GEOG 102 - Chap 1

Earth's rotation axis

an imaginary line that passes through the North and South Pole and is used as a starting point to describe location on Earth. The Earth spins around this axis. Earth's rotation axis is tilted.

Which are principal determinants of the amount of solar energy received at any particular latitude?

Both day length and the angle at which the Sun's rays strike Earth

Time Zones

Space 15 degreed apart

Hydrosphere

Comprises water in all its forms (prefix means "water"). The oceans contain the vast majority of water found on Earth.

111 kilos/ 69 miles

Each degree of latitude on the surface of Earth covers a north-south distance of about _____.

"Living Zone" of Air

5 Kilos (3 miles)

Arctic Circle

66.5 degrees North

Antarctic Circle

66.5 degrees South

To portray any noticeable appearance of topographic variation, the vertical distances on such maps are usually exaggerated how much times their actual proportional dimensions?

8 to 20 times their actual proportional dimensions

North Pole

90 degrees North

Compare the size of Earth to that of its surface features and atmosphere.

If earth were the size of a basketball, mt. Everest would me .17 mm high and the Mariana Trench would be .021 mm deep.

Meridian

Imaginar lines that represent longitude that extend fro pole to pole crossing all parallels at right angles.

Latitude ranges from ____ degrees to ____ north and south, while longitude ranges from ____ to east and west.

Latitude ranges from 0-90 degrees N/S, while Longitude ranges from 0-180 degrees E/W.

Zones of Latitude

Low Latitude (Equator - 30 N/S), Mid Latitude ( 30 - 60 N/S), High Latitude (60+ N/S), Equatorial ( within few degrees of eq.), Tropical (within the tropics 23.5N- 23.5S), Subtropical (25-30 N/S), Polar (within few degrees of N & S Pole)

March Equinox

March 20. Virtually identical to sept equinox. Called the vernal equinox= Northern hem, autumnal equinox= Southern hem.

Vertical Rays of the Sun & Seasons

March Equinox: Sun's vertical rays strike equator June Solstice: Sun's vertical rays migrate Northward and strike the Tropic of Cancer, marks the day of the year when the sun is highest in the sky. September Equinox: Sun's vertical rays strike equator December Solstice: Sun's vertical rays strike the Tropic of Capricorn, marks the day of the year when the sun is lowest in the sky in the North. Hem. and its southernmost latitude.

Polarity of Earth's Axis

No matter where Earth is in its orbit around the sun the axis always points in the same direction relative to the stars- toward the North Star, Polaris. Earth's rotation axis is parallel to its orientation at all times.

If an idea cannot be disproven by some possible observation or test, can such and idea be supported by science?

No. In order for a hypothesis to be "scientific," there must be some test or possible observation that could disprove it- if there is no way to disprove an idea, then that idea cannot be supported by science.

Inclination of Earth's Axis

The tilt of Earth's axis at about 23.5 degrees away from the perpendicular of the ecliptic plane. Earth maintains this tilt throughout the year.

September Equinox

September 22. Circle of illumination touches both poles and the sun rays strike the equator. All locations on Earth receive 12 hrs daylight and 12 hrs darkness. Called the autumnal equinox= Northern hem, vernal equinox= southern hem.

South Pole

90 degrees South

Physical Geography

"Environmental geography," elements are natural in origin.

Cultural Geography

"Human geography," elements of human endeavor.

3 Natural Units of Time

(1) the Tropical Year, (2) the Lunar Month, (3) the Day

The Sun

The Earth's prime source of energy.

Tropical Latitude are

generally always warm because they always have high sun angles and consistent day lengths.

International Date Line

180 degrees meridian 1 day

Tropic of Cancer

23.5 degrees North

Tropic of Capricorn

23.5 degrees South

Atmosphere Altitude

30 kilos (20 miles)

Latitude

A description of location expressed as an angle north or south of the equator. It is expressed in degrees, mins., & secs. Varies from 0 at the equator to to 90 degrees N at the north pole and 90 degrees S at the south pole.

Parallel

A line connecting all points of the same latitude. It is parallel to all other lines of latitude. The equator is the parallel of 0 degrees latitude. Parallels can be constructed for every degree of latitude or fractions of a degree of latitude.

Great Circle

A plane that is passed through the center of a sphere bisects that sphere (divides it into two equal halves) and creates a _____ where it intersects the surface of the sphere. (Pass through Earth's center). Largest circle that can be drawn on a sphere. Represents circumference of sphere and divides it into two equal halves.

Science

A process that follows the "Scientific Method." A process for gaining knowledge. Data collection through observation of a phenomenon. Does not "prove" ideas, instead eliminates alternative explanations not supported by evidence.

Cryosphere

A subcomponent (prefix means "cold"). Water frozen as snow and ice.

Is the Earth perfectly spherical?

Almost, but not quite because the cross sections diameter through the poles differs slightly (flatter 12,714 km) than that through the equator (wider 12, 756 km). It is an "oblate spheroid."

Longitude

An angular description of east-west location, also measured in degrees, mins, secs. Imaginary lines extending from pole to pole and crossing all parallels at right angles. Is measured both east and west of the prime meridian to a maximum of 180 degreed in each direction.

The Plane of the Equator/ (Equatorial plane)

An imaginary plane passing through Earth halfway between the poles and perpendicular to the axis of rotation. "The Imaginary midline of Earth." Bisects Earth midway between the two poles.

The 5 Environmental Spheres

Atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, biosphere, Lithosphere

Rotation

Causes all parts of Earth's surface except the poles to move in a circle around Earth's axis. Rotation is constant at any given place on Earth. Causes Coriolis effect (deflection in flow paths of wind and ocean currents), Tides (rise and fall of water levels), Diurnal (alt. of light and darkness).

December Solstice

December 21st. North pole most directly away from the Sun, Suns vertical rays strike 23.5 Tropic of Capricorn, Areas North of Arctic Circle= Darkness, Areas South of Antarctic Circle= Daylight. called the winter solstice= North hem., summer solstice= south hem. Conditions are reversed from June Solstice.

Mt. Everest

Earth's Highest Point at 8,850 meters above sea level.

the Mariana Trench

Earth's Lowest Point in the Pacific Ocean at 11,033 meters below sea level.

Revolution

Earth's revolution around the Sun. Each revolution takes 365 days (365.242), known as the Tropical Year. The path of Earth around the Sun is an ellipse, referred to as an elliptical orbit.

Earth-Sun Distance

Earth-sun distance is not constant. It varies from 147m kilos at the closest/ Perihelion position on January 3rd, to 152m kilos at the farthest/ Aphelion position on July 4th.

Biosphere

Encompasses all the parts of Earth where living organisms can exist (prefix means "life"). The vast variety of earthly life forms.

The Seven Parallels (The 7 Latitudes)

Equator (0), Tropic of Cancer (23.5 N). Tropic of Capricorn (23.5 S), Arctic Circle (66.5 N), Antarctic Circle (66.5 S), North Pole 90 N, South Pole (90 S). These latitudes represent special point where rays from the sun strike Earth's surface on certain days of the year.

June Solstice

June 21st. North Pole leans more directly toward the sun, The circle of illumination bisects the equator (cuts in half \ ), on this day equator receives equal day & night (12 hrs light & 12 hrs darkness), Move North= day length increases, move south= day length decreases, All points 66.5 N + receive 24 hrs light, all point 66.5 S + receive 24 hrs darkness (referred to as the polar circles), called the Summer Solstice= North Hem., Winter Solstice= South Hem.

Day Length

June Solstice longest day of the year, shortest day of the year on December solstice in Northern Hemisphere. Overall, the annual variation in day length is the least in the tropics and greatest in the high latitudes.

Scientific Method

Observe, ask a Question, make an Educated Guess/ "Hypothesis," design Experiment, Test, Predict Outcome of hypo. is Correct/ Incorrect, Conduct Exp., Observe, Draw Conclusion/ Formulate generalized "Rule."

On which day of the year is Earth closest to the Sun (perihelion)? Farthest from the Sun (aphelion)?

Perihelion- Jan 3rd, 147 mil kilos Aphelion- July 4th, 152 mil kilos

Small Circles

Planes passing through any other part of the sphere aside from the center. (Does not pass through Earth's center).

Theory

Represents the highest order of understanding for a body of information- logical, well-tested, and encompasses facts & observations.

Physical Elements of Geography

Rocks and Minerals, Landforms, Water, Weather and Climate, Flora, Fauna, Soil.

The four factors in Earth-Sun relations associated with the change of seasons.

Rotation, Revolution around the Sun, Inclination of Earth's axis, and Polarity (Parallelism) of Earth's axis.

The Circle of Illumination

The Sun illuminates one-half of Earth at any given moment. The edge of the sunlit hemisphere is known as this. It is a great circle that divides Earth between a light half and a dark half.

The northernmost location reached by the vertical rays of the sun during the year

The Tropic of Cancer at 23.5 degrees North,

Astronomical Unit

The average Earth-Sun distance 149m Kilos.

Atmosphere

The gaseous envelope of air that surrounds Earth (prefix means "air"). Contains the complex mixture of gases needed to sustain life, adheres closely to Earth's surface, densest as sea level, and rapidly thins w/ increased altitude. Is kept in constant motion by solar energy & Earth's rotation.

Solar Altitude

The height of the sun above the horizon

Terrestrial Planets

The inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, & Mars) that are smaller, denser, more spherical, rotate more slowly, composed principally of mineral matter, and have diverse, shallow atmospheres.

The Great Circle

The largest circle that can be drawn on a sphere.

Prime Meridian

The meridian passing through the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, England, just eat of London. Longitude 0*0'0".

Jovian Planets

The outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, & Neptune) that are larger, more massive, less dense, more oblate, rotate more rapidly, mostly composed of gases, frozen toward interior, with dense atmospheres that are turbulent and relatively deep.

Does the plane of the eclipse coincide with the plane of the equator?

The plane of the ecliptic does NOT coincide with the equatorial plane.

What would be the effect on the annual march of the seasons if Earth's axis was not inclined relative to the plane of the ecliptic.

The poles wouldn't get light all year round

Lithosphere

The solid, inorganic portion of Earth (prefix is greek for "stone"), comprising of the rock's of Earth's crust and mineral matter. It's surface runs a variety of landforms both on the seafloors and on the surfaces of the continents & islands.

The Polar Regions are

generally cold because they always have low sun angles