Eduqas GCSE Geography A Paper 2

A list of key words for Paper 2

Aerosol

Tiny particles of dust, volcanic ash and gas in the atmosphere that can reflect the sun's energy back into space. This can cause cooling of the climate.

Carbon sinks

Places where carbon is stored over very long periods of time, for example, in fossil fuels.

Carbon-neutral

An activity in which any carbon dioxide emissions are equal to carbon being stored.

Desertification

When the climate of a dry region becomes even drier. Vegetation dies or is eaten by grazing animals and the soil becomes vulnerable to soil erosion.

Glacials

Cold periods in Earth's history when glaciers have advanced and ice sheets increased in size.

Global cooling

The cooling of the climate at a global scale. This process can occur if the sun's radiation is blocked too much dust (aerosols) in the atmosphere.

Greenhouse effect

A process which traps longwave radiation in the atmosphere. This process is natural but has been enhanced (made stronger) by extra greenhouse gases.

Greenhouse gases

Gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. These gases are able to trap heat in the atmosphere.

Ice Cores

Cylinders of ice drilled from Antarctica that contain gases that tell us CO2 and temperature levels in the past.

Inter-glacials

Warmer periods in Earth's history when glaciers have retreated and ice sheets have decreased in size.

Long wave radiation

Energy in the form of heat that is given off by the Earth. Some long wave energy is absorbed by greenhouse gases.

Quaternary

The most recent period of geological time in Earth's history.

Short wave radiation

Energy in the form of light that is emitted by the sun. Most short wave energy passes through the Earth's atmosphere.

Milankovitch Cycle

The way the orbit of the earth changes from a circular to elliptical (egg-shaped) orbit causing ice ages. This happens every 100 000 years.

Tilt and Wobble Cycles

Milankovitch also suggested that the earth tilts towards and away from the sun in a 41 000 years cycle, and wobbles on its axis every 26 000 years towards and away from the sun, causing warming and cooling.

Solar radiation

Energy from the sun that hits the earth in the form of X-Rays, Infra-red and UV rays. The more there are, the hotter it gets.

Air mass

A large parcel of air in the atmosphere. All parts of the air mass have similar temperature and moisture content at ground level.

Altitude

Height above sea level. Temperature usually decreases 1°C for every 100 metres.

Anticyclone

A high pressure system in the atmosphere associated with dry, settled periods of weather in the UK.

Aspect

The direction in which a slope or other feature faces.

Climate

The average weather conditions in a particular location based on the average weather experienced there over 30 years or more.

Continental climate

The climatic condition of large land masses heating up and cooling down very quickly.

Coriolis Effect

Spinning effect due to the rotation of the Earth.

Cyclone

A low pressure system in the atmosphere associated with unsettled weather, wind and rain (Indian Ocean). Also known as a Hurricane (Atlantic) or Typhoon (Pacific).

Depression

A weather system associated with low air pressure. Depressions bring changeable weather that includes rain and windy conditions in the UK.

Drought

A long period of time with much less precipitation than normal. Associated with high pressure. Often occur in Summer.

Frequency

How often something occurs.

Heatwave

A prolonged period of abnormally hot weather

ITCZ

Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone - area between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn that has a lot of rainfall (due to warm air rising - Low Pressure)

Jet Stream

A strong ribbon of wind that circulated the globe, separating cold polar air masses to the north from warmer tropical air masses to the south.

Latitude

Latitude is how far above or below the Equator a place is (degrees °N or °S). Temperatures drops as you move away from the Equator towards the Poles.

Leeward side

The side of a hill or mountain that is sheltered from the wind.

Magnitude

The size, severity or extent of something.

Maritime climate

The climatic condition of land close to sea. The sea moderates temperatures meaning that there are only small variations in temperature.

Micro-climate

The small scale, local climate of a large city which is influenced by buildings/traffic.

Monsoon

A climate type experienced in South Asia in which a seasonal pattern of wind brings a distinct wet season.

Ocean currents

Predictable flows of water through the seas and oceans.

Precipitation

The amount of rainfall (snow, sleet or hail), usually measured in mm.

Response

Action people take before, during or after an event (Short or Long-Term).

Seasonality

Changes associated with a particular season e.g. Winter, Summer or Monsoon.

Unstable

Warm air that is rising may be described as unstable. Unstable air causes clouds to build up and form rain.

Urban heat island

When a city has temperatures that are warmer than in the surrounding rural area.

Weather

Describes the condition of the atmosphere. Sunny, hot, windy, cloudy, rain, snow etc.

Weather Hazard

A weather event which is significantly different from the average or usual weather pattern. This may take place over one day or a period of time. (Extreme Weather).

Windward

The side of a mountain that faces into the wind.

Ecosystem

A community of plants and animals, and the environment in which they live.

Abiotic

The non-living part of an ecosystem e.g. climate, soils and rock

Agro-forestry

Planting food, fruit and nut crops among the trees, which create a diverse environment for wildlife.

Biodiversity

The variety of living things.

Biomes

Very large scale ecosystems e.g. tropical rainforests or deserts.

