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Geo of Hazards > Lecture #1 > Flashcards

Lecture #1 Flashcards

1
Q

How many locations within North America are at risk of hazards?

A

Every location is at risk of at least 1 hazard

-Hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, draught (everyone)

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2
Q

Examples of Non-natural disasters?

A
  • Nuclear meltdown
  • Toxic gas release
  • Oil Spill
  • O3 depletion
  • Acid rain
  • Infrastructure failures
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3
Q

What are the 3 main processes in which natural hazards can arise?

A
  1. Internal forces within the earth (driven by internal energy; plate tectonics)
  2. External Forces on earth surface (driven by sun energy; any weather hazard)
  3. Gravitational Attraction (driven by force of gravity; downslope movement)
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4
Q

Hazard definition

A

A process that poses a potential threat to people or the environment

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5
Q

Risk definition

A

the probability of an event occurring x impact on people or the environment

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6
Q

Disaster definition

A

A brief event that causes great property damage of loss of life

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7
Q

Catastrophe definition

A

A massive disatster

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8
Q

What differentiates a hazard from a catastrophe?

A

It’s based on the size of the area affected

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9
Q

Which hazards are more likely to be more catastrophic or less?

A

More: tsunami, earthquake hurricanes
Less: Landslide, wildfires, tornado

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10
Q

What is the magnitude frequency concept?

A

There is an inverse relationship between magnitude and frequency

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11
Q

What is the impact of a hazard dependant on?

A

Magnitude + Frequency

-also to a lesser extent geology, population density, land use

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12
Q

What is a relatively safe place to be in NA?

A

The great lakes region

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13
Q

Which cycles created and modified earths surface?

A

the geologic cycles

  • tectonic cycle
  • rock cycle
  • hydrologic cycle
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14
Q

What does the tectonic cycle involve?

A

Creation, movement and destruction of plates

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15
Q

How many tectonic plates are there?

A

7 big ones

7 little ones

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16
Q

Which process drives the tectonic cycle?

A

Earth internal energy

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17
Q

What is the Asthenosphere?

A

The upper mantle which is composed of hot magma with some flow

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18
Q

What is the Lithosphere?

A

Thin and brittle crust

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19
Q

What are the 2 different kinds of crust?

A
  • Oceanic (dense)

- Continental (thin)

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20
Q

What are the 3 types of plate boundaries?

A

-Convergent
-Divergent
Transform

21
Q

What do transform boundaries create?

A

Transform faults

san Andreas

22
Q

What are hotspots?

A

Areas found away from plate boundaries where magma rises up from the mantle
-they’re random

23
Q

What geological feature is indicative of a hot spot?

A

When magma erupts from the surface to form volcanoes

-Hawaiian islands

24
Q

How do plume move?

A

They don’t move, but the plate moving over top causes the structure to move

25
Q

What are the 3 types of rock produced yet eh rock cycle?

A
  • Igneous (came from ancient volcano)
  • Sedimentary (weathering + erosion)
  • Metamorphic (heat+ melting to form a new rock)
26
Q

Definition of the Hydrologic cycle

A

The movement and exchange pod water around the land atmosphere and oceans by changes in state

27
Q

What drives the hydrologic cycle?

A

Solar energy drives the movement of water

28
Q

What is the Residence time?

A

How long a molecule stays in the atmosphere

29
Q

What are the 5 major course themes?

A
  1. Hazards can be understood through scientific investigation
  2. Need to understand hazards to reduce risk
  3. Hazards are linked to each other and the environment
  4. Population + economic growth are increasing the risk of hazards
  5. Consequences of hazards can be reduced
30
Q

Why can understanding a hazard be beneficial?

A

If we know how it works we can know where it will occur and know how to minimize effects and predict future events

31
Q

When do natural processes become hazardous?

A

When they distrust human activity or the environment

32
Q

What is the best solution against natural processes, since we can’t control them?

A

Mitigate loss by preparation

33
Q

Prediciton definition

A

A specific time, date, location and magnitude of the event

34
Q

Forcast definition

A

A range or probability for the event (more general)

-some can be predicted and forecasted

35
Q

What is risk?

A

the probability of the event x consequences

36
Q

Consequences definition

A

Damage to people , property, the environment and the economy

37
Q

What is the acceptable risk?

A

The amount of risk that an individual or society is willing to take

38
Q

How is the risk of hazards increasing?

A

-more people living closer to hazard areas

39
Q

Which 2 countries account for 1/3 of earth population?

A

India and China

40
Q

Why are hazards becoming more expensive?

A
  • More neighbourhoods are in more unusual places which are closer to hazard areas and more expensive to rebuild
41
Q

Economic losses are higher in which countries?

A

developed countries

-deaths are higher in developing countries

42
Q

Direct disaster effects?

A

Death, injury, property damage displacement of people

-lots of media attention

43
Q

Indirect disaster effects?

A

Crop failures, starvation emotional distress, loss of employment

  • effects are lingering
  • less media attention
44
Q

What are reactive approaches to hazards?

A

These involve recovery, search and rescue, providing emergency food water and shelter, rebuilding

45
Q

What are proactive approaches to hazards?

A
  • good land use planning
  • strong building codes
  • insurance
  • Evacuation planning
  • Artificial controls (flood walls)
46
Q

Which is a better approach, proactive of reactive?

A

Proactive

47
Q

What are Natural Service Functions?

A

Natural events provide important benefits

48
Q

What does climate change have to do with hazards?

A

Frequency of some natural processes will increase

49
Q

Midterm Question: Which mountain chain is the site of a continent collision?

A

The Himalayan Mountains

Geo of Hazards (12 decks)

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