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Geography > Hazards > Flashcards

Hazards Flashcards

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1
Q

LICs

A

Low Income Countries have a GNI per capita below $1045

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2
Q

HICs

A

High Income Countries have a GNI per capita greater than $12,746

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3
Q

NEEs

A

Newly Emerging Economies are countries that have begun to experience higher rates of economic development, usually due to higher levels of industrialisation

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4
Q

Hazard Risk

A

The probability or chance that a natural hazard may take place

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5
Q

Natural Hazard

A

A natural event that threatens people or has the potential to cause damage, destruction and death

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6
Q

Conservative Plate Margin

A

Tectonic plate margin where two tectonic plates slide past each other

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7
Q

Constructive Plate Margin

A

Tectonic plate margin where plates moving apart (diverging) allow magma to rise and form new land

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8
Q

Destructive Plate Margin

A

Tectonic plate margin where plates are moving towards each other (converging) and the oceanic plate subducts
Can cause violent earthquakes and explosive volcanic eruptions

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9
Q

Plate Margin

A

Boundary between two tectonic plates

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10
Q

Planning

A

Actions taken to enable people and communities to respond to, and recover from, natural disasters e.g. emergency evacuation plans, warning systems, etc.

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11
Q

Prediction

A

Attempts to forecast when and where a natural hazard will strike, based on current knowledge

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12
Q

Earthquake

A

A sudden or violent movement within the Earth’s crust, followed by a series of shocks

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13
Q

Immediate Responses

A

The reaction of people as the disaster happens and in the immediate aftermath

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14
Q

Long-term Responses

A

Later reactions that take place in the months and years following the disaster

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15
Q

Monitoring

A

Recording physical changes, such as earthquake tremors around a volcano, to help forecast when and where a natural hazard may strike

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16
Q

Primary Effects

A

The initial impact of a natural event on people and property, caused directly by it

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17
Q

Protection

A

Actions taken before a hazard strikes to reduce its impact

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18
Q

Secondary Effects

A

The after-effects that occur as an indirect result of a natural event, sometimes on a longer timescale

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19
Q

Tectonic Hazard

A

A natural hazard caused by the movement of tectonic plates (including volcanoes and earthquakes)

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20
Q

Tectonic Plate

A

A rigid segment of the Earth’s crust which floats across the heavier, semi-molten magma below

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21
Q

Volcano

A

An opening in the Earth’s crust from which lava, gases and ash erupt

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22
Q

Economic Impact

A

The effect of an event on the wealth of an area or community

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23
Q

Environmental Impact

A

The effect of an event on the landscape and ecology of the surrounding area

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24
Q

Extreme Weather

A

When a weather event is significantly different from the average or usual weather pattern, and is especially severe or unseasonal

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25
Q

Global Atmospheric Circulation

A

The worldwide system of winds which transports heat from tropical to polar latitudes

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26
Q

Management Strategies

A

Techniques of controlling, responding to, or dealing with an event

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27
Q

Social Impact

A

The effect of an event on the lives of people or community

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28
Q

Tropical Storm

A

An area of low pressure with powerful winds moving in a spiral around the calm central point (the eye) and heavy rainfall

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29
Q

Adaptation

A

Actions taken to adjust to natural events, such as climate change, to reduce potential damage, limit the impacts, take advantage of opportunities, or cope with the consequences

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30
Q

Climate Change

A

A long-term change in the earth’s climate, especially due to an increase in the average atmospheric temperature

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31
Q

Mitigation

A

Actions taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risks to human life and property from natural hazards

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32
Q

Orbital Changes

A

Changes in the pathway of the Earth around the Sun

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33
Q

Quaternary Period

A

The period of geological time from about 2.6million years to the present, characterised by the appearance and development of humans and includes the Pleistocene and Holocene Epochs

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34
Q

Examples of Tectonic Hazards

A

Volcanoes
Earthquakes
Tsunamis
Avalanches

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35
Q

Examples of Climatic Hazards

A

Flooding
Tornadoes
Tropical Storms
Droughts

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36
Q

Mantle

A

Thickest part of the Earth (around 2900km) made up of semi-molten rock, known as magma

