A - The challenge of natural hazards Flashcards

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1
Q

Define natural hazard

A

A natural process which could cause death, injury or disruption to humans, or destroy property and possessions.

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2
Q

Define natural disaster

A

A natural hazard that has actually happened.

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3
Q

2 main types of hazards

A

Geographical - caused by land and tectonic processes, meteorological - cause by weather and climate

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4
Q

Define hazard risk

A

The probability of people being affected by a hazard in a particular area.

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5
Q

3 factors that affect the hazard risk

A

Vulnerability, capacity to cope, nature of natural hazards (predictability)

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6
Q

3 common primary effects

A

Kills / injuries, buildings / roads destroyed, crops / water supplies damaged

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7
Q

4 common secondary effects

A

Trigger of other hazards, blockages of roads / bridges, food / water shortages, country’s economy weakened

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8
Q

4 common immediate responses

A

Evacuate people, treat injured / rescue anyone, provide temporary supplies, aid from other countries

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9
Q

5 common long-term responses

A

Repair homes / buildings / roads / railways, rehouse people, reconnect broken connections, improve forecasting / monitoring / evacuation plans, boost economic recovery

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10
Q

2 types of crust

A

Continental - thicker (30-50km) / less dense, oceanic - thinner (5-10km) / more dense

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11
Q

3 types of plate margins

A

Destructive - oceanic plate is subducted and destroyed or both plates are risen, constructive, conservative

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12
Q

What plate margins do volcanoes occur at?

A

Destructive and constructive

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13
Q

How are volcanoes formed at destructive margins?

A

The denser oceanic plate is subducted and melts. A pool of magma forms which then rises through cracks in the crust called vents. The lava erupts and forms a volcano.

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14
Q

How are volcanoes formed at constructive margins?

A

The magma rises up into the gap created by the plates moving apart, forming a volcano.

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15
Q

What plate margins do earthquakes occur at?

A

Destructive, constructive, conservative (all 3)

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16
Q

How are earthquakes formed at plate margins?

A

Tension builds up as the plates move. The plates eventually jolt past each other, sending out shock waves - these vibrations are the earthquake.

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17
Q

How are eathquakes measured?

A

Using the moment magnitude scale - measures the amount of energy released (logarithmic scale) Magnitude 6 and below - slight damage to buildings, magnitude 7 and above - major damage and deaths.

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18
Q

5 reasons why people choose to live in a hazardous regions

A

Always lived there - do not want to leave families / jobs, effective monitoring / evacuation plans minimise risks, confident that their government would support them after a disaster, minerals from volcanic ash makes volcanic soil fertile - atracts farmers, tourist attractions - work in the industry

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19
Q

4 management strategies

A

Monitoring, prediction, protection, planning

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20
Q

Monitoring earthquakes and volcanic eruptions

A

Earthquakes - seismometers and lasers monitor Earth’s movement - give vital amount of warning, Volcanic eruptions - monitor signs (tiny earthquakes, escaping gas, change in the shape)

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21
Q

Predicting earthquakes and volcanic eruptions

A

Earthquakes - cannot be reliably predicted - scientists can forecast where they may occur from tectonic plates, Volcanic eruption - can be predicted if monitored closely

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22
Q

Protection from earthquakes and volcanic eruptions

A

Earthquakes - new buildings can use reinforced concrete that absorb an earthquake’s energy, existing buildings / bridges can use steel frames, automatic shut-off switches can turn off gas and electricity supplies - prevent fires, Volcanic eruptions - buildings can be strengthened, trenches and barriers to divert lava away

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23
Q

5 ways to plan for earthquakes and volcanic eruptions

A

Emergency services can prepare - practice rescuing people from collapsed buildings, people can be educated, governments can plan evacuation routes, emergency supplies can be stockpiled

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24
Q

Magnitude, date, plate boundary of the Chile earthquake

A

8.8, February 2010, destructive - nazca plate subducted beneath South American plate

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25
Q

5 primary effects for Chile

A

500 people died - 12,000 injured, $30B of damage, water/electricity/communications lost in many places, well constructed buildings left standing, 800,000 people affected

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26
Q

4 secondary effects for Chile

A

Tsunami was triggered - coastal areas were flooded, landslides blocked roads, fire broke out in buildings due to burst pipes

