earthquakes and volcanoes Flashcards

1
Q

What are earthquakes

A

Earthquakes are a sudden violent shaking of the ground, as a result of movements within the Earth’s crust or volcanic action

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2
Q

What are the causes of earthquakes

A

Earthquakes are caused by all types of plate boundaries
Sometimes, because of friction, plates try to move and become stuck. Pressure builds up because the plates are still trying to move. When the pressure is released, it sends out huge amounts of energy causing the Earth’s surface to shake violently.

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3
Q

What is the focus

A

The point inside the Earth’s crust where the earthquake originates from is known as the focus.

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4
Q

What are seismic waves

A

The earthquake’s energy is released in seismic waves and they spread out from the focus.

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5
Q

what is the epicentre

A

The seismic waves are most powerful at the epicentre.

The epicentre is the point on the Earth’s surface directly above the focus.

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6
Q

What are the factors affecting level of damage earthquake

A
  • Distance from the epicentre - the effects of an earthquake are more severe at its centre.
  • The higher on the Richter scale, the more severe the earthquake is.
  • Level of development (MEDC or LEDC) - MEDCs are more likely to have the resources and technology for monitoring, prediction and response.
  • Population density (rural or urban area). The more densely populated an area, the more likely there are to be deaths and casualties.
  • Communication - accessibility for rescue teams.
  • Time of day influences whether people are in their homes, at work or travelling. A severe earthquake at rush hour in a densely populated urban area could have devastating effects.
  • The time of year and climate will influence survival rates and the rate at which disease can spread.
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7
Q

how to measure earthquakes

A

The power of an earthquake is measured using a seismometer. A seismometer detects the vibrations caused by an earthquake. It plots these vibrations on a seismograph.
We use the Richter Scale to categorize the intensity of different magnitudes

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8
Q

What are the 4 types of plate boundaries

A

Constructive
Destructive
Conservative
Collision

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9
Q

What are constructive plate boundaries + characteristics

A

At constructive boundaries two plates are moving apart. Molten magma rises to the surface, cools and solidifies to form new oceanic crust.
The magma is hot and runny (non viscous) so volcanic eruptions are gentle and non explosive

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10
Q

Destructive plate boundaries + characteristics

A

Destructive boundaries are when dense (heavy) oceanic crust are subducted beneath less dense continental crust.
Intense heat and pressure in the subduction zone creates molten magma which rises to the surface to form explosive volcanoes.
Powerful earthquakes also occur.

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11
Q

Conservative plate boundaries + characteristics

A

At conservative boundaries two plates are grinding slowly past each other horizontally.
There is no volcanic activity but powerful earthquakes occur.

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12
Q

Collision plate boundaries + characteristics

A

Collision margins are where two continental plates collide. The continental crust is too thick to allow subduction.
Instead sedimentary rock is forced upwards to form huge mountain ranges like the Himalayas.
There is no volcanic activity.

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13
Q

What are hotspots

A

Hot spots cause volcanic activity away from plate margins. As the plate moves over the stationary hot spot, a series of volcanoes are formed. The most famous example is the Hawaiian Islands.

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14
Q

How are fold mountains formed

A

by Collison plate boundaries

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15
Q

What is the crust

A

a layer of sand and rock varying from 5-50 km thick

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16
Q

What is the mantle

A

A rock layer about 2850 km thick that reaches about half the distance to the centre of the earth. Parts of this layer become hot enough to liquify and become slow moving molten rock or magma

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17
Q

Outer core

A

a mass of molten iron about 2200 km thick that surrounds the solid inner core

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18
Q

Inner core

A

a mass of iron with a temperature of 3870. Normally iron would melt at this temperature, but its immense pressure keeps it solid. Its 2400 km in diamaeter

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19
Q

Process of convection cycle

A
  1. The heat rises off the core and travels through the mantle
  2. The heat moves the magma upwards until it hits the bottom of the crust
  3. The heated magma spreads sideways below the crust, dragging the plates along
  4. The heated magma cools and eventually settles down back to the core
  5. The core reheats the magma, continuing the cycle
20
Q

What is oceanic crust

A

Oceanic crust: younger, heavier, can sink and is constantly being destroyed and replaced

21
Q

What is continental crust

A

Continental crust: older, lighter, cannot sink and is permanent

22
Q

What are the effects of earthquakes

A
Large number of deaths
Fires breaking out
Water pipes burst
Water contamination, diseases
Corpses: human & animal
Accessibility difficult
Building damaged/destroyed
Tsunami can follow
Reconstruction costs
23
Q

