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Geography Unit 1 > World At Risk > Flashcards

World At Risk Flashcards

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0
Q

Geophysical hazard

A

A hazard formed by tectonic or geological processes (earthquake/volcano/tsunami)

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1
Q

Context hazard

A

Widespread/global threat due to environmental factors e.g. Climate change

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2
Q

Hazard

A

A perceived natural event which has potential to threaten both life and property

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3
Q

Hydro meteorological hazard

A

Hazard formed by hydrological (floods) and atmospheric (storms and droughts) processes

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4
Q

Vulnerability

A

Hugh risk combined with an inability of individuals and communities to cope

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5
Q

Disaster

A

A hazard becoming a reality in an event that causes deaths and damaged goods, property and the environment

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6
Q

Risk

A

Probability of a hazard event occurring and creating loss of lives and livelihoods

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7
Q

Albedo

A

How much solar radiation a surface reflects

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8
Q

Climate change

A

Any long term trend or shift in climate (average weather over 30 years) detected by sustained shift in average value for any climatic element (e.g. Rainfall/drought/storminess)

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9
Q

Enhanced greenhouse effect

A

This occurs hen levels of greenhouse gases in atmosphere increase owing to human activity

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10
Q

Fossil fuels

A

Energy sources that are rich in carbon which release CO2 when burnt (e.g. Coal)

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11
Q

Global warming

A

A recently measured rise in average surface temperate of the planet

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12
Q

Greenhouse effect

A

The warming if Earth’s atmosphere due to trapping of heat that would otherwise be radiated back into space

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13
Q

Why is the greenhouse effect good?

A

It enables the survival of life on Earth

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14
Q

Tipping point

A

The point at which a system switches from one state to another

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15
Q

Feedback mechanism

A

Where the output of a system acts to amplify or reduce further output

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16
Q

Example of a feedback mechanism

A

The melting of Arctic permafrost leads to release of trapped methane which leads to further global warming

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17
Q

Frequency

A

How often an event of certain size (magnitude) occurs

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18
Q

Example for frequency

A

Flood of height 1m may occur, on average, every year on a particular river. However, a 2m flood may only occur every 10 years

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19
Q

Recurrence interval

A

The frequency of flooding events of certain magnitude on particular river

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20
Q

Asthenosphere

A

A semi molten zone of rock underlying the Earth’s crust

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21
Q

Conservative boundary

A

Boundary between plates where movement of plates is parallel to plate margin and plates slide past each other

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22
Q

Constructive boundary

A

Boundary between plates where plates are diverging (moving) apart

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23
Q

Destructive boundary

A

Boundary between plates where plates are converging (moving) together

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24
Q

Lithosphere

A

Crust of the earth (around 80-90km thick)

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25
Q

Magma

A

Molten material that rises towards the Earth’s surface when hotspots within asthenosphere generate convection currents

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26
Q

Plates

A

Rigid, less dense slabs of rock floating on asthenosphere

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27
Q

Hotspot

A

Localised area of earth’s crust with unusually high temperature

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28
Q

Plume

A

Upwelling of abnormally hot rock within Earth’s mantle

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29
Q

Inter-tropical convergence zone

A

A zone of low atmospheric pressure near the equator. This migrates seasonally.

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30
Q

Climate

A

Average conditions of precipitation, temperature, pressure and wind measured over a 30 year period

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31
Q

Thermohaline circulation/ocean conveyor

A

A global system of surface and deep water ocean currents driven by differences in temperature (thermo) and salinity (haline) between areas of oceans.

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32
Q

Little Ice Age

A

A cool period in Europe (and possibly globally) in which many Alpine glaciers advanced.

(Lasted from around 1400-1850)

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33
Q

Medieval Warm Period

A

A period of unusually warm North Atlantic climate lasting from around 800 to 1400

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34
Q

Thermal expansion

A

Increased volume of oceans as a result of their higher water temperature, leading to sea level rise

35
Q

Thermal expansion statistic

A

Accounted for about 60% of sea level rise in late 20th century

36
Q

Climate forcing

A

Any mechanism that alters global energy balance and forces climate to change in response

37
Q

Habitat

A

Environment of plants and animals in which they live, feed and reproduce

38
Q

Permafrost

A

Permanently frozen ground

39
Q

Eustatic change

A

Change in sea level due to change in amount of water in oceans

40
Q

Isostatic change

A

Movement of land in response to loss or gain of mass (e.g. Melting ice sheets leads to uplift)

41
Q

Adaptive capacity

A

The extent to which a system can cope with climate change. In human systems, it depends on available human, physical and financial resources

42
Q

Climate vulnerability

A

Degree to which a natural or human system lacks ability to cope with climate change.

