geopgraphy review 2 Flashcards
Physical Geography
The branch of geography dealing with natural features and processes of the Earth.
System:
A set of interrelated components that function together.
Open System:
Exchanges energy and matter with its surroundings.
Closed System:
Only exchanges energy, not matter, with its surroundings.
Map Projection:
A method of representing the curved surface of the Earth on a flat map.
Scale:
The ratio between distances on a map and actual distances on Earth.
Geoid:
The irregular shape of the Earth due to variations in gravitational forces.
Remote Sensing:
Collecting information about Earth’s surface from a distance using satellites or aircraft.
GIS (Geographic Information System):
A computer-based tool for mapping and analyzing spatial data.
Spectral Band:
A specific wavelength range used in remote sensing to capture data.
Insolation:
Incoming solar radiation received by Earth.
Albedo:
The percentage of solar radiation reflected by a surface.
Equinox:
The time of year when day and night are approximately equal in length.
Troposphere:
The lowest layer of the atmosphere where weather occurs.
Ozone Layer:
A layer in the stratosphere containing ozone, which absorbs harmful UV radiation.
Greenhouse Effect:
The trapping of heat in the Earth’s atmosphere by greenhouse gases.
Conduction:
Transfer of heat through direct contact between materials.
Convection:
Transfer of heat by the movement of fluids (air or water).
Latent Heat:
Heat energy absorbed or released during a phase change of a substance.
Urban Heat Island:
Urban areas that are warmer than surrounding rural areas due to human activities.
Isotherm:
A line on a map connecting points of equal temperature.
Coriolis Effect:
The deflection of moving objects caused by Earth’s rotation.
Jet Stream:
High-speed winds in the upper atmosphere that influence weather patterns.
Relative Humidity:
The ratio of actual water vapor content to the maximum amount the air can hold at a given temperature.
Adiabatic Lapse Rate:
The rate of temperature change of an air parcel as it rises or descends without exchanging heat.
Air Mass:
A large body of air with uniform temperature and moisture characteristics.
Fog:
A cloud that forms at ground level.
Orographic Lift
Air rising and cooling as it is forced over a mountain range.
Cyclone:
A system of winds rotating inward to an area of low pressure.
Cold Front:
A boundary where a cold air mass replaces a warmer air mass.
Köppen Climate Classification:
A system used to classify the world’s climates based on temperature, precipitation, and vegetation.
Thunderstorm:
A storm with lightning and thunder caused by rapidly rising air.
Mesothermal Climate:
A moderate climate with warm summers and mild winters.
Paleoclimatology:
The study of past climates using geological and biological evidence.
Milankovitch Cycles:
Long-term variations in Earth’s orbit and tilt that influence climate.
Hydrologic Cycle:
The movement of water through the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere.
Field Capacity:
The maximum amount of water soil can hold after excess water drains.
Aquifer:
A layer of permeable rock or sediment that holds and transmits groundwater.
Water Table:
The upper surface of groundwater where soil is fully saturated.
Erosion:
The process of wearing away Earth’s surface by water, wind, or ice.
Deposition:
The process by which sediments are laid down in new locations.
Meander:
A curve or bend in a river channel.
Floodplain:
Flat land near a river that floods during high discharge.
Chemical Weathering:
The breakdown of rocks through chemical reactions (e.g., oxidation, hydrolysis).
Mass Movement:
The downslope movement of soil and rock under the influence of gravity.
Moraine:
A ridge or mound of debris deposited by a glacier.
Till:
Unsorted glacial sediment deposited directly by ice.
