Summary: Mcknight's Physical Geography: A Landscape Appreciation | Darrell Hess, et al

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• 1 Introduction to Earth

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• Contrast physical geography and cultural geography.

  Physical geography primarily focuses on patterns in the natural environment and on human interaction with the environment; cultural geography primarily focuses on patterns of human activity and culture.

• If an idea cannot be disproven by some possible observation or test, can such an idea be supported by science? Explain.

  No, there must be a test or observation that can disprove the idea, otherwise it cannot be supported by science.

• What is the approximate English System of measurement equivalent of one kilometer in the International System (S.I.)?

  2/3 of a mile.

• Briefly describe the environmental "spheres": atmosphere, hydrosphere, crysophere, biosphere, and lithosphere.

  The atmosphere is the gases surrounding Earth, the hydrosphere the waters of Earth, the cryosphere the frozen waters of Earth, the biosphere the living organisms on Earth, and the litosphere the solid part of Earth.

• Contrast closed systems and open systems.

  Closed systems are effectively self-contained and therefore isolated from influences outside that system; open systems exchange both energy and matter across their boundaries.

• What does it mean when a system is in equilibrium?

  It means the inputs to a system are balanced by the outputs, so the conditions within a system remain the same over time.

• How does a positive feedback loop differ from a negative feedback loop?

  With a positive feedback loop, change in one direction tends to reinforce change in that direction; with a negative feedback loop, change tends to bring the system back toward equilibrium.

• In what ways do the inner and outer planets (the terrestrial and Jovian planets) of our solar system differ from each other?

  Terrestrial planets are relatively small and are composed primarily of mineral material; Jovian planets are larger, less dense, and composed primarily of gases, liquids, and ices.

• Compare the size of the Earth to that of its surface features and atmosphere.

  Earth's highest point is Mount Everest (8850 m; 29,035 ft.) and its lowest point is the bottom of the Mariana Trench (-11,033 m; -36,198) - a difference of about 19,883 m (65,233 ft.).

• Define the following: latitude, longitude, parallel, meridian, and prime meridian.

  Latitude is a description of location expressed as an angle north or south of the equator, longitude an angular description of east-west location, a parallel is a line connecting all points of the same latitude, a meridian is a line extending from pole to pole and crossing all parallels at right angles, and a prime meridian is a longitudal baseline as the reference line for east-west measurement.