caie-as-level-geography-9696-core-physical-geography-v2

Hydrograph

A graph showing the discharge of a river over a period of time, often used to analyze river behavior.

Dendritic Pattern

A tree-like pattern of drainage characterized by higher density, increased discharge response, greater flood risk, and reduced lag time.

Soil Porosity

The ability of soil to hold water and air, with impermeable surfaces causing greater peak flows and more overland flow.

Permeability

The ability of a material to allow fluids to pass through it, with chalks and gravels allowing infiltration and percolation, while clay soils do not.

Vegetation Type

The type of vegetation impacting flood response, with dense forest vegetation intercepting more water and reducing flood risk.

Land Use

Human activities like urbanization and deforestation increasing overland flow, while drainage density affects the speed of water reaching rivers.

Abrasion

Erosion caused by the mechanical impact of debris rubbing on the river's sides, increasing with velocity and particle concentration.

Corrasion

Erosion caused by particles carried by the river.

Load Transport

The movement of particles by the river, including traction, saltation, suspension, and solution.

Hjülstrom Curve

Describes the relationship between flow velocity and erosion, deposition, and sediment transport.

Deposition

The dropping of sediment due to a reduction in energy, often occurring at river mouths, estuaries, and deltas.

River Flow Velocity

Influenced more by friction than gradient, with different types of flow including laminar, turbulent, and helicoidal.

Pools

Deep sections in a river where erosion dominates due to high velocity and dominant laminar flow.

Riffles

Shallower sections of the riverbed where sediment has been deposited, characterized by low velocity and turbulent flow.

Levees

Embankments built along river banks to prevent flooding by increasing the wetted perimeter.

Deltas

Landforms formed by sediment deposition at the river's mouth, with different types like arcuate, cuspate, and bird's foot deltas.

Deforestation

The clearing of forests leading to increased surface runoff and higher peak discharge.

Urbanization

The creation of impermeable surfaces that reduce infiltration and increase overland flow, impacting flood risk.

Flood Prediction

Methods like recurrence interval and flood risk maps used to predict and understand the likelihood of floods.

Conduction

Heat transfer between the ground and the air when they are in contact.

Latent Heat Transfer

Occurs when water evaporates to water vapor, or ice melts into water vapor. Heat required to change state is absorbed from the air, leaving less energy to heat the surface.

Evaporation

Water molecules gain enough energy from surrounding air to change state to a gas and leave the surface, cooling the surface and air.

Ocean Currents

Surface currents caused by prevailing winds, influencing temperature distribution in different regions.

Pressure Belts

Link between winds and pressure, causing air movement and wind patterns globally.

Coriolis Force

Deflection of air masses due to Earth's rotation, influencing wind direction in different hemispheres.

Global Circulation Model

Describes the three-cell model of atmospheric circulation - Hadley Cell, Ferrel Cell, and Polar Cell, along with Rossby waves and pressure systems.

Jet streams

Narrow columns of fast-moving air in the center of Rossby waves, located around 10km above the surface with speeds around 250km/h, two exist in each hemisphere - polar (30-50°N/S) and subtropical (20-30°N/S) jets, flowing eastward.

Snow

Ice crystals formed when water vapor turns solid in freezing temperatures. Heaviest snowfall occurs when warm moist air rises, as cold air has limited moisture.

Dew

Water condensation on surfaces due to rapid cooling, often in anticyclonic systems when ground temperature hits the dew point.

Sea Levels

The average level of the ocean's surface, rising due to factors like melting glaciers and ice caps, leading to threats like flooding and displacement of populations.

Urban Climate

The climate of a city or urban area influenced by factors like buildings, pavement materials, and human activities, leading to higher temperatures and altered weather patterns.

Ridge push

The force generated by magma intrusion at ocean spreading ridges that pushes the two plates apart.

Slab pull

The force exerted by the sinking, colder, and denser edge of a tectonic plate on the rest of the plate.

Collision plate boundary

Powerful collision between two continental plates, resulting in folding and mountain range formation.

Conservative plate boundary

Plates slip past each other horizontally with no creation or destruction of lithosphere, leading to extensive earthquakes.

Exfoliation weathering

Process in hot deserts where outer rock layers expand and contract, leading to flaking off over time.

Salt crystal growth weathering

Physical disintegration due to saltwater penetrating rock surfaces and exerting pressure as it evaporates.

Hydrolysis

Chemical weathering process where acid water breaks down rocks containing feldspar minerals.

Freeze-Thaw

Weathering process dominant at higher altitudes where cycles of freezing and thawing cause mechanical breakdown of rocks.

Slope Processes

Various movements and factors affecting the stability of inclined surfaces, including slope failure, mass movement, and erosion.

Soil Creep

Slow movement of soil particles due to wetting, heating, and freezing, occurring mainly in winter.

Landslides

Mass movement of material along a slip plane, influenced by factors like weak rocks, steep slopes, and changes in water content.

Sheetwash

Erosive process where precipitation exceeds soil's infiltration capacity, leading to unchanneled flow of water over the surface.