Physical Geography Quiz 1 – Flashcards

Study of Space and place. How natural processes and human activity shape our world. Investigate the meaning behind the changing patterns and how this relates to various locations.

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Angular distance for a point north or south of the equator, as measured from the center of the earth. Like "ladders".

The angular distance for a point east or west of the prime meridian. (Greenwich), as measured by the Earth's surface. Longitude measured eastward or westward from the prime meridian from 0 degrees to 180 degrees.

a parallel of latitude lying midway between the Earth's poles; it is 0 degrees latitude. Divides the northern and southern hemispheres

east-west circles on the earth's surface, lying on a plane parallel to the equator

north-south line on the earth's surface, connecting the poles

Circle of illumination grazes Arctic and Antarctic circles.

occurs on June 21 or 22, when the subsolar point is at 23 ½ degrees North/Tropic of Cancer. North Pole has 24 hours of daylight; day length increases from equator to North Pole. Northern hemisphere is tilted towards the sun.

occurs on December 21 or 22, when the subsolar point is at 23 ½ degrees South/Tropic of Capricorn. South Pole has 24 hours of daylight; day length increases from equator to South Pole.

When the circle of illumination passes through both poles. Day and night are of equal length everywhere on the globe. Occurs twice per year, the Vernal equinox on March 21 and the Autumnal equinox on September 23.

23 ½ degrees North

23 ½ degrees South

66.5 degrees north

66.5 degrees south

23.5 degrees from perpendicular to plane of ecliptic

Oblate Spheroid, with a bulge around the equator. 7900 miles around from pole to pole, 7926 miles around at the equator

Geographical Information System (GIS), Global Positioning System (GPS), Remote-Sensing tools(Satellites). The advancing technologies have allowed the mapping to be more exact.

Flow rate of incoming solar energy, as measured at the top of the atmosphere. Daily insolation depends on the angle of sunlight and daylight.

Shortwave radiation, emitted from the sun. Ultraviolet, visible, and infrared radiation. Distance of Earth's orbit from Sun optimal for life.

Earth has seasons because of the tilt of the axis. The Axis aims toward the Polaris (North Star). Axis is tilted at an angle of 23 ½ degrees from a right angle to plane of the ecliptic.

point in orbit when Earth is closest to Sun.

point in orbit when Earth is farthest from Sun

Core, largely composed of iron and consists of Inner (solid) and Outer (Liquid). Mantle (Lower and Upper), rock layer beneath the crust and surrounding the core, composed of ultramafic igneous rock of silicate minerals. Asthenosphere (upper mantle), softer, most fluid layer of mantle. Crust, lower zone mafic rock and upper zone felsic. Oceanic crust is thin and dense while Continental crust is thicker and less dense

Upper Mantle and Crust

Composed of two or more minerals. Classes are igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic

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From the cooling of Magma

? From particles called sediment that are worn off other rocks, by being buried and compacted by pressure from the weight above it, another way is from being cemented together by material that has been dissolved in water, often taking place together.

By great heat, or pressure, or both

Grain Size determines their names

clasitic is composed of rock and/or mineral fragments, often easy to see the lumps of rock in them. Non-clastic include Chemical and Organic. Chemical formed by chemical precipitation from seawater. Organic is formed by organic material

Shale (clastic), Sandstone (clastic), Conglomerate (Clastic), Coal (Organic), Fossil (Organic), Limestone (chemical)

Organic

Form when molten rock (magma) originating from deep within the Earth solidifies. The chemical composition of the magma and its cooling rate determine the final igneous rock type.

Formed from magma that cools and solidifies at or near the Earth's surface. The magma cools quickly and the grains are very tiny because of this.

Formed from magma that cools and solidifies deep beneath the Earth's surface. They have a longer cooling time so the grains have time to grow.

Minerals include feldspar/quartz. Light colored and less dense.

Minerals include Magnesium and Iron. Dark colored and more dense.

