GEOG120: Physical Geography - Chapter 1

What is the stream of electrically charged particles that travel outward from the Sun through space?

Solar Wind

Where does the length of day remain the same throughout the year?

At the equator

Which of the following parts of the electromagnetic spectrum represents the highest frequency?

Gamma Rays

The December solstice is ____________.

The time of the year when Earth's geographic North Pole is leaning most directly away from the Sun

Solar Wind

Clouds of ionized (charged) gases emitted by the Sun and traveling in all directions from the Sun's surface. Effects on Earth include auroras, disturbance of radio signals, and possible influences on weather.

On March 22 and September 22, which placemarked location has a solar-noon Sun angle of 66.5∘?

D: At 23.5∘ north latitude, the solar-noon Sun angle here on the equinox would be 66.5∘ above the horizon.

Of the following agricultural activities, which has the most overlap with areas affected by acid rain?

Dairying A primary area of dairying extends through north-central Europe, which overlaps with an extensive area affected by acid rain.

How does wealth affect food consumption in Beijing?

Diets change from vegetables to meat. Meat is expensive and many poor people cannot afford it. As incomes increase, so does the consumption of meat.

Which city experiences poor urban air quality and is affected by the most acidic rain?

New York City In addition to having poor urban air quality, New York City experiences relatively acidic rain.

What is the approximate length of the day in the Wasatch Mountains east of Salt Lake City on March 27, from first light to total darkness?

On March 27, this location experiences daylight from approximately 6 A.M. to 7 P.M. local time, for a total of 13 hours.

What is ozone?

a molecule made up of three oxygen atoms

Which of the following statements about Earth's solstices is correct?

The December solstice is the time of year when Earth's geographic South Pole is leaning most directly toward the Sun.

Which of the following solutions would most effectively reduce air pollution in London?

Widen and create more bicycle lanes Bicycling in London has increased and is a zero-emission form of transportation.

Which of the following characteristics of Earth's relationship to the Sun explains the existence of Earth's seasons?

1) Earth orbits around the Sun, completing one orbit each year. 2) Earth's axis is tilted relative to its orbital plane. 3) Earth spins on its axis, completing one rotation each day. 4) Earth's axis always points in the same direction relative to the stars.

On the March equinox, which occurs on March 20 or 21, the Northern Hemisphere experiences spring and the Southern Hemisphere has autumn. On the September equinox, which occurs on September 22 or 23, the reverse is true. After the spring equinox, in either hemisphere, days grow longer until reaching their maximum at the summer solstice. Then, they begin to shorten again until the autumnal equinox when daylength once again is equal to the length of the night. Days continue to shorten after this event until they are at their shortest at the winter solstice. Which of the following are true of equinoxes?

1) 12-hour daylength at all latitudes 2) Solar declination at the equator 3) Daylength decreases after autumnal equinox As you have seen, the main characteristics of equinoxes are solar declination at the equator and 12 hours of day and night at all latitudes. The characteristics of equinoxes and solstices explain why daylight seems to linger longer from spring to summer and why some people try to find a cause to celebrate when they reach the winter solstice.

What is the average distance between the Sun and Earth?

150 million km or 93 million mi

In which of the labeled vertical atmospheric layers do we see a trend of increasing temperature with increasing altitude?

B&D: Temperatures in the stratosphere (layer B) and thermosphere (layer D) increase with increasing altitude.

Which energy source is the biggest polluter in London?

Coal: London gets about 30 percent of its power from coal, which is the largest polluter of all energy sources. New emissions standards in London will make coal power plants obsolete by 2015.

Considering the locations of the placemarks labeled A through E, near which location is a display of aurora borealis most likely to occur?

D: This placemark's latitude (53.7∘ N) and eye altitude (162 kilometers) make aurora events more likely here.

What human activity is the main source of air pollution in Beijing?

Driving Cars Beijing is very populous, and many people own cars. Cars in Beijing emit 3,600 tons of pollutants every day.

How is ozone formed in the stratosphere?

Ultraviolet radiation breaks apart molecules made up of paired oxygen atoms. Individual oxygen atoms bond with paired oxygen molecules to form ozone.

