Unit 2- interactions in the physical environoment

Question 1

geologic time

Answer 1

history of the earth from its formation to the present. divided into several major time periods(4).

Question 2

era

Answer 2

major divisions of geologic time

Question 3

pangaea

Answer 3

super-continent formed that included all earths land masses existed from about 300 million years ago to 200 million years ago

Question 4

convection currents

Answer 4

circular movements in a gas/ liquid created by uneven heating

Question 5

folding

Answer 5

over a long period of time,and under conditions of high temperature/pressure. rock layers slowly bend, rather than break ex: rockies or appalachians

Question 6

faulting

Answer 6

cracks in bedrock along with movement that has taken place. produced in earths crust by stress that covenction currents create in the mantle. this can occur in any type of rock over a large amount of time ex: the southern part of the Canadian shield ( single/double faulting)`

Question 7

weathering

Answer 7

breakdown of rock, into small particles

Question 8

erosion

Answer 8

wearing away of earths surface followed by movement to other locations of material worn away.

Question 9

topography

Answer 9

natural and human features of the landscape

Question 10

escarpment

Answer 10

steep cliff formed by erosion or faulting

Question 11

rift valley

Answer 11

created when portion of the land between two faults(cracks) drops down ex: st lawrence river

Question 12

advancing glacier

Answer 12

if the rate of melt is slower than the rate of accumulation,the glacier advances —> gets larger

Question 13

retreating glacier

Answer 13

if rate of melt is faster than rate of accumulation, the glacier retreats (gets smaller—> melts)

Question 14

zone of acumulation

Answer 14

area found in middle of glacier

Question 15

terminal moraine

Answer 15

when a glacier retreats (melt) till is left behind of a terminal moraine (till-sand,gravel,dirt,rocks)

Question 16

arret

Answer 16

two cirque glaciers erode to a jagged edge

Question 17

horn

Answer 17

four cirque glaciers erode to a jagged edge

Question 18

weather

Answer 18

combination of temperature, precipitation cloud cover and winds experienced daily

Question 19

climate

Answer 19

weather conditions of a place averaged over a long period of time

Question 20

temperature range

Answer 20

subtraction of coldest average monthly temp from warmest month temp `

Question 21

leaching

Answer 21

removal of minerals from soil by water as it moves downward thru soil . leaching occurs in wet climates

Question 22

calcification

Answer 22

process by which in dry climates water carrying dissolved minerals moves upward. at the surface the minerals are left there. the soils then considered calcified.

Question 23

tree line

Answer 23

boundary between tundra and boreal forest. north of this line, its too cold for trees to grow.

Question 24

humus

Answer 24

dark upper layer of made up of partially decayed plant material

Question 25

transition zone

Answer 25

area where the characteristics of one region,gradually change into those of another.

Question 26

permafrost

Answer 26

permanently frozen ground that does not completely thaw during the summer months

Question 27

name the four periods of geologic time and the biological life forms on earth during those four periods.

Answer 27

pre cambrian- No life , formation of Canadian shield
palaeozoic-age of amphibians , single and mulicelled organisms appeared
mesozoic- age of reptiles, first vertabrates appear
cenozoic- age of mammals, we appear, mountains form

Question 28

name and describe the layers that form the earths structure

Answer 28

Inner core- solid and metallic minerals
outer core- molten/liquid rock
mantle - magma AKA lava
crust- also lithosphere

Question 29

name the 3 main types of rock. give examples.

Answer 29

igneous- granite
sedimentary- limestone
metamorphic- gneiss

Question 30

what types of rock make up the…
canadian shield
interior plains
western cordillera

Answer 30

canadian shield - igneous and metamorphic
interior plains- sedimentary
western cordillera - all 3 , just depending where you are

Question 31

how can you tell the appalachians are older?

Answer 31

• formed 300 M yrs ago
• they have had lots of time to ware down
• eroded

Question 32

a) oldest rocks in canada:
b) oil and gas:
c) metallic minerals
d) canadas tallest trees
e) mainly deciduous forest

Answer 32

a) oldest rocks in canada: canadian shield
b) oil and gas: interior plains
c) metallic minerals: canadian shield
d) canadas tallest trees: western cordillera
e) mainly deciduous forest: great lakes/st.lawrence lowlands

Question 33

whats a martime climate

Answer 33

close to large body of water
cool to warm temps in summer
in winter, its mild cool and rainy 
1000 to 2000 mm of precip
ex: vancouver

Question 34

whats a continental climate

Answer 34

far from bodies of water
summer temp: 27.3
winter temp: 2.6 
temp range : 25 to 30
precip: 200-1000 mm

Question 35

6 factors that effect climate:

Answer 35

LOWERN
latitude-temp becomes cold further you are from the equator
ocean currents- west:heats east: cools SE:warms
winds and air masses: as prevailing winds they are cold
elevation- higher you are, the colder
relief- mountai barriers make air descend and contract and become warm
near water- absorbs heat during summer, moderating the cold temperatures during winter

Question 36

name the three ocean currents that effect canadas coastal temps the most.

Answer 36

labrador current- cold and foggy
north pacific- heats cool air that passes thru
gulf stream- warms the air of coastal areas

Question 37

list the 3 types of precipitation and where each type is most likely to occur in canada

Answer 37

relief/orographic precipitation (vancouver-leewardside)(calgary-windward side)
conventional precipitation- plains
frontal or cylconic precipitation- ontario

Question 38

what are the four components that make up soil?

Answer 38

minerals 
bacteria and organic material
air 
moisture
mbam

Question 39

why do prairie soils have a thicker topsoil layer than soils in southern ontario

Answer 39

grass breaks down more easily