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Unit 1 – physical geography vocabulary
geography
absolute location
relative location
hemisphere
equator
prime meridian
latitude
longitude
globe
map
cartographer
map projection
8/19/2009 - Smalley
Unit 1 – physical geography vocabulary
the exact place on earth where a geographic
feature, such as a city, is found
p6
the study of distribution and interaction of
physical and human features on the earth
p5
half of the globe
p6
describes a place in comparison to other
places around it
p6
imaginary line that divides the east and west
halves of the globe; the zero-degree line for
longitude
p6
imaginary line that divides the north and
south halves of the globe; the zero-degree
line for latitude
p6
imaginary lines that go around the earth
over the poles; they are used for locating
places east or west
p6
imaginary lines that run parallel to the
equator; they are used for locating places
north or south
p6
two-dimensional graphic representations of
selected parts of the earth’s surface
p 10
three-dimensional representation of the
earth
p 10
a way of drawing the earth’s surface that
reduces distortion caused by presenting a
round earth on flat paper
p 10
mapmaker
p 10
8/19/2009 - Smalley
Unit 1 – physical geography vocabulary
topographic map
Landsat
Geographic Information
Systems
continent
solar system
core
mantle
magma
crust
atmosphere
lithosphere
hydrosphere
8/19/2009 - Smalley
Unit 1 – physical geography vocabulary
a series of satellites that orbit more than 100
miles above the earth. Each satellite picks
up data in an area 115 miles wide.
p 12
a representation of natural and man-made
features on the earth
p 11
landmass above water on the earth
p 27
a technology that uses digital information to
create a databank; different “data layers”
can be combined to produce specialized
maps.
p 13
center of the earth made up of iron and
nickel; inner is solid, and outer is liquid
p 28
the sun and the nine known planets, as well
as other celestial bodies that orbit the sun
p 27
molten rock, which can form in the mantle
and rise through the crust
p 28
several layers surrounding the earth’s core;
it contains most of the earth’s mass
p 28
layer of gases surrounding the earth; it
contains the oxygen we breathe, protects
the earth from radiation, and provides the
medium for weather and climate
p 28
thin layer of rock at the earth’s surface
p 28
water elements on earth; include oceans,
seas, rivers, lakes, and water in the
atmosphere
p 28
solid rock portion of the earth’s surface; it
includes the crust and the uppermost
mantle; includes the seafloor
p 28
8/19/2009 - Smalley
Unit 1 – physical geography vocabulary
biosphere
continental drift
hydrologic cycle
drainage basin
ground water
water table
landform
continental shelf
relief
topography
tectonic plate
fault
8/19/2009 - Smalley
Unit 1 – physical geography vocabulary
hypothesis developed by Wegener in
Germany in 1912; maintains that the earth
was once a supercontinent (Pangaea) that
divided and slowly drifted apart over millions
of years
p 29
part of the earth where plants and animals
live; made up of the atmosphere, the
lithosphere, and the hydrosphere
p 28
an area drained by a major river and its
tributaries
p 33
continuous circulation of water between the
atmosphere, the oceans, and the earth
p 32
level at which rock is saturated; it can rise or
fall depending on the amount of precipitation
in the region and on the amount of water
pumped out of the ground
p 33
water held in the pores of a rock
p 33
earth’s surface from the edge of a continent
to the deep part of the ocean
p 36
naturally formed features on the surface of
the earth
p 33
combination of the surface shape and
composition of the landforms and their
distribution in a region
p 36
difference in elevation of a landform from its
lowest point to its highest point
p 36
fracture in the earth’s crust
p 39
enormous moving pieces of the earth’s
lithosphere.
p 37
8/19/2009 - Smalley
Unit 1 – physical geography vocabulary
earthquake
seismograph
epicenter
Richter scale
tsunami
volcano
lava
Ring of Fire
weathering
sediment
mechanical weathering
chemical weathering
8/19/2009 - Smalley
Unit 1 – physical geography vocabulary
device that measures the size of the waves
created by an earthquake
p 39
violent movement of the earth caused when
plate grind or slip past each other
p 39
scale that is used to measure the relative
strength of an earthquake
p 40
point directly above the focus where an
earthquake begins
p 39
natural event formed when magma, gases
and water from the crust or mantle collect in
underground chambers and eventually erupt
and pour out of cracks in the earth’s surface.
