World Geography Chapter 3 and 4 Review

Which direction do warm ocean currents flow? Which direction do cold ocean currents flow?

Moving in large circular systems, warm water flows away from the equator toward the poles, and cold water flows back toward the equator.

What is the difference between subsistence agriculture and market-oriented agriculture?

Some groups simply raise enough food or animals to meet their need to eat, but have little left over to sell to others. This is called subsistence agriculture. In other areas, market-oriented agriculture produces crops or animals that farmers sell to markets. Raising food to sell to others is called market-oriented agriculture.

What do the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn mark?

The Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn are the two lines of latitude that mark the points farthest north and south that the sun's rays shine directly overhead at noon. The day on which this occurs is called a solstice.

What are the divisions within a biome?

The divisions within a biome is forest, grassland, desert, and tundra.

What are the two main factors that have contributed to a soaring population growth since the 1800s?

The two main factors that have contributed to a soaring population growth since the 1800s are people grew more and better food and improved sanitation methods.

What part of the climate is affected by ocean currents?

Winds blowing over the ocean currents affect the climate of the lands that the winds cross. For example, the warmth of the Gulf Stream and the North Atlantic Drift help keep the temperature of Europe moderate. Ocean currents affect not only the temperature of an area, but also the amount of precipitation received. Cold ocean currents flowing along a coastal region chill the air and sometimes prevents warm air and the moisture it holds from falling to earth.

Where do you most often find a Semiarid climate? How does this climate affect agriculture?

You most often find a semiarid climate in the interior of continents, or in a zone around deserts. This climate affects agriculture because it contains some of the most productive agricultural lands in the world.

What is a blizzard? What is a drought? What is a flood?

A blizzard is a heavy snowstorm with winds or more than 35 mile per hour and reduced visibility. A drought is a long period of time without rain or with very minimal rainfall. A flood is when water spreads out over normally dry land.

How is a Humid Continental climate formed?

A humid continental climate is formed by air masses chilled by Arctic ice and snow flow south over these areas and frequently collide with tropical air masses, causing changing weather conditions.

What is meant by landlocked?

A landlocked country is one country surrounded by other land and with no direct outlet to the sea. It must find ways to build connections to the rest of the world to get goods in and out of the country.

What is a language family? Which language family includes the English language?

A language family is the categorization of languages by placing them with other similar languages. Languages as different as English, Russian, Hindi, and Greek all developed from the Indo-European family.

Define the term infrastructure.

A nation's infrastructure consists of the basic support systems needed to keep an economy going, including power, communications, transportation, water, sanitation, and education systems. Communication systems and technology are both critical to development.

What is the difference between natural boundaries and artificial boundaries?

A natural boundary is based on physical features on the land, such as rivers, lakes, or chains of mountains. For example the Himalayas. An artificial boundary is a fixed line generally following latitude or longitude lines. These lines are often formally defined in boundary treaties between countries.

What is a natural resource? What are three basic types of natural resources? What is the most valuable natural resource for trade?

A natural resource is a material on or in the earth, such as trees, fish, or coal, that have economic value. Materials become resources when they can be turned into goods. The three basic types of natural resources are renewable, non-renewable, and inexhaustible energy sources. The most valuable natural resource for trade is fossil fuels because industry relies on them for both power and raw materials in manufacturing.

What is a population pyramid?

A population pyramid is another way to analyze populations and it is a graphic device that shows sex and age distribution of a population. Population pyramids help us understand population trends in countries and enables the study of how events (wars, famines) affect population.

What is a rain shadow?

A rain shadow is the land on the leeward side because it gets little rain from the descending dry air.

How does a society differ from an ethnic group?

A society is a group that shares a geographic region, a sense of identity, and a culture. An ethnic group is used to refer to a group that shares a language, customs, and a common heritage. An ethnic group has an identity as a separate group of people within the region where they live.

What is a tornado? How does a tornado differ from a hurricane?

A tornado, or twister, is a powerful funnel-shaped column of spiraling air. Tornadoes are born from strong thunderstorms and are capable of immense damage. Unlike hurricanes, which take days to develop, tornadoes form quickly and sometimes without warning.

Describe the temperature and precipitation in a Tropical Wet climate.

