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Geography 🌎 > P1 SA The Challenge Of Natural Hazards > Flashcards

P1 SA The Challenge Of Natural Hazards Flashcards

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1
Q

Define natural hazard

A

A natural event that has a social impact

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2
Q

What are the three types of natural hazard

A

Atmospheric
Tectonic
Hydrological

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3
Q

What are examples of atmospheric hazards

A

Rain / snow
Lightning
Drought
Hurricanes
Wind

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4
Q

What is a hydrological hazard

A

Flooding

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5
Q

What are examples of a tectonic hazard

A

Volcanoes
Landslides
Mudflows
Avalanches
Earthquakes

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6
Q

What is hazard risk?

A

The chance or probability of being affected by a natural event

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7
Q

What are the factors affecting hazard risk?

A

Urbanisation
Poverty
Climate change
Farming

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8
Q

How does urbanisation affect hazard risk?

A

Over 50% of world pop. live in cities
Some of world’s largest cities are at risk from earthquakes eg Tokyo, Istanbul, LA
Densely populated urban areas are at great risk from natural hazards

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9
Q

How does poverty affect hazard risk?

A

Poverty may force people to live in areas at risk
Eg shortage of housing can lead to building on unstable slopes prone to flooding and landslides

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10
Q

How does farming affect hazard risk?

A

Living near a river is good for farming but means people are at risk from floods

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11
Q

How does climate change affect hazard risk?

A

Climate change may cause more intense storms and hurricanes
Some areas may become wetter and flood more, others may be drier and have droughts / famines

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12
Q

What are tectonic plate margins?

A

Where tectonic plates meet

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13
Q

On average, how far do tectonic plates move every year?

A

2cm

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14
Q

The majority of ___ and ___ are found along plate margins

A

Earthquakes
Volcanoes

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15
Q

Some volcanoes are not near plate margins - these are called…

A

Hotspot volcanoes
Eg Hawaii

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16
Q

What are the three types of plate boundary called?

A

Constructive
Destructive
Conservative

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17
Q

What is a constructive plate margin like

A

Plates are moving away from each other
Magma rises to surface forming shield volcanoes - low viscosity magma
Magma breaking through crust can cause small earthquakes

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18
Q

What is a destructive plate margin like

A

Plates moving towards each other
Denser oceanic plate subducts beneath continental plate
Friction —> strong earthquakes
Composite volcanoes - high viscosity magna, violent eruptions

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19
Q

What is a conservative plate margin like

A

Plates moving side by side - opposite or same direction
Only earthquakes formed here - can be very destructive as they’re near surface
No active volcanoes

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20
Q

What is the Pacific Ring of Fire?

A

Path around Pacific Ocean w many volcanic eruptions + earthquakes

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21
Q

How long is the Pacific Ring of Fire?

A

24,900 miles long

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22
Q

The Pacific Ring of Fire is also called…

A

The Circum-Pacific belt

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23
Q

Earthquakes and volcanoes on the Ring of Fire can affect countries such as…

A

South and North America
Japan
New Zealand

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24
Q

What % of volcanoes are located along the Ring of Fire?

A

75%

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25
Q

What % of earthquakes occur along Ring of Fire?

A

90%

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26
Q

Volcanic eruptions + earthquakes in Ring of Fire are caused by ___ plate margins

A

Destructive

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27
Q

When did the L’Aquila earthquake occur?

A

2009

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28
Q

When did the Gorkha earthquake occur?

A

2015

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29
Q

The L’Aquila earthquake measured ___ on the ___ scale

A

6.3
Richter

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30
Q

The earthquake’s ___ was ___ northwest of L’Aquila

A

Epicentre
7km

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31
Q

The Gorkha, Nepal earthquake measured ___ on the Richter scale

A

7.8

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32
Q

The epicentre of the Gorkha earthquake was…

A

In Barpak, 80km NW of the capital Kathmandu

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33
Q

What were 5 primary effects of the L’Aquila earthquake?

A

Any 5:
308 killed
1500 injured
67,500 made homeless
10-15,000 buildings collapsed
Estimated cost = US $11,400 million

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34
Q

What were 5 primary effects of the Gorkha earthquake?

A

Any 5:
8841 killed
16,800 injured
1 million made homeless
Historic buildings destroyed eg Dharahara Tower
Destruction of 26 hospitals and 50% of schools
Estimated cost = US $6.7 billion

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35
Q

What were the secondary effects of the L’Aquila earthquake?

