SACE Stage 2 Geography flashcards
SACE Stage 2 Geography · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Positive feedback loop
- A process in which an initial change triggers further change in the same direction, amplifying the original effect, such as ice melt reducing albedo and causing more warming.
- Negative feedback loop
- A self-regulating process that counteracts an initial change and stabilises a system, such as increased plant growth absorbing more atmospheric carbon dioxide.
- Divergent plate boundary
- A boundary where two tectonic plates move apart, allowing magma to rise and form new crust, typically producing mid-ocean ridges and rift valleys.
- Subduction zone
- A convergent boundary where a denser oceanic plate sinks beneath a less dense plate, generating deep ocean trenches, earthquakes, and volcanic arcs.
- Transform boundary
- A boundary where plates slide horizontally past each other, crust is neither created nor destroyed, and friction release causes shallow earthquakes.
- Push factor
- A negative condition at a place of origin, such as conflict, drought, or unemployment, that encourages people to leave and migrate elsewhere.
- Pull factor
- A positive condition at a destination, such as employment opportunities, political stability, or better services, that attracts migrants to move there.
- Demographic transition model
- A model describing population change through stages as birth and death rates fall at different times, shifting a country from high to low growth.
- Human Development Index
- A composite measure of development combining life expectancy, mean and expected years of schooling, and gross national income per capita.
- Gini coefficient
- A measure of income inequality ranging from zero, meaning perfect equality, to one, meaning all income is held by a single household.
- Urbanisation
- The increasing proportion of a population living in towns and cities, driven by rural-to-urban migration and natural increase in urban areas.
- Sustainable development
- Development that meets present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, balancing environmental, social, and economic goals.
- Ecosystem services
- The benefits people obtain from ecosystems, including provisioning (food, water), regulating (climate, flood control), cultural, and supporting services.
- Water scarcity
- A shortage of freshwater where demand exceeds available supply, caused by low rainfall, overuse, pollution, or population pressure.
- Climate change adaptation
- Adjustments made to reduce vulnerability to climate impacts, such as building sea walls, drought-resistant crops, or early warning systems.
- Climate change mitigation
- Actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or remove them from the atmosphere, such as renewable energy, reforestation, or carbon pricing.
- Map scale
- The ratio between distance on a map and the corresponding distance on the ground, expressed as a representative fraction, word statement, or linear bar.
- Six-figure grid reference
- A location code on a topographic map found by reading eastings first, then northings, each to two digits, giving a 100-metre square.
- Contour interval
- The constant vertical difference in elevation between adjacent contour lines on a map, shown in the map legend and used to judge slope steepness.
- Aspect
- The compass direction that a slope faces, influencing sunlight exposure, temperature, moisture, and therefore vegetation and land use.
- Random sampling
- A fieldwork technique where each point in an area has an equal chance of selection, reducing bias but possibly missing localised patterns.
- Systematic sampling
- A fieldwork technique collecting data at regular intervals, such as every ten metres along a transect, to detect change across a gradient.
- Stratified sampling
- A fieldwork technique dividing a population into subgroups and sampling each proportionally, ensuring all subgroups are represented in the data.
- Primary data
- Data collected first-hand by the investigator through fieldwork, surveys, or measurements, giving control over method but costing time.
- Secondary data
- Data gathered by others and reused, such as census records, satellite imagery, or government reports, offering breadth but limited control over accuracy.
- Qualitative data
- Non-numerical information describing qualities, opinions, or observations, such as interview responses or field sketches, analysed by identifying themes.
- Standard deviation
- A measure of the spread of data around the mean; a large value indicates widely dispersed values, a small value indicates clustering.
- Scatter graph
- A graph plotting one variable against another to reveal the strength and direction of correlation, with points trending up for positive relationships.
- Choropleth map
- A map using shading or colour to represent the value of a variable across defined areas, effective for rates but misleading if areas vary greatly in size.
- Correlation versus causation
- A statistical association between two variables does not prove that one causes the other; a third factor may influence both.
- Geographic inquiry process
- A structured method moving from posing a question, collecting and presenting data, to analysing, concluding, and evaluating the reliability of findings.
- Relief
- The variation in elevation and shape of the land surface, depicted on maps by contour lines, spot heights, and hachures.