Geography Flashcards
Equator - what degree is it?
0 degrees lattitude
What degree is tropic of cancer and capricorn
Cancer: 23.5 degrees north
Capricorn: 23.5 degrees south
What did Ptolemy add to maps?
Lattitude and longitude lines
Imposed mathematical rules on maps
Published a treatise called Geographia in 150 AD
Lived in Roman Egypt
What degree are the north and south poles?
90 degrees
What degree are the polar circles?
66.5 degrees
What does a Equal-Area projection type do?
Correctly shows the size of a feature.
Note: a map cannot be equal area AND conformal
What does a Conformal projection type do?
Correctly shows the shape of a feature
Note: a map cannot be equal area AND conformal
What does a Equidistant projection type do?
correctly shows the distance between two features
What does a True direction projection type do?
Correctly shows distance between
How does the azimuthal projection type work?
An imaginary piece of paper touches the globe then is flat
Usually used for poles
How does the Conical projection technique work?
The “peice of paper” is rolled into a cone Usually used in mid-lattitude areas (between 20-50 degrees)
How does a cylindrical projection technique work?
Piece of paper is rolled into a cylinder.
Used over equitorial areas of for world maps
Which projection was created by Ptolemy before 150 AD
Azimuthal Projection - sterographic
Conformal - shaoes are well preserved
Which project was created by Johann Heinrich Lambert?
Lambert Conformal Conic Projects
1772
Standard projection for mapping large areas in the mid lattitudes - USA, Europe, and Australia
Shapes are well preserved near the standard parrallels
(He also created the Transverse Mercator Projection)
What type of projection is the Mercator?
Cylindrical
Standard for nautical purposes - because it can represent lines of constant true direction
Distortion in areas, shapes and distances (little distortion near the equator, lots at the poles)
Generally considered conformal despite some distortion because within small areas shapes are true.
Created by Flemish Cartographer Geradus Mercador in 1569
What kind of projection is the Robinson?
Cylindrical
Created by Arthur H. Robinson in 1960
Became more popular than the Mercator in its time, looks more like the reality.
Preffered for world maps.
More pleasing appearance but traded off distortions. It is not conformal, equal area, equidistant, or true direction
What about the cylindrical Projection - Transverse Mercator
From Lambert as well.
Uses same method as Mercator, but the imaginary piece of paper touches a line of longitue instead of the equator
Better for making maps of places with north-south orientations (like south america or Chile)
a strong ocean current that brings warm water from the Gulf of Mexico into the Atlantic Ocean. It extends all the way up the eastern coast of the United States and Canada.
Gulf Stream
bands of strong wind that generally blow from west to east all across the globe. They impact weather, air travel and many other things that take place in our atmosphere.
Jet Strem
fast-moving bands of thunderstorms with destructive winds. The winds can be as strong as those found in hurricanes or even tornadoes! Unlike hurricanes and tornadoes, these winds follow straight lines.
Derechos
a weather pattern that occurs in the Pacific Ocean. During this time, unusual winds cause warm surface water from the equator to move east, toward Central and South America. can cause more rain than usual in South and Central America and in the United States.
El Niño
winds that reliably blow east to west just north and south of the equator. The winds help ships travel west, and they can also steer storms such as hurricanes, too.
trade winds
large area characterized by its vegetation, soil, climate, and wildlife.
biome
