World Geography Chapter 1

What is the difference between an agrarian and an industrial economy?

An agrarian economy derives most of its income from agriculture; an industrial economy depends on the production of manufactured goods. Industrial economies tend to be more prosperous than agrarian economies.

List and define five different landforms.

Answers should include five of the following landforms: mountain-rises at least 2,000 feet above sea level, has a peak or summit and steep sloping sides hill-between 500 and 2,000 feet, rounded top, does not usually have a steep slope plateau- has a broad, flat top with gorges and canyons cutting through it and at least one very steep, almost clifflike side mesa- similar to plateau but smaller, with a flat top, extremely steep sides, and a round or oblong shape butte-resembles mesa but smaller in diameter valley - low shadowy place between mountains and hills, usually has streams and rivers running through it plain-flat or rolling land with few changes in elevation, often well-watered and fertile delta-triangular-shaped landform where a river fans out into smaller streams before it reaches the ocean peninsula-extension of the main body of land with water on three sides island-land completely surrounded by water isthmus-narrow strip of land connecting landmasses

List the seven continents from largest to smallest according to population.

Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Australia, and Antartica

How can the shortest distance between two points be a curve?

Because the earth is a sphere and not flat as distance maps portray it, the shortest distance between two points on a map is sometimes a curve.

Explain the difference between climate and weather.

Climate involves certain patterns of weather which occur over a long period of time in a particular region. Weather involves the changes that take place in the lower part of the earth's atmosphere in a localized area during a short period of time.

Which hemisphere contains the most land and people- East or West?

East

Compare and contrast free enterprise capitalism and socialism.

Free enterprise capitalism allows individuals the freedom to follow their economic pursuits as they see fit through private ownership of property and individual decision-making in the marketplace; it leaves the individual free to make something of himself if he has the enterprise to do it. Socialism is a system in which the government owns or controls a nation's resources and industries, preventing personal initiative.

Describe the three processes of forming precipitation.

Frontal (two air masses of different temperatures meet, warm air is forced upward over the colder air); orographic (warm air rises over the mountains and cools, forming clouds that release rain and snow, cooled air reaching the other side of the mountain is dry); convectional (hot, humid air rising and cooling, losing its ability to hold as much moisture, producing the world's heaviest rainfalls)

Compare the advantages and disadvantage of globes and maps.

Globes show actual shapes, sizes, and locations of landmasses and bodies of water and accurately depict the distance and direction between two points; however, they show only half of the earth at a time and do not give much detailed information. Maps provide more detail than globes do and are more convenient to carry, yet they do not accurately display the curved surface of the earth.

How might change be good for a culture? Give an example of a good cultural change.

It could improve new standards of morality and justice and establish personal freedoms previously unknown to a people. christianity and technology are examples of good cultural change.

How do lines of longitude differ from lines of latitude? Name five important parallels and two important meridians.

Lines of longitude run north and south and lines of latitude run east and west. Equator, Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricon, Arctic Circle, Antarctic Circle; Prime Meridian and International Date Line

Identify and describe each of the four major flat-map projections.

Mercator (most accurate at the Equator and most distorted at the poles; conformal map; distorts distance and size) Mollweide (equal-area map; shows the correct size of landmasses in relation to other landmasses but distorts shape) Robinson (lines of latitude and longitude almost intersect at right angles except near the edges; shows areas and distances with a high degree of accurace) Azimuthal (shows true compass directions; longitude lines are straight and latitude lines are circles; distorts shape and size more toward teh opposite pole)

Explain the hydrologic cycle and name some of the bodies of water involved in this process.

Moisture evaporates into the air from the oceans and then condenses to form clouds which drift over the land and release their moisture in the form of rain, snow, and other types of precipitation. Rivers return the water to the oceans, and the cycle continues. Streams, rivers, tributaries, waterfalls, lakes and reservoirs are some of the bodies of water involved.

Name the four oceans of the world. Which is the largest and deepest?

Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic; Pacific Ocean

Explain the meaning and importance of perspective in studying geography.

Perspective determines our understanding of the earth and its peoples. A secular geographer views geographic features as a result of evolution, and he can use only human reasoning to explain the world. A Christian's belief in God and the Bible gives him insight the unbeliever does not have, such as knowledge of the Creation week and the worldwide Flood of Genesis.

What is the single most important factor in any culture? Explain.

Religion - It determines how a people live, what their views on morality, truth, and justice are, and whether they succeed or fail as a nation.

What influence has religion had on the world's cultures? Give examples.

Religion has both positive and negative effects on culture. Christianity and the Bible have given people a strong desire to preserve life and human freedoms, honor law and order, and work for the glory of God as in the American colonies in the United States. False religions as in India have kept the people in bondage to superstition and have hindered economic, political, and social progress for centuries.

Explain the differences between renewable and nonrenewable resources and give three examples of each.

Renewable resources are resources that can be renewed - water, soil, air, trees, water-power, geothermal energy, wind, solar energy, nonrenewable resources exist in limited quantities and cannot be replaces-iron, bauxite ore, coal, petroleum, uranium.

What is the difference between a statistic and an estimate?

Statistics are numerical facts and figures. Estimates are approximate educated guesses based on observations.

Contrast the views of a Christian geographer with those of a secular geographer concerning the origin of the Grand Canyon.

The Christian geographer sees the Grand Canyon as a possible result of the Genesis Flood as the powerful waters receded into the Pacific Ocean; the secular geographer views the Grand Canyon as a result of the Colorado River flowing through the Canyon for millions of years, eventually cutting a deep chasm through it.

How does the rotation of the earth influence the winds and ocean currents?

The earth's rotation exerts force on the winds according to the earth's inertia and speed, causing the winds to "bend"; the rotation also causes circular patterns in ocean currents.

Explain the influence of winds and ocean currents on regional climate. Give one example.

Winds and ocean currents distribute war and cold air over teh surface of the earth. Some regions are warmed by air from the tropics, and some are cooled by air from the polar regions. For example, England is located north of New England, yet the winters in England are generally mild in comparison to the winters in New England because the Gulf Stream brings warm air from the tropics to the coast of Western Europe.

Identify: Wladimir Köppen

a scientist who introduced a system of climatic classification

triangular-shaped landform where a river fans out into smaller streams before it reaches the ocean

delta

Study the chart on p. 25. Which form of government usually seizes power and holds absolute authority? Which one is guided by the rule of law?

dictatorship; constitutional republic

Name three tools used by geographers today.

direct observation, aerial photographs, Global Positioning Systems, census

Identify: Matthew Maury

early oceanographer who charted the ocean's currents and physical geography

500 to 2,000 feet tall, rounded top, usually no steep slopes

hill

landform completely surrounded by water

island

narrow strip of land

isthmus

body of water surrounded by land

lake

at least 2,000 feet tall, with a peak and steep, sloping sides

mountain

highland with broad, flat top and canyons cutting through it

plateau

Name the six climate regions and their subdivisions.

polar (icecap, tundra), continental (subpolar, humid continental), mild (marine west coast, humicd subtropics, mediterranean), tropical (savanna, rain forest), dry (desert, steppe), highland (highlands)

large artificial lake

reservoir

Name some factors that influence climate.

sun, latitude, elevation, large bodies of water, mountain ranges

Identify: Eastern Hemisphere

the landforms and bodies of water east of the prime meridian

Identify: Northern Hemisphere

the landforms and bodies of water north of the equator

Identify: Southern Hemisphere

the landforms and bodies of water south of the equator

Identify: Western Hemisphere

the landforms and bodies of water west of the prime meridian

List the four types of map symbols.

title, scale, directional indicator, legend (key)

List four renewable and five nonrenewable resources.

water, soil, air, trees, waterpower, geothermal energy, wind, solar energy; iron, bauxite ore, coal, oil, natural gas, uranium