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geography unit 2 > pt 1 > Flashcards

pt 1 Flashcards

(109 cards)

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1
Q

What are Milankovitch Cycles?

A

Natural changes in Earth’s orbit and tilt that affect how much solar energy the planet receives, influencing glacial and interglacial periods.

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2
Q

What are glacial and interglacial periods?

A

Glacial = colder periods with more ice coverage; Interglacial = warmer periods between glacials.

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3
Q

What is the Quaternary Period?

A

The most recent geological time period, covering the last 2.6 million years.

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4
Q

How do ice cores provide evidence for climate change?

A

They contain trapped gases and chemical data showing past CO₂ levels and temperatures over 420,000 years.

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5
Q

Why are ice cores more reliable than tree rings or historical records?

A

Ice cores cover longer time periods and are less affected by other variables or bias.

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6
Q

How do volcanic eruptions affect climate?

A

They release ash and SO₂ into the stratosphere, reflecting sunlight and cooling the Earth.

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7
Q

What is solar output, and how does it affect climate?

A

It’s the sun’s energy output, which varies with sunspot activity; lower output means cooler temperatures.

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8
Q

What is the carbon cycle?

A

A system of stores and flows that move carbon between the atmosphere, land, ocean, and living things.

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9
Q

How do humans disrupt the carbon cycle?

A

By burning fossil fuels and deforestation, which release stored carbon quickly into the atmosphere.

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10
Q

What is the greenhouse effect?

A

A natural process where greenhouse gases trap some of the Sun’s heat in Earth’s atmosphere, keeping the planet warm enough for life.

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11
Q

What is the enhanced greenhouse effect?

A

It’s caused by extra greenhouse gases from human activity, trapping more heat and leading to global warming.

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12
Q

What human activities contribute to the enhanced greenhouse effect?

A

Burning fossil fuels, deforestation, industrial activity, and agriculture.

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13
Q

Describe the basic steps of the greenhouse effect.

A
  1. Solar energy enters atmosphere
  2. Some reflected by dust/clouds
  3. Earth absorbs and emits heat
  4. Greenhouse gases trap it
  5. Some escapes, some returns to Earth
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14
Q

What role do trees play in the carbon cycle?

A

Trees absorb CO₂ via photosynthesis and store carbon; they also release CO₂ through respiration.

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15
Q

What happens to carbon when leaves and branches fall?

A

Carbon is transferred to the soil, where decomposers add more CO₂ through respiration.

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16
Q

How does rainwater affect the carbon cycle?

A

It dissolves CO₂ from the soil and transports it to rivers and eventually the ocean.

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17
Q

Define ‘store’ in the carbon cycle.

A

A place where carbon is held (e.g., trees, oceans, fossil fuels).

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18
Q

Define ‘flow’ in the carbon cycle.

A

The movement of carbon between stores (e.g., from plants to atmosphere).

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19
Q

What are fossil fuels?

A

Carbon-rich energy sources from ancient organisms—coal, oil, and natural gas.

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20
Q

What is the troposphere?

A

The lowest layer of Earth’s atmosphere where weather occurs.

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21
Q

What is the stratosphere?

A

The layer above the troposphere where volcanic aerosols like SO₂ can stay suspended and reflect sunlight.

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22
Q

What is an aerosol in climate science?

A

Tiny particles suspended in the air, like volcanic ash, which can block sunlight and cool Earth.

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23
Q

What is the impact of the jet stream on climate?

A

It influences weather patterns and can shift due to changes in global temperatures.

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24
Q

What is the difference between weather and climate?

A

Weather is the daily atmospheric condition (e.g., rain, sun). Climate is the average weather over a 30-year period.

