Geography

Describe the essential elements of a map. BOLTS

Elements include Border, Orientation, Legend, Title, and Scale.

Explain the seven concepts of Geography represented by SPICESS.

The concepts are Space, Place, Interconnection, Change, Environment, Sustainability, and Scale.

Define Space in the context of Geography.

The way things are arranged on the Earth's surface.

How is Place defined in geographical terms?

A specific part of the Earth's surface that has been given meaning by people.

Describe Interconnection in Geography.

The way that people and geographical phenomena are connected to each other.

Explain the concept of Change in relation to Geography.

Refers to how the Earth's features and human activities evolve over time.

Define Environment in the context of Geography.

The physical and biological world around us.

How is Sustainability defined in geographical terms?

Involves managing resources so they are available for future generations.

Describe Scale in Geography.

Refers to the size of an area being examined or the relationship between the distance on a map and the actual distance on Earth.

Explain the concept of Latitude.

Consists of imaginary horizontal lines that measure distance North or South of the Equator.

Define Longitude in geographical terms.

Imaginary lines that run vertically from the North to South poles which measure distance East or West of the Prime Meridian.

What is the Equator?

The line of latitude at 0 degrees that divides the Earth into Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Describe the Prime Meridian.

The line of longitude at 0 degrees that passes through Greenwich, England.

Explain Grid Reference and its purpose.

A 6-digit reference used to show the specific location of a feature within a grid square.

Describe a landscape.

An area of the earth's surface characterised by multiple landforms.

Explain what a field sketch is.

A hand-drawn labelled diagram made 'on-site' to record key geographical features.

Define an annotated diagram.

A sketch or photo with detailed labels that explain what is happening in the image.

What occurs at a convergent boundary?

Two tectonic plates collide pushing the crust upward, often forming Fold Mountains and volcanoes.

How is a ground level photo taken?

A photo taken from a person's eye level on the ground.

Define Area Reference in the context of maps.

A 4-digit reference used to identify the general area of a feature on a map.

Describe Human Geography.

Understanding how human activity impacts the earth and environments.

What characterizes a vertical aerial photo?

A 'bird's eye view' photo taken from directly above, looking down or up to 3 degrees of tilt.

Describe subduction in tectonic plate interactions.

A type of convergent boundary where one plate slides under another, often creating volcanoes.

Explain Physical Geography.

The study of the earth's natural features.

Differentiate between vertical and oblique aerial photos.

Vertical aerial photos are taken directly above and up to 3 degrees of tilt, while oblique aerial photos are taken from an angle above the ground.

Define Landform in geographical terms.

An individual surface feature of the earth.

What is a satellite image?

Digital images of earth taken from space to track large-scale changes.

Describe a mountain landscape.

An elevated area of land formed by tectonic plate movement and collision.

Explain convection currents in the Earth's mantle.

The movement of magma in the earth's mantle that causes tectonic plates to move.

Define a divergent boundary.

When two plates drift apart, allowing magma to rise and create new land.

What happens at a transform boundary?

When two plates slide horizontally past each other, causing earthquakes.

Explain how fold mountain landscapes are formed.

Created at convergent boundaries where the Earth's crust is compressed and folded.

Define a block mountain landscape.

Formed when faults in the crust cause large blocks of land to be pushed up or drop down.

Describe a rift valley landscape.

Formed at a divergent boundary where the crust is thinning and pulling apart on land.

What is a volcanic hotspot?

A fixed spot of magma that creates a chain of volcanoes as a tectonic plate moves over it.

Describe the characteristics of a coastal landscape.

The zone where land meets the sea, shaped by the forces of wind and waves.

Explain the significance of a riverine landscape.

An area shaped by a river system and its surrounding ecosystems, playing a crucial role in biodiversity and water management.

Define a desert (arid) landscape.

A region that receives less than 250mm of rainfall per year, characterized by dry conditions and sparse vegetation.

How is a karst landscape formed?

Formed by mildly acidic water dissolving soluble rock, such as limestone, which creates features like caves.

Describe the hydrological cycle.

The continuous movement of water between the Earth's atmosphere, land, and oceans, involving processes like evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.

What is a catchment area?

An area of land where all surface water from rain and melted snow flows into a single body of water, such as a river, lake, or ocean.

Explain the concept of water scarcity.

Occurs when the demand for water exceeds the available amount of clean water in a region.

