Geography Test

force exerted by the weight of the atmosphere

instrument used to determine air pressure

inches of mercury, and millibars (unit that measures actual force of atmosphere pushing down on surface)

Warm air, less dense than cool air

cold, dense air

horizontal movement of air

Coriolis effect

odorless, colorless gas produced by evaporation of water

any measure of water vapor in the air

ratio of air's actual water vapor content with amount of water vapor required for saturation at that temperature

temperature at which relative humidity of air is 100%

substantial proportion of melted rock from Earth's outer core

temperature, pressure, pressure-temperature diagrams

study of earth's structural features

model of Earth's global tectonism; Earth's lithosphere is broken into dozen major plates that move about

used for investigating many kinds of landforms that exist on Earth's surface, produced in late 1800s

line drawn on topographic map that connects all points that have equal elevation above or below reference place on Earth's surface

EX: 20-foot contour interval, draw contour line for each 20-foot change in elevation below and above 100 feet

"side-view", provide a more useful representation of the elevations and slopes of an area; guideline map

describes continuous movement of water from oceans to atmosphere--> to land--> to sea

portion of precipitation that falls on land will soak into ground

when rate of rainfall > surface's ability to absorb it, additional water flows over surface

porosity and permeability

total volume of available pore space in soil, result of texture and structure of soil

ability of water to flow through soil or rock; function of texture and structure of medium

rivers & streams responsible for producing vast of erosional & depositional landforms in both humid & regions

supplies much of our water needs for consumption, irrigation, and industry

groundwater soaked into Earth's surface and occupies all pores spaces in soil

pore spaces of materials are unsaturated and mainly filled with air

settlement of native low density soils, or caving in of natural/man-made underground voids

lands in arid and dry sub-humid climates

state of declining agriculture productivity due to natural/human causes

causes dry land to become desert with no agricultural value

erosion and deposition associated with wind; dry landscapes

fan-shaped, delta-like deposit of alluvian made at mouth of stream

continuous apron of alluvial fans below a mountain front

sharp-angled intersection where steep lower slope of mountain range meets pediment or alluvial fan

gently inclined erosion surface in upper part of piedmont slope

shallow central part of desert basin, water gathered from rain that evaporated to leave silt

small hill or ridge of windblown sand

basin into which water drains from surrounding mountains to central playa

snow/ice are collected, compacted, & recrystallized under their own weight

glacial ice flowing downhill where it melts or sublimes faster

small semicircular to triangular glaciers that form on sides of mountains

long glaciers that flow down stream valleys in mountains

mergers of two or more valley glaciers at foot of mountain range

vast, pancake-shaped ice mound that covers large portion of continent & flows independent of topographic features beneath it

characterized by cirque glaciers, valley glaciers, and piedmont glaciers

bowl-shaped depression on high mountain slopes, formed by cirque glacier

sharp, jagged, knife-edge ridge between two cirques or glaciated valleys

mountain pass formed by erosion or cirques

steep-sided, pyramid-shaped peak produced by erosion or cirques

steep slope of rock cliff at upslope end of glaciated valley or cirque

u-shaped glaciated valley formed by action of valley glacier

glacial trough of tributary glacier, elevated above main trough