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25
What is convectional rainfall and where is it common?
It occurs when warm air rises, cools, and condenses to form heavy showers. Common in summer or near the Equator and in urban areas.
26
Name 3 factors that cause microclimates.
Buildings (trap heat), trees (provide shade), lakes (cool air), surfaces (dark = hot).
27
Why is northern UK cooler than southern UK?
Due to latitude — the north is farther from the equator, so it receives less concentrated solar radiation.
28
How does altitude affect weather and climate?
For every 200 metres in height, temperature drops by ~1°C. High areas also get more rain (relief rainfall) as air cools when it rises.
29
What is relief rainfall and where does it occur?
Rainfall when moist air is forced up hills/mountains, cools, condenses, and rains. Common in western UK.
30
What is the North Atlantic Drift and what does it do?
A warm ocean current (from the Gulf Stream) that keeps western UK winters milder than expected.
31
What is a maritime climate? How does it differ from continental?
Maritime = coastal areas, mild winters/cool summers. Continental = inland areas, hot summers/cold winters.
32
What is an anticyclone and how does it affect weather?
A high-pressure system. In summer: clear, hot, dry. In winter: frosty nights, fog. Causes stable, prolonged weather.
33
What causes droughts?
Prolonged high pressure, lack of rain, low water in rivers/lakes/aquifers, and human impacts like deforestation.
34
What are common secondary effects of droughts and heatwaves?
Wildfires, crop failure, water shortages, and poor air quality due to smoke.
35
What is the jet stream and how does global warming affect it?
Fast-moving air in the upper atmosphere. Global warming weakens it, slowing/stalling weather systems.
36
Why is it hotter at the Equator?
The sun's energy is concentrated on a smaller area at the Equator.
37
What happens to air at the Equator due to the heat?
Hot, less dense air rises, creating a low-pressure band.
38
What is the name of the low-pressure band at the Equator?
The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ).
39
What happens to air after it rises at the Equator?
It cools higher in the atmosphere, becomes denser, and sinks at around 30° north and south of the Equator, creating high pressure.
40
Why do tropical storm seasons vary around the world?
Because ocean temperatures above 26°C occur at different times of the year in different regions.
41
Between which latitudes do tropical storms form?
Between 5° and 30° north and south of the Equator.
42
Why don’t tropical storms form on the Equator?
The Coriolis effect is too weak at the Equator to spin the storm.
43
Why do tropical storms weaken over land or cooler waters?
Because they lose their energy source—warm ocean water.
44
What temperature must the ocean be for tropical storms to form?
Above 26°C.
45
What causes very low pressure systems in tropical storms?
Huge amounts of warm water evaporate and rise.
46
What type of clouds form in tropical storms?
Cumulonimbus clouds.
47
What causes strong winds in a tropical storm?
Air rushing in to fill the low-pressure area.
48
What causes the winds in a tropical storm to spin?
The Coriolis effect.
49
What is the eye of a tropical storm?
The calm centre, surrounded by the eye wall where the strongest winds and heaviest rain occur.
50
How might global warming affect tropical storms?
1. More powerful (warmer water = more evaporation) 2. More frequent (longer warm seasons) 3. More widespread (larger areas of ocean above 26°C)
51
What is a storm surge and how is it caused?
A storm surge is a secondary effect of tropical storms. It happens when strong winds push seawater onto the shore and low pressure creates a bulge of water at the storm’s centre, causing sea levels to rise.
52
What is biodiversity?
The existence of a wide range of plants and animals in their natural environment.
53
What is an ecosystem?
A specific area where living and non-living elements interact.
54
What is a biome?
A large scale ecosystem.
55
What is deforestation?
When trees are cut down or destroyed.
56
What is a habitat?
The environment in which a plant or animal lives or grows.
57
What is monoculture?
Producing only one crop.
58
What is run-off or overland flow?
Flow of water over the land.
59
What is extinction?
A species of plant or animal which no longer has any living members.
60
What are nutrients?
Minerals absorbed by plants and animals.
61
What are potential negative impacts of offshore wind farms in Wales?
They may damage bird habitats (RSPB), harm the landscape, affect tourism, and upset local residents due to visual impact.
62
What are potential benefits of offshore wind farms in Wales?
They can create jobs and generate energy for homes and businesses.
63
What is Gwynt-y-Môr?
An offshore wind farm located 14 km off the North Wales coast.
64
What is an ecosystem?
A specific area where living and non-living elements interact.
65
What are examples of different scales of ecosystems?
A puddle of water and the tropical rainforest.
66
What is a biome?
A large-scale ecosystem.
67
How do people use ecosystems for energy?
Through deforestation for fuel, building dams for hydroelectric power, and offshore wind farms.
68
How do people use ecosystems for food and water?
Farming (e.g., growing soya beans), and building infrastructure for transporting food.
69
What is deforestation?
The removal of trees.
70
What is sustainable use of ecosystems?
Using ecosystems without harming the environment and providing economic and social benefits.
71
What is unsustainable use of ecosystems?
