EVPP 110 Lecture - Fall 2002
Instructor: Dr. Largen
Exam #2 Study Summary
Earth Origin and Age
What is the most "popular" theory for the origin of the universe?
Is the size of the universe thought to be fixed or continually expanding?
What is the age range for the age of the universe?
What event is thought to have resulted in the formation of our solar system?
What are the two general categories into which the nine planets of our solar system can be grouped?
What are some of the characteristics of the earth that make it unique in our solar system?
What is the current estimate of the age of the earth?
What is stated by the Principle of Superposition
What is stated by the Principle of Original Horizontality
What is stated by the Principle of Uniformitarianism?
What is meant by "relative age" of geologic formations?
What is meant by "relative dating" of geologic formations and how is it done?
What is meant by "absolute age" of geologic formations?
What is meant by "radiometric dating" of geologic formations and what is the principle behind the process?
What are the names of the general categories into which geologic time is divided?
Structure of the Earth
- What are the three layers of earth based on the "chemical-based" description?
- Where are the three layers located relative to one another?
- How do the densities of the three layers compare to one another?
- How do the sizes of the three layers compare to one another in terms of the percent of the earth's mass each represents?
- What are the two divisions into which the crust can be divided?
- What are the three divisions into which the mantle can be divided?
- What are the three divisions into which the core can be divided?
- What element composes the greatest percentage of the mass of the earth's crust?
- What are the five layers of the earth based on the "mechanical-based" description?
- Where are the five layers located relative to one another?
- Which of the five layers are solid, plastic, or molten?
- How do the sizes of the five layers compare to one another in terms of the percent of the earth's mass each represents?
- How do the five layers compare to one another in terms of temperature?
- How do temperature, pressure and density vary as one moves from the earth's surface toward the earth's interior?
Interplanetary Processes
- What are the lines of evidence that were used to help formulate the theory of plate tectonics?
- What are the three major types of movement of tectonic plates relative to one another?
- What is an earthquake?
- What is a volcano?
- How does the movement of plates relative to one another result in the production of earthquakes and volcanoes?
- What are the 7 ways in which earthquakes can cause damage?
Solar Radiation, Oceans, Atmosphere - In General
- What two key physical factors interact with physical geography to determine the distribution of biomes?
- Very generally, what is a biome?
- What are some of the global ramifications of the interdependent relationship between the oceans and the atmosphere?
- What is meant by the term "global heat engine" ?
- What does the "global heat engine" do?
- What is solar radiation?
- Do all parts of the earth receive the same amount of solar radiation?
- What four factors affect the amount of solar radiation received at various points on the earth?
- Does the surface of the earth heat evenly as a result of solar radiation?
- What process drives the interrelated patterns of circulation of the oceans and atmosphere?
The Oceans: Circulation & Currents
- What are the two main types of circulation that exist in the ocean?
- Is surface circulation predominately a horizontal or vertical movement of water?
- Is thermohaline circulation predominantly a horizontal of vertical?
- What drives surface circulation?
- What drives thermohaline circulation?
- What are the four main factors that affect circulation patterns of oceans?
- How does wind affect the circulation patterns of the ocean?
- What type of circulation pattern would occur if the earth’s surface was entirely water?
- What are gyres?
- What role do continental land masses play in setting up gyres?
- What effect does the earth’s rotation have on objects moving in a straight line on its surface?
- What is the Coriolis effect?
- How do the results of the Coriolis effect differ between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres?
- What three factors affect the density of water?
- What effect does water density have on thermohaline circulation?
- Describe the general movement of cold, dense waters originating in polar latitudes?
- Describe the general movement of warm, less dense waters originating in the tropics?
- What are the general characteristics of the principle ocean currents in terms of current strength on perimeters versus internally, and direction of movement of warm and cold water between poles and tropics?
- What are the four categories into which the principle ocean surface currents can be divided?
- What are the general characteristics of western boundary currents?
