Natural Hazards & Risk

Question 1

Define: Hazard

Answer 1

A source of potential harm

Question 2

What is a sequential hazard?

Answer 2

A single hazard that triggers additional hazards
A chain reaction

Question 2

What differentiates a natural hazard vs a man-made or influenced hazard

Answer 2

natural: originating from natural processes in the biosphere

Man Made: hazards that arise or are influenced by human activity

Question 3

Define: Risk

Answer 3

The probability of harmful consequences occurring

Question 4

Risk is the result of the interactions of ________ and __________

Answer 4

hazards and vulnerability

Question 5

Define: Consequence

Answer 5

The negative result of the interaction of a hazard with the human population or life

Question 5

Define: Probability

Answer 5

The likelihood or degree of certainty that something will occour

Question 6

Define: Vulnerability

Answer 6

The set of conditions and processes which affect the susceptibility of a human population to the consequences of a hazard

Question 7

What are the three types of vulnerability

Answer 7

1. Exposure
2. Resistance
3. Resilience

Question 8

Define: Exposure and provide an example

Answer 8

Degree to which population or property is at risk
Ex: By living close to the ocean you are more vulnerable to the hazards of tropical storms

Question 9

Define: Resistance and provide an example

Answer 9

Measures take to prevent, avoid, or reduce loss
Ex: Reinforcing rock slopes to help stabilize, reducing vulnerability to landslides

Question 10

Define: Resilience and provide an example

Answer 10

Ability to recover to prior state or achieve desired post-disaster state
Ex: Ability to rebuild a town after a tornado

Question 11

Define: Mitigation

Answer 11

Any effort to reduce the risk and minimize vulnerability of a hazard

Question 12

If you have low exposure to a hazard and a high capacity to cope, what is your vulnerability?

Answer 12

Very low

Question 13

If you have a high exposure to a hazard and a low capacity to cope, what is your vulnerability?

Answer 13

High

Question 14

Describe the 6th mass extinction event? What factors are driving this?

Answer 14

The next mass extinction event that is currently in progress
loss of biodiversity, climate change, human influence

Question 15

Describe how human contributions affect the magnitude of catastrophes?

Answer 15

With human influence the magnitude of disaster and probability is higher with human contribution than without

Question 16

Define: Geology as a science

Answer 16

Combination of observational and laboratory sciences to explain natural phenomena

Question 17

When did the solar system form?

Answer 17

4.567 Billion years ago

Question 18

Briefly describe the formation of the solar system? What is the process called?

Answer 18

1. A cloud of dust/particles orbiting around the sun
2. small particles collided to form asteroids and planets

The process is called accretion

Question 19

What materials are the planets closest to the sun made out of?

Answer 19

rockier, more metallic feeder material

Question 20

Why do planets have differentiated internal layered structure?

Answer 20

Materials separated due to density and chemical affinity

Question 20

What materials are the planets farthest to the sun made out of?

Answer 20

Gas, ice rich feeder material

Question 21

What is the asthenosphere?

Answer 21

The upper mantle
partly molten
plastic

Question 22

What are the (basic) layers of the Earth?

Answer 22

1. crust
2. mantle
3. core

Question 23

What is the lithosphere?

Answer 23

top part of the mantle and overlying crust
rides on top of the asthenosphere

Question 24

What are the three types of rocks?

Answer 24

Igneous
Sedimentary
Metamorphic

Question 25

How do igneous rocks form

Answer 25

forms via the solidification and crystallization of cooling magma

Question 26

What is the difference between intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks?

Answer 26

intrusive take longer to crystalize resulting in rocks with more identifiable grains

Extrusive crystalize rapidly resulting in fine grained crystals

Question 27

How do sedimentary rocks form?

Answer 27

via compacted or cemented grains of sediment that become lithified

Question 27

What is strata?

Answer 27

when sediment is deposited in horizontal beds forming layers

Question 28

How can we tell the difference between sedimentary grains that have travelled far vs not very far?

Answer 28

The longer the rock has been transported the more fine the grains and more round/smooth and vice versa for short transport grains

Question 29

What is the law of original horizontality?

Answer 29

sediment layers are deposited horizontally

Question 29

How do metamorphic rocks form?

Answer 29

via the recrystallization of preexisting rock

Question 30

What is the law of superposition?

Answer 30

the sediment on the top layer is younger than the rock below

Question 31

What is the law of cross-cutting relationships?

Answer 31

if a rock cuts through existing rock, the rock cutting through is younger

Question 32

What is the law of inclusion?

Answer 32

inclusions in sedimentary rock are younger than the sedimentary rock it is included in

Question 33

Describe the basics of the rock cycle (5 steps)

Answer 33

1. new rock is formed via crystallization of magma (igneous rock)
2. igenous rock weathers releasing sediment grains
3. sediments transport and are deposited in layers
4. sediment becomes lithified
5. some sediment remelts into the crust