A tropical wet climate has little variation in temperature over the year. It is always hot, with an average temperature of 80°F. The days begin sunny but by afternoon it clouds up, and rain falls almost daily. The average amount of rain in a year is more than 80 inches.

What is acculturation? When does "acculturation" have a positive effect on society?

Acculturation occurs when a society changes because it accepts or adopts an innovation. Sometimes individuals or a group adopt innovations that radically change the society. The resulting changes may have a positive or a negative effect on the society, depending on how the change came about. If change is forced on a group, it may have negative consequences. On the other hand, if the individuals or a group accept the change, it may lead to a better life for everyone.

List the ways a culture can express itself creatively.

All cultures have ways of expressing themselves creatively. The environment and culture in which an artist lives is reflected in the artistic product. Cultures produce performing arts, visual arts, and literature. Performing arts developed by a culture often include music, dance, theater, and film. Music is a cultural aspect found in all societies. The instruments on which the music is played and the style of music are unique to each group. Visual arts include architecture, painting, sculpture, and textiles. The style of the visual arts will reflect materials available in the region and cultural themes. Oral and written literature, such as poems, folk tales, and stories, often illustrate aspects of the culture such as attitudes and behaviors. They can also be a reflection of the environment in which they are produced.

Define the term economy.

An economy consists of the production and exchange of goods and services among a group of people.

What is an ecosystem?

An ecosystem is an interdependent community of plants and animals. The ecosystem of a region is referred to as a biome.

What is an example of a group of states joining together to promote mutual goals?

An example of a group or states joining together to promote mutual goals is the European Union.

What is another name for the Ice Cap regions? Where was the coldest temperature ever recorded?

Another name for the Ice Cap regions is the polar deserts. The coldest temperature ever recorded was 128.6 degrees fahrenheit below zero on the ice cap at Vostok, Antarctica.

List the characteristics cities around the world have in common.

Around the world, cities have certain geographic characteristics in common. Many cities are found in places that allow good transportation, such as on a river, lake or coast. Others are found in places with easy access to natural resources. Because of their geographic advantages, cities serve as economic bases, attracting businesses and people to work in those businesses. Cities are often places where goods are shifted from one form of transportation to another. Cities may specialize in certain economic activities because of their location.

How does the earth's revolution and tilt affect the sun's rays?

As the earth revolves around the sun, it is tilted at a 23.5° angle in relation to the sun. Because of the earth's revolution and its tilt, different parts of the earth receive the direct rays of the sun for more hours of the day at certain times in the year. This causes the changing seasons on the earth.

Define each of the following terms: birthrate, fertility rate, mortality rate, and infant mortality rate.

Birthrate is the number of live births per thousand population. The fertility rate shows the average number of children a women of childbearing years would have in her lifetime, if she had children at the current rate of the county. The mortality rate, also called the death rate, is the number of deaths per thousand people. The infant mortality rate shows the number of deaths among infants under age one per thousand live births.

What is carrying capacity? What factors can change the land's carrying capacity?

Carrying capacity is the number of organisms a piece of land can support. The level of technology of a group living on the land may affect carrying capacity. Improved farming techniques, such as irrigation, use of fertilizers, and mechanized farm equipment, will generally increase the carrying capacity of land.

Describe a city, suburb, and exurb. What is a metropolitan area?

Cities are areas with large populations and centers of business and culture. Cities are often the birthplace of innovation and change in society. The built-up area around the central city may include suburbs, which are political units touching the borders of the central city or touching other suburbs that touch the city. Smaller cities or towns with open land between them and the central city are called exurbs. The city, its suburbs, and exurbs link together economically to form a function area called a metropolitan area.

What role does transportation play in the city's ability to support a variety of functions?

Cities need a great deal of space to accomplish these functions, which makes good transportation absolutely essential. Major cities may have several forms of mass transit, such as bus systems, subways, or commuter trains, to move thousands of people to and from the areas of the city where the various functions take place. In some areas, freeway systems link people in the suburbs to the activities in the city. Geographers often study a city's transportation system to understand how well the city is fulfilling its functions.

What is convection?

Convection is wind and ocean currents that help distribute the sun's heat from one part of the world to another and is the transfer of heat in the atmosphere by upward motion of the air.

