Exam 1 Flashcards
Spatial Analysis
The examination of the spatial pattern of natural and human-made phenomena using numerical analysis and statistics.
Geography
The study natural and human constructed phenomena relative to a spatial dimension.
Small Circle
A circle on the globe’s surface that does not bisect the center of the Earth. (Parallels of latitude) are examples of small circles.
Great Circle
Its center synchronize to the center of the planet. The (equator) is a great circle.
Geographic Grid
The internationally-recognized system of latitude and longitude used to location positions on Earth’s surface.
Longitude
Longitude is a west-east
International Dateline
A line drawn almost parallel to the 180 degree longitude meridian that marks the location where each day officially begins.
Latitude
Latitude is a north-south
Map
An abstraction of the real world that is used to depict the world.
Map Projection
Earth’s three-dimensional surface onto a two-dimension map.
Map Scale
Ratio between the distance between two points found on a map compared to the actual distance between these points in the real world.
Isolines
Lines on a map joining points of equal value.
Contours
Line on a topographic map that connects all points with the same elevation.
Isobars
Lines on a map joining points of equal atmospheric pressure
Isohyets
A line on a map or chart connecting areas of equal rainfall.
Remote Sensing
The gathering of information from an object or surface without direct contact.
GIS
(Geographic Information System)
System for capturing, storing, checking, and displaying data related to positions on Earth’s surface.
GPS
(Global Positioning System)
worldwide navigation
Geostationary Weather Satellites
Spin at the same rate of the Earth and constantly focus on the same area
Earth’s Shape
a sphere-like object that is not perfectly spherical
Earth’s Circumference At Equator Relative To Poles
Earth’s circumference is the distance around Earth. Measured around the equator, it is 40,075.017 km (24,901.461 mi)
Insolation
The incident solar radiation onto some object
Subsolar Point
The location on the Earth where the Sun is directly overhead. Also see declination.
(AP)helion
In the Earth’s orbit when it is FARTHEST from the Sun on the 3rd or 4th of July.
Plane of The Ecliptic
two-dimensional surface in which the Earth’s orbit around the Sun occurs.
(PERI)helion
The point in the Earth’s orbit when it is CLOSEST to the Sun
Revolution
The Earth around the Sun. Takes 365 1/4 days to complete one cycle.
Rotation
The spinning of the Earth
Seasonality
The quality or fact of varying with or depending on the season or time of year.
Tropic of Cancer
Latitude of 23.5° North.
Tropic of Capricorn
Latitude of 23.5° South.
Solstice
The Sun is at 23.5° North or South. For the Northern Hemisphere it’s on June 21 or 22 (Summer Solstice). In the Southern Hemisphere it’s December 21 or 22 (Winter Solstice).
UV Radiation
A form of non-ionizing radiation that is emitted by the sun and artificial sources
Equinox
Two days during the year when the declination of the Sun is at the equator.
All locations on our planet (except the poles) experience equal (12 hour) day and night.
Earth’s Tilt
The angle a planet’s rotation axis makes with the plane of its orbit.
Atmospheric Composition
The chemical abundance in the earth’s atmosphere of its constituents including nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, water vapor, ozone, neon, helium, krypton, methane, hydrogen and nitrous oxide.
Electromagnetic Spectrum
The quantity of radiation that is emitted from a body
Range of Visible Light
The human eye can view, the human eye can detect wavelengths from 380 to 700 nanometers.
Role of Water Vapor in the Atmosphere
The most important greenhouse gas in the atmosphere
Solar Constant
The average quantity of solar insolation received by a horizontal surface at 1370 Watts per square meter.
Greenhouse Effect
The trapping of the sun’s warmth in a planet’s lower atmosphere, due to the greater transparency of the atmosphere to visible radiation from the sun than to infrared radiation emitted from the planet’s surface.
Short Wave Radiation
Wavelength between 0.1 and 0.7
Long Wave Radiation
wavelength between 0.7 and 100
CFC
An artificially created gas that has become concentrated in the Earth’s atmosphere.
Ozone
Unstable toxic gas formed from oxygen having three atoms in its molecule (O3).
Montreal Protocol
Treaty signed in 1987 by 24 nations to cut the emissions
Thematic Map
The geographical distribution of one phenomenon or the spatial associations
Prime Meridian
The location from which meridians of longitude are measured.
Circle of Illumination
A line that bisects areas on the Earth receiving sunlight and those areas in darkness. Cuts the spherical Earth into lighted and dark halves.
Constant Gases
The gas constant is the constant of proportionality that relates the energy scale
Inert Gases
A gas that does not readily undergo chemical reactions with other chemical substances and therefore does not readily form chemical compounds
Time Zone
A zone on the terrestrial globe that is approximately 15° longitude wide and extends from pole to pole and within which a uniform clock time is used.
Conduction, Convection and Radiation
Conduction-
Consists of energy transfer directly from atom to atom and represents the flow of energy along a temperature gradient.
Convection-
The movement of a gas or a fluid in chaotic vertical mass motions because of heating.
Radiation-
Albedo
Is the reflectivity of a surface.
Structure of The Atmosphere
The atmosphere can be divided into layers based on its temperature, as shown in the figure below. These layers are…
1. the troposphere
2. the stratosphere
3. the mesosphere
4. the thermosphere.
5. the exosphere.
Hypoxic Conditions and Fish
Unable to sustain life, these areas, called dead zones, may cause die-offs of fish, shellfish, corals, and aquatic plants.
