Urban Change Keywords

Urbanization and Human Geography

Convergent Boundary

The boundary between two colliding plates - coming toward each other

Subduction

where an oceanic plate sinks down at a convergent boundary, between continental and oceanic plates.

Divergent Boundary

Where two plates are moving apart, magma comes up to create new crust called a rift valley.

Mid-Ocean Ridge

The highest part of a chain of underwater mountains.

Trench

A surface feature in the seafloor produced by the descending plate during subduction.

Rift

A deep crack in the Earth's surface associated with divergent boundary.

Lithosphere

The solid part of the earth consisting of the crust and outer mantle.

Asthenosphere

The soft layer of the middle mantle on which the lithosphere floats.

Convection Currents

Circular currents in the mantle caused by the magma being heated by the core of the Earth (hot less dense magma rises and cold more dense magma sinks).

Theory of Continental Drift

Proposed by Alfred Wegener, that the continents were once joined together and have since drifted apart.

Theory of Plate Tectonics

The theory that the lithosphere is divided into tectonic plates that move around on top of the asthenosphere.

Mountain Range

Formed by two continental plates colliding and forcing each other upwards.

Transform boundary

Plates that slide past each other; causes earthquakes

Pangaea

Supercontinent was believed to exist 200 million years ago

Wegener

German scientist who hypothesized continental drift.

Seafloor Spreading

Creates new sea floor as plates move away from each other at the mid-ocean ridges

Continental-Continental Convergence

Happens where 2 continental plates of the same density collide and push up creating mountain ranges

Oceanic-Oceanic Convergence

Older more dense plate is subducted. Deep trenches and volcanic island arcs are generated.

Continental-Oceanic Convergence

Oceanic crust goes under the continental crust because it is more dense. This creates a subduction zone, deep ocean trenches, and an arc of volcanic mountains.

Continental Drift

The gradual movement of the continents across the earth's surface over time

Fossil

The remains of a prehistoric plant/animal embedded in rock

Asthenosphere

Weaker layer beneath the lithosphere which is semi-molten rheid

Crust

The thin and solid outermost layer of the Earth above the mantle and 0-100km thick

Inner core

Hot, dense centre inside the earth that is mostly iron and 1250 km thick

Lithosphere

The rigid outer part of the earth including the crust and upper mantle.

Mantle

The layer of hot, mostly solid material between Earth's crust and core.

Outer Core

Borders the mantle, made of liquid iron and nickel and 2200km thick

Tectonic Plates

Large irregularly shaped slabs of rock on the earth's surface

Plate boundary

Where 2 tectonic plates meet

Urban Area

A built up area with a high population density such as a town or city

Urbanisation

The increase in the amount of people living in towns and cities

Counter-urbanisation

The increase in the amount of people moving from an urban area to rural areas

Suburbanisation

Where the settlements on the outskirts of a city grow outwards due to the increase of houses and services to accommodate more people

Land use

The function of the land

Land use model

A theoretical representation to explain how an urban area grows

Index

A calculation which combines multiple factors together to give a single result

Quality of life

The extent to which people's needs and desires are met and the general well-being of individuals and societies

Deprivation

The degree to which individuals or an area lack services and amenities

Urban decline

deterioration of the inner city caused by lack of investment and maintenance

Derelict

in very poor condition as a result of neglect

Types of plate boundaries

Divergent, Convergent, Transform

A break in the Earth's crust which occurs along plate boundaries?

Fault