MATSEC SEC Geography flashcards
MATSEC SEC Geography · Build recall with a focused review session.
33 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Constructive plate boundary
- A boundary where two plates move apart and magma rises to fill the gap, forming mid-ocean ridges and rift valleys with shallow earthquakes and fissure eruptions.
- Destructive plate boundary
- A boundary where an oceanic plate subducts beneath a continental or oceanic plate, producing deep trenches, fold mountains, explosive volcanoes and powerful earthquakes.
- Conservative plate boundary
- A boundary where plates slide past each other without crust being created or destroyed, generating friction, fault lines and earthquakes but generally no volcanic activity.
- Igneous rock formation
- Rock formed when magma or lava cools and crystallises; slow cooling underground produces coarse crystals such as granite, while rapid cooling at the surface produces fine crystals such as basalt.
- Sedimentary rock formation
- Rock formed from layers of sediment deposited in water or on land, then compacted by weight and cemented by minerals; examples include limestone, sandstone and shale.
- Metamorphic rock formation
- Rock altered by intense heat and pressure without melting, often deep in the crust or near intrusions; limestone becomes marble and shale becomes slate.
- Freeze-thaw weathering
- Water enters cracks in rock, freezes and expands by about nine percent, prising the rock apart; repeated cycles break rock into angular fragments, common in upland areas.
- Carbonation weathering
- Rainwater absorbs carbon dioxide to form weak carbonic acid, which dissolves calcium carbonate in limestone, creating features such as limestone pavements, swallow holes and caves.
- Hydraulic action erosion
- The force of fast-flowing water compressing air in cracks in a river bed or bank, weakening and eventually breaking away rock fragments, especially during high discharge.
- Longshore drift
- The movement of sediment along a coast by waves approaching at an angle, with swash carrying material up the beach and backwash returning it at right angles to the shoreline.
- Spit formation
- A ridge of sand or shingle extending from the land into the sea where the coastline changes direction, built by longshore drift and often ending in a curved hook.
- Constructive wave
- A wave with low frequency, a long wavelength and a strong swash relative to backwash, which deposits material and builds up beaches on gently sloping coasts.
- Destructive wave
- A wave with high frequency, short wavelength and a powerful backwash that removes material from the beach, common on steep coasts exposed to strong winds.
- Natural increase rate
- The difference between the birth rate and the death rate of a population, expressed per thousand per year; a positive figure means the population is growing naturally.
- Demographic transition model
- A five-stage model showing how birth and death rates change as a country develops, from high stationary rates through rapid growth to low stationary rates and possible decline.
- Population pyramid
- A bar graph showing the number of males and females in each age band; wide bases indicate high birth rates and youthful populations, narrow bases indicate ageing populations.
- Dependency ratio
- The ratio of people outside working age, usually under 15 and over 64, to the working-age population, expressed per hundred workers and indicating economic pressure.
- Settlement site factors
- Physical advantages chosen for a settlement location, including reliable water supply, flat land, defensive high ground, a bridging point, fertile soil and shelter from prevailing winds.
- Urban land-use model
- A simplified diagram of city structure; the Burgess model shows concentric zones around a central business district, while the Hoyt model shows wedge-shaped sectors following transport routes.
- Six-figure grid reference
- A map reference giving easting then northing, each to three figures, identifying a 100-metre square on a 1:50,000 map; always read along the corridor before up the stairs.
- Map scale 1:50,000
- A ratio showing that one unit on the map represents 50,000 of the same units on the ground, so one centimetre on the map equals 500 metres in reality.
- Contour lines
- Lines on a map joining points of equal height above sea level; closely spaced contours show steep slopes, widely spaced contours show gentle slopes, and hachures mark depressions.
- Relief rainfall
- Rainfall caused when moist air is forced to rise over high ground, cooling and condensing to give heavy rain on the windward slope and a drier rain shadow beyond.
- Systematic sampling
- A sampling technique using a fixed interval, such as every tenth pebble or a measurement every ten metres along a transect, giving even coverage and easy repetition.
- Random sampling
- A sampling method where every point or item has an equal chance of selection, achieved with random number tables or coordinates, reducing bias in the sample.
- River discharge formula
- Discharge equals cross-sectional area multiplied by velocity, measured in cubic metres per second; area is width times mean depth, and velocity is measured by flow meter.
- Beach profile measurement
- A survey using ranging poles and a tape to record horizontal distance and vertical height change from the water's edge inland, used to calculate beach gradient and compare sites.
- Spearman's rank formula
- A statistical test of correlation calculated as one minus six times the sum of squared rank differences, divided by sample size cubed minus sample size.
- Hypothesis in fieldwork
- A testable statement predicting a relationship between two variables, such as pebble size decreasing downstream, which fieldwork data can support or reject.
- Hard engineering
- Man-made structures such as sea walls, groynes, dams and embankments that control natural processes; effective but expensive and often causing knock-on effects elsewhere.
- Soft engineering
- Management approaches working with natural processes, including beach nourishment, managed retreat, afforestation and floodplain zoning; usually cheaper but may need repeated maintenance.
- Data reliability
- The extent to which repeated measurements give consistent results; reliability is improved by taking multiple readings, using standardised methods and increasing sample size.
- Data validity
- The extent to which collected data actually measures what it is intended to measure and answers the fieldwork question, rather than an unrelated or distorted variable.