exam one phys geo

Question 1

What is the definition of geography?

Answer 1

The science that studies the spatial relationships among natural systems, geographic areas, societies, and the interdependence of all of these over space

Question 2

What is the definition of physical geography?

Answer 2

the spacial analysis of all the physical elements and processes that make up the environment

Question 3

Is earth a closed or open system?

Answer 3

both. earth cannot survive without solar energy (so open system) matter can survive (so closed system)

Question 4

Who first calculated the earth’s circumference?

Answer 4

247 B.C. Eratosthenes

Question 5

Latitude and longitude

Answer 5

longitude- an angular distance east or west of a surface location measured from a point at the center of the earth
latitude- an angular distance north or south of the equator measured from a point at the center of the earth

Question 6

The diameter of the earth is longest when measured around what?

Answer 6

The equator

Question 7

What is the angle of the earth’s tilt?

Answer 7

23.5 degrees

Question 8

What is the meridian?

Answer 8

the line of 0° longitude

Question 9

Difference between small scale and large scale map?

Answer 9

small scale covers a larger area

Question 10

Geographical information system

Answer 10

combine spatial and attribute data, maps can contain multiple data layers

Question 11

Remote sensing

Answer 11

active remote sensing = radar
passive remote sensing = visible light and infrared

Question 12

What is the speed of light?

Answer 12

About 300 million meters per second

Question 13

What is the earth’s average distance from the sun?

Answer 13

150,000,000 km

Question 14

What is the ophelion?

Answer 14

closest at January 3rd
147,255,000km

Question 15

What is the parihelion

Answer 15

farthest at July 4th
152,083,000km

Question 16

What is the shape of earth’s orbit around the sun?

Answer 16

elliptical, oval

Question 17

What are the three criteria to classify the atmosphere?

Answer 17

Composition, temperature, and function

Question 18

What are the different types of atmosphere?

Answer 18

Heterosphere and homosphere

Question 19

What is the order of chemicals by gravity in the homosphere?

Answer 19

nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide

Question 20

What is the function of the ozonosphere?

Answer 20

absorbs UV energy

Question 21

What is temperature inversion?

Answer 21

a layer in the atmosphere in which air temperature increases with height

Question 22

What is photochemical pollution?

Answer 22

air pollution containing ozone and other reactive chemical compounds formed by the action of sunlight on nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons

Question 23

What is refraction?

Answer 23

the bending of a ray when it passes at an angle from one medium into another in which its speed is different

Question 24

What is albedo?

Answer 24

the ability of a surface to reflect sunlight

Question 25

Where is the highest albedo? What about the lowest?

Answer 25

High = snow, low = oceans

Question 26

What is the relationship between insolation and temperature

Answer 26

difference in insolation causes air to flow from a warm latitude to a cooler one.
insolation increases with altitude while temperature decreases
insolation is short wave temp is longer

Question 27

What is scattering? Why is the sky blue?

Answer 27

changing direction of light’s movement without altering its wavelengths shorter wavelengths, more scattering

Question 28

What is the definition of conduction?

Answer 28

molecule-to-molecule transfer
no molecule movement
ex: frying pan

Question 29

What is the distribution of shortwave and longwave energy over the earth’s surface by latitude?

Answer 29

the distribution shows an imbalance of net radiation from equator to poles.

Question 30

What is the hottest time of day? Why?

Answer 30

2-4pm, because of the earth’s tilt

Question 31

What is the radiation balance in a middle latitude location?

Answer 31

equatorial and tropical energy surplus

Question 32

What is the urban heat island effect?

Answer 32

because of undulation in the topography and surplus of surfaces that absorb and retain heat, densely urban areas tend to experience increases in temperature

Question 33

What is the biosphere?

Answer 33

nature and animals (+humans)

Question 34

What is the lithosphere?

Answer 34

earth’s crust and outer mantle

Question 35

What is the atmosphere?

Answer 35

the mixture of gases that surrounds the earth

Question 36

What is the hydrosphere?

Answer 36

all the water on the planet