Chapter 1 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Define geography and physical geography Systems, open systems and closed systems Earth’s four “spheres” Negative and positive feedbacks System equilibrium Latitude, longitude, geographic zones Grate circle, equator, parallels, meridians, prime meridian Map scales, elements of map, type of map projection Remote sensing: active and passive GIS: Uses Chapter 2 1. The Solar System, Sun, and Earth A light year, Galaxy, Our Solar System 11 light-hours across, Earth’s orbit Theory of the Big Bang, Age of the earth, Nebula, Gravity 2. Solar Energy: From Sun to Earth The source of solar energy (fusion), sun spot, solar wind, magnetosphere, Aurora, Electromagnetic Spectrum of Radiant Energy, wave length, wave intensity, Thermopause, Insolation, Solar constant, Subsolar point 3. The Seasons a. Reasons for Seasons Revolution, rotation, Tilt of Earth’s axis, ..etc. b. Annual March of the Seasons [Winter solstice - Subsolar point Tropic of Capricorn (23.5 S latitude); Spring equinox –Subsolar point Equator; Summer solstice –Subsolar point Tropic of Cancer (23.5 N latitude); Fall equinox –Subsolar point Equator] Chapter 3 1. Atmospheric Composition, Temperature, and Function: Most abundant gases; Thermosphere, Mesophere, Stratosphere, Troposphere ( 0 to 18 km;Home of the biosphere; 90% of the total atmosphere mass); normal lapse rate; environmental lapse rate; Ozonosphere; Atmospheric pressure (1013.2 mb at the sea level). 1. Variable Atmospheric Components: Natural Sources and Factors That Affect Air Pollution; Anthropogenic Pollution (human-caused); Temperature Inversion ; The Clean Air Act. Chapter 4 1. Energy Essentials: Transmission; Energy Inputs; Radiation Outputs; Diffuse Radiation (Scattering); Refraction; Reflection; Albedo; Cloud- albedo forcing; Cloud- greenhouse forcing; Absorption; Heat Transfer. 2. Energy Balance in the Troposphere: The Greenhouse Effect; Earth–Atmosphere Radiation Balance; Energy Budget by Latitude and outcome. 3. Energy Balance at Earth’s Surface: Daily Radiation Patterns; Simplified Surface Energy Balance (Net Radiation); The daily temperature lag; The annual temperature lags; The urban environment (heat island) End of Chapter 5 1. What is Temperature ? 2. Temperature measurement: types of thermometer 3. The temperature scales: which one is internationally popular and which one is preferred by scientists? 4. T controlling factors: Latitude, altitude, clouds, etc. 5. Why temperature decreases with increasing altitude? What’s the rate of change? (normal lapse rate) 6. What’s a specific heat? Land and ocean, which one has a higher specific heat? 7. Clouds influence T at night. Would a cloudy night be warmer than a clear night? WHY? 8. Why does the sea surface T rarely rise above 31°C? 9. Why the land surface cools off more rapidly than water? 10. Marine-continental effects: Maritime and Continentality. Why cities near the coastlines have milder annual T changes ? 11. Where are the location of least annual T ranges? Where are the locations of largest annual T ranges? 12. What is a isotherm? What’s the thermal equator? 13. What does a Heat Index (HI) include? Chapter 6 • Why do we care about Wind? Air Pressure and Its Measurement, Atmospheric Pressure at sea level, Winds and Its Measurement, How the Winds are named? • What are the Driving Forces caused the circulation of winds across the earth? Isobars, Wind speed and “steepness” of pressure gradient, Coriolis force in northern and southern hemisphere, •Geostrophic Wind : winds that flow parallel to isobars • Atmospheric Patterns of Motion : Primary High-Pressure and LowPressure Areas •Atmospheric Circulation and Wind Patterns • Local Winds: Land-sea breezes, Mountain-valley breezes • Regional Scale Winds -- Monsoonal Winds • Oceanic Currents : Important driving force? Upwelling and Downwelling, Thermohaline circulation Chapter 07 The origin of water? How does Water reach the Earth’s surface? Unique Properties of Water , Three States of Water The distribution of water on earth Latent heat, Humidity, Relative Humidity, Relative humidity and temperature, Vapor pressure and temperature, Saturation vapor pressure, Dew point, Humidity measurement, Atmospheric Stability, Stability, Air parcel, Unstable, Buoyancy force How do we determine the degree of Stability or Instability? Clouds, Cloud Formation Processes, Fog , Types of fog Chapter 08 What’s difference between weather and climate? What is specific humidity? What are the common air masses