Geography Review Flashcards
5 requirements of a map?
Title, legend, border, scale, compass rose/direction arrow
Province and Capitals of Canada
Ontario- Toronto
Quebec - Quebec City
Manitoba- Winnipeg
Saskatchewan- Regina
Alberta- Edmonton
BC- Victoria
PEI- Charlottetown
New Brunswick- Fredricton
Nova Scotia- Halifax
Newfoundland and Labrador- St. Johns
Canada- Ottawa
Great Lakes
Superior, Erin, Huron, Michigan, Ontario
Latitude
Lines run east and west, equator is the main line and is halfway between north and south poles, divides earth into northern and southern hemispheres
Longitude
Lines run north and south, prime meridian is the main line, divides earth into eastern and western hemispheres
Hemispheres
Northern, southern, eastern, western
Four subsystems
Atmosphere, biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere
Land form Regions
Canadian shield, Interior plains, St. Lawrence lowlands, Western cordillera, Appalachian highlands, Arctic islands, Hudson bay/ arctic lowlands
Factors Affecting Climate
L.O.W.E.R. Near Water
L
Latitude- further north one travels the colder it gets
O
Ocean currents- warm ocean currents warm surrounding air masses
W
Prevailing winds- winds that blow consistently in a given direction over a particular region on earth. Winds affect the weather of the day and the climate over a year. Winds occur due to uneven heating from the sun and the earth’s rotation, which winds vary at different latitudes on earth.
Prevailing wind belts
Tropical easterlies: 0-30d latitude, winds blow east to west
Prevailing westerlies- 30-60d latitude, winds blow west to east
Polar easterlies- 60-90d latitude, dry and cold winds that blow around the high pressure areas of the polar highs at the north and south poles. Winds blow east to west.
E
Elevation- higher one climbs above sea level the colder it gets.
R
Relief- Shape of the land often determines the climate.
NW
Near water- large bodies of water have a moderating effect on surrounding land.
Weather vs. Climate
Weather- atmospheric conditions of a particular region, over a period of one day.
Climate- atmospheric conditions of a particular region, over a period of one year.
Precipitation
Blue bar graph, measured in mm, right scale on graph.
Temperature
Red line graph, measured in degrees Celsius, left scale of graph.
Average Annual Temperature
Add all monthly temps. and divide by 12.
Temperature Range
Subtract lowest temp. from highest temp.
Total Annual Precipitation
Add all monthly precipitation amounts.
Total Annual Rainfall
Add precipitation figures for months above 0dc
Total Annual Snowfall
Add precipitation figures for months with temps. 0dc or below.
Growing Seasons
Add the number of days in the month that have temp. above 5.6dc.
4 forms of precipitation
Snow, sleet, rain, freezing rain
2 rules
Air cools as it rises
As air cools, water vapor condenses more than it evaporates, resulting in rain.
Air may rise for any of the following reasons
Rises to cross an area of high elevation (relief precipitation)
Rises because it has absorbed heat from the earth’s surface (convectional precipitation)
Rises because there is a cooler, denser air mass flowing beneath it that forces it up. (cyclonic precipitation)
Orographic (Relief) Precipitation
Occurs near oceans where moist are is present
Moist air reaches a mountain barrier, create relief precipitation.
Moist air rises upward on the windward slope of a mountain range, it condenses and cools. As air cools, the rate of evaporation decreases, condensation increases. Result is increase in the number of water droplets in the air. Droplets often combine to form rain drops. That side of the mountain contains an array of vegetation.
Rain Shadow
Air becomes dry and warm as it descends over peak of a mountain, clouds carry moisture, known as rain shadow. Area has little vegetation, type of precipitation is common in the west coast. *Alberta side of the rocky mountains- Rain Shadow
Convectional Precipitation
Ground heats up, air above it rises. Rising air condenses, cools and water vapor within condenses to form puffy white clouds. These clouds can form towering storm clouds, result is summer thunderstorms that we experience in Ontario.
Cyclonic Precipitation/ Frontal (Near water)
Air masses of different moisture content and temperature don’t easily mix. Instead, a boundary or front forms between them. Battlefield in the sky, develops cyclonic precipitation. Result is lake effect snow or rain that is experienced around the Great Lakes.
Location
Absolute- latitude and longitude pinpoint exact location of a place on the globe.
Relative- describe where something is in relation to another geographic feature.
Movement
Examines transportation and communications that link people and places. Constant movement of people, ides, materials, goods and services.
