Chapter 1 California’s Geography Study Guide Answers:

I. “California's Location” A. California in the World 1. hemisphere- half of the Earth

2. equator- an imaginary line on a globe that divides the Earth into the Northern & Southern Hemispheres

3. prime meridian- the imaginary line on the globe that divides the Earth into the Western and Eastern Hemispheres

4. Where in the world is California located? It's located in the U.S., in North America, in the Northern and Western Hemispheres.

B. A Pacific Coast State 1. relative location- where a place is in relation to one or more other places on Earth

2. What is California's location in relation to the Pacific Ocean (relative location)? California is on the eastern edge of the Pacific Ocean.

places that share the same kinds of physical or natural features II. “The Regions of California” A. California's Natural Wonders 1. natural regions- places that share the same kinds of physical or natural features

2. What is one way that geographers divide the state of California? They divide it into four natural regions.

B. The Coastal Region 1. coastal plain- an area of low land with sandy beaches along the shoreline

2. harbors- a place where ships can dock safely

3. How is California's northern coast 3. How is California's northern coast different from its southern coast? Its northern coast is rocky with steep cliffs, but its southern coast has sandy beaches.

C. The Mountain Region 1. Sierra Nevada- the state's largest mountain range that stretches north & south across much of the eastern part of the state

2. Cascade Range- California's northern mountain range that extends into Oregon and Washington

3. How are the Sierra Nevadas different from the Coastal Ranges? The Sierra Nevadas are taller than the Coastal Ranges.

D. The Central Valley Region 1. tributaries- smaller rivers that feed into larger ones

2. delta- land that has been built up from soil carried by rivers

3. fertile- rich, good for growing crops

4. What are some of the physical features of the Central Valley? The San Juaquin and Sacramento Rivers, Sacramento River Delta, and the Sacramento and San Juaquin Valleys are just some of the physical features of the Central Valley.

E. The Desert Region 1. irrigation- use of canals, ditches, or pipes to carry water to dry places

2. sea level- land that is level with the surface of the ocean

3. What are some of the physical features of the Desert Regions? Some of the physical features of the Desert Region are the Mojave and Colorado Deserts, the Imperial and Coachella Valleys, the Salton Sea, and Death Valley.

4. Who was John Muir? 1838-1914 Naturalist and conservation leader that worked tirelessly to protect wild areas like Yosemite & the Hetch Hetchy Valley.

III. “Climate and Vegetation” A. Weather and Climate 1. precipitation- water that falls to Earth's surface as rain, sleet, hail, or snow

2. climate- the kind of weather a place has most often, year after year

3. How does the location of a place affect its climate? In general, temperatures are cooler for places farther north.

B. The Coast and Central Valley 1. vegetation- plant life

2. How does the Pacific Ocean affect climate in California? It warms the land in winter and cools it in summer.

C. The Mountain Region 1. How does elevation affect temperatures in California? Temperatures drop 3 degrees (F) for every 1,000 feet of elevation.

D. Desert Climate 1. humid- moist air

2. rain shadow- the drier side of the mountain

3. How do mountains affect precipitation? They can create a rain shadow.

E. Severe Weather 1. drought- a long time with little or no rain

2. What can happen when a place does not get enough rain? Crops can die, and can blow away, and forest fires and brush fires can start.

IV. “Where Californians Live” A. Patterns of Settlement 1. physical environment- includes a place's physical features, landforms, and climate

2. natural resource- something found in nature, such as water, soil, and minerals that people can us to meet their needs

3. What kinds of things affect where people live? The physical environment, natural resources, work, transportation, and culture all can affect where people live.

B. Both Urban and Rural 1. urban- city areas

2. metropolitan area- a larger city together with nearby cities and suburbs

3. suburb- a town or small city near a large city

4. rural- country, houses farther apart and towns are smaller

5. modify- change to meet needs

6. In which areas are California's largest cities found? They are found along the coast and in the Central Valley.

V. “Life in California” A. Life in the Coastal Region 1. adapted- changed ways to meet needs/way of life

2. service- an activity that someone does for others for pay, such as serving a meal in a restaurant

3. industry- all the businesses that make one product or provide one kind of service

4. How does the Pacific Ocean affect life in the Coastal Region? It offers opportunities for work and outdoor activities.

B. Earthquakes 1.faults- cracks in the Earth's surface along which movement occurs, causing earthquakes

2. What causes earthquakes? The movement of rock layers deep within the Earth cause earthquakes.

C. Life in the Central Valley 1. growing seasons- the time of year that best suits the growth of crops

2. How do many people in the Central Valley earn their living? They earn their living by farming.

D. Life in the Mountain and Desert Regions 1. scarce- limited

2. How does climate affect life in the Mountain and Desert Regions? It affects what they do for fun, how they build buildings, and landscape their yards.