GCSE Geography – Climate, the Environment and People

Glossary card

Anticyclone A high pressure weather system. Average sea level pressure at the centre of the
system is usually above 1000 millibars.

Beaufort Scale A scale of wind speed ranging from 0 (Calm) to 12 (Hurricane). A figure of 12 is
over 117mph (73kph).

Biomes Large ecosystems at the global scale where the climate and vegetation is uniform.

Climate The average weather conditions over a long period – at least 30 years. Temperature and
precipitation are the most often used climate data and are shown on climate graphs.

Cold front The boundary where a cold air mass meets and pushes into a warm air mass. This is
usually found in the mid-latitudes of the northern hemisphere as part of a depression.

Delta A landform, often triangular in shape, that develops where a river meets a slow-moving
body of water such as a lake or ocean. Deposition of sediment eventually builds up above the
water level forcing the river to split into distributaries to form a delta.

Depression A low-pressure weather system often found in the mid-latitudes of the northern
hemisphere where a warm tropical air mass pushes into a cold arctic air mass. Warm air rises to
give low pressure at the centre of the weather system. This is usually less than 1000 millibars.

Ecosystem A system of links between plants and animals (the living community) and the habitats
where they live, including the non-living environment.

Heat island The buidling of towns and cities can change local weather by causing a build-up of
temperature in and above them. These temperatures are often higher than surrounding
countryside and form a heat island.

Leaching A chemical reaction which results in nutrients in the soil being replaced by hydrogen
from rainfall. Nutrients are lost from the soil or moved deeper down the soil profile.

Levée The raised banks of a river usually found in the lower course. They may be formed
naturally by regular flooding or be built up by people to protect the area against flooding.

Maritime Areas close to or on the coast have their climate influenced by the sea. Due to
differential heating, the sea is cooler than the land in summer and warmer in winter. Consequently
maritime climates do not have such large annual temperature ranges as are found in continental
climates.

Maximum temperature The highest temperature recorded during a time period. This is usually
during a 24-hour period but can be monthly or yearly.

Minimum temperature The lowest temperature recorded during a time period. This is usually
during a 24-hour period but can be monthly or yearly.

Monsoon Derived from the Arabic word mawsim meaning season. It is a seasonal change of
wind direction. The monsoon refers to both dry and wet seasons although its common use refers
to the wet season only.

Precipitation – Moisture that falls out of the sky (rain, sleet, snow and hail).

Prevailing wind The direction from which the wind blows into an area for most of the year.

Sustainable Capable, by careful use and management, of being maintained, used and enjoyed
by future generations.
Temperate Areas in the northern and southern hemispheres which do not experience great
extremes of heat or cold. They are in the mid-latitudes between the hot tropics and cold polar
regions.

Temperature range The difference between the highest and lowest temperature during a fixed
period of time

Tundra The biome in Alaska, northern Canada, northern Europe and Asia where the ground is
permanently frozen for most of the year. Lichen, moss, grasses and dwarf shrubs and trees can
grow here.

Warm front The boundary where a mass of advancing warm air meets a mass of cold air. The
lighter, warm air rises over the cold air.

Weather Short-term day-to-day changes in the atmosphere. Weather recording usually includes
rainfall, temperature, cloud cover, wind speed and direction.

Weathering The breakdown of rock surfaces into smaller particles by the action of the weather,
plants and animals. Weathering takes place in situ or on the spot. It does not involve large-scale
removal of material.