How do CFCs cause ozone depletion?

Ultraviolet radiation breaks down CFCs, molecules containing chlorine. Chlorine then breaks one oxygen atom away from ozone, leaving behind a paired oxygen molecule.

Auroras

A spectacular glowing light display in the ionosphere, stimulated by the interaction of the solar wind with principally oxygen and nitrogen gases at high latitudes; called Aurora Borealis in the Northern Hemisphere and Aurora Australis in the Southern Hemisphere.

If the atmospheric pressure at Mangamaunu Beach is 1000 millibars and we assume the general guideline that atmospheric pressure decreases by approximately 50% for every 5-kilometer increase in altitude, what will the atmospheric pressure be at the summit of Manakau?

750 millibars : The elevation difference is approximately 2600 meters. Therefore the pressure should be approximately 25 percent lower at the top of the mountain than at the beach.

Which letter identifies the part of the column in the appropriate altitudinal range for the layer known as the stratosphere?

B: At 33.97 kilometers, this placemark is in the middle of the stratosphere.

Which vegetation zone is located in the areas affected by the most acidic rain?

Broadleaf deciduous forest. Acid rain may impair the productivity of forests by harming the foliage, damaging roots, and leaching nutrient minerals from the soil. Groundwater acidification impacts vegetation from the root systems and can have a more profound impact than surface water.

What would best address the problem of waste in London?

Build more recycling facilities Without more recycling facilities, it will be impossible for London to reach its goal of increasing recycling and reducing waste that ends up in landfills

On December 22, which placemarked location has a solar-noon Sun angle of 21.5∘?

C: At 45∘ north latitude, the solar-noon Sun angle here on December 22 would be 21.5∘ above the horizon.

Assuming measurement is done at solar-noon on the equinox, which of the labeled layers A through E would receive the same amount of energy from the Sun as the Sample Location site?

C: The area at 45∘ N is approximately 1.4 times the size of the Sample Location layer and therefore receives about the same amount of energy.

Which aspects of seasonality are caused by either revolution or rotation?

1) Duration of the seasons 2) Daily pattern of days and nights 3) Length of a tropical year

What would happen to the oxygen atoms in ozone if the ozone layer were completely destroyed by ultraviolet radiation?

The oxygen atoms would be bound together in pairs.

Instructions for Part D: 1)Turn on and open the Beam Depletion folder. Double-click the Sample Location layer. This square represents a hypothetical area near the equator where the energy from the sun could be measured. Because of the nearly spherical shape of the planet, however, the energy received near the equator on the equinox is more concentrated than energy received in higher latitudes.

2) Double-click the layers labeled A through E and examine their associated squares, comparing their sizes to the Sample Location layer. Use the Ruler tool to obtain rough measurements of each layer.

Fusion

The process of forcibly joining positively charged hydrogen and Helium nuclei under extreme temperature and pressure; occurs naturally in thermonuclear reactions within stars, such as out Sun.

What is the Chinese government's response to the use of cars in Beijing?

Develop public transportation Many people in Beijing own cars, but congestion and air pollution in Beijing are high. Public transportation could reduce car use.

When are the Sun's rays perpendicular to Earth's surface at the equator?

During the March equinox and September equinox

Magnetosphere

Earth's magnetic force field, which is generated by dynamo-like motions within the planet's outer core; deflects the solar wind flow toward the upper atmosphere above each pole.

Based on your knowledge of the relationship between photosynthesis, respiration, and carbon dioxide, which of the following region and date combinations exhibits the most unexpected CO2 readings?

High values over the southeastern United States during July We would expect the higher rates of respiration and photosynthesis during the high-sun season to reduce the levels of carbon dioxide compared to the levels seen during the low-sun season, but that was not the case during July 2004.