- Give an example of a western boundary current in the northern hemisphere and in the southern hemisphere?
- What are the general characteristics of eastern boundary currents?
- Give an example of a eastern boundary current in the northern hemisphere and in the southern hemisphere?
- What is the name of the type of vertical movement of water that is sometimes associated with eastern boundary currents?
- Describe the movement of water associated with upwelling?
- What is the significance of upwelling relative to ecosystems?
- What is the significance of upwelling relative to economies?
- What are the general characteristics of equatorial currents?
- Give an example of an equatorial current in the northern hemisphere and in the southern hemisphere?
- What are the general characteristics of polar currents?
- Give an example of a polar current in the northern hemisphere and in the southern hemisphere?
The Oceans: El Nino
- The name "El Nino" was originally used to describe what process?
- The name "El Nino" is now used to describe what process?
- El Nino is now considered to be part of a phenomenon known as what?
The Oceans: Tides
- Why are tides significant geomorphically and biologically?
- What is the definition of tides?
- What causes tides?
- In general, what roles do the sun and moon play in tides?
- Does the gravitational pull of the sun or of the moon have a more significant effect on tides?
- What factors affect the magnitude (height) of tides?
- Do high and low tides at a given point occur at the same times from day to day?
The Atmosphere: In General
- Do any other planets in our solar system have an atmosphere like earth’s?
- In general, how does our atmosphere contribute to life as we know it?
- What three main roles of our atmosphere make it a central player in the physical geography of the earth?
The Atmosphere: Composition
- Are the major constituents of the atmosphere liquid, solid or gaseous?
- What two gases make up 99% of the total volume of the atmosphere?
- How do the relative percentages of nitrogen and oxygen gas in the atmosphere change with increases in altitude?
- How do water vapor concentrations in the atmosphere vary vertically and horizontally?
- What other gases make up the remaining 1% volume of the atmosphere?
The Atmosphere: Vertical Structure
- What are the four atmospheric characteristics that vary with changes in altitude?
- How is air density defined?
- In which part of the atmosphere is air density greatest?
- How is air pressure (or atmospheric pressure) defined?
- What is the average, or standard, atmospheric pressure at sea level in mb?
- If more air molecules were packed into a given column of air, would the air density and pressure in that column of air increase or decrease?
- Does the number of air molecules present in the atmosphere increase or decrease as altitude increases?
- Does air density increase or decrease with increased altitude?
- Does atmospheric pressure increase or decrease with increased altitude?
- Does air density and pressure decrease with altitude at a constant rate?
- From the surface of the earth up to an altitude of about 11km, does the temperature of the altitude normally increase or decrease?
- How is lapse rate defined?
- In the lower region of the atmosphere, what is the standard or average lapse rate?
- How is temperature inversion defined?
- Air temperature is the most common parameter used to define which four layers of the atmosphere?
- In which region of the atmosphere does "weather" occur?
- Place the names of the four layers of the atmosphere defined by temperature into order from the layer closest to the surface of the earth to the layer furthest from the earth’s surface.
- How does air temperature vary with altitude in the troposphere?
- How does air temperature vary with altitude in the stratosphere?
- Does a temperature inversion routinely occur in part of the stratosphere?
- In which layer of the atmosphere does ozone typically reach its maximum concentrations?
- What role does ozone play in the temperature inversion present in the stratosphere?
- How does temperature vary with altitude in the mesosphere?
- How does temperature vary with altitude in the thermosphere?
- What role does variations in the activity level of the sun play in determining the temperature of the thermosphere?
- What is the exosphere?
- In which layer of the atmosphere do some of its atoms and molecules escape the earth’s gravitational pull and shoot off into space?
- What are the names of the two layers of the atmosphere that are based gaseous composition of the atmosphere in terms of the relative percentages of nitrogen and oxygen gases?
- Does the gaseous composition of the atmosphere remain relatively constant in the homosphere or the heterosphere?
