Geography and Phenology
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Created by:
brownl123466 on September 26, 2010
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37 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 solstices | days when the earth is tilted the most and least towards the sun |
| summer solstice | Jun 21st, +23.5 degree declination, (N. Hemisphere); the sun is directly over the Tropic of Cancer at noon. Furthest tilt towards the sun so longest day. |
| Winter Solstice | Dec 21st, -23.5 degree declination, (S. Hemisphere); the sun is directly over the Tropic of Capricorn at noon. Furthest tilt away from the sun so shortest day. |
| Right ascension | movement of the sun on the x-axis |
| Declination | movement of the sun on the y-axis relative to the lines of the equinoxes (0 degrees declination) |
| Altitude | movement of the sun on y-axis relative to the horizon |
| Geology | the study of dynamic processes occuring in Earth's interior |
| core | innermost zone; solid surrounded by molten/semisolid; primarily of iron |
| mantle | surrounds core; solid rock surrounded by upper asthenosphere of hot, pliable melted rock |
| crust | outtermost and thinnest zone (continental/oceanic); contains lithosphere; mostly oxygen |
| convection currents | hot material rises and cools at top, then sinks; causes most weather and tectonic events |
| lithosphere | layer of the crust; continental and oceanic crust plates and rigid outer layer of mantle |
| asthenosphere | a portion of the upper mantle just below the lithosphere that is involved in plate tectonic movements and isostatic adjustments |
| tectonic plates | rigid plates that make up the crust of the Earth |
| magma | molten rock (lava); tectonic plates float on this |
| summer solstice | declination +23.5 |
| winter solstice | declination -23.5 |
| fall/spring equinox | declination 0 |
| convergent plate boundaries | occur when two internal forces push 2 plates together |
| subduction zone | area where collision and subduction and take place; melts rock that rises to surface again as magma |
| subduction | collision btw a continental plate and denser oceanic plate will result in the oceanic plate being pushed down into the mantle |
| trench | often forms at the boundary btw 2 converging plates` |
| divergent plate boundaries | when 2 oceanic plates move apart from one another |
| oceanic ridges | created by divergent oceanic plates under the surface of the ocean; higher peaks and lower valleys than anywhere on earth |
| transform faults | occur when plates slide and grind past one another along a fracture in the lithosphere |
| fault lines | lithospheric fractures (most under the ocean) |
| volcanoes | occur where magma rises to the surface through a fissure |
| fissure | central vent or long crack in the lithosphere |
| earthquakes | occur when internal stress is released in the crust; cause rocks to warp and fracture; cause landslides, liquefaction, flooding/earthquakes |
| tsunamis | large waves generated when part of the ocean floor suddenly rises or drops; can move at speeds of over 500mph in deep water |
| effects of tectonic events | species migration and speciation; volcanic eruptions played role in formation of Earth's atmosphere; addition of chemicals widely used in formation of organic compounds; volcanic rock and lava form rich soil; mineral deposition; flooding deposition |
| hot spots | places of geographic activity (volcanoes) not on boundaries |
| photoperiod | day length from sunrise to sunset; # hours sunlight or intensity for photosynthesis |
| Longitude | calculated by finding difference btw local sunrise and GMT sunrise |
| latitude | = 90 degrees - altitude + declination |
| bad effects of a volcano | burns forests, kill organisms/people, emits poisonous gases (hydrogen sulfide), greenhouse gases, sulfuric acid rain, overcooling from ash in air |
| good effects of a volcano | fertile soil, beautiful landscapes, good CO2 and sulfur, succession |
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