Higher Geography SQA

This subject is broken down into 60 topics in 10 modules:

  1. Atmosphere 5 topics
  2. Hydrosphere 3 topics
  3. Lithosphere 9 topics
  4. Biosphere 7 topics
  5. Population 9 topics
  6. Rural 6 topics
  7. Urban 5 topics
  8. River Basin Management 6 topics
  9. Development and Health 6 topics
  10. Global Climate Change 4 topics
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  • 10
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  • 60
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  • 21,665
    words of revision content
  • 2+
    hours of audio lessons

This page was last modified on 28 September 2024.

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Geography

Atmosphere

The Global Heat Budget

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The Global Heat Budget

The Global Heat Budget

basic understanding

  • The Global Heat Budget refers to the balance of incoming and outgoing solar radiation that warms the Earth and atmosphere.
  • Essentially, it is an expression of how the planet attempts to maintain a delicate energy equilibrium.
  • Understanding this, is key to comprehend more complex atmospheric phenomena such as weather patterns, greenhouse effect and climate change.

insolation and albedo

  • The Sun's energy, called insolation, reaches Earth's atmosphere and approximately 30% of it is reflected back into space. This is due to albedo, or the reflective properties of different surfaces.
  • For example, surfaces such as snow and ice are highly reflective with high albedo rating, while asphalt road or dark forests have lower albedo.
  • The remaining 70% of insolation is absorbed by the Earth's surface and atmosphere, warming the planet.

heat transfers: conduction, convection and radiation

  • The absorbed solar energy is redistributed around the planet through three methods of heat transfer: conduction, convection, and radiation.
  • Conduction is the process of heat transfer from a hot object to a colder one when they come in contact with each other.
  • Convection pertains to heat transfer where warm air rises and cool air sinks, making a continuous circulation.
  • Radiation is the emission of energy as electromagnetic waves where no physical medium is needed for it to travel.

terrestrial radiation and the greenhouse effect

  • As Earth's surface absorbs solar radiation, it also emits radiation back into the atmosphere; this is called terrestrial radiation.
  • Some of this re-emitted radiation escapes back into space, but a lot is absorbed by certain gases in atmosphere, known as greenhouse gases, that re-radiate the energy back towards the Earth. This is known as the Greenhouse Effect.
  • Some of these greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and water vapor (H2O).
  • This trapping of heat is crucial to supporting life on the planet as it keeps the Earth's average temperature at a habitable level. However, an increase in the concentration of these gases can lead to global warming and climate change.

To summarise, the Global Heat Budget describes the delicate balance of insolation, reflection, absorption, and re-radiation that maintains the Earth's climate. Understanding these points will clarify on how disturbances can lead to significant climatic changes. Be sure to understand the roles of albedo, modes of heat transfer, and the greenhouse effect in this balance.

Course material for Geography, module Atmosphere, topic The Global Heat Budget

Geography

Population

Migration

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Migration

What is Migration?

  • Migration refers to the movement of people from one place to another. It can be within the same country (internal migration) or between different countries (international migration).
  • The two types of migration are permanent migration, where individuals or groups move with the intention of settling permanently in a new location, and temporary migration, which includes people moving for a limited time period due to reasons such as work or study.
  • Immigration is the process of individuals moving into a new country, while emigration involves individuals leaving their home country to live elsewhere.

Causes of Migration

  • The reasons for migration are typically categorised into 'push' and 'pull' factors. 'Push' factors are conditions that drive people to leave their homes, while 'pull' factors are conditions that attract people towards a new location.
  • Push factors can include poverty, lack of job opportunities, political instability, war, natural disasters, or environmental degradation in the home country.
  • Common pull factors can include better economic opportunities, political stability, higher living standards, favourable climate, or joining family already living in the new location.

Effects of Migration

  • Migration can have significant effects on both the source (emigration) and destination (immigration) locations.
  • In the source country, negative effects can include a 'brain drain' where skilled individuals leave, potentially slowing development. However, positives can include reducing pressure on jobs and resources, or remittances sent back home by migrants.
  • In the destination country, migrants can provide a useful source of labour and boost the economy. However, rapid immigration can also create challenges such as pressure on housing, services, and infrastructure. It may also lead to social tension if integration isn't managed effectively.

Measuring Migration

  • Migration is often measured using statistics from censuses, surveys, and administrative data sources (like border controls or visa applications) giving a picture of migration flows and migrant populations.
  • Accurately measuring migration can be challenging due to factors such as illegal immigration or the temporary nature of some migrations.

Migration and Geography

  • Geography plays a critical role in migration, influencing both the causes and effects of human movement.
  • Geographical factors like distance, accessibility, and physical barriers can affect the ease or difficulty of migration.
  • Over time, migration can significantly alter the geographic distribution of populations, affecting factors like population density and urbanisation.

Course material for Geography, module Population, topic Migration

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