Using ecosystems in a way that causes long-term environmental, animal, and community damage.
72
What is livestock?
Animals such as cows and sheep kept on a farm.
73
What is infrastructure?
Basic facilities like roads, communication networks, and power supplies.
74
What does 'offshore' mean?
Situated in the sea.
75
What does 'impact' mean?
Effect on situations, processes, or people.
76
why did California between 2012 and 2015 have a drought
due to high pressure. an area of extreme high pressure sat over the north eastern pacific and california
77
economic impacts of cali drought
farmers lost $810 million in production during 2015 fruit and veg shortages in USA as California produces 50% of what is sold, led to a 6% price increase state government paid out $687 million to compensate farmers and home owners which diverted money from other areas
78
environmental impacts on the drought
cracks in the buildings due to subsidence, water was being pumped from below ground, faster than it was replenished by rain water salmon and trout died due to low river levels and increased water temp which means less oxygen in water 36% increase in wildfires, properties destroyed and wildlife killed
79
social impacts of drought
17000 agricultural jobs lost hosepipe ban, people caught washing cars etc were shamed on social media by neighbours HEP dams stopped producing electricity
80
What is an ecosystem?
A specific area where living and non-living elements interact.
81
What are examples of different scales of ecosystems?
A puddle of water and the tropical rainforest.
82
What is a biome?
A large-scale ecosystem.
83
How do people use ecosystems for energy?
Through deforestation for fuel, building dams for hydroelectric power, and offshore wind farms.
84
How do people use ecosystems for food and water?
Farming (e.g., growing soya beans), and building infrastructure for transporting food.
85
What is deforestation?
The removal of trees.
86
What is sustainable use of ecosystems?
Using ecosystems without harming the environment and providing economic and social benefits.
87
What is unsustainable use of ecosystems?
Using ecosystems in a way that causes long-term environmental, animal, and community damage.
88
Name three ways tropical rainforests can be managed sustainably.
Selective logging, ecotourism, and agroforestry.
89
What is a debt-for-nature swap?
A deal where richer countries cancel debt in return for rainforest conservation in poorer countries.
90
What is the nutrient cycle and how does it work in tropical rainforests?
Dead material is decomposed rapidly due to heat and moisture. Nutrients enter the soil, are absorbed by plant roots, and are quickly taken up by fast-growing plants. Rainfall causes leaching so nutrients stay near the surface.
91
How does the water cycle work in the tropical rainforest?
Trees absorb water from the ground and intercept rainfall. Heat causes transpiration and evaporation. Water vapor forms clouds and leads to convectional rainfall.
92
Why do tropical rainforests have high biodiversity?
Warm temperatures and high rainfall support diverse plant life and habitats year-round.
93
What are the environmental impacts of deforestation in the rainforest?
Soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, reduced rainfall, and disruption of the water and nutrient cycles.
94
Why are monoculture and overgrazing harmful to ecosystems?
They reduce biodiversity, exhaust soil nutrients, increase pests and disease, and lead to soil degradation.
95
How are rainforest plants adapted to the climate?
Drip-tip leaves shed water, buttress roots support tall trees, and waxy leaves reduce water loss.
96
Give an example of a small-scale UK ecosystem and a key feature.
Woodland – supports food chains, has nutrient cycling, and is sensitive to human impact.
97
What are potential negative impacts of offshore wind farms in Wales?
They may damage bird habitats (RSPB), harm the landscape, affect tourism, and upset local residents due to visual impact.
98
What are potential benefits of offshore wind farms in Wales?
They can create jobs and generate energy for homes and businesses.
99
What is Gwynt-y-Môr?
An offshore wind farm located 14 km off the North Wales coast.
100
What is livestock?
Animals such as cows and sheep kept on a farm.
101
What is infrastructure?
Basic facilities like roads, communication networks, and power supplies.
102
What does 'offshore' mean?
Situated in the sea.
103
What does 'impact' mean?
Effect on situations, processes, or people.
104
What is selective logging and why is it considered sustainable?
It involves cutting only certain species or mature trees, preserving forest structure and biodiversity.
105
What are Forestry Reserves and National Parks used for in forest conservation?
They are protected areas that restrict exploitation to preserve ecosystems and biodiversity.
106
What is a wildlife corridor and how does it help conservation?
It is a natural strip of land linking habitats, allowing animals to migrate, reproduce, and access food.
107
What is a debt-for-nature swap?
A deal where a wealthy country forgives a poorer country's debt in exchange for rainforest protection.
108
What is agroforestry and how does it benefit the environment?
The practice of growing trees and shrubs alongside crops and livestock, improving soil quality and biodiversity.
109
What is slash-and-burn farming and how can it be sustainable?
A traditional method where a small area is cleared and burned for farming, using ash as fertilizer, and later allowing the land to regenerate.

geography unit 2 (2 decks)

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