Study Geography Exam 1 Flash Cards

 
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Geography Exam 1

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Thermosphere
Very steep gradient that gets up to 1200C in upper reaches
Individual O2 molecules are miles apart from each other
doesn't feel hot in this density
Mesopause
cooling stops and warming begins
Mesophere
coldest layer
Stratopause
warming stops and cooling begins
Stratosphere
12 to 50km; ozone layer between 20-50km
250X more concentrated than tropos - filters UV radiation
Tropopause
top of troposphere; cooling stops and warming begins
Troposphere
tropos-mixing; most active zone
variations of thickness b/c of thermal rad.
weather occurs here, partly b/c of mixing of water vapor and particulates

thickness depends on surface temp - changes w/ season and latitude (more sol. rad. at equator than poles - thermal expansion)
Surface and air temp
affects the distribution of temp vertically and horizontally
Layered structure of atmosphere
composition and density differences
Differences in radation due to...
angle of incidence, latitude, seasonality, day length (drives atmospheric circulation)
Angle of incidence
sun angle:
high- little reflectance
low- high reflectance (esp. water)
Albedo
reflectance of a surface:
high- dark surfaces
low- light surfaces
Evaporation/Latent Heat
cannot be measured
Sensible heat
heat that can be felt and measured (in absorbed radation)
Solar Radiation
45% reaches Earth's surface; of this:
96% is absorbed
4% is reflected, depending on albedo
Scattering
redirection an deflection of solar radiation
Reflection
solar radiation returns to space; depends on albedo
Absorption
gases and particulates interrupt solar radiation, gain heat
Insolation
solar radiation that flows straight from the Sun to the Earth (direct radiation); amount of solar radiation (W m^-2) that strikes a surface perpendicular to the Sun's rays - cannot be greater than the solar constant!
Convection
upward movement of warm air or liquid (forming cells or turbulent flow within substance)
Conduction
diffusion of energy when substances in contact
Radiation
electromagnetic waves; does not need a medium
Heat
energy of motion of molecules and atoms in a substance
Particulates
less than 1% of atmosphere
Provide a nucleus for H2O to condense (cloud formation)
Can absorb or reflect solar radiation
Influence weather and regional climate
Ozone (O3)
Combination of free O and O2
Forms in 2 layers:
1.uppr atmosphere (natural, ozone layer, absorbs UV radiation)
2.surface (respiratory irritant from urban areas)
counter-radiation
absorbed longwave radiation that heats the Earth
Greenhouse Effect
The process thorugh which the atmosphere traps longwave radiation;
Regulates Earth's temperature;
Enhanced by higher levels of CO2 and other greenhouse gases
Water vapor
warm air can hold more than cool air;

least over deserts and polar regions, most over tropical forest

absorbs and sstores heat from Sun & surface
Atmospheric composition
constant gases - always present at same proportion:
N2(78.08) + O2(20.95) = >99% of atm; Ar (.93)

variable gases' concentrations fluctuate:

CO2, O3, H2O vapor
Photosynthesis
C02 + H2O + energy <--> CH2O + O2 <- resp.
Earth's atmosphere
medium through which solar energy passes; currents and eddies; shields Earth from UV radiation;

3 Basic Components: constant gases, variable gases, and particulates

Provides O2 and CO2 for respiration and photosynthesis
Solar energy
amount of solar radiation received of an area of fixed size at right angles to the Sun, just outside the Earth's atmosphere.
Solar Constant
1270 W m^-2

Watt = joule s^-1 (watt is power, joule is energy)
Electromagnetic Radiation
two principles:
1.Inverse relationship between temperature and wavelength
2.Direct relationship between temperature and intensity
Shortwave radiation
emitted by hot objects
Electromagnetic Spectrum
the total wavelength range of Electromagnetic energy
Summer Solstice
Summer in NH, Winter in SH; axial tilt is toward Sun; subsolar point at Tropic of Cancer.

June 21

During summer solstice, Arctic Circle sees 24 hours of daylight.
Winter Solstice
Winter in NH, Summer in SH; axial tilt is away from Sun; subsolar point at Tropic of Capricorn.

Dec. 21

During winter soltice, Antarctic Circle sees 24 hours of daylight.
Fall Equinox
Autumn in NH, Spring in SH; axial tilt is not toward nor away from Sun; Sun is over a point on the Equator.

Sept. 21-23

During an Equinox, all latitudes have the same amount of daylight and night.
Spring Equinox
Spring in NH, Autumn in SH; axial tilt is not toward nor away from Sun; Sun is over a point on the Equator.

March 20-21

During an Equinox, all latitudes have the same amount of daylight and night
Seasons
parallel tilt; N and S hemispheres alternate direct radiation from the Sun
UTC time zone system
Prime Meridian is the standard; time is determined by how many hours ahead or behind a particular location is to the PM; time zones separated by about 15 degrees of longitude
International Date Line
at 180degrees longitude; separates each day
What causes the seasons?
Earth's axial tilt (23.5 degrees)
Aphelion
point where Earth is farthest from Sun (July 4th)
Perihelion
point where Earth is closest to Sun (Jan 3rd)
Subsolar Point
the point on the Earth where the Sun's rays are perpendicular to the surface; moves with the season

varies between tropic of cancer and tropic of capricorn
Diffuse radiation
when light strikes Earth at an angle (larger area of radiation, energy is diffused)
Concentrated radiation
when light strikes Earth vertically (smaller area of radiation, energy is concentrated)
Variation of sun angle
Caused by: 1. centrifugal force, 2. difference in Earth crust density, 3. difference in gravitational field

sun angle varies by latitude
Sun angle
the angle at which the sunlight hits the Earth; the higher the sun angle, the more energy that hits the Earth
"Circle of Illumination"
1/2 of Earth is always illuminated
Sun
100times larger than Earth, strong magnetic field, 8.3 light minutes from Earth;

Drives most of the natural processes near Earth's surface
Galaxies
largest definable units within Universe; about 50 billion galaxies in the Universe.
Our galaxy has about 400 billion stars in it, and our solar system lies in one of the spiral arms of the Milky Way (about 100,000 light years across)
Dimensions of Universe
20 billion light years across, 14 billion years old
Eath/Sun relationship complex depends on...
latitude, position of sun in sky, time of year, and Earth's rotation & axial tilt
Geostationary satellites
remain in one place high above the Earth - good for monitoring weather conditions
Sun-synchronous satellites
move north-south to keep pace w/ Sun's westward progress - good for monitoring landscape change with time
GIS
geographic information system
system to manipulate and display spatial data; data consists of layers of one such variable (applications include planning, research management)
GPS
system of satellites and receivers to plot location; satellites transmit PRC, 24 satellites orbit earth every 12 hours; time of signal to receiver gives distance, triangulation gives location
remote sensing
data collected from aerial photography and satellite imagery (arial photography, sun-syncrhonous satellites, & geostationary satellites)
contours
elevation/topography
isotherms
temperature
isohyets
precipitation
isobars
air pressure
isolines
lines connecting points of equal value on a map
equivalent distortion
size ok; conical surface
conformal distortion
shape ok; cylindrical surface
thematic map
shows limited types of information
Cartography
the study of the design and production of maps
High latitudes
55N to NP and 55S to SP
subarctic - 55N to 66.5N
arctic - 66.5N to NP
subantarctic - 55S to 66.5S
antarctic - 6.5S to SP
Midlatitudes
35N to 55N and 35S to 55S
Low Latitudes
35N to 35S
subtropical - 23.5N to 35N
equatorial/tropical - 23.5N to 23.5S
subtropical 23.5S to 35S
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