Exam 1: Physical Geo Flashcards
What is the lithosphere?
earth’s outer layer; contains crust and upper mantle
What are tectonic plates?
a massive, irregularly shaped slab of solid rock, generally composed of both continental and oceanic lithosphere
What are the 3 types of plate boundaries?
Convergent, divergent, transform
Where do we tend to find volcanoes vs. earthquakes? Which ones tend to be deadlier?
Volcanoes are usually along divergent plate boundaries
Earthquakes are found along transform plate boundaries
Earthquakes are deadlier because they don’t give us much warning
What is insolation? How does it connect to the greenhouse effect?
Insolation is solar radiation, insolation warms land and surface waters, which then reflect back into the atmosphere where they then get trapped = greenhouse effect
Do temperatures stay more constant in maritime or continental climates? Why?
Maritime, because land heats up faster than water & there are breezes from the water that balance the hot land
Where does the sun hit Earth at a right angle, and what does this mean in terms of seasonality?
In the equator, means that its generally summer there all the time
How does topography affect weather and climate?
- higher elevations have cooler temps
- impacts precipitation patterns
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather is short term
Climate is long term
What does the K ̈oppen climate classification system tell us?
A= tropical
B= dry
C= moderate/temperate
D= continental
What is climate change? What does it mean for climate change to be anthropogenic?
the alteration of climate characteristics over time
means it was caused by humans
What is the Anthropocene?
Humans are the dominant force shaping climate and the environment
What are greenhouse gases? What do they have to do with climate change?
Carbon Dioxide, Water Vapor, Methane, Ozone
These gases hold heat in the atmosphere
If Earth is warming, why does it still get cold?
With the Arctic warming, the polar jet stream brings cold air down
What is the difference between conservation and preservation? How do these approaches contrast with
environmental ethics?
Conservation: sustainable use of resources
Preservation: no use of nat. resource
The preservation ethic values preserving natural systems intact, whereas the conservation ethic promotes responsible long-term use of resources. Environmental justice seeks equal treatment for people of all income levels, races, and ethnicities.
What is the difference between nonrenewable and renewable energy sources?
nonrenewable is an exhaustible source while renewable can be restored
What does each letter in the I=PAT formula stand for?
I= impact of earths resources
P= population
A=affluence
T=technology
What is water stress?
when demand for water outstrips the available supply; or poor quality restricts it use
What are proven reserves? Do they stay constant all the time?
Proven Reserves is deposits of coal, oil, & gas that could be possibly extracted/distributed.
They don’t stay constant; depending on prices
What is peak oil? Have we hit it yet?
When the max oil production is meet, we haven’t hit it yet
What is hydraulic fracturing?
High pressure water into rocks, forcing out gas
Are renewable energy sources a perfect solution? Why/why not?
No, because they’re expensive, intermediate, and impact wildlife
