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Abrasion
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The wearing down of a land surface by moving weathered rock debries.
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Absolute humidity
|
The amount of water vapour per unit volume of air, usually expressed in grams per
cubic meter.
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Absorption
|
In the capacity of the atmosphere to transform radiation into different form of
energy instead of transmitting or reflecting it.
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Abyssal Plain (deep sea plain)
|
The generally level area of the ocean floor that lies between about 3500m and 5500m
below the surface of the ocean.
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Acclimatise
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To adapt or become accustomed to new environmental conditions.
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Advection Fog
|
Fog formed by the horizontal movement of warm moist air over a cooler surface which
reduces the temperature of the lower layer of the given condensation
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Aeolian
|
Denoting the process or landforms caused by or related to the wind.
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Aggradation
|
The process by which a land surface is built by the deposition of debris and other
solid materials especially by rivers.
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Agriculture
|
The cultivation of the soil in order to grow crops rear livestock.
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Airmass
|
A mass of air with similar properties of temperature and moisture covering a large
area of the earth's surface and bounded by fronts.
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Altitude
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The height of a place above mean sea level.
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Anemometer
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An instrument measuring atmospheric pressure.
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Antarctic
|
The part of the earth's surface lying within the Antarctic circle.
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Antarctic circle
|
The line or parallel of latitude 660 - 300 S.
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Anticyclone
|
An area of high pressure in Atmosphere.
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Arctic
|
The area of the earth's surface lying within the Arctic circle.
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Arid
|
Denoting any climate or region in which rainfall is insufficient.
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Atlas
|
A collection of maps bound in a volume.
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Atmosphere
|
The layer of gases enveloping the earth.
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Atmospheric pressure
|
The pressure exerted by the atmosphere as a result of its weight above a unit area
of the earth's surface.
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Axis (earth's)
|
A line running through the centre of the earth, connecting the North Pole with the
South Pole.
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Bank
|
The edge of river or lake.
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Bar
|
an off shore deposit of sand, mud and shingle in the form of a ridge running roughly
parallel to the coastline.
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Barograph
|
A self recording barometer.
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Barometer
|
An instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure.
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Basalt
|
A fine grained dark igneous of volcanic origin.
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Base level
|
The lowest level to which a stream or river can erode. Sea level is the most common
base level.
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Biography
|
The scientific study of the distribution of species of plants and animals.
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Biosphere
|
That part of the earth and atmosphere where life is able to exist.
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Canyon
|
A deep valley with steep nearly vertical sides.
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Capricorn, tropic of
|
The parallel of latitude at 230 - 300 South.
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Cartography
|
The science of constructing maps and charts.
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Cascade
|
A small waterfall or a series of small waterfalls down a rock step.
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Celsius scale
|
A temperature scale in which the temperature of melting ice is taken as 00C
and temperature of boiling water as 1000.
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Cereal
|
A cultivated grass used as human or animal food.
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Chart
|
A map that is designed for a specific use.
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Cliff
|
A very steep or vertical rock face.
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Climate
|
The average weather conditions over a specific length of time, usually a period
of 30 years.
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Cloud
|
A mass of minute water droplets.
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Coast
|
The boundary between land and sea including the strip land that borders the sea
shore.
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Coastline
|
The boundary between the land and the sea.
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Continent
|
One of the parts in which earth's crust is divided that rises above depressions
of ocean basins
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Continental platform
|
The land areas of continent together with the continental shelf that surrounds it.
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Convection
|
A process of heat transfer within the atmosphere which involves the movement of
the medium itself.
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Core
|
The central portion of earth's interior. It is composed of a mass of nickel - iron.
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Crust
|
The outermost shell of the earth. Its thickness varies from 6 to
60 km.
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Demography
|
The empirical, statistical and mathematical study of population.
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Density
|
The mass of a substance per unit volume. It is expressed in kgcm-3.
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Desert
|
An area of the earth's surface where vegetation and animal life is considerably
united or non-existent as a result of low precipitation.
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Dew
|
The deposition of water droplets on the ground and objects.
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Distributary
|
A river channel that branches off from the main stream without rejoining it.
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|
Drizzle
|
A form of precipitation in which the water droplets are very fine (<0.5mm) and
are close together.
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Eco system
|
A community of plants and animals sharing a given environment, together with the
non living habitat that they occupy.
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|
Environment
|
In biogeography, the sum of physical, chemical and biological conditions experienced
by an organism including soil, water, light, neighbourhood vegetation individuals
of its own sort and members of other species.
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|
Epi-centre
|
The point on the earth's surface immediately above the sesmic focus or origin of
an earthquake
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|
Equatorial climate
|
A climate type found in low lying areas between latitudes 100 N and 100
S.
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|
Equatorial Rain forest
|
A type of vegetation dominated by very small trees that grows in equatorial
regions.
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|
Equinox
|
One of the two dates in the year when day and night are of equal length throughout
the world.
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|
Evaporation
|
It is the process in which liquid changes into gases.
|
|
Exosphere
|
The boundary between the earth's atmosphere and inter planetary space. It extends
from about 400 km above earth's surface.
|
|
Extinct Volcano
|
A volcano that was active once in the geological past but which is not active today
with no prospect of any future activity.
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|
Extrusive Rock
|
Igneous rock formed by the cooling and solidification of magma that has poured out
to the surface of earth.
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|
Fog
|
Droplets of water suspended in the lower layers of the atmosphere resulting from
the condensation of water vapours.
|
|
Frost
|
A weather condition that occurs when the air temperature is at or below 00
C.
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|
Geography
|
The study of the features of the earth's surface, including their spatial distribution
and interrelationships and the interaction of man with them.
|
|
Geoid
|
The theoretical shape of earth based on estimates of its mass, elasticity and speed
of rotation on ignoring surface irregularties.
