Geological Terms

Question 1

Place

Answer 1

A specific point on Earth, distinguished by a particular characteristic

Question 2

Region

Answer 2

An area distinguished by one or more distinctive characteristics

Question 3

Scale

Answer 3

The relationship between the portion of the earth being studied and earth as a whole

Question 4

Space

Answer 4

The physical gap or interval between to objects

Question 5

Connection

Answer 5

The relationships among people and objects across the barrier of space

Question 6

Meridian

Answer 6

An ark that goes from the North Pole to the South Pole

Question 7

Prime Meridian

Answer 7

The meridian designated as 0 longitude, that passes through Greenwich, England

Question 8

Longitude

Answer 8

Vertical lines that measure east to west

Question 9

Latitude

Answer 9

Horizontal lines that measure north to south

Question 10

Parallel

Answer 10

Lines that never touch

Question 11

Perpendicular

Answer 11

Lines that meet at a right angle

Question 12

International date line

Answer 12

Cross the line, the day changes

Question 13

Toponym

Answer 13

The name given to a portion of Earth’s surface

Question 14

Site

Answer 14

The physical character of a place

Question 15

Situation

Answer 15

The location of a place relative to another place

Question 16

Formal region

Answer 16

An area in which most people share in one or more distinctive characteristics

Question 17

Vernacular region

Answer 17

An area that people believe exists as part of their cultural identity

Question 18

Functional region

Answer 18

An area organized around a node or focal point

Question 19

Distribution

Answer 19

The arrangement of something across Earth’s surface

Question 20

Density

Answer 20

The frequency with which something exists within a given unit of area

Question 21

Concentration

Answer 21

The spread of something over a given area

Question 22

Pattern

Answer 22

The geometric or regular arrangement of something in a particular area

Question 23

Assimilation

Answer 23

The process by which a group’s cultural features are altered to resemble those of another group. The cultural features of one group may come to dominate the culture of the assimilated group

Question 24

Syncretism

Answer 24

The combination of elements of two groups into a new cultural feature. The two cultural groups come together to form a new culture

Question 25

Acculturation

Answer 25

The process of changes in culture that result from the meeting of two groups. Changes may be experienced by both of the interacting cultural groups, but the two groups retain two distinct cultural features

Question 26

Possibility

Answer 26

The theory that the physical environment may set limits on human actions, but people have the ability to adjust the physical environment and choose a course of action from many alternatives

Question 27

Abiotic

Answer 27

System composed of nonliving or inorganic matter

Question 28

Biotic

Answer 28

System composed of living organisms

Question 29

Lithosphere

Answer 29

Earth’s crust and a portion of upper mantle directly below the crust

Question 30

Hydrosphere

Answer 30

All of the water on or near Earth’s surface

Question 31

Biosphere

Answer 31

All living organisms on Earth, including plants and animals, as well as microorganisms