Geography key terms

The force exerted by the weight of air on an area of the Earth's surface.

Descriptive information attached to a mapped feature, such as a building’s use or the population of an area.

The wearing down of rocks carried by a river as they collide, becoming smaller and smoother.

The people who will read or hear a communication, whose knowledge and needs influence how it should be presented.

The use of machines or computer-controlled systems to carry out tasks previously performed by people.

The change in a quantity divided by the elapsed time: $\text{average rate of change}=\frac{\text{final value}-\text{starting value}}{\text{time interval}}$.

The angle at which Earth's rotational axis is tilted; also called obliquity.

The relationship between distances on a graph axis and the values they represent.

The movement of water back down a beach towards the sea under gravity.

A ridge of deposited sand or shingle extending across a bay and joining land at both ends.

The background river flow maintained between rainfall events, largely by groundwater.

The reference period against which a change, such as temperature increase or sea-level rise, is measured.

A map providing an underlying framework of locations, boundaries or other features onto which information can be added.

An inlet where the coastline curves inland, often formed by erosion of less resistant rock.

An accumulation of sand or shingle deposited along the shore.

The shape of a beach, including its slopes and changes in height across its width.

Adding sand or shingle to a beach to replace sediment lost through erosion.

A measured cross-section showing the shape and slopes of a beach.

Adding sand or shingle to a beach to replace material lost through erosion.

Redistributing beach sediment to change the beach's shape and improve its protection against waves.

A direction expressed as an angle measured clockwise from north.

Sediment, such as sand, gravel and pebbles, transported along a river bed.

Sediment moved along a river bed, including material transported by traction and saltation.

The underlying rock beneath soil or other surface materials.

Total estimated benefits divided by total estimated costs. A ratio above 1 means that estimated benefits exceed estimated costs.

A line drawn through the centre of a scatter of points to summarise their overall relationship.

A systematic tendency in sampling or measurement that favours some results or viewpoints over others.