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

1. What are the four main kinds of landforms?

Mountains

Reading Check Questions

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