Tt2 Flashcards
(26 cards)
What are the four layers of the atmosphere in order?
Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere.
What is the function of the ozone layer?
It absorbs most of the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
What is the greenhouse effect?
The process by which greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, warming the Earth.
Name three main greenhouse gases.
Carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and water vapor (H₂O).
What causes wind to form?
Differences in atmospheric pressure; wind moves from high to low pressure areas.
What is the Coriolis effect?
The deflection of wind and ocean currents due to the Earth’s rotation, causing them to curve.
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather refers to short-term atmospheric conditions, while climate is the long-term average of weather patterns in a region.
What are trade winds?
Steady winds that flow from the east in tropical regions, near the equator.
Define geomorphology.
The study of the physical features of the Earth’s surface and the processes that create them.
What is erosion?
The process by which soil, rock, or sediment is worn away and moved by wind, water, or ice.
Name three agents of erosion.
Water, wind, and ice.
What is weathering?
The breakdown of rocks into smaller pieces by physical or chemical processes.
Define physical weathering and give an example.
Physical weathering is the breakdown of rocks without chemical change, e.g., freeze-thaw action.
What is chemical weathering?
The process where rock is broken down through chemical reactions, such as acid rain dissolving limestone.
Describe the difference between a river’s upper course and lower course.
The upper course has steep gradients and narrow channels, while the lower course has gentle slopes and wider channels.
What is deposition in geomorphology?
The process where sediments carried by wind, water, or ice are dropped or settled.
What is a delta?
A landform created by deposition of sediment where a river flows into an ocean or lake.
What does GIS stand for?
Geographic Information Systems.
Define GIS.
A system for capturing, storing, analyzing, and managing geographic data.
Name two components of GIS.
Hardware (computers, GPS) and software (mapping programs).
What is spatial data?
Data that has a geographic or locational component, such as coordinates or addresses.
What are raster and vector data in GIS?
Raster data is a grid of pixels (often used for satellite images), while vector data uses points, lines, and polygons (like roads or boundaries).
Give an example of how GIS is used.
GIS is used in urban planning, environmental conservation, disaster management, etc.
What is a map layer in GIS?
A single layer of data on a map, such as roads, vegetation, or population, which can be stacked with other layers.
