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GEOG272 > Intro to geography & systems > Flashcards

Intro to geography & systems Flashcards

1
Q

What does a revolution of 365.2422 days around the sun represent?

A

A tropical year measured from equinox to equinox, or the elapsed time between two crossings of the equator by the sun.

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2
Q

What discourages change in a system?

A

Negative feedback

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3
Q

How many degrees is the axial tilt of the Earth?

A

an average of 23.5 degrees away from a right angle with the plane of the ecliptic. It remains fixed relative to this plane as the Earth revolves around the sun.

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4
Q

Which equilibrium within a system is described as: the rates of inputs and outputs
in the system equal and the amounts of
energy and matter in storage within the
system constant?

A

The steady-state equilibrium. Ex: rivers adjusting flow.

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5
Q

What is the rotational velocity at the equator?

A

about 1675 km/h.

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6
Q

What are the dimensions of the Earth?

A
  • the equator is: 12 756 km long or 7926 miles
  • the equator-north pole/ south pole distance is: 7900 miles
    -the polar circumference: 40 008 km or 24 860 miles
    the equatorial circumference: 40 075 km or 24 902 miles
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7
Q

How are latitudes affected by the sun angle and insolation intensity ?

A

The intensity of solar energy at Earth’s surface varies with the angle of incidence becoming less concentrated at higher altitudes: North and South poles are the highest for ex (two extremities)

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8
Q

What is the length in km depending on the latitudes in degrees (know some of them)

A

90 degrees (poles) in latitude= 111.70 km
90 degrees in longitudes= 0 km
60 degrees in latitude = 111.42 km
60 degrees in longitude= 55.8 km
40 degrees in latitude= 111.04 km
40 degrees in longitudes= 85.40 km
0 degrees in latitudes (equator)= 110.58 km
0 degrees in longitudes (equator) = 111.32 km

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9
Q

Which ones between latitudes and longitudes are parallel?

A

Latitudes are parallel and the longitudes cross them vertically.

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10
Q

What is a dynamic equilibrium?

A

-When a steady-state system demonstrates a changing trend over time. May appear gradually and are compensated for by the system.
-Functional operations of system are
maintained, resisting abrupt change.
* Adjustments made within a system
(feedback) to create a steady-state.

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11
Q

During the winter solstice (21/22 December) how is the Earth positioned from the sun?

A

The Earth is positioned so that the north polar end of its axis leans at the maximum angle away from the sun (sub-solar point 23.5 degrees S latitude with the tropic of Capricorn //)
It excludes areas above the arctic circle from the circle of illumination= 24h period of darkness.

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12
Q

What are the reasons (5) seasons happen?

A

1) Earth’s revolution around the sun
2) Earth’s daily rotation on its axis
3) Earth’s tilted Axis
4) Axial parallelism
5) Sphericity

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13
Q

What are the names of the five main circle of latitudes and their geographic coordinates?

A
  1. The Arctic circle: 66 degrees, 34’ N
  2. Tropic of Cancer: 23 degrees, 26’N
    3.Equator: 0 degrees
    4.Tropic of Capricorn: 23 degrees, 26’S
  3. Antarctic Circle: 66 degrees, 34’S
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14
Q

What is the circle of illumination ?

A

The dividing line between day and night. It intersects the equator so daylength at the equator is always evenly divided (12/12).

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15
Q

What is the definition of latitude?

A

It’s the angular distance of a place north or south of the equator.

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16
Q

With a system approach, define the Earth in terms of matter:

A

It may be considered a closed
system in terms of matter (with the
exception of lightweight gasses from
atmosphere into space and the input of
meteors and cosmic dust).

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17
Q

What is dawn?

A

The period of diffused light before sunrise

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18
Q

In which direction does the sun rise and set from above the equator?

A

the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

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19
Q

What is the direction of rotation from above north and south pole?

A

from the point of vue of the north pole the rotation is counterclockwise and from the point of vue of the south pole it’s clockwise.

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20
Q

what are the five major themes important when studying geography?

A
  1. Location
  2. Region
  3. Human-Earth relationship
    4.Movement
  4. Place
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21
Q

With a system approach, define the Earth in terms of energy:

A

the Earth is an open
system, with energy entering and leaving over time.

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22
Q

What is a steady-state equilibrium?

A

“-Most systems maintain structure and character over time. An energy and material system that remains balanced over time, in which conditions are constant or recur, is in a steady state condition.”
-When a system has reached a point of
little/no change, remaining constant over
time: outside influences are minimal.
characteristics or properties of the system
do not change over time.

23
Q

Define perihelion:

A

The closest position (to the sun) on January 3rd in Northern hemisphere winter is 147 255 000 km

24
Q

What is caused by the rotation of the Earth?

A

A daily/diurnal rythmn in daylight, air temperature, humidity and air motion, with flow paths of both air and water consistently turned in one direction.

25
Q

What are models of systems?

A

They are representations of real-world situations; computer-generated, physical models, etc.

26
Q

What is declination

A

the latitude of the subsolar point. It migrates through 47 degrees of latitude, moving between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn

27
Q

What is the definition of longitudes?

A

It’s the angular distance of a place east or west of the prime meridian.

28
Q

What is physical geography?

A

It studies the components and systems that make up the environment: energy, air, water,
weather, climate, landforms, soils,
animals, plants, micro-organisms, and
the Earth itself.

29
Q

What is eccentricity and how does it affect the perihelion and aphelion season?

