Geography - Y2L1

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Overview of Geographic Terms

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Mathematical Geography: a description of the earth using numbers and measurements

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Universe: all of Heavenly Father and Jesus' creations

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Galaxy: a very large group of stars and all matter surrounding them

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Solar System: the sun together with the planets and matter that are held by its attraction and revovle around it

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The Earth's Motion: how the earth moves in the solar system

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Orbit: the path Earth takes around the sun; it takes one year or 365 days to orbit the sun once.

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Seasons: the four quarters into which the year is divided by a particular kind of weather; winter, spring, summer, or fall; Seasons are based on the position of the earth in its orbit around the sun.

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Axis: a central, straight, imaginary line about which the earth rotates; One rotation equals one day, or 24 hours.

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The Earth's Surface and Measurements

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Form: shape of Earth; Earth is actually a sphere flattened along the axis from pole to pole such that there is a bulge around the equator.

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Dimension: the size of the earth

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Great Circles

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Equator: the great horizontal circle of the earth that divides the earth into two equal parts

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Hemisphere: half of a sphere or globe; one of the halves of the earth. there are four hemispheres: northern, southern, eastern, and western.

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Prime Meridian: the meridian of 0 degrees longitude from which all other longitude lines are measured

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Longitude Lines: imaginary lines equally distant from the poles. Longitude is computed from 0-80 degrees East and West of the Prime Meridian at Greenwich, England.

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Small Circles

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Parallels/Latitude Lines: imaginary horizontal lines moving by degrees north and south from the equator

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Climate Circles/Tropics: TROPIC OF CANCER- the latitude line that is about 23 1/2 degrees north of the equator; the north most latitude reached by the overhead sun TROPIC OF CAPRICORN - the latitude line that is about 23 1/2 degrees south of the equator; the southernmost latitude reached by the overhead sun

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Polar Circles: either of the two parallels of latitude each at a distance from a pole of the earth equal to about 23 degrees

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Time Zones: a region on the earth where the same standard time is used

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International Date Line: an imaginary line near the 180th meridian marked as the place where each calendar day begins

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Poles: the ends of the axis of the earth

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Globes and Maps

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Physical Geography

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Physical Composition of Earth (inside): what the inside of the earth is made of

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Crust: the outside layer of the earth; the thinnest layer; made mostly of rock; 3-34 miles thick

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Mantle: the thickest layer of the earth at about 1,800 miles; hottest layer made mostly of rock

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Outer Core: made of melted minerals; extremely hot; liquid

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Inner Core: made of minerals; solid

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Natural Divisions of Earth

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Atmosphere: entire mass of fluid, air, and vapors, surrounding the earth

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Climate: average weather conditions over a period of years Weather: the condition of the atmosphere

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Temperature: degrees of hotness or coldness

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Wind: movement of the air

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Breeze: light wind on land or water

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Trade Winds: winds that blow steadily from east to west and toward the equator over most of the tropics

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Hurricane: a tropical storm with winds of 74 miles per hour or faster

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Tornado: violent, destructive, whirling wind

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Vapor/Humidity: fine, separated particles of water floating in and clouding the air

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Precipitation/Rain: water falling in drops from the clouds

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Air Pressure: the force pressing on you by the weight of tiny particles of air

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Hydrosphere: the water contained on the earth

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Oceanic Waters: waters found in the ocean

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Ocean: One of the four large bodies of salt water on the earth

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Wave: a moving ridge or swell on the surface of a body of water

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Current: a stream of water moving in a definite direction throught the ocean; some are warm, some are cold

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Bay: a body of water smaller than a gulf that is nearly surrounded by land

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Gulf: extension of an ocean or sea into the land

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Sea: a large body of water partly or completely enclosed by land

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Strait: a narrow stretch of water that connects two larger bodies of water

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Sound: a body of water separating one or more islands from the mainland

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Harbor: a sheltered place where ships may anchor safely

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Iceberg: a large floating mass of ice detached from a glacier

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Trench: a long, steep-sided, narrow depression in the ocean floor

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Coral Reef: a ridge of rock or sand at or near the surface of water

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Continental Shelf: a shallow, underwater plain forming a border around a continent, usually ending with a steep slope to the deep ocean floor

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Continental Waters: waters found on the continent

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River/Stream: a large stream of water flowing through land

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Upstream: the direction from which a river flows

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Downstream: the direction toward which a river flows

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Source: the place where a river begins, usually in highlands

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Tributary: a river or stream that flows into a larger river

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Mouth: the place where a river flows into a larger body of water

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Delta: land deposited at the mouth of a river

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Lake: an inland body of water, smaller than a sea

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Fresh Water Lake: a lake which has water entering in and out of it

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Salt Water Lake: a lake which has water entering, but it has no outlet

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Channel: a deep, narrow body of water connecting two larger bodies of water; the deeper part of a waterway

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Canal: a man-made ditch for transportation or irrigation

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Reservoir: a lake where water is stored for future use; sometimes formed by a dam

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Glacier: a large body of slowly moving ice

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Ice Sheet: a glacier forming on an extensive area of relatively level land and flowing outward from its center

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Groundwater: the water found beneath the surface of the ground; the source of water in springs and wells

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Water Plants: water plants common to the area

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Water Animals: water animals common in the area

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Lithosphere: the portion of the earth that is land

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Landforms: land distinguished by its shape or form

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Continents: seven large bodies of land on the earth

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Peninsula: a body of land almost surrounded by water

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Isthmus: a narrow strip of land that connects two larger bodies of land

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Cape: a point of land sticking out into a body of water

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Island: land entirely surrounded by water; smaller than a continent

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Archipelago: a group of islands

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Fjord: a narrow inlet of the sea with steep banks made by a glacier

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Sea Coast: land next to the sea

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Topography: land distinguished by its elevation

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Mountain: high, rocky land, usually with steep sides and a pointed or rounded top, larger than a hill

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Divide: a height of land that separates river basins

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Mountain Range: a group of mountains bordered by lowlands

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Volcano: a mountain formed of rock or ash thrown up from inside the earth

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Plateau: a region that is mostly high and flat

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Hill: a raised part of the earth's surface, with sloping sides; smaller than a mountain

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Plain: broad, level land

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Valley: lowland between hills or mountains

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Basin: a region drained by a river; land largely enclosed by higher land

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Canyon: a deep, narrow valley with steep walls

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Cliff: a high, steep wall of rock

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Rift: a separation of the earth formed by an earthquake

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Land Plants: land plants common to the area

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Land Animals: land animals living common to the area

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Political Geography: the artificial divisions of the earth and its people

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Boundaries: lines marking separation; borders

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Population: number of people in a country or area

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Religion: organized system of faith and worship

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Economics: the buying and selling of products and services

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Region: a subdivision within a country or continent

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Countries and Capitals: a nation and its seat of government

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Form of Government: how a country is ruled

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Major Languages: the most common form of communication in a nation

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Culture/Ethnography: a description of human culture