Geography 103 midterm 1

Sinusoidal map projection

-projections work on this same premise. If the map can be interrupted so that areas of lesser significance for a given application are not shown, then less distortion exists in the areas that are shown.

how are maps used to interpret information about the environment

A preexisting map that is used for providing the input for answering some other question is known as a secondary data source. Maps can be used to interpret information about the environment by using data and interpretations. Some even include surface weather maps where you can view the pressure and temperatures of an area.

what is the atmosphere

A relatively thin layer of gas-the atmosphere-surrounds the Earth's surface. The atmosphere shields us from harmful high-energy rays from space, is the source of our weather and climate, and contains oxygen, water vapor, and other gases on which all life depends.

relationship between lapse rate and atmospheric stability

A stable atmosphere is one in which potential temperature increases with altitude. That is, if the environmental lapse rate is such that potential temperature increases with altitude, then the atmosphere will be stable.

conduction

A water-filled pan on a burner gets hot as thermal energy is transferred by direct contact between the burner and pan, and the pan and water. Heat transfer by direct contact involves transferring thermal energy from the warmer object to the cooler one.

the main types of clouds

Cumuliform (cirrus), Stratiform (stratus), Cirriform (cirrus)

convection

Energy is conducted through the base of the pot and into the lowest layer of water contacting the pot. These molecules move faster, requiring more room to do so, which causes the volume occupied by the warmer water to increase and its density to decrease. This type of vertical heat transfer by flow of gas, a liquid, or a weak solid

how can the size of a drop change?

Falling raindrops can either grow, not change in size, or split in two.

What are jet streams?

Fast-moving, relatively narrow currents of wind, called jet streams, flow aloft the boundaries of the mid-latitude air currents.

why do we have seasons

The annual "march of the seasons" indicates variations in the amount of sunlight received at different latitudes during the course of a year. The main cause of these variations is that Earth's axis of rotation, about which our planet spins once during a 24-hour day, is tilted relative to the plane at which we orbit the sun, the orbital plane.

What are the factors that lead to the distribution of precipitation in North America?

Winter: Pacific high moves south, giving storms access to the west coast of the U.S., Bermuda high moves south, carrying less moisture to the eastern half of the U.S. Summer: Pacific high inhibits precipitation along the West Coast, Bermuda high brings moisture to eastern two-thirds of the U.S.

map projection and how they are created

a mathematical algorithm used to represent places on a three-dimensional spherical earth on a flat map.

katabatic winds

a wind that blows downslope, forming a cool mountain breeze. More regional and pronounced winds affect Antarctica and Greenland, both of which have a high central landmass surrounded by the ocean. blow down off these high areas in all directions.

ridge

an elongated area of relatively high pressure

trough

an elongated area of relatively low pressure

active remote sensing

an energy source, usually on the same platform as the sensor, directs a beam of energy downward or sideways toward the area of interest. Such energy can include radar, microwaves, laser light, etc..

What is the Coriolis force?

angular momentum from the rotation of the earth deflects straight line motion. Present at both surface and higher levels(vertically). Weakest at equator and increases with latitude. The apparent deflection in the path of a moving object in response to rotation of the Earth. In the Northern Hemisphere, air deflects to the right of the flow (not necessarily to the right as you look at it on a map), irrespective of which way it is moving (toward the poles, away from the pole, or in some other direction). In the Southern Hemisphere, air moving toward the poles travel from faster rotating areas to slower ones, so it appears to be rotating faster than the surface-it deflects to the left.

what are some examples of significant regional winds?

chinook, katabatic, and santa ana winds

mechanisms of energy transfer

conduction, radiation, convection, and advection.

heat capacity

heat required to raise the temperature of a substance by 1 degree celsius.

What is the pressure gradient force?

horizontal rate of pressure change, representing the "steepness" of pressure slope; has a direct affect on spped of wind

what controls the strength of the Coriolis force?

increase or decrease of latitude

longitude

indicates its east-west position. Lines of this are meridians that encircle the globe north-south.

conical

involve conceptualizing a cone over the globe, usually with the apex of the cone vertically above the pole. No distortion occurs along the arv where the globe touches the cone-the standard line, usually a parallel of latitude.

specific heat

is heat required to raise the temperature of unit mass of a substance by 1 degree Celsius.

