Unit 2 Flashcards
Continent
The Earth is divided into 7 major landmasses knows as continents.
Hemisphere
Halves of the Earth’s surface divided by the Equator
Latitude
Imaginary lines that run horizontally around the Earth about 110km apart
Longitude
Imaginary lines that run vertically around the Earth.
Degrees (o)
Latitude and longitude is measured in mathematical degrees.
Equator
The Equator divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, it
Prime Meridian
The meridian (line) at 0 degrees longitude from which the east and west longitude is calculated
Tropic of Cancer
A line of latitude located at 23.5 degrees north of the Equator, marking the
most northern point of the tropics
Tropic of Capricorn
A line of latitude located at 23.5 degrees south of the Equator, marking the most southern point of the tropics
Poles
These are the points on which the Earth turns, known as the North Pole (90 degrees north) and the South Pole (located at 90 degrees south)
Phenomena
Remarkable things e.g. natural phenomena – a volcano
Topography
The arrangement of the physical features in a landscape, such as mountains, rivers, beaches, roads and conurbations
Conurbation
A densely populated urban area, usually made up of several towns connected together to form the suburbs of a major city
Altitude
The height above sea level
Flora and fauna
Plants and animals
Horticulturalist
A person who studies growing plants, flowers, fruits or vegetables
Volcanoes
An opening on the Earth’s surface that allows magma to escape sometimes in violent eruptions e.g. Mount Etna, Italy
Geysers
A vent in the Earth’s surface that periodically ejects a column of hot water e.g.
Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park in the USA
Auroras
Light displays in the sky seen around the magnetic poles of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Aurora Borealis/ Northern Lights in the Northern Hemisphere; Aurora Australis/Southern Lights in the Southern Hemisphere
Hurricane
A storm characterised by very strong winds particularly in the Caribbean
Precipitation
Water falling from the louds in the form of rain, hail, sleet or snow
Monsoon
The rainy season in South and South East Asia
