A
abrasion a type of erosion involving rock particles being scraped against, and wearing away, the surface of other rocks
active a volcano which is constantly or frequently erupting
air mass a very large body of air with relatively uniform temperature and moisture characteristics
air pressure the weight of the air above a reference point, measured in millibars
anticyclone an area of high air pressure bringing clear skies
arch a coastal feature created by the erosion of back to back caves
atmosphere the layer of air round the earth
attrition a type of erosion involving rock fragments being ground together to become smaller, smoother and rounder
B
backwash the outgoing water from a coastal wave
bay an area of sea between two headlands
beach material which the sea deposits on the coast
biodiversity the number and variety of all living things within an ecosystem
birth rate the number of babies born per thousand of the population per year
braiding a river feature consisting of islands of sediment deposited in the river channel in its middle course
BRIC countries countries with rapidly expanding economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa
brownfield site disused or derelict urban land which is available for redevelopment
business park a development of offices and industrial units
bypass a road built round a town
C
CBD Central Business District: the commercial and business centre of a town or city, with highest land values
climate the average weather over many years
collision boundary where continental plates collide, forming mountain chains
compass an instrument used to identify direction
condense gas becoming liquid
confluence the point where two rivers (including tributaries) meet
conservative boundary where two tectonic plates slide past each other, but where crust is neither formed nor destroyed
conserve not to waste resources
constructive boundary where two tectonic plates move apart from each other and new crust is formed
containerisation to transport goods in standard-sized, sealed containers
continent a large land mass (a total of seven)
contour line a line on an OS map joining all points of the same height
convection current heated plumes of magma which create crustal plate movement
convectional rain rain formed by the sun heating the land surface causing moist air to rise, condense and produce heavy rainfall
core the centre of the Earth
corrasion a type of erosion involving rock particles being scraped against, and wearing away, the surface of other rocks
corrosion a chemical process involving the dissolving away of sedimentary rocks, e.g. chalk, limestone a type of erosion by water involving the dissolving away of rock, particularly limestone and chalk
crust the thin outer layer of solid rock round the Earth’s surface
D
death rate the number of deaths per thousand of the population per year
delta a depositional landform created where a river splits into numerous outlets
depression a cyclonic weather system bringing precipitation and winds
desert an area receiving less than 250 mm of precipitation per year
destructive boundary where an oceanic plate slides underneath a continental plate or another oceanic plate
detached a house which is completely separate from other houses
dispersed spread out
distribution the spread of places, people or data
dormant inactive
drainage basin an area of land which is drained by a single river and its tributaries
drought a prolonged period of below average precipitation
E
earthquake a sudden and violent shaking of the ground caused by tectonic movements
easting a vertical grid line on an OS map
ecosystem an area displaying a distinctive interaction between plants, animals and the physical environment
eco-tourism low impact tourism aimed at protecting the natural environment and local cultures
environment the air, land, water, plants and wildlife
epicentre the point on the Earth’s surface directly above the focus of an earthquake
Equator the imaginary line running round the middle of the Earth
erosion the wearing away of land by material carried in rivers, glaciers, waves and wind
estuary the final section of a river, subject to tides
ethnic group people of the same cultural background
evaporate liquid turning to gas
exploit to seek and to use a natural resource for human benefit
extinct no longer in existence (of animals); no longer active (of volcanoes)
F
fault a line of weakness in rock
fetch the maximum distance over which wind can blow to form a wave
fieldwork an enquiry which takes place outside the classroom
floodplain the flat area either side of a river which is regularly flooded
focus the point underground where the rock breaks and the energy of an earthquake is released
fog cloud at ground level (reducing visibility to less than 1km)
front the boundary between warm and cool air masses
frontal rainfall rain formed when warm, moist air rises over cold air, causing condensation and precipitation
function the activities of a settlement
G
geothermal energy heat and electricity produced from hot, underground water
gorge a deep, steep-sided valley
greenfield site land which has not previously been built on
grid reference a number which locates an area on a map
globalisation the ways in which companies, ideas and lifestyles spread round the world and interact with one another
H
habitat an area in which plants and animals have adapted in order to survive there
headland a promontory of resistant rock which juts out into the sea
hemisphere half of the globe
hierarchy a ranking of settlements according to their size, functions or importance
high order settlement a settlement which contains top- level shops and services
HS2 High Speed Railway 2 - a planned high-speed railway proposed to run between London (Euston) and the Midlands and the North of England
humidity the moisture in the air
hydro-electric power electricity produced by water being released through dam turbines
hydraulic action a process of erosion involving water and air trapped in cracks and crevices
I
igneous a type of rock/process/landform involving magma
impermeable not allowing water to pass through
infiltration the movement of water from surface into the soil
interception precipitation landing on plants, trees or buildings
interlocking spurs a series of alternating rocky projections found in mountain river valleys
irrigation the artificial watering of crops
isotherm a line on a map joining points of equal temperature
J
jet stream a fast-flowing, narrow air current found in the atmosphere
joint a crack in bedrock
K
key a list giving the meaning of symbols on a map
L
lahar a product of volcanic eruptions, composed of a mixture of ash and water
land use the way in which land is put to use by humans
landfill the disposal of waste in natural or man-made holes in the ground
lava molten rock at the Earth’s surface
LEDC Less Economically Developed Country
levée an embankment next to a river channel, raised above the flood plain
