Earth Surface Forces and Resource Use Review

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering Section A: Surface Forces That Change the Earth (weathering, erosion, river courses, landforms) and Section B: Resource Use (renewable vs non-renewable resources, water, soil, forests, minerals, energy, and sustainability) from geography study notes.

Weathering

The breaking down of rock in place.

Physical / Mechanical Weathering

The breakdown of rock without chemical change, caused by temperature changes, frost action / ice wedging, exfoliation, and pressure release.

Chemical Weathering

The breakdown of rock through chemical alteration, involving carbonation, oxidation / rusting, hydrolysis, and solution.

Biological Weathering

The disintegration of rock caused by living organisms, such as tree roots, animals burrowing, and humans / mining.

Erosion

The process of moving weathered material by natural agents.

Agents of Erosion

Forces that move weathered material, specifically water / rivers, wind, ice / glaciers, and sea / waves.

Upper Course (River)

The section of a river characterized by active erosion, V-shaped valleys, and waterfalls.

Middle Course (River)

The section of a river characterized predominantly by meanders.

Lower Course (River)

The section of a river characterized by floodplains, deltas, and deposition.

Deposition

The dropping of material that occurs when energy drops, such as when a river slows down, wind drops, or a glacier melts.

Depositional Landforms

Features formed when transported sediment is dropped, including deltas, beaches, sand dunes, and moraines.

River Landforms

Key landforms shaped by rivers: waterfall, gorge, meander, ox-bow lake, floodplain, and delta.

Wind Landforms

Key features formed by wind action: sand dune and rock pedestal / mushroom rock.

Sea Landforms

Key coastal landforms shaped by wave and marine action: cliff, headland, bay, beach, spit, arch, and stack.

Ice Landforms

Key features shaped by glacial activity: U-shaped valley, moraine, and cirque.

Human Activities Causing Soil Erosion

Deforestation, overgrazing, ploughing, building, and mining.

Soil Erosion Prevention Methods

Techniques used to prevent the loss of surface material, including planting trees, contour ploughing, terracing, gabions, and windbreaks.

Renewable Resources

Resources that can be replaced naturally, including water, solar, wind, forests, and soil (if managed).

Non-Renewable Resources

Resources that cannot be replaced naturally once consumed, including coal, oil, gold, platinum, and diamonds.

Water in South Africa (SA)

A scarce resource in the country characterized by uneven rainfall distribution.

Agriculture (SA Water Use)

The single biggest user of water among all sectors in South Africa.

Water Problems in SA

Key challenges affecting water supply, including pollution, drought, wastage, and leaking pipes.

Water Solutions in SA

Strategies to combat water scarcity, including saving water, recycling, building dams, desalination, and using boreholes.

Soil Requirements

The three essential components required by healthy soil: nutrients, organic matter, and water.

Threats to Soil

Processes that degrade soil quality, including erosion, overuse, pollution, and desertification.

Soil Conservation Practices

Methods used to protect soil health, including crop rotation, contour ploughing, fallow land, and compost.

Uses of Forests / Vegetation

Valuable provisions obtained from forests, including timber, fuel, medicine, and habitat.

Threats to Forests / Vegetation

Major pressures damaging forest ecosystems, specifically deforestation, fires, and alien plants.

Forest Protection Strategies

Approaches for safeguarding forests, including replanting, establishing protected areas, and sustainable harvesting.

Minerals in South Africa (SA)

Valuable geological resources South Africa is rich in: gold, platinum, coal, iron ore, and diamonds.

Coal (SA Energy)

South Africa's main electricity source, which is non-renewable and contributes to pollution.

Renewable Energy Alternatives

Cleaner, renewable alternatives to fossil fuels, such as solar, wind, and hydro energy.

Sustainable Use

The management and consumption of resources in a manner that ensures future generations can also use them.

The 3 R's

A foundational waste reduction framework consisting of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.

Weathering vs. Erosion Exam Rule

Weathering breaks material down in place, whereas erosion moves it.

Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Exam Test

A conceptual question to determine resource type: "Can nature make more in my lifetime?"