Geography Basics Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Geography Basics

• Geography studies Earth's land, people, and environments.
• Five themes: Location, Place, Human-Environment Interaction, Movement, and Region.
• Absolute location is precise (coordinates); relative location describes a place in relation to another.
• Hemispheres are halves of Earth (Northern, Southern, Eastern, Western). The equator divides Northern and Southern; the prime meridian divides Eastern and Western.
• Latitude measures distance north or south of the equator.
• Longitude measures distance east or west of the prime meridian.
• Globes are 3D Earth models; maps are 2D drawings.
• Maps are portable but can distort; globes are accurate but bulky.
• Map types include political, physical, thematic, and topographic maps.
• Map projections, like Robinson, reduce distortion.
• Thematic maps focus on specific subjects (e.g., population density).
• Coordinates (-35, -120) are in California.

Chapter 2: Earth’s Structure & Movements

• Continental drift describes the movement of continents over time.
• Pangaea was the original supercontinent.
• Ocean movements include tides, currents, and waves.
• Plate tectonics: Earth's crust is divided into moving plates.
• Plate movements: Divergent (plates move apart), Convergent (plates collide), Transform (plates slide past).
• Earthquakes occur from sudden shifts of tectonic plates.
• Volcanoes are openings in Earth's crust where lava erupts.
• The Ring of Fire is a volcanic zone around the Pacific Ocean.
• Weathering breaks down rocks into smaller pieces.
• Weathering types: Mechanical (physical breakdown, e.g., ice wedging) and Chemical (changes rock composition, e.g., acid rain).

Chapter 3: Climate & Ecosystems

• Climate is defined by temperature and precipitation.
• Climate zones: Tropical (hot, humid), Dry (little rain), Temperate (mild seasons), Polar (cold, icy), and Highland (mountain climates).
• Ecosystem is a community of plants, animals, and their environment.

Chapter 4: Culture & Society

• Culture is a group's way of life (beliefs, traditions).
• Society is a group of people living together; an ethnic group shares a common heritage.
• Cultures change through migration, trade, and technology.
• Language shapes communication and cultural identity.
• Examples of religions: Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism.
• Population growth is influenced by birthrates, fertility rates, and mortality rates.
• Overpopulation can lead to resource shortages; carrying capacity is the maximum population an area can support.
• State: political entity; Nation: group with a common culture; Nation-state combines both.
• Government types: Democracy, monarchy, dictatorship, communism, etc.
• Size, shape, and location affect resources, economy, and defense.
• National boundaries can be natural (rivers, mountains) or artificial (man-made).