Why are most countries divided into smaller political units?

Countries are often divided into smaller political units to make governing more efficient.

What is culture?

Culture is the total knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors shared by and passed on by the members of a specific group.

What is El Niño?

El Niño is the warming of the waters off the West Coast of South America and is a natural change in the climate. El Niño winds push warm Pacific Ocean waters toward the Americas.

How does El Niño differ from La Niña?

El Niño is the warming of the waters off the West Coast of South America and is a natural change in the climate. El Niño winds push warm Pacific Ocean waters toward the Americas. La Niña winds push warm water toward Australia and Asia. El Niño and La Niña both cause natural, worldwide changes in climate.

How does "elevation" affect climate?

Elevation affects climate because as the altitude increases, the air temperature drops about 3.5°F for every 1,000 feet. Therefore, the climate gets colder as you climb a mountain or other elevated location. Climates above 12,000 feet become like those in Arctic areas with snow and ice.

What is the difference between a deciduous forest and a rain forest?

Forest regions are categorized by the types of trees they support, broadleaf or needleleaf. Broadleaf trees, such as maple, oak, birch, and cottonwood, are also called deciduous trees. The rain forest is located in the tropical zone and is covered with a heavy concentration of broadleaf trees. In the tropical rain forest region, some broadleaf trees stay green all year. In the deciduous region, trees shed their leaves at least once during the year. This region is located almost exclusively in the Northern Hemisphere.

When are the rainy and dry seasons in a Tropical Wet and Dry climate?

In a tropical wet and dry climate the rainy season is in the summer and the dry season is in the winter.

What is the difference between the summer solstice and the winter solstice?

In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice, or the beginning of summer, is the longest day of the year. The winter solstice is the beginning of winter and it is the shortest day of the year.

What is a savanna? What is another name for the term steppe?

In the tropical grassland region, the flat, grassy, mostly treeless plains are called a savanna. Another name for the term steppe is a prairie which is used to identify temperate grasslands in the Northern Hemisphere.

Why is it difficult to accurately calculate population density for an entire nation?

It is difficult to accurately calculate population density for an entire nation because population is not distributed evenly across the land. Certain areas may be densely populated, while others are quite thinly populated.

What aspect of culture is the most important? Why?

Language is one of the most important aspects of culture because it allows the people within a culture to communicate with each other. Language reflects all aspects of culture, including the physical area occupied by the society.

What are the two ways languages diffuse?

Like other aspects of culture, language can be diffused in many ways. It may follow trade routes or even be invented. A second way diffusion occurs is through migration. As people settle in new locations, the language they carry with them sometimes takes hold in the region.

What is the greenhouse effect?

Most climate scientists argue that global warming is caused by the greenhouse effect. The layer of gases released by the burning of coal and oil traps some solar energy, causing higher temperatures in the same way that a greenhouse traps solar energy. The greenhouse effect is the earth warming due to trapped solar energy.

What is a coniferous forest?

Needleleaf trees are also called coniferous trees because they are cone bearing. They are found in huge stands in northern regions of North America, Asia, and Europe.

Why is per capita income important when comparing economies?

Per capita income is important when comparing economies because it is the average amount of money earned by each person in a political unit. Another way of comparing economies examines levels of development based on economic activities such as industry and commerce.

What is population density?

Population density is the average number of people who live in a measurable area, such as a square mile. The number is reached by dividing the number of inhabitants in an area by the total amount of land they occupy.

Why are populations NOT distributed equally across the earth? Where are the largest populations located?

Populations are not distributed equally across the earth because some lands are not suitable for human habitation. 90 percent of the world's population lives in the Northern Hemisphere. Almost two-thirds of the world's population lives in the zone between 20 degrees North and 60 degrees North latitude between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer.

What is precipitation? Describe convectional, orographic, and frontal precipitation.

