Key Words
On this page you will find key words for your studies in Geography.
This list will change over time as more words are added.
This list will change over time as more words are added.
Plate Tectonics
Aftershock: a smaller tremor after the main earthquake.
Convection Currents: The force that moves the plates
Core: Centre of the Earth
Crust: Are of the Earth we live on.
Earthquake: Shaking of the Earth.
Fault: A weakness in the Earth’s crust.
Mantle: Layer of the Earth beneath the crust
Plate: A part of the Earth’s Crust.
Seismograph: The printed report of an earthquake.
Seismologist: A person who studies earthquakes
Seismometer: A machine that measures how strong an earthquake is.
Tremor: Vibration caused by an earthquake
Volcanoes
Active: A volcano that is still erupting.
Caldera: The remains of an old volcano.
Crater: Top of a volcano.
Dormant: A volcano that has not erupted in a long time.
Eruption: The process whereby a volcano explodes.
Extinct: A volcano that is dead.
Fumarole: A vent that erupts gas only.
Geyser: Volcanic fountain
Hot Spot: An area of volcanic activity.
Lava: Magma when it breaks through the surface.
Magma: Molten rock underground.
Pyroclastic flow: A fast moving flow of ash, smoke, gas and glass.
Pyroclastic material: Ash, smoke, gas and glass from a volcano.
Vent: The pipe that Magma escapes through.
Volcano: An exploding mountain.
Rocks
Compressed: Squeezed.
Folds: Ripples in a body of rock.
Igneous: Rock made from Magma and Lava.
Lithified: Turned to rock.
Metamorphic: Rock changed from one type to another.
Sedimentary: Rock made from pressed remains of rock and animals
Stratified: In layers.
Weathering
Carbonic Acid: A weak acid made from Carbon Dioxide & Water.
Chemical Weathering: Form of weathering (in urban areas mostly).
Exfoliation: Form of weathering (in warm areas).
Freeze-thaw: Form of weathering (in cold areas).
Onion Weathering: Same as exfoliation.
Scree: remains of weathered material at the bottom of a mountain.
Weathering: Breaking down of rock but remains are NOT removed.
Erosion
Abrasion: When eroded material bumps off other eroded material.
Attrition: When eroded material hits off solid material.
Compressed Air: Explosive force of erosion.
Erosion: Breaking down of rock and remains ARE removed.
Hydraulic Action: The force of water eroding material.
Lateral Erosion: Erosion in a sideways direction.
Transportation: How the eroded material is removed.
Vertical Erosion: Erosion in a downwards direction.
Rivers
Bouncing: Form of transportation.
Delta: Lower stage feature.
Feature: Important part of the river for study.
Flood Plain: Middle/Lower stage feature.
Fluvial: To do with a river.
Interlocking Spur: Upper stage feature.
Levee: Middle/Lower stage feature.
Meander: Middle stage feature.
Ox-Bow Lake: Lower stage feature.
Rolling: Form of transportation.
Solution: Form of transportation.
Stage: Part of the river being studied (Upper/Middle/Lower).
Suspension: Form of transportation.
V-Shaped Valley: Upper stage feature.
Waterfall: Upper stage feature.
Sea
Arch: Feature of erosion.
Backwash: Wave movement down a beach.
Beach: Feature of deposition.
Cave: Feature of erosion.
Cliff: Feature of erosion.
Coastal: To do with the sea.
Constructive: Builds up a beach.
Current: a flow within the sea.
Deposition: material left on the beach.
Destructive: Erodes a beach.
Fetch: Length of open sea the wind blows over.
Frequency: how many waves breaking per minute.
High Tide Mark: As high as the water gets.
Lagoon: A salt lake.
Longshore Drift: Transportation along the coast.
Low Tide Mark: As low as the water gets.
Marram Grass: Long grass found by the sea.
Sand Dune: Feature of deposition, a sandy hill.
Sandbar/spit: Feature of deposition.
Stack: Feature of erosion.
Stump: Feature of erosion.
