Physical Geography (GEOG 1301.01)

Test 1: Review

Week of February 21, 2005

 

The test has multiple choice, fill in the blank and essay. Study these concepts.

 

Essentials of Geography

 

Important Concepts:

 

§                     Five Themes of Geography

§                     Earth as an Open and Closed System

§                     Location on Earth, Scale and Projections

§                     Geography

§                     Spatial Analysis

§                     Physical Geography

§                     Open and Closed System

§                     Feedback Loop (Negative and Positive)

§                     Model

§                     Latitude (and Parallel) and Longitude (and Meridian)

§                     Geographic Information System

§                     Map, Scale and Projection

§                     Active and Passive Remote Sensing

 

Solar Energy to Earth and the Seasons

 

§                     Describe the Milky Way Galaxy and the Location of Earth

§                     Five Reasons for Seasons

§                     Describe, Insolation and its Importance

 

Modern atmosphere: 4th in earth's history, 5 billion years, 300 miles (exosphere up to 20,000 miles), bound to planet by gravity

 

Air: mixture of gasses

 

Function of the Atmosphere: sustains, protects and filters (protective membrane)

 

Definition and Function of Atmospheric Criteria (99% exists below 31 miles):

 

Composition: Heterosphere (50-300 miles, sorted by gravity w/ hydrogen/helium lightest and oxygen/nitrogen heavier) and Homosphere (surface to 50 miles, uniformily mixed except ozonsphere, 500 million years old, every breath and plant respiration)  Composition of gases in the homosphere: nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), argon (.9%), carbon dioxide (.037%)

 

Temperature: thermosphere (like heterosphere- high temperatures- 2200 F), mesosphere (coldest- -130 F), stratosphere and troposphere (biosphere, weather, 90% of atmosphere)

 

Function: Removes most harmful wavelengths of insolation, ionosphere and ozonosphere (absorbs UV and radiates as infrared)

 

Anthropogenic pollution- 60% of US air pollution from automobiles, urban pollutants concentrate and effect most people

 

Normal Lapse Rate- 3.5 degrees per 1,000 feet

 

Clouds can make up to a 75% difference in amount of energy to reach surface

 

Transmission- passage of short/long wave energy through atmosphere

Scattering- redirected radiation, direction changed, not wavelength, 7% of earth's albedo.  The shorter the wavelength, the greater the scattering- cause the sky to be blue and sunrise/sunset red.  Pollution cause all wavelength to scatter, resulting in a white sky.

Refraction- distortion of atmosphere by movement from one phase of matter to another

 

Insolation Inputs: Page 96

 

Albedo- reflective quality of a surface.  Dark reflects 0%, Light reflects 100%.  31% of insolation reflected over a year.

 

Clouds- reflect insolation (shortwave) and trap longwave radiation.

Absorption- assimilation of radiation by molecules.  Insolation converted to either infrared radiation or chemical energy.  Land and water absorb energy at different rates.

Conduction- transfer of energy from warmer to cooler materials

Convection- transfer of energy by vertical movement of gas or liquid.

Advection- transfer of energy by horizontal movement of gas or liquid.

 

Earth- cool-body radiator

Sun- hot-body radiator

Greenhouse effect- infrared radiation absorbed by gasses, etc.

Net radiation

 

Figure 4.14 (page103) is very important! Equatorial surpluses move to polar deficit

Figure 4.15 (page104) is very important! Daily radiation curves- must know

Absorbed insolation at noon, Peak temperature around 3 pm, coldest (most re-radiated by dawn)

 

Urban heat islands- effect that cities have upon radiation and temperature (page 109)

 

Global Temperatures

 

Heat- form of energy that flows between objects/systems because they are at different temperatures

Temperature: measure of the average kinetic energy of individual molecules in matter

 

Both are related because changes in temperature are caused by absorption or emission of heat energy.

 

Principal Temperature Controls:

§         Latitude

§         Altitude

§         Cloud Cover

§         Land-water heating Differences

 

The 5 Land-water Temperature Controls:

§         Evaporation

§         Transparency

§         Specific Heat

§         Movement

§         Ocean Currents/Sea-surface Temperatures

 

Marine vs. Continental Effects

 

Components of heat index: temperature and humidity

 

Atmospheric circulation transfers energy and mass on a great scale- energy balance, weather patterns and sea currents.

 

Driving Forces within Atmosphere:

§         Gravity

§         Pressure

§         Gradient force

§         Coriolis Effect

 

How wind is created, role of air pressure

Table 6.2 (page 155) on the Four Hemispheric Pressure Areas

General model of total atmospheric circulation (page 158)

 

Types of Local Winds: land-sea breezes, mountain-valley, santa anna and monsoonal

 

Driving forces of ocean currents:

§         Wind

§         Coriolis Effect

§         Water density differences (temperature and salinity)

§         Topography

§         Tides

 

Deep ocean currents

 

Gulf Stream, western intensification and Upwelling current

 

Key Terms

 

Thermopause

Insolation

Solar Constant

Subsolar Point

Isotherm

thermal equator

Air pressure

Coriolis Effect

Isobar

Trade winds

Ridges and troughs

Jet Stream