Precipitation is the falling of water droplets in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail. Precipitation depends on the amount of water vapor in the air and the movement of that air. As warm air rises, it cools and loses its ability to hold water vapor. The water vapor condenses, and the water droplets form into clouds. When the amount of water in a cloud is too heavy for the air to hold, rain or snow falls from the cloud. Geographers classify precipitation as convectional, orographic, or frontal. Convectional precipitation occurs in hot, moist climates where the sun quickly heats the air. The heated air rises, and by afternoon clouds form and rain falls. Orographic precipitation is associated with mountain areas and falls on the windward side of hills or mountains that block moist air and force it upward. The air cools and rain or snow falls. The land on the leeward side is called a rain shadow because it gets little rain from the descending dry air. Frontal precipitation is the mid-latitude frontal storms that feature cold dense air masses and push lighter warm air masses upward, causing precipitation to form. Frontal movement causes most precipitation in the middle latitudes.

What is the difference between a Push factor and a Pull factor in migration?

Push factors are those that cause people to leave their homeland and migrate to another region. Environmental conditions, such as drought or other natural disasters, are examples of push factors. Other push factors are political, such as war or the persecution of certain groups of people for ethnic or religious reasons. Pull factors draw or attract people to another location. Countries with good economic opportunities and high salaries are the likely destinations for migrants. Favorable climate is another pull factor.

Write a brief description of the following religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism.

Several of the world's major religions began in Southwest and South Asia. Three religions from Southwest Asia, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, are monotheistic. Of the religions that developed in South Asia, Buddhism in its original form did not involve a deity, and Hinduism features many gods. Judaism is monotheistic and evolved around 3,200 years ago. The holy book is called a Torah. Christianity evolved from Judaism and it is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Christianity is the largest religion with two billion followers worldwide. Islam is monotheistic and it is based on the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. The followers, called Muslims, worship God, called Allah. The holy book is called the Qur'an. Hinduism is polytheistic and evolved in India around 5,000 years ago. Hinduism is usually considered polytheistic because there are many Hindu gods. However, Hindus believe that each one represents an aspect of the supreme God, Brahman, so their religion can also be considered monotheistic. Belief in reincarnation, or rebirth, is central to Hinduism. Hindu caste system has fixed social classes and specific rites/duties. Buddhism is the offshoot of Hinduism and evolved around 563 B.C. in India. The founder is Siddhartha Gautama, also called the Buddha, or Enlightened One. Rejects Hindu castes and seeks enlightened spiritual state, or nirvana. Other Asian practices include Confucianism, Taoism, and Shinto. Sometimes these belief systems are thought of as religions and sometimes philosophies of life. All of them have specific practices and behaviors associated with them.

What is the difference between cottage industry and commercial industry?

Small industries often involve a family of craftspersons who produce goods to be sold in a local area. Since they often take place in the home, these businesses are referred to as cottage industries. Commercial industries meet the needs of people within a very large area.

What is soil? What is topsoil? Why is topsoil important?

Soil is a thin layer of weathered rock, humus, air, and water. It shapes human existence in many ways. The world's food supply depends greatly on the top six inches of soil (sometimes called topsoil). Such factors as depth, texture, and humus content of the soil determine the type of vegetation that can be supported in a region. That, in turn, helps to influence which human activities may take place there. Soil characteristics and climate are major influences in vegetation regions.

What is a hurricane? What are the effects of a hurricane?

Storms that form over warm, tropical ocean waters are called hurricanes, also known as typhoons in Asia. As the hurricane hits land, it pounds the area with howling winds and very heavy rains. It may also cause a storm surge along coastal regions. This wall of seawater, pushed ashore by the winds, may rise to 16 feet or more.

How long do below-freezing temperatures last in a Subarctic climate?

Temperatures at freezing or below freezing last five to eight months of the year.

What are the basic land use patterns found in a city?

The basic land use patterns found in a city are residential, industrial, and commercial. Residential includes single-family housing and apartment buildings. Industrial are areas reserved for manufacturing goods. Commercial is used for private businesses and the buying and selling of retail products.

How do the Concentric Zone Model, Sector Model, and Multiple Nuclei Model differ?

The concentric zone model, the sector model, and multiple nuclei model are models that show patterns of land used in urban areas. The concentric zone model is an early model that showed the CBD as the "bull's-eye" of the urban area. It is surrounded by other activities. The sector model is the activites are connected in wedges or sectors, which may follow transportation lines or natural features such as a river. The multiple nuclei model are districts, called nuclei, that specialize in one urban activity, and are found throughout the urban area.

