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43 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Define Geography |
Geo = "Earth" ... Graph = "to write" |
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Shape of the Earth |
Spheroid or ellipsoid |
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Perihelion |
When Earth is closest to the sun (January 2) |
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Aphelion |
When Earth is furthest from the sun (July 4) |
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Plane of Ecliptic |
When Earth comes closer and goes further from the sun |
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Solstice |
"Sun stands still" -subsolar point 23 1/2º N (tropic of cancer) - summer solstice -23 1/2º S (tropic of capricorn) - winter solstice |
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Equinox |
Circle of illumination passes through both poles -subsolar point is equator -12 hrs light and darkness for each location on Earth |
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Geographic Grid |
System of lat. and long. -provides grid of imaginary lines (parallels, meridians) |
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Latitude |
Angle between a point on a parallel and the center of the Earth and a point on the equator -also known as parallels -measure north/south 0-90º |
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Longitude |
Angle between a point on a meridian and the center of the Earth and a point on the Prime Meridian -also known as meridians -measure east/west 0-180º |
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Meridian |
Sun's highest (meri) point during the day (diem) |
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How many time zones around the world? |
24 time zones, 15º wide |
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Contour Line |
Lines to show landscape -join points of equal elevation |
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Contour Index Interval |
Numerical value between one labeled contour line and the next (the range) |
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Contour Interval |
How much each contour line increases by |
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Tropic of Cancer |
Latitude 23 1/2º N -sun directly overhead at noon on June 21 |
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Tropic of Capricorn |
Latitude 23 1/2º S -sun directly overhead at noon on December 21 |
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Atomic Number |
Number of protons in the nucleus of an atom -determines chemical properties of an element |
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Atomic Mass |
Number of protons and neutrons in the elements nuclues |
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Anion |
Negative charge -gained electrons, more electrons than protons |
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Cation |
Postive charge -lost electrons, more protons than electrons |
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Covalent Bond |
Sharing of electrons -both outer shells are filled, element stable |
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Ionic Bond |
Two oppositely charged ions -one loses electrons (becomes cation), other takes them (becomes anion) |
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8 Common Elements in Earth's Crust |
Oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and sodium |
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What's most commonly found in Earth's crust? |
Oxygen (46%) and silicon (28%) |
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5 Criteria for a Mineral |
1. Must be found in nature 2. Must be made of inorganic substances 3. Must be a solid 4. Definite chemical composition 5. Contains atoms arranged in a regular pattern forming crystals |
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Dominant Mineral Family |
Carbonates, sulfates, sulfides, oxides, and native elements (composed of entirely of one element) |
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Silicates |
90% of Earth's crust -non-ferromagnesian -ferromagnesian |
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3 Major Categories of Rock |
Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic |
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Cooling and Crystals |
Slow cooling = large crystals, medium cooling = medium crystals, fast cooling = fine crystals |
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Rock Cycle |
Igneous rock -> sediment -> sedimentary rock -> metamorphic rock -> magama |
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Difference between Basalt and Granite |
Granite: intrusive rock, slow cooling rate, felsic, light color Basalt: fast cooling rate, mafic, found in hexagonal columns, dark color |
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Batholith |
Large, intrusive igneous (plutonic) |
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5 Soil Forming Factors |
1. Geologic factor: parent material, residual soils 2. Climatic factor: hight temps. and/or abundant moisture vs. cold temps. and/or limited moisture 3. Topographic factor: slope/drainage, aspect (direction in which you're facing) 4. Biological factor: organic matter, living organisms 5. Chronological factor: soil takes long time to develop, non-renewable resource on human time scale |
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Clay |
Inorganic material, less than .002mm, feels smooth, large surface area, layered in sheets, chemical reactions, has negative charge, plants won't grow unless there's clay, plays role in hygroscopic (water adhesion) |
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Field Capacity |
Moisture content of the soil after gravity has removed all the water it can |
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Wilting Point |
Soil moisture percentage at which plants cannot obtain enough moisture to continue growing |
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Eluviation |
Exit of mineral -occurs in horizons "A" and "E" |
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Illuviation |
Minerals going into max. zone of accumulation -occurs in horizon "B" |
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Andisol |
Soils formed in volcanic ash |
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Aridisol |
Soils of arid environments -sandy with moderate to strong development |
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Vertisol |
Clayey soils with high shrink/swell capacity |
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Mollisol |
Grassland soils not strongly leached and have an organic-rich "A" horizon -most productive soil order |
