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AQA A-Level Geography 2022-2024 > Desert Definitions (E) > Flashcards

Desert Definitions (E) Flashcards

1
Q

Desert

A

Dry, hot landscape fewer than 250mm of rain per year

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2
Q

Desert Margin

A

An area oh the edge of a desert

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3
Q

Arid

A

Dry

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4
Q

Aridity index

A

Number for the indicator of the degree of dryness

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5
Q

Insolation

A

Energy from the sun (sunlight)

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6
Q

ITCZ

A

InterTropical Convergence Zone

Band of low pressure at equator

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7
Q

Diurnal temperature range

A

The temperature range from day to night

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8
Q

Aeolian

A

Caused by wind

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9
Q

Weathering

A

Breaking down of material by weather

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10
Q

Erosion

A

Breaking down of material by wind or water

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11
Q

Saltation

A

Form of transport, matter to heavy to be carried is dropped repeatedly ‘bounces’

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12
Q

Flash flood

A

Quick/ sudden flood

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13
Q

Sheet flood

A

A layer of water covering an area moving together

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14
Q

Cyclonic

A

Large air mass that rotates

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15
Q

Anticyclonic

A

An area of high atmospheric pressure

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16
Q

Potential evapotranspiration

A

The amount of maximum evaporation of water possible

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17
Q

Surface runoff

A

Water which cannot infiltrate the soil

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18
Q

Prevailing wind

A

The main direction of wind

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19
Q

Sediment budget

A

Balance between sediment added and removed

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20
Q

Depositional landforms (2 examples)

A

Sand dunes , alluvial fans

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21
Q

Erosional landforms

A

Desert pavements

Messa buttes

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22
Q

Water balance

A

Balance of water entering + leaving (precipitation and evapotranspiration)

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23
Q

Continentality

A

The placement of deserts, due to how inland they are

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24
Q

Rain shadow effect

A

Where mountain ranges block it from raining on one side

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25
Orographic effect
When air is forced to rise due to high topography
26
Biomass
Amount of alive matter
27
Xerophyte
Cacti, needs little water
28
Xerophyte
Cacti,needs little water
29
Halophyte
Salt tolerant plant
30
Pyrophyte
Plants adapted to survive fire
31
Phreatophyte
Long wide root system (large area covered )
32
Soil
Loose surface matters that covers most land
33
Thermal fracture
Expansion +contraction breaks rock, cause temperature
34
Salt weathering
Water evaporates leaving salt crystals behind which as they form cause rock to crack
35
Groundwater
Water stored underground, aquifers
36
Frost shattering
pressure of freezing water breaks water
37
Freeze-thaw
Water in crack freezes , crack expands ect
38
Hydration
Chemical weathering minerals in rock cause the rock to swell and break
39
Oxidation
Chemical weathering , iron oxidises causing rust and rock breaking
40
Carbonation
Chemical weathering, co2 reacts with minerals in rocks
41
Exfoliation
Thin layers removed of rocks as cracks form parallel to rocks surface
42
Granular disintegration
Grain by grain breakdown of rock. Very Small pieces fall off
43
Block disintegration
The splitting of rocks along the joints into blocks
44
Deflation
Removal of solid particles by wind
45
Abrasion
Polishing of rocks by wind carrying sand
46
Suspension
Light matter carried by wind + water
47
Saltation
Bouncing of carried material, to heavy to be carried but not light enough to be suspended
48
Surface creep
Slow movement of heavy matter
49
Exogenous river
River originates outside desert
50
Endoreic river
Water enters desert and stops there creating a lake
51
Ephemeral river
Temporary rivers created by sudden heavy rainfall
52
Delta
Flat, low lying plain, forms at mouth of river formed from sediment carried
53
Permeable
Water can enter
54
Impermeable
Water cannot enter
55
Mass movement
The movement of material down a slope due to gravity
56
Rock fall
Rock falling from cliff face due to weathering
57
Debris flow
Fast moving landslides
58
Pediments
Sheet flood on a wide gently sloping rock face
59
Playas
Deflation becomes a temporary lake, salt plain
60
Mesa
Wider than it is taller
61
Butte
Taller than it is wide
62
Inselbergs
A hill of hard volcanic rock that has resisted weathering and remained as land around it eroded away
63
Wadis
Abrasion by ephemeral streams
64
Alluvial fans
When water slows + drops sediment after leaving a narrow area
65
Bahadas
Multiple alluvial fans
66
Deflation hollow
Air removes sediment leaving large shallow area
67
Desert pavement
Wind picks up all small sediment leaving large shallow area
68
Yardang
Differential erosion alongside one another
69
Zeugen
Abrasion Above one another , form rocks looking like mushrooms
70
Ventifacts
Rock shaped, smoothed by wind carying sediment
71
Eddy/ eddies
Circular current of water
72
Barchan dune
Drop in energy, formed in wind direction
73
Seif dune
Drop in energy initially a barchan dune then secondary wind shapes it like an S
74
Green Sahara
When Sahara had trees + lakes = 11,000-5,000 years ago
75
Land degradation
Land loses water, soil fertility
76
Overgrazing
Over eating of plants by cattle ect
77
Over cultivation
Overuse of farm land for crops
78
Deforestation
Removal of trees
79
Irrigation
Pipes carrying water for crops
80
Desertification
Land becomes a desert
81
Strategy : resilience
The ability to cope with a hazard
82
Strategy mitigation
Reducing risk of loss from an undesirable event
83
Strategy adaptation
Adjustments in systems to respond to a hazard
84
Erg
Broad area of land covered by sand with little or no vegetation
85
Reg
Stony plains (large desert pavements)
86
Hamada
Hard rocky plateaus, most sand removed
87
Plateaux
Flat land
88
Fog harvesting
Nets catch water, deserts then can have water supply - need to be by the sea
89
Leaching
Chemicals entering the water system

AQA A-Level Geography 2022-2024 (19 decks)

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