geog-1- Notes

Ch 3.

            There are billions of galaxies, most containing billions of stars (suns),  ours is 93 million miles away from us, a ‘perfect’ distance for life. 

Hydrogen fusion                                e=mc²

light year

inverse square laws / formulas

pp73               solar system                                      rotate              revolve

terrestrial planets  MVEM                gas giants  JSUN

Life beyond earth??              Mars                           moons

pp79   EM spectrum             c = 8µ                        E%1/µ

solar energy to earth 1380 W/m²     = the solar constant

pp84-85  differential insolation                   

tilt = 23-1/2^o = tropics                       66-1/2^o = polar circles

rotation = 1000 mph at equator                   0 mph at poles

365-1/4 days per year

soltices           and      equinoxes

identify seasons

pp87               picture of solar incidence

Ch 11. 

Entropy                                                           trophic levels

autotrophs                                          heterotrophs                          chemotrophs

photosynthesis review                      productivity                             biomass

pp304 table 11.2      

specialists                  vs                    generalists

niche

succession                                         climax community

island biogeography

pp320  biomes

ªT with latitude and altitude   (altitudinal zonation)

desert = < 10" of rain per year average -  Atacama, Namib, Sahara, Rub al Khali = Arabian,

            Kalahari,  Antarctica  (sublimation / deposition)  

EXAM 1

Exam2notes Ch.4Atmosphere = sea level pressure = 760 mmHg 1 Atm 14.7psi 10^5 Pascals
1013€millibars
protects us from radiation, distributes heat energy, provides gaseous elements to
living organisms, ozone hole (again)
troposphere > 10 mi
stratosphere > 23 mi
mesosphere > 50 mi
thermosphere(ionosphere)> 75 mi
vacuum
note: ELR in troposphere is 6.5 / km, 3.6/ 1000ft
note: different temperatures at different levels Why? how to calculate
Surface temperature factors: differential insolation, latitude,
altitude,
land & water distribution & presence of
(SH water = 4.18 J / g deg C)(most solids ~ 1.25 deg C)
ocean currents „ gyres (N. Atl. drift / Gulf Stream)
land form barriers
land characteristics (albedo & desertification)
SOLID
LIQUID
GAS
freeze„melt
Condense„vaporize
sublimation„deposition
latent heat
Oceans hold and distribute heat E,
gases and solubility,
most weather comes from oceans
radiation
conduction
convection (advection)
H fusion rainbows
pp104
greenhouse effect global warming CO2 CH4
heat = a form of energy
temperature = measurement of relative heat content from one location to another or to
some standard (F = 9/5C + 32)(K = C +273)
read pp106-7 (add annual lag of T)
pp107 heating of land and water
off/on shore breezes
cloud cover
temperature inversion
inversion layer
katabatic air flow
isotherms isolines
pp113 thermographs climographs
weather vs climate
elements of weather are:
energy (T„define„explain
movement and V
moisture
Ch 5.ó warm vs cold air
dry vs moist air
density = M / V
Bernoulli
pp11-120 isobars
humidity and relative humidity
wind chill „ T, wind V, relative humidity
winds „ causes of:
earth's rotation
differential insolation
differential heating of land and water
Hadley cells (pp130)
reaction
land forms and barriers
land characteristics all leading to a functional pressure gradient in some cases
windward vs leeward, review of off„on shore winds
pp125 explain
review katabatic winds
monsoon
orographic lifting and precipitation
rain shadow
pp133 sub-tropical westerlies sub-equatorial trade winds
doldrums N & S average NOT= ITCZ
ITZ or ITCZ = sun migrates
pp137-8 Upper air phenoma
westerlies ~15-20 N & S incl Jet Stream
can reach 400 mph
Rossby waves N < Eq S
El Nino La Nina
Ch 6.ó Water = wow!! hydrologic cycle pp151 discuss 6.1 pp150
dew point = how?
evaporation transpiration
evapotranspiration discuss 6.1 some more
condensation nuclei not necessary for precipitation
fog = temperature moderator
water for plants & animals
hazard for people & birds pp158 radiation fog
advection fog
upslope fog
adiabatic = 0 change in E stabiltity pp 161
clouds
cirrus
stratus
cumulus
nimbus
rain
hail
snow
sleet
review desertification pp 166
front =
review orographic precipitation
rain shadow
pp174 6.17
pp175 6.18

Ch7 pp 180 discuss table 7.1
fig 7.1 = hw
cold front
warm front
pp 187 storm tracks
cyclonic storms
cyclone tornado hurricane typhoon waterspout dust devil
why 1013 mb?
aerosols and water
lightning
also
thunder = air around lightning bolt 5 seconds per mile
Doppler radar
pp 202 discuss
pp 205 fig 7.21

Ch 8 pp 213 Koppen system
climographs
pp 215 ice ages
global climate cycles
urban elements
table 8.1
Carbon 14
potassium / argon Uranium
dendrochronology sedimentary or relative dating
orbital eccentricity 100,000 years
obliquity 41,000 years ( wobble ) ( most significant)
precession 21,000 years
aphelion perihelion
atmospheric changes gas content particulate content ( volcanoes , people )
Acid rain
SOx
NOx
9X10^9 aerosol particles / m^3 could/can reach 90 billion!! 18 billion in central valley

EXAM 3 notes
Ch 12
soil = surface of earth
contains liquids, solids, gaseous elements
organic compounds
detritus
millions of very small animals & plants
soil is a dynamic phenomenon
an open system
major components = inorganic matter organic matter
gases
water and aqueous solutions
soil science is an important specialization esp. for agriculture
hygroscopic vs capillary water
pp 345 soil horizons

O A E B C R

inorganic compounds = clay, silt, sand
organic = humus
best soil = mixed = Loam
pH
laterite soils

Ch 13

surface elements
Ðminerals are crystalline molecules combining metals and non-metals
e.g. silicates
rocks
igneous
sedimentary
metamorphic
pp 369 rock cycle 13.5
pp374? earth layers inner core outer core mantel aesthenosphere crust
pp 376 ff catastrophism vs uniformitarianism
continental drift
paleomagnetism
fossil continuity
Pangea
plate tectonics
sea floor spreading
divergent
convergent
transform
subduction adduction
Pacific ring of fire
island chains
continental collisions
continental shields
Quartenary Holocene Pleistocene
Paleozoic Mesozoic Cenozoic
Tertiary
K-T bolide

Ch 14.
pp 388-9 discuss
relief / topography
geomorphology
punctuated equilibrium
vulcanism
lava flows
gases
pyroclastics = tephra = bombs, rocks, ash
Pacific ring of fire
convergent plates€ (compression)
thrust fault
divergent plates (tension)
normal fault transform / shear fault strike-slip fault
scarp
anticline-horst-range
syncline-graben-basin
epicenter = above focus point
Richter scale = logarithmic

Ch15
Erosion
transportation
deposition
Weathering: mechanical physical chemical
pp419 15.2 frost action
review water phase diagram 4deg C
talus cone
hydrolysis
hydration KAl(SO4)2 - 12 H2O
oxidation - reduction
solution
carbonation
CaCO3
differential weathering
mass wasting = movement down hill!!

Exam 4 Notes

Ch 9
pp232-3 class answers opening questions
climate vs weather
pp234 table 9.1
pp236 discuss
pp240 discuss
region = areal zone of relatively homogenous characteristics
distinct from surrounding areas
pp243-4 dT seasonal and diurnal
pp 245-260 climographs do several
selva vs jungle
pp246 read
slash & burn = swidden = shift cultivation
pp 248 tropical monsoon and S Asia
pp251-3 tropical savannah


Ch 10
Mediterranean = relatively dry summers, mild moist winters
humid sub-tropical 20-40 N / S , summers tropical and wet, generally
east coasts
marine west coast = NW USA, mild seasons, low range of T and prec,
cloud cover
pp276 = humid microthermal
pp278 = subarctic
pp 284 = subarctic
pp 286 = tundra
pp294 = mountains and hydrologic cycle


Ch 18
aeolian
pp490 alluvial
fluvial
arroyo
plateau
caprock
differential erosion fig
18.9
alluvial fan
talus cone
delta
bajada
salar
salina
àsalt flat
inselberg (Ayers Rock = Uluru)
fig 18.19
deflation
abrasion (soda straw)
saltation suspension
desert pavement
erg desert
lost in desert?
dunes
pp516-7 loess
 

EXAM 3 notes
Ch 12
soil = surface of earth
contains liquids, solids, gaseous elements
organic compounds
detritus
millions of very small animals & plants
soil is a dynamic phenomenon
an open system
major components = inorganic matter organic matter
gases
water and aqueous solutions
soil science is an important specialization esp. for agriculture
hygroscopic vs capillary water
pp 345 soil horizons

O A E B C R

inorganic compounds = clay, silt, sand
organic = humus
best soil = mixed = Loam
pH
laterite soils

Ch 13

surface elements
Ðminerals are crystalline molecules combining metals and non-metals
e.g. silicates
rocks
igneous
sedimentary
metamorphic
pp 369 rock cycle 13.5
pp374? earth layers inner core outer core mantel aesthenosphere crust
pp 376 ff catastrophism vs uniformitarianism
continental drift
paleomagnetism
fossil continuity
Pangea
plate tectonics
sea floor spreading
divergent
convergent
transform
subduction adduction
Pacific ring of fire
island chains
continental collisions
continental shields
Quartenary Holocene Pleistocene
Paleozoic Mesozoic Cenozoic
Tertiary
K-T bolide

