steep sides; smaller than a mesa.

Question 10

ecosystem

Answer 10

an interacting system that includes all the activities involved in the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.

Question 11

tornado

Answer 11

severe windstorm caused when clashing air masses create funnels of wind that rotate counterclockwise

Question 12

plateau

Answer 12

an elevated, relatively level area

Question 13

natural resources

Answer 13

things found in nature that are useful to humans

Question 14

irrigation

Answer 14

supplying water to land by artificial means

Question 15

fossil fuels

Answer 15

fuel formed in the ground from the remains of dead plants and animals like oils, natural gas, and coal.

Question 16

drought

Answer 16

a long period without rainfall

Question 17

wildcatter

Answer 17

oil industry risk taker, drills in doubtful areas.

Question 18

aquifer

Answer 18

underground basin that holds water that seeps down from rainfall lakes and ponds.

Question 19

tributary

Answer 19

stream or river that flows into a larger rivers

Question 20

weather

Answer 20

measure of current conditions in the atmosphere like wind, temperature, and precipitation.

Question 21

climate

Answer 21

average weather of an area over an extended time (25-30 yrs)

Question 22

elevation

Answer 22

height of a place above sea level