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Geography > Physical Key Terms > Flashcards

Physical Key Terms Flashcards

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1
Q

Choke Points

A

Points in the logistics of energy and fuel that are prone to restriction

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2
Q

Energy Pathway

A

The movement of energy from its extraction or source, through pipes, freight logistics or cabling

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3
Q

Energy Players

A

Key companies and individuals who own, distribute and sell energy and energy sources

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4
Q

OPEC

A

Oil and Petroleum exporting countries. An organisation that supports and coordinates fossil fuel exporting countries

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5
Q

Outgassing

A

The release of dissolved carbon dioxide (e.g. at plate boundaries, warming the oceans)

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6
Q

Sequestration

A

The transfer of carbon from the atmosphere to stores elsewhere - living biosphere, inorganic rocks, etc.

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7
Q

Thermohaline Circulation

A

The movement of volumes of seawater from cold deep water to warm surface water.

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8
Q

Tipping Point

A

A critical threshold where any changes to a system after the tipping point are irreversible.

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9
Q

Anticyclone

A

A system of high pressure, causing high temperatures and unseasonably high evaporation rates

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10
Q

Aquifer

A

A permeable or porous rock which stores water

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11
Q

Channel Flow

A

Water flowing in a rivulet, stream or river

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12
Q

Convectional Precipitation

A

Solar radiation heats the air above the ground,

causing it to rise, cool & condense forming precipitation (often as thunderstorms)

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13
Q

Cryosphere

A

The global water volume locked up within a frozen state (i.e. snow and ice)

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14
Q

Desublimation

A

The change of state of water from gas to solid, without being a liquid (the opposite process to sublimation)

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15
Q

Drainage Basin

A

The area of land drained by a river and its tributaries

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16
Q

Drainage Density

A

The total length of all rivers & streams divided by the area of the drainage basin

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17
Q

Economic Water Scarcity

A

When water resources are available but insufficient economic wealth limits access to it

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18
Q

ENSO Cycles

A

El Nino Southern Oscillations - naturally occurring phenomena that involves the movement of warm water in the Equatorial Pacific.

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19
Q

Evapotranspiration

A

The combined total moisture transferred from the Earth to the atmosphere, through evaporation and transpiration

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20
Q

Integrated Drainage Basin Management

A

Establishing a frame of coordinated
efforts between administrations (e.g. local government) and stakeholders (e.g
businesses) to achieve balanced management of a basin (World Bank)

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21
Q

Open System

A

A system affected by external flows and inputs (such as a drainage
basin, or a sediment cell)

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22
Q

Percolation

A

Water moving vertically from soil into permeable rock

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23
Q

Abrasion

A

A form of erosion where loose material and sediment ‘sandpapers’ the walls and floors of the river, cliff or glacier. Also known as attrition.

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24
Q

Backshore

A

The upper beach closest to the land, including any cliffs or sand dunes.

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25
Q

Bar

A

A section of sand caused by deposition. They join two sides of a bay together, creating a lagoon behind the bar.

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26
Q

Coastal Recession

A

The retreat of a coastline due to erosion, sea-level rise or submergence.

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27
Q

Concordant Coast

A

A coastline where bands of alternate geology run parallel to the coast.

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28
Q

Corrasion

A

A form of mechanical erosion where material and sediment in the sea is flung at the cliff-face as waves break against it, this breaks up the rocks making up the cliff.

29
Q

Corrosion

A

The weak acid in seawater and some types of seaweed react with particular rock minerals, causing erosion and weakening.

30
Q

Dalmatian Coast

A

A concordant coastline with several river valleys running perpendicular to the coast. These valleys become flooded due to sea levels rising and produce long islands and inlets.

31
Q

DEFRA’s 1:1 Cost-Benefit Analysis

A

The evaluation of a coastal town’s economic value compared to the cost of the management required.

32
Q

Discordant Coast

A

A coastline where bands of alternate geology run perpendicular to the shore.

33
Q

Dynamic Equilibrium

A

A system where its inputs and outputs are in balance. Short term changes can affect this balance, negative feedback loops help to take the system back to dynamic equilibrium.

34
Q

Emergent Coast

A

A coastline that is advancing relative to the sea level at the time.

35
Q

Fjord

A

Long narrow inlet of sea water which is between steep mountains. They are created when sea levels rise relative to the land, flooding coastal glacial valleys.

