Geography terms

• Hydrological cycle


  The continuous circulation of water within the Earth's hydrosphere, including the atmosphere, land, surface water and groundwater
• Freshwater


  Naturally occurring water that is not salty, and is suitable for consumption if clean or processed
• Evaporation


  Turns a liquid into a gas or vapour
• Condensation


  Turns gas into a liquid
• Evapotranspiration


  Water evaporation into the atmosphere from the soil surface
• Precipitation


  The process of water falling onto the earth (rain, snow, hail, fog)
• Infiltration


  Water goes into the soil
• Percolation


  Water goes from soil into the rocks underneath
• Surface runoff


  When the water can't infiltrate into the ground, it goes over the top and floods. The soil is too saturated to collect more water
• Interception


  The trees catch the water before it hits the ground
• Surface storage


  The water is being held on the surface of the earth
• Surface storage


  • Puddle
• What are environmental risks

  Any source or danger or harm towards the environment.
• What is a drainage basin


  A drainage basin is an area of land where all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth
• What are environmental risks? Any source of harm or danger towards the environment.
• Examples of environmental risks: Oil spills into the oceans, air pollution from cars run on petrol, use of fertilisers
• Name 3 greenhouse gases: Carbon dioxide (Co2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous Oxide (N2o)
• Name human activities that produce greenhouse gases: - Fertilisers give of N2o into the atmosphere due to a chemical reaction

  - Fossil fuel combustion in factories emit Co2

  - Burning diesel on ships release Co2
• Describe the natural greenhouse gas effect: The sun emits shortwave radiation (light energy) towards the Earth. It is able to pass through as the greenhouse gases are transparent to light. The Earth then absorbs the light and converts it into heat energy. The Earth re-emits longwave radiation (heat energy) back into the atmosphere. The greenhouse gas layer absorbs and traps some of the heat, leaving the Earth in the perfect temperature.