Chapter 1 Section 2 Land, Water, and Climate
Vocabulary 1. Landforms- natural features of the Earth s land surface 2. Elevation- height above sea level 3. Relief- changes in height 4. Core- most inner part of Earth, made up of two layers
5. Mantle- middle part of the earth between the core and the crust 6. Crust- most outer part of the Earth made of a thin layer of rock, sand, and soil, the area where we live 7. Tectonic Plates- slow moving sections of the Earth s crust 8. Continental Drift- theory that the continents move
9. Pangaea- the original land mass on earth where all of the continents were connected as one 10. Volcanoes- cone shaped mountains formed when melted rock (magma), steam, and ash push through the Earth s crust from the mantle 11. Earthquakes- sudden shifts in the Earth s crust 12. Ring of Fire- Area in the Pacific Ocean where there is a high level of earthquake and volcanic activity
13. Erosion- rock and soil moved from one place to another by forces such as wind, water, or ice 14.Glaciers- large sheets of ice 15. River System- a river and all the streams that flow into it 16. Climate- Pattern of weather over a period of time 17. Rotate- to spin, it takes 24 hours for the Earth to spin one time
18. Axis- the imaginary line that runs from north pole to south pole 19. Orbit- elliptical path around the Sun 20. Revolution- Earth s movement around the Sun, takes about 365 and ¼ days to complete the path 21. Latitude- distance north or south of the Equator, horizontal lines on a map 22. Longitude- distance east or west of the Prime Meridian, vertical lines on a map
23.Tropical Zone the area located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, typically hot year round 24. Temperate Zone- found between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle in the Northern Hemisphere and the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle in the Southern Hemisphere, typically hot Summers and cold Winters 25.Polar Zone- the area to the north of the Arctic Circle and to the south of the Antarctic Circle, typically cold year round
26.Prevailing Winds- ocean breezes that blow in the same direction all the time 27. Monsoons- ocean winds that change direction with the season and often bring a rainy season with them 28. Ocean Current- ocean water that flows in a steady stream 29. Precipitation- falling moisture such as rain or snow
Reading Check Questions 1. What are the four main kinds of landforms? Mountains
Hills
Plateaus
Plains
2. How do Geographers use elevation and relief to describe landforms? Elevation refers to how high the mountains are, the height of a land form is called its altitude Relief is how steep a landform is, the more gradual the relief indicates a slope, a sharp relief indicates a cliff
3. What is the composition of the Earth s core, mantle, and curst? Core = Made up of two layers, the inner layer is made of solid rock, the outer layer is made of melted rock Mantle = hot solid rock Crust = Thin outer layer made up of soil, sand, and rock
4. What is the connection between tectonic plates and continental drift? Continental drift suggests that the tectonic plates are always moving Most scientist believe that this is why Pangaea split apart millions of years ago
5. How are volcanoes formed? Melted rock called magma flows up through the Earth s crust from the mantel When the magma cools it becomes solid rock that builds up over time and forms a cone
6. What is a common cause for Earthquakes? Tectonic plates sliding past one another If the earthquake is caused by plates in the ocean a giant tidal wave called a Tsunami can occur
7. How did glaciers affect human and physical geography? They forced humans and animals to relocate as they moved across the land They smoothed out hills into plains, created lakes, and carved out rivers
8. What is the longest river system in the world? The Nile
9. How is climate shaped by movements of the Earth? Depending on where the Earth is on its orbit around the Sun the Sun s rays are hitting at a different point In the Summer they are in the Northern Hemisphere in the Winter they are in the Southern Hemisphere The orbit is what causes seasonal changes
10. How can a places latitude help you to predict temperatures in the area? The Sun s direct rays hit as far north as the Tropic of Cancer and as far south as the Tropic of Capricorn This makes this area the warmest place on the Earth and the closer a place is to this tropical zone the warmer it will be
11. Where is the tropical zone located? Between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn
12. What type of weather is found in the temperate zone? Cold winters, hot summers This area experiences 4 seasonal changes a year on average
13. Why is the polar zone very cold? It is so far away from the equator The direct rays of the sun never reach this area Some of these area experience periods of complete darkness for extended periods of time
14. How did prevailing winds get their name? They blow from the same direction most of the time
15. What are ocean currents? Ocean water that flows in a steady stream
16. How do mountains affect precipitation? As warm air rises it cools and drops its moisture
Added Reading Questions 1. What are the three natural forces that can change the Earth s surface? Wind Water Ice
2. What is the world s tallest mountain? Mount Everest
3. List the Seven Continents Africa Antarctica Asia Australia Europe North America South America
4. List the four oceans Arctic Ocean Atlantic Ocean Indian Ocean Pacific Ocean
Homework Page 19 Assessment Questions # s 2-5