Malinowski AP Human Geography Chapter 12 Vocabulary – Flashcards
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acid rain
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Precipitation that has elevated levels of sulfuric or nitric acid.
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air pollution
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The introduction of chemicals, biological matter, or particulates into the atmosphere.
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aquifer
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An underground area of permeable rock that can contain water or allow water to pass through.
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cancer cluster
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A statistically unusual concentration of cancer in a particular area.
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coastal pollution
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Destruction or contamination of ecosystems along lakes, rivers, or oceans.
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cognitive factors
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The ways in which a person's personality or attitudes toward nature, risk, or other factors might affect his or her reaction to a hazard.
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cultural ecology
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The study of how human societies adapt to local habitats and how traditional societies engage in farming or other primary activities.
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cyclone
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A hurricane in the Indian Ocean.
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deforestation
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The process of clearing a forest.
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earthquake
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A violent shaking of the earth caused by tectonic or volcanic activity.
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environment
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Most commonly, the physical or natural conditions of an area.
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environmental justice
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The concept that environmental laws and regulations should apply to all areas, regardless of the racial or ethnic composition of a location.
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environmental perception
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How people perceive, feel about, and interact with the environment.
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environmental racism
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The deliberate placement of polluting industries or activities in minority areas because those communities are less able or likely to fight the polluters.
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fossil fuels
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Fuels that are formed when organic matter deposited on the earth's surface is changed by pressure and time over thousands of years to form coal, oil, or natural gas.
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Gilbert White
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The geographer (1911-2006) who pioneered research on natural hazards and human response to flooding.
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hazardous waste
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Refuse that poses a risk either to the environment or to humans.
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hurricane
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A strong cyclonic storm system with low pressure, strong thunderstorms, high winds, and rain; also known as a typhoon or cyclone.
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landfills
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Places where waste material is buried and covered with soil.
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Minamata disease
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A type of mercury poisoning that came to prominence in the 1960s after decades of industrial pollution in the city of Minamata, Japan.
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moment magnitude scale
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A logarithmic scale used for measuring the strength of an earthquake.
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natural hazards
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Environmental events such as floods, hurricanes, earth- quakes, tornados, tsunami, mudslides, volcanic eruptions, and droughts.
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NIMBY
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An acronym for "Not in My Back Yard"; refers to things that communities need and want, such as power plants and landfills, but that nobody wants in close proximity to his or her home.
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nonstructural responses
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Actions taken by a society, a political body, or individuals to reduce the risk of a natural hazard.
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recharge
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How quickly groundwater is replenished.
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Ring of Fire
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Large areas of the Pacific Rim that are subject to volcanoes and earthquakes because of tectonic activity and their location along major crustal plate boundaries.
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situation factors
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Realities such as where people are located, how old they are, their financial resources, and other truths that might affect a human's actual or perceived ability to deal with a possible hazard.
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smog
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Air pollution produced by sunlight reacting with ozone released from cars, factories, and power plants.
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solid waste
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Essentially, garbage or trash, but it may include solid, semi- solid, or even liquid refuse.
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storm surges
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Walls of wind-driven water caused by a hurricane or tropical storm. They can be meters or tens of meters higher than sea level.
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structural responses
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The building of physical structures, such as levees, to reduce the impact of a potential natural hazard.
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superfund program
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A US government program that identifies and attempts to clean up the worst pollution sites in the country.
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tornados
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Violent rotating columns of air that are in touch with the surface of the earth.
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toxic waste
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Waste that poses a risk to human populations.
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tsunami
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Large waves spawned by a massive displacement of water caused by volcanoes or earthquakes.
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typhoon
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A hurricane in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.
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water diversion
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The human alteration of natural water patterns, such as irrigation channels, aqueducts, reservoirs, and similar structures.
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water pollution
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Human contamination of water resources, such as lakes, rivers, and oceans.
