BSL Glossary - Geography curriculum terms

geography icon: image of a mountain

A to Z

Subject categories

image of a red rock formation
Ash Bedding Coal Conservative Plate Constructive Plate Contact Metamorphism Copper Core Crater Cross-section Crust Destructive Plate (see Subduction) Dick petrographical microscope Earthquake Epicentre Eruption Cloud Fault Field Sketch Fossil Fossil Fuel Fracking Gas Geology Gold Igneous Rock Impermeable Iron Lahar Landslide Lava Magma Magma Chamber Mantle Metamorphic Rock Oil Permeable Petrographical microscope Plate Tectonics Polarisation (light) Polarised light Polarisers Porous Pyroclastic Density Current Regional Metamorphism Rock Sedimentary Rock Silver Subduction/Destructive Plate Subduction zone Transect Tsunami Volcanic Eruption Volcano Volcano Rim
image of computer code on a screen
Attributes Attributes Table Basemap Bathymetry Cartesian Coordinates System Cartography Choropleth Map Continuous Data Database Datum Digital Elevation Model Dimensions Discrete Data Draping Ellipsoid Generalisation Geodatabase Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Geoid Geostationary Satellites Hillshading Line Nadir Pixel Point Polygon Resolution Surface Terrain Uncertainty Viewshed Volume Zenith
image of a glacier
Abrasion Antarctic Arête Corrie Freeze-Thaw Weathering Glaciation Glacier Hanging Valley Ice Sheet Moraine Perma-Frost Plucking Pyramidal Peak Ribbon Lake Scree Tarn Terminal Moraine Truncated Spurs U-shaped Valley
image of hands pointing at a map
Compass Contours Eastings Equator Escarpment Grid Reference Key Latitude Longitude Map Map text Mountain North Pole Northings Plateau Scale South Pole Summit Symbols Text (map) Topography Tropic of Cancer (Area) Tropic of Cancer (latitude) Tropic of Capricorn (area) Tropic of Capricorn (latitude) Tropics
image of a winding river at sunset
Abrasion Attrition Catchment Area/Drainage Basin Confluence Corrosion Delta Deposition Drought Erosion Estuary Flash Flood Flood Flood Plain Meander Ox-bow Lake Plunge Pool Reservoir River River Mouth River Source Saltation Silt Suspension Traction Tributary V-shaped Valley Water Cycle Waterfall Watershed
image of a hurricane from above
Air Pressure Cirrus Clouds Climate Climate Change Cold Front Cumulus Clouds Cumulonimbus Clouds Gordon Dobson's original ozone spectrograph Humidity Hurricane Isobar Meteorology Monsoon Precipitation Rainfall Stratus Clouds Tornado Tropical Storm Typhoon Warm Front Weather Wind speed
Earthquake Petrographical microscope Polarised light Dick petrographical microscope Polarisers Focus (Earthquake) Seismograph Seismometer Seismic waves
image of a delta
Geology - Cross Section Example Geology - Dessicated Rock Example Geology - Erratic Rock, Terminal Moraine Example Geology - Field Sketch Example Geology - Geological map of UK, Rocks Example Geology - Igneous Rock - Lava Rock - Pumice Rock - Volcanic Dust or Ash Example Geology - Landslide Example Geology - Lava Rock Example Geology - Metamorphic Rock Geology - Ripples on Rock Example Geology - Sedimentary Rock - Laboratory Example Geology - Sedimentary Rock - Fieldwork Example Geology - Volcano (Extinct) Example Glaciers - Corrie Example Glaciers - Scree Example Glaciers - U-Shaped Valley And Loch Example Maps - Map Reading Example Maps - Contours - Black Hill Edinburgh Example Maps - Escarpment - Forest River Reservoir Dams Mapreading Example Maps - Grid Reference - Grid Area - Northings - Eastings Example Maps - Key Or Legends - Symbols Example Maps - Map And Scale Example Maps - Upland Glaciated Area Map - Arêtes Corries Scree Mountains Ribbon Loch Rivers Example Maps - Scale Example Maps - Topography Example Maps - U-Shaped Valley - Hanging Valley Foinaven Area Example Rivers - A River's Journey - Source, V-Valley, Tributary, Confluence Example Rivers - Confluence Example Rivers - Eddy River with Victoria Finn Example Rivers - Erosion, Abrasion and the Start of a Meander Example Rivers - Erosion Example Rivers - Estuary Example Rivers - Flood Example Rivers - Meander Example Rivers - Ox-bow Lake Example Rivers - Reservoir Example Rivers - River Mouth into a Loch Example Rivers - River Mouth into a Firth Example Rivers - Waterfall Rivers - Waterfall - One of the 4 Waterfalls in Brecon Beacons National Park Clun-Gwyn Example Rivers - Waterfall - One of the 4 Waterfalls in Brecon Beacons National Park with Janet Wardle-Peck Example Rivers - Waterfall (Pentlands) Example Weather - Cirrus and Cumulus Clouds Example
 