that affect the weather of north America? How air masses are classified? Modification of airmasses. What are the atmospheric lifting mechanisms? What causes the rain shadow in the western US? How do the midlatitute cyclonic storms form? Life cycle of a midlatitude cyclone; Development stages of the midlatitute cyclones How do the tornados and other violent weather like hurricanes form? What type of clouds are associated with tornados? Classification of tropical cyclones Chapter 09 09 End of Chapter • • • • • • • • • • • • • precipitation interception infiltration runoff evaporation transpiration evapotranspiration actual evapotranspiration potential evapotranspiration hydrologic cycle water balance soil water hygroscopic water • • • • • • • • • • • • • • wilting point field capacity soil moisture storage available water zone of aeration zone of saturation groundwater water table aquifer Overpumping Drawdown Cone of depression Groundwater and Human Activities Water Use by Sector Chapter 10: Global Climate Systems • Climate and weather • Earth’s Climate System and Its Classification • Tropical Climates: rain forest, monsoon, savanna • Mesothermal Climates: subtropical, marine west, mediterranean • Microthermal Climates: hot summer, mild summer, subarctic • Polar Climates: Tundra, Ice cap, polar marine • Highland Climates: Elevations • Dry Arid and Semiarid Climates: Deserts, steppes • Global Climate Change Chapter 11: The Dynamic Planet • • Geological Time Scale Earth’s Structure and Internal Energy – Core, Mantle, Inner core, Outer Core • The Geologic Cycle – Igneous, Sedimentary, Metamorphic – Minerals: organic, inorganic • Plate Tectonics – Continents drift, mid-ocean ridge, convergent, divergent – Pacific ring of fires Chapter 12: Tectonics, Earthquakes, and Volcanism • • • Earth’s Topographic Regions Crustal Formation Processes Crustal Deformation Processes – Folds (syncline, anticline), faults (normal, reverse, strike-slip) • • Orogenesis (Mountain Building) Earthquakes – Focus, epicenter, P and S waves • Volcanism – Magma, lava Chapter 13 • • • • • • • Definition of weathering Physical and chemical weathering Important factors influencing weathering processes Karst features, Necessary conditions for karst formation Classes of Mass Movements The causes of mass movements Controlling factors for down slope transportation Chapter 14 • • • • • • • • Fluvial? Functions of Rivers? Major Rivers in the US? Longest Rivers in the world? Endogenic events and Exogenic events Dynamic Equilibrium View of Landforms: the basic principle for monitoring and modeling the change of landscapes Fluvial erosion and deposition, Types of flows and fluvial transport, Base level of streams, local and ultimate base levels Drainage basins, density, patterns, drainage divides, watershed, factors controlled drainage patterns Stream discharge and stream gradients Exotic streams; Natural processes along streams; Types of Stream Channels Floods and River Management; Hydrograph; Urban Flooding Chapter 15 • • • • Wind Erosion: Two principal wind-erosion processes: Deflation, Abrasion, Desert pavement, yardang Wind Transportation : suspension, saltation, surface creep, sand movement and wind velocity Wind Deposition: sand dune, loess deposit, sandy regions and loess regions of the world Desert landscape: desert fluvial processes, Alluvial Fan, arid regions of the world, Process of expansion of desert lands Chapter 16 • • • • • • • • Oceans and seas of the world Chemical Composition of Seawater: 7 elements account for 99% of dissolved solids, Salinity, Average Salinity of seawater, salinity changes with locations Physical Structure of the Ocean: Mixing zone, Thermocline zone, Deep cold zone Coastal System Components: Littoral Zone, Shore line, Mean sea level Coastal System Actions: Tides, Waves, seismic waves Coastal System Outputs (produced by tides, currents, waves, wind, changing sea level) ; Erosional Coastal features; Depositional Coastal features; Coral Formations and distributions What is Wetland? Two types of costal wetlands: salt marshes, mangroves Human impacts on costal environments End of Chapter 17 What is a glacier? Why we are interested in glaciers?, Two general groups of glaciers Glacial Processes: Glacial Formation (analogous to the formation of metamorphic rock), Glacial Movement, Firn Erosional and depositional features produced by glacial ice, Glacial drift, Moraine Periglacial Landscapes: Periglacial? Permafrost ? Ground Ice and Frozen Ground; Humans and Periglacial Landscapes