Module 2 Flashcards
(36 cards)
what is a physiographic region?
a large area of the earth’s crust that has three characteristics:
1. It extends over a large, contiguous area with similar relief features
2. Its landform has been shaped by a common set of geomorphic processes
3. It possesses a common geological structure and history
How much of Canada is under ice now? as opposed to 1.5 million years ago?
1%, almost ALL of Canada was under ice 1.5 million years ago.
What are the principle types of landforms?
-Mountains
-Plateaus
-lowlands
How are landforms shaped and reshaped?
-Denudation
-Weathering
-Erosion
-Deposition
Canadas 7 physiographic regions
-Canadian Shield
-The Cordillera
-The Interior Plains
-Hudson Bay Lowlands
-Arctic Lands
-Appalachian Uplands
-Great Lakes - St Lawrence Lowlands
What is Canadian Shield?
The largest physiographic region in Canada, extending over nearly half of the country’s land mass
Rock-like surface consists mainly of rugged, rolling upland
During last ice advance, surfaces were subjected to glacial
erosion and deposition
o Contains wealth of varied mineral resources
What is Canadian Shield like physically?
South has thick forests, north is tundra
thin rocky soil
tons of lakes
most important resource is minerals such as; iron ore, nickel, silver, gold.
What is the Cordillera?
Complex region of mountains, plateaus,
and valleys
o Occupies over 16% of Canada
o North–South alignment extends from southern British Columbia to Yukon; western border is Pacific Ocean
o Formed by plate tectonics
o The Rocky Mountains are the best known of the mountain ranges
What are the Rocky Mountains?
Longest mountain range in North America Extends from Alaska to Mexico
Formed fromTectonicPlates
What are the interior plains?
A vast and geologically stable sedimentary plain that covers
nearly 20% of Canada
o Considered a stable geological region
o Beneath the surface, valuable deposits of oil and gas (fossil fuels) are in sedimentary structures known as basins
What are the Hudson Bay Lowlands?
Comprises 3.5% of Canada
o Consist of a thin cover of marine sediments deposited by the Atlantic Ocean 10,000–12,000 years ago
o Permafrost is widespread
o The youngest physiographic region
o Has very small human settlements
o Muskeg is the dominate ground cover
What are the Arctic lands?
Lies north of the Arctic Circle, and stretches nearly 10% of
Canada
o A complex composite of coastal plains, plateaus, and mountains
o Three principal sub-regions: the Arctic Platform, the Arctic Coastal Plain, and the Innuitian Mountain Complex
o Ground consists of permafrost
Arctic Lowlands
Coastal plains and lowlands
* Permafrost
* Polar desert with very low
precipitation
* Extreme arctic climate conditions
Inuitian Mountains
Plateau and mountains
* Extensive coastal drowning and fjords
* Islands
* Uplifting and isostatic rebound
* Extreme cold
* Pack ice and ice flows
* Glacier calving
What are the Appalachian Uplands?
Represents only 2% of Canada’s land mass
o Consists of the northern section of the Appalachian Mountains
o Weathering and erosion have worn down these mountains
What are the Great Lakes-St Lawrence Lowlands ?
A small but important region
o The smallest physiographic region, comprising less than 2% of the area of Canada
o Favorable location makes the region home to Canada’s main ecumene and manufacturing core
o Includes 50% of Canada’s population.
o Extremely fertile soils result great agriculture. o Some crops that grow well are :
o tobacco, peaches, cherries, grapes , apples, hay, vegetables, such as carrots, corn, onions, beets, peas and beans
What is Climate? Weather?
Climate describes average weather conditions for a specific place or region based on past weather over a very long period of time
Weather refers to the current state of the atmosphere with a focus on weather conditions that affect people living in a particular place for a relatively short period of time
What climatic types is Canadas territory associated with?
The bulk of Canada’s territory is associated with two climatic types: the Arctic and Subarctic zones
o Both have extremely long, cold winters
Three dominant factors that Canadas climate is a product of?
Solar energy/latitude
* Global circulation system: winds, air masses, and ocean
currents
* Marine and continental air masses/“continental effect”
What are Canadas 7 climatic zones?
Pacific
o Cordillera
o Prairies
o Great Lakes–St Lawrence
o Atlantic
o Subarctic
o Arctic
Why does area along pacific coast have a temperate climate?
The ocean cools the region in the summer and keeps it warmer in the winter
Climate in southeastern Canada
Most of the southeastern part of Canada has a warm to hot summers & cold winters.
* The climate in the southern and central parts of Canada allow for a long growing season
* Canada’s central plains are an important source of canola, wheat, and other grains
Canadian Soil
Good soil in Canada allows farmers to grow crops for the people of Canada with enough left over to trade with other countries
– About 5% of Canada’s land is arable (farmable)
– While this may seem like only a small amount of land, 5% of Canada is actually quite large
Climate in Northern Canada
Northern Canada has a subarctic climate
– much colder in this region of the country
– long, cold winters and short, cool summers
– possible to have temperatures below freezing even during the summer
