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GCSE Geography Edexcel B > Topic 1: Hazardous Earth > Flashcards

Topic 1: Hazardous Earth Flashcards

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1
Q

Asthenosphere

A

The semi-molten layer at the top of the mantle which flows due to convection currents, moving the solid lithosphere above.

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2
Q

Atmospheric circulation

A

The general movements of air around the Earth due to pressure and temperature.

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3
Q

Climate change

A

A distinct change in global or regional patterns of climate, such as changes in temperature or precipitation patterns.

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4
Q

Conservative plate boundary

A

A plate boundary where two plates are moving alongside each other.

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5
Q

Continental crust

A

The thicker, less dense crust that makes up the continents.

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6
Q

Convection current

A

The movement of a fluid caused by a difference in temperature or density.

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7
Q

Convergent plate boundary

A

A plate boundary where two plates are moving towards each other.

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8
Q

Coriolis effect

A

The effect of the Earth’s rotation on wind movements.

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9
Q

Cyclone

A

A tropical cyclone that hits Oceania or Madagascar.

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10
Q

Divergent plate boundary

A

A plate boundary where two plates are moving away from each other.

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11
Q

Eccentricity

A

The changing of the orbit of the Earth around the Sun from a circular shape to an ellipse.

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12
Q

Eye

A

An area of a tropical cyclone with extremely low pressure and calm conditions.

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13
Q

Eyewall

A

An area of a tropical cyclone with the most intense, powerful winds and torrential rain.

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14
Q

Ferrel cell

A

At around 60° either side of the equator, moist air rises, and travels to lower latitudes at around 30° where it sinks, along with air travelling from the equator.

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15
Q

Fossil fuels

A

Fuels made up of the remains of organic material, such as oil, coal and gas.

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16
Q

Geological hazard

A

A hazard caused by processes on the land

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17
Q

Greenhouse gases

A

Gases in the Earth’s atmosphere that trap energy in the Earth’s system and contribute to the greenhouse effect (carbon dioxide, methane, water vapour
and nitrous oxides).

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18
Q

Hadley cell

A

At the equator, hot moist air rises, moves to higher latitudes (30°) and sinks.

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19
Q

Hazard risk

A

The probability that a natural hazard will negatively affect a population.

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20
Q

Hotspot

A

An area where unusually hot magma breaks through the middle of a plate and travels up to the surface, creating a volcano.

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21
Q

Hurricane

A

A tropical cyclone that hits the USA, Latin America or the Caribbean.

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22
Q

Ice core

A

A cylinder of ice extracted from an ice sheet or glacier, which is used to analyse past environmental conditions.

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23
Q

Immediate responses

A

Actions taken as soon as the hazard happens and in its immediate aftermath (hours, days, and potentially a week or so after the event).

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24
Q

Inner core

A

A solid ball of iron/nickel at the Earth’s centre. Radioactive decay within the inner core provides Earth’s internal energy.

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25
Q

Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)

A

An area surrounding the equator where global winds converge, causing an area of low pressure with rainy conditions.

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26
Q

Lithosphere

A

Solid rock that lies on top of the asthenosphere. The top of the lithosphere is the crust, which is broken up into tectonic plates.

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27
Q

Long-term responses

A

Actions taken after the immediate responses when the effects of the hazard have been minimised (weeks, months, and years after the event).

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28
Q

Magma

A

Molten rock found beneath the Earth’s surface.

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29
Q

Mantle

A

The area underneath the crust which contains magma.

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30
Q

Milankovitch Cycles

A

The cyclical variations in the Earth’s orbit around the Sun

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31
Q

Natural hzard

A

A naturally occurring event that is a threat to a population.

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32
Q

Obliquity (or axial tilt)

A

The tilt of the Earth’s axis, which changes from 21.5° and 24.5°.

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33
Q

Ocean currents

A

The predictable, continuous circulation of ocean water which transfers heat around the globe.

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34
Q

Oceanic crust

A

The thinner, denser crust that makes up the ocean floor.

