ENVS 203- Test 1

Question 1

What is physical geography?

Answer 1

the spatial analysis of all the physical elements and process systems that make up the environment.

Question 2

What are the main subfields of physical geography?

Answer 2

• place
• location
• region
• movement
• human-earth relationships

Question 3

Shape of the Earth?

Answer 3

Shape-geoid shape. 26 miles wider than tall

Question 4

Meridians Vs. parallels?

Answer 4

Meridians- line connecting all points along the same longitude(north to south) 180 degrees east. 180 degrees west
parallel- (east to west) 80 degrees (north pole=90 degrees)

Question 5

Location of poles, equator, tropic of cancer, capricorn, and prime meridian?

Answer 5

Poles= 90 degrees
tropics= 23.5 degrees
prime meridian= 180 degrees

Question 6

Time zones: how many? How much time and space does each zone cover?

Answer 6

24 time zones, each time zone= one hour apart. Earth rotates 360 degrees in 24 hours. so, each time zone covers 15 degrees of longitude

Question 7

Where is the international dateline?

Answer 7

at about 180 degrees longitude. it marks the transition from one day to another on earth
crossing from E to W = +1 day
crossing from W to E = -1 day

Question 8

Scale? (large vs small scale maps)

Answer 8

Small scale maps are greatly reduced that shows larger area with less detail
large scale maps are closer to reality and show smaller area with more detail

Question 9

Projections?

Answer 9

always introduce distortion

• shapes
• distances
• angles
• sizes

Question 10

What are GPS, GIS, and remote sensing?

Answer 10

GPS-modern mapping tech. doesn’t send out a signal, it is just a receiver
GIS- geographic info system. using comps. to do more complicated mapping, Different layers
remote sensing=info about a distant subject without having physical contact

Question 11

Rotation vs. revolution of the Earth?

Answer 11

rotation? 24 hours= 1 day. counterclockwise

revolution= orbit around the sun, counterclockwise 1 year to make complete rotation

Question 12

What is the circle of illumination?

Answer 12

the great circle of the earth that is the border between night and day.

Question 13

Earth’s orbit-what and when are the aphelion and perihelion?

Answer 13

aphelion- earth is this when it’s farther position from the sun, during the northern hemisphere summer on july 4th
perihelion- earth is this when its closest position to the sun. during the norther hemisphere winter on jan 3rd

Question 14

What is the plane of ecliptic?

Answer 14

flat plane on which the earth travels as it revolves around the sun

Question 15

What is the Earth’s axial tilt?

Answer 15

relative to a line running perpendicular to the plane of the elliptic. earths axis is tilted 23.5 degrees

Question 16

What is axial parallelism?

Answer 16

earths axis maintains a constant orientation during revolution around the sun. tilt doesn’t change

Question 17

Why do we have seasons?

Answer 17

The primary reason is because the earth’s axis is tilted

Question 18

Why do we have opposite seasonal patterns in the northern and southern hemispheres?

Answer 18

because of the tilt in the rotation of earth

Question 19

*What is the sub solar point? Where does it occur over the course of a year?

Answer 19

Subsolar point= the point on earth where the sun angle is 90 degrees

Question 20

What is solar declination

Answer 20

63 degrees

Question 21

What are the solstices and equinoxes?

Answer 21

Equinoxes= subsolar point at equator. circle of illumination cuts through poles. 12 hours of daylight everywhere

Question 22

What is atmospheric pressure?

Answer 22

the weight (force over a unit area) of the atmosphere

Question 23

How and why does atmospheric pressure change with altitude?

Answer 23

gravity compresses it more near the earth’s surface

Question 24

What and where are the heterosphere and homosphere?

Answer 24

Heterosphere- from 300 miles to 50 miles above the surface. .001% of atmospheres total mass. gases are unevenly mixed. gas layered by atomic weight.
Homosphere-from surface to 50 miles above. gases are generally evenly blended.

Question 25

Atmospheric compostision- what are the primary stable and variable/trace gases in our atmosphere?

Answer 25

Constant gases= nitrogen, oxygen, argon. | Variable and trace gases= carbon dioxide, ozone, water vapor

Question 26

Carbon dioxide- where does it come from and what does it do?

Answer 26

Natural bi-product of life processes. | it traps heat within the atmosphere

Question 27

Water vapor- where is it highest and lowest? what does it do?

Answer 27

Effects incoming solar radiation. absorbs and stores heat from radiation of the sun and earth. 0-4% of atmosphere, avg. =2%. least over deserts and polar regions, most abundant over tropical rain forests. Warmer air can hold more water vapor

Question 28

be able to describe (and draw) the atmosphere temp profile?

Answer 28

c

Question 29

What is the normal lapse rate?

Answer 29

the avg rate of temp decrease with increasing altitude in the lower atmosphere.

Question 30

What is the ozone layer? Why doe we care about it? what is the ozone hole?

Answer 30

12 to 30 miles above the surface. the region of the atmosphere where ultraviolet wavelengths are principally absorbed and converted into heat. its thinning and depletion relate to human use of CFC's and other compounds.

Question 31

describe the mechanisms of heat transfer-radiation, conduction, convection, latent heat

Answer 31

Radiation= the transfer of energy through air, space or matter. Conduction= the molecule to molecule transfer of heat energy as it diffuses. Convection= the transfer of energy by movements of strong vertical motion. Latent heat= the energy absorbed or realesed during a phase change with no change in temp.

Question 32

What is the relationship between the heat of an object and the wavelengths of energy emitted by that object?

Answer 32

c

Question 33

What is insolation? Where is it highest?

Answer 33

the incoming solar radiation that is intercepted by earth.

Question 34

What is albedo? How does it vary across common land cover types?

