Hazardous Earth

Question 1

Aftershocks

Answer 1

Less-powerful earthquake which follows a more-powerful earthquake – a result of the fault ‘settling’ into its new position

Question 2

Aid

Answer 2

Short-term help – such as food, given in emergency, or long-term help
– such as training in health care

Question 3

Atmopshere

Answer 3

The layer of gases above the Earth’s surface

Question 4

Collision zones

Answer 4

Where two tectonic plates collide – forming mountains fold mountains
like the Himalayas

Question 5

Conservative plate boundary

Answer 5

Where two tectonic plates are sliding alongside each other, in the
same or different directions

Question 6

Continental crust

Answer 6

The part of the Earth’s crust that makes up land, on average 30-50 km thick

Question 7

Convection currents

Answer 7

Currents which transfer heat from one part of a liquid or gas to another.

Question 8

Convergent plate boundary

Answer 8

Where two tectonic plates collide

Question 9

Core

Answer 9

The centre of Earth, believed to be solid inside with a hot liquid outer core

Question 10

Coriolis force

Answer 10

A strong force created by the Earth’s rotation. It can cause storms,
including hurricanes

Question 11

Divergent plate boundary

Answer 11

Where two tectonic plates are moving away from each other

Question 12

Economic impacts

Answer 12

Impacts on the wealth of an area

Question 13

Enhanced greenhouse effect

Answer 13

The increased effectiveness of the greenhouse effect, believed to be
the cause of recent global warming

Question 14

Epicentre

Answer 14

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

Question 15

Eye of the storm

Answer 15

The centre of a storm, consisting of calm, descending dense air

Question 16

Ferrel cell

Answer 16

Part of the global circulation model, where Earth’s atmosphere
consists of descending cool, dry air

Question 17

Focus

Answer 17

The point of origin of an earthquake

Question 18

Geothermal

Answer 18

Heat from inside the Earth

Question 19

Global circulation model

Answer 19

A theory that explains how the atmosphere operates in a series of
three cells each side of the Equator

Question 20

Greenhouse effect

Answer 20

The way that gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the sun. Like the glass
in a greenhouse – they let heat in, but prevent most of it from escaping

Question 21

Greenhouse gas

Answer 21

Gases like carbon dioxide and methane that trap heat around the
Earth, leading to global warming

Question 22

Gulf stream

Answer 22

A warm ocean current that begins in the Gulf of Mexico and is blown northeast across the North Atlantic

Question 23

Hadley cell

Answer 23

The largest section of the global circulation model, found above the
tropics and caused by the heating and cooling of Earth’s atmosphere

Question 24

Hot spots

Answer 24

Columns of heat in Earth’s mantle found in the middle of a tectonic plate

Question 25

Hurricane

Answer 25

The term given to a tropical cyclones in the USA and Caribbean

Question 26

Ice cores

Answer 26

Columns of ice that are extracted from ice sheets and used to reconstruct temperature patterns

Question 27

Inter tropical convergence zone

Answer 27

A narrow zone of low pressure near the Equator where northern and southern air masses converge

Question 28

Lava

Answer 28

Melted rock that erupts from a volcano

Question 29

Levee

Answer 29

Embankments found on either side of a river, formed naturally by regular flooding or built up by people to protect the area against flooding

Question 30

Lithosphere

Answer 30

The cool and brittle uppermost layer of the Earth. It includes the very top of the mantle and, above this, the crust

Question 31

Magma

Answer 31

Melted rock below the Earth’s surface. When it reaches the surface it is called lava

Question 32

Magnetosphere

Answer 32

A huge invisible magnetic field that surrounds Earth, protecting it from harmful radiation from space and the sun

Question 33

Magnitude

Answer 33

Of an earthquake (how much the ground shakes), an expression of the total energy released

Question 34

Mantle

Answer 34

The middle layer of the Earth. It lies between the crust and the core and is about 2900 km thick. Its outer layer is the asthenosphere. Below the asthenosphere it consists mainly of solid rock

Question 35

Milankovitch cycles

Answer 35

The three long-term cycles in the Earth’s orbit around the sun. Milankovitch’s theory is that glacials happen when the three cycles match up in a certain way

Question 36

North Atlantic Drift

Answer 36

A warm ocean current that branches off from the Gulf Stream into the North Atlantic Ocean

Question 37

Ocean currents

Answer 37

Permanent or semi-permanent large-scale horizontal movements of the ocean waters

Question 38

Oceanic crust

Answer 38

The part of the Earth’s crust which is under the oceans, usually 6-8 km thick

Question 39

Plate boundaries

Answer 39

Where tectonic plates meet. There are three kinds of boundary a) divergent – when two plates move apart b) convergent – when two plates collide c) conservative – when two plates slide past one another

Question 40

Plumes

Answer 40

Upwelling of molten rock through the asthenosphere to the | lithosphere

Question 41

Polar cell

Answer 41

Sections of the Earth’s atmosphere found above the North and | South Poles, consisting of descending cold, dry air

Question 42

Primary effects

Answer 42

The direct impacts of event, usually occurring instantly

Question 43

Pyroclasts

Answer 43

Fragments of volcanic material that is thrown out during explosive eruptions

Question 44

Radioactive decay

Answer 44

Atoms of unstable elements release particles from their nuclei and give off heat

Question 45

Refugees

Answer 45

People who are forced to move due to natural hazards or war

Question 46

Relief effort

Answer 46

Help given by organisations or countries to help those facing an emergency

Question 47

Richter scale

Answer 47

A scale for measuring the magnitude of earthquakes

Question 48

Risk Zone

Answer 48

Areas assessed upon the likelihood of hazardous events happening, such as storm surges

Question 49

Saffir-Simpson Hurricane scale

Answer 49

A scale that classifies hurricanes into five different categories according to their wind strength

Question 50

Secondary effects

Answer 50

The indirect impacts of an event, usually occurring in the hours, weeks, months or years after the event

Question 51

Seismometer

Answer 51

A machine for recording and measuring an earthquake using the Richter scale

Question 52

Social impacts

Answer 52

The impacts of an event upon people

Question 53

Solar insolation

Answer 53

The Sun’s energy

Question 54

Storm surge

Answer 54

A rapid rise in the level of the sea caused by low pressure and strong winds

Question 55

Stratosphere

Answer 55

The layer of air 10-50km above the Earth’s surface. It is above the cloudy layer we live in, the troposphere

Question 56

Stratovolcano

Answer 56

Type of volcano characterised by steep sides, also known as a composite cone

Question 57

Subduction

Answer 57

Describes oceanic crust sinking into the mantle at a convergent plate boundary. As the crust subducts, it melts back into the mantle

Question 58

Sunspots

Answer 58

A dark patch that occasionally appears on the surface of the Sun

Question 59

Tectonic hazards

Answer 59

Natural events caused by movement of the Earth’s plates that affect people and property

Question 60

Tectonic plate

Answer 60

The Earth’s surface is broken into large pieces, like a cracked eggshell. The pieces are called tectonic plates, or just plates

Question 61

Tropical cyclone

Answer 61

An area of low pressure with winds moving in a spiral around a calm central point called the eye of the storm – winds are powerful and rainfall is heavy

Question 62

Tsunami

Answer 62

Earthquakes beneath the sea bed generate huge waves that travel up to 900km/h

Question 63

Typhoon

Answer 63

Term given to a tropical cyclone in the western North Pacific

Question 64

Volcanic explosivity index

Answer 64

Measures the explosiveness of volcanic eruptions on a scale of 1 to 8