Part A Geography test Flashcards
What are plate tectonics?
Large pieces of the earth’s crust that floats on magma or the mantle
What is the major force that changes topography?
Erosion: it weathers down rock which causes the topography to change
What is topography?
Topography is the natural and physical characteristics of a landscape put on a map can include elevation, lake, river, mountain ranges, the overall shape, and soil types
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather is the state of the atmosphere while climate is the change of weather over time
What is a mixed forest?
A mixed forest is the combination of coniferous and broadleaf trees in one forest
What covered the Interior Plains millions of years ago?
A giant, shallow sea
Orographic
The warm air rises on the windward slope and cools to form clouds and rain; then the air descends on the leeward slope as it becomes warmer; this process does not create rain and the area without rainfall is called a rainshadow.
Convectional
Heated air rises and cools and forms into clouds when it reaches the dew point; then precipitation begins and the dry, cooled air returns to the surface and the pattern repeats.
Frontal
The warmer, more humid air is pushed up against the colder, denser air. When it reaches the dew point, it forms into cumulonimbus clouds but the air keeps rising. It then creates altostratus and cirrostratus clouds and then the precipitation begins.
Describe reasons for settlement.
People settle for the physical environment and economic possibilities. Flat land, mild winter, average precipitation, good soil, and a lot of resources also determine if a place should be settled in or not.
Impact of Water on Temperature
Ocean currents push warm air to polar regions and cool air to tropical regions
Describe Boom and Bust Towns
Boom and Bust towns are when a town increases in population due to the amount of resources there. When the resources are gone, the population decreases.