Describe the central business district (CBD).

The core of a city is almost always based on commercial activity. This area of the city is called the central business district (CBD). Business offices and stores are found in this part of the city. In some cities, very expensive housing may also be found there. Predictably, the value of the land in the CBD is very high. In fact, the land is so expensive that skyscrapers are often built to get the most value from the land.

What is the difference between plants in the desert and plants in the tundra?

The difference between plants in the desert and plants in the tundra is in the tundra, plants that hug the ground, such as mosses and lichen, are best adapted to survive the cold dry climate. In the desert, plants that can conserve water and withstand heat, such as cacti, sagebrush, or other shrubs, dot the landscape.

What do the equinoxes mark?

The equinoxes mark the beginning of spring and autumn.

Name the five general climate regions.

The five general climate regions are tropical (low latitude), dry, mid-latitude, high latitude, and highland.

What is tundra? What is permafrost?

The flat, treeless lands forming a ring around the Arctic Ocean are called tundra. A tundra has very little precipitation and summer temperatures are around 40 degrees fahrenheit. Permafrost is the constantly frozen subsoil found in a tundra.

Describe the four basic types of economic systems.

The four basic types of economic systems are traditional, command, market, and mixed economy. Traditional economy is goods and services are traded without exchanging money. Also called "barter." Command economy is the production of goods and services that is determined by a central government, which usually owns the means or production. Production does not necessarily reflect the consumer demand. Also called a planned economy. Market economy is the production of goods and services that is determined by the demand from consumers. Also called a demand economy or capitalism. Mixed economy is a combination of command and market economies provides goods and services that all people will benefit.

Describe the four categories of government.

The four categories of government are democracy, monarchy, dictatorship, and communism. Democracy is citizens hold political power, either directly or through elected representatives. For example the United States. Monarchy is a ruling family headed by a king or queen that holds political power and may or may not share the power with citizen bodies. For example England. Dictatorship is an individual or group that holds complete political power. For example North Korea. Communism is nearly all political power and means of production are held by the government in the name of all the people. For example the Soviet Union.

Describe the four levels of economic activity.

The four levels of economic activity are primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary. Primary activities involve gathering raw materials such as timber for immediate use or to use in the making of a final product. Secondary activities involve adding value to materials by changing their form. Manufacturing automobiles is an example. Tertiary activities involve providing business or professional services. Salespeople, teachers, or doctors are examples. Quaternary activities provide information, management, and research services by highly-trained persons.

What are the four major factors that influence climate?

The four major factors that influence climate are wind and ocean currents, latitude, elevation, and topography.

Name the four seasons and on what date each season begins.

The four seasons are spring, summer, winter, and autumn. Spring begins on March 21, summer begins on June 21 or 22, winter begins December 22 or 23, and autumn begins September 23.

What is the difference between gross national product (GNP) and gross domestic product (GDP)?

The gross national product (or GNP) is the total value of all goods and services produced by a country over a year or some other specified period of time. The GDP, or gross domestic product, is the total value of all goods and services produced within a country in a given period of time.

Which direction does hot air move? Which direction does cold air move?

The hot air flows toward the poles, and the cold air moves toward the equator.

What is the largest (global) political unit?

The largest political unit United Nations, which has nearly 200 members who work to improve political, cultural, and economic conditions across the globe.

What is the most important system within the infrastructure? How is the development of a country measured by its infrastructure?

The most important system within the infrastructure is transportation. The development of a country is measured by its infrastructure. The more sophisticated the infrastructure, the more developed the country.

Define the terms state, nation, nation-state, and stateless nation.

The political term state is used to describe an independent unit that occupies a specific territory and has full control of its internal and external affairs. Nation refers to a group of people with a common culture living in a territory and having a strong sense of unity. When a nation and a state occupy the same territory, that territory is called a nation-state. It is possible for a nation to not have a territory. When this happens, the group without a territory is called a stateless nation.

Describe the seven conditions that cause "weather".

