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Geography GCSE > Topic 1: Hazardous Earth > Flashcards

Topic 1: Hazardous Earth Flashcards

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1
Q

How do winds transfer heat from the equator to the poles?

A

The difference in temperature between the poles and equator causes difference in air pressure.
Winds blow from areas of HIGH to LOW PRESSURE. Transferring heat away from the equator.

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2
Q

What are the three cells in each hemisphere?

A

Hadley, Ferrel and Polar cells

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3
Q

Describe how a low pressure area is formed and what characteristics it has

A

(1) When air is heated it rises as it is less dense. (2) As it rises it transfers heat to the atmosphere. (3) It cools, condenses and usually clouds and rain occur.

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4
Q

Describe how a high pressure area is formed and what characteristics is has

A

(1) When air cools it becomes more dense. (2) It falls, as it does, it transfers heat to the ground.(3) It warms the air as it falls leaving clear skies and little rainfall.

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5
Q

How is heat transferred by the ocean currents?

A

ocean currents move heat from area of Warmer to cooler regions. Surface water currents are caused by winds and help transfer heat away from the equator. Deep ocean currents are driven by difference in watee density.

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6
Q

How are deep ocean currents formed?

A

When water freezes, the surrounding water gets saltier, increasing its density. Denser water sinks causing warmer water to flow in at the surface- creating a current. This warmer ater is cooled and sinks, creating a cycle. This movement of water in a loop is called the Thermohaline circulation.

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7
Q

What is The Gulf Stream?

A

It brings warm water from the Carribean and keepsWesrern Europe warmer than it otherwise would be.

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8
Q

Polar climate

A

Sinking air from polar cells creates an area of high pressure at the poles. Temperatures are low all year round and ther’s very little rainfall.

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9
Q

Arid (dry) climate

A

Sinking air from the Hadley and Ferrel cells meeting causes high pressure and prevents rainfall. Rainfall is very low for all or most of the year. Temps are hot and warm

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10
Q

Tropical climate

A

Rising air from thr Hadley cells meeting causes low pressure and lots of rainfall. Temperatures are hot all the time and rainfall is high

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11
Q

Natural causes of climate change

A

ORBITAL CHANGES:
- Eccentricity: orbit of sun changes from a almost perfect circle to to an oval.
- Tilt: the earth is tilted at an angle as it orbits the sun.
- Procession: axis of the earth wobbles like a spinning top.
These all affect the amount of solar radiation the earth recieves. More energy means hotter earth.

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12
Q

Natural causes of climate change: Volcanic Activity

A

Major volcanic activity cause large amounts of ash, which blocks out the suns rays which reflects the sun’s rays back out to space. Which means the earth gets colder.

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13
Q

Natural causes of climate change (solar output)

A

The suns output of energy is not constant- its changes in short cycles which means there are periods where earths solar output is less meaning the earth gets cooler.

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14
Q

Natural causes of climate change (Asteroid collisions)

A

Asteroids hitting the earths surface causes dust into the atmosphere. This prevents the suns rays from entering the atmosphere as it blocks it out so this means the earth gets cooler.

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15
Q

Evidence for natural climate change

A

Tree rings: every year a ring is formed. when its warmer in that year the ring is thicker.
Ice cores: analysing the gases inbetween layers of ice, they can tell what the temperature was that year.
historical records: diaries, paintings, thermometers since 1850. Show the weather, temperature at that time.

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16
Q

Uk’s past climate: medieval warm period

A
  • Period of warming between 900-1300.
    -harvest records suggest warm enough to grow large amounts of grapes.
    -tree rings suggest 1.0C warmer today also in roman period.
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17
Q

Uk’s past climate: Little ice age

A

-Period of cooling in warm Medieval period
-paintings show frost fairs on frozen river thames.

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18
Q

Natural greenhouse effect: What is it?

A

The natural greenhouse effect is where gases act as an insulating layer- they let short wave radiation in but keep long wave radiation, which keeps our planet at the right temperature.