Swash: Wave movement up a beach.
Tombolo: Feature of deposition.
Aftershock: a smaller tremor after the main earthquake.
Convection Currents: The force that moves the plates
Core: Centre of the Earth
Crust: Are of the Earth we live on.
Earthquake: Shaking of the Earth.
Fault: A weakness in the Earth’s crust.
Mantle: Layer of the Earth beneath the crust
Plate: A part of the Earth’s Crust.
Seismograph: The printed report of an earthquake.
Seismologist: A person who studies earthquakes
Seismometer: A machine that measures how strong an earthquake is.
Tremor: Vibration caused by an earthquake
Volcanoes
Active: A volcano that is still erupting.
Caldera: The remains of an old volcano.
Crater: Top of a volcano.
Dormant: A volcano that has not erupted in a long time.
Eruption: The process whereby a volcano explodes.
Extinct: A volcano that is dead.
Fumarole: A vent that erupts gas only.
Geyser: Volcanic fountain
Hot Spot: An area of volcanic activity.
Lava: Magma when it breaks through the surface.
Magma: Molten rock underground.
Pyroclastic flow: A fast moving flow of ash, smoke, gas and glass.
Pyroclastic material: Ash, smoke, gas and glass from a volcano.
Vent: The pipe that Magma escapes through.
Volcano: An exploding mountain.
Rocks
Compressed: Squeezed.
Folds: Ripples in a body of rock.
Igneous: Rock made from Magma and Lava.
Lithified: Turned to rock.
Metamorphic: Rock changed from one type to another.
Sedimentary: Rock made from pressed remains of rock and animals
Stratified: In layers.
Weathering
Carbonic Acid: A weak acid made from Carbon Dioxide & Water.
Chemical Weathering: Form of weathering (in urban areas mostly).
Exfoliation: Form of weathering (in warm areas).
Freeze-thaw: Form of weathering (in cold areas).
Onion Weathering: Same as exfoliation.
Scree: remains of weathered material at the bottom of a mountain.
Weathering: Breaking down of rock but remains are NOT removed.
Erosion
Abrasion: When eroded material bumps off other eroded material.
Attrition: When eroded material hits off solid material.
Compressed Air: Explosive force of erosion.
Erosion: Breaking down of rock and remains ARE removed.
Hydraulic Action: The force of water eroding material.
Lateral Erosion: Erosion in a sideways direction.
Transportation: How the eroded material is removed.
Vertical Erosion: Erosion in a downwards direction.
Rivers
Bouncing: Form of transportation.
Delta: Lower stage feature.
Feature: Important part of the river for study.
Flood Plain: Middle/Lower stage feature.
Fluvial: To do with a river.
Interlocking Spur: Upper stage feature.
Levee: Middle/Lower stage feature.
Meander: Middle stage feature.
Ox-Bow Lake: Lower stage feature.
Rolling: Form of transportation.
Solution: Form of transportation.
Stage: Part of the river being studied (Upper/Middle/Lower).
Suspension: Form of transportation.
V-Shaped Valley: Upper stage feature.
Waterfall: Upper stage feature.
Sea
Arch: Feature of erosion.
Backwash: Wave movement down a beach.
Beach: Feature of deposition.
Cave: Feature of erosion.
Cliff: Feature of erosion.
Coastal: To do with the sea.
Constructive: Builds up a beach.
Current: a flow within the sea.
Deposition: material left on the beach.
Destructive: Erodes a beach.
Fetch: Length of open sea the wind blows over.
Frequency: how many waves breaking per minute.
High Tide Mark: As high as the water gets.
Lagoon: A salt lake.
Longshore Drift: Transportation along the coast.
Low Tide Mark: As low as the water gets.
Marram Grass: Long grass found by the sea.
Sand Dune: Feature of deposition, a sandy hill.
Sandbar/spit: Feature of deposition.
Stack: Feature of erosion.
Stump: Feature of erosion.
Swash: Wave movement up a beach.
Tombolo: Feature of deposition.