Unit 2.1 Notes Flashcards
Geography is the study of 7 things, what are they?
Earth’s surface, climate, continents, countries, peoples, industries, and products.
Where did the term “geography” come from and what does it mean?
The Greek word “geographia” which means “earth description.”
What is geography dependent on for much of its basic material and information (7 things)?
Geology, biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, astronomy, and anthropology.
What is geography, simplified?
The study of the earth.
What are the nine classes that geography is divided into?
Physical geography, meteorology, climatology, economic geography, urban geography, political geography, mathematical geography, cultural geography, and regional geography.
What is physical geography?
The study of the physical features of the earth and the influence that these features have on humankind.
What does physical geography include?
The formation, description, and effect of the landforms of plains, plateaus, and mountains.
What is meteorology?
The study of the earth’s atmosphere; it was once considered a branch of geography, but today it’s considered a branch of physics.
What 10/11 problems are dealt with by meteorology?
Condensation, evaporation, precipitation, temperature changes and their variations, wind systems, local winds, air masses, weather fronts, cyclones, and anticyclones.
What is climatology?
The study of averaged weather conditions over time, called climate.
What are the 4 elements of climate?
Temperature, pressure, wind, and moisture.
What are the six elements that control climate?
Altitude, the relationship between continents and oceans, pressure belts, wind belts, ocean currents, and topography.
What are two kinds of erosion that change landforms, and so, the earth’s surface as well?
Land erosion (weathering) and stream erosion.
What is economic geography?
The study of humankind’s economic activities over the earth’s surfaces, specially those activities by which people earn a living or support life.
What does economic geography deal with?
The agricultural, industrial, and commercial activities of humankind on earth’s surface.
What is urban geography?
The study of city growth, city decline or decay, city planning, and the problems that cities have; whether the city is large or small, it’s affected by urban geography.
What is political geography?
The study of the earth and state and is concerned with the earth in relation to government and societies of people groups; political regions are influenced by the different landforms of the world.
What does mathematical geography deal with?
The measurement of the earth; it cosiders the earth as a globe; although the earth is actually an imperfect sphere, it bulges at the equator and is somewhat flattened at the polar areas.
What is the circumference of the earth around the equator?
24,902 miles.
What is the circumference of the earth from pole to pole?
24,860 miles.
What is the diameter of the earth from north to south?
7,900 miles.
What is the diameter of the earth from east to west?
7,926 miles.
What is cultural geography?
The study of a society’s activities, beliefs, institutions, and behavior patterns; regardless of where you live, culture plays a very important role in your life.
What is regional geography?
A method of studying an area by applying the principles of all the different branches of geography to a given area.
What’s the deepest spot in the ocean and how deep is it?
The Mariana Trench, it’s 36,198 feet deep.
What’s the highest point above sea level and how high is it?
Mount Everest, it’s 29,028 miles high.
What are four major landforms?
Mountains, hills, plateaus, and plains.
About how far away from the sun is earth?
≈93 million miles.
What’s weird about the poles?
At the North Pole the sun never sets in the six summer months, and never rises in the six winter months; the reverse is true for the South Pole.
When is the beginning of winter?
December 21st.
When is the beginning of spring?
March 21st.
When is the beginning of summer?
June 21st.
When is the beginning of fall?
September 23rd.
How many miles away from the sun is earth at the beginning of winter?
91,500,000 miles.
How many miles away from the sun is earth at the beginning of summer?
94,500,000 miles.
How many degrees is the axis of the earth tilted?
23.5
What stays the same in every point of the earth’s orbit?
Its axis is tilted so that the North Pole points toward the North Star.
What are the two potential meanings of the world “solstice?”
Either “sun stands still or “equal day.”
What does “equinox” mean?
“Equal night.”
Where do the sun’s closest and most direct rays strike earth on the winter solstice?
The Tropic of Capricorn (a line 23.5 degrees south of the equator.)
Where is the Arctic Circle?
23.5 degrees south of the North Pole.
Where is the Antarctic Circle?
23.5 degrees north of the South Pole.
What happens on the spring and fall equinoxes?
The most direct rays of the sun shine down on the equator.
Where do the sun’s closest and most direct rays strike earth on the summer solstice?
The Tropic of Cancer (a line 23.5 miles north of the equator.)
