WA Chapter 1 Flashcards
prominent
well known
tributaries
tiny streams which flow into larger streams and eventually into rivers
headwaters
the source [of a river]
what makes up the plains and valleys of the Puget Sound region?
lowlands
tectonic
the forces within the earth that cause movements of its crust
subterranean
underground
fault
fractures in the earth’s crust
commerce
trade
regions
places that share common features
the _______ Rim is an economic region. all of the countries of the _______ border the Pacific Ocean.
Pacific
aquifer
a deep layer of rock that holds water
dormant
inactive
lahars
huge mud flows containing boulders and uprooted trees
fissures
cracks in the earth’s crust
loess
a mixture of fine volcanic ash and dust carried by wind
plateaus
high, wide, flat areas hundreds of miles across
hydroelectric
electricity that is produced by waterpower
temperate
mild
coulee
dry streambed
fossil fuels
petroleum, coal, or other natural gas that is used as fuel and is made from the built-up remains of ancient plants and animals
spatial patterns
the location and arrangement of natural and human features of the land
all locations have ________ ______________that make them different from other places on earth.
physical characteristics
molten
liquid
when people moved to Washington from other places, they brought their languages and ways of living with them. these human features of the land are part of its ________ _______________.
cultural characteristics
metropolitan
city
what boundaries separate Washington from its neighbors?
British Columbia - a Canadian province that’s north of Washington and is a political boundary separating the US from Canada
Pacific Ocean and Strait of Juan de Fuca - natural boundaries
Columbia River - forms most of our Southern boundary and separates us from Oregon
there’s a political boundary line separating us from Idaho
what changes have people made to the land and resources of Washington? (give two examples)
- people made factories that make things we want, changing the environment by polluting the air
- people put dams in the Columbia river to produce more hydroelectric energy
what common features and activities make Washington part of both the Pacific Northwest and the Pacific Rim?
pacific northwest: tall snowy mountains, rushing rivers, evergreen forests, dry grasslands, and farming valleys.
pacific rim: very economic-ships aircraft, machinery, lumber, wheat, fruit, and computer software to China, Korea, and many other countries on the pacific rim. seattle has one of the busiest ports in the country.
where was the coast of Washington millions of years ago?
eastern washington was part of the coast of the North American continent millions of years ago. spokane would have been on that seashore long ago.
pacific northwest
- a region of states that share common physical, political, and economic features
- divided from the rest of the united states by the rocky mountains
- washington, oregon, and idaho
the pacific rim
- economic region
- all countries of the pacific rim border the pacific ocean, making trade between pacific rim countries easy
- asia, australia, north america, south america
the coastal range
- includes several landforms: a rainforest, the snow-capped Olympic mountains, and other forests
- little industry because most lumber mills have closed and commercial fishing is in decline
- the small towns rely on tourism
the puget sound lowlands
- land is fertile and there is access to rivers and deepwater seaports
- population center of the state
the cascade range
- considered washington’s most prominent geographic feature
the columbia plateau
- covers most of eastern washington and parts of oregon and idaho
- includes some of the driest land in the pacific northwest
the rocky mountain region
- sometimes called the okanogan highlands
- people rely on farming, mining lead and zinc, ranching, and lumbering to make a living
- a few small towns depend on tourism
what have geologists learned about Washington from fossils?
- shells and bones from ancient sea life tell us that oceans once covered our land
- fossils of ferns and other plants in central Washington indicate that a large tropical rainforest once flourished there
identify three important ways the Pacific Ocean affects the people and economy of Washington
- winds from Pacific Ocean gives Washington a temperate climate
- all countries of the Pacific Rim border the Pacific Ocean, enabling easier trade and boosting Washington’s economy
- the Pacific Ocean is one of the sources of the state’s fishing industry
list Washington’s five land regions
- the Coastal Range
- the Puget Sound Lowlands
- the Cascade Range
- the Columbia Plateau
- the Rocky Mountains
how do fossil fuels contribute to global warming?
carbon dioxide is one of the greenhouse gases that is produced when fossil fuels are burned. greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, traps heat from the sun. the planet gets warmer when the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases.
all of Washington is between what north latitude lines and what west longitude lines?
between 46th and 49th parallels north latitude, and between 117 degrees and 125 degrees west longitude
