Help with Geography Midterm

LECTURE ONE: INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHY

I hope that you enjoyed reading Chapter One concerning the scope of

geography. Geography is foreign to most Americans. Studies completed by

the American Commission on Geography in 1990 showed that over 70% of

American High School seniors could not locate Mexico on a world map!

More importantly, most Americans think geography is a rote memorization

of maps! But it is much more interesting that that!

Physical geography examines the processes, which govern the earth.

What differentiates geography from other disciplines (we argue) is our

evaluation of how these processes are effected by human activity and human

modification of these systems. An example of this would be examination of

the California Aqueduct or Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct (see Goode's World

Atlas, p. 128 -California). Both of which relocate surplus water from the

Sierras to regions, such as Los Angeles or the Bay Area, which consume

more water than they naturally receive. This is an example of how humans

can MODIFY physical processes in this case, the hydrologic cycle.

Another way humans interact with the environment is through

ADAPTING to physical processes. Examples of adaptation range from

changing clothes according to seasons, to planting trees near our houses to

reduce the summer heat, and even planting crops relative to the type of soil

which exists in a specific region. With adaptation human knowledge of the

environment is reflected in our behavior and interactions with natural

processes (i.e.: not building in volcanic regions). With modification,

humans attempt to alter earth processes through the application of

technology (i.e.; building skyscrapers on rollers to absorb the motion of an

earthquake). Modification is not always wrong. What geographers attempt

to do is to evaluate the appropriateness of such modification.

Does the modification exacerbate the natural hazard?

Does the modification alter the equilibrium, which exists in the

physical system? Does the modification limit the earth's long-term

ability to function?

This is where we begin. We will begin studying physical systems to

understand how the earth works. Once we understand how geosystems work,

then we can evaluate human interaction with the earth.

Key Concepts from chapter one include:

1. Geography is the study of spatial relationships attempting to

understand how places interact. In the first section we will see such

interaction as the earth seeks to balance global energy. Ocean currents move

warm water from the tropics to the poles, and the cold water from the poles

to the tropics to create a global temperature of areas near the coast, such as

San Francisco and New York.

Two key questions that reflect spatial are

1) Where is it?

2) Why is it there?

These two questions breakdown geographical analysis to a very clear and

workable level.

2. Maps are the most significant tools used by geographers. Geographers

use maps to a) locate phenomena, b) demonstrate relationships, c) validate

their ideas, and d) ask questions. We will use maps in these ways as we go

through the course.

Latitude and Longitude are used to enable geographers to locate

phenomena. Key lines of latitude are:

· 0 degrees = Equator

· 23.5 degrees North = Tropic of Cancer

· 66.5 degrees North = Arctic Circle

· 23.5 degrees South = Tropic of Capricorn

· 66.5 degrees South = Antarctic Circle

Lines of latitude reflect the sun's ANGLE OF INCIDENCE. On March 21

and September 21, the sun is directly overhead at the equator. These dates

are called the Vernal and Autumnal equinoxes (respectively). The term

geographers use to identify when the sun is directly overhead at a 90 degree

angle from the surface) is the SUBSOLAR POINT. On December 21, the

subsolar point is at the Tropic of Capricorn, limiting our daylength in the

Northern Hemisphere, we call this season winter solstice. And on June 21,

the subsolar point is at the Tropic of cancer giving us intense amounts of

solar radiation, called the summer solstice.

Try to memorize these lines, if you are not familiar with them. See page 50-

51 in Christopherson for illustration. Figure 2.12 on page 45 demonstrates

the changing angle of incidence and its impact upon insolation in the

Northern Hemisphere. Note the amount of solar radiation above 90 degrees

in June and December.

Key lines of longitude are:

· 0 degrees = Prime Meridian, which runs through Greenwich, England.

· 180 degrees = International Date Line, which runs through the Pacific

Ocean.

Lines of longitude determine times zones. As you travel west from the Prime

Meridian one loses time, and as you travel east from the Prime Meridian,

one gains time. This is due to the earth being circular. A circle has 360

degrees and a day has 24 hours. If we divide 360 by 24, we will see that 15

degrees equals one hour. Try figuring out the time for the following

locations. Do this by using Greenwich Standard Time (GMT) or calculating

time for all locations relative to London time. Assume it is 8 PM in London.

1. London (0 degrees)

2. Rio de Janeiro (45 degrees west)

3. New Orleans (90 degrees west)

4. San Francisco (120 degrees west)

5. Calcutta (88 degrees east)

Try these locations out and email me the answers as a separate mail in

Canvas so that I can see whether you need more help.

Lastly, when we combine lines of latitude and lines of longitude we create a

grid that makes locating places much easier. Similar to our use of grids for

city streets; A,B,C…and 1st, 2nd, 3rd or perhaps you played battleship as a

kid, and used a grid then to locate your opponents battleships. When

geographers use latitude and longitude phenomena, we always state the

latitude first, then the longitude. For example, (52 degrees North, 0 degrees)

is the location for London, or Greenwich, England. Let me give you a few

coordinates as an exercise:

1. (0 degrees, 78 degrees west)

2. (30 degrees south, 30 degrees east)

3. find the coordinates for Modesto

That ends the first lecture. If discussion of latitude and longitude seems a

little boring for some of you - - please, hold on. I'm just making sure that

everyone is starting at the same level of comprehension.