Lesson 1

Question 1

Describe how geographers study the world

Answer 1

Geographers study the location and distribution of things (tangible and not)–how they differ from place to place

Question 2

Compare and contrast physical geography and human geography

Answer 2

Physical: Natural science (landforms, plants, animals, weather, etc.)
Human: Social science (population, language, religion, food, etc.)

Question 3

List and explain the steps of the scientific method

Answer 3

i) observe phenomena that stimulates a question
ii) make a hypothesis about the nature of the question
iii) design an experiment to test the hypothesis
iv) predict the outcome of the experiment (success & failure)
v) conduct and observe experiment
vi) draw a conclusion

Question 4

Explain the difference between an observation, a hypothesis, a prediction or inference, and a theory

Answer 4

Observation: Taking in information
Hypothesis: Educated guess about nature of observation
Prediction: What we anticipate to happen
Theory: Working understanding (proven) about a concept

Question 5

Explain how scientists go about accepting or rejecting new scientific ideas and theories

Answer 5

Other scientists review and test a scientist’s work, looking for faults. If enough evidence exists to suggest a hypothesis is correct, it can become a theory. In the same way, when new evidence is discovered against a hypothesis/theory, it can be disproven

Question 6

Distinguish between claims testable by science and those not testable by science

Answer 6

Claims must be testable. This means no supernatural phenomena or logistically impossible tests or theories not based on observations with evidence

Question 7

List and define the Earth’s four environmental spheres

Answer 7

Atmosphere: gas envelope that sustains life, kept in motion by rotation of Earth and solar energy
Hydrosphere: The Earth’s solid, liquid, gaseous water
Lithosphere: Earth’s crust, landforms (litho=rock)
Biosphere: Life

Question 8

List and locate the seven significant lines of latitude

Answer 8

Equator 0*
Tropic of Cancer 23.5*N
Tropic of Capricorn 23.5*S
Arctic Circle 66.5*N
Antarctic Circle 66.5*S
North Pole 90*N
South Pole 90*S

Question 9

List and locate the seven descriptive zones of latitude

Answer 9

Low latitude: 30N-equator-30S
Midlatitude: 30-60 N & S
High latitude: >60* N & S
Equatorial: w/in a few degrees of the equator
Tropical: between the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer
Subtropical: 25-30 N & S
Polar: w/ a few degrees of the poles

Question 10

Great Circle

Answer 10

A plane bisecting the Earth into 2 equal halves

ex. equator or night/day line

Question 11

Parallel

Answer 11

Any line of latitude, parallel to equator

Question 12

Meridian

Answer 12

Any line of longitude

Question 13

Prime Meridian

Answer 13

0* E & W, goes through Greenwich Observatory, UK