The seven conditions that cause weather are sun, water vapor, precipitation, cloud cover, landforms and bodies of water, elevation, and air movement. Sun is the amount of solar energy received by a location varies according to the earth's position in relation to the sun. Large masses of air absorb and distribute this solar energy, which in turn affects the weather. Water vapor determines whether there will be precipitation. Precipitation is the falling of water droplets in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail. Cloud cover is clouds that may hold water vapor. Landforms and bodies of water is when water heats slowly but also loses heat slowly. Land heats rapidly but loses heat rapidly as well. Elevation is as elevation above sea level increases, the air becomes thinner and loses its ability to hold moisture. Air movement is when winds move the air and the solar energy and moisture that it holds. As a result, weather can change very rapidly.

What impact does "shape" have on a country?

The shape of a country can have an impact on how easily it can be governed, how goods are moved to all areas of the country, and how it relates to neighboring countries.

How do the terms innovation, diffusion, and culture hearth relate to technology?

The terms innovation, diffusion, and culture hearth relate to technology. Innovation is taking existing technology and resources and creating something new to meet a need. For example, weaving baskets from reeds to solve storage problem. Diffusion is the spread of ideas, inventions, or patterns of behavior. In an age of electronic technology, diffusion can happen very quickly. A cultural hearth is a site of innovation from which basic ideas, materials, and technology diffuse to many cultures. For example, the Nile River civilizations in Africa.

What are the three most important geographic characteristics of a country?

The three most important geographic characteristics of a country are size, shape, and relative location.

What are the three types of religions?

The three types of religions are monotheistic, polytheistic, and animistic. Monotheistic is the belief in one god. Polytheistic is the belief in many gods. Animistic or traditional, is the belief in divine forces of nature.

What are the three zones of latitude? Where are they found and what are the general characteristics?

The three zones of latitude are low or tropical, middle or temperate, and high or polar. Tropical zones are found on either side of the equator. They extend to the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere. Lands in tropical zones are hot all year long. The earth's two temperate zones lie at the middle latitudes, between the tropics and the polar regions. Within the temperate zones, climates can vary greatly, ranging from relatively hot to relatively cold. These variations occur because solar heating is greater in the summer than in the winter. So summers are much warmer. The high-latitude polar zones, which encircle the North Pole and South Pole, are cold all year. Summer temperatures in the polar regions may reach a high of only 50°F.

How does the "topography" of an area affect climate?

The topography of an area affects climate because the moisture-laden winds cool as they move up the side of a mountain, eventually releasing rain or snow. By the time the winds reach the other side of the mountain, they are dry and become warmer as they flow down the mountain.

What weather hazard is common in a Humid Subtropical climate? Which crop is most suited to this climate?

The weather hazard that is common in a humid subtropical climate is a hurricane. The crop that is most suited to this climate is rice.

Describe a Marine West Coast climate. What is smog?

This climate subregion, which is located close to the ocean, is frequently cloudy, foggy, and damp. The winds over the warm ocean moderate the temperatures and keep them relatively constant. Precipitation in the marine west coast climate region is evenly distributed throughout the year. Smog is a mixture of smoke and fog.

Name two "hot" deserts? Where would you most likely find "cold" deserts?

Two "hot" deserts are the Sahara and the Arabian Desert. You would most likely find "cold" deserts in the mid-latitudes mostly in the Northern Hemisphere, often in the rain shadow of nearby mountain ranges.

What is the difference between weather and climate?

Weather is the condition of the atmosphere at a particular location and time. Climate is the term for weather conditions at a particular location over a long period of time.

How are winds identified? Name the four Global Wind Currents?

Winds are identified by the direction from which they blow; a north wind blows from the north to the south. The four global wind currents are the polar easterlies, the westerlies, the northeasterly trade winds, and the southeasterly trade winds.

What is a state allowed to do within its national boundaries?

Within its borders, the state can do such things as collect taxes, set up a legal code, and declare an official language. A state may claim all of the resources found within its boundaries.

How do you determine the "rate of natural increase"?

You can determine the rate of natural increase by finding the rate at which the population is growing and subtract that with the mortality rate from the birthrate. The difference is the rate of natural increase, or the population growth rate.

Besides around the Mediterranean Sea, where would you find a Mediterranean climate?

You would find a Mediterranean climate on the west coast of the United States and parts of Australia.