Define liveability in the context of urban areas.

Refers to the qualities of a place that contribute to it being a good place to live.

What is a push factor in migration?

A condition that drives people to leave a place, such as lack of jobs or conflict.

Describe a pull factor in the context of migration.

An attractive condition that draws people to a new place, such as a better climate or educational opportunities.

Define infrastructure in urban planning.

The basic physical systems of a city, including roads, railways, and power grids.

Explain the process of globalisation.

Through which the world becomes more interconnected through trade, technology, and cultural exchange.

What is a multinational corporation (MNC)?

A large company that operates in multiple countries.

Describe e-commerce.

The buying and selling of goods and services over the internet.

Explain the role of tourism in the economy.

Tourism drives economic growth by generating jobs, attracting foreign investment, and stimulating local businesses through visitor spending.

Define a biome.

A large area defined by its climate, plants, and animals.

What is food security?

Exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.

Describe sustainable agriculture.

Refers to farming methods that produce food without harming the environment.

Explain the Green Revolution.

A period of intense agricultural improvements that significantly increased crop yields.

Define a megacity.

A city with a total population of over 10 million people, like Tokyo or NYC.

Explain urban sprawl.

The rapid and often poorly planned spread of cities into the surrounding countryside.

Describe urban consolidation.

The process of increasing the number of houses or apartments in existing urban areas.

How does internal migration occur?

When people move from one place to another within the same country.

What is biodiversity?

The variety of all living things, including plants, animals, and microorganisms, in an ecosystem.

Define land degradation.

The decline in the quality of the land caused by human activities.

Explain climate change.

Refers to long-term changes in global temperatures and weather patterns.

Describe ecosystem services.

Benefits humans receive from nature, such as clean air, water filtration, and crop pollination.

What is the Human Development Index (HDI)?

A statistic used to rank countries by their level of health, education, and wealth.

Define a quantitative indicator.

Data that can be measured with numbers, such as 'Life Expectancy' or 'GDP'.

Explain a qualitative indicator.

Data that describes a person's quality of life, such as 'Happiness' or 'Freedom'.

What does Gross Domestic Product (GDP) represent?

The total value of all goods and services produced in a country in a year.

Describe a topographic map.

A detailed map that shows the shape of the land using contour lines.

What is a choropleth map?

A map that uses different shades of one color to show the concentration of a specific variable or data point across different geographical areas.

Explain the purpose of GIS (Geographic Information Systems).

Software used to layer different types of geographical data on a digital map.

Describe a population pyramid.

A bar graph that shows the age and gender distribution of a population.

What is a synoptic chart?

A map that shows weather conditions over a large area at a specific time.

Define an isobar.

A line on a synoptic chart that connects areas of equal air pressure.

Describe a High Pressure System and its typical weather conditions.

Indicated by an 'H' on a synoptic chart, usually brings clear skies and calm weather.

Explain the characteristics of a Low Pressure System.

Indicated by an 'L' on a synoptic chart, usually brings cloudy skies, wind, and rain.

Define a Cold Front and its impact on weather.

Represented by a line with triangles and shows where cold air is replacing warm air.

How is a Warm Front represented on a map and what does it indicate?

Represented by a line with semi-circles and indicates where warm air is sliding over cold air.

What is a Contour Line and its purpose on a map?

A line on a map joining points of equal height above sea level.

Describe an Isoline Map and its function.

A map with lines that connect points of equal value, such as temperature or rainfall.

Define Contour Interval in the context of mapping.

The vertical distance in height between two adjacent contour lines on a map.

Explain the concept of Relief in geography.

The difference in height between the highest and lowest points in a landscape.

What features does a Physical Map display?

Shows natural features like mountains, rivers, and lakes using color.

Describe the purpose of a Thematic Map.

Specifically designed to show a particular theme connected with a specific geographic area.

How does a Cartogram differ from a traditional map?

Distorts the size of a country or area to show a specific variable, rather than actual land size.

What is the function of a Flow Map?

Uses arrows of different thicknesses to show the movement of people, goods, or information between places.

Define a Dot Distribution Map and its use.

A thematic map that uses dots to visualize the geographic distribution, density, and spatial patterns of a specific feature or variable.

Explain the characteristics of a Political Map.

Shows man-made boundaries such as countries, states, and cities.

What is a Precinct Map and what does it illustrate?

Shows the layout of a specific local area, like a shopping district or school campus.