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Terms Flashcards

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0
Q

Abrasion

A

The erosion of rock by being either being carried along a stream or sandblasted by the wind. This process wears down the rock.

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1
Q

AA

A

A Hawaiian term for sharp and pointy basaltic lava flow.

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2
Q

Abyssal plain

A

A large, flat area of the deep-ocean floor.

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3
Q

Aeolian

A

Any wind-related process. Refers to things carried, deposited, or eroded by the wind. Named after aeolous, the Greek god of wind. It is often spelled eolian.

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4
Q

Air mass

A

A body of air that has similar characteristics such as temperature, pressure and moisture content.

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5
Q

Air pressure

A

The weight of the air above any point.

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6
Q

Albedo

A

The percentage of the sun’s radiation that is reflected off a surface. For example: the albedo of snow is very high because it’s white color is very reflective.

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7
Q

Alluvial fan

A

Fan shaped deposits of sediment found at the foot of a mountain range brought there by mountain streams on their way from the mountains to the valley below.

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8
Q

Alpine glacier

A

A glacier that forms in the mountains.

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9
Q

Anemometer

A

A tool that measures the speed of wind.

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10
Q

Anticyclone

A

A area of high pressure with winds that rotate clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. Opposite of cyclone.

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11
Q

Antipode

A

A pair of points/regions that are opposite from each other.

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12
Q

Aphelion

A

The point in earth’s orbit when it is farthest from the sun. Opposite of perihelion.

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13
Q

Apogee

A

The point in the moon’s orbit where the moon is farthest from the earth. Opposite of perigee.

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14
Q

Aquaclude

A

An underground rock layer that groundwater can not enter or pass through.

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15
Q

Aquifer

A

A rock layer that holds groundwater.

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16
Q

Arroyo

A

A Spanish term meaning a dry stream bed that fills with water following heavy rains. It is similar to a wadi and a wash.

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17
Q

Artesian well

A

A well from which water rises due to underground pressure.

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18
Q

Barrier island.

A

An island parallel to the shoreline, usually formed by sand deposited by waves.

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19
Q

Bay

A

A body of water formed by a curved indentation of a coastal shoreline, larger than a cove and smaller than a gulf.

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20
Q

Beaufort scale

A

A scale developed by British admiral Francis Beaufort to measure wind speed using visual clues. The scale runs from 0-12 with 0 being calm and 12 being hurricane forces.

21
Q

Biodiversity

A

The variety of living things in a given area.

22
Q

Biosphere

A

One of the four spheres of the earth. The areas of the earth that are home to to all living things. The others are lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.

23
Q

Butte

A

A flat topped hill with steep sides. Larger than a pinnacle and smaller than a Mesa.

24
Q

Caldera

A

A large circular cavity that remains after the explosion and collapse of a volcano.

25
Q

Calving

A

The breaking off of large chunks of ice from a glacier or an ice sheet, sometimes forming icebergs.

26
Q

Cascade

A

Rapids or a waterfall that flows down multiple steps.

27
Q

Cataract

A

A series of Rapids especially those along the Nile river or a large waterfall with a single drop.

28
Q

Chinook winds

A

A warm and dry wind that blows down the east slope of the Rocky Mountains.

29
Q

Chlorofluorocarbons CFCs

A

Chemicals that destroy ozone in the atmosphere.

30
Q

Cirque

A

A circular basin in the high mountains carved by a glacier.

31
Q

Cirrus

A

Very high feathery looking clouds made up of ice crystals.

32
Q

Climate

A

The average weather for a place over a long period of time. The yip ally determined by thirty years of daily records.

33
Q

Cloud

A

A collection of water moisture and ice crystals in the atmosphere.

34
Q

Cold front

A

The boundary between a mass of cold air and a mass of warm air where the cold air is pushing the warm air upward creating a storm.

35
Q

Condensation

A

The transformation of water form gas to liquid.

36
Q

Confluence

A

The place where 2 rivers or streams meet.

37
Q

Continental divide

A

The division on a continent between 2 watersheds. In North America, the continental divide lies in the Rocky Mountains, and water to the east of the continental divide flows toward the Atlantic Ocean, while water to the west of the continental divide flows toward the Pacific Ocean.

38
Q

Continental drift

A

The theory that the continents have drifted from a single supercontinent called Pangea to their present location by riding on plates that cover earth’s crust.

39
Q

Continental glacier

A

A large ice sheet that covers a continent.

40
Q

Continental shelf

A

The outer edges of a continent that are submerged under oceans.

41
Q

Continental slope

A

The edge between the continental shelf and the abyssal plain

42
Q

Contour line

A

Lines used to display elevation on a flat map with each line representing a different elevation.

43
Q

Contrail

A

A visible line of condensation in the sky following an airplane and consisting of water droplets and ice particles.

44
Q

Convection

A

The movement of warm air upward.

45
Q

Corrosion

A

The erosion of rock by chemicals or water.

46
Q

Crater

A

A cavity at the top or the side of a volcano created by an explosive eruption. Also, can be a hole in the ground caused by a meteorite.

47
Q

Crest

A

The top of a wave.

48
Q

Cumulonimbus

A

A large and tall thunderstorm cloud that produces lightning and thunder in addition to precipitation.

49
Q

Cumulus

A

A type of cloud that looks white and puffy.

50
Q

Cyclone

A

An area of low pressure with winds that rotate counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere, and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. Opposite of anticyclone.

Geography Terms (1 decks)

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