Topic 1-hazardous Earth (1A Climate)

Question 1

What is meant by high and low pressure,why does this occur ?

Answer 1

•High pressure-when air cools and becomes more dense. It sinks and transfers heat to the ground leaving clear skies

•Low pressure-heat from ground heats air and becomes less dense and rises,transfer heat to atmosphere.cools and condenses to form clouds and rainfall

Question 2

How does high and low pressure affect wind direction

Answer 2

•air moves from high to low pressure across earth surface by heating and cooling

•high pressure and air is descending ,wind moves to an area of low pressure and air rising

Question 3

Coriolis effect

Answer 3

Wind moves right in northern hemisphere and left in southern

Question 4

How does atmospheric pressure circulation distribute heat energy from equator to poles

Answer 4

•sun’s rays heat equator causing warm air to rise. This cools and condenses forming clouds cumonolumbus .

•the air moves out to 30 ,cools and sinks ,leaving no rain. Trade winds move back to equator,westerlies move to poles

The cold air from poles meat warm air and warm air rises as it is less dense,low pressure

Sair air moves to equator,rest goes to pole. The cool air sinks at poles,high pressure and air drawn back to equator

Question 5

What is the ITCV

Answer 5

•A permanent zone of low pressure in-between 2 Hadley cells

•warm tropical air flows towards equator from North and south where sun’s rays are most intense .moisture heavy air causes cumulonimbus clouds

Question 6

Sunspot theory-natural cause of climate change

Answer 6

•black spots on the sun which showed us the activity

Question 7

Volcanic activity-natural cause of climate change

Answer 7

•large eruption release large amounts of Ash/sulfur dioxide

•they blocks sun’s rays for entering atmosphere and whereas Ash stays for a couple days,sulfur dioxide produce aerosols which lasts years/ highly reflected

Question 8

Asteroid collisions-natural cause of climate change

Answer 8

Cosmic materials release lrge volumes of dust into atmosphere ,blocking solar radiation and causing glacial periods

Question 9

Orbital changes-natural cause of climate change

Answer 9

•eccentricity-earths orbit changes shape every 100,000 years so when it is circular,earth receives solar radiation(interglacial) but when elliptical receives less(glacial)

•precession-the earth doesn’t rotate perfectly as it wobbled therfore sometimes facing to or away

•tilt-the earth is tilted 23° from vertical position.however sometimes,earth is tilted more (seasons more pronounces) or less (similsr)

Question 10

Evidence of climate change-tree rings

Answer 10

Each ring shows a year of growth. Warmer and wetter weather shows larger tree ring (large co2)and cooler and drier means thinner

Question 11

Evidence of climate change-ice cores

Answer 11

Each sheet of ice is one year. Ice contains bubbles of air from wach year. Scientist analyse bubbles to see for co2.

Question 12

Evidence of climate change-historical sources

Answer 12

Old photos,drawings,written records,diaries give some record of climate

1850 the UK experienced little ice age where river thames froze to hold markets

Question 13

What is the greenhouse effect

Answer 13

Gases in our atmosphere trap heat from sun. The gases act as a greenhouse.

Question 14

How is the sun’s rays trapped by the gases

Answer 14

Short wave radiationfrom sun passes through atmosphere. Some short wave radiation absorbed and converted to long wave radiation. Some long wave escapes however some is reflected of greenhouse gases back to earth to heat up

Question 15

How agriculture increases greenhouse effect

Answer 15

Trees absorb and store CO2. ,population growth and demand for food
has led to deforestation and clearing for cattle farming and rice paddies. Deforestation stops the absorption of CO2. human activities produce methane which has 21 times than CO2.

Question 16

How energy increases greenhouse effect

Answer 16

Electricity demand is increasing due to the increasing population . Carbon dioxide is 30% increase from 1850

Question 17

How is transport increasing greenhouse effect

Answer 17

Cars and flights are becoming more affordable that means people take more of these and burn fossil fuels. Nitrous oxide is 250 times warming power

Question 18

How industrial process is increasing greenhouse effect

Answer 18

Industry requires lots of energy amd processes release greenhouse gases. Cement made from limestone which contains co2

As disposible income rises , the demand for production of consumer goods increase

Question 19

Evidence of human activity causing climate change-global average temperature

Answer 19

Temperatures increase by nearly 1 celcius since 1880 and expected to rise 0.3 - 4.8 celcius between 2005 and 2100. Ten warmest years began from 2000