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19
Q

Natural greenhouse effect: Greenhouse gases information

A

-Gases that trap heat are called greenhouse gases (methane, CO2)
-The longer the gases stay in the atmosphere, the more they’ll contribute to warming

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20
Q

What is the Enhanced greenhouse effect?

A

Human activities are making the greenhouse effect stronger. This is called the enhanced greenhouse effect.

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21
Q

Human activities enhancing the greenhouse effect? (FITE

A

FARMING: COWS produce methane……..RICE PADDIES contribute to warming as flooded fields emit methane……Trees (absorb/store CO2) cleared for agriculture mean more CO2 into the atmosphere.

INDUSTRY: industrial processes release greenhouse gases (when cement is produced, CO2 released into atmosphere….Waste ends up in landfill where it decays, releasing methane.

TRANSPORT: MOST TRANSPORT use fossil fuels, when burnt releases gases…. CAR OWNERSHIPS increasing in developing countries = more cars on roads = increasing congestion- so cars running for longer.

ENERGY: Coal, oil and natural gases burnt so CO2 rleased into atmosphere.

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22
Q

Evidence for Human activity causing climate change

A

DECLINING ARCTIC ICE: ice forms in winter and melts in summer. The amount of ice in winter has decreased.

GLOBAL TEMP RISE: Temperatures have increased by huge amounts. Te nwarmest years have been since 2000.

EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS: There has been a higher freqeuncy of heat waves and fewer cold weather events.

SEA LEVEL RISE AND WARMING OCEANS: Eustatic sea level rise- when galciers and ice sheets melt on land which mean that water is now stored in the ocean increasing its sea level…… Thermal Expansion- water expands when it gets warmer.

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23
Q

Climate change- impacts on people

A
  • deaths due to heat have increased, while deaths due to cold have decreased
  • some areas are difficult to inhabit- low-lying coastal areas lost to sea as sea level rise.
  • farming - crops have suffered from climate change - some farmers in high- latitude areas are finding crops benefit from warmer weather.
  • lower crop yield = malnutrition, ill health
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24
Q

Climate change predictions

A

They must give lost of different prediction/scenarios because they do not know what could happen in the future.

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25
Q

Uncertainty about future climate change (MEC)

A

EMISSIONS: don’t know how emissions will change: scientists must think about pop incr and econ dev.
COMPLEXITY: dont know what exact climate changes each scenario will cause.
MANAGEMENT: dont know what attempts there will be to manage the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

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26
Q

Tropical cyclones: Formed

A

A: The warm ocean heats the air above
B: Rising warm air evaporates and starts to spin
C: The air then cools and condenses for form a towering cumulonimbus cloud
D: intense low pressure sucks in air, causing very strong winds.

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27
Q

What will impact the intensity of a tropical cyclone?

A

The Warmer the water that fuels the tropical cyclone, the more intense the tropical cyclone will be.
Dissipation(energy loss) happens when it reaches land, when moving across cold water, or when is runs into another weather system.

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28
Q

Definitions for tropical cyclone

A

Coriolis force- a strong force created by the earths rotation.

Eye- the centre of a tropical cyclone

Seasonal distribution- how something such as tropical cyclones occurat different times of the year

Source area- region where tropical cyclone first forms

Track - the path of the tropical cyclone

29
Q

Source area of tropical cyclones?

A

Inter-tropical convergent zone/ between 5° and 30° north and south.

30
Q

When do tropical cyclones occur?

A

In the northern hemisphere occurs in June to November. In the southern hemisphere, it occursbetween November and April

31
Q

How does the coriolis effect the tropical cyclone?

A

The coriolis effect is the earths rotation deflecting the path of winds which causes the cyclone to soin

32
Q

In which direction do tropical cyclones spin and why?

A

They go west as the easterly winds near the equator

33
Q

What will climate change do to tropical cyclones source?

A

The source of a cyclone will change due to more seas being 26,5c° as global warming.

34
Q

What are the conditions like in the eye?

A

Theres low pressure, light winds, no clouds, no rain and high temp.

35
Q

What would make the winds of a tropical cyclone more powerful?

A

Tropical cyclones have lower air pressure than the outside of them. So the bugger the difference the more powerful the winds are.

