ENVSOCTY 2OC3 - FINAL EXAM REVIEW
What are the types of glacial deposition landforms? - Answer -Eskers: winding ridges
that were carved into tunnels that supposably moves meltwater through
Drumlins: elongated hill that is in the shape of a inverted spoon. The direction of the
glacier was moving in the direction where the hill comes to the end of the tear drop
Moraine: ridges or mounds of glacial material deposited close to ice margins often
associated with topography
How were the Great Lakes formed? - Answer -about 10,000 years ago, the retreat of
glaciers caused depressions in the landscape that allowed meltwater to fill in. These
bodies of water hold 21% of the world's freshwater
What are Epeiric Seas? - Answer -Considered an inland sea caused by high sea levels
that used to cover North America in the Mesozoic era. This also led to limestone caps in
lowlands.
What was the Pleistocene Period? - Answer -occurred about 2.5 mya and humans
began to evolve and migrate around the world out of Africa.
It also marks the most recent glacial period
How was the Canadian Shield formed? - Answer -Has been worn down through
weathering and erosion and as the glaciers retreated, they scraped away rock layers
exposing bedrock.
Erratics and drop stones were left behind
What is Orbital Eccentricity? - Answer -The departure of the earth's elliptical orbit from
a circular shape. Since the earth doesn't orbit in a full circle, it has more of an ellipsoid
shape which influences our summer and winter solstices and equinoxes
What is Axial Tilt? - Answer -The angle of tilt between rotational axis and orbital axis
which is the reason behind our seasons and determining our surface temperature. The
current tilt is 23.5 degrees.
Can also influence glacial or interglacial cycles
What is Axial Precession? - Answer -The earth's rotational axis moves slow and
continuously which is caused by the moon and the sun being pulled by gravity. It takes
25,000 years for a full cycle.
What are 3 factors that determine glaciation? - Answer -Orbital Eccentricity, Axial Tilt
and Axial Precession
,When was the last glacial maximum? - Answer -Wisconsin Ice Age 18,000 to 25,000
years ago
How do glaciers form? - Answer -with a temperature drop, it allows glaciers to form and
as they grow they're volume increases which yields to sea level dropping
What is a Physiographic Region? - Answer -an area with distinct surface landforms and
underlying bed rock structure
What is an Igneous Rock? - Answer -can either be extrusive meaning hardened out in
the open or intrusive meaning hardened deep in the ground.
Ex. Basalt, Granite, obsidian
The Canadian Shield is made up of igneous rock
What is a Metamorphic Rock? - Answer -a chemically altered rock by either heat or
pressure or both being penetrated that were often formed at deep surfaces
Ex. gneiss, quartzite, schist
What is a Sedimentary Rock? - Answer -a rock that has been created from various
sediments that have come from other rocks. This rock is often carried long distances
and eroded over time. Some rocks are made up with CaCO3 (limestone) which can
react with acid.
Ex. sandstone, limestone, chalk
Much of the Niagara Escarpment is made up of sedimentary rock
How does the Rock Cycle work? - Answer -Igneous rock is the starter rock which has
been broken down or chemically altered into metamorphic or sedimentary.
Sedimentary rock can be metamorphosed into metamorphic rock
As layers get piled up and buried, they become recycled and used to create other rocks.
What is the Cordillera Region? - Answer -16% of total land mass that is comprised of
mountains, plateaus and north-south running aligned valleys. The mountains were
formed from converging tectonic plates.
What is the Interior Plains and Prairies Region? - Answer -20% of the total land mass
and is so flat because of epeiric seas that left behind millions of years of marine
sediment. there is a high population of people who live in the southern parts and they
take advantage of the growing conditions
Arctic Archipelago - Answer -located north of the Arctic Circle and boreal tree line that
hold polynyas in lots of the area. Area contains mountains made from folded
sedimentary rock.
