Key Terms List Flashcards
Arctic Maritime
Cold and moist air mass from the north bringing very cold and damp weather, often snow in winter.
Arid
An area with little or no regular rainfall
Air Masses
Large areas of either warm or cold air. When they meet they can cause rain.
Axial tilt
Over 40,000 years the angle of tilt changes, a greater angle of tilt is associated with higher summer temperatures but cooler winters
Climate Change
A long term movement in weather and climate patterns and average temperatures across the Earth.
Climate Cycles
Long term changes in the climate around the Earth caused by different factors which can lead to glacial and interglacial periods.
Climate Graph
A bar and line chart to show average rainfall and temperature each month over a number of years.
Coriolis Force
The deflection of air movement caused by the spinning of the Earth. Creates the spinning wind pattern around low pressure systems.
Dendrochronology
Using tree rings to record changes in short- medium term changes in climate.
Crop Yields
The amount of crops and food produced, majorly impacted by changes in climate (rain and sun levels).
Dendrochronology
Using tree rings to record changes in short- medium term changes in climate
ITCZ
Inter Tropical Convergence Zone – area near the Equator where trade winds from NE and SE meet.
Interglacial Period
A long period of warmer temperatures between glacial periods
Hydrological Drought
The impact of reduced rainfall and other factors on water levels and the water cycle in a region
Hadley Cells
A circulation cell near the Equator causing storms at the Equator and desert belts to the North and South.
Gulf Stream
A warm ocean current that flows from Caribbean north into the Atlantic.
Greenhouse Effect
The impact that greenhouse gases have on warming the Earth.
Greenhouse Gases
A gas that absorbs and re-emits radiation, warming the Earth’s surface.
Global Circulation
The movement of heat energy around the Earth. This has a major impact on weather and climate
Glacial Retreat
The shrinking of glaciers up the valley caused by warmer temperatures and low snow fall levels.
Geological Scale
This relates to time periods which cover millions and hundreds and tens of thousands of years. These include the Quaternary, Pleistocene and the current Holocene period.
Glacial Period
A long period when ice advances due to colder temperatures
Ferrel Cells
A circulation cell that brings warm air from the south to the UK
Eye Wall
An area around the calm centre (Eye) of a tropical storm which has the strongest winds and heaviest rain
Drought
An extended period with lower than normal rainfall / precipitation which leads to water shortages.
Equator
Imaginary line running around the centre of the Earth. Warm all year and can be very wet
Eustatic Sea Level Change
Changes in sea level caused by melting ice and thermal expansion
Enhanced Greenhouse Effect
The additional warming of the Earth caused by manmade emissions from burning fossil fuels
El Nino
A cyclical change in sea temperature patterns in the Pacific Ocean which can have major impacts on weather and climate in the Americas and East Asia and Australasia.
Eccentricity
Over 100,000 there are changes in the shape of the earth’s orbit, more circular for warmer (interglacial periods) and more elliptical for cooler (glacial periods).
Prevailing Winds
The direction from which the wind normally blows from.
Precession
Over 24,000 years the earth wobbles on its axis creating bigger or smaller differences between summer and winter.
Precipitation
Water in the atmosphere falling down to earth as rain, sleet, snow or ice.
Polar Continental
Cold and dry air mass from the north east which often brings cold and dry weather in winter. Can bring warm weather in summer.
Polar Maritime
Cold and moist air mass from the north west which brings cold and wet weather, often snow in winter
Polar cells
A circulation cell over the Poles that brings cold air from the north to the UK.
Over-abstraction
When humans take more water from the ground that is being replaced by rainfall.
Ocean currents
Movements of warm and cold water that can affect the temperature of the land they flow past
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North Atlantic Drift
A warm ocean current that flows from the Atlantic past the UK
Natural Hazard
A natural event which can cause problems for people and the environment
Milankovitch Cycles
Long term variations in the orbit of the Earth around the Sun which results in long term changes in climate.
Meteorological Drought
Water shortages caused by lower than normal rainfall
Low Pressure System
Often creating wet and windy weather as rising air draws in wind from the sides and causes heavy rainfall.
Jet Stream
Fast moving current of air in the upper atmosphere.
sion
Over 24,000 years the earth wobbles on its axis creating bigger or smaller differences between summer and winter.
Prevailing Winds
The direction from which the wind normally blows from.
Thermohaline circulation
The pattern of ocean currents around the world that moves warm water to cold areas and cold water to warm areas.
Thermal Expansion
Volume of water in the sea increasing as the water expands as it gets warmers. Moving heat energy from the Equator to the Poles.
Tropical Continental
Warm and dry air mass from the south / south east which often brings very warm and dry weather in summer.
Trade Winds
Wind that blows steadily from the Tropics to the Equator.
Track
The path that a hurricane follows.
Troposphere
The lowest layer of the atmosphere.
Tropics
Imaginary lines running around the Earth 23.5 degrees north and south of the Equator, often with dry and hot climates.
Tropical Maritime
Warm and moist air mass from the south west which brings warm and wet weather.
Saffir-Simpson Scale
The scale on which hurricanes are measures in terms of sustained wind speeds from 1 (119-153 kmh) to 5 (more than 250 kmh)
Spatial Variations
Differences in something on the Earth’s surface. Relates to how different locations will suffer different consequences of climate change.
Storm Surge
An increase in the height of the sea caused by low pressure and high winds. Can cause great damage when they reach land.
Sun Spots
Activity in the sun which means more energy reaches the Earth leading to warmer temperatures.