36
Q

Describe the surrounding area of the eye? (Eyewall)

A

Large cumulonibus clouds surround the eye which is in the eyewall where the air is spiralling upward, strong winds, storm clouds, torrential rain, low pressure.

37
Q

What are the physical hazards of a tropical cyclone?

A

HIGH WINDS- 250km/h winds.
INTENSE RAINFALL- rain gets heavier nearer the eye, releases trillions of litres of water per day as rain
STORM SURGES- is a large rise in sea level cause by low pressure + high winds
COASTAL FLOODING- flooding happens as result of storm surge + string winds which drives large waves into the shore
LANDSLIDES- heavy rain makes hills unstable.

38
Q

What is the Saffir simpson hurricane scale?

A

Tells the speed of winds
How powerful it is
The mass devastation that would happen- visual damage and damage caused

39
Q

Physical vulnerabilities of a tropical cyclone?

A
  • flat area- more vulnerable than high areas
  • coastal area - more vulnerable than inland
  • areas in path of cyclones- hit more frequently
    -steep hillsides- increase- risk of landslide
40
Q

What are the Social vulnerabilities to tropical cyclones?

A
  • Young people + old = most vulnerable
  • coast farmers - very vulnerable to cyclones
  • poor people = modt vulnerable
  • densley pop areas = more vulnerable
41
Q

What are the economic vulnerabilities of tropical cyclones?

A
  • buildings of poorer quality - easily damaged
  • little money for flood defences
    -if health care not good - struggle to treat all casualties
  • countries - with bad tech = vulnerable
  • bad hospitals in countries = more vulnerable
  • a lack of evaluation + planning = more vulnerable
  • harder to rescue people with poor infastructure in country
42
Q

Cyclones Physical hazards impacts on people?

A

-People- drown in strong currents created by floodwater + storm surges.
-Windspeeds - strong enough to - destroy buildings = people left homeless.
-High winds + floodwater carry debris = can kill/injure people.
-Electricity supplies- cut off because cables damaged/swept away by water.
-Flooding = sewage overflows = contaminates water.
-shortage of clean water + lack of sanitation = easier for diseases to spread.
- poorer countries = shortage of food cause crops damaged/livestock killed.
-Unemploument increases because businesses = damaged/destroyed.
-Damaged roads = very difficult for aid/emergency vehicles to get through.

43
Q

Physical hazards on the environment of a cyclone

A

-Trees uprooted by high winds = damage/completely destroy wooded habitats.
-Storm surges- erode beaches + damage coastal habitats (e.g. coral reefs).
-Flooding caused by storm surges pollute freshwater environments with saltwater.
-Landslides deposit sediment in rivers/lakes, killing fish + other wildlife.
-Flooding can damage industrial buildings on the coast, e.g. chemical factories = causes chemicals to leak into environment = cause pollution.

44
Q

Preparation for a tropical cyclone? (FEB)

A

FORECASTING/TRACKING
=== Can track eye of storm using Geographical information systems. They use this to warn people about when its coming.
WARNING/EVAC
=== gov plan evac routes to get people away. These alert people to leave their house and get to safe area. Reduces deaths
BUILDING DESIGN
defences (levees=embankments=flood defences) built by coast. Building can go on stilts so avoid flood. Protects people from storm surges, reduces amount of damaged buildings, less killed, less unemployed, less homeless

45
Q

Response for a tropical cyclones?

A

REBUILD
=== repair/recontruct affected areas. Restoration of power/water, clearing roads to let people out in cars + emergency services. Provide food, water, med care, shelter. fewer death ,malnutrition and disease.

46
Q

CASE STUDY - CYCLONES- Hurricane Katrina - Warning/Evac,,,,,Forecasting,,,,, Defences

A

WARNING/EVAC
-NHC issued warning
- Missisipi + lousiana (states of emergency) - 70-80% New Orleands Evact.
FORECASTING
-sophisticated monitoring system to predict….
-National Hurricane centre (NHC) predicts with satelite imagery
DEFENCES
-New Orleands hit badly- flood defences failed
-80% of New Orleands underwater

47
Q

CASE STUDY- CYCLONES - What were the Hurricane Katrina impacts on the environment?