Atmospheric gases scatter shorter wavelength light (blue) more effectively than longer wavelength light (red), so the sky looks blue at mid-day. This is called Rayleigh scattering. Exploration 7 - Earth-Sun Geometry This Exploration will help you visualize and investigate key topics using Google Earth™. Open the Google Earth™ .kmz file for this item. In the Places panel on the left, expand the Temporary Places folder. Introduction: Seasonal variations are a routine part of life on Earth. But what causes such significant shifts in the amount of insolation received at a given location over the course of a year? The answer lies in the constantly transitioning geometric relationship between Earth and Sun. In this Exploration, we consider the geometric relationships that result in Earth's seasons.

Instructions for all Parts Make sure you have opened the KMZ file from the blue box on the left. From the Places panel, expand 07. Earth-Sun Geometry.kmz. Instructions for Part A: Double-click the Period of Daylight layer. The region on the map is of Salt Lake City and the Wasatch Mountains, but your view should appear dark. This is because the Sunlight function has been turned on and set to 4:01 A.M.. Move the cursor over the slider then click the Wrench icon to open the Date and Time Options dialog window. Under the Display time in option, click on the Specific time zone button, then select the MST Mountain Standard Time from the dropdown list, and click OK. Use the Time slider at the top-left corner of the display to change the time of day, watching the movement of sunlight across the landscape at this location on this date.

What is the major problem with London's water system?

It was designed and built 150 years ago. London loses a large amount of water due to leaky, old pipes

Which of the following cities is most likely to be affected by acid rain and poor urban air quality?

Kharkov, a city in eastern Russia, is affected by poor urban air quality and acid rain.

How much of the Sun's ultraviolet radiation reaches Earth's surface?

Little of the ultraviolet radiation

Sunspots

Magnetic disturbances on the surface of the Sun, occurring in an average 11-year cycle; related flares, prominence, and outbreaks produce surges in solar wind.

What is different about how waste is processed in Beijing?

Many poor people in Beijing recycle waste they find to make money. Each year, recyclers in Beijing divert about 2 million tons of waste to recycling yards, helping reduce the amount of trash in landfills.

When do all locations on Earth experience equal lengths of day and night?

March equinox

How does the availability of food in London compare with that in Beijing?

Most food in London is imported, and in Beijing it is grown locally. About 80 percent of London's food is imported from outside the United Kingdom. Nearly all of the food in Beijing is locally produced.

Three other factors also influence seasonality: Axial tilt: Earth's axis tilts 23.5 degrees from the plane of the ecliptic, or the imaginary plane line that joins the centers of the Sun and Earth. Because of this tilt, one hemisphere is inclined towards the Sun, while the other is tilted away from it. The hemisphere tilted towards the Sun receives its direct, vertical rays, resulting in longer days than nights due to more intense insolation, or exposure to sunlight. In the hemisphere where the axis is tilted away, the reverse is true. Therefore, axial tilt determines the duration and intensity of insolation on Earth in the two hemispheres. Axial parallelism: Earth's axis points towards the same point, Polaris (the polestar) in the northern sky, all year round. The constant direction of the axial tilt allows both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres to face toward the Sun at different times of the year. Earth's sphericity: Earth's shape also affects the receipt of insolation. Areas along the equator receive the greatest amount of insolation, but insolation decreases toward the poles because the surface curves away. The figure in the activity shows the Northern Hemisphere tilted towards the Sun, with the Sun's rays (yellow arrows) directly striking the Tropic of Cancer. Note that the circle of illumination at different latitudes, which indicates the length of day and night at those latitudes. If the circle of illumination cuts a latitude in such a way that the lighted portion is greater than the dark portion, days are longer than nights. When the darkened portion is greater, the reverse is true. Given these conditions, identify the effects of the three factors discussed above. Drag the labels to their appropriate targets, placing the descriptions of insolation in the pink targets and all other descriptions in the blue targets.

Now you know why the Sun's heat seems more intense in summer than in winter. Since you're feeling the direct rays of the Sun, rather than angled radiation, it really is more intense! With this information, you'll know where to plan your winter vacation depending on whether you want to snow ski or water ski!

What is another name for the ozone layer?

Ozonosphere

Which of the following states experiences the MOST severe acid rain?

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania and the adjacent states experience the most acidic rain of the whole United States.

