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geography > unit 2: physical geography > Flashcards

unit 2: physical geography Flashcards

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1
Q

Earth’s Structure

A

Crust, mantle, inner core, outer core.

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2
Q

Crust

A
  • Hardest shell
  • 8 to 64km thickness
  • Constantly in motion sometimes causing earthquakes
  • Weak parts may have volcanic eruptions
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3
Q

Mantle

A
  • 10km below the ocean’s surface & 30km below continents
  • 2800km thick
  • 80% of planet’s volume
  • “Plastic” and flows in convection currents
  • Rock of the crust floats on top
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4
Q

Core

A
  • Inner part of Earth
  • 2800km below the surface
  • Dense ball of iron & nickel, 3400km
  • Solid inner & molten outer
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5
Q

Atmosphere

A
  • Gases surrounding our planet held in by gravitational field
  • Nitrogen, oxygen, Carbon dioxide
  • Protects from UV rays
  • Provides breathable air
  • Stabilizes planets temperature
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6
Q

Lithosphere

A

The rigid outer layer of the Earth, encompassing the crust and the uppermost part of the mantle. It is divided into tectonic plates (continental & oceanic).

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7
Q

Hydrosphere

A

Encompasses all the water on Earth, including oceans, lakes, rivers, glaciers, groundwater, and water vapor in the atmosphere.

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8
Q

Precambrian Era

A
  • 5 billion to 570 mya
  • Formation of Earth, cellular life, Canadian shield
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9
Q

Paleozoic Era

A
  • 570 million to 230 mya
  • Formation of Appalachian Mts.
  • Age of aquatic life
  • Canada had a tropical climate
  • Extinction & evolution
  • Pangea created
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10
Q

Mesozoic Era

A
  • 230 million to 65 mya
  • Formation of Rocky Mts.
  • Age of reptiles & dinosaurs
  • Pangea breaks up
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11
Q

Cenozoic Era

A
  • 65 mya to present
  • Formation of ice ages & cooling climates
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12
Q

Weathering

A

The process by which rocks and minerals are broken down into smaller pieces by the action of physical, chemical, or biological agents.

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13
Q

Erosion

A

The movement of
sediments to other places.

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14
Q

Deposition

A

The build-up of eroded sediments in a
new location

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15
Q

Glaciation

A

Formation, movement and recession of glaciers.

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16
Q

Alfred Wegener’s evidence for continental drift

A
  • Proposed that all continents used to be connected
    Proof:
    1. Continents fit like puzzle pieces & have similar land forms.
    2. Fossils of the same species found on different continents
    3. Climate used to be different on continents
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17
Q

Plate tectonics theory

A
  • Plates are moved by the heat inside the Earth
  • Warm rock rises in the mantle
  • Movement in the mantle causes Earth’s crust to move
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18
Q

Pangea

A

A supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras.

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19
Q

Convergent Boundaries

A
  • Where two tectonic plates move towards each other and collide.
    **When 2 continental plates collide, they fold and create mountains.
    **When an oceanic plate collides with a continental plate, it dives under. This is called subduction.
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20
Q

Subduction

A
  • Occurs when an oceanic plate runs into a continental plate and slides beneath it.
  • A trench forms where the plate dives.
  • As the crust dives, it heats up & turns it into magma, causing volcanoes.
  • Sometimes the pressure building
    up causes massive earthquakes &
    tsunamis if underwater.
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21
Q

Divergent boundaries

A
  • Plates move away from each other
  • In the ocean, it causes the seafloor create a ridge & new land
  • On land, it creates a valley as continental plates move apart- can cause volcanoes, long & narrow lakes.
  • Can cause a plate to split in two creating a new plate
22
Q

Transform boundaries

A
  • Plates sliding past each other
  • Creates fault lines
  • When jagged edges of plates get caught, pressures builds and causes earthquakes.
23
Q

Volcanoes

A

Rupture in the Earth that allows magma from Earth’s mantle to reach the surface. When magma cools on the surface a new crust is formed.

24
Q

Earthquakes

A
  • Caused by movement of the Earth’s plate
  • 98% occur by plate boundaries as plates collide, move apart, or slip past each other
25
Q

Hypocentre

A

Where earthquake rupture starts.

26
Q

Epicentre

A

Point directly above the hypocentre. The point of most damage.

27
Q

Richter scale

A
  • Rates the magnitude of an earthquake (amount of energy released)
  • Calculated using a seismograph.
  • Each step is 10x greater than the previous number
  • Measured using Moment Magnitude Scale (updated version).
28
Q

Tsunami

A

Caused by an underwater earthquake it volcano and makes a wave of water. It causes significant damage.

29
Q

LOWERN

A

Latitude, Ocean Currents, Winds, Elevation, Nearness to water.

30
Q

Latitude

A
  • Proximity to the equator.
  • As latitude increases, temperature decreases.
31
Q

Ocean currents

A
  • Movement of water in the oceans that flow from one place to another.
  • Warm currents=Warm temperature
  • Cold currents=Cold temperature
32
Q

Winds

A
  • Jet stream of fast moving air forms boundary between cold and warm air masses.
  • Winds move air masses that carry different temperatures and moisture levels.
33
Q

Elevation

A
  • The height above sea level.
  • Higher elevations are cooler since the atmosphere is thinner and less able to retain heat.
34
Q

Relief

A
  • Physical features of the landscape, including mountains, valleys, and plains.
  • Windward sides of mountains receive more precipitation, while leeward sides are drier.
35
Q

Windward

A

Wet side of the mountain.

36
Q

Leeward

A

Dry side of the mountain (rain shadow).

37
Q

Nearness to water

A
  • Distance from water bodies.
  • Coastal areas = milder climates due to the moderating effect of water.
38
Q

Tornado

A

Violently rotating column that extends of air from the base of a thunderstorm to the ground.

Occurs in warm, humid air masses, and cool, dry air masses meet.

39
Q

Hurricanes

A

Forms over the ocean, near the equator where there’s warm, moist air.

Brings heavy rain, strong winds, and storm surges to land.

40
Q

Flooding

A

Caused by any major rainfall event.

41
Q

Ice storms

A

Prolonged accumulation of freezing rain. Causes major damages to cities.

42
Q

Forest fires

A
  • Caused by either human or natural forces.
  • Dry areas are more prone.
  • Can burn continuously for weeks or months
43
Q

Arctic

A
  • Harsh climate with short cool summers & very cold, long winters.
  • Less than 50mm precipitation a year
44
Q

Pacific maritime

A
  • Lies along BC west coast & its border with Yukon.
  • Mild summers, cool winters (moderate)
  • Relief precipitation (heavy snow, rainy)
45
Q

Western Cordillera

A
  • It includes several mountain ranges, plateaus, and valleys.
  • West facing windward slopes receive a great deal of relief precipitation.
  • Leeward slopes and interior valleys are dry because of rain shadow conditions.
  • Areas with lower elevations are milder than those with higher elevations.
46
Q

Taiga

A
  • Long, cold winters & short, cool summers.
  • Most precipitation in the summer with vey little in the winter.
47
Q

Boreal

A
  • Continental climate (cold winters, warm summers)
  • Precipitation from cyclonic storms, convectional precipitation.
48
Q

Prairie

A
  • Very cold winters, very hot summers.
  • Very dry air in both seasons.
  • Little precipitation
49
Q

Southeastern

A
  • Moderately cold winters and warm summers.
  • Continental and maritime (near great lakes) characteristics
50
Q

Atlantic Maritime

A
  • Winters are not as cold
  • Summers are not as hot
  • Atlantic Ocean moderates the temperatures.

geography (5 decks)

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