- What is the name of the electrified region of the atmosphere that goes from the surface to an altitude of ~60km?
- Why do atoms lose electrons and become positively charged in the ionosphere?
The Atmosphere: Heat Transfer
- By what process does heat exchange in the atmosphere occur?
- What is meant by the phrase "convective circulation"?
- When air is heated, does it expand or compress, rise or sink, become more dense or less dense?
- When air is cooled, does it expand or compress, rise or sink, become more dense or less dense?
- Describe convective circulation in terms of the vertical and horizontal movement of cooler and warmer air masses.
- What are "thermals"?
- What is a "thermal cell"?
- Describe the movement of a mass of air near the surface at the equator that heats up; how does it move, where does it go, what happens to the moisture its carrying, etc.
The Atmosphere: Atmospheric Moisture
- What processes/principles interact to determine the manner in which moisture enters, move about in, and leaves the atmosphere?
- What are evaporation, transport and precipitation?
- What do we call the three phases of matter in which water can occur in the lower atmosphere?
- Can water change phases in the atmosphere?
- Define sublimation.
- Define evaporation.
- Define condensation.
- What are the three main factors that affect the rate of evaporation in the atmosphere?
- Why can evaporation serve as a cooling process?
- What is humidity?
- Distinguish between absolute and relative humidity.
- Define dew point.
- How does temperature affect the amount of water that a given volume of air can "hold"?
- If the temperature of a given mass of air were increased, would the ability of that air mass to hold water increase or decrease?
- How is water in the atmosphere transported?
- Is the amount of water that leaves the atmosphere equal to the amount of water that enters the atmosphere, on average?
- What three forms of precipitation represent the liquid, gas and solid phases of water?
- What are the four factors that govern the process by which water leaves the atmosphere as precipitation?
- What role do condensation nuclei play in the formation of precipitation?
- What aspects of the vertical structure of the atmosphere are combined in the concept of adiabatic processes?
- What is adiabatic cooling?
- Describe the mechanics of adiabatic cooling.
- What is the distinction between dry and moist adiabatic cooling?
- What is the dry adiabatic lapse rate?
- What is the moist adiabatic lapse rate?
- What is adiabatic heating?
- Describe the mechanics of adiabatic heating.
Biogeochemical Cycles
- What is a biogeochemical cycle?
- What are the three non-living reservoirs in which elements can be held?
- Why is the recycling of the basic components of life important to living organisms?
- What are the four main biogeochemical cycles?
- For which of 4 main biogeochemical cycles is the reservoir the atmosphere?
- For which of 4 main biogeochemical cycles is the reservoir in the form of mineral?
- What is the general path of water through hydrologic cycle?
- what are the three major processes of the water cycle that are driven by solar heat?
- the global water cycle continuously moves water between what three physical components of the earth?
- why does the water cycle have a global characteristic?
- how does human activity affect the water cycle?
- what is one of the main sources of atmospheric water?
- describe the water cycle?
- what are the main reservoirs for water?
- What is the general path of carbon through the carbon cycle?
- What is the general path of nitrogen through the nitrogen cycle?
- What is the general path of phosphorus through the phosphorus cycle?
Climate and Biomes
- What is a biome?
- What is the relationship between an ecosystem and a biome?
- The interaction of what two key physical factors predominantly affect the distribution of biomes?
- What two climate factors are most influential in determining local climate?
- Why are there variations in the earth's climate?
- Why are the tropics warmer and the poles colder?
- What aspects of precipitation are important in determining climate and biomes?
- What aspects of temperature are important in determining climate and biomes?
- Generally, as precipitation increases, does ecosystem productivity increase or decrease?
- At what latitudes do we typically find lower precipitation and why, relative to the behavior of air masses?
- At what latitudes to the major deserts of the world tend to occur?
- At what latitudes do we typically find higher precipitation and why, relative to the behavior of air masses?
