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glossary Flashcards

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1
Q

Aftershocks

A

a less-powerful earthquake which follows a more-powerful

earthquake – a result of the fault ‘settling’ into its new position

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2
Q

Aid

A

short-term help – such as food, given in emergency, or long-term help

– such as training in health care

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3
Q

Atmosphere

A

the layer of gases above the Earth’s surface

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4
Q

Aurora borealis

A

magnetic force field where radiation from space hits Earth’s
magnetosphere and lights up the sky – also known as the
‘northern lights’

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5
Q

Basalt

A

a dark-coloured volcanic rock. Molten basalt spreads rapidly and is
widespread. About 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered in basalt
lava flows

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6
Q

Climatologist

A

a scientist who is an expert in climate and climate change

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7
Q

Collision zones

A

where two tectonic plates collide – forming mountains fold mountains

like the Himalayas

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8
Q

Conservative plate

boundary

A

where two tectonic plates are sliding alongside each other, in the
same or different directions

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9
Q

Continental crust

A

the part of the Earth’s crust that makes up land, on average

30-50 km thick

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10
Q

Convection currents

A

currents which transfer heat from one part of a liquid or gas to

another.

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11
Q

Convergent plate

boundary

A

where two tectonic plates collide

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12
Q

Core

A

the centre of Earth, believed to be solid inside with a hot liquid

outer core

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13
Q

Coriolis force

A

a strong force created by the Earth’s rotation. It can cause storms,

including hurricanes

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14
Q

Cumulonimbus clouds

A

tall clouds created by the condensation of water vapour

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15
Q

Divergent plate

boundary

A

where two tectonic plates are moving away from each other

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16
Q

Economic impacts

A

impacts on the wealth of an area

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17
Q

Enhanced greenhouse

effect

A

the increased effectiveness of the greenhouse effect, believed to be
the cause of recent global warming

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18
Q

Epicentre

A

the point on the ground directly above the focus (centre) of an

earthquake

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19
Q

Evacuate

A

when people move from a place of danger to a safer place

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20
Q

Eye of the storm

A

the centre of a storm, consisting of calm, descending dense air

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21
Q

Ferrel cell

A

part of the global circulation model, where Earth’s atmosphere

consists of descending cool, dry air

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22
Q

Focus

A

the point of origin of an earthquake

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23
Q

Friction

A

the force which resists the movement of one surface over another

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24
Q

Geothermal

A

heat from inside the Earth

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25
Q

Glacial

A

a cold period of time during which the Earth’s glaciers expanded widely

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26
Q

Global circulation

model

A

a theory that explains how the atmosphere operates in a series of
three cells each side of the Equator

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27
Q

Greenhouse effect

A

the way that gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the sun. Like the glass
in a greenhouse – they let heat in, but prevent most of it from escaping

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28
Q

Greenhouse gas

A

gases like carbon dioxide and methane that trap heat around the

Earth, leading to global warming

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29
Q

Gulf stream

A

a warm ocean current that begins in the Gulf of Mexico and is blown

northeast across the North Atlantic

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30
Q

Hadley cell

A

the largest section of the global circulation model, found above the
tropics and caused by the heating and cooling of Earth’s atmosphere

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31
Q

Hot spots

A

columns of heat in Earth’s mantle found in the middle of a tectonic plate

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32
Q

Hurricane

A

the term given to a tropical cyclones in the USA and Caribbean

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33
Q

Ice cores

A

columns of ice that are extracted from ice sheets and used to

reconstruct temperature patterns

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34
Q

Interglacial

A

a long period of warmer conditions between glacials

35
Q

Inter-tropical
Convergence Zone
(ITCZ)

A

a narrow zone of low pressure near the Equator where northern and
southern air masses converge

36
Q

Lava

A

melted rock that erupts from a volcano

37
Q

Lava flows

A

lava flows at different speeds, depending on what it is made of. Lava
flows are normally very slow and not hazardous but, when mixed with
water, lava can flow very fast and be dangerous

38
Q

Levée

A

embankments found on either side of a river, formed naturally by regular
flooding or built up by people to protect the area against flooding

39
Q

Lithosphere

A

the cool and brittle uppermost layer of the Earth. It includes the very

top of the mantle and, above this, the crust

40
Q

Magma

A

melted rock below the Earth’s surface. When it reaches the surface

it is called lava

41
Q

Magnetosphere

A

a huge invisible magnetic field that surrounds Earth, protecting it

from harmful radiation from space and the sun

42
Q

Magnitude

A

of an earthquake (how much the ground shakes), an expression of

the total energy released

43
Q

Mantle

A

the middle layer of the Earth. It lies between the crust and the core
and is about 2900 km thick. Its outer layer is the asthenosphere.
Below the asthenosphere it consists mainly of solid rock

