Physical Geography - Unit One Flashcards
The geographic theme that asks “How can you describe it?”
PLACE
Theory that explains the earth’s structure as having a crust that consists of huge slabs of rock that move
PLATE TECTONICS
The unpredictable, short-term changes in the air
WEATHER
Lines on a map, also called parallels, which run east to west
LATITUDE
The geographic theme that asks “What similarities exist in an area?”
REGION
The moving of weathered material by wind, water and ice
EROSION
The geographic theme that asks “Where is it?”
LOCATION
Predictable, long-term pattern of weather over time
CLIMATE
Height above sea level
ELEVATION
The type of location that uses nearby place names
RELATIVE LOCATION
The geographic theme that asks “How do people change a place and adapt to their environment?”
HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION
Four things you will find on most any map
MAP KEY, TITLE, SCALE, AND COMPASS ROSE
The geographic theme that asks “How do people, goods and ideas travel?”
MOVEMENT
The type of location that uses latitude and longitude
ABSOLUTE LOCATION
Three layers of the earth
CORE, MANTLE AND CRUST
Narrow stretch of land connecting two larger pieces of land
ISTHMUS
The process of breaking down surface rock into boulders, gravel, sand, and soil
WEATHERING
A piece of land that juts out into a body of water and is surrounded by water on three sides
PENINSULA
Land area, smaller than a continent, completely surrounded by water
ISLAND
Lines on a map, also called meridians, that run north to south
LONGITUDE
Three things that can result from the movement of tectonic plates
EARTHQUAKES, VOLCANOS AND TSUNAMIS
Factors that can affect the climate of a region
SUN, WIND, WATER, AND LANDFORMS
A deep and narrow valley with steep walls
CANYON
Large natural stream of water that runs through the land
RIVER
Land with steep sides that rises sharply from surrounding land; generally larger and more rugged than a hill
MOUNTAIN
Area of level land, usually at a low elevation and often covered with grass
PLAIN
Area of low land between hills or mountains
VALLEY
A barren region with little rainfall, extreme temperatures, and little or no plant life
DESERT
Narrow stretch of water joining two larger bodies of water
STRAIT
Small river or stream that flows into a larger river or stream
TRIBUTARY