- At what latitudes to the major deserts of the world tend to occur?
- Why do we also find deserts in the interiors of continents?
- What is the rain shadow effect, where does it occur, and why?
- How does temperature vary with latitude?
- How does temperature vary with elevation?
- What is the relationship between a decrease in temperature with increased elevation and a decrease in temperature with increased latitude?
- What are 7 major biomes of the earth?
- What are the temperature, precipitation and productivity characteristics of the major biomes?
Populations are defined in several ways
- how do ecologists define population?
- what is the relationship between a population and a species?
- are humans that lived 1000 years ago in Europe part of the same population of humans living in Fairfax County today?
Density and dispersion patterns are important population variables
- what is the definition of population density?
- what are some of the methods that can be used to measure population density?
- why are sampling techniques necessary for determining population density?
- what is the definition of a population's dispersion pattern?
- what are the three main dispersion patterns?
- what are some of the factors that lead to each of the three dispersion patterns?
Idealized models help us understand population growth
- what are the two main types of growth exhibited by populations?
- describe exponential growth
- what is the shape usually used to refer to the curve that illustrates exponential growth?
- what is meant by "intrinsic rate of increase"?
- is the intrinsic rate of increase the same for every species of organism?
- how can we obtain a rough estimate of the intrinsic rate of growth?
- what conditions, relative to the availability of resources, are necessary in order for exponential growth to occur?
- describe logistic growth
- what is the shape usually used to refer to the curve that illustrates logistic growth?
- what conditions, relative to the availability of resources, exist that result in logistic growth?
- how are the effects of population limiting factors representing in the equation for logistic growth?
- what is "carrying capacity"?
- is carrying capacity the same for all populations? All environments?
Density- dependent and density-independent factors limit population growth
- what are the two general types of factors that limit population growth?
- describe how density-dependent factors limit population growth
- describe how density-independent factors limit population growth
Some populations have "boom-and-bust" cycles
- what is meant by a population "boom"?
- what is meant by a population "bust"?
- what are some causes of "boom-and-bust" cycles?
- describe the snowshoe hare-lynx boom-and-bust cycle and why it occurs
Life tables track mortality and survivorship in populations
- what is a life table and what kind of information does it contain?
- what do we call the graphs that result when life table data is plotted?
- do all species exhibit the same type of survivorship curve?
- why is a percentage of maximum life span used on the horizontal axis instead of actual age categories?
- what are the 3 types of survivorship curves?
- what are the general characteristics of a population that exhibits a Type I survivorship curve?
- what are the general characteristics of a population that exhibits a Type II survivorship curve?
- what are the general characteristics of a population that exhibits a Type III survivorship curve?
- what type of survivorship curve is exhibited by humans?
Evolution shapes life histories
- what does the life history of an organism entail?
- what are some of the important life history traits that influence the growth rate of a population?
- what are the two main types of life histories?
- what are the characteristics of a population that exhibits an opportunistic life history?
- what are the characteristics of a population that exhibits an equilibrial life history?
The human population has been growing very rapidly for centuries
- would human population growth over the past thousand years be described as exponential or logistic?
- what is the approximate current world human population?
- what are some of the factors thought to have contributed to the exponential human population growth that has occurred over the past 1000 years?
Age-structure diagrams predict the future growth of populations
- what is meant by the "age structure" of a population?
- describe the type of data represented in an age-structure diagram (population pyramid)
- what are the four age structures characteristic of human populations?
- what does the shape of the age-structure diagram (population pyramid) tell us about the future growth of that population?
- why is a population whose age-structure diagram has a very broad base and narrow top likely to continue growing rapidly?
- why is a population whose age-structure diagram has nearly parallel sides and a rectangular shape likely to be stable, with neither a significant increase of decrease in population?
- why is a population whose age-structure diagram has a very narrow base and broad top likely to be experiencing an ongoing decline in population?