Vulnerability is a result of: magnitude of change/its speed of onset/sensitivity of system/its adaptive capacity

43
Q

Mitigation

A

Reducing output of greenhouse gases and increasing size of greenhouse gas sinks

44
Q

Examples of mitigation

A
  • Setting targets to reduce CO2 emissions
  • Switching to renewable energy sources (e.g. Wind power)
  • Capturing carbon emissions from power stations and storing them (e.g. In spent oil wells)
45
Q

Adaptation

A

Changing our lifestyles to cope with new environment rather than trying to stop climate change

46
Q

Examples of adaptation

A
  • Managed retreat of coastlines vulnerable to sea level rise
  • Developing drought resistant crops
  • Enlarging existing conservation areas to allow for shifting habitat zones
47
Q

Sustainable development

A

Development that meets needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

48
Q

Hurricane

A

Rotating tropical storm with wind speeds in excess of 118kph

49
Q

Typhoons

A

-

50
Q

Tropical cyclones

A

-

51
Q

Hurricanes

A

-

52
Q

Landslide

A

Downslope movement of rock and regolith near earth’s surface mainly due to force of gravity

53
Q

Natural hazard

A

Specific events that cause a hazard (e.g an earthquake/volcanic eruption)

54
Q

Tectonic hazard

A

Hazards that originate from internal Earth processes of tectonic origin

55
Q

Geomorphological hazard

A

Hazards that originate from external earth processes involving mass movements

56
Q

Chronic hazard

A

Hazard of long duration

57
Q

Super hazards

A

Hazard that causes catastrophic earth changes (e.g. Super volcanoes/tsunami/asteroid strikes)

58
Q

Tornado

A

Violent rotating column of air in the form of a visible condensation funnel. It is in contact with both the surface of earth and cumulonimbus cloud

59
Q

Storm surge

A

Offshore rise of water associated with low pressure weather system (e.g. Tropical cyclone).

Caused by primarily high winds pushing on oceans surface causing water to pile up higher than normal sea level

60
Q

Mass movement

A

General term for rapid downslope transport of rock/regolith to earth’s surface due to gravity/other factors

(More than 30cm/year)

61
Q

Mudslide

A

Most rapid and fluid rule of downhill mass movement

Up to 80km/h

62
Q

Avalanche

A

Sudden and deft flor of mass of ice, snow, soil, rock or other material down steep slope

63
Q

Rockfall

A

Quantities of rock falling freely from cliff face

64
Q

Earthquake

A

Sudden movement in crust of earth caused by rapid release of tectonic tension and seismic waves

65
Q

Volcano

A

Opening or rupture in crust which allows hot molten rock, gas and ash to escape from below surface

66
Q

Tsunami

A

Series of waves created when body of water (e.g ocean) is rapidly displaced

67
Q

Lithosphere

A

Rigid outer part of earth considering of cuts and upper mantle

68
Q

Lava

A

Magma risen over earth’s surface

69
Q

Epicentre

A

Point on earth’s surface vertically above focus of earthquake

70
Q

Focus

A

Point beneath earth’s surface from where tension was released to cause earthquake

71
Q

Fold mountains

A

Formed when two continental plates at destructive margin push together and extreme pressure forces edges upwards in series of folds

72
Q

Subduction

A

Downwards veneer of edge of oceanic plate into mantle beneath less dense continental plate

73
Q

Primary hazard

A

Direct effects caused by hazard

74
Q

Examples of primary hazards

A

Storm surge
Pyroclastic flow
Damaged infra

75
Q

Secondary hazards

A

Subsequent effects of primary hazards

76
Q

Examples of secondary hazards

A

Fires
Tsunamis
Landslides

77
Q

Tertiary hazard

A

Long term effects of hazard

78
Q

Examples of tertiary hazard

A

Homelessness

79
Q

Liquefaction

A

Saturated soil loses stiffness due to applied stress (e.g. Earthquake shaking)

80
Q

Dormant volcano

A

active volcano that has not erupted in past 10,000 years and expected to erupt again

81
Q

Pyroclastic flow

A

Dense, destructive and fat flowing mass of hot rock within earth’s mantle

82
Q

Monsoon

A

Seasonal reversing wind that carries heavy rains to South Asia

83
Q

El Niño

A

Irregular occurrence in equatorial Pacific region of unusually warm water off northern Peru/Ecuador

84
Q

LA Niña

A

Irregular occurrence in Equatorial Pacific that is associated with widespread changes in weather patterns

85
Q

Flood

A

Overflowing of large amounts of water beyond its normal confines

86
Q

Drought

A

Lack/shortage of water for unusually long period of time
Involves 50% less usual rainfall over 3 months
Ranges from dry spell to successive years of aridity

Geography Unit 1 (2 decks)

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