A

Aftershocks which triggered landslides + rockfalls
House prices + rent increased
Reduced business, tourism and income

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36
Q

What were the secondary effects of the Gorkha earthquake?

A

Avalanche on Mt Everest
Tourism, employment + income suffered
Food shortages and income loss due to destruction of rice storage

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37
Q

Name 4 immediate responses to the L’Aquila earthquake

A

Any 4:
Hotels provided shelter for 10,000
40,000 tents given out
Italian Red Cross searched for survivors
British Red Cross raised £171,000
EU granted $553 million
Mortgages and bills suspended

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38
Q

Name 4 immediate responses to the Gorkha earthquake

A

Any 4:
Nepal requested international help
UK’s DEC raised $126 million
Temporary shelters set up
Tents for 225,000 people
Medical supplies delivered
Sherpas used to hike relief supplies to people - 315,000 were cut off by road

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39
Q

Name 4 long term responses to the L’Aquila earthquake

A

Any 4:
No taxes in 2010
Students given free public transport and exempt from uni fees for 3 years
Homes took several years to rebuild
Historic buildings expected to take 15 yrs
Scientists + govt official tried for manslaughter

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40
Q

Name 4 long term responses to the Gorkha earthquake

A

Any 4:
Rebuilding of houses, schools, roads, monuments
$274 million of aid committed to recovery efforts
Mt Everest reopened August 2015
Individuals trained to maintain irrigation channels

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41
Q

Why do people live with the risk from tectonic hazards?

A

Hazards are rare
Some don’t have a choice eg poverty
Fertile soil
Rocks for building
Mineral deposits

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42
Q

What is monitoring?

A

Using scientific equipment to detect warning signs of events such as a volcanic eruption or earthquake

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43
Q

How can we monitor volcanoes?

A

Warning signs before eruptions
Remote sensing - satellites detect heat
Ground deformation
Geophysical measurements

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44
Q

How can we monitor earthquakes?

A

Generally occur without warning
Some evidence of changes in water pressure, ground deformation + minor tremors
Scientists yet to discover reliable ways to monitor / predict them

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45
Q

How can we predict volcanic eruptions

A

Based on scientific monitoring
Eg in 2010 an increase in earthquake activity enabled scientists to predict eruptions

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46
Q

How can we predict earthquakes

A

Impossible to make accurate predictions
Historical records can show areas of greatest risk

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47
Q

How can we protect against volcanoes

A

Little can be done to protect people + property
Earth embankments or explosives can be used to divert lava flow

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48
Q

How can we protect against earthquakes

A

Buildings and bridges constructed to resist earthquakes eg shock absorbers
Regular drills
Tsunami walls on the coast

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49
Q

How can we plan for volcanic eruptions

A

Hazard maps for most dangerous volcanoes
Maps can be used in restricting certain land uses or identifying areas which need to be evacuated

50
Q

How can we plan for earthquakes

A

Maps produced to show effects or identify areas most at risk
High value land uses eg hospitals / reservoirs can be protected using the maps
Evacuation drills

51
Q

What kind of pressure is found at the equator

A

Low pressure - air is rising

52
Q

What are trade winds

A

Surface winds blowing in a consistent direction

53
Q

What is a tropical storm

A

Huge storm that develops in the Tropics

54
Q

Where are tropical storms called hurricanes

A

USA and Caribbean

55
Q

Where are tropical storms called cyclones

A

SE Asia and Australia

56
Q

Where are tropical storms called typhoons

A

Japan and Philippines

57
Q

What is the eye of a tropical storm

A

The centre of the storm and the calmest part

58
Q

What is the eye wall

A

Most destructive part of storm (highest winds), has intense rain and wind

59
Q

What are conditions like in cloud banks

A

Strong winds and heavy rain

60
Q

What scale measures hurricanes

A

Saffir-Simpson scale

61
Q

How is a tropical storm formed?

A
  1. Air rises - draws up water vapour
  2. Evaporated air cools and condenses to form clouds
  3. As air condenses releases heat which powers storm / draws up more water
  4. Several storms join together
  5. Storm develops eye / eye wall
  6. Carried by prevailing winds - gathers strength
  7. Loses energy over land (friction)
62
Q

How fast does a storm have to go to be classified as a tropical storm?

A

75mph

63
Q

What is the global atmospheric circulation like at the equator

A

Low pressure
Air is rising
Humid with high temps and high rainfall

64
Q

What is global atmospheric circulation like 30 degrees away from the equator?