Canadian Shield - Answer -the largest physiographic region in canada that covers
nearly half of the land mass. During the last glacial max this area was subjected to
heavy glacial erosion which has caused the rugged rolling upland topogrpahy
, Hudson's Bay Lowlands - Answer -the youngest physiographic region (7000 yrs ago)
that takes up 3.5% of total area and is located in mainly northern ontario. The area is a
large wetland with muskey water and underlying permafrost
Great Lakes/ St. Lawrence - Answer -considered the smallest region with <2% total
land mass that is flat rolling with a mild climate and fertile soils. The limestone rock
Appalachian Uplands - Answer -2% of landmass and are considered the weathered
down roots of the Taconic Mountain Chain
Composition of Soil in Canada - Answer -biome formed from millions of years of
weathering on bedrock and the accumulation of organic matter.
There are different soil zones depending on latitude, precipitation and vegetation
What are the factors that effect climate? - Answer -latitude, proximity to water,
elevation, precipitation, ocean currents
Climate in the Pacific Region - Answer -warm summers, cool winters which is
dominated by orographic precipitation due to the lifting or moist air over mountain
barriers
Climate in Pacific Cordillera - Answer -high elevations cause average temperature to
be lower with higher levels of precipitation on the leeward side of the mountains
Climate in Prairies - Answer -continental climate with hot summers and cold winters.
This area is susceptible to tropical air current convergence and precipitation patterns
decrease east to west
Climate in the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Basin (GLSLB) - Answer -humid continental
climate with hot humid summers and cold winters with the Great Lakes having an affect
on the winter temperatures
Climate in The Carolinian Forest - Answer -holds 33% of biodiversity in Canada and is
considered to be a sub-area of GLSLB. Area is called the "Deep South" due to the the
warmest average annual temperature with the longest frost free season
Climate in the Atlantic - Answer -cool winters with warm summers in which are
influenced by ocean currents with warm water from the Caribbean in the Gulf Stream
and cold water from the Labrador current
Climate in the Arctic - Answer -high latitude of the area brings in cold throughout the
year with the annual average -20 degrees
Climate of Sub-Arctic - Answer -the largest climate region with cold winters and high
temperature range from winter to summer
What are the types of glacial deposition landforms? - Answer -Eskers: winding ridges
that were carved into tunnels that supposably moves meltwater through
Drumlins: elongated hill that is in the shape of a inverted spoon. The direction of the
glacier was moving in the direction where the hill comes to the end of the tear drop
Moraine: ridges or mounds of glacial material deposited close to ice margins often
associated with topography
How were the Great Lakes formed? - Answer -about 10,000 years ago, the retreat of
glaciers caused depressions in the landscape that allowed meltwater to fill in. These
bodies of water hold 21% of the world's freshwater
What are Epeiric Seas? - Answer -Considered an inland sea caused by high sea levels
that used to cover North America in the Mesozoic era. This also led to limestone caps in
lowlands.
What was the Pleistocene Period? - Answer -occurred about 2.5 mya and humans
began to evolve and migrate around the world out of Africa.
It also marks the most recent glacial period
How was the Canadian Shield formed? - Answer -Has been worn down through
weathering and erosion and as the glaciers retreated, they scraped away rock layers
exposing bedrock.
Erratics and drop stones were left behind
What is Orbital Eccentricity? - Answer -The departure of the earth's elliptical orbit from
a circular shape. Since the earth doesn't orbit in a full circle, it has more of an ellipsoid
shape which influences our summer and winter solstices and equinoxes
What is Axial Tilt? - Answer -The angle of tilt between rotational axis and orbital axis
which is the reason behind our seasons and determining our surface temperature. The
current tilt is 23.5 degrees.
Can also influence glacial or interglacial cycles
What is Axial Precession? - Answer -The earth's rotational axis moves slow and
continuously which is caused by the moon and the sun being pulled by gravity. It takes
25,000 years for a full cycle.
