Click to review the online content. Then answer the question(s) below, using complete sentences. Scroll down to view additional questions. Alaska is a land of extremes—of rugged mountains and thick forests, of ice and fire. Taken together, it is a land of breathtaking beauty. It is as diverse as it is huge. The Alaskan environment can be studied as four spheres: the lithosphere, the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, and the biosphere. These spheres can be considered independently. But they also influence each other as they create a wealth of natural wonders. The lithosphere includes mountains, hills, and valleys. Alaska can be divided into four major land regions. Each region has a different physical character. Most Alaskans live in the southerly Pacific Mountains and Valleys region that lies next to the Pacific Ocean. This region includes the Alaskan Range that contains the eleven highest mountains in the United States, including Denali, also called Mt. McKinley. Farther to the north lies the Intermontane Basin and Plateau region. This area is characterized by highland plains, wetlands, and rivers. It includes the state’s largest rivers, the Yukon and the Kuskokwim. Bordering the Intermontane to the north is the Rocky Mountain region. As the name would imply, this is another mountainous region and includes the Brooks Range. These mountains are geologically older than the Alaskan range. They are not quite as high and generally have rounder tops, but they are still impressive. Farthest to the north lies the fourth region, referred to as the Interior Plains region. It includes the Arctic Coastal Plain, which borders the Arctic Ocean. This region is covered with tundra. It also contains most of Alaska’s oil. Much of it is located in Prudhoe Bay. Alaska’s atmosphere relates to its climate and weather. Weather describes a current condition. Climate explains the general character of a region’s weather over a period of years. The climate of any region is determined in part by its latitude. Other geographical features influence climate as well, such as the relative amounts of land and water in a particular area and the height and location of any mountains. Alaska’s landmass is hugely different from place to place, and so is its climate. For example, Ketchikan, a city in the south, gets about 50 feet of rainfall a year. In contrast, Barrow, a city in the north, gets only 5 inches. Also, because Barrow’s latitude, the sun is close to the horizon for much of the year. In fact, from November through January, the sun never rises above the horizon at all. Thus, for three months out of the year, Barrow experiences total darkness. Alaska’s hydrosphere includes its water. Alaska has a lot of water. In fact, Alaska has a third of the freshwater in the entire United States. Most of it is located in southeast and southcentral Alaska. More than three-fourths of it exists in glaciers. In addition to glaciers, the hydrosphere includes the state’s rivers, lakes, and oceans. Alaska is surrounded by oceans on three sides—the Arctic Ocean on the north, the Bering Sea on the west, and the Pacific Ocean on the south. Alaska also has an enormous number of rivers and lakes that the people depend on for water, food, and transportation. The Yukon territory alone has 20,000 lakes. Other areas claim just as many or more. Alaska has thousands of rivers and streams, too. The coastal waters of the Arctic Ocean and Bering Sea remain frozen for much of the year. The biosphere of Alaska includes its plants and animals. The plant and animal life are vastly different as one travels around the state. This is because each habitat reflects the physical features of the land and the climate of the area. Most of northern and western Alaska is covered with tundra—a type of vegetation that includes mosses, lichens, and shrubs. Southeastern and southcentral Alaska are covered largely by forests. Despite the frigid temperatures and short growing season, a wide variety of plants and animals are adapted to the environment and thrive throughout the state. Alaska’s 660,000 square miles of vast and varied land—an area more than twice the size of the state of Texas—holds a wealth of natural resources. Much of its wilderness is untouched. The rugged mountains, the frozen seas, the majestic glaciers, the northern sky—these features reflect a land of contrast, and one of beauty, a testament to the wonder of the natural world. Which of the six essential elements of Geography is discussed here? What information is presented that helped you determine which element is being discussed? (Site 1)