Geo 4th form exam revision

What is a coral reef?

An offshore ridge of calcium carbonate formed by marine animals' secretions.

Ideal water temperature for coral reefs?

Between 21°C and 30°C.

What happens if water temperature is too high for coral reefs?

Coral bleaching.

What type of reef is close to the shore and separated by a shallow lagoon?

Fringing reef.

Largest coral reef in the Caribbean?

Belize Barrier Reef.

Name one importance of coral reefs.

Coastal protection / Supports tourism / Marine habitat.

What is a cliff?

A steep rock face formed by wave erosion.

What is a sea arch?

Arch

What is a sea stack?

Isolated column of rock left after a sea arch collapses.

What is a cave?

Hollow area in rock formed by wave action.

What is a beach?

Deposit of sand or pebbles along the shore.

What is a spit?

Narrow ridge of sand projecting into the sea.

What is a bar?

A spit that connects two headlands.

What is a tombolo?

A spit that connects the mainland to an island.

What is hydraulic action?

Water forces air into cracks in rock, causing erosion.

What is abrasion?

Load scrapes or scours the riverbed and banks.

What is attrition?

Rocks collide and break into smaller, smoother pieces.

What is solution (in rivers)?

Water dissolves soluble materials from rocks.

What is traction?

Large rocks rolled along the riverbed.

What is saltation?

Bouncing motion of small stones or pebbles.

What is suspension?

Fine particles carried in the water.

What is deposition?

When the river loses energy and drops its load.

Upper course river features?

V

Middle course river features?

Meanders, wider valleys.

Lower course river features?

Floodplains, oxbow lakes, levees, deltas.

What is a delta?

Landform at the mouth of a river formed by deposited sediments.

Define weather.

Day

Define climate.

Long

Instrument used to measure temperature?

Thermometer.

Instrument used to measure air pressure?

Barometer.

Instrument used to measure wind speed?

Anemometer.

Instrument used to measure rainfall?

Rain gauge.

Instrument used to measure wind direction?

Wind vane.

Types of rainfall?

Convectional, Relief (Orographic), Frontal.

What is high pressure associated with?

Sinking air, clear and dry weather.

What is low pressure associated with?

Rising air, cloudy and rainy weather.

What climate does the Caribbean have?

Tropical marine climate.

When is the wet season in the Caribbean?

May to November.

When is the dry season in the Caribbean?

December to April.

What is limestone?

A sedimentary rock made mostly of calcium carbonate.

What are clints and grikes?

Blocks and gaps in limestone from chemical weathering.

What is a swallow hole?

A hole where surface water disappears underground.

What are stalactites?

Formations that hang from cave ceilings.

What are stalagmites?

Formations that grow up from cave floors.

What is a cave (or cavern)?

A large underground chamber in limestone.

What is a pillar?

When a stalactite and stalagmite join together.

Limestone characteristics?

Permeable and soluble.

Where is limestone found in Jamaica?

Cockpit Country.

Name Earth's layers.

Crust, mantle, outer core, inner core.

What is the crust?

Outermost solid layer of the Earth.

What is the mantle?

Semi

What is the outer core?

Liquid iron and nickel layer.

What is the inner core?

Solid and extremely hot center of the Earth.

What are tectonic plates?

Large sections of the Earth’s crust that move.

What is a convergent boundary?

Plates collide (destructive).

What is a divergent boundary?

Plates move apart (constructive).

What is a transform boundary?

Plates slide past each other (conservative).

Where do earthquakes and volcanoes usually occur?

At plate boundaries.

What does the Richter Scale measure?

Earthquake magnitude.

What causes earthquakes?

Sudden movement of Earth's crust.

What causes volcanoes?

Magma rising to the surface.

What is mechanical weathering?

Physical breakdown of rocks (e.g. freeze

What is chemical weathering?

Breakdown by chemical reactions (e.g. acid rain).

What is biological weathering?

Breakdown by living things (e.g. plant roots).

What is soil creep?

Slow movement of soil downhill.

What is a landslide?

Sudden movement of rock and soil.

What is a mudflow?

Flow of water

What is a rockfall?

Sudden fall of rock from a cliff or slope.

Agents of erosion?

Water, wind, and ice.