A
  • Coastal hab…. damaged (turtle breeding)
  • conservation areas destroyed.
  • Flooding damaged oil refineries in Louisiana, causing spills
48
Q

CASE STUDY - CYCLONES- What were Hurricane Katrina impacts on people?

A

-1800+ killed
- 300,000 houses destroyed
-100,000 people homeless
- 3 million without electricity
-emergency services couldn’t get through as roads/bridges collapsed
-230,000 jobs lost

49
Q

CASE STUDY - CYCLONES - CYCLONE NARGIS (Forecasting….warning/Evac….defences)

A

FORECASTING
-Myanmar has no monitoring systems + no radar network (to predict height of waves/storm surge
WARNING/EVAC
- Indian weather warned 48 hours before (too late)
-Warnings issued on TV/radio- some people didnt have access to these.
-No evac plans
DEFENCES
- Mangrove forests = natural protection for flooding on coasts but were cut down

50
Q

CASE STUDY - CYCLONES - CYCLONE NARGIS - imoacts on people

A

-140,000 killed
-450,000 homes destroyed
-350,000 damaged
-diseases cause by poor sanitary conditions

51
Q

CASE STUDY - CYCLONES - CYCLONE NARGIS - impacts on environment

A

-Irrawandy delta - 14,000km2 of land was flooded
-38,000 hectors of mangrove forest destroyed.
-flooding caused by erosion + salination ( increased salt content in land)

52
Q

Earths structure definitions litosphere(oceanic+continental), mantel (upper/lower), inner/outer core, tectonic plates, radioactive decay, residual heat.

A

LITOSOHERE (OCEANIC) = dense, new, thin.
LITOSPHERE (CONTINENTAL) = old, thick, less dense than oceanic
LOWER MANTLE= rigid, semi-molten (can flow), very hot, silican based rocks
UPPER MANTLE (ASTENOSPHERE) = sticky, semi-molten material moving about which drags plates around.
INNER CORE= intense pressure which is solid.
OUTER CORE= less pressure than inner core.
RADIOACTIVE DECAY= naturally occuring chemical elements (uranium) releases energy as heat, which rises to earths surface.
RESIDUAL HEAT= heat left over from when the earth formed (4.6 Bill years ago).
TECTONIC PLATES= moving layer of litosphere. Split into oceanic/continental. Always moving due to rising falling heat within mantle.

53
Q

Explain how convection currents cause plate movement?

A

(1) Tectonic plates float on mantle
(2) radioactive decay of some elements in mantle/core generate a lot of heat
(3) When lower parts of the astenosphere heat up they becomes less dense and slowly rise. As they move towards the top of the astenosphere they cool down, become more dense, the slowly sink
(4) These circular movements of semi-molten material are called convection currents.
(5) Convection currents in astenosohere create drag on the base of the tectonic plates (which are solid and rigid) - causing them to move.

54
Q

Descirbe what happens at a convergent plate boundaries? (Oceanic meets continental)

A

The oceanic plate (more dense) gets subducted.
The oceanic plate moves down into mantle, where is is melted and destroyed.
A pool of magma forms.
Magma rises through the cracks in the earth (vents).
Magma erupts onto surface forming volcano.

55
Q

Describe what happens at a convergent plate boundary (continental meets continental)

A

There is no subduction as the rock is forced to collide and both get pushed upwards.
Forming fold mountains.
Also, causes earthquakes.

56
Q

Describe what happens at divergent plwte boundaries?

A

Plates are moving APART.
Magma will fill the gap left between plates.
forming new crust (magma rises, cool, condenses).
Found mostly underwater.
Underwater volcanoes will form.

57
Q

Describe what happens at a conservative plate boundary?

A

Two plates are sliding past each other. ( in same direction or opposite).
Moving at different speeds and angles and can become stuck
Pressure will build up until plate can break free, causing earth quakes.