Answer 34

Reflectivity of a surface described as its albedo dark surfaces are low, brighter surfaces are high

Question 35

What is the greenhouse effect? what are the most important greenhouse gases?

Answer 35

Part of the longwaveradiation from Earth is absorbed and then emitted by gases in the lower atmosphere Doesn’t actually work exactly like a greenhouse Carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor are powerful greenhouse gases

Question 36

What is the effect of clouds on temp?

Answer 36

increased and decreased temperature

Question 37

What is earths avg albedo?

Answer 37

31

Question 38

What percentage of insolation is directly absorbed by the earths suface?

Answer 38

25

Question 39

How does Earth's every budget vary with latitude?

Answer 39

These energy imbalances are transferred through winds, ocean currents, and weather systems

Question 40

Heat vs. temp

Answer 40

Heat: a form of energy, flows from warmer to cooler objects. Temperature: a measure of the average kinetic energy (motion) of individual molecules in matter

Question 41

Sensible heat vs latent heat

Answer 41

Sensible heat: heat exchanged from warmer to cooler objects that changes the temperature of the object(s). Latent heat: heat exchanged from warmer to cooler objects that does not change the temperature of the object(s

Question 42

Temp controls (how they work and what their effect is) - latitude - elevation - cloud cover - land-water heating differences

Answer 42

latitudes: Day length and sun angle change more over the year as you move to higher latitudesHigher latitudes have lower average temperatures and higher variability. Thus, as you go from equator to poles, you generally from continually warm to seasonally variable, to continually cold climates altitude:Air temperature decreases with altitude in the troposphere Remember the normal lapse rate? Density of the atmosphere also decreases with altitudeHigh elevation lower average temperatures cloud cover- Nighttime clouds serve as insulation preventing rapid energy loss. Daytime clouds reflect isolation decreasing maximum temps.Increased cloud cover = warmer nights/winters, cooler days/summer; and thus decreased diurnal and annual temperature ranges

Question 43

What is an isotherm?

Answer 43

Isotherm: an isoline(a line along which there is a constant value) that connects points of equal temperature

Question 44

What is the thermal equator anyhow does it move over time?

Answer 44

Thermal equator: an isotherm connecting all points of highest mean temperature

Question 45

Annual temp range. What controls this?

Answer 45

distance to the ocean

Question 46

Thermosphere?

Answer 46

The “heat sphere” Corresponds to heterosphere 50-300 miles above surface Thermosphere ends and exosphere begins at the thermopause Temperature increases with altitude due to intense solar radiation But not a lot of heat because there are so few molecules

Question 47

Mesosphere?

Answer 47

The “middle sphere” 30-50 miles above surface Mesosphere ends and thermosphere begins at the mesopause Mesopauseis the coldest portion of the atmosphere Very low atmospheric pressure Temperature decreases with increasing altitude

Question 48

Stratosphere?

Answer 48

The “stratified (layered) sphere” 11-31 miles above surface Stratosphere ends and Mesosphere begins at the stratopause Temperature increases with increasing altitude Stratosphere is the location of the ozone layer

Question 49

Troposphere?

Answer 49

Tropofrom the Greek word Troposmeaning change or turn The “changing sphere” The layer in which life and weather occur Troposphere ends and Stratosphere begins at the tropopause Altitude of tropopausevaries with latitude and season Temperature decreases with increasing altitude

Question 50

Potential energy pathways for insolation: transmission

Answer 50

Transmission: | Passage of energy through a medium with no change in energy (i.e. atmosphere or water)

Question 51

Potential energy pathways for insolation: scattering

Answer 51

Scattering: Redirection and deflection of energy by gases or particulates with no change in energy Small gas molecules scatter shorter wavelengths of light Low-angle rays pass through more atmosphere, and thus experience more scattering

Question 52

POtential energy pathways for insolation: refraction.

Answer 52

``` Refraction: redirection of energy as it passes from one medium to another Change in speed = bending Responsible for rainbows & mirages Adds ~8 minutes of daylight to each day ```

Question 53

Potential energy pathways for insolation: absorption

Answer 53

Absorption: assimilation of radiation by molecules and conversion of energy from one form to another Absorption = increased temperature of absorbing surface Earth’s surface re -radiates absorbed energy at longer wavelengths

Question 54

Potential energy pathways for insolation: reflection

Answer 54

Reflection: energy returned directly back to space without being changed Earth’s surface and clouds both reflect insolation

Question 55

Temp-controls: land/water: evaporation

Answer 55

Remember latent heat? Evaporation removes heat from the surrounding environment, stores it as latent (hidden) heat 84% of all evaporation is from the oceans

Question 56

Temp-controls: land/water: transparency

Answer 56

Solid ground is opaque Water is transparent Light can therefore penetrate further through a column of water than of land Below the surface of land, temperatures remain fairly constantLight can pass through water to an average depth of 200 feet in the ocean This photic layer (illuminated part of the ocean) is as deep as 1000 feet in some places

Question 57

Temp-controls: land/water: movement

Answer 57

Land is rigid, solid Water is fluid Ocean currents and convection mix cooler and warmer water Heat is therefore spread over a greater volume

Question 58

Winter solstice?

Answer 58

dec 21 north pole= 0 hr of daylight equator= 24 hour of daylight (on right of sun)

Question 59

Vernal equinox?

Answer 59

march 21 north pole= sun rising south pole=sun setting (above sun)

Question 60

Summer solstice?

Answer 60

``` june 21 north pole=24 h daylight equator= 12 south pole= 0 hr daylight (on left side of sun) ```

Question 61

Autuminal equinox?

Answer 61

``` sep 22 north pole= sun setting equator= 12 h south pole= sun rising (on bottom of sun) ```