Grade 9 Geography (CGC1W1) Final Exam Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the CGC1W1 Grade 9 Geography curriculum, including physical geography, resource management, and population studies.

Required Map Elements

Title, Legend, Scale, Compass Rose, Border, your name, publication date, and who made it.

Alfred Wegener

A German scientist who in 1915 introduced the theory of Continental Drift, suggesting all continents were once joined as a supercontinent called Pangaea.

Pangaea

A supercontinent that Alfred Wegener suggested all the continents once formed before drifting apart.

Wegener's Proofs of Continental Drift

The jigsaw fit of continents, matching fossils, mountains, and evidence of glaciation across different landmasses.

Ring of Fire

A horseshoe-shaped zone around the Pacific Ocean characterized by many earthquakes, volcanoes, and tectonic plate boundaries.

Megathrust Earthquake

A very powerful earthquake that occurs when one tectonic plate is forced beneath another at a subduction zone; mainly found around the Ring of Fire.

Tsunami

A series of large ocean waves caused by underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or landslides, most common in the Pacific Ocean.

Hot spot

A location where hot magma rises from deep within Earth's mantle to create volcanoes, such as in Hawaii or Yellowstone.

Divergent Plate Boundary

A boundary where two tectonic plates move away from each other; as they separate, magma rises to create new crust.

Convergent Plate Boundary

A boundary where two tectonic plates move towards each other, often resulting in one plate being pushed beneath the other (subduction).

Transform Plate Boundary

A boundary where two tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally; friction between them causes earthquakes without creating or destroying crust.

Erosion

The process by which rock, soil, and sediment are worn away and moved from one place to another by agents like water, wind, ice, and gravity.

Deposition

The process by which sediment is dropped or laid down in a new location when the transport agent (water, wind, ice, or gravity) loses energy.

Igneous Rock

Rock formed when magma or lava cools and solidifies; found in the Canadian Shield and British Columbia.

Sedimentary Rock

Rock formed by layers of sediment that are compacted and cemented together; found in the Prairies, Southern Ontario, and the Arctic Islands.

Metamorphic Rock

Rock that has been changed by heat and pressure deep within Earth's crust; found mainly in the Canadian Shield.

Canadian Shield

Canada's oldest landform region (over 4 billion years old) formed by volcanic activity and mountain building, later worn down to exposed igneous and metamorphic rock.

Great Lakes - St. Lawrence Lowlands

A region in Southern Ontario and Southern Quebec formed from sedimentary rock layers and reshaped by glaciers during the ice age.

Interior Plains

A region in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba formed by sediments settling on ancient sea floors, containing large deposits of natural gas, oil, and dinosaur fossils.

Appalachian Mountains

Mountains in Atlantic Canada created by colliding tectonic plates hundreds of millions of years ago; they are old, heavily eroded, and rounded today.

Hudson Bay - Arctic Lowlands

A flat region of sedimentary rock with poor drainage that created wetlands and muskeg; shaped by ancient seas and glaciers.

Western Cordillera

Canada's youngest mountain region located in British Columbia/Yukon, formed by plate collisions, folding, faulting, and volcanic activity.

Innuitian Mountains

Mountains in the northern Arctic Islands, mainly Nunavut, formed when tectonic plates collided and folded rock layers.

Humus

Dark, nutrient-rich organic material formed from decomposed plants and animals, found in the topsoil (A horizon).

Soil Profile

The arrangement of different soil layers; a thick, fertile topsoil with humus is essential for high crop yields in farming.

L - Latitude

A climate factor where places closer to the Equator are warmer due to direct sunlight, and places farther away are colder.

O - Ocean Currents

A climate factor where warm currents raise temperatures of nearby areas and cold currents lower them.

W - Winds and Air Masses

A climate factor where moving air carries temperature and moisture from one location to another.

E - Elevation

A climate factor where higher altitudes are generally colder than lower elevations.

R - Relief (Mountains)

A climate factor where mountains block moist air, causing high precipitation on one side and a rain shadow effect on the other.

N - Nearness to Water

A climate factor where large bodies of water heat and cool slowly, creating milder temperatures and more precipitation for nearby land.

Relief (Orographic) Precipitation

A type of precipitation where moist air is forced to rise over mountains, cools, and rains.

Convectional Precipitation

A type of precipitation where warm air rises from heated ground, cools, and results in rain.

Frontal (Cyclonic) Precipitation

A type of precipitation occurring when warm air is forced to rise over cold air at a front.

Primary Industry

Industries involving the collection or extraction of natural resources, such as farming, fishing, and mining.

Secondary Industry

Industries involving manufacturing and processing raw materials into finished products, such as car manufacturing or food processing.

Tertiary Industry

Industries that provide services to people and businesses, such as teaching, healthcare, and retail.

Quaternary Industry

Industries involving the creation, sharing, and management of information, such as software development and research.

CUSMA

The Canada-United States-Mexico-Agreement; the free trade agreement between Canada and its largest trading partner.

Intensive Farming

Farming on small areas of land requiring large amounts of labor, located near urban areas to produce perishable items.

Extensive Farming

Farming on large areas of land requiring relatively small labor amounts, located far from urban areas to produce export items like wheat.

1992 Northern Cod Moratorium

A ban on cod fishing in Atlantic Canada placed by the government after overfishing and new technology led to the collapse of fish stocks.

Sustainability

Using natural resources in a way that meets current needs without harming the ability of future generations to meet theirs.

Demographics

Statistics about a population, including age, gender, birth rate, death rate, income, and education.

Adaptation

Adjusting to the effects of climate change to reduce impact, such as building flood barriers or drainage systems.

Mitigation

Taking action to reduce the causes of climate change, such as using electric vehicles to lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Immigrant

A person who moves into a country to live permanently.

Emigrant

A person who leaves their country to live in another country.

Refugee

A person forced to leave their country because of war, persecution, or danger.

Sustainable Development

Development that meets present needs without compromising future generations.

Livability

The quality of life in a community based on safety, health, housing, education, and the environment.

Zoning

Laws that divide land into different areas for specific purposes like residential, commercial, industrial, or institutional uses.

Urbanization

The process of people moving from rural areas to cities, causing city growth.

New Urbanism

A community design philosophy focusing on walkability, mixed land uses, public transit, and reduced car dependence.

Green City

A city planned to reduce environmental impact through bike lanes, renewable energy, recycling, and protected green spaces.

Maritime Climate Indicators

A small annual temperature range ($< 25^\circ\text{C}$), high annual precipitation, and wettest months in fall or winter.

Temperature Range Formula

$$\text{Highest Monthly Temperature} - \text{Lowest Monthly Temperature}$$

Expansive Population Pyramid

A pyramid with a wide base indicating high birth rates, rapid population growth, and a high dependency load (typical of developing countries).

Stationary Population Pyramid

A rectangular-shaped pyramid indicating low birth rates and slow population growth (typical of developed countries).