Secondary 3 Geography

A huge slab of the Earth's crust that moves slowly.

The point on the surface directly above the focus — usually the strongest shaking.

The underground point where the earthquake starts.

Measures earthquake energy — each step up is about ×32 in energy.

The zone where two plates meet — the crust is most active there.

A boundary where plates pull apart, e.g. the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

A boundary where plates crush together and raise mountains, e.g. the Himalayas.

A boundary where plates slide sideways past each other, e.g. the San Andreas Fault.

Energy waves released by an earthquake, spreading out from the focus.

Giant waves set off by undersea earthquakes, devastating coasts.

Molten rock underground is magma; once erupted it's lava.

Fine rock dust that can ground flights and collapse roofs.

Using underground heat for electricity or heating.

Decomposed ash is mineral-rich and great for farming.

A mantle plume burning through the middle of a plate, e.g. Hawaii.

The underground pocket of molten rock, feeding the crater through the main vent.

The opening at the volcano's top where lava and ash erupt.

Scorching gas mixed with rock debris racing downhill — the deadliest volcanic hazard.

Tracking tremors and gas changes to warn and evacuate early.

The calm, relatively cloud-free centre of the storm.

The ring of cloud around the eye — where winds and rain are fiercest.

Abnormally raised sea level driven by winds and low pressure — floods coasts.

Outer bands of rain spiralling in, bringing squalls and showers.

A rotating storm system born over warm seas.

The Earth's rotation deflects moving air — it makes cyclones spin.

Heat released when water vapour condenses — the cyclone's power source.

The name for tropical cyclones in the NW Pacific — Hong Kong's usage.

Water covering land that is normally dry.

Soil and rock sliding down a slope.

The area whose rain drains into one river.

Stabilising slopes with reinforcement, drainage and shotcrete.

Rain that cannot soak in and flows over the ground.

Rain soaking down from the surface into the soil.

Soil holding all the water it can — heavier, less friction, prone to slipping.

Holds water during cloudbursts and releases it later, e.g. Tai Hang Tung.

The total greenhouse gases produced by an activity.

Pollutants (PM2.5, SO₂, NOx) at harmful levels.

A stable, reliable, affordable energy supply.

Doing the same with less energy — LED bulbs, inverter ACs.

Coal, oil and gas — burning them emits pollutants and CO₂.

Solar, wind, hydro and more — near zero emissions while running, but weather-dependent.

Rain turned acidic by SO₂ and NOx, harming ecosystems and buildings.

Tiny airborne pollutants that reach deep into the lungs.

Low-carbon power, but radioactive waste needs safe long-term storage.

The natural trapping of heat by atmospheric gases; excessive = global warming.

Cutting emissions — tackling the cause.

Adjusting lives and infrastructure to changes already underway.

Emissions = removals, net zero. Hong Kong targets this by 2050.

Gases such as CO₂ and methane that absorb and trap heat.

The long-term rise in global average temperature — the core of climate change.

Melting glaciers and expanding warmer water lift the seas.

Heatwaves, downpours and fierce typhoons — growing more frequent as the planet warms.

Weather is short-term and local; climate is the ~30-year average.

Deepening economic, cultural and information links between countries.

Big firms operating in many countries, e.g. Apple, Toyota.

The cross-border production network from parts to finished product.

Cultures influencing and blending with each other.

Standardised containers slash handling and freight costs — a driver of globalisation.

Cutting tariffs and barriers by agreement to speed up trade flows.

Production spread across countries — design, parts and assembly each placed for lowest cost.

Cultures converging until local character and diversity fade.

Country groupings by income, industrialisation and living standards.

Total output ÷ population — average economic output.

Percentage who can read/write — an education indicator.

Trade that guarantees producers fair prices and conditions.

A composite index of income, life expectancy and education.

The average years a newborn can expect to live — a health indicator.

Money, goods or technical help given to poorer regions.

Cancelling or reducing poor countries' debts to free resources for development.

A country with no coastline or ports — trade limited by geography.

All industries serving visitors.

Foreign currency earned from visitor spending.

Transport, hotels, communications supporting tourism.

A place or activity that draws visitors.

How easily visitors can reach a destination — carried by transport links.

Visitor spending at home is effectively exporting services abroad.

A large themed attraction, e.g. Disneyland and Ocean Park.

Tourism income pulls transport, F&B and advertising along with it.

Meeting today's needs without harming future generations.

The maximum visitors a place can host without damage.

So many visitors that residents' lives and environments suffer.

Low-impact travel that protects nature.

Managing visitor numbers with bookings, tickets or quotas.

Litter, habitat damage and pollution left by tourism.

Crowding, rising rents, disrupted lives and staged culture.

Ploughing tourism income back into the community and conservation.