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27
Q

3 immediate responses for Chile

A

Rapid response with emergency services, main roads were repaired within a day, 30,000 emergency shelters were built

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28
Q

2 long-term responses for Chile

A

Reconstruction plan - help 200,000 households, foreign aid was not heavily relied upon - Chile had the funds for reconstruction / recovery

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29
Q

Magnitude, date, plate bounday of the Nepal earthquake

A

7.8, April 2015, Destructive - Indo-Australian plate subducted beneath Eurasian plate

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30
Q

6 primary effects for Nepal

A

9000 people died - 22,000+ injured, 800,000 buildings damaged or destroyed, 4 million left homeless, $5B of damage, roads and bridges destroyed, water tanks and pipes destroyed

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31
Q

3 seconday effects for Nepal

A

Triggered avalanches on Mount Everest - killed 18 people, mountain roads were blocked - preventing emergency aid from reaching remote areas, lack of clean water - outbreaks of typhus - killed 13+ people

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32
Q

4 immediate responses for Nepal

A

India and China sent teams to help residents rescue people trapped by debris - lack of tools slowed down efforts, recover dead bodies abd treat the injured, charities provided medicine, food, water supplies, Red Cross set up emergency shelters for 130,000 families

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33
Q

3 long-term responses for Nepal

A

The World Bank Group financed $500M worth of projects to build earthquake-resistant housing and repair roads, heritage sites reopened in June - encourage tourists, NGOs are working with residents to increase their resilience to disasters

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34
Q

Define global atmospheric circulation

A

The transfer of heat from the equator to the poles by the movement of air.

35
Q

What pressure does warm air rising create?

A

Low pressure belt

36
Q

What pressure does cool sinking air create?

A

High pressure belt

37
Q

3 cells each hemisphere has

A

Hadley, ferrel, polar

38
Q

What is the coriolis effect?

A

Deflects the north-flowing air to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere.

39
Q

3 ways global atmospheric circulation affects weather and climate

A

At the equator, Earth’s surface receives a lot of solar radiation / heat - due to the sun, deserts at 30° north and south of the equator - air released its moisture already, low pressure zone at 60° north (UK) - warm rising air - lots of cloud cover and rainfall

40
Q

Where are tropical storms developed?

A

Over warm water between 5 and 30° north and south of the equator when sea temperature is 27°C or higher and wind shear between higher and lower parts of the atmosphere.

41
Q

How are tropical storms developed?

A

The warm surface water evaporated and condenses into clouds - releases huge amounts of energy, producing powerful storms. The rising air creates an area of low pressure - increases surface winds. Storm spins due to the Coriolis effect. As the storm moves over the ocean, the energy from the warm water strengthens the storm so wind speeds increase.

42
Q

Where are tropical storms developed?

A

Occur in the northern hemisphere August - October and in the southern hemisphere December - April.

43
Q

3 storm features

A

Eye, eyewall, towards the edge of the storm

44
Q

7 features of the eye in a storm

A

50km across, caused by descending air, low pressure, light winds, no clouds, no rain, high temperature

45
Q

5 features of the eyewall in a storm

A

Spiralling rising air, very strong winds (160km/h), storm clouds, torrential rain, low temperature

46
Q

4 features of the edge of the storm

A

Wind speed falls, clouds become smaller and scattered, rain becomes less intense, temperature increases

47
Q

3 ways climate change affects tropical storms

A

Frequency, distribution, intensity

48
Q

How does frequency affect tropical storms?

A

Oceans will stay at 27°C or higher for longer each year - longer period when tropical storms can form.

49
Q

How does distribution affect tropical storms?

A

More of the world’s population could be above 27°C - can form in areas that have not experienced them before.

50
Q

How does intensity affect tropical storms?

A

Higher sea surface temperatures - more evaporation and increased cloud formation, so more energy is released.

