Geography Grade 11 Flashcards

Flashcards on Atmosphere, Earth's Energy Balance, Global Air Circulation, Landforms, and Sustainable Resource Use for Geography Grade 11.

Insolation

Incoming solar radiation also known as short wave radiation

Revolution

Movement of the earth in an orbit around the sun

Isotherm

Lines on a map joining places of equal temperature

Isobars

Lines on a synoptic map that join places of the same atmospheric pressure

Isohyets

Line on a map joining places with the same amount of rainfall

Summer solstice

Experiencing the longest day and shortest nights

Winter solstice

Experiencing the longest night and the shortest day

Equinox

Sun strikes directly at the equator resulting in equal day and night

Terrestrial radiation

Radiant energy emitted from the earth, also called long wave radiation

Radiative equilibrium

Condition where the total thermal radiation leaving an object is equal to the total thermal radiation entering it

Thermal radiation

Process by which electronic radiation is emitted by a heated surface in all directions

Atmospheric pressure

Is the weight of the atmosphere on the earth surface

Divergence

Air mass that is moving away from the central point

Convergence

Air mass that is moving towards the central point

Dew-point

Temperature at which water vapour condenses

Intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ)

The zone where two tropical easterlies converge

Front

Zone where two air masses of different temperatures meet

Polar front

Zone along 60° where cold polar easterlies and warm sub-tropical westerlies winds meet.

Cold front

Leading edge of cold air

Warm front

Leading edge of warm air

Pressure gradient force

Force that determines the speed at which air flows from a high-pressure region to a low-pressure region

Coriolis force

Force which deflects winds due to the earth's rotation

Ferrell's law

States that because of Coriolis force, the winds are deflected to the left in the southern hemisphere and to the right in the northern hemisphere

Geostrophic flow

Winds that blow parallel to the isobars due to the equal strength of the pressure gradient force and Coriolis force

Friction

Force that operates in the opposite direction to that of the wind

Planetary winds

Major winds that blow from high pressure belts to low pressure belts in the same direction throughout the year

Air mass

Large body of air with same temperature, atmospheric pressure and humidity

Monsoon winds

Are seasonal winds that blow in tropical regions

Fohn (mountain) winds

Local warm dry winds that descend on the leeward side of the mountain in winter

Leeward slope

Side of the slope where winds warm up as they descend

Windward slope

Side of the slope where winds cool as the rise

Dry adiabatic lapse rate (DALR)

The rate at which air gains heat as they descend (1º/ 100m)

Wet adiabatic lapse rate

Rate at which temperature of saturated air decrease with an increase in height (0.5°/100m)

Seasonal temperature range

Difference between the maximum and minimum temperatures or between the highest and lowest temperatures during specific time intervals (summer and winter)

Prevailing winds

Winds that blow most often

Onshore winds

Winds that blow from the ocean toward the land

Offshore winds

Winds that blow from the land towards the ocean

El Niño

Climate change brought by warm conditions in the Pacific Ocean

La-Nina

When cooler than usual ocean temperatures between equator and south America leading to dry conditions and drought

Synoptic weather map

Map showing weather conditions for a particular place and time

Ridge

Elongation of isobars in a high-pressure cell

Trough

Elongation of isobars in a low pressure

Drought

Long period with little or no rain

Desertification

Process whereby once fertile area becomes increasingly more arid (dry)

Horizontally layered rocks

Rocks which occur in layers are called stratified rocks.

Bedding planes

Planes separating each layer or strata are called

Badlands

Landscape with narrow gullies and sharp ridges formed in arid climates.

Dolerite sill

Horizontal layer of igneous rock that has formed along a bedding plane

Lava flow

Lava pours out onto the earth where it cools and solidifies

Mesas

Flat topped mountain with greater width than height

Buttes

Flat topped hills with greater height than width

Scarp retreat / Back wasting

Erosion of a scarp slope causing loss of ground over the whole slope but no loss of height.

Mass wasting

Movement of eroded material down a slope due to gravity

Undercutting

Erosion of rock at the base of a slope with subsequent collapse of the overhang

Homoclinal shifting

Movement of a homoclinal ridge towards the dip slope

Homoclinal ridge

Ridge formed from inclined strata

Scarp slope

Steep slope of a homoclinal ridge

Dip slope

Less steep slope of a homoclinal ridge

Conditional aid

When one country donates money or resources to another country with conditions attached.

Newly Industrial Countries

Countries that have transitioned from agricultural economy to more industrial economy.

Brandt line

An imaginary line which separates the rich north and poor south.

Sustainable development

A type of development that meet the need of the present without compromising the abilities of the future generations

Commodities

Good which are sold in large quantities

GINI- coefficient

Measure the level of income inequalities between rich and poor countries or between two countries.

Human Development Index (HDI)

It measures the standard of living of people and combines life expectancy, level of education and GDP per capita

Trade

exchange of goods and services for money

Raw materials

Raw, unprocessed materials

Manufacturing industries

Factories that process raw materials into finished products

Transportation

The movement of goods from on place to another by sea,land or air

Development Aid

Money given by one country to another to help development

Exports

Goods and services sold to another contry

Tariffs/ import duties

When restrictions are placed on trade between countries by using tax

Bilateral Aid

A sustainable trading relationship

Sanctions

Economic penalties put in place by government to punish another country

Fair Trade

Improve infrastructure and social development (education and training) in developing countries

Import

Goods brought into the country to be sold

Geothermal energy

Electricity produced by using the heat of underground rocks and water

The shape and form of the Earth’s surface.

Topography

Slow / steady downhill flow of loose weathered material

Soil Creep

The energy produced by using the wind to drive turbines and produce electricity.

Wind energy

Mass Movement

Gradual or sudden movement of loose weathered material down the slope as a result of gravity

Soil erosion

Process whereby fertile topsoil is lost