35
Q

Outer core

A

A molten layer of iron and nickel that surrounds the inner core and transfers energy by convection currents.

36
Q

Plate boundary

A

The point at which two plates meet.

37
Q

Polar cell

A

At 60° north or south of the equator, moist air rises, and travels to the poles (90°), where it sinks.

38
Q

Precession

A

The point at which two plates meet.

39
Q

Pressure belt

A

A region of the Earth which is generally under the same pressure.

40
Q

Primary effects

A

The effects that are directly caused by the hazard itself.

41
Q

Quarternary period

A

The geological time period that started 2.6 million years ago and extends into the present.

42
Q

Richter scale

A

A logarithmic scale used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes.

43
Q

Secondary effects

A

The effects that are a result of the primary effects.

44
Q

Storm surge

A

A rise in sea level caused when a tropical cyclone pushes a large amount of sea water onto the shore.

45
Q

Subduction

A

A process that occurs at a destructive plate boundary when a plate is pushed below another plate, forcing it to sink into the asthenosphere.

46
Q

Tectonic hazard

A

A natural hazard caused by the physical processes and movements of tectonic plates.

47
Q

Tectonic plates

A

Large slabs of the Earth’s crust that sit and move on top of the liquid mantle.

48
Q

The Enhanced Greenhouse Effect

A

A process where the Earth’s surface is heated by the greenhouse effect at a higher rate due to increased greenhouse gas emissions from human activities.

49
Q

The Greenhouse Effect

A

A natural process where greenhouse gases trap the energy from the Sun inside the Earth’s atmosphere, warming the Earth’s surface.

50
Q

Track

A

A typical pathway that a tropical cyclone takes which is driven by global wind circulation.

51
Q

Tree rings

A

A ring in a tree trunk that grows annually, indicating the conditions in the year it grew.

52
Q

Tropical cyclone

A

A very large, spinning storm with high winds and torrential rain that forms in the tropics.

53
Q

Tsunami

A

A large wave caused by a large amount of water being displaced when plates move.

54
Q

Typhoon

A

A tropical cyclone that hits India, Japan or the Philippines.

55
Q

Formation of Tropical Cyclones

A

• When the ocean surface waters reaches at least 27°C due to solar heating, the warm air above the water rises quickly, causing an area of very low pressure.
• As the air rises quickly more warm moist air is drawn upwards from above the ocean creating strong winds.
• The rising warm air spirals upward and cools. The water vapour it carries condenses and forms cumulonimbus clouds.
• These cumulonimbus clouds form the eye wall of the storm.

56
Q

Features of tropical cyclones

A

• Hundreds of kilometres wide
• Last 1-2 weeks

57
Q

Physical Hazards of Tropical Cyclones

A

• High winds. In 2015, Hurricane Patricia recorded wind speeds of 215 miles per hour (346km/h).
• Intense rainfall
• Storm surges

58
Q

Impacts on people of tropical cyclones

A

• In Cyclone Nargis, 84,500 people died and 53,800 are missing. 37 towns were damaged severely.
• An economic impact of Cyclone Nargis would be that fisheries, especially shrimp farms, were destroyed. Thousands of people lost their jobs and livelihoods.
• In 2015, Hurricane Patricia recorded wind speeds of 215 miles per hour (346km/h). This can carry debris and kill people.
• 6,300 people were killed by Typhoon Haiyan in 2013.
• Damaged transport infrastructure and food shortages can be caused.

59
Q

Tropical cyclone impacts on the environment

A

• In Hurricane Katrina, Coastal habitats were damaged and bridges & infrastructure collapsed.
• In Cyclone Nargis, thousands of square miles were flooded. Lots of the mangrove swamps were destroyed and the land was salinated (so much salt was deposited that it is hard to grow plants). This was caused by storm surges.
• Strong winds can uproot and kill trees. Woodlands are most likely to be damaged by very fast winds.
• River and lake wildlife can be harmed by sewage or toxic chemicals entering their eco-systems.

