World Geography Test 1

Front 1

Core

Back 1

the inner-most layer of the earth. Made up of a super hot but solid inner core and liquid outer core.

Front 2

Plate Tectonics

Back 2

the term that scientist use to describe earth’s activities of continental drift and magma flow.

Front 3

Continental Drift

Back 3

the theory that the continents were once joined and slowly moved apart

Front 4

Crust

Back 4

the rocky shell forming the earth’s surface

Front 5

Mantle

Back 5

the thick middle layer of the earth’s interior structure, consisting of dense, hot rock

Front 6

Magma

Back 6

molten rock that is pushed up from the earth’s surface

Front 7

Folds

Back 7

bends in layers of rock, sometimes caused by plate movement

Front 8

Spreading

Back 8

a process by which new land is created when sea plates pull apart and magma wells up between the plates

Front 9

Accretion

Back 9

a slow process is which a sea plate slides under a continental plate, creating debris that can cause continents to grow outward.

Front 10

Subduction

Back 10

a process by which mountains can form as sea plates dive beneath continental plates

Front 11

Faults / Faulting

Back 11

a crack or break in the earth’s surface

Front 12

Weathering

Back 12

a chemical or physical process, such as freezing, that brakes down rock

Front 13

Erosion

Back 13

wearing away of the earth’s surface by wind, flowing waters, or glaciers

Front 14

Glaciers

Back 14

a large body of ice that moves across the earth’s surface

Front 15

Weather

Back 15

condition of the atmosphere in one place during a short period of time

Front 16

Tropic of Cancer

Back 16

the northernmost point on the earth to receive the direct rays of the sun.

Front 17

Equinox

Back 17

one of two days (around March 21 and September 23) on which the sun is directly above the equator, making the length of day and night equal.

Front 18

Axis

Back 18

an imaginary line that runs through the center of the earth between the north and south poles

Front 19

Climate

Back 19

weather patterns typical of an area over a long period of time

Front 20

Solstice

Back 20

one of two days (around June 21 and December 22) on which the sun’s rays strike directly on the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn, marking the beginning of summer and winter

Front 21

Global Warming

Back 21

gradual warming of the earth and its atmosphere that may be caused in part by pollution and an increase in the greenhouse effect

Front 22

Greenhouse Effect

Back 22

the capacity of certain gases in the atmosphere to trap heat, thereby warming the earth.

Front 23

Tropic of Capricorn

Back 23

the southernmost point on the earth to receive the direct rays of the sun.

Front 24

Low Latitude

Back 24

between 30 degrees S and 30 degrees N

Front 25

High Latitudes

Back 25

the earth’s polar areas from 60 degrees N to 90 degrees N and 60 degrees S and 90 degrees S

Front 26

Arctic Circle

Back 26

latitude 66 ½ degrees N

Front 27

Antarctic Circle

Back 27

latitude 66 ½ degrees S

Front 28

Midlatitudes

Back 28

has the most variable weather; is located between 30 degrees N and 60 degrees N in the northern hemisphere and 30 degrees S and 60 degrees S in the southern hemisphere

Front 29

Elevation

Back 29

the height above the sea level

Front 30

Prevailing Winds

Back 30

wind in a region that blows in a fairly constant directional pattern

Front 31

Rain Shadow

Back 31

little precipitation in an effect from a storm

Front 32

Leeward

Back 32

being in or facing the direction towards which the wind is blowing

Front 33

Windward

Back 33

being or facing the direction from which the wind is blowing

Front 34

El Nino

Back 34

a periodic reversal of the pattern of ocean currents and water temperatures in the mid-pacific region

Front 35

Currents

Back 35

cold or warm stream or seawater that flows in the oceans, generally in a circular pattern

Front 36

Doldrums

Back 36

a frequently windless area near the equator

Front 37

Natural vegetation

Back 37

plant life that grows in a certain area if people have not changed the natural environment

Front 38

Permafrost

Back 38

permanently frozen subsoil

Front 39

Prairies

Back 39

inland grasslands

Front 40

Mixed forests

Back 40

forests with both coniferous and deciduous trees

Front 41

Deciduous

Back 41

trees with broad leaves, change color, and drop their leaves in autumn.

Front 42

Coniferous

Back 42

trees with cones

Front 43

Oasis

Back 43

an area of lush vegetation

Front 44

Tropics

Back 44

both types of tropical climates

Front 45

Smog

Back 45

a visible chemical haze in the atmosphere that endangers people’s health