Questions From Wilma

Question 1

What does geography consist of? What can a geographer study?

Answer 1

Geography is a field of science dedicated to the science of the lands, the features, the inhabitants, the phenomena of the earth. A geographer can investigate the physical geography and the human geography.

Example sentence: A geographer studying physical geography might investigate landforms and climate patterns.

Question 2

What are the Earth’s spheres?

Answer 2

The Earth’s spheres are lithosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere.

Example sentence: The lithosphere includes the Earth’s crust and upper mantle.

Question 3

How are the Earth’s spheres interlinked/connected?

Answer 3

All the spheres interact with each other. E.g. rain (hydrosphere) falls from the sky into the atmosphere to the lithosphere and forms rivers and streams which provides drinking water for wildlife and humans as well as water for plant growth (biosphere).

Example sentence: The biosphere relies on the hydrosphere for water.

Question 4

What is atmosphere?

Answer 4

The atmosphere are the gases surrounding the earth.

Example sentence: The atmosphere contains oxygen, nitrogen, and other gases.

Question 5

What is the difference between climate and weather?

Answer 5

Weather refers to the short-term changes in the atmosphere, whereas climate is the description of a long term (30 yrs) pattern of weather in a particular area.

Example sentence: Weather can change daily, but climate remains relatively stable over longer periods.

Question 6

What is a climate diagram?

Answer 6

A climate diagram is a graph which tells us the average temperatures and the precipitation statistics in a certain area.

Example sentence: Climate diagrams are useful for understanding seasonal weather patterns.

Question 7

What kind of threats does the atmosphere face?

Answer 7

Air pollution, climate change, deforestation

Example sentence: Carbon emissions from vehicles contribute to air pollution.

Question 8

What are the factors that affect how the climate is?

Answer 8

Distance from equator, ocean currents, wind direction, elevation (distance from sea level), distance from large bodies of water.

Example sentence: Ocean currents can influence the temperature of coastal regions.

Question 9

What kind of climate zones are there?

Answer 9

Temperate, polar, dry, tropical, Mediterranean and continental .

Example sentence: The tropical climate zone is typically found near the equator.

Question 10

What are the specific features of the temperate climate zone?

Answer 10

Temperate climate has four seasons,

Example sentence: The vegetation in the temperate climate zone changes with each season.

Question 11

What is hydrosphere?

Answer 11

Hydrosphere is water in all forms on earth.

Example sentence: The hydrosphere includes oceans, lakes, rivers, and groundwater.

Question 12

What kind of ocean currents are there?

Answer 12

There are surface and deep ocean currents.
E.g the Equatorial current is a shallow ocean current.

Example sentence: Warm ocean currents can bring milder temperatures to coastal regions.

Question 13

Why does the water move/circulate in the oceans?

Answer 13

due to wind, the Coriolis effect, earth’s rotation, and water density differences

Example sentence: The Gulf Stream is a powerful current that moves warm water from the Gulf of Mexico towards Europe.

Question 14

What effects do the currents have for the surrounding continents?

Answer 14

Currents have significant effects on the surrounding continents by influencing weather patterns and transporting heat and nutrients and also helps with shipping.

Example sentence: The North Atlantic Drift current brings warm water to Western Europe, creating milder climates.

Question 15

What is the most significant current considering Europe? Why? (you do not need to memorize the individual currents but make sure you can name a few. However, you do have to know the one referenced in the question above.)

Answer 15

The most significant current considering Europe is the North Atlantic Drift (Gulf Stream) because the gulf stream’s heat transport influences the climate of the entire Northern Hemisphere .

Example sentence: The Gulf Stream keeps the coastal areas of Western Europe warmer than other regions at similar latitudes.

Question 16

What makes up the biosphere?

Answer 16

The biosphere is made up of all living organisms on Earth and their interactions with the environment.

Example sentence: The biosphere includes plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms.

Question 17

What are the abiotic features that affect what kind of vegetation can be found in different regions around the World?

Answer 17

Abiotic features such as climate, soil, and topography ( the arrangement of natural and artificial physical features of an area) affect the type of vegetation found in different regions around the world. E.g warmer and wetter temperatures help plants grow faster

Example sentence: The presence of permafrost limits vegetation growth in the Arctic regions.

Question 18

How are the plants and animals adapted to different environmental conditions in different climate zones?

Answer 18

Plants and animals are adapted to different environmental conditions in different climate zones through evolutionary processes that allow them to survive and thrive.

Example sentence: Cacti in deserts have adapted to store water in their stems to survive in arid conditions.

Question 19

What kind of vegetation zones are there?

Answer 19

There are various vegetation zones but the 5 main ones are:forest, grassland, tundra, desert, and ice sheet

Example sentence: wildflowers, ferns, sedges, moss, other plants, and lichen grow in the forest zone

Question 20

What kind of threats do the different vegetation zones face?

Answer 20

Different vegetation zones face threats such as deforestation, climate change, pollution, and habitat destruction which can lead to loss of biodiversity.

Example sentence: Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest threatens the biodiversity of plant and animal species.

Question 21

What makes up the lithosphere?

Answer 21

The lithosphere is made up of the Earth’s crust and upper mantle, forming the solid outer layer of the planet.

Example sentence: The lithosphere consists of tectonic plates that interact with each other through plate tectonics.

Question 22

What is the structure of the Earth?

Answer 22

The Earth is composed of several layers including the inner core, outer core, mantle, and crust,

Example sentence: The Earth’s structure is similar to that of an onion, with layers of different materials.

