geography

• Focus


  Point below the Earth's surface where the rocks give way in an earthquake
• Epicenter


  Point directly above the focus where the earthquake hits worst
• Plate boundary


  Also known as plate margins, where two or more plates meet and there is more tectonic activity
• Richter Scale

  Outdated measure of the magnitude or strength of an earthquake
• Seismometer

  Machine that measures the vibrations from an earthquake
• Terms to match definitions

  • Tectonic plate
  • Convection current
  • Subduction
  • Magma
  • Earthquake
  • Epicenter
  • Richter scale
• Types of plate margin

  • Destructive
  • Constructive
  • Conservative
• At destructive plate boundaries, two plates move towards each other, often forming fold mountains
• At constructive plate boundaries, two plates move away from each other, forming rift valleys
• At conservative plate boundaries, two plates move side-by-side, building up pressure that can lead to powerful earthquakes
• Natural Hazard

  Natural event that is a threat to property and a threat to people
• Tectonic Hazards


  • Earthquakes
  • Volcanic eruptions
  • Tsunamis
• Earthquakes occur at all types of plate margins
• Volcanic eruptions occur at hot spots, destructive margins, and constructive margins, but not conservative margins
• Areas with active volcanoes

  • Hawaii
  • Pacific Ring of Fire
  • Mid-Atlantic Ridge
• Tectonic plates move side-by-side at conservative plate margins
• Tectonic plates move towards each other at destructive plate margins
• Tectonic plates move away from each other at constructive plate margins
• Earthquakes are found at destructive plate margins
• Volcanoes are found at destructive plate margins
• Avalanche is the odd one out as the other items are primary effects of earthquakes</b>
• Broken water pipes is the odd one out as the other items are secondary effects of earthquakes
• Reading your horoscope is the odd one out as the other items are reasons why people live near active volcanoes
• Reading your horoscope is the odd one out as the other items are strategies to reduce the risk created by earthquakes
• Keeping a look out is the odd one out as the other items are scientific methods used to predict volcanic eruptions
• Keeping a look out is the odd one out compared to the other strategies to reduce the risk created by earthquakes, which are: measuring the temperatures of local rivers, monitoring earthquakes, and testing gases released nearby
• Scientific methods used to predict volcanic eruptions are: measuring the temperatures of local rivers, monitoring earthquakes, and testing gases released nearby
• 2015 Nepal earthquake

  • It was on a plate margin
  • There were many remote communities in rural areas
  • Buildings were poorly constructed
  • It was on steep mountain slopes
  • Nepal is a low-income country
• 2015 Nepal earthquake


  • Magnitude of 7.8
  • Shallow focus at a depth of 15 km
  • Epicenter was 80 km away from Kathmandu
  • It was climbing season on Mount Everest
• The 2015 Nepal earthquake had a death toll of 9,000 people, destroyed historic buildings in Kathmandu's World Heritage site, and made more than 1 million people homeless
• The 2015 Nepal earthquake caused avalanches that killed 19 climbers and resulted in a loss of income from tourism
• A third of people affected by the 2015 Nepal earthquake were still in temporary housing in 2018, 3 years later
• Ports

  Settlements have been built up around trading links on plate margins along coastlines
• Farming

  Areas around volcanoes have rich fertile soils from weathered dried lava, but also risk of lava flows
• Building design

  Buildings can be designed to withstand earthquakes, e.g. cross-bracing, rolling weights, automatic shutters
• Mitigating risk of tectonic hazards

  1. Monitor areas at risk using equipment like seismometers to detect movements and predict events

  2. Protect buildings using shock absorbers and rolling weights to prevent collapse

  3. Make plans like earthquake drills and stocking up on supplies to be prepared
• The Richter scale is a logarithmic scale, meaning each whole number jump indicates a tenfold increase in power
• An earthquake with a magnitude of 8 is 10,000 times more powerful than an earthquake with a magnitude of 4