What are prediction methods for earthquake

A
  • Measure earth tremors, pressure, and release of gas
  • Use maps and facts to find pattern in time/location
  • Unusual animal behaviour
24
Q

What are preparation methods for earthquakes

A

-Build earthquake-proof buildings and roads
-Train emergency services
-Set up warning system
Create evacuation plan
Emergency food supply
Practice drills

25
Earthquake proof buildings features
Automated weights on roof to reduce movement Fire-resistant building material No bricks or reinforced concrete block Rubber shock-absorbers between foundations Foundation sunk deep into bedrock avoiding clay Roads to provide access by ambulances & fire engines Open areas where people can assemble if evacuated Automatic shutters come down over the windows Interlocking steel frames which can sway during earth movements
26
What are volcanos
A vent in the earth's surface where magma, gas or ash escapes onto the earth's surface or into the atmosphere.
27
causes of volcanoes
At constructive margin: plates move away from each other; magma rises to fill the gap; At destructive margin: oceanic crust melts from friction and heat from mantle; newly formed magma is lighter so it rises to surface
28
advantages of volcanoes
Tourist attraction: income and employment Creates fertile soil: good agricultural land to grow crops Geothermal heating: Renewable resource, Heating (hot water), Geyser & mud baths
29
Disadvantages of volcanoes
``` Destruction of land, property, jobs, homes, transport Rebuilding costs Unemployment Fires breakout Diseases from poor sanitation Gas from eruption suffocates Pyroclastic flow ```
30
prediction for volcano
Animal behaviour changes | Emits gas & steam
31
When was the monserrat explosion
1995 18 july | 25 june 1997
32
Short term response monserrat
Evacuation Abandonment of the capital city The British government gave money for compensation and redevelopment
33
Long term response monserrat
An exclusion zone was set up in the volcanic region | A volcanic observatory was built to monitor the volcano
34
short term impacts monserrat
Evacuation of almost 5,000 residents Delta was created by the flow of lava into the sea The eruption left the southern two-thirds of the islands completely inhabitable The following settlements were destroyed : Bethel, Bramble, Dyers, Fairfield, Farm, Farrell's, Galway's Estate, Harris, Hermitage, Long Ground, Morris's, Plymouth, Saint Patrick's, Tobuscus Mt, Soufrière, Streatham, W. H. Bramble Airport.
35
montserrat long term impacts
The eruption left the southern two-thirds of the islands completely inhabitable. Pyroclastic flows still pour down the slopes of the volcano. The eruptions continued after the volcano became active. The disaster resulted in the collapse of tourism and also the local rice processing industries. Unemployment shot up from a manageable 7% to over 50%. Agricultural activities became nearly impossible and living conditions were further worsened by respiratory problems caused by the spewing ash
36
benefits montserrat
Volcano tourism increased A new delta was formed More businesses were developed in the north The airport and several roads had to be rebuilt, resulting in new facilities
37
When was the tohoku japanese earthquake
2011 11 march
38
Short term effects tohoku
Death and injury: roughly 16,000 people died, 6,000 injured and 2,500 people went missing 330,000 buildings, 2000 roads, 56 bridges and 26 railways were destroyed or damaged 300 hospitals were damaged and 111 were totally destroyed Blackouts for almost 4.4 millions households in japan
39
Long term effects tohoku
Destroyed 46,027 buildings Cost an estimated $360 billion in damage Crippled Japan’s nuclear industry Led to huge trade deficits (A trade deficit occurs when a country's imports exceed its exports during a given period.) as japan had to import oil after electricity went down after nuclear plants took damage
40
short term response tohoku
Rescue services moved very quickly to the affected areas to clear roads, in order to move the silts and to count the number of deaths Army helped to provide temporary shelter for the homeless The Japanese Red Cross received over $1 billion in donations and they gave out over 30,000 emergency relief kits and 14,000 sleeping kits. The people tried to go back to their normals lives within a few weeks
41
Long term response tohoku
Used 23 trillion yen to rebuild the houses Replace tsunami barriers with 18m high instead of 12m Took 1 ½ years for the production of manufacturing companies to begin again (eg) toyota, honda)
42
example of collision plate noundary
indo austrailia plate
43
example of constructive plate boundary
north american plate
44
Example of conservative plate boundary
pacific plate
45
Example of destrutive plate
eurasian plate
46
example of shield volcano
mauna loa hawaii
47
Example of composite volcano
mount fuji japan