Question 20

Evidence of human activity causing climate change- artic sea ice

Answer 20

Ice form at -1.8 celcius in winter and melts in summer.less production of ice in winter is happening and 90% of valley glaciers are sheinking

Question 21

Evidence of human activity causing climate change-sea levels rise

Answer 21

Sea risen 20cm since 1900. Melting of ice caps and glaciers by thermal expansion.melting of glaciers on land more volume than ice in sea

Question 22

Evidence of human activity causing climate change-extreme weather events

Answer 22

Since 1950 ,a higher frequency of heat waves and in Uk more rainfall records broken 1010-2014 than any decade.2013 wettest yeard

Question 23

Consequences of climate change-farming

Answer 23

Farmers finding crops yields smaller due to rising temperatures however in some latitudes ,some able to grow more

Causes malnutrition and illness ,starvation

Question 24

Consequences of climate change-impossible inhabitat

Answer 24

Some areas could become so dey to inhabit and coastal areas lost to seatherfore overpopulation and crowding

Question 25

Consequences of climate change-extreme weather

Answer 25

More money is spent on predicting extreme weather and reducing and rebuilding

Question 26

Why is it difficult to give accurate prediction of consequences of clinate change-natural factors

Answer 26

We are unaware id a volcanic eruption will happen or if a malonkovich cycle will occur or asteroid collisions.too uncertain

Question 27

Why is it difficult to give accurate prediction of consequences of clinate change-unknown population and fossil fuel

Answer 27

Human population is growing exponentially however we don’t know if this is the case in future

Don’t know if governments will change to renewable energy

Question 28

Tropical cyclone definitions-eye

Answer 28

The centre of the cyclone- calm winds and low presssure, descending air

Question 29

Tropical cyclone definitions-seasonal distribution

Answer 29

How tropical cyclone occur at different times of year,june to november,november to april, northern ,southern

Question 30

Tropical cyclone definitions-source area

Answer 30

The region where storm forms

Question 31

Tropical cyclone definitions-track

Answer 31

Path tropical cyclone follows

Question 32

Where do tropical cyclones occur

Answer 32

In between the tropics. Most likely to occur in the ITCZ within hadley cells

Question 33

What is the formation of tropical cyclones

Answer 33

Strong clusters of thunderstorm drift over the sea when it exceed 26.5 celcius. Warm air feom the storm and ocean surface begin rising causing low pressure .trade winds blowing in oppsite direction causes storm to spin.Rising warm air causes pressure to decrease at higher altitudes and air rises faster and faster,drawing more warm out from sea and pushing cooler air down. As stork moves across ocean,more air is sucked up and wind speed increases

Question 34

Tropical cyclone definitions-eye wall

Answer 34

Spiralling rising air,storm clouds

Question 35

Hazards of TC-storm surges

Answer 35

Low pressure causes sea level to rise which is combined with high winds

Large mass of water beought on land, damages coastlines

Question 36

Hazards of TC-landslide

Answer 36

Intense rainfall leads to saturation which is heavy so on steep hills, land slides

Burys houses and villages, damages the environment

Question 37

Hazards of TC-Coastal floading

Answer 37

Intense rain and storm surges puts people in danger

Damages the environment and impacts farming and tourism

Question 38

What increases vulnerability from TC-physical factors

Answer 38

Low relief experiences more storm surges and high winds. Large waves suffer the chance of coastal flooding. If there are steep hills,suffer the risk of landslides

Question 39

What increases vulnerability from TC-economic vulnerability

Answer 39

Many people depend on agriculture which is often badly affcted.

May not have insurance ro pay for repairs .however richer countries will have sea walls

Question 40

What increases vulnerability from TC-social vilnerability

Answer 40

Buildings are poor quality so easy damaged. Little money for flood defenses.

