AS Geography Key Words

A perceived natural event which has the potential to threaten both life and property

Widespread (global) threat due to environmental factors such as climate change, E.g. Global warming, El Nino

A hazard formed by tectonic/geological processes (Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Tsunamis)

A hazard formed by hydrological (e.g. floods) and atmospheric (e.g. storms and droughts) processes

Avalanches can be placed in either group. For example, an avalanche is formed from snow and ice (atmospheric processes), yet the mass movement is a geomorphological process

A high risk combined with an inability of individuals and communities to cope

Where the hazard results from an extreme geophysical or hydro-meteorological event, such as a flood or volcanic eruption

where natural hazards trigger environmental disaster (e.g. flooding causing a dam to burst)

Such as Chernobyl, Nuclear power plant exploding

A hazard becoming reality in an event that causes deaths and damage to foods/property and the environment

The probability of a hazard event occurring and creating loss of lives and livelihoods

How much solar radiation a surface reflects

Any long term trend or shift in climate (average weather over 30 years) detected by a sustained shift in the average value for any climatic element (e.g. Rainfall)

A recently measured rise in the average surface temperature of the planet

The warming of the Earth's atmosphere due to the trapping of heat which would otherwise be radiated back into space. It enables the survival of life on Earth.

Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increase owing to human activity

Energy sources that are rich in carbon which release carbon dioxide when burnt

The point at which a system switches from one state to another

A semi-molten zone of rock underlying the Earth’s crust

The crust of the Earth, around 80-90 km thick

Molten material that rises towards the Earth’s surface when hotspots within the asthenosphere generate convection currents

A localised area of the Earth’s crust with an unusually high temperature

An upwelling of abnormally hot rock within the Earth’s mantle

A zone of low atmospheric pressure near the equator. This migrates seasonally

The study of past climates

Increased volume of the oceans as a result of higher water temperature

Records used to reconstruct climate before the start of instrumental records. Examples include: Paintings, poems, diaries, journals etc.

Freezing of The Thames regularly between 1500 - 1850

Eccentricity is a measure of the departure of the ellipse from circularity.

Axial tilt refers to the inclination of the Earth’s axis in relation to its orbit around the sun

Precession refers to the direction the Earth tilts in relation to its orbit around the sun

Amplify a small change and make it larger

Diminish the change and make it smaller

Global dimming is the net cooling of the atmosphere due to pollutants like soot and sulphur dioxide reflecting solar energy back into space

The flow of warm and cold water that circulates around the world’s oceans

The Southern Ocean area around Antarctica that absorbs Carbon Dioxide from the atmosphere

Reducing the output of Greenhouse Gases and increasing the size of Greenhouse Gas sinks (e.g. Rainforests)

Changing our lifestyles to cope with a new environment rather than trying to stop climate change

Incentives and schemes to reduce GHG emissions that are designed and implemented  by central government

Small lifestyle changes made by all individuals within a community which accumulate into large differences and improvements within the environment

Carbon offsetting is a credit system, called carbon credits, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

lack of available supplies to meet demand

lack of water because of poverty and poor governance

Populations having access to enough food for an active, healthy lifestyle

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs