Geography Study Guide Question # 1 What are the two main branches of geography? Physical geography is the study of the natural features of the Earth, including.

Geography Study Guide

Question # 1What are the two main branches of geography?Physical geography is the study of the natural

features of the Earth, including the land, water and the atmosphere.

Human geography is the study of the impact humans have on the planet. This focuses on the ways that people create cultures in their natural environments.

Geography

The five themes of geography are the following:1. Location-position on the earths surface.2. Place-the physical and human characteristics of an

area.3. Human Environmental Interaction-how do people

blend with the earth.4. Movement-The interaction that takes place as you

go from place to place.5. Regions-areas that have characteristics in common.

Geography

Experiment 6-A Text page 270What is absolute location?Absolute location is described as the exact place

where something exists.Geographers generally use latitude and

longitude to pinpoint absolute location.For example N44.322xW88.928 where is that?Your address would be an example of that.

Geography

Relative location is the location of a place in relation to another.

For example if someone is giving directions the might say go down the road and turn by the big blue silo, go a little ways and stop by the 1st big brown house and you are there. No exactness to this.

People will live in an area for years and not know the names of the roads that they live by.

Geography

When trying to find things on a globe or map people will often use the lines that run North and South and East and West.

These lines are called lines of longitude and lines of latitude.

Lines of longitude called meridians run North and South but measure degrees East and West starting at the Prime Meridian 0 degrees.

Line of latitude called parallels run East and West but measure degrees North and South starting at the Equator 0 degrees.

Geography

Maps and globes are both used to find the location of a place.

They are different based on their configuration.There are advantages and disadvantages to using

both.The main advantage to a globe is that is does not

distort where something is located like a map does.The main advantage to a map is it’s ease of use and

the size and scale that can be shown.

GeographyQuestion # 3Define the five main features of every good map.1. Every good map has a tile so that the person using

the map knows what they are looking at or for.2. Each map will have some type of grid to help to

give location. Usually latitude and longitude.3. All maps will include some type of direction finder.4. A map should have a scale so that distance on the

map makes some sense.5. A map should have a key or legend to explain the

different items that are on the map.Experiment 6-B Text pages 275-276

Geography Experiment 6-C handoutQuestion # 4What kind of information do you get from political,

physical, economic, and road maps.Political-shows the location of countries, states, and

provinces and their boundaries or borders.Physical-shows the topography of the earth, it’s

natural features and their location.Economic- shows what is produced in a country.Road- used in travel to locate specific places.Experiment 6-D pages 280-286

GeographyQuestion # 5Describe what is meant by the physical

characteristics of a place.Physical characteristics include landforms, water,

climate, and vegetation. How would you describe the physical characteristics of Wega?

What’s the difference between a plain, a plateau, a hill and a mountain?

What’s the difference between an ocean, a sea, a gulf, a lake, and or a pond?

Geography

The human characteristics of a place include the language, values, religion, ideas, art, customs, social institutions, and the technology of the people.

Describe the human characteristics of Weyauwega.

How is this related to the study of anthropology or more specifically archeology?

What does Weyauwega mean?

Geography

How are location and place different?A place is what people/geographers find at a

specific or relative location. 44.3x88.9Within that place are the physical and human

characteristics that give that place it’s specific detail No two places on earth are exactly the same. All places have similarities but they do differ.

Experiment 6-E Handout Best Place to Live

GeographyQuestion # 6What is a system?A system is a working thing made up of two or more

parts.There are two types of systems open and closed.An open system needs a catalyst or starter to be able

to operate. Like the battery in a flashlight.A closed system on the other hand starts itself and

usually runs in a cycle. The hydrologic system pictured on page 291 is an example.

Earth consists of both systems open and closed. Humans interact with the earth all of the time.

GeographyQuestion # 7What is the ecosystem?All of the systems that make up the physical

characteristics of the earth are known as our ecosystem. Water, land, air, would all be included.