p 40
a giant wave in the ocean with great
destructive power caused by an earthquake
p 40
a zone around the rim of the Pacific Ocean;
the location of many earthquakes and the
vast majority of active volcanoes
p 41
magma that has reached the earth’s surface
p 40
fine particles of rock, such as mud, sand, or
silt
p 42
physical and chemical process that changes
the characteristics of rock on or near the
earth’s surface
p 42
process by which rock is changed into a new
substance as a result of interaction between
elements in the air or water
p 43
processes that break rock into smaller
pieces; the composition of the rock is not
changed – only its size
p 42
8/19/2009 - Smalley
Unit 1 – physical geography vocabulary
erosion
delta
loess
glacier
glaciation
moraine
humus
solstice
equinox
weather
climate
8/19/2009 - Smalley
Unit 1 – physical geography vocabulary
fan-like landform caused by sediment
deposited when a river enters the ocean
p 43
occurs when weathered material is moved
by the action of wind, water, ice or gravity
p 43
large, long-lasting mass of ice that moves
because of gravity
p 44
windblown silt and clay sediment; produces
very fertile soil
p 44
rocks left behind by a glacier that form a
ridge or a hill
p 44
changing of landforms by slowly moving
glaciers
p 44
organic material in soil
p 45
two times a year when the days and nights
are equal in length all over the world
p 49
two times of year when the sun’s rays shine
directly overhead at noon at the furthest
points north or south, and that mark the
beginning of summer or winter
p 49
weather conditions at a particular location
over a long period of time
p 50
condition of the atmosphere at a particular
location and time
p 50
8/19/2009 - Smalley
Unit 1 – physical geography vocabulary
precipitation
rain shadow
hurricane
typhoon
tornado
blizzard
drought
convection
El Niño
greenhouse effect
tundra
permafrost
8/19/2009 - Smalley
Unit 1 – physical geography vocabulary
land on the leeward side of a mountain that
gets little rain
p 51
falling water droplets in the form of rain,
sleet, snow or hail
p 50
tropical storm, like a hurricane, that occurs
in Asia
p 51
storms that form over warm, tropical ocean
waters
p 51
heavy snowstorm with winds of more than
35 mph and reduced visibility
p 52
a powerful funnel-shaped column of
spiraling air; also known as a twister
p 51
the transfer of heat in the atmosphere by
upward motion of the air
p 54
long period of time without rain or with
minimal rainfall
p 53
global temperature increases caused by the
burning of coal and petroleum, which traps
solar energy
p 58
a natural change in the climate caused by
warming of the waters off the west coast of
South America
p 57
subsoil that is constantly frozen
p 63
flat, treeless lands forming a ring around the
Arctic Ocean
p 63
8/19/2009 - Smalley
Unit 1 – physical geography vocabulary
ecosystem
biome
deciduous
rain forest
coniferous
savanna
steppe
formal region
functional region
perceptual region
place
human geography
8/19/2009 - Smalley
Unit 1 – physical geography vocabulary
ecosystem of a region; may be further
divided into forest, grassland, desert and
tundra
p 65
interdependent community of plants and
animals
p 65
located in the tropical zone, it contains a
heavy concentration of broadleaf trees
p 66
broadleaf trees, such as maple, oak, birch
and cottonwood
p 66
flat, grassy, mostly treeless plains found in
the tropical grassland region
p 66
cone-bearing, or needleleaf trees, such as
pine, fir and cedar
p 66
Geographic area that can be defined by
limited number of related human or physical
characteristics, (e.g. Latin America)
temperate grasslands also called prairie in
the northern hemisphere; called pampas in
the southern hemisphere
p 66
geographic area without precise borders
defined by commonly held views
Group of places that are linked together by a
common purpose or use
study of how humans and their cultures
impact the earth
theme of geography that focuses on the
unique human and physical attributes of a
particular location
8/19/2009 - Smalley