Physical Geography Flashcards
What does “LOWERN” stand for?
Latitude
Ocean Currents
Wind and Air Masses
Elevation
Relief
Near Water
These are all facts that affect a region’s climate.
What is the Earth’s Crust made out of?
A thin layer of solid rock
What are the 4 layers of the Earth?
- Earth’s crust (continental, oceanic)
- Mantle
- Outer core
- Inner core
Who came up with Plate Tectonic theory?
Alfred Wegner
Plate Tectonics say that the earth’s outer shell is…
Divided into several plates that move around and collide via continental drift
These plates were all originally connected, what were they called when they were?
Pangaea
Meaning “all lands”
There are __ major plates and __ minor plates
7 major plates
8 minor plates
Define Latitude
Sunlight doesn’t hit the earth evenly and it directly hits the equator
So the closer to the equator, the warmer the climate would be
Define Ocean Currents
Moves warm water and precipitation around coastal regions
Though it mainly just evens out extreme weather
Define Wind and Air Masses
Hot air rises and cool air flows under it to create wind
Wind can be local or global and can affect both climates
Air Masses are big areas of uniform temperature
Define Elevation
Elevation is height above sea level
The higher the elevation, the lower the average temperature
Define Relief
The difference between the highest and lowest point of elevation - refers to the shape and height of location
Windward - where all air condenses to rain
Leeward - dry side of mountain
Define Near Water
Water will heat up or cold down a lot slower than a land mass will
Land Masses near water will be affected by the temperature of water
Mainly helps even out extreme weather
What are the 5 different types of air Masses
Maritime (wet)
Continental (dry)
Tropical (hot)
Polar (cold)
Arctic (very cold)
Feature of maritime air mass
Wet
Feature of continental air mass
Dry
Feature of tropical air mass
Hot
Feature of polar air mass
Cold
Feature of Arctic air mass
Very cold
Name the 3 different plate boundaries and how they move
Convergent (move into each other)
Divergent (move away)
Transform (move past each other)
What do convergent boundaries create?
Earthquakes
Volcanoes
Mountain chains
What do Divergent boundaries create?
Ocean ridges
(Seafloor spreading)
Rift valleys
What do transform boundaries create?
Earthquakes
Fault lines
Ridges
What order does the rock cycle go in?
(Very simply)
- Magma
- Igneous rocks
- Sedimentary rocks
- Metamorphic rocks
What is the Pacific Ring of Fire?
A path along the Pacific ocean, known for being a primary region for earthquakes and volcanoes
Mainly made up of convergent boundaries
Seafloor spreading is caused by…
Divergent boundaries
(seafloor spreading)
Rocks are the oldest _____ from the M.A.R (or just an ocean ridge)
Furthest
(seafloor spreading)
Rocks the same distance from the M.A.R are the….
Same age
What does the M.A.R. stand for?
The “Mid Atlantic Ridge”
List the landform regions in Canada
Western Cordillera
Interior Plains
Canadian Shield
Hudson Bay Lowlands
Great Lakes - St Lawrence Lowlands
Appalachian Region
Arctic Lowlands
Innuitian Mountains
List some environmental hazards
Earthquakes
Volcanoes
Tornados
Forest Fires
Floods
Landslides
Less than 25°C is a ______ climate
Maritime
More than 25°C is a _____ climate
Continental
Name the 4 different eras
- Precambrian era (earliest life)
- Paleozoic era (anicent life)
- Mesozoic era (middle life)
- Cenozoic era (recent life)
What was a main event in the Precambrian era?
The Canadian Shield was formed
What was a main event in the Paleozoic era?
The Appalachian mountains were formed
What was a main event in the Mesozoic era?
The rocky mountains began to form
What was a main event in the Cenozoic era?
The ice age happened in North America and the Rockies finished forming
Maritime Climate vs Continental Climate
maritime temperatures have mild climates with small temperature swings
continental climates have drastic temperature changes between seasons
What is Climate change? Why does it happen?
Climate change is change in the typical weather of a region - or in this case, the earth
Climate change can be a natural process, however with all our use of fossil fuels, we’re causing global warming.
We’re heating up the earth much quicker than it naturally would because of the excess amounts of CO2 we’re emitting
Maritime Climate is influenced by…
nearby ocean
Continental climate is influenced by….
nearby land
Define Weathering
the breaking down or dissolving of rocks and minerals on the surface of the earth
How does glaciation affect landforms?
pressure pushes them down on land and when they move they push rocks around
then when they melt, they leave the rocks stuck between them behind and melt, creating bodies of water
