Unit 1 - World at Risk Key Terms Flashcards
Geophysical hazard
A hazard formed by geological processes (Earthquakes and Volcanoes)
Context Hazard
Widespread threat due to environmental factors such as climate change
Hazard
A perceived natural event which has the potential to threaten both life and property
Hydro-meteorological hazard
A hazard formed by hydrological and atmospheric processes
Vulnerability
High risk combined with inability of individuals and communities to cope
Disaster
A hazard becoming reality in an event that causes deaths and damage to property/environment (Different countries have different definitions for this)
Risk
The probability of a hazard event occurring and creating loss of lives and livelihoods
Albedo
How much solar radiation a surface reflects
Climate change
Long term shift in climate, calculated over 30 year periods
Enhanced greenhouse effect
When levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere increase due to human activity
Fossil fuels
Energy sources that emit CO2 when burned
Global warming
Warming of the earth due to trapped Infrared radiation
Tipping point
The point where a system switches to another state
Feedback mechanism
Where an output further affects the system
Positive feedback loop
Where the system can no longer compensate for the output
Negative feedback loop
Where a system compensates for an output by regulation
Magnitude
The size of an event
Asthenosphere
A semi-molten zone of rock under the crust
Conservative boundary
Plates move in parallel and slide past eachother
Constructive boundary
Plates are diverging
Destructive boundary
Plates are converging
Lithosphere
The crust of the earth (80-90km thick)
Magma
Molten material in the earths crust
Tectonic plates
Rigid ‘slabs’ of rock floating in the asthenosphere
Hotspots
Localised area with an unusually high temperature
Magma plume
Upwelling of hot rock in the mantle
Inter-tropical convergence zone
Zone of low atmospheric pressure, migrates seasonally
IPCC
Intergovernmental panel on climate change