Instructions for Part B-C: Turn on and open the Noon Sun Angle folder. Double-click each of the five placemarks labeled A through E, noting the latitude of each and considering the relationship this has on solar noon Sun angle during different times of year.

The Imagery Date indicated in the Google Earth™ viewer reflects the timing of image capture for the included satellite imagery; it will not impact your interpretation of this question. You may find it helpful to turn on the latitude and longitude grid by going to the View menu and selecting Grid.

How does the inclination of Earth's axis (relative to the plane of its orbit) change over the course of a year?

The inclination of Earth's axis does not change.

Assume a general west-to-east movement of air across the United States. Which of the following statements is most accurate?

The most acidic rain is found near, and downwind, of major regions that manufacture durable goods. Some of the pollution that contributes to acid rain in the northeastern United States is generated in the Midwest and is carried by regional winds toward the northeast.

At which of the following locations does the atmosphere exhibit the greatest variation in water vapor?

The region surrounding Lake Chad. Regions removed from the moderating effect of oceans typically have greater seasonal variation in atmospheric water vapor.

Which of the following best explains the pattern of atmospheric carbon dioxide seen above Slovakia in January 2004?

The relatively high levels of CO2 are a result of diminished photosynthesis and respiration by flora during the low-sun season. In the high-sun season we would expect to see lower levels of carbon dioxide as photosynthesis and respiration increase.

In terms of the study of the composition of the atmosphere, what could these two data sets be used to analyze?

The temporal variation in the distribution of water vapor in a column of air. These data sets highlight the variability of water vapor over time, for example, showing that water vapor levels in a column of air over most of North America are higher in July than January.

Where does the atmospheric temperature generally decrease with altitude?

Troposphere and Mesosphere

Which choice of temperature layers of the atmosphere is generally consistent with the composition region called the homosphere?

Troposphere, Stratosphere, and Mesosphere

What is one obstacle to building a large wind power array in London?

Wind power is much more expensive than other forms of electricity. The cost of producing offshore wind power is twice that of gas or nuclear.

On the June and December solstices, the Sun's declination reaches its northernmost and southernmost extremes. Latitudes beyond the tropics never receive the direct rays of the Sun. The following conditions occur during the June solstice, which takes place annually on June 20 or 21: The North Pole is tilted towards the Sun. The Sun is directly overhead at the Tropic of Cancer, its northernmost declination. The Northern Hemisphere experiences summer, and daylength is at its longest. The Sun never sets at latitudes within the Arctic Circle, even at night, leading to the phenomenon of the "Midnight Sun," or constant light. The reverse occurs in the Southern Hemisphere, where daylength is at its shortest. South of the Antarctic Circle, however, there is constant darkness. Daylength at the equator remains approximately equal to the length of night. The reverse conditions occur during the December solstice, which falls on December 21 or 22: The South Pole is tilted towards the Sun. The Sun's direct rays fall on the Tropic of Capricorn, the southernmost point of declination. The Southern Hemisphere experiences summer and its longest day of the year, and the "Midnight Sun" phenomenon occurs at latitudes within the Antarctic Circle. The Northern Hemisphere experiences the reverse conditions of a winter season, and the longest night of the year. Constant darkness occurs north of the Arctic Circle. Day and night still remain approximately equal at the equator. Drag the appropriate labels to their respective targets. Place the blue solstice characteristic labels in the blue targets and the pink solstice name labels in the pink targets. The yellow lines, of course, represent the Sun's rays.

You can see that solstices mark the extreme points of the Sun's declination—the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere during the June solstice, and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere during the December solstice. The hemisphere experiencing the direct rays of the Sun experiences summer and the longest daylengths of the year, with its highest latitudes experiencing constant daylight, also called the "Midnight Sun." Days and nights at the equator remain approximately equal, as always. Earth's orbit around the Sun includes two other major positions of Earth relative to the Sun's rays, one transitioning to the June solstice and the other to the December solstice. Those two positions signal the start of the other two seasons of the year.

The June solstice is ______________.

the time of the year when Earth's geographic North Pole is leaning most directly toward the Sun