A

High pressure
Air is sinking
Arid, high temps and low rainfall

65
Q

What is global atmospheric circulation like 60 degrees from the equator?

A

Weaker version of equator
Low pressure
Rainfall
Temperate

66
Q

Where is the Hadley cell?

A

Equator —> 30 degrees N / S

67
Q

Where is the Ferrell cell?

A

30 —> 60 degrees N / S

68
Q

How will climate change influence the distribution of tropical storms?

A

As patterns of sea surface temperatures change they may affect distribution
In future tropical storms may affect areas outside current hazard zone

69
Q

How will climate change influence frequency of tropical storms?

A

Becoming more frequent - 6 of the 10 most active hurricane years since 1950 have been since the mid-1990s
Some computer models indicate that frequency may decrease but intensity might increase

70
Q

How will climate change influence intensity of tropical storms?

A

Hurricane intensity in N Atlantic has risen in last 20 years
Appears to be linked to increasing sea surface temps
More data will be needed to accurately predict

71
Q

What is the named example of a tropical storm?

A

Typhoon Haiyan

72
Q

How did Typhoon Haiyan form?

A

Water vapour drawn up - condensed to form clouds
Several storms joined together and it developed an eye
Storm carried across Pacific by prevailing winds and reached Philippines

73
Q

How did people prepare for Typhoon Haiyan?

A

Moved 800,000 people to evacuation centres
Didn’t anticipate what was coming
Some ignored evacuation warnings

74
Q

Name 3 primary effects of Typhoon Haiyan

A

3 from:
6300 died - most drowned by storm surge
30,000 fishing boats destroyed
Buildings damaged by strong winds
Airport badly damaged
Hundreds of thousands displaced
90% of Tacloban city destroyed
Widespread flooding

75
Q

Name 3 secondary effects of Typhoon Haiyan

A

3 from:
Flooding caused landslides - remote communities cut off from aid
Ferries and flights disrupted
Looting / violence in Tacloban
Power supplies cut off for a month
Food, water and shelter shortages - disease
14 million affected
Loss of jobs
Damage to hospitals, schools and shops
Fishing industry damaged - livelihoods

76
Q

What category was Typhoon Haiyan?

A

5

77
Q

How fast was Typhoon Haiyan?

A

Wind speeds of 150mph

78
Q

What was the average storm surge for Typhoon Haiyan?

A

7.5

79
Q

Name 3 immediate responses to Typhoon Haiyan

A

3 from:
Philippines Red Cross delivered food aid
Governments and aid agencies responded with food, water and shelter
1200 evacuation centres set up
Aircraft carrier and helicopters helped with search + rescue and aid delivery

80
Q

Name 3 long term responses to Typhoon Haiyan

A

3 from:
Aid agencies eg Oxfam helped replace fishing boats (source of income)
Rebuilding of roads, bridges, airports
Rice farming and fishing re-established
Homes built away from areas at risk
US, EU and Australia supported new livelihood opportunities
Money / supplied / medical support donated by UN

81
Q

How can monitoring and predicting help reduce the effects of tropical storms

A

Satellite and radar technology
Hurricane warnings to tell people when a hurricane is expected

82
Q

How can protection help reduce the effects of tropical storms

A

Windows, doors and roofs reinforced
Storm drains in urban areas - prevent flooding
Storm shelters built

83
Q

How can planning help reduce the effects of tropical storms

A

Raise individual and community awareness

84
Q

How has Bangladesh reduced the potential effects of tropical storms

A

Early warning systems
Cyclone shelters
Greater awareness

85
Q

Weather is driven to the UK by

A

South-westerly prevailing wind

86
Q

What kinds of extreme weather does the UK get

A

Thunderstorms
Prolonged rainfall
Drought / extreme heat
Heavy snow / extreme cold
Strong winds

87
Q

How do thunderstorms affect UK

A

Follow hot weather bringing lightning and torrential rain
Linked with flash flooding eg Boscastle 2004

88
Q

How does prolonged rainfall affect UK

A

Leads to river floods, eg winter of 2013/14 which caused flooding across southern England

89
Q

How does drought and extreme heat affect UK

A

Causes rivers to dry up and reservoirs to run dangerously low
Heatwave in 2003 killed 20,000 people

