Hazardous Earth

Question 1

Natural hazard-

Answer 1

A natural process which could cause death, injury or disruption to humans, or destroy property and possessions.

Question 2

Geological hazards-

Answer 2

Are caused by land and tectonic processes. Examples are volcanoes, earthquakes, landslides and avalanches.

Question 3

Meteorological hazards-

Answer 3

Are caused by weather and climate. Examples are tropical storms, extreme weather (heatwaves and cold spells) and climate change.

Question 4

The core of the earth…

Answer 4

Is a ball of solid (inner) and liquid (outer) iron and nickel.

Question 5

Around the core is the mantle, which…

Answer 5

Is semi-molten rock that moves very slowly.

Question 6

The outer layer of the earth is…

Answer 6

The crust.

Question 7

Continental crusts-

Answer 7

Thicker (30-50km) and less dense.

Question 8

Oceanic crust-

Answer 8

Is thinner (5-10km) and more dense.

Question 9

Destructive margins-

Answer 9

Where two plates more towards each other.
Where an oceanic plate meets a continental plate, the denser oceanic plate is forced down into the mantle and destroyed. This creates volcanoes and ocean trenches.
Where two continental plates meet, the plates collide, and the ground is folded and forced upwards creating mounting ranges.

Question 10

Constructive margins-

Answer 10

Where two plates are moving away from each other. Magma rises from the mantle to fill the gap and cools, creating new crusts

Question 11

Conservative margins-

Answer 11

Where two plates are moving sideways past each other, or are moving in the same direction but at different speeds. Crust isn’t created or destroyed.

Question 12

Haiti earthquake- LEDC
300,000 injured
230,000 dead
Choler outbreak
500,000 people living rough

Answer 12

Long term responses= lack of immediate aid through poor planning, delays in aid distribution led to angry appeals from aid workers, survivors, looting and sporadic violence were observed.

Immediate responses= morgues we’re overwhelmed with tens of thousands of bodies having to be buried. 4.3 million people provided with food rations.

Question 13

Japan earthquake- MEDC
1700 dead
4 million without power
1 million without water
215,000 people living in shelter

Answer 13

Immediate responses= rescue people trapped, recover dead bodies, set up shelters, provide aid.
Long-term responses= homes re-built, if necessary improve building regulations.

Question 14

Global atmospheric circulation-

Answer 14

1. Winds are large scale movements of air caused by differences in air pressure.
2. Differences in air pressure are caused by differences in temperature between the equator and the poles. Winds move from the area of high pressure to the areas of low pressure
3. Winds are part of global atmospheric circulation loop. These loops have warm rising air which creates a low pressure belt, and cool falling air which creates a high pressure belt.
4. There are loops in each hemisphere.

Question 15

Tropical storms-

Answer 15

Develop when the sea temperature is 27 degrees or higher and when the wind shear (the difference in wind speed) between higher and lower parts of the atmosphere is low.

Question 16

Immediate responses-

Answer 16

Happen when a storm is forecast to hit a populated area, while it is happening, and immediately after.

Question 17

Long term responses-

Answer 17

Are to do with restoring the area to the condition it was before the storm struck, and reducing the impact of future storms.

Question 18

Hurricane Katrina-

Primary effects=

Answer 18

1. More than 1800 people were killed.
2. 300,000 houses were destroyed.
3. Large areas were flooded, including 80% of New Orleans.
4. 3 million people were left without electricity.
5. Some bridges collapsed.
6. Coastal habitats were damaged.

Question 19

Hurricane Katrina-

Secondary Effects=

Answer 19

1. Hundreds of thousands of people were made homeless.
2. 230,000 jobs were lost from damaged businesses.
3. Water supplies were polluted with sewage and chemicals.
4. The total cost of the damage was estimated at $150 billion.

Question 20

Hurricane Katrina-

Immediate responses=

Answer 20

1. 70-80% of New Orleans were evacuated before the hurricane reached land.
2. Mississippi and Louisiana declared states of emergency- they set up control centres and emergency shelters, and stocked supplies.
3. The coastguard, police, fire service and army rescued over 50,000 people.
4. Charities collected donations and provided aid, including millions of hot meals.

Question 21

Hurricane Katrina-

Longer term responses=

Answer 21

1. The us government provided over 16 billion dollars for the rebuilding of homes,and provided funds to repair other essential infrastructure.
2. The US Army recommend that buildings are rebuilt on stilts or not rebuilt at all in very low-lying areas.
3. Repaired and improved flood defences for New Orleans costing 14.5 billion dollars were completed in 2013.