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37
Q

Outer Core

A

Liquid layer of iron and nickel surrounding the inner core

38
Q

Inner Core

A

Centre of the Earth, with temperatures up to 5500 C, made up of iron and nickel

39
Q

Oceanic Crust

A

Found underneath oceans, and is dense enough to be subducted at converging plate margins

40
Q

Continental Crust

A

Found under land mass or continents, less dense than oceanic crust so rarely subducts

41
Q

Ring of Fire

A

An area located along the plate margin of the Pacific plate, with a lot of volcanic activity

42
Q

Richter Scale

A

A measure of how powerful an earthquake is (magnitude)

43
Q

Examples of Earthquake protection in buildings

A
  • rubber shock absorbers in foundations
  • steel frames that sway during Earth movements
  • open areas outside for evacuation
44
Q

Magma Chamber

A

Where molten rock is stored beneath the ground

45
Q

Main Vent

A

Channel through which magma reaches the surface

46
Q

Secondary Vent

A

Some magma may escape through the side of the volcano, particularly if the main vent gets blocked

47
Q

Crater

A

The top of the volcano, where the lava erupts from

48
Q

Positive effects of volcanoes

A
  • geothermal power generation
  • ash acts as a good soil fertilizer
  • attract tourists
49
Q

Negative effects of volcanoes

A
  • risk to life during eruptions
  • economic activity can suffer, as it is hard to operate a business
  • habitats and landscapes damaged by lava flow
50
Q

Characteristics of composite volcanoes

A
  • acidic, viscous lava
  • steep sides, as lava solidifies quickly
  • alternate layers of ash and lava (stratovolcanoes)
  • violent eruptions
  • longer periods between eruptions
51
Q

Shield volcanoes

A
  • basic, runny lava
  • gentle sides, as lava flows far before it solidifies
  • no layers; only consists of lava
  • less violent eruptions
  • more frequent eruptions
52
Q

Seismometer

A

Used to measure earthquakes near an eruption

53
Q

Tiltmeters / GPS

A

Monitor changes in landscape to predict eruptions

54
Q

Ways of monitoring volcanoes

A
  • seismometers
  • tiltmeters / GPS
  • measuring gases released from volcano
  • measuring temperature
  • past history of eruptions
55
Q

Benefits of living by a volcano

A
  • fertile land from volcanic rock and ash increases crop yields
  • tourists increase money to the local economy
  • geothermal energy provides cheaper electricity for locals
  • minerals in lava e.g. diamonds, can be mined to make money
56
Q

Hurricanes

A

Tropical storms in the US and the Caribbean, characterized by powerful winds and heavy rainfall

57
Q

Cyclones

A

Tropical storms in South Asia, characterized by powerful winds and heavy rainfall

58
Q

Typhoons

A

Tropical storms in East Asia, characterized by powerful winds and heavy rainfall

59
Q

Explain how tropical storms develop

A
  • form between 5 and 30 degrees latitude and move westward because of easterly winds
  • warm ocean (at least 27 C) heats the air above it, causing an area of low pressure
  • rising air draws up more warm moist air leading to strong winds
  • rising warm air spirals upwards, cools, condenses and forms large clouds
  • these clouds form the eye wall, producing heavy rainfall
  • cold air sinks in the centre of the storm, creating calm, dry conditions
60
Q

The effect of climate change on tropical storms

A
  • warmer ocean temperatures are more likely to cause hurricanes
  • wind speeds potentially increasing 2-11%
  • rainfall rates in these storms projected to increase by around 20%
61
Q

Depressions

A

Areas of low atmospheric pressure, which bring changeable weather as they travel

62
Q

Anticyclones

A

Areas of high pressure formed when cool air sinks, that spin in an anticlockwise direction
Brings hot, sunny weather in summer and cold weather (e.g. fog, frost) in winter

63
Q

Relief Rainfall

A
  • warm, moist air rises over mountains
  • cools and condenses, forming clouds and rain
  • having passed over the mountain, it descends and cools
  • this creates drier conditions, known as a rain shadow
64
Q

