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Geography - Paper 1 > Challenge of Natural Hazards > Flashcards

Challenge of Natural Hazards Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a natural hazard?

A

A natural event (e.g. earthquake, volcanic eruption, tropical storm, flood) that threatens people or has the potential to cause damage, destruction and death.

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2
Q

What is a hazard risk?

A

The chance or probability of being affected by a natural event.

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3
Q

List the categories of natural hazards and some examples

A
  • Tectonic hazards: earthquake, tsunami, volcanoes
  • Atmospheric hazards: hurricanes, drought
  • Geomorphological hazards: flooding, erosion
  • Biological hazards: malaria, ebola
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4
Q

What factors affect a hazard risk?

A
  1. Poverty - poorer places will struggle to adequately prepare for a hazard of be able to respond
  2. Magnitude - the severity of the disaster will make the impact worse
  3. Population density - areas that have high populations will experience more destruction
  4. Education - how educated the population are to react and prepare for the hazard
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5
Q

Describe the structure of the earth starting from the outermost layer

A
  1. Crust - the outermost layer of the Earth, broken into tectonic plates
  2. Mantle - semi-molten part of the Earth
  3. Outer core - liquid iron and nickel
  4. Inner core - solid iron and nickel
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6
Q

What causes plates to move?

A

Convection currents in the mantle

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7
Q

What are convection currents?

A

Circulating movements of magma in the mantle causes by the heat of the core

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8
Q

Describe the global distribution of earthquakes

A

Earthquakes occur in lines which coincide with plate margins. There are many along the western coast of North and South America.

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9
Q

Describe the global distribution of volcanic eruptions

A

Volcanoes are found both on land and in the sea. They tend to be found along plate margins. Some volcanoes are found in the centre of plates. These are known as hot spots. There is a large band of volcanoes around the Pacific Ocean known as the Ring of Fire.

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10
Q

What is oceanic crust?

A

The part of the Earth’s crust which is below the oceans

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11
Q

What is continental crust?

A

The part of the Earth’s crust that makes the continents

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12
Q

What is the difference between oceanic and continental crust?

A
  • Oceanic crust is thinner (5-10km thick) and continental crust is thicker (20-200km thick)
  • Oceanic crust is recycled at destructive margins as it subducts under the continental crust
  • Oceanic crust is denser than continental crust
  • Continental crust cannot be destroyed
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13
Q

What is a conservative plate margin?

A

A plate margin where the tectonic plates are sliding past eachother

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14
Q

What is a constructive plate margin?

A

A plate margin where the tectonic plates are moving apart

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15
Q

What is a destructive plate margin?

A

A plate margin where an oceanic and continental plate collide

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16
Q

What are tectonic hazards?

A

Threats posed by earthquakes, volcanoes etc

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17
Q

Define epicentre

A

The point on the ground directly above the focus (centre) of the earthquake

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18
Q

Define focus

A

The point of origin of an earthquake

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19
Q

Define magnitude

A

The size of an earthquake

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20
Q

What is an ocean trench?

A

A deep depression on the ocean floor formed at the subduction zones of destructive plate margins

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21
Q

What are tectonic plates?

A

The large pieces of broken crust that cover the earth

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22
Q

What is a plate margin?

A

The boundary between two tectonic plates

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23
Q

What are primary effects?

A

The impacts of a natural disaster that happen immediately or soon after the event

24
Q

What are secondary effects?

A

The events that occur as indirect impacts of a natural event

25
Q

Define tsunami

A

A long, high sea wave caused by an earthquake or other disturbance

26
Q

List 2 characteristics of oceanic crust

A

Oceanic crust is thinner and more dense than continental crust. This is because it has been compressed by the weight of the ocean

27
Q

What is an earthquake?

A

A sudden violent shaking of the ground caused by movement in the earth’s crust or volcanic action

28
Q

Do earthquakes happen on all four plate boundaries?

