Grade 12 Geography Study Guide

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms and concepts related to the G12 Geography syllabus, including environmental science, economics, and spatial analysis.

Water Cycle

The continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth.

Sustainable Development

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Low Pressure System

A weather pattern characterized by the rising of air and often associated with stormy weather.

High Pressure System

A weather pattern characterized by descending air resulting in calm and clear weather.

Mid-latitude Cyclones

Large scale weather systems that form in the mid-latitudes when warm and cold air masses meet.

Tropical Cyclones

Intensely developed low pressure systems associated with severe storms and heavy winds that form over warm tropical oceans.

Urban Climate

The local climate of urban areas that differs from surrounding rural areas, influenced by human activities.

Floodplain

Flat land adjacent to a river that is subject to flooding.

Epilimnion

The upper layer of water in a stratified lake, typically warm and well-mixed.

Thermal Belt

A region within a valley where temperatures are relatively warmer due to inversions.

Food Security

When all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to maintain a healthy life.

Quaternary Sector

Economic activity associated with the creation and distribution of knowledge and information.

Fluvial Processes

Processes related to rivers, including erosion, transport, and deposition of sediment.

Informal Sector

The part of the economy that is neither taxed nor monitored by any form of government.

Land Use Zones

Areas in urban settings designated for specific uses such as residential, commercial, industrial, etc.

Catchment Area

The area where water is collected by the natural landscape into a common outlet, such as a river or lake.

Berg Winds

Hot, dry winds that descend from the interior of South Africa to the coast, leading to high temperatures.

HIV/AIDS Impact on Economy

The prevalence of HIV/AIDS affects productivity in agriculture and mining due to loss of skilled labor.