Lecture 1 - Introduction

Question 1

Hazard?

Answer 1

Probability that a specific damaging event will happen within a particular period of time

Question 2

Risk?

Answer 2

A function of the hazard, exposure, vulnerability, and coping capacity (CHEV)

Question 3

Disaster?

Answer 3

Hazardous event that occurs over a limited time in a defined area

Question 4

Catastrophe?

Answer 4

Massive disaster that requires significant amount of money or time to recover (aka worse disaster)

Question 5

Is there an increase in natural disasters?

Answer 5

Hard to say - we can say yes due to climate change, however there is also more world wide news coverage

Question 6

What is the cause of the most deaths in Canada?

Answer 6

Tonadoes/Windstorms/Lightening

Question 7

Impact?

Answer 7

Function of magnitude and frequency?

Question 8

Magnitude frequency concept?

Answer 8

inverse relationship between magnitude and frequency: the bigger the event the less often it happens

Question 9

What are the subcycles of the geological cyle?

Answer 9

• Hydrologic cycle
• Tectonic cycle
• Biogeochemical cycle
• Rock cycle

Question 10

Rock cycle?

Answer 10

The cycling of three major rock types

• Igneous
• Sedimentary
• Metamorphic

Question 11

Igneous rock?

Answer 11

Form from crystalization of magma

Question 12

Sedimentary rock?

Answer 12

Rocks are weathered into sediment by wind/water, converted to rock through lithification

Question 13

Metamorphic rock?

Answer 13

CHanged though extreme heat, pressure, or chemically active fluids

Question 14

Hydrologic cycle?

Answer 14

Solor energy drives movement of water between atmosphere, oceans, and continents

Question 15

Residence time?

Answer 15

The estimated average time that a drop of water spends in any compartment

Question 16

Biogeochemical cycles?

Answer 16

The transfer or cycling of an element through the atmosphere

- carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus

Question 17

Prediction?

Answer 17

Specific date, time, and magnitude of the event

Question 18

Forecast?

Answer 18

Less precise than a prediction, has a range of probability for the event

Question 19

What is the risk equation?

Answer 19

Risk = (probability of an event)(consequences)

- where consequences = death/injuries, damge, economic effects, etc. (hard to numerically define)

Question 20

Acceptable risk?

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Direct/Primary Effects?

Answer 21

People killed, building damages, etc. (happened directly due to the event)

Question 22

Indirect/Secondary Effects?

Answer 22

Crop failures, starvation, emotional distress (aka after effects)

Question 23

Natural Service Function?

Answer 23

Benefits that the hazard provides