What is California's physical environment?

Answer 1

Well, I do believe its the longest state in the US (besides Alaska of course). The only other thing I can think of is that long ago, it was thought to be an island along the coast of North America, but that was a misconception

Answer 2

California is located at the south western coast of USA.It stretches roughly from 32 N to 42N. We are going to discuss the physical environment of California in three aspects: Relief and river distributions, climate, soil and vegetation.

(1) Relief and river distributions

The relief of California is very diverse, most of it is highland over 400m, including the Coast Ranges at the coast, and the Sierra Nevada to the east. Among the mountain ranges lie the most extensive low lying area in the region, i.e. the Central Valley, Imperial Valley at the south is also a low lying area. In the Central Valley, there are two rivers, Sacramento(sacramento!!!!!)River is at the north, and San Joaquin River is at the south, they are oriented from snowmelt water from the Rockies, flowing west to Pacific Ocean.In the Imperial Valley, there is the Colorado River.

(2) Climate

*Temperature

As California stretches across 32 N to 42 N, there is a great difference in temperature due to divergence in altitudinal difference. The temperature increases southwards, as the Southern California is nearer to the equator, thus receiving more solar radiation, its temperature is higher and climax is hotter. The evaporation is higher too.

* Rainfall

Oppositely, the rainfall decreases southwards. The northern California is rainy all over the year, while rainfall is seasonal and scanty in the southern California. There are some characteristics in the souther California though. Firstly, the rainfall concentrates in winter, and it is scarce in summer. This forms a wet and warm winter, as well as a hot and dry summer.This is called a Mediterranean climax. Secondly, as the tip of southern California faces offshore wind, rainfall is very scarce in the region. The land is dry. This forms a subtropical desert climax. More to say, rainfall decreases from coastal ares to inland areas, this is because the wet wind blown from Pacific Ocean forms a relief rain when it passes Coast Ranges, the wet wind becomes dry as it lost all the moisture when passing over Coast Ranges, due to the rain shadow effect, the central Valley cannot receive much rainfall and suffers from it.

####that means the sunlight is adequate,more concentrated southwards;while water decreases southwards and inland ward!Also winter has more rainfall than summer!!

3. Soil and vegetation

In southern California, the temperature is high, thus its evaporation rate is always high, salinization occurs as salt beneath the soil is now left up to the surface. Soil becomes alkaline. When Mediterranean climax prevails, there are growth of woodland and scrubland, as temperature increases southwards, desert plants and grassland will replace scrubland. As there is little vegetation southwards, the soil has little organic matter as nutrients. In conclusion, soil southwards is infertile and alkaline.

Answer 3

Some physical features include...

San Francisco Bay

Colorado River

Death Valley

Coastal Range

Central California Valley

San Andreas Fault

Answer 4

ban bon imitation studios

Answer 5

mountainous, beaches, forests