A

It’s the deviation from a perfect circle. The more elliptical the orbit, the lesser the duration of perihelion season and the greater the duration of aphelion season; thus, the greater the difference in solar energy input between perihelion and aphelion.

30
Q

What is positive feedback described as?

A

It is described as the encouragement of
change in a system, and can lead to a
‘snowballing’ effect, leading to instability,
disruption and, for example, death of living
organisms within the system. Various
aspects of climate change exhibited today
are key examples of positive feedback
loops

31
Q

What are tresholds/tipping points?

A

changes (outside) to the system which move it
away from equilibrium “branching into a new operational level.”

32
Q

What is the linear velocity at the poles?

A

0 km/h.

33
Q

What is the Earth’s average speed of orbit?

A

107,280 km/hr.

34
Q

At the equinox, how is the Earth positioned from the sun?

A

The circle of illum. passes through both poles so that all locations on Earth experience a 12h day/night. The sub-solar point is at 0 degrees on the equator.

35
Q

How does latitude affect day length?

A

During the winter .the higher the latitude is the less daylight there is.
At the equinox, the number of hours of daylight and night are equal for all latitudes
On summer solstice, the higher the latitude is the longer the daylight is.
On the equator the daylight is always equal to the night all year long.

36
Q

How can you describe the revolution of the Earth?

A

The Earth revolves counterclockwise aorund the sun in a slightly elliptical orbit. This means that in our winter, we are in fact about 5 million km closer to the sun than in the summer.

37
Q

What is the variation in km of the structure of the Earth’s orbit over long periods of time (what is that period of time)?

A

It varies more than 17.7 million km (during 100, 000-year cycle)

38
Q

What is an altitude?

A

The angle between the horizon and the sun.

39
Q

What is a feedback loop?

A

As a system operates, it generates outputs
that influence its own outputs, acting as
‘information’ that returns to various points
in the system through pathways

40
Q

Define Aphelion :

A

The farthest distance (from the sun) on July 4th during Northern hemisphere summer is 152,083, 000 km .

41
Q

How is the rotation speed affected according to the position on Earth.

A
  • The earth is spinning fastest at the equator and slowest at the poles. (Similar to when we run in a circle and the person furthest to the center has to run faster to finish the distance at the same time as someone running in a smaller cercle near the center.)
  • Rotation along with the gravitational pull of the moon, also influences tides by moving entire tide-generating force field around the Earth each day.
42
Q

Name all the latitudinal geographical zones and their coordinates:

A

-Arctic: 66.5 degrees N to North pole
-Subarctic: 55 degrees N to 66.5 degrees N
-Midaltitude: 35 degrees N to 55 degrees N
-Equatorial and tropical: 23.5 degrees N to 23.5 degrees S
-Subtropical: 23.5 degrees S to 35 degrees S
-Midaltitude (but under the equator): 35 degrees S to 55 degrees S
-Subantarctic: 55 degrees S to 66.5 degrees S
-Antarctic: 66.5 degrees S to South pole.

43
Q

What is scale ?

A

Scale tells us the relationship between
the size of an area on a map and the
actual size of the mapped area on the
surface of the earth.

44
Q

What are sub-systems ?

A

They include river systems,
coastal systems, oceanic systems,
atmospheric systems, ecosystems, etc.

45
Q

What is twilight?

A

The diffused light before sunset.

46
Q

What is axial parallelism?

A

As the Earth revolves in its orbit its axis always appears parralel to itself.

47
Q

What is the definition of geographical grid ?

A

a system of geometrical coordinates used
in designating the location of places on the surface of the earth.

48
Q

What is the earth’s axis?

A

The axis is an imaginary line extending through the planet from the geographical North Pole to the South Pole.

49
Q

Explain the Coriolis force and how it affects the linear velocity?

A

The coriolis force is the apparent acceleration of a moving body on or near the Earth as a result of the Earth’s rotation. The Coriolis effect is an important determinant of wind direction on a global scale

example to understand the effect on linear velocity: if a cloud is formed on top of the equator and the wind drifts it away in the north hemisphere, since the linear velocity is faster at the equator, further away (where it’s slower) in the north hemisphere it will move ahead of the rest which means it will curve up to the right. On the contrary, if the cloud comes for example from Greenland where the linear velocity is slower, to the equator) it will fall down behind which means it will curve down to the left. Coming from the south pole to the equator the cloud would fall behind which means it curve up to the left and in the opposite, from the equator to the south pole, the cloud would move ahead of the rest and curve down to the right.

50
Q

What are the environmental spheres of the Earth?

A
  1. The atmosphere
  2. the hydrosphere
    3.the lithosphere
  3. the biosphere
  4. the cryosphere
51
Q

During the summer solstice (June 20 or 21st) how is the Earth positioned from the sun?

A

The north polar end of the axis is tilted at its maximum angle towards the sun. (sub-solar point is 23.5 degrees N latitude on tropic of cancer)
Polar region, everything north of the arctic circle receives 24h of daylight (midnight sun) while the Antarctic = darkness.

52
Q

What are the main altitudes of the sun during a whole day?

A

Sunrise= 0 degrees
halfway altitude= 45 degrees
Sub-solar point (zenith) = 90 degrees altitude, when insolation is at the maximum / most direct impact of insolation.

53
Q

What does the prime meridian represent?

A

The prime meridian is the line of 0 degrees longitude.

54
Q

What are the geographic coordinates of the north and south poles:

A

North pole: 90 degrees north
South pole: 90 degrees south

GEOG272 (9 decks)

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