Chapter 1

Question 1

1. Uniformitarianism

Answer 1

The Earth formed and continues to form as the result of slow, consistent processes. This principle also implies that the Earth is very old.

Question 2

2. Catastrophism

Answer 2

The Earth formed and continues to form a the result of short catastrophic events. This principle also implies that the Earth is NOT that old.

Question 3

3. Actualism

Answer 3

The Earth formed and continues to form a the result of slow, consistent processes that are periodically interrupted by catastrophic events.

Question 4

4. Hazard

Answer 4

something that can cause problems or harm.

Question 5

5. “Natural” Hazard

Answer 5

Some natural place, event or process that can cause problems/harm.

Question 6

6. Disaster or Catastrophic Event

Answer 6

An event or process that has caused problems/harm. A significant catastrophe may be called a disaster.

Question 7

7. Exposure. (give example)

Answer 7

Refers to the proximity someone or something has to a hazard.

Question 8

8. What factors affect exposure?

Answer 8

The proximity someone or something has to a hazard, location.

Question 9

9. Sensitivity. (give example)

Answer 9

A measure of how someone or something may be affected by a particular hazard.

Question 10

10. What resources are needed to reduce sensitivity?

Answer 10

• Awareness and Preparedness: information and education
• Plans to avoid, recover from a hazard/catastrophe
• The material needs in place to support plans

Question 11

11. Vulnerability. (give example)

Answer 11

A combination of exposure and sensitivity.

• It takes into account a person’s or thing’s proximity to a hazard
• and their ability to deal with it
• to determine what will happen when catastrophic event takes place.

Question 12

12. What resources are needed to reduce vulnerability?

Answer 12

• Reducing exposure means removing the hazard.
• Reducing sensitivity means realizing the hazard and preparing for it.

Reducing either of these will reduce vulnerability.

Question 13

13. Discuss the relative differences between exposure, sensitivity, and vulnerability as they pertain to mass wasting events, in mid-latitude regions (i.e. Canada) as compared to subtropical regions.

Answer 13

For both these places mass wasting in the form of avalanches and flows is a significant hazard.

Both locations therefore have a high degree of exposure.

Sensitivity, however, differs.

It is less in BC because we are aware of the hazard and can avoid it.

Sensitivity is higher in El Salvador because, despite awareness, steep terrain is harder to avoid.

In El Salvador, there is less land - it is a small country - and land that is safer is often owned and/or controlled by others.

Question 14

14. Why do people live near potentially dangerous natural areas?

Answer 14

1. They are unaware of the hazard.
2. They choose to ignore the hazard or downplay it.
3. They have no choice.

Question 15

15. What is the relationship between wealth and mortality rates during a natural disaster?

Answer 15

In a wealthy place, where sensitivity is less, the result of a catastrophe is often mostly property damage. Mortalities are much less.

In poorer areas where sensitivity is higher, there is usually less property damage but mortality is higher.

In Canada, we have more stuff to break, but we have good medical care.

Question 16

16. What is risk?

Answer 16

The chance or odds that something will happen.

Question 17

17. Probability is the likelihood that a particular event will happen. Most measures of probability rely on observation and experience. Essentially, the size and frequency of past events are used to determine when and how similar events will take place in future. While the probability of an event can be determined to some degree if circumstances are known, there is a reason why forecasting a particular event is not so simple. Briefly explain what it is.

Answer 17

When creating a graph that compares flood frequency with size there is often more information on smaller more frequent floods.

What is absent is information of the rarer, potentially larger floods.

The ability then to predict larger, more catastrophic floods is suspect at best.

What’s more is that when this larger, catastrophic event does occur, the prediction graph may ave to be re-written

Question 18

17. While the probability of an event can be determined to some degree if circumstances are known, there is a reason why forecasting a particular event is not so simple. Briefly explain what it is.

Answer 18

When creating a graph that compares flood frequency with size there is often more information on smaller more frequent floods.

What is absent is information of the rarer, potentially larger floods.

The ability then to predict larger, more catastrophic floods is suspect at best.

What’s more is that when this larger, catastrophic event does occur, the prediction graph may have to be re-written.

Question 19

18. Is it possible to predict a natural event? Why or why not?

Answer 19

It is not possible to predict a natural catastrophe. Predictions are of more precise statement of the possibility of something happening and precise events such as: “a magnitude 7.0 earthquake on Vancouver Island the week of Jan 7 to 13, 2019.”

Question 20

19. Is it possible to forecast a natural event? Why or why not?

Answer 20

It is possible to forecast a natural catastrophe. These are more general statements about a situation such as: “there will be an earthquake in British Columbia in the next 50 years”.

Question 21

20. What is a fractal?

Answer 21

A fractal is something (i.e. a river) that behaves the same regardless of size.

Question 22

20. What use are fractals to understanding the Earth? Give an example.

Answer 22

Understanding fractals helps to understand natural processes including hazards.

Question 23

Magnitude

Answer 23

The severity of the hazard, its size and frequency

Question 24

Perception

Answer 24

Awareness of a hazard

Question 25

21. What is the relationship between magnitude and perception when it comes to humans and natural events?

Answer 25

Magnitude: is the severity of tha hazard, its size and frequency

Perception: Awareness of a hazard.

People are generally more aware of large, potentially more disastrous hazards.

People tend to be less focused on smaller, more frequent events that may be less hazardous.

This then biases our perception of hazards and their potential impact.

Question 26

22. Adaptive Capacity

Answer 26

`The ability to plan for, react to and recover from a catastrophe.

i.e. British Columbia has significant adaptive capacity when it comes to earthquakes.

Question 27

23. How has population growth contributed to more loss of life and property damage during a natural catastrophe?

Answer 27

1. As the world’s population is increasing, people are moving.
2. More and more people are concentrating in urban, coastal areas. Thus, more people are exposed.
3. There is also more property, more stuff.. there is more complex, fragile, expensive stuff to repair or replace.

Question 28

24. What is the best mitigation effort in response to an actual or anticipated natural catastrophe?

Answer 28

Preparation.

To minimize sensitivity and the potential damage caused by a hazard, the first thing needed is awareness.

Awareness comes from effective communication. With awareness from communication comes adaptive capacity.

The best way to mitigate or minimize a hazard is to be prepared, informed and have a plan.

Question 29

25. What are some of the problems concerning society and its approach to natural hazards?

Answer 29

People are not as prepared because they lack information, experience or resources, and the will to deal with it.

Question 30

How has a changing world affected hazards and catastrophes?

Answer 30

1. Population is increasing 2. People are moving. More and more people are concentrating in urban, coastal areas. Thus, more people are exposed. 3. There is also more property, more stuff.. there is more complex, fragile, expensive stuff to repair or replace.