Latitude

location indicates its position north or south of the equator. Lines are parallels that encircle the globe east-west.

how does the surface influence rising air

low pressure below it

troposphere

lowest layer which we surface-dwellers interact. It contains the air we breathe, clouds, wind, rain, and other aspects of weather

Cirriform

made of ice crystals, thin and wispy, indicate fair weather

what are the main mechanisms that cause air to rise

orographic effect, convection, convergence, and frontol

What is geostrophic wind and how would it be recognized

pressure gradient= coriolis effect

how do pressure and temperature change with altitude

pressure increases when altitude lowers while temperature increases pressure decreases with higher elevation while temperature decreases as well

what is the greenhouse effect

process by which radiation from a planet's atmosphere warms the planet's surface to a temperature above what it would be without this atmosphere. Radiatively active gases in a planet's atmosphere radiate energy in all directions.

cumuliform

puffy "cotton", flat base and rounded top

summarize what is remote sensing

refers to techniques used to collect data or images from a distance, including the processing of such data, and the construction of maps using these techniques. can be carried out using a helicopter, plane, drone, satellite, balloon, etc..

how the atmosphere impacts insolation and outgoing LW radiation

reflection, absorption, scattering, sky color

santa ana winds

regional winds that blow from the northeast typically developing during spring and fall, when high pressure forms over the deserts of California and Nevada. This air is coming from the Mohave Desert and other desert areas to the north and east, so it is very dry.

mesopsphere

second layer where "meso" is Greek for "middle" as this layer is in the middle of the atmosphere. The upper part of the mesosphere is very cold, and is considered by many scientists to be the coldest place within the earth system. "Shooting Stars" are found here!

stratosphere

second to last layer beginning at an altitude of about 10 km above sea level, at about the elevation of Earth's highest peaks. Temperatures are also stratified, varying from cooler lower altitudes to warmer upper ones.

What is the Intertropical convergence zone (ITZC)

the area where the northeast and southeast trade winds converge. It encircles Earth near the thermal equator, though its specific position varies seasonally.

cylindrical

the globe is transformed to a flat page by projecting a globe outward onto a cylinder. The projection starts at a line, called the standard line, where the globe touches the cylinder, usually at the equator.

what is latent heat and how does it relate to phase changes

the heat required to convert a solid into a liquid or vapor, or a liquid into a vapor, without change of temperature.

planar

the plane onto which the map is projected touches the globe in a single point, which becomes the center of the map. Distortion increases away from this point, and any straight line from this point is a line of true direction.

what is precipitation?

the process whereby liquid droplets of water (raindrops), solid bits of ice (snowflakes and hail), or some combination of these fall from the sky.

passive remote sensing

the sensor points at the area of interest and records whatever light, heat, or other energy is naturally coming from that region. Aerial photography and most satellite images are recorded by this

thermosphere

top layer derived from the Greek word for heat because this later, surprisingly, can become very hot (more than 1500C) as gas particles intercept the Sun's energy

what happens to a gas under constant pressure with a change in temperature?

under conditions of constant temperature, is inversely proportional- if pressure increases, volume increases. If pressure decreases, volume increases. Either pressure or volume can change, and the other factor responds accordingly, changing in the opposite direction by a proportional amount. This inversely proportional relationship between pressure and volume, under constant temperature, is called Boyle's Law.

stratiform

uniform gray, resembles fog that does not reach the ground, usually no precipitation, but light mist/drizzle possible

specific humidity

which compares the mass of water vapor in a body of air to the total mass of that air. An advantage of this approach is that a measurement is not affected by changes in temperature, pressure, and volume that occur when air masses move, such as up or down in elevation

scattering

Insolation can be distributed by atmospheric components, which sends the energy off in various directions.

what is a Geographic Information System(GIS)

Maps created from aerial photographs, satellite imagery, and field observations can be stored in computer data bases, where a variety of information can then be combined quickly and efficiently to examine the relationships among the different features.

advection

Moving a pan full of hot water away from the stove also transfers heat from one place to another. Energy transfer by the horizontal movement of a material, such as moving the pan sideways off the burner

orographic effect

Occurs when a mass of air is deflected over and/or around terrain, usually a hill or mountain. This upward movement of air results in adiabatic cooling. This promotes the development of clouds and precipitation.

convection

Occurs when differential heating at the surface causes air to lift. The air expands and cools as it lifts, causing cloud development.

convergence

Occurs when there is a horizontal movement of air into a region. When air converges along the earth's surface, it is forced to rise since it cannot go downward.

frontal

Occurs when two air masses converge at the front. This can occur when cold air advances toward warm air (cold front) or when warm air advances towards cold air (warm front). Clouds develop as a result of these two situations.

reflection

Some atmospheric components can reflect incoming insolation, such as by this snowflake. energy can be returned directly into space or can interact with other atmospheric components and remain in the atmosphere.

how are rates calculated?

Spatial analysis is a cornerstone of geography, and GIS can evaluate the spatial distributions within the data, highlight correspondences among different variables, and automate the identification of properties of spatial distribution.

Sketch and explain Monsoons?

A common misconception is that the word refers to a type of rainfall, but the word actually refers to winds that reverse directions depending on the season.

radiation

A hot burner on a stove can warm your hands a short distance away. Such warming occurs because heat from the burner radiates through the air. Energy transmission by means of electrical and magnetic fields.

what are isobars and how do they relate to H and L on a map?

A line on a map connecting points having the same atmospheric pressure at a given time or on average over a given period.

sketch and describe the saturated and unsaturated adiabatic lapse rates

1. is a change of 1 degree celsius for every 100 metres of elevation gain. 2. occurs in an air mass that has reached its dew point (100% relative humidity) and is a change of .5 degrees celsius for every 100 metre of elevation gain.

sketch and be able to describe latent heat and sensible heat

1. related to changed in the phase between liquids, gases, and solid 2. related to changes in temperature of a gas or object with no change in phase.

What does High and Low pressure mean for movement of air?

An H represents an area of relatively higher pressure called a high-pressure area or simply a high. An L represents a low-pressure area, commonly called a low. An elongated area of high pressure can be called a ridge of high pressure and an elongated ara of a low-pressure is a trough. Differences in air pressure, whether caused by thermal effects or dynamic forcing, produce a pressure gradient between adjacent areas of high and low pressure. Associated with this pressure gradient are forces that cause air to flow. Pressure gradients can exist vertically in the atmosphere or laterally from one region to another.

absorption

An atmospheric component, such as this gas molecule, can instead absorb the energy, converting the incoming electromagnetic energy into kinetic energy expressed as motions of the molecule. Scattering- Insolation can be scattered by atmospheric components, which sends the energy off in various directions.

what does the dew point represent

Another useful measure of humidity is the ______, the temperature to which a volume of air must be cooled to become saturated with water vapor. it is expressed as drops of liquid water that condenses out of the atmosphere and onto plants, walls, or any solid surface. It typically forms at night, in response to the air cooling

what causes global patterns of specific humidity

Areas near the equator have much higher humidity than areas farther north and south. A belt of high humidity straddles the equator, coinciding with the tropics. This region receives, on average, the most insolation, which in turn causes a relatively high amount of evaporation and higher content of water vapor in the air. The lowest values are near the poles, where cold temperatures and a cover of ice over the surface limit the amount of evaporation. Very low specific humidity also characterizes land areas along the subtropics, including the northern part in africa. In the ocean west of southern africa is another bend in the patterns of humidity. Lower specific humidities extend to the north offshore of the west coast of southern africa and then bend westward into the south atlantic ocean.

sky color

As insolation enters the atmosphere, blue and violet light are preferentially scattered by gases, and this scattered light causes us to see the sky as blue. The remaining light that passes through gives the sun a yellowish white color.

how to convert between temperature scales

C = 5/9 x (F-32) F =(C x 9/5) + 32 K = C + 273 C = K - 273

describe geographic approach to problems

Geographers think spatially, meaning they emphasize the setting, such as location, in addressing problems, and holistically, integrating, ideas from a wide variety of the natural and social sciences. In many ways, it is not what is studied that makes geography, but instead how it is studied. "Where is it?" "Why is it where it is?" "Why does it matter where it is?"