What are 3 factors that determine glaciation? - Answer -Orbital Eccentricity, Axial Tilt
and Axial Precession
,When was the last glacial maximum? - Answer -Wisconsin Ice Age 18,000 to 25,000
years ago
How do glaciers form? - Answer -with a temperature drop, it allows glaciers to form and
as they grow they're volume increases which yields to sea level dropping
What is a Physiographic Region? - Answer -an area with distinct surface landforms and
underlying bed rock structure
What is an Igneous Rock? - Answer -can either be extrusive meaning hardened out in
the open or intrusive meaning hardened deep in the ground.
Ex. Basalt, Granite, obsidian
The Canadian Shield is made up of igneous rock
What is a Metamorphic Rock? - Answer -a chemically altered rock by either heat or
pressure or both being penetrated that were often formed at deep surfaces
Ex. gneiss, quartzite, schist
What is a Sedimentary Rock? - Answer -a rock that has been created from various
sediments that have come from other rocks. This rock is often carried long distances
and eroded over time. Some rocks are made up with CaCO3 (limestone) which can
react with acid.
Ex. sandstone, limestone, chalk
Much of the Niagara Escarpment is made up of sedimentary rock
How does the Rock Cycle work? - Answer -Igneous rock is the starter rock which has
been broken down or chemically altered into metamorphic or sedimentary.
Sedimentary rock can be metamorphosed into metamorphic rock
As layers get piled up and buried, they become recycled and used to create other rocks.
What is the Cordillera Region? - Answer -16% of total land mass that is comprised of
mountains, plateaus and north-south running aligned valleys. The mountains were
formed from converging tectonic plates.
What is the Interior Plains and Prairies Region? - Answer -20% of the total land mass
and is so flat because of epeiric seas that left behind millions of years of marine
sediment. there is a high population of people who live in the southern parts and they
take advantage of the growing conditions
Arctic Archipelago - Answer -located north of the Arctic Circle and boreal tree line that
hold polynyas in lots of the area. Area contains mountains made from folded
sedimentary rock.
Canadian Shield - Answer -the largest physiographic region in canada that covers
nearly half of the land mass. During the last glacial max this area was subjected to
heavy glacial erosion which has caused the rugged rolling upland topogrpahy
, Hudson's Bay Lowlands - Answer -the youngest physiographic region (7000 yrs ago)
that takes up 3.5% of total area and is located in mainly northern ontario. The area is a
large wetland with muskey water and underlying permafrost
Great Lakes/ St. Lawrence - Answer -considered the smallest region with <2% total
land mass that is flat rolling with a mild climate and fertile soils. The limestone rock
Appalachian Uplands - Answer -2% of landmass and are considered the weathered
down roots of the Taconic Mountain Chain
Composition of Soil in Canada - Answer -biome formed from millions of years of
weathering on bedrock and the accumulation of organic matter.
There are different soil zones depending on latitude, precipitation and vegetation
What are the factors that effect climate? - Answer -latitude, proximity to water,
elevation, precipitation, ocean currents
Climate in the Pacific Region - Answer -warm summers, cool winters which is
dominated by orographic precipitation due to the lifting or moist air over mountain
barriers
Climate in Pacific Cordillera - Answer -high elevations cause average temperature to
be lower with higher levels of precipitation on the leeward side of the mountains
Climate in Prairies - Answer -continental climate with hot summers and cold winters.
This area is susceptible to tropical air current convergence and precipitation patterns
decrease east to west
Climate in the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Basin (GLSLB) - Answer -humid continental
climate with hot humid summers and cold winters with the Great Lakes having an affect
on the winter temperatures
Climate in The Carolinian Forest - Answer -holds 33% of biodiversity in Canada and is
considered to be a sub-area of GLSLB. Area is called the "Deep South" due to the the
warmest average annual temperature with the longest frost free season
Climate in the Atlantic - Answer -cool winters with warm summers in which are
influenced by ocean currents with warm water from the Caribbean in the Gulf Stream
and cold water from the Labrador current
Climate in the Arctic - Answer -high latitude of the area brings in cold throughout the
year with the annual average -20 degrees
Climate of Sub-Arctic - Answer -the largest climate region with cold winters and high
temperature range from winter to summer