44
Q

Meteorites

A

fragments of rock and metal that fall to Earth from space

45
Q

Milankovitch cycles

A

the three long-term cycles in the Earth’s orbit around the sun.
Milankovitch’s theory is that glacials happen when the three cycles
match up in a certain way

46
Q

North Atlantic drift

A

a warm ocean current that branches off from the Gulf Stream into

the North Atlantic Ocean

47
Q

Ocean currents

A

permanent or semi-permanent large-scale horizontal movements of

the ocean waters

48
Q

Oceanic crust

A

the part of the Earth’s crust which is under the oceans, usually

6-8 km thick

49
Q

Pangea

A

a supercontinent consisting of the whole land area of the globe

before it was split up by continental drift

50
Q

Plate boundaries

A

where tectonic plates meet. There are three kinds of boundary a)
divergent – when two plates move apart b) convergent – when two
plates collide c) conservative – when two plates slide past one
another

51
Q

Plumes

A

upwelling of molten rock through the asthenosphere to the

lithosphere

52
Q

Polar cell

A

sections of the Earth’s atmosphere found above the North and

South Poles, consisting of descending cold, dry air

53
Q

Polar desert

A

areas in Antarctica and the Arctic ice sheet that have dry and cold

climate conditions

54
Q

Predict

A

saying that something will happen in the future. A scientific

prediction is based on statistical evidence

55
Q

Primary effects

A

the direct impacts of event, usually occurring instantly

56
Q

Probability

A

the chance of an event happening

57
Q

Pyroclasts

A

fragments of volcanic material that is thrown out during explosive

eruptions

58
Q

Quaternary

A

the last 2.6 million years, during which there have been many glacials

59
Q

Radioactive decay

A

atoms of unstable elements release particles from their nuclei and

give off heat

60
Q

Refugees

A

people who are forced to move due to natural hazards or war

61
Q

Relief effort

A

help given by organisations or countries to help those facing

an emergency

62
Q

Richter scale

A

a scale for measuring the magnitude of earthquakes

63
Q

Risk zone

A

areas assessed upon the likelihood of hazardous events happening,

such as storm surges

64
Q

Saffir-Simpson hurricane

scale

A

a scale that classifies hurricanes into five different categories
according to their wind strength

65
Q

Secondary effects

A

the indirect impacts of an event, usually occurring in the hours, weeks,

months or years after the event

66
Q

Seismometer

A

a machine for recording and measuring an earthquake using the

Richter scale

67
Q

Social impacts

A

the impacts of an event upon people

68
Q

Solar insolation

A

the Sun’s energy

69
Q

Storm surge

A

a rapid rise in the level of the sea caused by low pressure and

strong winds

70
Q

Stratosphere

A

the layer of air 10-50km above the Earth’s surface. It is above the

cloudy layer we live in, the troposphere

71
Q

Stratovolcano

A

type of volcano characterised by steep sides, also known as a

composite cone

72
Q

Subduction

A

describes oceanic crust sinking into the mantle at a convergent plate
boundary. As the crust subducts, it melts back into the mantle

73
Q

Sunspots

A

a dark patch that occasionally appears on the surface of the Sun

74
Q

Tectonic hazards

A

natural events caused by movement of the Earth’s plates that affect

people and property

75
Q

Tectonic plate

A

the Earth’s surface is broken into large pieces, like a cracked
eggshell. The pieces are called tectonic plates, or just plates

76
Q

Thermal expansion

A

as a result of heating, expansion occurs. When sea water warms

up, it expands

77
Q

Trade winds

A

easterly winds that blow from high to low pressure, towards the

Equator

78
Q

Tree rings

A

the growth of a tree can be seen in its rings, each representing a
year’s growth. Scientists use these to examine past climate conditions

79
Q

Tropical cyclone

A

an area of low pressure with winds moving in a spiral around a calm
central point called the eye of the storm – winds are powerful and
rainfall is heavy

80
Q

Tropics

A

regions either side of the Equator where the Sun moves directly
overhead from its farthest point in the North and the South

81
Q

Tsunami

A

earthquakes beneath the sea bed generate huge waves that travel up

to 900km/h

82
Q

Typhoon

A

term given to a tropical cyclone in the western North Pacific

83
Q

Volcanic Explosivity

Index (VEI)

A

measures the explosiveness of volcanic eruptions on a scale of 1 to 8

geography hazardous earth glossary (1 decks)

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