Biotic

The living part of an ecosystem e.g. plants, which make their own food (Producers), and animals, which depend on others for food (Consumers). Also referred to as Biomass.

Carbon Cycle

The way in which Carbon flows and is stored in an ecosystem (Global Scale cycles and flows)

Desertification

When the climate of a dry region becomes even drier. Vegetation dies or is eaten by grazing animals and the soil becomes vulnerable to soil erosion.

Eco-Tourism

Tourism designed to contribute to the protection of the environment.

Energy & Food Production

Generating electricity or obtaining fuel, and obtaining food through farming, in an ecosystem.

Extinction

The permanent loss of species (which can be local or global).

Food Web

The flow of energy from Producers to Herbivores: Primary Consumers to Carnivores: Secondary/Tertiary Consumers. Inter-linked food chains (Local Scale cycles and flows).

Habitat

The natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism.

Indigenous People

Tribal groups who are native to a particular place.

Intensive Farming

Farming that needs to input of a lot of labour and feed, pesticides or fertilizer.

Key services

The way in which ecosystems provide benefits for people (for example, green lungs, water cycle regulation and flood mitigation)

Mono-culture

A type of agriculture (farming) in which only one crop is grown over very large areas of land.

Nutrient cycles

The movement of minerals, through an ecosystem, from one store to another. Through a series of Nutrient Flows and Nutrient Stores (Local Scale cycles and flows).

Savanna Grassland

Hot semi-arid grassland biome, found between the Tropics and the Equator.

Small-scale Ecosystem

An ecosystem which is found in a small area e.g. Sand Dunes (UK coastline e.g. Perranporth)

Soil Erosion

The removal of the nutrient rich, Top Soil layer due to wind and rain.

Soil Structure

The layers within the soil e.g. Top Soil, Sub-Soil

Solar Heating (Insolation)

The amount of sunlight received at different latitudes, due to the angle and concentration of sunlight.

Structure of Ecosystems

The distinctive characteristics of an Ecosystem e.g. Types, Layers or Zones of vegetation. E.g. Tropical Rainforest structure; Emergents, Canopy, Under-Canopy, Shrub Layer, Forest Floor.

Tropical rainforest

Large forest ecosystems (or biomes) that exist in the hot, wet climate found on either side of the equator.

Water Cycle

The way in which water is moved through an ecosystem through a series of flows and stores (Regional/Global Scale cycles and flows)

Wildlife corridor

Where habitats (such as forests) are joined by strips of habitat (such as hedgerows). These corridors allow the movement of wildlife.

Zoning (Buffer Zones)

Part of a conservation area (e.g. National Park) in which some activities such as farming and tourism, may be allowed.

Dependency

When a country relies too heavily on one way of earning foreign income. For example, some Caribbean countries rely too much on money from tourism.

Development Gap

This is the widening difference between of levels of development between the world's richest and poorest countries.

Diversify

Where a much wider variety of new business opportunities and jobs are created in a region.

Ecotourism

Small scale tourist projects that create money for conservation as well as creating local jobs.

Enclave tourism

Where tourists are kept separate from local communities.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

A country's total value of the economy each year.

Globalisation

Flows of people, ideas, money and goods are making an increasingly complex global web that links people and distant places together.

GNI per person

An economic measure that represents the average income in a country. GNI stands for Gross National Income.

Host country

A nation on representatives from another country are present because of international agreement.

Informal economy

Those jobs and businesses that are not regulated by the state. Workers generally do not pay income tax but they are not protected by safety rules.

Landlocked

A country that has no coastline and, therefore, has no sea ports. Many of the world's poorest countries are landlocked.

Leakage

When money, spent by tourists, benefits companies in other countries rather than people working in the country that the tourists are visiting.

Mass tourism

When very large numbers of tourists, who have bought a package holiday, visit a large resort.

Micro-credit

Where small loans are given to businessmen and women who are too poor to qualify for traditional bank loans.

Multi-national companies (MNCs)

Large businesses, such as Sony, who have branches in several countries. The headquarters of MNCs are usually located in global cities.

Multiplier effect

An upward spiral of the economy and its benefits on employment.

Newly Industrialised Country (NIC)

Countries, such as India, which have a growing middle class, a strong manufacturing sector and rapid urban growth.

Non-government Organisations (NGOs)

These are any non-profit, voluntary citizens' group which is organised on a local, national or international scale.

Outsourcing

To get a product or service from a supplier that is outside the company.

Poverty Line

This measures the percentage of the population who earn less than a certain amount per day.

Self-help

Improvement projects carried out by ordinary people rather than by businesses or governments. Compare this to top-down development.

Bi-lateral aid

Financial support or the gift of food, clothing or other emergency support, that is given directly from the government of one country to another.

Development aid

Help which is given to tackle poverty and improve quality of life over the long term to improve education or health care.

Emergency aid

Help that is given urgently after a natural disaster or a conflict to protect the lives of the survivors.

Exports

The sale of goods or services to another country.

Fair trade

A deal in which workers in the producing country benefit from a reasonable rate of pay and decent working conditions.

Free trade

When countries trade without any limits to the amount of goods that can be exported and imported.