60
Q

Tropical cyclones social vulnerability

A

• Lower-income nations usually have lower quality housing (made of wood and sheet metal).
• They usually have worse national healthcare systems, worse infrastructure, and less well-funded emergency service departments.

61
Q

Tropical cyclones geographical/physical vulnerability

A

Two kinds of areas are vulnerable to tropical cyclones:
1. Regions with low-lying coasts and cities close to the sea. Nations like the Netherlands would be vulnerable because of their low-lying land.
2. Regions that are more likely to be on a tropical cyclone path. This is true for the Caribbean and some American states.

62
Q

Tropical cyclones economic vulnerability

A

• Less wealthy countries are more vulnerable because they will have less money to spend on flood defences, prevention measures and emergency public services to solve a crisis once it hits.
• Lower-income nations often have a higher % of their population working in farming/agriculture. These people can be affected by flooding or salination.
• Wealthier nations should be able to spend more money on constructing buildings and infrastructure that are more cyclone proof.

63
Q

Using prediction and weather forecasting to reduce the impacts of tropical cyclones

A

• Scientists can monitor storms using satellites, planes, and innovations like radar.
• Meteorologists build models to try to forecast the weather and cyclones. However, the weather is very complicated and accurate prediction a long time in advance is very difficult.

64
Q

Using protection to reduce the impacts of tropical cyclones

A

• Planning regulations on buildings and construction can ensure that buildings are built safely and only in areas that are unlikely to be flooded or damaged by hurricanes.
• Stilts are used in some nations to help stop flooding. Reinforced concrete is a stronger material that is better protected against tropical storms.
• Flood defenses can be constructed in vulnerable areas.

65
Q

Using planning to reduce the impacts of tropical cyclones

A

• Firefighters and ambulances should receive specific disaster training. The 1st of September is Japan’s National Disaster Preparation Day.
• Special plans for evacuation and rescue could save lives.

66
Q

Preparing for hurricane katrina: weather forecasting in the USA

A

• Florida’s National Hurricane Centre monitors potential hurricanes and tropical storms using satellite imagery and weather planes.
• The USA’s high income allows it to spend more money on forecasting and prevention measures.

67
Q

Preparing for hurricane katrina: flood defences

A

• Although the USA is a high income nation, New Orleans suffered particularly badly because its flood defences broke. Poor engineering meant that the levees did not do their job and 80% of New Orleans was underwater.

68
Q

Hurricane katrina: impacts on the environment

A

• Sewage entered New Orleans’ water supply.
• Flooding in Louisiana damaged oil refineries resulting in large oil spills.
• Conservation areas near the coast were flooded and destroyed.

69
Q

Cyclone nargis: weather forecasting

A

• There is no storm monitoring centre in Myanmar.
• There was no radar to forecast the cyclone or storm surges.
• The average income in Myanmar is $1,200 per year.
• The only warnings for Myanmar came from Indian weather organisations.

70
Q

Cyclone nargis: Storm surge defences

A

• The only protection against storm surges were natural.
• Mangrove forests usually protected the population, but people in Myanmar had been chopping down mangrove trees to build.

71
Q

Cyclone nargis: Impacts on the environment

A

• Thousands of square miles were flooded. Lots of the mangrove swamps were destroyed and the land was salinated (so much salt was deposited that it is hard to grow plants).

72
Q

Hurricane Katrina: Primary effects

A

• 1,836 people are thought to have died.
• 154,522 houses were destroyed between 2005 and 2006.
• The electricity supplies for over 3 million people were cut off. Many people sheltered at the Superdome stadium in New Orleans.
• 80% of New Orleans was flooded with some parts 4.5 metres underwater.
• Coastal habitats were damaged and bridges & infrastructure collapsed.

73
Q

Hurricane Katrina: Secondary effects

A

• The population of New Orleans fell from 1.386 million to 1.04 million between 2005 and 2006. In 2014, the population was 1.25 million.
• 2,400 businesses in New Orleans closed down or went bankrupt between 2005 and 2006.
• Hundreds of thousands became homeless and sewers overflowed and entered water supplies.
• The estimated total amount of damage was around $125 billion.