Geography signs from Environmental Science

Theme 1: Ecosystems and Biodiversity

Crop Barrier crop Companion crops Crop rotation Coppicing Pollarding
Bycatch Catch quota Extensive aquaculture Extensive agriculture Ghost fishing Intensive aquaculture Intensive agriculture Permaculture Polyculture Purse seining
 

Theme 2: Physical environment and Pollution


Physical environment Anthropogenic Atmosphere Biosphere Cryosphere Lithosphere Stratosphere Troposphere Remote sensing

Atmosphere Carbon sequestration Stratosphere Troposphere Thermal stratification Albedo Carbon footprint El Niño Greenhouse gases Methane hydrate Proxy data Thermohaline circulation Tipping point Ozone depletion Ozone depleting substances (ODSs) Polar vortex winds

Hydrosphere Hydrology Acidification (ocean) Thermohaline circulation

Mineral resources Mineral Lithosphere Hydrothermal deposition Proterozoic marine sediments Physical and biology sediments Lasky's principle Gravimetry Magnetometry Resistivity Satellite imagery Seismic survey Cut-off ore grade Overburden Leachate Bioleaching (with acidophilic bacteria) Acidophilic bacteria Cradle to cradle design Phyto mining

Biogeochemical cycle Carbon cycle Afforestation Carbon capture and storage (CCS) Peat bogs Nitrogen cycle Eutrophication Phosphorus cycle Biological productivity

Soil Ploughing Sedimentation (rivers, reservoirs, coastal) Contour ploughing Mulching Multi cropping Strip cropping Terracing Tied ridging Windbreaks

Acidification (ocean) Carbon capture and storage (CCS) Carbon footprint Carbon sequestration Dynamic equilibrium Gordon Dobson's original ozone spectrograph Greenhouse gases Ozone depletion Negative feedback mechanism Positive feedback mechanism Pollution Pollutant Proxy data Tipping point

Pollution Pollutant Adsorption Absorption Smog Temperature inversions Photochemical smog

Smoke PM10 PM2.5 PM5 PM1 Bag filters Cyclone separators Electrostatic precipitators Acid precipitation Catalytic converter Desulfurisation Flue gas desulfurisation Wet FGD Dry FGD Urea sprays Nitrogen oxides Sulfur dioxide Activated carbon filter Incineration Cooling towers Bund walls Liposolubility Runoff Aerobic process Anaerobic process Acoustic fatigue Baffle mounds Ionising radiation Grays (unit) Exposure Contamination Acute effects Chronic effects

Bioremediation Phytoremediation Biotic index Toxicity (NOx)
 