Place
Examines the physical, human, and cultural features that make a place unique.
Human Environment Interaction
Examines the impacts humans have on the environment and how we interact, adapt and modify it.
Region
Physical and human regions of a place. Group of places that share similar features.
Human Features
Things that are made or built by humans. Bridges, homes, cities, buildings, roads.
Physical Features
Things that are not man made and are natural on the earth. Land forms, bodies of water, climate, soil, natural vegetation.
Cultural Features
Features that make cultures and other countries unique. Language, religion, art, government, economy, cuisine, music, technology.
Humans depend on the environment
For food, shelter, clean air, water, clothing stable climate.
Humans modify the environment
People modify the environment to meet their needs. (Dig mines, clearing land for crops, building dams, factories, homes, schools.)
Humans adapt to the environment
Adapt to various natural settings. Canadians use heaters in the winter to keep themselves and their homes warm in the cold. Southern US uses air conditioning to keep themselves and their homes cool in the heat. Countries where earthquakes are common have built homes and buildings to withstand them.
Humans impact the environment
We cause pollution, deforestation, climate change, litter, burning of fossil fuels, carbon dioxide emissions,
What oceans surround Canada?
Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic
Territories and Capitals
Northwest Territories- Yellowknife
Yukon- Whitehorse
Nunavut- Iqaluit
3 things I’ve learned this semester
I’ve learned the negative affects that humans have on the environment. We cause so much destruction to our earth and haven’t done enough to reduce that. Forests are being destroyed from logging and it’s causing deforestation, pollution of the air from burning fossil fuels and coal for energy, and the rising temperature of our planet due to climate change caused by global emissions. I’ve learned how garment workers and tin miners of Bangladesh and Tanka Islands are severly underpaid and are forced to work in dangerous and unregulated conditions. I’ve learned how we depend on people in other places for things like food, water, clothing, materials, and we get them shipped to Canada from different parts of the world because we don’t have access to those things here.
How will I apply these to my life?
I will apply these to my life by being more ECO-friendly and working to take care of our environment. I will start a compost, if I see litter on the ground I will pick it up, continue recycling as much as I can, and continue using reusable bags when buying groceries. I will be mindful of the clothes I’m buying and where the company sources their clothes from, do my research about the brand and how they treat and pay their workers, and make better choices to buy clothes that I know I will wear and that are good quality. I will use the resources I have in a responsible matter, I will reduce my food waste, use less single-use items, buy local meat and produce, support small businesses.
How are the two temperatures similar and different? What does climate have to do with the similarities or differences?
- similarities in the increase or decrease in temperature
- certain months on both graphs could have similar temps.
- differences could be the same months have completely different temps. on both graphs
- the average temps. of both graphs are different
- is one place more up north where it’s colder or near large bodies of water
- is one place near mountains because higher elevation is colder
How are the two precipitations similar and different? What does climate have to do with the similarities or differences?
- compare at total precipitation
-compare snowfall and rainfall - look at tends of the bar graphs
- differences in the bar graphs
- near large bodies of water, in the west coast, cyclonic precipitation around great lakes, thunderstorms in Ontario
How are the two growing seasons similar and different? What does climate have to do with the similarities or differences?
- look at the days of growing season compare
- look at months of growing season if known
is it a warmer or cooler climate can effect growing - look at snowfall and rainfall can effect growing
Canada’s 8 Climate Regions
Arctic, Taiga, Cordilleran, Pacific Maritime, Boreal, Prairie, Southeastern, Altantic Maritime
Arctic
Summers are cool and 12 weeks or less, winter lasts 10 months, precipitation is low because everything’s frozen and little evaporation.
Taiga
Long, severe winters up to 6 months temps. below zero, short summers where Convectional precipitation occurs.
Cordilleran
Climate varies because of mountains, coastal temps warmer and northern climates are cooler with winter for 8 months, west facing windward slopes receive relief precip. leeward slopes and interior valleys dry, rain shadows.
Pacific Maritime
Close to Pacific ocean, summers are cooler and winters mild, high relief precip. especially in winter when Pacific winds reach this area.
Boreal
Continental climate, winters cold and summers warm, largest climate region, convectional precip. in summer when ground heats up.
Prairie
Winters very cold and summers very hot, dry region because of rain shadow, continental climate.
South-eastern
Continental and Maritime characteristics, variety of temps, prevailing winds bring storms to this region.
