GY 101 Chapter 1 (a)(b) Learnsmarts
The biosphere interacts with the _____ when plants help to break down the earths materials and with the _______ when plants emit oxygen gas.
lithosphere; atmosphere
Longitudinal divisions of time zones are done along________.
longitudinal and political lines, and landscape features
The rock cycle primarily pertains to the ________ in the lithosphere, which includes processes of melting and the transportation of rock and soil.
movement of matter and energy
A change to a system that dampens an ongoing change is called a ______ feedback.
negative
Open systems are defined by ________.
net changes of inputs and outputs
Systems studied by physical geographers are dynamic. To study these, a(n) ________ process is used to interpret data gathered from geographic tools.
objective
The hydrologic cycle is a complex cycle consisting of _______.
phase changes of water caused by energy transfers
Qualitative data _________.
reduces the length of an explanation by providing an image, incorporates related human opinions and factors.
The _____ cycle involves the movement of matter and energy on and below Earth's surfaces through erosion, melting, metamorphism, and uplift.
rock
The hydrologic cycle is best described as _______.
the circulation of water around the globe
A map showing the land surface elevation using lines called contours is known as a ________ map.
topographic
Remote sensing is a method of data collection that___________.
uses many forms of data to produce images.
Shaded-relief maps allow map users to________.
visualize the land shape
Order the important lines of latitude from northern at the top to southern at the bottom.
1. Arctic Circle 2. Tropic of Cancer 3. Equator 4. Tropic of Capricorn 5. Antarctic Circle
Order the steps of the objective method for studying physical geography problems with the first step at the top and last at the bottom.
1. Observation 2. Analysis 3. Interpretation
Match the processes from the rock cycle with the appropriate description.
Deformation: Rock is exposed to force or heat that changes its shape. Melting: Rock is subjected to increased pressure and temperature that change its state. Solidification: Rock cools after being exposed to high temperatures. Uplift: Tectonic forces move rock to the surface.
The degrees of latitude are defined as the _______, where parallels are assigned every 10 degrees.
Degrees above or below the equator.
Rate is calculated to determine how quickly something is changing and is expressed as _________.
Distance/Time
Which three answers best define physical geography?
Distribution of features and phenomena across the globe, processes that change Earth's landscapes, impact of landscape and environment on people.
Select all the descriptions that apply to lines of longitude.
Eastern longitudes have positive degrees. Lines of longitude run north-south on the globe.
Match the two types of GPS systems to their appropriate descriptions.
GPS= Accurate to several meters; used for navigation, location of field samples, and biotic surveys. DGPS= Performs self-checks; accurate to a few meters; used for monitoring landscape changes. The "D" stands for differential.
GPS stands for _______ system.
Global positioning system.
What is the time zone at the Prime Meridian called?
Greenwich Mean Time
Which of the following phenomena would most likely be studied by a physical geographer?
How many polluted rainfalls does Seattle receive per year?
Which spheres are recognized by scientists as overlapping with the biosphere?
Hydrosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere
What are important requirements for a frame of reference to identify an object's location, and to communicate that location to another person?
Identify an origin near an object-- specifically something fixed. Set a scale, or method of determining distance, within your system. Identify a method of determining direction within your system.
Earth systems change and are influenced by feedbacks in a continual process of _______ equilibrium.
dynamic
Identify processes that are part of the biogeochemical cycle.
A seed is deposited by a bird that ate it. The seed falls into soil and rain causes the seed to sprout. Coal is created from decaying plant material. The coal is burned to create energy, and carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere.
What factors are required for possible human activity in any given place? Use location and spatial distributions in the analysis.
Accessibility of clean water, moderate temperature extremes.
Compare active and passive remote sensing by matching the pairs below.
Active remote sensing- Collects information by directing energy and measures energy returned. Passive remote sensing- Collects information by receiving emitted energy.
Air currents disperse water in the _______, but other factors cause it to be unevenly distributed.
Atmosphere
Give examples of how the four spheres interact by matching the interacting spheres with a phenomenon.
Atmosphere-Hydrosphere: Clouds Lithosphere-Atmosphere: Emissions of volcanic gases. Biosphere-Atmosphere: Vegetation in wet or dry climates. Hydrosphere-Lithosphere: Stream-cut channels. Biosphere-Hydrosphere: Coral reefs. Biosphere-Lithosphere: Plants growing in soil.
Match the name of the sphere with what is contained within it.
Atmosphere: Gases Biosphere: Living organisms Hydrosphere: Water Lithosphere: Solid Earth
Human activities that change the landscape often result in unintended consequences. Dam building is a good example, as it may provide hydroelectric power but also disturbs _____ and the local ______.
ecosystems; water balance
What are some practical applications for remote sensing?
