Unit 2 - Keywords list Flashcards
Continent
The Earth is divided into 7 major landmasses known 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
Latitude and longitude is measured in mathematical degrees
Equator
The Equator divides the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, it sits at 0 degrees latitude
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 23.5 degrees north of the equator, marking the most Northern points of the tropics
Tropic of Capricorn
A line of latitude located at 23.5 degrees south of the equator, marking the most southern points 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, conurbations
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, 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 clouds in the form of rain, hail, sleet or snow