Ch 14.
pp 388-9 discuss
relief / topography
geomorphology
punctuated equilibrium
vulcanism
lava flows
gases
pyroclastics = tephra = bombs, rocks, ash
Pacific ring of fire
convergent plates€ (compression)
thrust fault
divergent plates (tension)
normal fault transform / shear fault strike-slip fault
scarp
anticline-horst-range
syncline-graben-basin
epicenter = above focus point
Richter scale = logarithmic

Ch15
Erosion
transportation
deposition
Weathering: mechanical physical chemical
pp419 15.2 frost action
review water phase diagram 4deg C
talus cone
hydrolysis
hydration KAl(SO4)2 - 12 H2O
oxidation - reduction
solution
carbonation
CaCO3
differential weathering
mass wasting = movement down hill!!

Exam 4 Notes

Ch 9
pp232-3 class answers opening questions
climate vs weather
pp234 table 9.1
pp236 discuss
pp240 discuss
region = areal zone of relatively homogenous characteristics
distinct from surrounding areas
pp243-4 dT seasonal and diurnal
pp 245-260 climographs do several
selva vs jungle
pp246 read
slash & burn = swidden = shift cultivation
pp 248 tropical monsoon and S Asia
pp251-3 tropical savannah


Ch 10
Mediterranean = relatively dry summers, mild moist winters
humid sub-tropical 20-40 N / S , summers tropical and wet, generally
east coasts
marine west coast = NW USA, mild seasons, low range of T and prec,
cloud cover
pp276 = humid microthermal
pp278 = subarctic
pp 284 = subarctic
pp 286 = tundra
pp294 = mountains and hydrologic cycle


Ch 18
aeolian
pp490 alluvial
fluvial
arroyo
plateau
caprock
differential erosion fig
18.9
alluvial fan
talus cone
delta
bajada
salar
salina
salt flat
inselberg (Ayers Rock = Uluru)
fig 18.19
deflation
abrasion (soda straw)
saltation suspension
desert pavement
erg desert
lost in desert?
dunes
pp516-7 loess




Ch 19 Glaciers



alpine and ice sheet
plastic flow vs basal slip
2% of total water, 75% of fresh water
if melted today oceans would rise ~ 200 feet ( range is ~ 450 feet)
ice cap
snow white
glaciers blue
glacial trough vs stream channel
cirque
tarn
hanging valley / waterfall
terminal drift / moraine
erratic
Yosemite valleys and waterfalls
Great Lakes of USA
much more
pp550 = isostatic rebound


Exam 5 notes

Ch 16

fresh water is ~ 75% ice, 1% rivers and lakes, 25% ground water
aquifers
water table
underground stream
disappearing stream
artesian spring
recharge
subsidence
pp443
solution sinkhole
pp447-449
limestone and karst
caves
Moaning Caverns
stalactite
stalagmite

geothermal water
hot springs
mud flats
geysers

Ch 17
fluvial = land modified by flowing water
stream = regularly directed water course (can change! New Orleans)

river = large stream
river system

source
mouth
tributary
watershed / drainage basin
divide
delta
estuary

pp462 plant cover vs runoff
ephemeral / perennial
flood plains
discharge rate (Amazon table 17.1)
base flow
peak flow (s)

solution
suspension
saltation
traction

alluvium = fluvial deposits

oxbow lake from a meandering stream

natural levee
stream terraces
floods 5yr 100 yr etc.
dams and reservoirs

pp484 Everglades article

pp485 Dead Sea

Great Salt Lake

Mono Lake

lake succession

lake effect weather

Ch. 20

pp552 oceans = 70% of earth's surface

distribute energy
distribute ionic nutrients
gas exchange

hydrologic cycle
moderate climates
create severe weather

contain leached minerals in vast amounts
Pacific - Atlantic - Indian - Arctic

salinity 3.5%
briny > 3.5%
brackish < 3.5%

pp 555 chart
Na
others
pp 557 discuss

mid ocean ridges
trenches (Mariana Trench) 7 miles deep!!
island chains (arcs)
hot spots
seamount
continental islands
old travelers
continent associated
volcanic islands (Loihi)

coral atolls

high vs low islands

littoral

pelagicà

benthic

pp 569 tides

spring tide
neap tide
flood vs ebb tide
waves =

standing

transverse
c = lamda X nu

swells

storm surge

tsunami (Dec 26, 2004) (July 17, 2006)

pp 575 loss of lif

Ch 21

coasts are dynamic!!
Energy is focused at some points, diffused at others

coastal material may differ in resistance to erosion
pp582-5 pictures

rip current (rip tide) dV dP

Great Barrier Reef

Ch 22

Why does earth's surface vary in its ability to sustain a human population?

What factors set limits to the amount of life that earths can sustain?

Gaia
spaceship earth
island earth
Eden

pp 600-2 in class
more if time

Madagascar