The study of that ecosystem is known as ecology. Ecologists study how our ecosystem is responding to the pressures of human population. The Gulf oil spill would be an example. Acid rain and the buildup of greenhouse gases causing global warming. Or not!!!!!!!!

GeographyBiodegradable is the ability of a substance to be used

and return to it’s natural state without causing harm. Glass is an example.

There are four basic laws of ecology as put forth by ecologist Barry Commoner.

1. Everything is connected to everything else.2. Everything must go somewhere.3. Nature knows best.4. There is no such thing as a free lunch.Experiment 6-GTom Lehrer’s song pollution.

GeographyLehrer’s song points out what human-

environmental interaction is all about.Everything you do has an impact on the

environment in some way.Your actions fall into three categories.1. No impact.2. Positive result.3. Negative result.Give examples of each

GeographyQuestion # 8What are renewable resources?Renewable resources are those that can be replaced.

Plants and livestock would be a couple of examples.Nonrenewable resources on the other hand cannot

be easily replaced and will eventually cease to exist. Technology finds a way to replace them?????????

Strategic resources are those that a country must have to survive. Competition is great for these.

Experiment 6-H Text pages 299-301Experiment 6-I Handout

GeographyQuestion # 9What are the characteristics of developed and developing

nations?Nations are rated on several different items which include

the following:Standard of livingIndustrializationGNP and or GDPHealth CareTechnologyNations will be categorized based on the level of

development that they fall into in the above categories.

Geography

Obviously as well the amount of natural resources that a country posses will rank them in the status of developed or developing.

A country’s rank or status may change as they use up the natural resources that they have available to them.

Some suggest that when natural resources are gone that synthetic items will simply be developed to take their place, but of course at a cost.

GeographyIf a country completely depletes it’s natural

resources it will often fall into the category of third world or impoverished.

Poverty is a standard of living that does not give people even enough to cover there basic needs of food clothing and shelter.

In the United States the poverty line was established at 21,200 for a family of four people in 2008. Minimum wage 7.25x40=290x50=14,500x2=29,000-25%=21,750

Not in poverty!!!Experiment 6-J Text 310-314

GeographyQuestion # 11Define:Literacy rate- percentage of the adult population who

are able to read and write.Infant mortality rate- number of children that die before

their 1st birthdayGNP- the total of all goods and services produced in a

country in a year.GNP per capita-GNP divided by the total population.Life expectancy- how long will a person live.The highest rates will exist in developed countries.Experiment 6-K Text pages 314-325

GeographyQuestion # 12 What is time?From a geographical standpoint time is the measure of

the earths movement. The earth spins or rotates 360’ every 24 hours. Each 15 degree segment represents an approximate one hour time zone.

All time starts in Greenwich, England at the location of the Prime Meridian or 0 degrees of longitude. It then goes 180 East and 180 West to the International dateline in the Pacific where you can start a new day or go back a day depending on which way you are going.

Experiment 6-L text pages 329-330

GeographyQuestion # 13Why are the earths people more interdependent that

ever before.Interdependent means we rely upon one another for

our needs.We now have a greater mobility than ever before and

we have telecommunications that are instantaneous in the world.

We are more connected to other parts of the world than we can imagine. Your clothes, your technology, your health care, you name it.

Experiment 6-M Handout

GeographyQuestion # 14What is a region?A region is made up of areas that have common

characteristics.The text shows you four different types of regions, they

are:1. Language regions- areas where the same or similar

languages are spoken.2. Agricultural regions- areas where the same or slightly

different crops are grown.3. Economic regions- areas that have similar economic

activities4. Political regions- areas where political divisions are

outlined and shown.Experiment 6-N Text page 335Experiment 6-O Text page 336

Geography

Question # 15What occupations are open to people with a

background in geography?Teachers at the High School and college level.Geographers that will study things like land use or

movement.Cartographers individuals that are responsible for

making maps .Urban geographers that will study cities and the issues

associated with them.