life expectancy the average age which men and women may expect to reach in a particular country
linear extending in a line
longshore drift the movement of sand and pebbles along a beach by wave action
low order settlement a settlement which contains few basic shops and services
lower course the stage of a river as it nears the sea, dominated by the process of deposition
M
magma molten rock beneath the Earth’s crust
mantle the semi-solid mass of rock beneath the Earth’s crust
market the place/point where goods and services are sold
meander a bend in a river found in its middle and lower courses
metamorphic a rock that has undergone transformation by heat and/or pressure
MEDC More Economically Developed Country
microclimate the local climate of a small area e.g. a garden
middle course the stage of a river between its upper and lower sections, containing a mixture of erosion and deposition
migration the movement of people from one place to another
mouth the point where a river enters a sea, ocean or lake
multinational a company which operates in several different countries
N
national park an area of countryside of outstanding beauty which is protected from development
natural increase a rise in population caused by a greater number of births than deaths
NIC Newly Industrialised Country
North Atlantic Drift an ocean current which warms coastal areas in western Europe
northing a horizontal grid line on an OS map
nucleated clustered together
O
oxbow lake the cut-off remnant of a meander found in the lower course of a river
OS Ordnance Survey
P
permeable allowing water to flow through, e.g. joints in rocks
plate boundary the point where two tectonic plates meet
plate tectonics the theory explaining how the Earth’s crust is able to move
plunge pool a deep pool which is formed by erosion at the base of a waterfall
pollution damage to the environment as a result of human activity
porous able to hold water like a sponge, allowing it to flow through
precipitation rain, snow, hail or sleet
prevailing wind the most common direction of wind e.g. SW in the British Isles
primary industry an economic activity involving the collecting of food and raw materials from the Earth
primary data information gathered in person through fieldwork
pull factors reasons why migrants are attracted to a destination
push factors reasons why migrants leave their homes to go elsewhere
pyroclastic flow a cloud of superheated gas and ash ejected from a volcano
Q
quaternary industry a high-tech industry involving research and development, employing highly- skilled workers, e.g. computer chips, pharmaceuticals
R
rapids fast-flowing, white-water section of the upper course of a river
raw material mineral and agricultural resources which can be processed to make something else
recycling the reuse of waste material
relief the height and shape of land
relief rainfall rain formed when moist air is forced to rise over highland, causing cooling, condensation and precipitation
renewable energy a sustainable source of power which can be used indefinitely (e.g. wind, solar, tidal)
reservoir a lake behind a dam
resource any product of the environment which can be used for the benefit of people
retail the sale of products to the public
Richter Scale a logarithmic scale used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes
river basin an area of land drained by a river and its tributaries
river cliff a steep, undercut area on the outside of a river meander
routeway a line of transport, e.g., road, rail, sea or air
run-off the movement of water across a surface
rural relating to the countryside
S
saltation the transport of sand in a hopping fashion in water or air
science park a development of high-tech industries often close to a university
scree piles of broken rock found beneath steep rock faces
secondary data information collected by a third party
secondary industry an economic activity involving the manufacturing of goods
sedimentary rock layered rock formed by the deposition of sediments
seismic wave a shock wave produced by earthquakes
seismometer a sensitive instrument used to measure earthquakes
semi-detached a house joined on one side to another
service industry an economic activity such as retail, administration, education, healthcare or tourism
settlement pattern the shape and spacing of
settlements settlement a place where people live
site the exact location of a settlement
situation the location of a settlement in relation to the surrounding area (its environs)
slip-off slope a gently-sloping area formed on the inside of a river meander
solution the transport of a soluble load in water
social relating to society
source the beginning of a river
spit an extended beach which grows by deposition across a bay or river mouth
spur a rocky projection found in the upper stage of a river’s course
spurs see interlocking spurs
stack a pillar of rock which stands in the sea
stewardship looking after resources in a sustainable way for the future
subduction zone the downward movement of crust at a destructive plate boundary
suburb the residential and commercial development at the edge of a city
sunrise industry a newly-developed, growing business sector
sunset industry a long-established business sector in decline
suspension the transport of silt in water
sustainable using resources in a manner which allows them to be available for future generations
swash an incoming coastal wave
symbol an image, letter or number used on a map to indicate a particular landscape feature
T
tectonic plate a large, rigid section of the Earth’s crust
terraced a house joined to another on both sides, forming rows
tertiary industry an economic activity providing a service (as opposed to a product) for their customers
through flow the movement of water through the soil as part of the water cycle
tourism a tertiary economic activity involving the commercial organisation of holidays and visits to places of interest
traction the transport of boulders in a rolling motion in water
transpiration the release of water vapour into the air from plants
transportation the movement of eroded material
tributary a river joining a larger river
tsunami a sea wave caused by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions
U
upper course the section of a river near its source, dominated by the processes of erosion
urban relating to a town or city
urbanisation the increase in the percentage of people living in cities
V
volcano a mountainous vent or fissure in the Earth’s crust which emits lava and other igneous products
volcanic bomb lava exploded into the air which solidifies as it falls
W
waterfall a point on a river where water falls vertically
watershed an area of highland separating river basins
water table the upper surface of water in the ground
weather the day-to-day condition of the atmosphere
weathering the breakdown of rocks in situ by mechanical, chemical or biological means