Unit 1
Objectives and Study Guide

The first unit exam covers material from "Structure and Composition of the Atmosphere" through "Atmospheric and Oceanic Circulation". Questions from any videos viewed during this unit are included on the exam.

Study tips:

  • Check out the Unit 1 links on the Study Aids page
  • Review the "Can you ...?" questions at the end of each lecture outline after I finish the topic.
  • Use the review questions and chapter quizzes in the web text to assess your learning
  •  Create flash cards of important terms and concepts. Check out the flash card maker for a cheap and easy way of creating them.
  • Review the lab answer keys linked to the course outline as soon as they are posted.
  • Check out the Geography 101 blog for entries related to the topics covered in Unit 1.

For the lecture portion:

  • Essentials of Geography
    • Know the the various steps in geographic inquiry.
    • Describe the various kind of maps and imagery used by geographers to study the earth. (See Reading "Essentials of Geography - Aerial Photographs and remote sensing")
    • Describe the influence of map scale on the amount of detail portrayed on a map. (See Reading "Essentials of Geography - Map Scale")
    • Describe the kinds of maps and what they are used for. (See Reading "Essentials of Geography - Maps")
    • Compare and contrast the types of statistics used in geography. (See Reading "Essentials of Geography - statistics")
  • The Earth System
    • Know the difference between an open and closed system and provide an example of each.
    • Know the difference between a great and small circle.
    • Know the difference between positive and negative feedbacks.
    • Know the difference between endogenous and exogenous sources of energy.
  • Structure and Composition or the atmosphere
    • Know how the atmosphere is subdivided and the characteristics of the troposphere, tropopause, and stratosphere.
    • Know the permanent and variable gases and their significance to environmental processes.
  • Energy and Radiation
    • Know what controls variations in sun angle.
    • Know the controls over and geographical variations in the components of the radiation balance at the surface of the Earth (e.g., what controls radiation emission, absorption and reflection, geographical variations in the net radiation and insolation).
    • Know the controls over, and geographical variations in, the components of the energy balance at the surface of the Earth  (e.g, controls over positive and negative H, LE G; geographical variations of LE, H).
  • Air Temperature
    • Know the controls over air temperature (daily variations, seasonal variations) at a place (e.g., land-sea contrast, air mass movement.
    • Know cause of the  geographical variations in air temperature (latitudinal and how continentality affects temperature).
  • Atmospheric and Oceanic Circulation
    • Know the controls over wind direction and speed (e.g., pressure gradient, Coriolis, and surface friction).
    • Know how air circulates around highs and lows in the Northern and Southern hemispheres.
    • Know the various local and regional scale winds (e.g., land-sea breeze, mountain-valley, monsoon) and how they form.
    • Know the global scale patterns of wind and pressure - very important for unit 1 and unit 2 exams.

For the lab portion you should be able to:

  • Compute the zenith and noon sun angles for any latitude on June 22, Dec. 22, March 21, Sept. 23.  (See Lab 1)
  • Compute net radiation from a set of radiation balance data. (See Lab 2 Part 1)
  • Interpret radiation data  (See Lab 2 Part 1)
  • Determine climate conditions from energy balance data. (See Lab 2 Part 2)
  • Use radiation balance data to infer sensible heat fluxes. (See Lab 2 Part 1)
  • Describe the how temperature ranges vary from west to east across a midlatitude continent. (See Lab 3 Part 2)
  • Compute latitudinal temperature gradients (See Lab 3 Part 3)
  • Describe the relationship between pressure gradient and wind speed. (See Lab 4 Part 2)
  • Interpret the strength of a pressure gradient from a weather map. (See introduction to Lab 4 and See Lab 4 Part 2)
  • Determine wind speed and direction from a weather map. (See introduction to Lab 4 and See Lab 4 Part 2)

Note: You should know all formulas for computing:

  • Zenith angle, noon sun angle, net radiation, and latitudinal temperature gradient.

 

Previous