74
Q

Hurricane Katrina: Immediate responses

A

• 1.7 million people were evacuated from the states of Mississippi and Louisiana before the storm struck.
• 20-30% of inhabitants were forced to stay in New Orleans and most of these people were the poorest who could not afford to evacuate.
• Louisiana’s National Guard asked for more than 700 buses to evacuate people, however, only 100 buses were sent. States of emergency were declared in Mississippi and Louisiana.
• More than 35,000 people were rescued by the coastguard in New Orleans.
• Charities provided food, water, and aid to those affected.

75
Q

Hurricane Katrina: Long-term responses

A

• The waters that flooded New Orleans were pumped into Lake Pontchartrain. This took over a month.
• The US Congress (government) allocated $62bn to be spent in aid helping feed and re-house the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
• The US federal and state governments have spent $20 billion rebuilding New Orleans’ flood defence systems, with levees, gates, pumps and floodwalls.

76
Q

Cyclone Nargis: Effects

A

• 84,500 deaths.
• 53,800 missing.
• 37 towns were significantly damaged.
• 2.4 million people were affected.
• Children were orphaned, there were food shortages, diseases spread in the dirty water, and lots of people were left homeless.
• Rice fields flooded, and 65% of the country’s paddy fields were destroyed.

77
Q

Cyclone Nargis: government actions

A

• The government of Myanmar refused entry to many aid agencies.
• Myanmar was under the rule of an oppressive military junta (military dictatorship) that believed letting aid agencies in would lead to destabilisation.

78
Q

Cyclone Nargis: Organisation actions

A

• On May 9th, the first aid was allowed in.
• Food, medicines, water purifiers were allowed in - but no aid workers.
Myanmar accepted help from India first, then Italy, Bangladesh, Thailand, UK, USA, etc.

79
Q

Primary Impacts of the Japan Earthquake in 2011

A

• 1 million buildings were damaged and over 120,000 buildings were completely destroyed.
• Many buildings sunk into the ground because of liquefaction, which is when waterlogged soil acts like a liquid.

80
Q

Secondary Impacts of the Japan Earthquake in 2011

A

• The tsunami that was caused by the earthquake caused thousands of deaths (it is hard to know how many people died in the earthquake or the tsunami and lots of people are still missing.
• More than 150,000 people became homeless and in 2017, 6 years on, 50,000 people still had no homes.
• The tsunami damaged the Fukushima nuclear power station. Electricity could no longer reach Fukushima and there was a nuclear meltdown at the plant, releasing toxic nuclear waste into the local area.
• Railways lines were destroyed by the tsunami.

81
Q

Primary effects of the kashmir earthquake

A

• 79,000 people died and lots of buildings crumbled to the ground.
• people estimate that 4 million people became homeless.
• Infrastructure was damaged. Millions of people had no clean water and no electricity.

82
Q

Secondary effects of the kashmir earthquake

A

• Landslides killed people and destroyed towns.
• Sewage pipes broke. This spread contaminated water and disease.
• The winter of 2005-2006 was very cold. 4 million people became homeless and lots of the homeless froze to death during the winter.

83
Q

Immediate response to the Kashmir earthquake

A

• Charities and foreign governments sent funds, aid workers and helicopters.
• Charities gave out warm clothes, and tents, but a lot of support took a month to arrive because of the cold weather, damaged infrastructure, and the high number of people affected.

84
Q

Long-term response to the Kashmir earthquake

A

• Thousands of people were relocated to new settlements, but 4 million people had been made homeless.
• The Pakistan government gave people money to try to rebuild their houses and homes, but because they were starving to death, they were forced to spend money on food instead.
• Thousands of people still lived in tents in 2015, a decade later.
• The government changed building regulations to try to stop this damage happening again.

GCSE Geography Edexcel B (5 decks)

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