The coast along a passive continental margin

/in /by

How can you distinguish the coast along a passive continental margin from one along a convergent or divergent plate boundary? What features are different or absent?

Gross domestic product and Gross national income

/in /by

Explain the differences between Gross domestic product and Gross national income. What is the current international poverty line? What does the term “bottom billion” refer to?

Ecological patterns and processes in the fossil record

/in /by

What factors do researchers need to take into account when inferring ecological patterns and processes from evidence in the fossil record? Choose two factors and completely describe why they are important to consider in paleoecology.

The roles of solar energy and the Coriolis effect

/in /by

Discuss the roles of solar energy and the Coriolis effect in producing atmospheric circulation. How are the major types of surface winds formed by atmospheric convection and their relationship to weather and climate

Some of the latitudinal features on our planet

/in /by

Explain how the Earth experiences differential heating and identify some of the latitudinal features on our planet that help us understand this concept. Which parts of the Earth receive the most direct light, and which areas receive the least (depending on time)? What is the Sun’s angle of incidence? How does this impact life and weather patterns on Earth?

The layers of the Earth’s atmosphere

/in /by

Explain each layer of the Earth’s atmosphere and what takes place in each of the major five bands. What is our atmosphere, how does Earth hold its atmosphere, and what is our atmosphere made of? How do temperature and density look different in each layer of the atmosphere?

The concept of cartographic distortion

/in /by

Explain the concept of cartographic distortion and some of the tools we use in geography to limit that issue. What types of projections are better suited for certain goals or audiences? Why is it so difficult to properly represent the Earth cartographically?

The Earth’s rotation, revolution, tilt, and its effects

/in /by

Explain the Earth’s rotation, revolution, and tilt, and how each affects the ways in which Earth experiences time. How do Earth’s rotation, revolution, and tilt compare to those of its celestial neighbours, and what would happen if each one (rotation, revolution, and tilt) were slightly changed for our planet?

Determination of bulk-rock compositions

/in /by

Why can the microprobe generally not be used to determine bulk-rock compositions? Can you name one instance where the microprobe can determine a bulk rock composition?

Fundamental concept of Environmental Geology

/in /by

Discuss one chosen fundamental concept of Environmental Geology, and describe the concept, its challenges, and possible remedies.