90
Q

How does heavy snow and extreme cold affect UK

A

Less common but can cause hardship in north of UK

91
Q

How do strong winds affect UK

A

Disrupt power supplies
Cause trees to fall which causes damage
Coastal damage from large waves

92
Q

Where are the Somerset Levels

A

North and centre of Somerset (W England)

93
Q

What are the Somerset Levels

A

An area of coastal plain and wetland in central Somerset
Mainly agricultural land, important habitat for birds and plants

94
Q

What caused the Somerset Levels floods in 2014

A

A sequence of south-westerly depressions brought record rainfall in Jan and Feb
High tides and storm surges prevented normal river flow
Rivers had not been dredged for 20 yrs

95
Q

What were social impacts of the Somerset Levels floods

A

Over 600 houses flooded
Villages cut off - disrupted work, schools and shopping
Residents evacuated

96
Q

What were economic impacts of the Somerset Levels floods

A

Estimated £10 million damage
Farming couldn’t go ahead
Power supply, roads and railway cut off

97
Q

What were environmental impacts of the Somerset Levels floods

A

Sewage contaminated floodwater
Debris had to be cleared

98
Q

Immediate responses to Somerset Levels floods

A

Media interest generated
Cut off villages used boats for transport
Volunteers helped support

99
Q

Long term responses to Somerset Levels floods

A

£20 million flood action plan launched
8km of rivers dredged
Flood defences built, river banks raised

100
Q

Define global warming

A

The long term heating of the earth’s surface due to human activities

101
Q

Define climate change

A

Long term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define the earth’s local, regional and global climates

102
Q

What is the Quaternary period

A

2.6 million years ago to the present day
Global drop in temp, ice age began

103
Q

How to discuss graphs

A

GCSE
General pattern / trend
Compare
Specific examples
Exceptions / anomalies

104
Q

Global effects of climate change

A

Melting of glaciers - impacts wildlife
Islands under threat
Flooding of agriculture

105
Q

Four types of evidence for climate change

A

Rising sea level
Glacial retreat
Seasonal changes
Ice cores

106
Q

How do we know about temps from a long time ago

A

Fossil records
Fresh falls of snow trap and preserve evidence of temp
Scientists study oxygen in ocean sediment or water molecules
Ice cores used to reconstruct temp patterns

107
Q

How does rising sea level provide evidence for climate change

A

Average level risen 10-20cm in 100yrs
Warming water expands in volume - thermal expansion
Temps rise causing ice to melt and make sea levels rise

108
Q

How do ice cores provide evidence for climate change

A

Temp and CO2 are linked
Enclosed bubbles of air - sample of atmosphere
Concentration of CO2 now 40% higher than before industrial revolution

109
Q

What are ice cores

A

Cylinders of ice drilled out of an ice sheet / glacier

110
Q

How does glacial retreat provide evidence for climate change

A

Snow + ice undergoing global decline
Glaciers are shrinking - some may disappear by 2035
Arctic sea ice thinned 65% since 1975

111
Q

How do seasonal changes provide evidence for climate change

A

In 1990s many bird species nested average of 9 days earlier than 1970s
Timing of natural seasons may be advancing eg tree flowering, bird migration

112
Q

Natural greenhouse effect

A

Greenhouse gases occur naturally and are part of the atmosphere
Trap heat to keep planet at 15 degrees

113
Q

Enhanced greenhouse effect

A

Human activities have increased the concentrations of greenhouse gases
This means more heat is trapped and atmosphere warms up

114
Q

What are the natural causes of climate change

A

Orbital changes
Volcanic activity
Solar output

115
Q

What are the Milankovitch cycles

A

Three cycles increase or decrease the distance from the sun

116
Q

What is eccentricity

A

Over time the orbit changes from circular to elliptical
When the orbit is elliptical less sunlight reaches earth at some points

117
Q

What is axial tilt

A

Angle of tilt changes every 41,000 years
Causes more or less sunlight to reach the poles

118
Q

What is precession

A

Earth wobbles on its axis
Amount of sunlight varies

119
Q

How does solar activity lead to climate change

A

Number of sunspots increases and decreases
When at maximum sun gives off more heat

120
Q

How does volcanic activity lead to climate change

A

Volcanic ash can block sunlight
Droplets of sulphuric acid reflect solar radiation back into space

121
Q

How does CO2 contribute to human causes of climate change

A

Accounts for 60% of enhanced effect
Global concentration has increased by 30% since 1850
Burning fossil fuels, deforestation, burning of wood

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