Hazards Vocab

Question 1

Hazard risk

Answer 1

The probability or chance that a natural hazard may take place.

Question 2

Natural hazard

Answer 2

A natural event (for example an earthquake, volcanic eruption, tropical storm, flood) that threatens people or has the potential to cause damage, destruction and death.

Question 3

Conservative plate margins

Answer 3

Tectonic plate margin where two tectonic plates slide past each other.

Question 4

Constructive plate margin

Answer 4

Tectonic plate margin where rising magma adds new material to plates that are diverging or moving apart.

Question 5

Destructive plate margin

Answer 5

Tectonic plate margin where two plates are converging or coming together and oceanic plate is subducted. It can be associated with violent earthquakes and explosive volcanoes.

Question 6

Earthquake

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Immediate responses

Answer 7

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

Question 8

Long-term responses

Answer 8

Later reactions that occur in the weeks, months and years after the event.

Question 9

Monitoring

Answer 9

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

Question 10

Plate margin

Answer 10

The margin or boundary between two tectonic plates.

Question 11

Planning

Answer 11

Actions taken to enable communities to respond to, and recover from, natural disasters, through measures such as emergency evacuation plans, information management, communications and warning systems.

Question 12

Prediction

Answer 12

Attempts to forecast when and where a natural hazard will strike, based on current knowledge. This can be done to some extent for volcanic eruptions (and tropical storms), but less reliably for earthquakes.

Question 13

Primary effects

Answer 13

The initial impact of a natural event on people and property, caused directly by it, for instance the ground buildings collapsing following an earthquake.

Question 14

Protection

Answer 14

Actions taken before a hazard strikes to reduce its impact, such as educating people or improving building design.

Question 15

Secondary effects

Answer 15

The after-effects that occur as indirect impacts of a natural event, sometimes on a longer timescale, for instance fires due to ruptured gas mains resulting from the ground shaking.

Question 16

Tectonic hazard

Answer 16

The after-effects that occur as indirect impacts of a natural event, sometimes on a longer timescale, for instance fires due to ruptured gas mains resulting from the ground shaking.

Question 17

Tectonic plate

Answer 17

A rigid segment of the Earth’s crust which can ‘float’ across the heavier, semi- molten rock below. Continental plates are less dense, but thicker than oceanic plates.

Question 18

Volcano

Answer 18

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

Question 19

Adaptation

Answer 19

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.

Question 20

Climate change

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Mitigation

Answer 21

Action taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to human life and property from natural hazards, such as building earthquake-proof buildings or making international agreements about carbon reduction targets.

Question 22

Orbital changes

Answer 22

Changes in the pathway of the Earth around the Sun.

Question 23

Quaternary period

Answer 23

The period of geological time from about 2.6 million years ago to the present. It is characterized by the appearance and development of humans and includes the Pleistocene and Holocene Epochs.

Question 24

Economic impact

Answer 24

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

Question 25

Environmental impact

Answer 25

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

Question 26

Extreme weather

Answer 26

This is when a weather event is significantly different from the average or usual weather pattern, and is especially severe or unseasonal. This may take place over one day or a period of time. A severe snow blizzard or heat wave are two examples of extreme weather in the UK.

Question 27

Global atmospheric circulation

Answer 27

The worldwide system of winds, which transports heat from tropical to polar latitudes. In each hemisphere, air also circulates through the entire depth of the troposphere which extends up to 15 km.

Question 28

Immediate responses

Answer 28

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

Question 29

Long-term responses

Answer 29

Later reactions that occur in the weeks, months and years after the event.

Question 30

Management strategies

Answer 30

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

Question 31

Monitoring

Answer 31

Recording physical changes, such as tracking a tropical storm by satellite, to help forecast when and where a natural hazard might strike.

Question 32

Planning

Answer 32

Actions taken to enable communities to respond to, and recover from, natural disasters, through measures such as emergency evacuation plans, information management, communications and warning systems.

Question 33

Prediction

Answer 33

Attempts to forecast when and where a natural hazard will strike, based on current knowledge. This can be done to some extent for tropical storms (and volcanic eruptions, but less reliably for earthquakes).

Question 34

Primary effects

Answer 34

The initial impact of a natural event on people and property, caused directly by it, for instance buildings being partially or wholly destroyed by a tropical storm.

Question 35

Protection

Answer 35

Actions taken before a hazard strikes to reduce its impact, such as educating people or improving building design.

Question 36

Secondary effects

Answer 36

The after-effects that occur as indirect impacts of a natural event, sometimes on a longer timescale, for instance impact on access to potable water can lead to spread of disease.

Question 37

Social impact

Answer 37

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

Question 38

Tropical storm (hurricane, cyclone, typhoon)

Answer 38

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