Theme 3: Energy Resources and Sustainability

Contact action (pesticide) Degradability Embodied energy Field margins Insolation Organochlorines Organophosphate pesticide Aquaculture Long lining Maximum sustainable yield (MSY) Overfishing
Average global temperature Carbon neutrality Carbon off-setting Carbon sink Food production capacity Global warming
Directional drilling Embodied energy Energy density Energy resources Fuel Horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT) High Thermal mass building materials Hydraulic fracturing Hydrogen economy In-stream turbines Laser fusion Nuclear fission Nuclear fuel Nuclear fusion Oil shales Photovoltaic (PV) Plutonium reactors Power to gas systems (P2G) Primary fuel Primary oil recovery Secondary fuel Secondary oil recovery Tar sands Tertiary oil recovery Thorium reactor Toroidal reactor Vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) Vehicle to grid system (V2G) Hydrodynamics Kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) Pantograph Photothermal
Directional drilling Primary oil recovery Secondary oil recovery Tertiary oil recovery
Insolation Magnetosphere (of Earth)
Active traffic management (ATM) Aerodynamics Aquaculture Aquifer Aquifer recharge Constant descent angle Deforestation Degradability Embodied energy Energy density Field margins Horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT) Hydraulic fracturing Hydrogen economy Long lining Maximum sustainable yield (MSY) Model Nuclear fission Nuclear fusion Oil shales Overfishing Plutonium reactors Potable Water Reverse thrusters Secondary fuel Smart motorways/ Active traffic management (ATM) Sustainability Sustainable Thorium reactor Vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) Biocapacity Ecological footprint Hydrodynamics Kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) Pantograph
Aquifer Aquifer recharge Desalination - removal of water from seawater Desalination - distillation of seawater Potable Water Reverse osmosis
Carbon sink Insolation Magnetosphere (of Earth)

