Hazards Flashcards
volcano
A rupture in the crust of Earth that allows hot lava volcanic ash and gases to escape
tsunami
a large sea wave caused by an earthquake
earthquake
a violent shaking of the ground, typically causing great destruction, as a result of movements of the earth’s tectonic plates
Richter scale
the scale used to measure the magnitude of an earthquake
seismic waves
waves of energy that travel through the earth as a result of an earthquake, volcanic eruption or explosion
subduction zone
where one tectonic plate slips below another
rift zone
a large area of the earth in which tectonic plates are moving away from each other
hotspot
an area of the earth’s surface where the crust is thin and there can be volcanic activity
sheild volcano
a domed volcano with gently sloping sides
Cinder Cone Volcano
Cinder cone volcanoes form when lava erupts from a single opening in the ground. The eruption forms a hill with a crater in the center.
Dome Volcano
a volcano that forms when thick, viscious lava erupts, hardening into a dome shape
Composite Volcano
a composite volcano, is a conical volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava
weathering
the breaking down of bare rock mainly by water cooling and freezing as a result of temperature change
erosion
the wearing away and removal of soil by natural forces such as wind, water and human activity
deposition
the laying down of material carried by rivers, wind, ice and waves.
plate tectonics
a scientific theory explaining the structure of the earth’s crust
transoortation
the movement of eroded materials to a new location by natural forces such as wind and water
hot desert
a desert thats temperatures range between 45C and-15C in a 24 hour period. mostly located between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Cspricorn
cold deserts
cold deserts lie on high gorund usually north of Tropic of Cancer and South of the tropic ofCapricorn/ they include polar deserts and any precipitation falls as snow
hot desert examples
the sahara, the arabian desert, the mojave desert
cold deserts
antarctic desert, patagonian desert, gobi desert
convergent plates
plates that move towards eachother and may create mintain ranges
diverging plates
lpates that move away from eachother
folding
geologic process by which surfaces in rocks become curved during deformation.
faulting
an area on the earth’s surface that has a fracture
uplifting
Uplifting is the process by which Earth’s surface slowly rises
importance of soil
soil is essential for healthy plant growth, human nutrition, and water filtration.
australian landforms
uluru
cradle mountain
flinders ranges
how are mintains formed
when pieces of Earth’s crust (tectonic plates) converge against each other in a process called plate tectonics
karst landscapes
karst landscapes are landscapes where the dissolving of bedrock has created sinkholes, sinking streams, caves and springs. karst landscapes have soluble rock types like limestone and marble. karst caves contain stalagmites and stalactites
4 landform regions of australia
the coastal plains
the eastern highlands
the central lowlands
the western plateau
