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Unit 1 Study Guide
Skills Handbook and Chapters 1-4
Skills Handbook
1. Lines of _____________, or parallels, circle the earth parallel to the ______________ and measure
distances north or south of the _____________ in degrees. (3)
2. Lines of _____________, or meridians, circle the earth from Pole to Pole. These lines measure
distances east or west of the starting line, which lies at 0 degrees longitude and is called the
__________ ___________. It runs through the Royal Observatory in ______________
_______________. (3)
3. A __________ is a scale model of the earth. A printed ________ is a symbolic representation of all
or part of the planet on a flat piece of paper. What are some advantages and disadvantages of each?
(4)
4. Mapmakers are called _____________. (4)
5. To create maps, mapmakers project the round earth onto a flat surface—making a __________
________________. Describe the three basic categories shown in the text. (4,5)
6. Define great circle: (5)
7. A ___________ _____________ _____________ converts data into digital code and allows
cartographers to make maps –and change them-quickly and easily. (7)
8. Describe the most important features of maps that help us interpret the information they contain? (8)
9. Two common forms of general-purpose maps are _____________ maps and ___________ maps.
Compare and contrast them. (10)
10. A __________ is a visual presentation of information. List three types: (12,13)
11. Data are arranged in columns and rows in a ___________ or ___________. (13)
12. A _______________ is a drawing that shows what something is or how something is done. (13)
Chapter 1
13. What are the Elements of Geography? (19-22)
14. Define geography: (19)
15. One way of locating a place is by describing its ___________ ___________-the exact spot at which
the place is found on the globe. (20)
16. The _____________, the line circling the earth midway between the North and South Poles, divides
the earth into __________________, or two halves (Northern and Southern) (20)
17. Although absolute location is useful, most people locate a place in relation to other places, or by its
_____________ ______________. (20)
18. What is a grid system? (20)
19. A place is a particular space with physical and human meaning. Every place on earth has its own
unique characteristics. What are some examples of the physical and human characteristics of a
place? (21, 22)
20. Geographers often group places into ____________, or areas united by specific factors. Describe
the three types? (21)
21. An ___________________ is a community of plants and animals that depend upon one another, and
their surroundings, for ______________. (22)
Chapter 2
22. What are the planets in our solar system? List them starting with the one closest to the sun. (34)
23. Oceans, lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water make up a part of the earth called the
_________________. (35)
24. Land makes up part of the earth called the_________________, the earth’s crust. The
___________________ also includes the ocean basins, or the land beneath the oceans. (35)
25. The air we breathe is part of the earth’s __________________, a layer of gases extending about
_____________ miles above the planet’s surface. What are the two most abundant gases? (35)
26. The part of the earth that supports life is the _______________. (35)
27. What are examples of landforms? (35)
28. The part of a continent that extends underwater is called a _______________ ___________. (36)
29. What is the highest point above sea level? The lowest dry land? The deepest known depression?
(36)
30. Describe the structure of the earth beginning at its center. (38)
31. The theory that the continents were once joined and then slowly drifted apart is called
__________________ ____________. (38)
32. When the plates spread apart, ____________, or molten rock, is pushed up from the mantle and
___________ are formed. (38)
33. Scientists use the term __________ ______________ to describe the process by which the earth’s
features were created. (38)
34. Scientists theorize that heat rising from the earth’s _________ may create slow moving currents
within the _____________. As a result, the force that probably propels the movement of the earth’s
gigantic rock plates is __________________. (39, discussion)
35. Describe the four types of plate boundaries. (39,40)
36. The _________ ____ __________ is a zone of earthquake and volcanic activity surrounding the
_______________ Ocean. (41)
37. __________________ is the process that breaks down rocks on the earth’s surface into smaller
pieces. Describe the two types. (42)
38. ______________ is the wearing away of the earth’s surface by wind, glaciers, and _________
___________. (42)
39. The movement of air across the earth’s surface, or ________, sometimes builds up deposits of
___________, a fertile, yellow-gray soil. (42)
40. Another cause of erosion is glaciers. Describe the two types including what the leave behind when
the melt and recede. (42)
41. What is the most significant cause of erosion? (43)
42. What three steps are involved in the water cycle? (47)
43. _________________ is the changing of liquid water into vapor, or gas. The sun’s heat causes
_________________. (47)
44. When warm air cools, it cannot retain all of its water vapor, so the excess water vapor changes into
liquid water-a process called ___________________. (47)
45. When clouds gather more water than they can hold, they release moisture, which falls to the earth as
___________________-rain, snow, or sleet, depending on the air _______________ and wind
conditions. (47)
46. Although _______ percent of the world’s water is found in the oceans, the water is too salty for
drinking, farming, or manufacturing. Today efforts focus on ways to meet the world’s increasing
need for fresh water, such as turning ocean water into fresh water by removing the salt. This process
is known as ___________________. (48)
47. _________________, freshwater which lies beneath the earth’s surface, comes from rain, and melted
snow that filter through the soil and from water that seeps into the ground from _______ and
_________. (49)
48. An underground porous rock layer often saturated with water in the form of streams is called an
______________. (49)
Chapter 3
49. _____________ is the condition of the atmosphere in one place during a limited period of time. (55)
50. _____________ is the term for weather patterns that an area typically experiences over a long period
of time. (55) ___________ regions are classified mainly on the basis of seasonal temperatures and
precipitation.