Bedrock topography surveys. Pollutant tracking.
Choose all of the components of the hydrosphere.
Clouds, rivers, lakes, groundwater, oceans, glaciers.
Which of the following are ways humans influence the landscape
Creating parks, Altering river channels, Building roads and buildings
Which of the items below describe Earth's hydrosphere?
It includes soil moisture, groundwater, lakes, clouds, and air moisture. It overlaps with every sphere of Earth.
Give examples of quantitative data sources.
Laboratory samples, field measurements, scientific experiments
Four main spheres of Earth
Lithosphere, Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Biosphere
GPS has a wide range of applications. Physical geographers could use it for __________.
Mapping landscapes, monitoring environmental changes.
In the latitude-longitude coordinate system, ________ are imaginary lines that run north-south and are measured in degrees east-west.
Meridians
Describe the different types of remote sensing by matching the name to the descriptor.
Microwave: Images from satellites are created with data gathered from waves that penetrate clouds; can be used to measure surface-water elevations. Multispectral: Sensors collect from multiple wavelengths of energy; an example is forest fire tracking. Radar, sonar, and lidar: The emittance, recorded reflection, and return time of energy waves from a sensor to landscape below are used to assess topography in inaccessible areas.
Moving air masses have ______, as they have both mass and velocity.
Momentum
What are Earth's hemispheres?
Northern, Western, Southern, Eastern Hemispheres
Order the following steps of the scientific method from top to bottom by completing the phrases.
Observe-a problem Ask- a question Propose- a hypothesis Develop- predictions Compile- data Evaluate- results
The _______ includes all of life on Earth, including that in the atmosphere, in the ocean, and within Earth's subsurface.
biosphere
The take-up of CO2 from the atmosphere by plants, the emission of greenhouse gases produced by humans, and the ocean acting as a sink for gases are all exchanges involved in Earth's ______ cycle.
carbon
The ______ is an imaginary line, a parallel, that divides Earth into top and bottom halves.
equator
Match the type of system with the description.
Open system: energy and material move in and out of the system Closed system: Material is not exchanged with the surroundings (but energy could be).
_________ remote sensing collects data by reviewing an area and collecting data such as heat and light from a sensor. _________ remote sensing collects data by emitting a beam of energy toward the area studied and calculates the amount of energy returned to the sensor platform and if that energy has changed.
Passive; Active
Match the process of the hydrologic cycle with the appropriate description.
Precipitation: Atmospheric water vapor forms drops and falls to the ground. Streams: Moving water flows downhill and sculpts the landscape in its path. Evaporation: Energy transformations cause water to collect in the atmosphere from all of Earth's surfaces. Groundwater flow: Water seeps into the ground and flows through rock and soil. Ocean waves: This is motion caused by the transfer of momentum between wind and a body of water.
Identify each of the following Earth processes as SLOW or RAPID by placing them in the correct category.
RAPID: Wind speed, ocean wave speed SLOW: Continental movement, groundwater movement
The energy and matter in the atmosphere are _______
Redistributed by the atmospheric processes
The intersection of a plane with a sphere creates a(n) ______ circle when the plane passes through the sphere's center. The equator is an example of one on Earth.
great
The concept that distribution of energy and matter will reach a level of equilibrium follows the ____ Law of Thermodynamics.
Second
a plane that intersects a sphere, without going through its center, creates a ______ circler.
Small
What are some practical applications for remote sensing?
Temperature and vegetation monitoring. Weather forecasting.
Which meridian runs through Greenwich, United Kingdom, and is the line of zero longitude.
The Prime Meridian
Which of the following apply to latitudes?
The equator is measured as 0 degrees latitude. Lines of latitude are parallels, running east-west across the globe.
Choose the following characteristics that define parallels.
The shortest parallels are near the poles. They are of equal distance from each other.
Fractions of degrees in the latitude and longitude system are expressed as ______ or _______.
decimal degrees; minutes and seconds.
A ______ system is one in which mass and energy are constantly transferred in form, quantity, and location.
dynamic
Describe the different types of remote sensing by matching the name to the descriptor.
Visible and near infrared (IR)--Records multiple spectra of light. Thermal infrared (IR)-- Captures variances in heat emitted by objects.
Match the sedimentary processes of the rock cycle with the appropriate description.
Weathering: Rock is broken apart by natural elements, flora and fauna, and chemical reactions. Erosion and transport: Sediment is moved by water, wind, and gravity. Deposition: Sediment stops traveling and rests in a new place. Burial and formation of rock: Sediment is compacted by pressure from above and may undergo chemical reactions.
The most fundamental use of GPS data is to determine ________ through satellite data.
an accurate location on Earth
Quantitative data should ______.
be a numeric record of a process or observation