Granite (intrusive/felsic), Granodiorite, Basalt (Extrusive/Malfic), Andesite, Rhyolite, Pumice (Extrusive)

Rocks that have been substantially changed from their original igneous, sedimentary, or earlier metamorphic form. Formed when subjected to high heat, high pressure, hot mineral rich fluids or some combo of these factors.

forms when pressure squeezes the flat or elongated minerals within a rock so they become aligned. These rocks develop a platy or sheet like structure that reflects the direction that pressure was applied.

Do not have a platy or sheet-like structure

Gneiss (metamorphic/foliated), Slate, Schist

The plates are made of lithosphere and they slide over the Athenosphere, which is more fluid.

Hot Mantle is thought to rise, cool, and then sink again in a circular motion, moving the plates along as it does

Ocean vs ocean - one will win and the losing plate will be subducted. As the subducting plate goes deeper in will melt and the magma will work its way up to the surface, where it can emerge in volcanic eruptions. If an underwater volcano builds up enough to pierce the surface of the sea, it will create an island, or a string of islands parallel to the collision boundary. Oceanic crust on one plate is destroyed and continental crust is created if volcanoes breach the sea surface. Continental vs continental - There is no subduction, the collision just progresses and the two plates mangle, warp, and crumple each other. Mountain ranges are formed. No change to crust quantities. Ocean vs continental - bigger continental will win collision, forcing the oceanic to subduct into the core and melt, that magma will work back up and if remains molten all the way up it will escape the surface through volcanic eruptions. Volcanoes will form a bit in from the coast and a deep ocean trench parallel and adjacent to the landmass. Oceanic crust is destroyed and additions to continental crust. Divergent plate boundaries - two plates separating. Oceanic-oceanic split creates a midocean ridge and creates more oceanic crust. Continental-continental creates long, linear seas, or deep narrow lakes. A midocean ridge forms if splitting continues. Ocean crust is created. Continental-ocean creates a midocean ridge if splitting continues. Ocean crust is created.

one will win and the losing plate will be subducted. As the subducting plate goes deeper in will melt and the magma will work its way up to the surface, where it can emerge in volcanic eruptions. If an underwater volcano builds up enough to pierce the surface of the sea, it will create an island, or a string of islands parallel to the collision boundary. Oceanic crust on one plate is destroyed and continental crust is created if volcanoes breach the sea surface.

There is no subduction, the collision just progresses and the two plates mangle, warp, and crumple each other. Mountain ranges are formed. No change to crust quantities.

bigger continental will win collision, forcing the oceanic to subduct into the core and melt, that magma will work back up and if remains molten all the way up it will escape the surface through volcanic eruptions. Volcanoes will form a bit in from the coast and a deep ocean trench parallel and adjacent to the landmass. Oceanic crust is destroyed and additions to continental crust.

two plates separating. Oceanic-oceanic split creates a midocean ridge and creates more oceanic crust. Continental-continental creates long, linear seas, or deep narrow lakes. A midocean ridge forms if splitting continues. Ocean crust is created. Continental-ocean creates a midocean ridge if splitting continues. Ocean crust is created.

Normal fault, Strike-slip fault, Reverse fault, Overthrust fault

occur when the crust on one side of drops down relative to the other side

produced when tectonic plates move past each other horizontally

produced by compression in the crust

involve mostly horizontal movement. One slice of rock rides over the adjacent ground surface.

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The location where the fault slipped

The location on the Earth's surface directly above where a fault slipped to produce an earthquake

Faults with harder rock will create larger quakes because the rock has less give.

A volcano is built by the accumulation of lava flows and volcanic ash.

Stratovolcano, tall steep cone with crater, has thick felsic lava that is resistant to flow. Example is Mount St. Helens. Shield Volcano, low large dome-like, with thin mafic lava. Quiet eruptions and the lava travels long distances in thin layers. Example is mauna kea, hawaii

tall steep cone with crater, has thick felsic lava that is resistant to flow. Example is Mount St. Helens.

low large dome-like, with thin mafic lava. Quiet eruptions and the lava travels long distances in thin layers. Example is mauna kea, hawaii

Where the athenosphere and lithosphere meet

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only "sphere" not powered by the sun, powered by the radioactive elements of the earth's core

Mountain building process

Oceanic crust is formed when magma cools quickly underwater. Continental is formed when magma cools slowly within the earth or when exposed to the air

subduction