Geography Chapter: Earth's Shape and Atmosphere

Earth's Shape and Movement

• Earth is an oblique spheroid
• Circle of illumination is the great circle separating day and night
• Earth's axial tilt is 23 ½ degrees
• Winter Solstice occurs on December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere, with the subsolar point at the Tropic of Capricorn
• Tropic of Cancer is the subsolar point at 23.5 N latitude during the summer solstice, with a 90-degree angle of incidence

Atmospheric Pressure and Winds

• Chinook wind, meaning "snow eater", occasionally warms Calgary
• Standard air pressure unit is the millibar
• Coriolis force deflects movement on rotating bodies
• Windward side of a mountain is exposed to the wind
• Sea breeze blows from water to land during the day

Earth, Air & Wind

• Polar Highs result from large high-pressure systems over the poles
• Equatorial Low is caused by a large low-pressure system at the equator
• Northeast Trades return to the equator in the Northern Hemisphere, deflected northeast
• ITCZ stands for Inter-tropical Convergence Zone
• Westerlies are mid-latitude winds between 30N and 60N

Ocean Currents

• Upwelling involves the rising of cold water from ocean depths
• Ocean current meander is a river-like curve
• Gyre is a continuously moving loop of water in an ocean basin
• Thermohaline Circulation is the deep-sea ocean movement system
• Southern Oscillation occurs when El Niño happens with westward surface windflow

Severe Cyclones

• Cyclogenesis is the formation of mid-latitude cyclones
• Low-pressure trough is an elongated, depressed area of air pressure in the upper atmosphere, often associated with clouds and rain
• Downdraft is a rapidly moving current of cool air in a thunderstorm
• Supercell thunderstorms have opposing winds, strong winds, lightning, thunder, and possible hail and tornadoes
• Tropical storm has sustained winds between 63 km/h and 118 km/h

Weather Wonders

• Freezing is the process of water turning to ice
• Dew forms when water vapor increases past saturation levels on mountains
• Precipitation is any liquid water or ice falling to Earth
• Psychrometer measures relative humidity
• Latent heat is the heat involved in melting

Rain, Rain Go Away

• Hail consists of ice crystals in continuous circulation above and below freezing level
• Convection is spontaneous vertical air movement in the atmosphere
• Thunderstorm mature stage has updrafts continuing, creating cumulonimbus clouds
• Orographic precipitation results from lifting over a topographical feature
• All precipitation results from air lifting

Climatic Alphabetizing

• Tropical climates are represented by letter A
• Polar climates are represented by letter E
• Dry climates are represented by letter B
• Koppen climate classification system provides a balanced approach
• Koppen's system is based on plant life

Climate Change

• Stretch involves changes in Earth's orbit influencing climate
• Roll involves changes in Earth's declination affecting climate
• Wobble represents changes in Earth's axial shifting impacting climate
• Anthropogenic forces are human-caused climate change factors
• Expansion due to heat is the main reason for rising sea levels

Sweet Sustainability

• Noahic Covenant includes all living creatures on Earth
• Carrying Capacity is the maximum ecosystem population support
• Sumeria, a civilization between 4000 and 2300 BCE in southern Iraq, ruined its arable land through irrigation
• San Joaquin Valley in California is becoming increasingly saline due to irrigation
• Revelation 11:18 foretells God's destruction of those who damage the Earth

Final Jeopardy

• Death awaits everyone, regardless of climatic conditions.

Explore the intricate details of Earth's shape, movement, and atmospheric phenomena with this quiz. From understanding the oblique spheroid shape of Earth to the dynamics of winds and pressure systems, this quiz covers essential geographical concepts. Test your knowledge on important terms like the Coriolis force and seasonal changes.