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Geography- physical > Key terms- topic 1 > Flashcards

Key terms- topic 1 Flashcards

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1
Q

Accretion Wedge

A

The accumulation of material at the point of subduction.

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2
Q

Asthenosphere

A

The upper mantle layer of the Earth. It is semi-molten and approximately 2000km wide.

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3
Q

Volcanic Island Arc

A

A series of volcanoes (often in the shape of an arc) that are formed consecutively, as a tectonic plate moves across a magma plume.

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4
Q

Benioff zone

A

A region of the subducting plate, most affected by pressure and friction, where most destructive margin earthquakes originate.

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5
Q

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI)

A

A measure of the magnitude of a volcano’s eruptions.

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6
Q

Viscosity

A

An internal property of a fluid that offers resistance to flow ie low viscosity= runny

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7
Q

Subduction

A

Oceanic plate is forced below continental plate, due to the oceanic plate being more dense than the continental plate.

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8
Q

Seismic waves

A

The energy released during an earthquake, in the form of Primary, Secondary, Love and Rayleigh Wave

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9
Q

Secondary waves

A

An earthquake wave causing vertical displacement within the body of rock.

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10
Q

Richter scale

A

A logarithmic measure of earthquake’s intensity.

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11
Q

Rayleigh waves

A

A surface earthquake wave causing both horizontal and vertical displacement

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12
Q

Pyroclastic flows

A

A mixture of gases and rock fragments, at high temperatures travelling at rapid
speeds.

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13
Q

Primary waves

A

An earthquake wave causing compressions within the body of rock

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14
Q

Parks model

A

A model describing the decline and recovery of a country over time, following a natural disaster.

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15
Q

Paleomagnetism

A

The alternating polarisation of new land created. As magma cools, the magnetic elements within will align with the Earth’s magnetic field, which can alternate over thousands of years

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16
Q

Oceanic crust

A

Crust, usually thinner than continental crust, that forms the sea floor. It is on average 7km thick.

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17
Q

Moment magnitude scale

A

A measure of an earthquake’s energy released, considered the most accurate measure.

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18
Q

Mid oceanic ridge

A

Parting oceanic plates at a constructive plate boundary creates a ridge, with new land at the base of the oceanic valley.

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19
Q

Love waves

A

A surface earthquake wave with horizontal displacement.

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20
Q

Lithosphere

A

The upper crust of the Earth (average thickness = 100km)

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21
Q

Lahars

A
  • A flow of mud and debris
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22
Q

Jokulhaup

A

A sudden glacial flood caused by a glacier on top of or near a volcano melting due to the heat from the eruption.

23
Q

Hot spot

A

Volcanoes found away from the plate boundary, due to a magma plume closer to the surface.

24
Q

Hazard Mitigation Cycle

A
  • The sequence of governance of a natural hazard: monitoring & prediction, mitigation, preparedness.
25
Q

Focus

A

The place in the crust where the pressure/seismic energy is released

26
Q

Epicentre

A

– The point on the surface, directly above the earthquake’s origin.

27
Q

Deggs model

A

This model shows that a hazard becomes a disaster if it affects a vulnerable population.

28
Q

Convection currents

A

The circulation of magma within the mantle (asthenosphere). Magma is heated by radioactive processes in the core and cools at the surface, and so circulates between the two places.

29
Q

Continental crust

A

Crust that forms the continents of the lithosphere, on average 35km thick.

30
Q

Aseismic Buildings

A

Buildings designed to withstand or minimise destruction during an earthquake.

31
Q

Subduction

A

Oceanic plate is forced below continental plate, due to the oceanic plate being more dense than the continental plate.

32
Q

Crustal fracturing

A

Occurs when the earths crust causes rock to break and fracture under stress caused by seismic stresses

33
Q

Liquefaction

A

Groundwater loose soil and sediments are shaken during earthquake so that the ground loses cohesion and acts as a fluid

34
Q

Mantle plume

A

Hotter areas of the mantle that move upwards underneath the crust and push it up. This causes weak spots in the crust called hotspots.

35
Q

Sea floor spreading

A

The movement of the oceanic crust away from the a constructive plate boundary, as recorded by the magnetic stripes in the basaltic rock

36
Q

Slab pull

A

At a subduction zone the descending part of the oceanic plate pulls the rest of the plate with it

37
Q

Shield volcano

A

shield volcano is a type of volcano usually composed almost entirely of fluid lava flows. It is named for its low profile, resembling a warrior’s shield lying on the ground

38
Q

Strato volcano

A

A volcano built up of alternate layers of lava and ash.

39
Q

Hazard

A

Is any agent that can cause harm or damage to humans, property, or the environment

40
Q

Disaster

A

Is a sudden, calamitous event that seriously disrupts the functioning of a community or society and causes human, material, and economic or environmental losses that exceed the community’s or society’s ability to cope using its own resources.

41
Q

The pressure and release model

A

Is a model that helps understand risk in terms of vulnerability analysis in specific hazard situations. PAR is a tool that shows how disasters occur when natural hazards affect vulnerable people

42
Q

Speed of onset

A

How slowly or rapidly the tectonic hazard develops

43
Q

Spacial predictability

A

How likely scientists are to estimate where a tectonic event will strike

44
Q

Mitigation

A

Reducing vulnerability

45
Q

Adaption

A

Actions taken to adjust to living with tectonic hazards

46
Q

Modify the event

A

Change the tectonic process/ hazard

47
Q

Modify the vulnerability

A

Plan strategies to make the area/ population more resilient

48
Q

Modify the loss

A

Accept/ share losses of the hazard

49
Q

Divergent boundary

A

Involves two plates moving away from each other

50
Q

Conservative boundary

A

The tectonic plates slide past each other

51
Q

Convergent (destructive) boundary

A

Where two plates meet, the oceanic crust sinks or subducts, bellow the less dense and lighter continental crust

52
Q

Convergent (collision) boundary

A

Where two oceanic plates converge the denser crust subducts the other= a trench

53
Q

Intraplate earthquake

A

Earthquakes that occur away from the plate boundaries and closer to the middle of the tectonic plate

54
Q

Transform fault

A

Large scale break in the crust

Geography- physical (10 decks)

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