Geography and Physical Features Vocabulary Flashcards
Tectonic Processes and Geological Features
Subduction: The geological process in which one tectonic plate moves underneath another plate and sinks into the Earth's mantle.
Juan de Fuca Plate: The oceanic tectonic plate subducting directly under the western margin of the North American Plate.
Convergent Boundary: A tectonic plate boundary formed where two plates are moving toward each other.
Divergent Boundary: A tectonic plate boundary formed where two plates are moving away from each other.
Transform Boundary: A tectonic plate boundary where two plates slide past each other horizontally; the San Andreas Fault is a prime example of this boundary type.
Seismic and Tectonic Activity: Crustal activity, including earthquakes and volcanic activity, that occurs along tectonic plate boundaries.
Focus: The subterranean point of origin where an earthquake originates beneath the Earth's surface.
Tsunami: A giant, destructive sea wave generated by subterranean seismic activity or an underwater earthquake.
Magma: Liquid molten rock located beneath the lithosphere.
Cordillera: A system or region characterized by parallel mountain ranges.
Glaciers: Massive ice sheets that ground down ancient volcanic mountains surrounding Hudson Bay into a flat, stable region known as the Canadian Shield.
Cascade Range: A major mountain range containing a chain of volcanoes situated within the Coast Range.
Dormant Volcanoes of Vancouver, BC: Volcanoes such as Mount Garibaldi or Mount Baker located in close geographic proximity to Vancouver, British Columbia.
Delta: A low-lying landform created from sediment deposited at the mouth of a river.
Climate Dynamics, Precipitation, and Biomes
Continental Climate: A climate type located away from the moderating thermal effects of large bodies of water, resulting in extreme seasonal temperature variations.
Latitude: The geographic coordinate factor explaining significant climatic and temperature differences between locations such as Osoyoos and Fort St. John.
Orographic Precipitation: Precipitation produced on the windward side of a mountain range as moist air ascends, cools, and condenses over high terrain.
Rain Shadow: An arid region created on the leeward side of a mountain range where descending air warms and loses humidity.
Convectional Precipitation: Precipitation typical of continental interior regions occurring primarily in the summer, caused by intense surface heating and rising air currents.
Maritime Precipitation: Precipitation characteristic of coastal maritime climates, often driven by cyclonic and frontal atmospheric disturbances.
Chinook Winds: Warm, dry winter winds that descend rapidly off the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.
Grasslands Biome: A major ecological biome located directly to the east of the Rocky Mountains and forming a central component of the Great Plains.
Political Geography, Human Settlement, and Regional Studies
Political-Economic Region: A regional grouping defined by shared political and economic structures, systems, or agreements.
Interior Plains Energy Reserves: Vast deposits of fossil fuels, including oil, natural gas, and coal, found in abundance across the Interior Plains region.
Urban Region: A city or metropolitan area defined by high population density and built structures.
Rural Region: A countryside area characterized by low population density and open agricultural land.
Seigneurial Land Distribution: A historical land settlement pattern where long, thin strips of land were granted along rivers to maximize riverbank access.
Nunavut: A Canadian territory officially established in the year
Geographic Center of North America: The geographic midpoint of the North American continent, located near Rugby, North Dakota.