36
Q

Glacial Erosion

A

The removal of loose material by glacier ice, involving plucking, abrasion, crushing and basal meltwater. (necessary in the formation of Fjords)

37
Q

High-energy Environment

A

A coast where wave action is predominantly large destructive waves, causing much erosion.

38
Q

Hydraulic Action

A

The pressure of compressed air forced into cracks in a rock face will cause the rock to weaken and break apart.

39
Q

Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM)

A

Large sections of coastline (often sediment cells) are managed with one integrated strategy and management occurs between different political boundaries. It usually follows a holistic approach and takes into consideration different players.

40
Q

Littoral Cell

A

An area of coastline which has all sediment processes occurring sources, transport and sinks. A littoral cell is not a closed system.

41
Q

Low-energy Environment

A

A coast where wave action is predominantly small constructive waves. Deposition usually takes place leading to beach accretion.

42
Q

Mass Movement

A

Where there is a large downhill movement of material usually from a cliff-face. Here, the rock is often weak due to erosion and the movement is caused by gravity.

43
Q

Plant Succession

A

Change to a plant community over time due to adaptation to changing growing conditions (eg. sand dunes and salt marshes).

44
Q

Sediment Budget

A

Use data of inputs, outputs, stores and transfers to assess the gains and losses of sediment within a sediment cell.

45
Q

Ria

A

Narrow winding inlet which is deepest at the mouth, formed when sea levels rise causing coastal valleys to flood.

46
Q

Saltation

A

A form of transportation where smaller sediment bounces along the sea bed pushed by currents. This sediment is too heavy to be picked up by the flow of the water.

47
Q

Sediment Cell

A

Sections of the coast bordered by prominent headlands. Within these sections, the movement of sediment is almost contained and the flows of sediment should act in dynamic equilibrium.

48
Q

Shoreline Management Plan (SMP)

A

Identifies all of the activities, both natural and human, which occur within the coastline area of each sediment cell. They use this to recommend a combination of four actions for each stretch of that coastline: Hold the Line, Advance the Line, Managed Realignment and No Active Intervention.

49
Q

Spit

A

A long depositional landform, formed from sand and shingle.

50
Q

Subaerial Processes

A

The combination of mass movement and weathering that affects the coastal land above sea.

51
Q

Submergent Coast

A

A coast that is sinking relative to the sea level of the time.

52
Q

Accretion Wedge

A

The accumulation of material at the point of subduction.

53
Q

Aseismic Buildings

A

Buildings designed to withstand or minimise destruction during an earthquake.

54
Q

Asthenosphere

A

The upper mantle layer of the Earth. It is semi-molten and approximately 2000km wide.

55
Q

Degg’s Model

A

This model shows that a hazard becomes a disaster if it affects a vulnerable population.

56
Q

Hazard Mitigation Cycle

A

The sequence of governance of a natural hazard: monitoring & prediction, mitigation, preparedness.

57
Q

Jokulhaup

A

A sudden glacial flood caused by a glacier on top of or near a volcano melting due to the heat from the eruption.

58
Q

Lithosphere

A

The upper crust of the Earth (average thickness = 100km).

59
Q

Love Waves

A

A surface earthquake wave with horizontal displacement. Mid-Ocean Ridge - Parting oceanic plates at a constructive plate boundary creates a ridge, with new land at the base of the oceanic valley.

60
Q

Moment Magnitude Scale

A

A measure of an earthquake’s energy released, considered the most
accurate measure.

61
Q

Paleomagnetism

A

The alternating polarisation of new land created. As magma cools, the magnetic elements within will align with the Earth’s magnetic field, which can alternate over thousands of years.

62
Q

Park’s Model

A

A model describing the decline and recovery of a country over time, following a natural disaster.

63
Q

Primary Waves

A

An earthquake wave causing compressions within the body of rock.

64
Q

Pyroclastic Flow

A

A mixture of gases and rock fragments, at high temperatures travelling at rapid
speeds.

65
Q

Rayleigh Waves

A

A surface earthquake wave causing both horizontal and vertical displacement.

66
Q

Secondary Waves

A

An earthquake wave causing vertical displacement within the body of rock.

67
Q

Seismic Waves

A

The energy released during an earthquake, in the form of Primary, Secondary,
Love and Rayleigh Waves.

68
Q

Wadati-Benioff Zone

A

A region of the subducting plate, most affected by pressure and friction,
where most destructive margin earthquakes originate.

Geography (17 decks)

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