Vocab Definitions
Characteristics of a place occurring naturally, such as a landform, body of water, climate pattern, or resource
Physical Features
A body of water that is completely or partially surrounded by land
Sea
How many major climate zones are there
Large plates of rock that float on magma which make up the earth’s surface.
Tectonic Plates
Changes humans make to the environment that can damage it.
Human forces
Occurs when loose bits of rock and soil, formed by weathering, move from one place to another.
Erosion
Land that is dry, little to no vegetation
Desert
Which climate zone is this?
Generally very cold winter and very hot summer
Continental
Area around the edges of the Pacific Ocean where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions happen. Due to tectonic plate movement
Ring of Fire
Definition:
How far above or below sea level something is
Elevation
The process by which rock and other material break up into smaller pieces.
Weathering
Area of flat or rolling land at a high elevation, flat on top
Plateau
Which climate zone is this?
Dry; hot or cold
Arid
large land masses that have broken and shifted over time.
Continents
What are these examples of?
Waste going into landfills
Improper disposal of wastewater systems
Fumes from factories and cars going into the air
Human Pollution
A sudden, catastrophic event caused by Earth's natural processes that brings great harm to people, property, and the environment
Natural Disasters
Body of land jutting into a lake or ocean surrounded on 3 sides by water.
Peninsula
Which climate zone is this:
Changing seasons with moderate temperatures
Moderate/Temperate
Which of these is NOT a natural/physical characteristic
Mountain
Forest
Dam
River
Dam
Large geographic area on Earth defined by its specific climate, plants, and animals
Biomes
The scientific theory that Earth's outer layer is broken into giant, moving pieces of rock that float on a softer, hotter layer underneath
Plate Tectonics
Name two ways geographers categorize landforms
By their evolution and the way water surrounds it?
Name 3 major influences on climate
Latitude /Sunlight Exposure
Elevation
Ocean & Wind Currents
Closeness to bodies of water
Terrain
Name a natural disaster other than a volcanic eruption that is caused by tectonic plate movement
Earth Quakes
Tsunamis
Landslides
Fill in the blank:
The _____ is the longest mountain range in the world and runs through the Atlantic Ocean.
Mid-Atlantic Ridge