Karteikarten
Unit 2 - Physical Connections - Key Terms
Karten in diesem Stapel (36)
- 1TsunamiA long, high sea wave caused by underwater earthquakes.
- 2PangaeaSupercontinent that included all Earth’s land masses. It existed from about 300 million to about 200 million years ago.
- 3Continental DriftTheory by German scientist Alfred Wegener stating that 300 million years ago all of Earth’s land masses, which were in constant motion, collided to form one super continent called Pangaea. About 200 million years ago Pangaea broke apart and the continents have drifted apart to their present locations. According to his theory, only the continents drifted.
- 4Plate TectonicsTheory that states that Earth’s outer shell consists of plates that move causing earthquakes, volcanoes, mountains, and the formation of new crust.
- 5Convection currentsCircular movement in a gas or liquid created by uneven heating
- 6ErosionWearing away of Earth’s surface followed by the movement to other locations of materials that have worn away.
- 7SedimentEroded material, such as sand and gravel, that is deposited by water, wind or glacial ice.
- 8Geologic TimeHistory of Earth from its formation to the present. Is divided into eras.
- 9ErasMajor division of geologic time
- 10LandformNatural feature on Earth’s surface.
- 11TopographyNatural and human features of the landscape.
- 12GlacierSlow moving masses of ice.
- 13GlaciationThe state of being covered by glaciers or massive ice sheets
- 14ShieldLarge area of Precambrian rock that forms the core of a continent.
- 15Canadian ShieldLarge area of Precambrian rock that forms the core of Canada.
- 16DrainageProcess whereby water is removed from an area by flowing out of depressions in the land such as lakes and rivers.
- 17MeltwaterWater resulting from the melting of glacier ice and/or snow.
- 18BedrockSolid rock beneath the soil.
- 19LowlandsAreas of low elevation containing plains and hills.
- 20Differential ErosionProcess whereby softer sedimentary rocks erode more quickly than harder rock, shaping the surface of the landscape.
- 21EscarpmentSteep cliff formed by erosion or faulting.
- 22Rift ValleyValley created when the portion of a land between two faults drops down.
- 23HighlandsAreas of high elevation containing mountains and plateaus.
- 24PlateausElevated flat area.
- 25WeatherCombination of temperature, precipitation, cloud cover, and winds expected daily.
- 26ClimateWeather conditions of a place averaged over a long period of time.
- 27Air MassLarge body of air having the same moisture and temperature conditions throughout.
- 28Prevailing Winds Winds that are most commonly found in an area.
- 29Jet Stream West to east movement of air in the mid-latitude flowing at speeds up to 400 km/hr at an altitude of 8000-15,000 m.
- 30Polar Front Stormy boundary between cold, dry polar air and warm, moist tropical air.
- 31Maritime Climate Climate type that is strongly influenced by the closeness of an ocean or other large water body. The annual temperature range tends to be small and the precipitation high.
- 32Continental Climate Climate type that develops away from the influence of the ocean. The annual temperature range tends to be large and precipitation is low.
- 33Moderating EffectEffect that large water bodies have on the climate over nearby land areas. Winter temperatures are warmer and summer temperatures are cooler than areas located away from large water bodies. The result is a small annual temperature change.
- 34CondensationProcess whereby water vapour is cooled and changes from an invisible gas to liquid water. Condensed water is what forms clouds.
- 35Relief PrecipitationPrecipitation created when an air mass rises to cross a mountain barrier.
- 36Convectional PrecipitationPrecipitation cause on hot summer days, when heated land causes the air above it to rise by convection. As the air rises, it cools and condensation occurs. Rain or hail bay fall from thunderclouds that build up.