58
Q

Facts about composite volcanoes

A
  • occurs at convergent plate boundaries
  • made of alternating layers of lava + ash
  • Andesitic lava (high silica level) = viscous
  • flows short distsnces before cooling as andesitic lava =thick and sticky so dont flow far so is steep -sided cone
  • violent but frequent reactions
  • pyroclastic flow, lahars, lava bombs
59
Q

Facts about sheild volcanoes

A
  • occurs at divergent plate boundaries or hotsopts
  • low wide cone with sloping sides.
  • Frequent but not very explosive
  • erupt basaltic lava, low silica content and is runny. Flows quick + spreads over a wide area.
60
Q

How do hotspot volcanoes form?

A
  • mantle plumes exist. This is a hotspot
  • this rises through mantle
  • as it reaches the top of the astenosphere + bottom of litosphere they melt.
  • magma rises theough weakness in crust.
  • erupts into surfsce making SEAMOUNT
  • this eventually reaches sea level
  • they remain stationary but crust moves so this creates lots of islands.
  • basaltic lava at ocean hotspots therefore sheild volcanoes.
  • at continental hotspots, lava is viscous
61
Q

How plumes can break through the crust?

A
  • The parts of convection cells where heat moves are plumes.
  • Appear as: geyers, hot springs.
  • Plumes bring magma to surface, if magma breaks through crust = erupts as lava in volcano.
  • Found not only at plate boundaries.
  • Volcanoes = a type of plume
62
Q

How do tsunamis form?

A
  • When waves reach shallower water they - slow down + grow in height + gain energy.
  • Underwater earthquakes cause the seabed to move, which displaces water.
  • Waves spread out the epicentre of the earthquake.
  • The depth of an earthquake affects the size of the Tsunami
  • Shallow focus eathquakes displace more water because closer to surface.
63
Q

CASE STUDY - EARTHQUAKES - JAPAN- primary impacts / secondary impacts

A

PRIMARY IMPACTS
- 1,000s of buildings damaged
-caused severe liquefaction ( waterlogged soil behaves like a liquid) - caused to buildings to tilt/sink.
SECONDARY IMPACTS
- Triggered a tsunami ( killed 1,000s)
- 100s of 1000s buildings destroyed.
- 230,000 made homeless
-road and railway networks suffered severe damage. ( 325km of railway washed away)

64
Q

CASE STUDY - EARTHQUAKES - HAITI - primary impacts

A
  • 316,000 killed
  • most buildings had no building regulation so they could build what they want with no earthquake protection.
  • 1.5mil homeless
  • 180,000 homes destroyed
  • 8 hospitals destroyed in capital
  • 5000 schools destroyed
65
Q

CASE STUDY - EARTHQUKAES - HAITI - secondary impacts

A
  • Cholera in squatter camps, 8,000 died
  • clothing factories closed - 60% of tourism/exports stopped, more economic loss
  • 1 in 5 jobs lost
  • looting increased as gov building collpased.
  • port + roads destroyed so aid couldn’t get it.
66
Q

CASE STUDY - EARTHQUAKES - JAPAN - Short-term relief

A
  • International aid + search and rescue teams brought in
  • Rescue workers + soldies brought in to help with aftermath
  • Transport + communication were restored a couple of weeks after earthquake
67
Q

CASE STUDY - EARTHQUAKES - HAITI - short-term relief

A
  • Gov building destroyed, emergency aid was initially slow.
  • International aid and search and rescue teams were flown in to help people trapped.
  • Food, water, med supplies + shelter were supplied by USA.
68
Q

CASE STUDY - EARTHQUAKES - JAPAN - Long-term planning

A
  • Jap authorities gave advanced warning, giving people time to evac and get to higher ground
  • Despite strong shaking, not a single buidling collapsed thanks to building design
  • No one died on bullet train because automatic braking systems
69
Q

CASE STUDY - EARTHQUAKES - HAITI - Long-term planning

A
  • Completely unprepared but now monitoring systems in place in area.
  • Gov moved 235,000 people Port- au- Prince to less damaged cities
  • 3/4 of buildings were inspected + repaired. Now have earthquake resistant re-build techniques. Like building on old tyres, straw backs or bamboo.
  • 80% of pop with 85p a day.

Geography GCSE (5 decks)

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