A to Z of Geography Signs

Abrasion (glaciers) Abrasion (rivers) Absorption Acidification (ocean) Acidophilic bacteria Acid precipitation Acoustic fatigue Activated carbon filter Active traffic management (ATM) Acute effects Adsorption Aerobic process Aerodynamics Afforestation Air Pressure Albedo Anaerobic process Antarctic Anthropogenic Aquaculture Aquifer Aquifer recharge Arête Ash Atmosphere Attributes Attributes Table Attrition Average global temperature
Baffle mounds Bag filters Barrier crop Basemap Bathymetry Bedding Biocapacity Biogeochemical cycle Bioleaching (with acidophilic bacteria) Biological productivity Bioremediation Biosphere Biotic index Bund walls Bycatch
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) Carbon cycle Carbon footprint Carbon neutrality Carbon off-setting Carbon sink Carbon sequestration Cartesian Coordinates System Cartography Catalytic converter Catch quota Catchment Area Choropleth Map Chronic effects Cirrus Clouds Climate Climate Change Coal Cold Front Companion crops Compass Confluence Conservative Plate Constant descent angle Constructive Plate Contact action (pesticide) Contact Metamorphism Contamination Continuous Data Contours Contour ploughing Cooling towers Copper Coppicing Core Corrie Corrosion Cradle to cradle design Crater Crop Crop rotation Cross-section Crust Cryosphere Cumulonimbus Clouds Cumulus Clouds Cut-off ore grade Cyclone separators
Database Datum Delta Deforestation Degradability Deposition Desalination - removal of water from seawater Desalination - distillation of seawater Destructive Plate (see Subduction) Desulfurisation Dick petrographical microscope Digital Elevation Model Dimensions Directional drilling Discrete Data Gordon Dobson's original ozone spectrograph Drainage Basin (Catchment Area) Draping Drought Dry FGD Dynamic equilibrium
Earthquake Eastings Ecological footprint Electrostatic precipitators Ellipsoid El Niño Embodied energy Energy density Energy density Energy resources Epicentre Equator Erosion Eruption Cloud Escarpment Estuary Eutrophication Exposure Extensive aquaculture Extensive agriculture
Fault Field margins Field Sketch Flash Flood Flood Flood Plain Flue gas desulfurisation Focus (Earthquake) Food production capacity Fossil Fossil Fuel Fracking Freeze-Thaw Weathering Fuel
Gas Generalisation Geodatabase Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Geoid Geology Geostationary Satellites Ghost fishing Glaciation Glacier Global warming Gold Gordon Dobson's original ozone spectrograph Gravimetry Grays (unit) Greenhouse gases Grid Reference
Hanging Valley High Thermal mass building materials Hillshading Horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWT) Humidity Hurricane Hydraulic fracturing Hydrodynamics Hydrogen economy Hydrology Hydrosphere Hydrothermal deposition
Ice Sheet Igneous Rock Impermeable Incineration Insolation In-stream turbines Intensive aquaculture Intensive agriculture Ionising radiation Iron Isobar
Key Kinetic energy recovery system (KERS)
Lahar Landslide Laser fusion Lasky's principle Latitude Lava Leachate Line Liposolubility Lithosphere Long lining Longitude
Magma Magma Chamber Magnetometry Magnetosphere (of Earth) Mantle Map Map text Maximum sustainable yield (MSY) Methane hydrate Meander Metamorphic Rock Meteorology Mineral Mineral resources Model Monsoon Moraine Mountain Mulching Multi cropping
Nadir Negative feedback mechanism Nitrogen cycle Nitrogen oxides North Pole Northings Nuclear fission Nuclear fuel Nuclear fusion
Oil Oil shales Organochlorines Organophosphate pesticide Overfishing Overburden Ox-bow Lake Ozone depletion Ozone depleting substances (ODSs)
Pantograph Peat bogs Permaculture Perma-Frost Permeable Dick petrographical microscope Petrographical microscope Phosphorus cycle Photochemical smog Photothermal Photovoltaic (PV) Physical and biology sediments Physical environment Phyto mining Phytoremediation Pixel Plate Tectonics Plateau Ploughing Plucking Plunge Pool Plutonium reactors PM1 PM10 PM2.5 PM5 Point Polar vortex winds Polarisation (light) Polarised light Polarisers Pollarding Pollutant Pollution Polyculture Polygon Porous Positive feedback mechanism Potable Water Power to gas systems (P2G) Precipitation Primary fuel Primary oil recovery Proterozoic marine sediments Proxy data Purse seining Pyramidal Peak Pyroclastic Density Current
Rainfall Regional Metamorphism Remote sensing Reservoir Resistivity Resolution Reverse osmosis Reverse thrusters Ribbon Lake River River Mouth River Source Rock Runoff
Saltation Satellite imagery Scale Scree Secondary fuel Secondary oil recovery Sedimentary Rock Sedimentation (rivers, reservoirs, coastal) Seismic survey Seismograph Seismometer Seismic waves Silt Silver Smart motorways/ Active traffic management (ATM) Smog Smoke Soil Source (river) South Pole Stratosphere Stratus Clouds Strip cropping Subduction/Destructive Plate Subduction zone Sulfur dioxide Summit Surface Suspension Sustainability Sustainable Symbols
Tar sands Tarn Temperature inversions Terminal Moraine Terracing Terrain Tertiary oil recovery Text (map) Thermal stratification Thermohaline circulation Thermohaline circulation Thorium reactor Tied ridging Tipping point Topography Tornado Toroidal reactor Toxicity (NOx) Traction Transect Tributary Tropic of Cancer (Area) Tropic of Cancer (latitude) Tropic of Capricorn (area) Tropic of Capricorn (latitude) Tropical Storm Tropics Troposphere Truncated Spurs Tsunami Typhoon
U-shaped Valley Uncertainty Urea sprays
V-shaped Valley Vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) Vehicle to grid system (V2G) Viewshed Volcanic Eruption Volcano Volcano Rim Volume
Warm Front Water Cycle Waterfall Watershed Weather Wet FGD Wind speed Windbreaks
Zenith