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Geography > Physical Geography > Flashcards

Physical Geography Flashcards

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1
Q

is a recent glacial episode that began roughly 2.5 million years ago, marking the beginning of the Quaternary period

A

The Pleistocene

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2
Q

Earth orbits the sun in an ____

A

ellipse

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3
Q

the departure of the Earth’s elliptical orbit from a circular shape. This is what influences our solstices/equinoxes.

A

orbital eccentricity

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4
Q

the slow and continuous change in the orientation of Earth’s rotational axis. Caused by gravitational pull on Earth by the Moon and Sun!

A

Axial Precession

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5
Q

the angle of tilt between the Earth’s rotational axis and orbital axis.

A

Axial tilt

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6
Q

Currently the Earth is at a tilt of ___ degrees.

A

23.5

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7
Q

Glacial landforms result from 2 processes:

A
  • erosion by ice/meltwater

- deposition by ice/meltwater

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8
Q

Elongated hill in the shape of an inverted spoon formed by the advance of a glacier acting on the underlying unconsolidated material.

A

Drumlins

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9
Q

Ridges or mounds of glacial material deposited close to the ice margin, often associated with uneven topography.

A

Moraines

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10
Q

Winding ridges of stratified sand and gravel frequently kilometres long, possibly formed from meltwater running through glacial tunnels.

A

Eskers

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11
Q

The Canadian Great Lakes contain __ % of the world’s surface fresh water.

A

21

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12
Q

Deposited by retreating glacial ice, often rocks geographically and geologically unrelated to their situation.

A

Erratics/Dropstones

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13
Q

Subsurface material that has remained in a frozen state for 2 or more years.

A

Permafrost

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14
Q

Earth began as a fiery ball of lava in the ___ period.

A

Hadean

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15
Q

Precambrain

A

Canadian Shield

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16
Q

Paleozoic

A

Appalachian Uplands, Arctic Lands

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17
Q

Mesozoic

A

Interior Plains

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18
Q

Cenozoic

A

Cordilera

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19
Q

Quaternary

A

Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Lowlands

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20
Q

Pleistocene

A

Hudson Bay Lowlands

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21
Q

are often built from forces called convergent stress and strain.

A

Mountain belts (or orogenies)

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22
Q

Canada’s 3 principal mountain chains:

A

the Rockies to the west, the Innutian Mountains to the North, and the Appalachian mountains to the East

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23
Q

is essentially an inland sea caused by high sea levels, one of which covered most of interior North America during the Mesozoic era.

A

An Epeiric sea

24
Q

An area with distinct surface landforms (geomorphology) and underlying bedrock structure (geology)

A

Physiographic region

25
Q

the study of landforms and the processes of their genesis

A

Geomorphology

26
Q

is the starter rock for geology; it originally comes from lava.

A

Igenous rock

27
Q

Common types of Igenous rock

A

Basalt, obsidian, and granite.

28
Q

have been altered chemically and physically by either great pressures, heat or both and are often formed deep beneath the Earth’s surface.

A

Metamorphic rocks

29
Q

Common types of Metamorphic rocks

A

Gneiss, Quartzite, Schist

30
Q

is made from sediments (or particles) of other existing rocks.

A

Sedimentary rock

31
Q

often carried long distances and are eroded over time to form small sediment particles than then become cemented together once again.

A

Sedimentary rock

32
Q

common types of sedimentary rock

A

Sandstone, limestone, and chalk.

33
Q

Canada has __ physiographic regions

A

7

34
Q
  • contains 16% of Canada;s total landmass
  • comprised by ranges of mountains, plateaus and valleys
  • creation is a result of plate tectonics
  • area is still subject to earthquakes today
A

Cordillera

35
Q
  • a network of geologically stable sedimentary plains
  • covering 20% of Canada’s total landmass
  • was covered by Epieric seas in the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras
  • most of the human population lives in the southernmost parts
A

Interior Plains and Prairies

36
Q
  • located North of the Arctic Circle and boreal treeline

- 3 main sub regions, namely the Arctic Platform, located on the western half and made up of sedimentary rock plateaus

A

Arctic Archipelago

37
Q
  • covering nearly half of the landmass
  • represents the ancient geological core of NA, which formed 4.5 billion years ago from molten Igenous rock
  • during the last glacial maximum and retreat, this area was subject to heavy glacial erosion.
  • topography includes a rugged rolling upland
A

Canadian Shield

38
Q
  • covers 3.5% of Canada’s area
  • underlain by Canadian Shield bedrock
  • youngest physiographic region
  • contains a vast wetland overlain with muskeg and water with underlying permafrost
A

Hudson’s Bay Lowlands

39
Q
  • smallest physiographic region (less than 2%)

- contains limestone sedimentary rock overlain by glacial till

A

Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Lowlands

40
Q
  • covers 2% of Canada’s landmass

- are the weathered roots of the Taconic Mountain Chain

A

Appalachian Uplands

41
Q

the long term behaviour of weather in a bounded area, usually averaged over decades or centuries

A

climate

42
Q

the short term, fluctuating behaviour of precipitation, cloud cover, temperature and wind, usually over time scales less than a year

A

weather

43
Q
  • has a marine climate influenced by the Pacific Ocean, with warm summers and cool winters.
  • It has a seasonal variation in temperature with a wetter winter season, and is dominated by a type of precipitation known as orographic- due to the lifting of moist air over a mountain barrier.
A

The Pacific region

44
Q
  • higher elevation (lower temperature)

- higher precipitation on leeward side of mountains

A

Pacific Cordillera

45
Q
  • allows for a continental climate, with hot summers and cold winters.
  • This area is the site of polar and tropical air current convergence, and precipitation patterns decrease east to west.
A

The Prairies

46
Q
  • The southern-most parts of Quebec & Ontario feature a humid, continental climate, with hot humid summers and cold winters.
  • produce a moderating effect on the winter temperatures in this region.
A

The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Basin

47
Q

It is a sub area of Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Lowlands, nicknamed Canada’s “Deep South” because it has the warmest average annual temperature in Canada, as well as the longest frost free season.

A

The Carolinian forest

48
Q
  • The Maritime climate zone on Canada’s east coast features cool winters and warm summers.
  • This region is influenced by ocean currents, with warm water from the Caribbean brought north by the Gulf Stream, and cold water brought south by the Labrador Current.
A

The Atlantic

49
Q
  • high latitude; very cold temperatures throughout the year

- experiences total darkness during the winter and 100% sunlight in the summer.

A

The Arctic

50
Q
  • largest climate region

- It experiences cold winters, with a high temperature range from winter to summer.

A

The Subarctic

51
Q

a new geologic era deeming the arrival of humans and the permanent geologic mark left on earth

A

Anthropocene

52
Q

term for the rising trend in temperature most likely caused by the recent influx of greenhouse gases.

A

global warming

53
Q

anthropomorphic induced or natural causes of changing climate patterns

A

climate change

54
Q

is a result of uneven physical, chemical and glacial erosion of limestone rocks over millions of years and many different types of rock.

A

The Niagara Escarpment

55
Q
  • landforms created from the dissolution of limestone by later erosion
  • include caves, waterfalls, sinkholes, underwater streams, cenotes.
A

Karst Formations

Geography (6 decks)

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