51
Q

3 ways to reduce the effects of tropical storms

A

Prediction / monitoring, planning, protection

52
Q

6 UK weather hazards

A

Strong winds (gales), heavy rainfall, snow and ice, drought (lack of precipitation), thunderstorms, heat waves

53
Q

6 main impacts to the UK due to weather hazards

A

Damage properties, disrupt transport, injuries / deaths, disruption to travel, flooding, pollution built up in the air

54
Q

Data and place of hurricane Katrina

A

August 2005, Around New Orleans, USA, storm surges of over 6m in height

55
Q

6 primary effects of hurricane Katrina

A

1900 deaths, 300,000 homes destroyed, 3 million people without electricity, $300B of damage, shops were looted, flooded large areas of the coast

56
Q

5 secondary effects of hurricane Katrina

A

Oil facilities damaged - petrol prices rose, tourism decreased, crops destroyed - decreased food production, tornadoes, coastal habitats destroyed

57
Q

immediate responses of hurricane Katrina

A

$50B in aid was given by the government, UK government sent food aid

58
Q

Long-term response of hurricane Katrina

A

Slow process of evacuation - lead to criticism

59
Q

Date of UK heatwave

A

August 2003

60
Q

6 primary effects of the UK heatwave

A

2000 deaths, air pollution, lack of water supplies, death of agriculture, lack of tranport, London Eye closed for one day - too hot in the cabins

61
Q

5 secondary effects of the UK heatwave

A

Low river flows and lake levels - danger to people swimming in rivers, forest fires - made river water quality poor (ash and soil), melting glaciers, dehydration, increased tourism

62
Q

immediate reponses of the UK heatwave

A

Temporary ban on using hose pipes, Network Rail imposed speed restrictions for trains

63
Q

Define climate change

A

Any signicant change in the Earth’s climate over a long period.

64
Q

Define global warming

A

Term used to describe the sharp rise in global temperatures over the last century. It is a type of climate change.

65
Q

4 evidence for climate change

A

Ice and sediment cores, tree rings, pollen analysis, temperature records

66
Q

Evidence for climate change in ice and sediment cores

A

Analysing gases trapped in the ice, scientists can tell what temperature it was each year.

67
Q

Evidence for climate change in tree rings

A

Forms a new ring each year - the tree rings are thicker in warm, wet conditions.

68
Q

3 natural causes of climate change

A

Orbital changes, volcanic activity, solar output

69
Q

How does orbital changes cause climate change?

A

Affect how much solar radiation (energy) the Earth receives - more energy means more warming

70
Q

How does orbital changes cause climate change?

A

Eruptions eject large quantities of material into the atmosphere.

71
Q

How does orbital changes cause climate change?

A

Sun’s energy output is not constant - changes in short cycles of about 11 years and possibly long cycles of 100 years.

72
Q

Define greenhouse effect

A

Greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and methane) absorb outgoing heat from the Earth - less is lost to space.

73
Q

4 human causes of climate change

A

Burning fossil fuels, cement production, farming, deforestation

74
Q

How does burning fossil fuels cause climate change?

A

CO2 is released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels like coal, oil, natural gas, petrol are burnt (e.g. in thermal power stations or cars).

75
Q

How does cement production cause climate change?

A

Made from limestone - contains carbon. When made, lots of carbon is released into the atmosphere.

76
Q

How does farming cause climate change?

A

Farming livestock - produces a lot of methane.

Rice paddies - flooded fields emit methane.

77
Q

How does deforestation cause climate change?

A

Plants remove CO2 from the atmosphere and convert it into organic matter using photosynthesis.
When trees are cut down, they stop taking in CO2.

78
Q

4 effects to the environment of climate change

A

Shrinking glaciers / ice sheets melting / sea ice shrinking - loss of polar habitats, rising sea levels, precipitation patterns are changing, distrubution/quantity could change

79
Q

5 effects to people of climate change

A

Deaths due to heat increased, soms areas could become uninhabitable, decreased water availability, affecting farming, lower crop yields, weather is getting more extreme - more money spent

80
Q

4 mitigation strategies

A

Planting trees, Carbon Capture and Storage (CSS) - reduce emissions from power stations burning fossil fuels, alternative energy production, international agreement

81
Q

3 adaptations to the effects of climate change

A

Changing agricultural systems, managing water supply, coping with rising sea levels

82
Q

How does changing agricultural systems adapt to the effects of climate change?

A

Plant new crops that are more suited to the environment, biotechnology used to create new crop varieties

83
Q

How does changing agricultural systems adapt to the effects of climate change?

A

Water meters installed - discourage excessive water use, rainwater and waste water collected and recycled

84
Q

How does changing agricultural systems adapt to the effects of climate change?

A

Better flood warning systems and physical barriers, areas that cannot afford flood defences - building raised food shelters and building houses on embankments