Geography paper 1

• Asthenosphere


  The semi-molten layer at the top of the mantle which flows due to convection currents, moving the solid lithosphere above
• Atmospheric circulation


  The general movements of air around the Earth due to pressure and temperature
• Climate change


  A distinct change in global or regional patterns of climate, such as changes in temperature or precipitation patterns
• Conservative plate boundary


  A plate boundary where two plates are moving alongside each other
• Continental crust


  The thicker, less dense crust that makes up the continents
• Convection current


  The movement of a fluid caused by a difference in temperature or density
• Convergent plate boundary


  A plate boundary where two plates are moving towards each other
• Coriolis Effect


  The effect of the Earth's rotation on wind movements
• Cyclone


  A tropical cyclone that hits Oceania or Madagascar
• Divergent plate boundary


  A plate boundary where two plates are moving away from each other
• Eccentricity


  The changing of the orbit of the Earth around the Sun from a circular shape to an ellipse
• Eye


  An area of a tropical cyclone with extremely low pressure and calm conditions
• Eyewall


  An area of a tropical cyclone with the most intense, powerful winds and torrential rain
• Ferrel Cell


  At around 60° either side of the equator, moist air rises, and travels to lower latitudes at around 30° where it sinks, along with air travelling from the equator
• Fossil fuels


  Fuels made up of the remains of organic material, such as oil, coal and gas
• Geological hazard


  A hazard caused by processes on the land
• Greenhouse Gases


  Gases in the Earth's atmosphere that trap energy in the Earth's system and contribute to the greenhouse effect (carbon dioxide, methane, water vapour and nitrous oxides)
• Hadley Cell


  At the equator, hot moist air rises, moves to higher latitudes (30°) and sinks
• Hazard risk


  The probability that a natural hazard will negatively affect a population
• Hotspot


  An area where unusually hot magma breaks through the middle of a plate and travels up to the surface, creating a volcano
• Hurricane


  A tropical cyclone that hits the USA, Latin America or the Caribbean
• Ice core


  A cylinder of ice extracted from an ice sheet or glacier, which is used to analyse past environmental conditions
• Immediate responses


  Actions taken as soon as the hazard happens and in its immediate aftermath (hours, days, and potentially a week or so after the event)
• Inner core


  A solid ball of iron/nickel at the Earth's centre. Radioactive decay within the inner core provides Earth's internal energy
• Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)


  An area surrounding the equator where global winds converge, causing an area of low pressure with rainy conditions
• Lithosphere


  Solid rock that lies on top of the asthenosphere. The top of the lithosphere is the crust, which is broken up into tectonic plates
• Long-term responses


  Actions taken after the immediate responses when the effects of the hazard have been minimised (weeks, months, and years after the event)
• Magma


  Molten rock found beneath the Earth's surface
• Mantle


  The area underneath the crust which contains magma
• Milankovitch Cycles


  The cyclical variations in the Earth's orbit around the Sun
• Brandt Line


  A line that divides developed and developing countries on the world map
• Natural hazard

  A naturally occurring event that is a threat to a population
• Bottom-Up Project


  A small scheme, organised by an NGO or charity, that aims to help the poorest families
• Obliquity (or axial tilt)

  The tilt of the Earth's axis, which changes from 21.5° and 24.5°
• Capitalism


  An economic and political system where trade and other sectors of the economy such as manufacturing are run by private companies for profit. They believe that the richer the country, the more developed it can be
• Colonialism


  The act of getting control over another country, this involves occupying their land and results in exploitation of people and the country's resources
• Ocean currents


  The predictable, continuous circulation of ocean water which transfers heat around the globe
• Communism


  A system which believes that the population should be classless and equal financially. Goods and the means of production are owned communally (often by the state) instead of being owned by private companies so everyone has access to what they need
• Oceanic crust


  The thinner, denser crust that makes up the ocean floor
• Outer core


  A molten layer of iron and nickel that surrounds the inner core and transfers energy by convection currents