Describe why geographic factors are important when considering environmental issues.

Geographic factors are important when considering environmental issues or when evaluating potential sites for a new agricultural area or business because location and spatial distributions often affect environmental, social, or economic behavior.

positive feedback

If the amount of solar energy reaching the surface, or trapped near the surface, increase, for whatever reason, this may cause more melting of the ice. As the front of the ice melts, it exposes darker water, which absorbs more heat and causes even more warming of the region. In this way, an initial change (warming) triggers a response that causes even more of that change (more warming). Such a reinforcing result is called a positive feedback.

what is relative humidity

The atmosphere is unsaturated in this case. This percentage, representing the observed vapor pressure divided by the maximum possible vapor pressure. the term we hear on daily weather reports.

what is insolation and how does it change with latitude and zenith angle

The energy transmitted from the sun to earth, called incoming solar radiation has varied only slightly during the short time for which we have accurate measurements from satellites.

Chinook Winds

The most common usage is for a warm, dry wind that blows down the flanks of a mountain range. They are so warm and dry they are called "snow eaters", for the way in which they can cause a sudden melting of snow and ice on the ground. The onset of this wind can cause a sudden rise in temperatures, especially during the winter.

what happens to the temperature of a gas under increasing pressure?

The relationship between pressure and volume of a gas, under conditions of constant temperature, is inversely proportional- if pressure increases, volume increases. If pressure decreases, volume increases. Either pressure or volume can change, and the other factor responds accordingly, changing in the opposite direction by a proportional amount. This inversely proportional relationship between pressure and volume, under constant temperature, is called Boyle's Law.

negative feedback

The warming of the water results in more evaporation, moving water from the surface to the atmosphere, which in turn may result in more clouds. Low-level clouds are highly reflective, so as cloud cover increases they intercept more sunlight, leading to less warming. This type of response does not reinforce the change but instead dampens it and diminishes its overall effect. This dampening and resultant counteraction is called a negative feedback.

Describe Earth's spheres

There are four spheres of the earth-atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere The atmosphere is a mix of mostly nitrogen and oxygen gas that surrounds Earth's surface, gradually diminishing in concentration out to a distance of approximately 100 kilometers, the appropriate edge of outer space. 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and <1% argon, <4% water vapor The biosphere includes all types of life, including humans, and all of the places it can exist on, above, and below the Earth's surface. The hydrosphere is water in oceans, glaciers, lakes, streams, wetlands, groundwater, moisture in soil, and clouds. Over 96% of water on earth is salt water in the Oceans The Lithosphere refers generally to the solid upper part of the Earth,including Earth's crust. Water, air, and life extend down into the lithosphere, so the boundary between the solid Earth and other spheres is not distinct, and the four spheres overlap.

Sketch and explain the process that form prevailing winds.

Westerlies dominate a central belt across the U.S. and Europe, so the weather in these areas generally moves from west to east. Northeast trade winds are easterlies, blowing from the northeast. They were named by sailors, who took advantage of the winds to sail from the so-called Old World to the New World. Polar Easterlies at the surface flow away from the South Pole and deflect toward the west but are mostly on the back side of the globe in this view.

How to sketch the movement of winds in the northern and southern hemisphere?

Westerlies dominate a central belt across the U.S. and Europe, so the weather in these areas generally moves from west to east. Northeast trade winds are easterlies, blowing from the northeast. They were named by sailors, who took advantage of the winds to sail from the so-called Old World to the New World. Polar Easterlies at the surface flow away from the South Pole and deflect toward the west but are mostly on the back side of the globe in this view. Insolation, on average, is most intense near the equator, in the tropics.