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|
Geology
|
The study of the structure and composition of the earth.
|
|
Geomorphology
|
The study adn interpretation of the origin and development of land forms on the
earths surface.
|
|
Globe
|
A small scale spherical model of the earth, usually showing the main surface features,
chief towns and political boundaries.
|
|
Glacier
|
A mass of ice that moves under the influence of gravity along a confined course
away from its source area.
|
|
Gorge
|
A deep valley with steep and rocky side walls.
|
|
Gulf
|
A sea inlet that is larger and more enclosed then a bay and penetrates further
inland.
|
|
Hail
|
Precipitation in the form of pellets of ice that develops in and fall from a cloud.
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|
Hemisphere
|
Half of sphere i.e. plane passing through the centre of earth dividing it into two
hemispheres.
|
|
Hill
|
A rounded elevation of earth's surface which is of lower altitude than mountain
and with less steeply inclined sides.
|
|
Horse Latitudes
|
Zones of high atmospheric pressure occurring over the oceans in latitudes between
300- 350 N & 300 - 350 S.
|
|
Human Geography
|
The geographic study of phenomena of the earth's surface which are due or relate
directly to the activities of man.
|
|
Hydrology
|
The study of water on earth, includes its chemical and physical properties.
|
|
Hygrometer
|
An instrument that measures the relative humidity of the atmosphere.
|
|
Iceberg
|
A large mass of ice floating in the sea.
|
|
Igneous Rock
|
Rocks that are solidified from molten magma.
|
|
Insulation
|
The radiation energy that reaches the surface of earth from the sun.
|
|
Intrusive Rock
|
Igneous rock that have solidified below the earth's surface.
|
|
Ionosphere
|
That part of the earth's atmosphere extending upwards above the stratosphere from
an altitude of about 60 km.
|
|
Isthmus
|
A narrow bridge of land with water on either side that connects two larger bodies
of land.
|
|
Lagoon
|
A shallow stretch of water that is separated from the open sea by a barrier such
as a spit or bay mouth bar.
|
|
Lake
|
A body of water that lies in a hollow in the earth's surface and is entirely surrounded
by land.
|
|
Land breeze
|
A cool wind that blows from the land to the sea during the night.
|
|
Land form
|
Any feature of the earth's surface that posses a particular shape and form.
|
|
Landscape
|
The visual sum of all the landforms in an area together with the vegetation and
the land use that is employed.
|
|
Magma
|
Molten rock material charged with gases and at a very high temperature lying beneath
the earth's surface.
|
|
Mantle
|
The portion of the interior of the earth lying beneath the crust and above the core.
|
|
Map
|
The representation on a flat surface of all or part of the earth's surface, or some
other celestial body such as the moon.
|
|
Meander
|
A pronounced curve or loop in the course of river channel.
|
|
Mechanical Weathering
|
The breakup of rock by process of weathering that do not involve chemical change.
|
|
Meridian
|
A line of longitude passing from North to the South pole and forming half of the
great circle
|
|
Mesopause
|
A temperature discontinuity in the ionosphere at the altitude of 80-90 km.
|
|
Mesosphere
|
A layer in the atmosphere extending between the stratosphere and the mesosphere
|
|
Metamorphic Rock
|
Rocks formed when pre-existing sedimentary or igneous rock is altered as a result
of changes in physical or chemical conditions.
|
|
Monsoon
|
A large scale seasonal reversal of winds, pressure and rainfall in the tropics.
|
|
Mortality
|
The number of deaths within a given period and area.
|
|
Oasis
|
A fertile path in an arid area at the water table reaches or is very close to ground
surface.
|
|
Ocean
|
The vast expanse of salt water that covers over 70% of the earth's surface.
|
|
Orbit Of The Earth
|
The earth's annual path around the sun. It is elliptical in shape
|
|
Ozone Layer
|
A zone within the atmosphere, generally between 20 and 50 km, where ozone forms
in its greatest concentration.
|
|
Pass
|
A route way through a mountain range that follows the line of a col
or a gap.
|
|
Petrology
|
The study of all aspects of rocks, including mineral composition, texture, structure,
origin, occurance, alteration and relationship with other rocks.
|
|
Physical Geography
|
The study of the features of the earth, which form the environment of man and their
development with other rocks.
|
|
Plateau
|
An extensive elevated area of relatively flat land.
|
|
Pole
|
The two extremities of the earth's axis of rotation forms the poles i.e North Pole
and South Pole.
|
|
Political Geography
|
The Geography of political phenomenon, including states and frontiers, their variations
and inter-relationships, and their form and impact on the earth's surface.
|
|
Population
|
The total number of in-habitat of a city, country or other unit of area.
|
|
Population Density
|
A measure that relates the size of population to the area of land that it occupies.
|
|
Rain gauge
|
An instrument designed to measure rainfall.
|
|
Relativity humidity
|
The ratio expressed as a percentage between the amount of water vapour actually
present in an air mass and the maximum amount that the air mass could hold at that
temperature.
|
|
Rift valley
|
a flat bottomed valley formed by the sinking of the ground between two nearly parallel
faults.
|
|
Rotation of earth
|
The rotation of earth from W to E around its own axis is called rotation.
|
|
Storm
|
A severe atmospheric disturbance with very strong winds.
|
|
Stratosphere
|
That layer of earth's atmosphere that lies between tropopause and stratopause
|
|
Terrace
|
A relatively flat strip of land that forms a half or bench.
|
|
Thermograph
|
A self recording thermometer.
|
|
Thermometer
|
An instrument for measuring temperature.
|
|
U-shaped valley
|
the typical form of a valley through which a glacier formerly flowed.
|
|
Weathering
|
The process that results in the breakdown of rocks and minerals in silts.
|