Convectional Rainfall

A
  • sun heats the land, creating convection currents
  • warm air rises, cools and form clouds
  • clouds produce heavy rainfall or thunderstorms
65
Q

Frontal Rainfall

A
  • warm front meets a cold front, so cold air sinks, forcing the warm air to rise
  • warm air rises, cools and condenses to form clouds
  • clouds can bring heavy rain
66
Q

Greenhouse Effect

A
  • short-wave radiation from the sun passes through atmosphere and heats the Earth’s surface
  • Earth’s surface gives off heat as long-wave radiation
  • some of this heat is trapped and reflected back to Earth by greenhouse gases
  • this process heats up the Earth
67
Q

Examples of greenhouse gases

A 
Carbon Dioxide
Methane
Sulphur Dioxide
Water Vapor
Nitrous Oxides
68
Q

Human factors increasing global warming

A
  • fossil fuel use
  • deforestation
  • landfill
  • agriculture
69
Q

Physical factors affecting global warming

A
  • orbital changes
  • volcanic activity
  • solar output
70
Q

Impacts of climate change in the UK

A
  • rising sea levels cover low-lying areas, particularly in the East
  • droughts, floods and other extreme weather becomes more likely
  • pressure on water supplies during hotter summers
  • industry may be impacted, damaging local economy e.g. Scottish ski resorts
71
Q

Impacts of climate change around the world

A
  • sea levels rising will affect 80 million people
  • tropical storms will increase in magnitude
  • species in affected areas (e.g. the Arctic) may become extinct
  • diseases, such as malaria, become extinct, affecting up to another 280 million people
72
Q

Climate change mitigation strategies

A
  • alternative energy
  • carbon capture
  • planting trees
  • international agreements
73
Q

Climate change adaptation strategies

A
  • agriculture
  • water supply
  • reducing risk from sea level rise
74
Q

How does alternative energy mitigate the effects of climate change

A

Fossil fuels release carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas, so generating power in other ways slows down global warming

75
Q

Carbon Capture

A

The removal of carbon dioxide and its storage underground, reducing emissions into the atmosphere

76
Q

Afforestation

A

The planting of more trees to absorb more CO2 (which trees use for photosynthesis) and mitigate the effects of global warming

77
Q

Agriculture (climate change adaptation)

A

Some farmers may not be able to grow their crops in warmer climates, so they must plant other crops

78
Q

Water Supply (climate change adaptation)

A

Water transfer schemes transport water to areas with water shortage to cope with rising temperatures and droughts

79
Q

Marginal Land

A

Land that is difficult to develop and yields little profit

80
Q

Convection Currents

A

Movements within the Earth’s mantle caused by the heat of the core

81
Q

Subduction

A

When one tectonic plate is forced under another

82
Q

Moment Magnitude Scale (MMS)

A

Used to measure the magnitude of Earthquakes, in terms of the amount of energy released

83
Q

Hotspot

A

Occurs when there is intense heat in the mantle which rises towards the crust. When the magma reaches the surface, it creates volcanoes e.g. the Hawaiian islands

84
Q

Lahar

A

A destructive volcanic landslide or mudflow, consisting of a mixture of volcanic debris, mud, rock and water

85
Q

Pyroclastic Flow

A

A current of hot gas and rock that flows downhill at high speed

86
Q

Volcanic Bombs

A

Large blocks of hot rock thrown from a volcano

87
Q

Coriolis Force

A

Apparent force, due to the spinning of the Earth, which deflects movement of particles and wind

88
Q

Cumulonimbus

A

A type of large, dense, tall, grey cloud which produces rain, hail or snow

89
Q

Displacement

A

When people are forced to leave their homes or countries, usually due to war or natural disaster

90
Q

Rain Shadow

A

An area with reduced rainfall because it is behind higher land

91
Q

Ice Core

A

A sample of ice, taken by drilling through a glacier or ice sheet

92
Q

Milankovitch Cycles

A

A theory that describes the effects of the Earth’s movements on its climate

Geography (17 decks)

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