Term
| What has happened to CO2 over the last million years? |
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Definition
| fluctuated from 180 and 280ppm; currently at 394ppm |
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Term
| Why is the globe becoming warmer? |
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Definition
| CO2 is absorbing heat and creates a hot blanket over Earth. |
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Term
| Is Permafrost in the arctic melting? |
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Definition
| Yes and releasing methane. |
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Term
| What is positive feedback? |
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Definition
| Positive feedback loops enhance or amplify changes; this tends to move a system away from its equilibrium state and make it more unstable |
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Term
| What is negative feedback? |
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Definition
| Negative feedbacks tend to dampen or buffer changes; this tends to hold a system to some equilibrium state making it more stable. |
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Term
| Is released methane and water vapor positive or negative feedback loop? |
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Definition
| Positive; a loop that melts permafrost. |
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Term
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Definition
| A method, it is holistic, eclectic. Very integrated, uses spatial analysis. Studies the relationship among natural systems, geographic areas, society, and cultural activities. |
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Term
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Definition
| Theory, predict, hypothesize, inductive reasoning, observation, real world. |
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Term
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Definition
| An open system is a system which continuously interacts with its environment. |
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Term
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Definition
| An isolated system that has no interaction with its external environment. |
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Term
| Earth's equatorial circumference? |
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Definition
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Term
| Earth's polar circumference? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the melting point of ice and the boiling point of water? |
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Definition
| 0 degrees Celsius; 100 degrees Celsius; there is 100 Celsius degrees from freezing to melting |
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Term
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Definition
| Measured the Earth in 247BC and figured out the circumference of Earth using the sun and was 8km off. |
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Term
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Definition
| Angle (north or south) of the equator. |
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Term
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Definition
| Run E and S, but are used to measure how N or S. |
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Term
| Why do we have weather, climate, etc? |
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Definition
| The Earth is a spheroid and is due to the angle of the sun and the energy that the angle receives. |
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Term
| What is the latitudinal geographic zone of the Arctic, subarctic, and midlatitude? |
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Definition
| 66.5 degrees N to North pole; 55 degrees N to 66.5; 35 degrees N to 55. |
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Term
| Where is the Prime meridian? |
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Definition
| 0 degrees through Greenwich, England, as of 1884. |
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Term
| How many hours apart are our 24 time zones? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| Big scales show big detail of? |
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Definition
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Term
| Small scales show small details of? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Not mathematical; there are classes of map projections including cylindrical, planar, conic, oval. |
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Term
| What are the 2 properties of a map that can radically change the way something looks? |
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Definition
| Size and/or shapes and always will be because maps are flat and Earth is a sphere. |
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Term
| Earth is a closed system but what are the 4 open systems that powerfully interact at Earth's surface? |
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Definition
| 3 abiotic (nonliving): atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere. Biotic: biosphere. |
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Term
| What are the meridians of longitude? |
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Definition
| Measures N or S of equator. |
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Term
| Eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines |
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Definition
| Injected 15-20 million tons of ash and sulfuric acid mist into the upper atmosphere |
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Term
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Definition
| A thin, gaseous veil surrounding Earth, held to Earth by gravity. Combination of N, O2, Ar, CO2, H2O, and trace gases. |
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Term
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Definition
| Formed by Earth's water (liquid, solid, and gaseous; fresh or saline). That portion of the hydrosphere that is frozen is the cryosphere. |
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Term
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Definition
| Earth's crust and a portion of the upper mantle directly below the crust. Soil represents the bridge between the lithosphere and biosphere. |
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Term
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Definition
| The intricate, interconnected web that links all organisms with their physical environment. |
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Term
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Definition
| Comprised of 24 orbiting satellites, in 6 orbital planes, that transmit navigational signals for Earth bound use. |
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Term
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Definition
| Obtaining info about a distant subject without having physical contact. |
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Term
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Definition
| Direct a beam of energy at a surface and analyze the energy reflected back. |
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Term
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Definition
| Records energy radiated from a surface, particularly visible light and infrared. |
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Term
| How many galaxies are in the Universe? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is our galaxy and how many stars does it contain? |
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Definition
| The Milky Way Galaxy; 300 billion. |
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Term
| What is the planetesimal hypothesis? |
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Definition
| Explains how suns condense from nebular clouds with planetesimals forming in orbits about the central mass. |
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Term
| What is the speed of light? |
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Definition
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Term
| When is the Earth at perihelion? |
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Definition
| It's closest position to the Sun, during the Northern Hemisphere winter. |
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Term
| When is Earth at aphelion? |
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Definition
| It's farthest position from the sun, during the Northern Hemisphere summer. |
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Term
| What is the Sun's radiant energy composed of? |
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Definition
| 8% ultraviolet, X-ray and gamma-ray wavelengths; 47% visible light wavelengths; 45% infrared wavelengths. |
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Term
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Definition
| Region at the top of the atmosphere, approx 480km above Earth's surface. |
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Term
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Definition
| Average insolation received at the thermopause when Earth is at its average distance from the Sun |
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Term
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Definition
| The only point receiving insolation perpendicular to the surface |
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Term
| Earth Radiation Budget Experiment |
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Definition
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