Question 41

Preparation of a tropical cyclone-forecast/tracking

Answer 41

Can track the eye of the storm with GIS, people can be warmed when tropical cyclones are coming

Question 42

Preparation of a tropical cyclone-warning/evacuation

Answer 42

People go out from emergency routes and sre trained, reduces the injurys

Question 43

Preparation of a tropical cyclone-building design

Answer 43

Flood barriers and sea walls,protect building from getting destroyed

Question 44

Response of a tropical cyclone-rescue

Answer 44

A team of rescuers search under rubble. Need to be fast to save people and provides.shelter and food

Question 45

Response of a tropical cyclone-rebuild

Answer 45

Rebuild roads,drinking water and homes . Heavily affects areas recovery

Question 46

Impacts of people and environment-hurricane katrina

Answer 46

Environment- sea turte breeding beaches were destroyed. Massive oil spills and coastal conservation areas were destroyed

People- 1800 people killed,300,000 houses destroyed, hundreds of thousands left homeless. Roads damage and bridges collapsed

Question 47

Impacts of people and environment-cyclone Nargis

Answer 47

Environmental-Irrawaddy delta,14000km2 flooded.38000 hectares of mangrove forests destroyed. Flooding caused salination of land

Physical-140,000 people killed,450,000 houses destroyed, suffered from diseases from contaminated eater,65% of rice paddies damaged

Question 48

Preparation and response of myanmar and USA

Answer 48

USA-sophisticated monitering system,NHac predicts hurricanes with satelite images . NHC gave warning to government. 70% of residents evacuated,flood defense failed and caused flooding

Myanmar-no dedicated monitering . No radar network to predict cyclones. Indian weather warned government that it was going to hit 48 hours before actually did. Warning issues on tv but didnt reach poor communities.magrove forests protected coasts but now need to be cut removing natural protection

Question 49

Plate boundaries -divergent(constructive)

Answer 49

Eg. Eurasian and north american(mid atlantic risge)

Powerful convection currents within mantle pull two plates apart. Gap appears and mantle moves upwards.Magma rises through gap and forms shield volcanoes .Magma cools and solidifies .new crust is formed (sea floor spreading) under atlanic ocean

Question 50

Plate boundaries -covergent

Answer 50

Eg.nazca and south american plate

Less dense continental plate moves towards oceanic plate. Denser oceanic pkate forced below. Pressure builds up at subduction zone causing melting. Molten rock builds up in chamber. Magma escapes from a composite volcanoe

Question 51

Plate boundaries -conservative(transform)

Answer 51

Eg.pacific plate and north american

Earthquakes occur cuz two plates sliding past. Pressure build up and released suddenly.

Question 52

What is the core

Answer 52

The inner core (solid) the outer core(liquid) made of iron and nickel, very dense due to pressure in inner

Question 53

Mantle

Answer 53

Silicon based rocks, aesthenosphere is semi molten

Question 54

Crust

Answer 54

Silicon based rocks ,continental crust thick less dense, oceanic thinner more dense

Question 55

How do convection currents move

Answer 55

Radioactive decay generates lots of heat in mantle, lower parts heat up in aesthenosphere become less dense. They cool down at the top and then sink and move out. Circular movements of semi molten rock (convection currents) drag the plates

Question 56

What are volcanic hotspots

Answer 56

Plume of hot magma move up mantle and towards the surface. It flows to the crust and can sometimes break through and reach the surface, an eruption happens and a volcano forms. This can create volcanic island

Question 57

What is a composite volcanoes features

Answer 57

Convergent plate boundary,explosive eruptions,andesitic lava high silica content,lava can’t flow far so steep sided volcanoe

Question 58

Shield volcanoe jey features

Answer 58

Occur at hotspots or divergent plate boundary, not very explosive,balsaltic lava , low silica content, runny, gentle side volcanoe

Question 59

How istsunami formed

Answer 59

Underwater earthquakes cause seabed to move which displaces water causing tsunami, travels fastest in deep water

Question 60

Predicting earthquakes

Answer 60

Pressure builds up so rocks will expand and crack, lasers can detect movements of tectonic plates,measure gases (radon) that escape from cracks before earthquake

Question 61

Predicting volcanoes

Answer 61

Tiny earthquakes and changes in the shape of the volcanoe (where magma built up under), thermal imaging cameras to check the temperature ,analyse sulfurous gases before eruption

Question 62

Long term planning for tectonic hazards

Answer 62

Building can be made of reinforced concrete and designed to absorb earthwuakes energy, evacuation routes can be planned to limit deaths to pyroclastic flow, mergency services trained and prepared,people educated, stockpiling of goods

Question 63

Short term relief

Answer 63

Provide food and drink/shelter,recover dead bodies to stop disease spreading, treat injured people, rescue people