Download Chapter 1 Section 2

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
Reading Check Questions
1. What are the four main kinds of landforms?
Mountains
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
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•
•
•
•
•
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Africa
Antarctica
Asia
Australia
Europe
North America
South America
4. List the four oceans
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Arctic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Indian Ocean
Pacific Ocean
Homework
• Page 19 “Assessment Questions” #’s 2-5