Hazardous Earth

Question 1

Name the 2 main tectonic hazards

Answer 1

Volcanoes and Earthquakes

Question 2

Name an example of a volcanic hotspot

Answer 2

Hawaii

Question 3

At which plate boundaries do you find volcanoes?

Answer 3

constructive and destructive

Question 4

At which plate boundary do the WORST earthquakes happen

Answer 4

conservative

Question 5

Name an example of a conservative plate boundary location

Answer 5

San Andreas/San Francisco

Question 6

Where is the sun’s energy strongest?

Answer 6

The equator

Question 7

Define the term ‘Coriolis effect’

Answer 7

The deflection of air movement by the Earth’s rotation

Question 8

List the atmospheric cells

Answer 8

Hadley, Ferrel and Polar

Question 9

Which atmospheric cell is responsible for rainforests and deserts?

Answer 9

Hadley

Question 10

Define the term arid

Answer 10

A region with little or no regular precipitation

Question 11

What happens at a low pressure air zone

Answer 11

Air rises

Question 12

What happens at a high pressure air zone

Answer 12

Air sinks

Question 13

Which type of clouds are associated with storms?

Answer 13

Cumulonimbus

Question 14

Describe solar variation

Answer 14

The amount of radiation that the sun produces varies over time. Periods of less will lead to glacial period and those with higher will lead to intergalcial periods

Question 15

Describe volcanism

Answer 15

These are large volcanic eruptions that eject huge quantities of ash and dust into this atmosphere. This can block out some the suns energy

Question 16

Explain one way the climate of the Earth can change because of natural causes (3 marks)

Answer 16

• State the cause (e.g.solar variation) [1 mark]
• Say how it works (e.g. at times the sun gives off more/less energy due to the number of sun spots) [1 mark]
• Say what it does to the climate (e.g. This can cause the planet to heat up/cool down) [1 mark]

Question 17

Which geological period of time are we in now?

Answer 17

The Quaternary period

Question 18

List 3 pieces of evidence that we can use to prove past climate change

Answer 18

Ice cores, tree rings, historical sources

Question 19

Explain how tree rings prove climate has changed in the past

Answer 19

As trees grow they produce rings. The rings are wider apart if it i warm and closer together if it was cooler. Some trees live for hundreds or thousands of years and can give us a picture throughout history

Question 20

Identify two sources used as evidence of climate change 1000-500 years ago (2 marks)
Tree ring measurements
Line graphs
Satellite imagery
Temperature records
Historical sources

Answer 20

Tree ring measurements

Historical sources

Question 21

What are the three types of orbital change in the Milankovitch cycle?

Answer 21

Eccentricity

Axial tilt

Precession

Question 22

How much have sea levels risen by since 1900?

Answer 22

20cm

Question 23

Define thermal expansion

Answer 23

The increase in volume created when a fluid (e.g. sea water) is heated and expands

Question 24

Define the term enhanced greenhouse effect

Answer 24

The trapping of heat radiation around the Earth by excess greenhouse gases produced through human activity

Question 25

What percentage of the worlds populations lives within 100km of the coast

Answer 25

23%

Question 26

List 4 impacts of a 1 metre rise in sea level

Answer 26

• low lying island nations would be submerged (e.g. Tuvalu)
• Land would have to be abandoned. (e.g. Bangladesh would lose 17% of its land area and 50% of its best farm land)
  Tens of millions of people would need new homes and new farms
• New sea defences would need to be constructed (e.g. the cot of this would be US$200 billion in the USA)
• Salt water from the sea would contaminate farm land

Question 27

Give 2 contrasting emissions scenarios and the impact they could have on sea level rise

Answer 27

• 1 - Emissions peak by 2020 and the decline leading to a 0.5m rise in sea levels
• 2 - Emissions continue to rise throughout the 21st century leading to a 1m rise in sea level

Question 28

List at least 5 impacts of increased temperatures

Answer 28

• A rise in sea levels
• Food production areas will change
• There will be a spread of pests and disease to new areas where they couldn’t survive before
• Water supplies will change
• Habitats will change or be lost (e.g. the Tundra/Amazon)
• There will be a reduction in biodiversity
• Plants will struggle to adapt
• There will be an increase in extreme weather events

Question 29

Describe what a tropical cyclone is

Answer 29

A tropical cyclone is a large-scale rotating storm that forms over the oceans in tropical areas. The may be known as hurricanes, cyclones or typhoons depending where they form

Question 30

What temperature ocean is needed for a tropical cyclone to form?

Answer 30

26.5’C