Question 23

What causes the tectonic plates to move?

Answer 23

Tectonic plates move because of heat from the Earth’s interior causing the mantle to flow, which pushes the plates.

Example sentence: The movement of tectonic plates causes earthquakes and volcanic activity along plate boundaries.

Question 24

How many major plates are there (approximately)?

Answer 24

There are approximately 7 major tectonic plates that make up the Earth’s lithosphere.

Example sentence: The Pacific Plate is the largest tectonic plate and is surrounded by other major plates such as the North American Plate.

Question 25

What kind of different seam/margin areas are there?

Answer 25

There are different types of plate margins including divergent, convergent, and transform boundaries,. E.g. A divergent boundary occurs when two tectonic plates move away from each other.

Example sentence: The San Andreas Fault in California is a transform boundary where the Pacific Plate and North American Plate slide past each other.

Question 26

How do earthquakes happen? How are they measured? What is their impact to the surroundings? What can be done to minimize the impact/damage?

Answer 26

Earthquakes occur when tectonic plates shift and release built up stress in the Earth’s crust, measured using the Richter scale or moment magnitude scale, causing shaking and damage to buildings and infrastructure.

Example sentence: strengthening of buildings can help minimize damage from earthquakes.

Question 27

What are volcanoes? Where can they be found and what are their impact to the surroundings?

Answer 27

Volcanoes are openings in the Earth’s crust where molten rock, ash, and gases escape from below the surface . They can be found along tectonic plate boundaries, such as the Pacific Ring of Fire, and at hot spots. Volcanoes destroy buildings (lava flows), disrupt air travel and affect health (ash clouds)

Example sentence: The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD buried the city of Pompeii in volcanic ash.

Question 28

How is tsunami formed? What does it cause? What can be done to minimize the impact/damage?

Answer 28

Tsunamis are formed by underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or landslides that displace large volumes of water, causing destructive waves that can inundate coastlines, with early warning systems and evacuation plans in place to minimize damage.

Example sentence: The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami caused widespread devastation in coastal regions.

Question 29

What are the positive and negative aspects of living in active tectonic areas?

Answer 29

Living in active tectonic areas can provide fertile soils and has benefits for farmland, but also poses risks of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis that can lead to loss of life and property damage.

Example sentence: Iceland harnesses geothermal energy from volcanic activity for heating and electricity.

Question 30

What kind of vegetation can be found in the tropical climate zone and why?

Answer 30

Tropical: tall trees, ferns and wines because warm temperatures and rainfall result in rapid plant growth and rich biodiversity

Question 31

What are the specific features of the divergent margin?

Answer 31

plates moving away from eachother. e.g mid-atlantic ridge

Question 32

Can you give examples on where these margin areas are found?

Answer 32

Transform: sea floor, eg mid-ocean ridge
Divergent: most found along mid-oceanic ridges (although some are on land), eg coast of california
Convergent: for example around the pacific ocean

Question 33

what kind of features do the vegetation zones have?

Answer 33

Forest: Lots of trees, can be warm (tropical), cool (temperate), or cold (boreal).
Grassland: Mostly grasses, found in both warm and cool areas.
Desert: Very few plants, mostly cacti and shrubs, very dry.
Tundra: Cold, with small plants like moss and lichen, often frozen ground.
Ice Sheet: Almost no plants, mostly ice and snow.

Question 34

What kind of vegetation can be found in the dry climate zone and why?

Answer 34

Dry: cacti and plants that survive with very little water because dry and hot climates because these plants have adapted various ways to conserve water

Question 35

What kind of vegetation can be found in the polar climate zone and why?

Answer 35

Polar: low plants like mosses and lichens cold short growing seasons which limits plant growth

Question 36

What kind of vegetation can be found in the mountain climate zone and why?

Answer 36

Mountain: varies with elevation because temperature and moisture levels decrease with elevation

Question 37

What kind of vegetation can be found in the mediterranean climate zone and why?

Answer 37

Mediterranean: bushes and small trees because the soil quality is often nutrient poor

Question 38

What kind of vegetation can be found in the continental climate zone and why?

Answer 38

Continental: mix of deciduous and coniferous trees because temperature variations and seasonal changes support diverse plant communities

Question 39

What kind of vegetation can be found in the temperate climate zone and why?

Answer 39

Temperate: decidious trees (deciduous forest), evergreen trees (coniferous forest) because average climate with recognizable seasons allows variety of plants

Question 40

What are the specific features of the polar climate zone?

Answer 40

polar climate has cold, low temperatures all year and short summers,

Question 41

What are the specific features of the dry climate zone?

Answer 41

dry climate is dry and hot all year, tropical climate is hot and wet all year

Question 42

What are the specific features of the mountain climate zone?

Answer 42

and mountain/highland climate can be in many different climate zones, elevation determines the temperature,

Question 43

What are the specific features of the continental climate zone?

Answer 43

continental climate has hot summers, cold winters and not a lot of precipitation

Question 44

What are the specific features of the mediterranean climate zone?

Answer 44

Mediterranean has warm, dry summers and mild wet winters.

Question 45

What are the specific features of the tropical climate zone?

Answer 45

hot and wet all year

Question 46

What are the specific features of the transform margin?

Answer 46

plates sliding next to each other to same or different direction. eg. coast of California

Question 47

What are the specific features of the convergent margin?

Answer 47

oceanic plate pushing underneath the continental plate when colliding. eg. around the pacific ocean