Geography - Chapter 2 + 3 Vocab Flashcards
Weather
The condition of the bottom layer of the earth’s atmosphere in one place over a short period of time
Climate
The term for the weather patterns that an area typically experiences over a long period of time
Rotation
The earth spinning on its axis like a top
Revolution
One complete orbit around the sun
Solstice
The period when the Northern or Southern hemisphere is tilted closest to the sun. Longest or shortest days. Summer and winter
Equinox
The sun is directly overhead at the equator. Day and night are equal lengths. Spring and fall
Precipitation
All forms of water that fall from the atmosphere onto the earth’s surface
Front
Air masses. Can be different temperatures. Cause precipitation
Continental Climate
Climate in the great central areas of continents. Most areas have cold snowy winters and warm or hot summers
Troposphere
The layer of the atmosphere closest to land
Photosynthesis
The process by which plants make food from carbon dioxide and release oxygen
Clouds
A mass of tiny particles of water and dust floating in the atmosphere
Ozone Layer
A band of ozone gas in the atmosphere that absorbs the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays
Ecosystem
It’s formed by the interaction of plant life, animal life, and the physical environment in which they live
Biome
It’s used to describe major types of ecosystems that can be found in various regions throughout the world
Deciduous
The dominant trees in the forests of the middle latitudes
Coniferous
Found in Northern forests. Named after the cones that protect their seeds
Chaparral
It includes small evergreen trees and low bushes, or scrub. Mediterranean climate
Savanna
Huge tropical grasslands that grow in warm lands near the Equator
Herbivore
Plant-eating animals
Carnivore
Mear-eating animals
Prairie
Temperate grasslands of North America
Tundra
Temperatures are always cool or cold
Permafrost
A layer of soil just below the surface. It stays permanently frozen
Culture
The beliefs and actions that define a group of people’s way of life
Population Density
The average number of people in a square mile or a square kilometer
Birthrate
The number of live births each year per 1000 people
Immigrant
People who move into the country
Emigrant
People who leave the country to live in other places
Urbanization
The growth of city populations
Rural
Countryside
Culture Hearth
A place where important ideas begin and from which they spread to surrounding cultures
Cultural Convergence
It occurs when the skills, arts, ideas, habits, and institutions of one culture come in contact with those of another culture
Diffusion
The process by which a cultural element is transmitted across some distance from one group or individual to another
Cultural Divergence
The restriction of a culture from outside cultural influences
Sovereignty
A nation’s freedom from outside control
Unitary System
When one central government runs the nation
Federation
Some powers are given to the national government and other powers are reserved for more local governments
Confederation
Smaller political units keep their sovereignty and give the central government only very limited powers, typically in such fields as defense and foreign commerce
Authoritarian
The leaders held all, or nearly all political power
Dictatorship
Power is concentrated in a small group or even a single person. Use military force or political terror to gain and exercise power. People not even free to express opinions
Totalitarianism
Most extreme form of dictatorship. The government tries to control every part of society: politics, economy, people’s personal lives
Monarchy
Most common kind of authoritarian government. Rulers inherit their positions by being born into the ruling family
Democracy
Any country in which the people choose their leaders and have the power to set government policy
Traditional Economy
Nearly all goods and services produces by people are consumed in their own family or village. Little is left over of trade with other communities
Market Economy
An economic system that gives great freedom to individuals and groups
Command Economy
When an economic system is controlled by a single central government
Expansion Diffusion
The spread of a feature from one place to another in a snowballing process
Relocation Diffusion
The spread of an idea through physical movement of people from one place to another
Stimulus Diffusion
the spread of an underlying principle, even though a characteristic itself apparently fails to diffuse
Contagious Diffusion
The rapid, widespread diffusion of a characteristic throughout the population
Hierarchical Diffusion
The spread of an idea from persons or nodes of authority or power to other persons or places
Toponym
A place name, especially one derived from a topographical feature
Greenhouse Effect
Earth’s atmosphere reflects most of the sun’s radiation, but holds what it takes in. Similar to a greenhouse, which traps sun’s warmth for growing plants
Sustainable Development
Development balancing near-term interests with the protection of the interests of future generations
Demography
The science of vital and social statistics (like births, deaths, diseases, marriages, etc.)
Demographic Transition
The transition from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates as a country develops from a pre-industrial to an industrialized economic system