51. Earth’s tilt is one reason for variations in sunlight. The angle of tilt (23 ½ degrees) affects the
_________________--the measure of how hot or cold a place is. (56)
52. Earth rotates on its axis, making one complete rotation every ________________. (56)
53. It takes the earth a few hours more than 365 days--1 year--to complete one ________________, or
trip around the sun. (56)
54. An _____________ occurs when daylight and nighttime hours are equal. In the Northern
hemisphere, this day marks the beginning of ____________ (around March 21). (56)
55. Where are the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn located? (56,57)
56. In the Northern Hemisphere the longest day of sunlight occurs around June 21. This date, known as
the ____________ solstice, marks the beginning of ____________. (56,57)
57. What is the greenhouse effect? (58)
58. Many scientists claim that in recent decades a rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels has
coincided with a general rise in global temperatures. This trend –known as __________
_____________--is believed to be caused in part by human activities, such as the burning of
__________, _______, and ___________ ______. Theses substances are known as __________
___________. (58)
59. What effect does latitude have on climate? (60)
60. What effect does elevation have on climate? (61)
61. Global winds blow in fairly constant patterns called ___________ __________. (62)
62. What effect do ocean currents have on climate? (62)
63. Climate is also affected by recurring phenomena, or events, that alter weather patterns. The most
famous of these recurring climatic events is the ____ ________ phenomenon. ____ ________ is a
periodic change in the pattern of ocean currents and water temperatures in the mid-__________
region. (63)
64. What is the rain shadow effect? (64)
65. What climate region occurs most frequently at the equator? (66)
66. What climate region occurs closest to the poles? (66)
67. In some desert areas, underground springs may support an ________, an area of lush vegetation. (67)
68. What is the difference between coniferous and deciduous trees? (68)
69. Define permafrost: (68)
Chapter 4
70. How many people are there on earth? (75)
71. The __________ _________ is the number of deaths per year for every 1,000 people. The
_______________ is the number of births per year for every 1,000 people. The _________
____________, or growth rate, of a population is the difference between an area’s _____________
and its _________ _________. (76)
72. The ____________ ________, or the number of years it takes a population to double in size, varies
from region to region. (76)
73. The planet’s __________________ ________________, or pattern of human settlement, is uneven.
Why? (77)
74. Geographers determine how crowded a country or region is by measuring ______________
_____________--the average number of people living on a square mile or kilometer of land. (77)
75. ________________ is the movement of people from place to place. If you move out of a country,
that country views you as an emigrant. If you move into a country that country views you as an
__________________. (79, discussion)
76. Define culture: (80,81)
77. An ________ _________ is made up of people who share a common language, history, place of
origin, or a combination of these elements. (82)
78. Each _____________ ____________ includes many different countries that have certain traits in
common. They may share _______________ systems, forms of ________________, and
______________ groups. (83)
79. The process of spreading new knowledge and skills from one culture to another is called
_____________ ________________. What are some examples? (84, 85)
80. The world’s first civilizations arose in what are known as _____________ _____________, early
centers of civilization whose ideas and practices spread to surrounding areas. What geographic
features did they have in common? (84, 85)
81. How is a country defined? (86)
82. A ___________ system of government gives all key powers to the national or central government.
(87)
83. A___________ system of government divides the powers of government between the national
government and state or provincial governments. (87)
84. Any system of government in which the power and authority to rule belong to a single individual is
an _______________. How do most achieve and maintain power? (87)
85. An _______________ is any system of government in which a small group holds power. Where
does their power come from? (88)
86. A democracy is any system of government in which the leaders rule with the ____________ of the
________________. Many democratic countries, such as the United States and France are
_______________. (88)
87. In a ______________ economy, habit and custom determine the rules for all economic activity. (89)
88. In a ______________ economy, individuals and private groups make decisions about what to
produce. A ______________ economy is based on _________ ________________, the idea that
private individuals or groups have the right to own property or businesses and make a profit with
only limited government interference. Another term for an economic system organized in this way
is ____________________ (89)
89. In a ________________economy, the government owns or directs the means of production—land,
labor, capital (machinery, factories), and business managers—and controls the distribution of
___________. A _______________ economy is called either socialism or communism, depending
on how much the __________________ is involved. (89, 90)
90. The elements from the earth that are not made by people but can be used by them for food, fuel, or
other necessities are called ____________ ______________. These include ________________
resources that can be replaced naturally (like wind, sun, water, forests, and animal life) and
____________________ resources that cannot be replaced, such as minerals and fossil fuels. (91,92)
91. Those countries having much technology and manufacturing, such as the United States, are called
________________ countries. There most people work in ____________________ or service
industries and enjoy a ___________ standard of living. Farmers in developed countries engage in
__________________ farming, raising crops and livestock to sell in the market. Modern
industrialized nations rely heavily on fossil fuels as a source of energy. (93)
92. Those countries working toward greater manufacturing and technology use are called
________________ countries. Most farmers in these countries engage in _________________
farming, growing only enough food for family needs. As a result, most people in developing
countries remain poor. (93)
93. Some governments add a ____________, or tax to the price of goods that are imported. What are
some other barriers to trade governments sometimes establish? (94)
94. In recent years governments around the world have moved toward ________ __________, the
removal of barriers so that goods can flow freely among countries. For example, The United States,
Mexico, and Canada have set up the __________ _____________ ___________ ___________
______________ (NAFTA) to eliminate all trade barriers to one another’s goods. (94)
95. A major environmental challenge today is ________________--the release of unclean or impure
elements into the air, water, and land. (94)