A

Yes

29
Q

Why do earthquakes occur?

A

Tectonic plates are constantly moving, sometimes they get stuck and friction/pressure builds up as the plates are still trying to move. This pressure is eventually released in the form of an earthquake.

30
Q

List some characteristics of a composite volcano

A
  • Acidic lava
  • Steep sides
  • Alternate layers of ash and lava
  • Violent eruptions
  • Long periods between eruptions
31
Q

List some characteristics of a shield volcano

A
  • Runny lava
  • Gentle sides
  • No layers (pure lava)
  • Less violent eruptions
  • Shorter periods between eruptions
32
Q

Can we predict volcanic eruptions and earthquakes?

A

Volcanic eruptions: Yes
Earthquakes: No

33
Q

List some reasons why people live in areas at risk from tectonic hazards

A
  • Fertile land
  • Income from tourism
  • Lack of other alternatives
  • Mining precious minerals
34
Q

How do we measure the size of an earthquake?

A

Richter Scale (scale of 1-9)

35
Q

At which plate margins can earthquakes occur?

A

All plates margins

36
Q

At which plate margins can volcanoes occur?

A

Shield volcanoes at constructive margins and Composite volcanoes at destructive margins

37
Q

What type of plate margin does Haiti lie on?

A

Conservative

38
Q

What type of plate margin does Japan lie on?

A

Destructive

39
Q

What was the magnitude of the Haiti earthquake?

A

7

40
Q

What was the magnitude of the Japan earthquake?

A

9.1

41
Q

What were the primary effects of the Haiti earthquake?

A
  • 316,000 deaths
  • 1.3 million homeless
  • Destruction of buildings
42
Q

What were the secondary effects of the Haiti earthquake?

A
  • Port-Au-Prince (capital) needed rebuilding
  • Cholera outbreak
  • New homes being build to a higher standard
  • Became dependant on overseas aid
  • 1 million people still displaced after 1 year
43
Q

What were the primary effects of the Japan earthquake

A
  • 16000 deaths
  • 131000 homeless
  • Destruction of buildings
44
Q

What were the secondary effects of the Japan earthquake?

A
  • Tectonic plate shifts
  • Tsunamis
  • Coastal changes
  • Transport disruptions
45
Q

What was the recovery of the Haiti earthquake like?

A
  • Crucial aid was very slow to respond
  • Land was offered by Senegal
  • Dominican Republic accepted refugees
  • The EU donated $330 million
46
Q

What was the recovery of the Japan earthquake like?

A
  • Crucial aid responded almost immediately
  • Introduced rescue services
  • Rebuilt destroyed buildings
  • International aid donated $1 million
47
Q

What is meant by ‘monitoring tectonic hazards’?

A

Using scientific equipment to detect warning signs of events such as a volcanic eruption

48
Q

What is meant by ‘prediction of a natural event’?

A

Using evidence and monitoring information to make a judgement about when an earthquake or volcano is likely to happen

49
Q

What is meant by tectonic hazard protection?

A

Designing buildings to withstand tectonic hazards

50
Q

What is meant by planning for tectonic hazards?

A

Identifying places at risk of tectonic hazards and ensuring people know what to do in the event of an earthquake

51
Q

How can we monitor volcanoes?

A

Satellites and amp: laser beams detect changed to the volcano’s shape. Increased amount of gases such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide are given off before an eruption

52
Q

How can we monitor earthquakes?

A

There is no reliable way of monitoring and predicting earthquakes

53
Q

How can people plan for tectonic hazards?

A

Identify areas at risk and don’t build on these areas, as well as planning to evacuate high risk areas.

54
Q

How can we protect against volcanic eruptions?

A

Divert lava away from built up areas by using explosives

55
Q

How can we protect against earthquakes?

A

Building with reinforced foundations, shock absorbers, automatic shutters and rolling weights on roofs

Geography - Paper 1 (5 decks)

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