Key Words

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Cards (35)

Natural hazard 
A natural event that threatens people or has the potential to cause damage, destruction and death
Hazard risk 
The probability or chance that a natural hazard may occur
Earthquake 
A sudden or violent movement within the Earth's crust followed by a series of shocks
Earthquake focus 
The exact point in the crust where the earthquake happened
Earthquake epicentre 
The point on the Earth's surface which is directly above the focus of an earthquake
Earthquake seismic waves 
The waves of energy which travel outwards from the focus of an earthquake
Monitoring 
Recording physical changes to help forecast when and where a natural hazard might strike
Prediction 
Attempts to forecast when and where a natural hazard will strike based on current knowledge
Planning 
Actions taken to enable communities to respond to, and recover from, natural disasters, through measures such as evacuation plans and emergency communications
Protection 
Actions taken before a hazard strikes to reduce its impact such as education and design. Building structures before a hazard strikes to reduce its impact e.g. sea walls, shutters on windows
Climate change 
A long-term change in the Earth's climate, especially a change due to an increase in the average atmospheric temperature
Glacial episode 
A period of time marked by colder temperatures and glacier advances. Usually 100,000 years
Interglacial episode 
A period of time marked by warmer global average temperature. Lasting usually 10,000 years between two glacial periods
Proxy data 
Natural recorders that estimate what conditions were like
Mitigation 
When people reduce the causes of a hazard to their lives
Adaptation 
When people adjust to change to reduce the impacts or to take advantage of the change
Insolation 
The amount of incoming solar radiation an area receives
Coriolis effect 
The deflection, or bending, of the wind due to the rotational spin of the Earth
Winds blow from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure
High pressure 
An area where air has cooled down and so it sinks so there is more air pressing down on the earth below as the air has become 'heavier'. In general this leads to settled weather conditions
Low pressure 
An area where air has warmed up and so it has risen so there is less air pressing down on the earth below as the air has come 'lighter'. In general this leads to unsettled weather conditions
Latitude 
A line drawn from west to east on a map showing where places lie relative to the Equator and poles
Convection cell 
When differences in air temperature lead to the formation of areas of high and low pressure; they become linked by flows of warmer and cooler air
Intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) 
The low air pressure zone around the equator, between the tropics
Primary effect 
Something that happens straight away as a direct result of the tropical storm e.g. people's homes are washed away
Secondary effect 
Something that happens later on, usually a knock on effect e.g. loss of tourism
Immediate response 
What happens in the first few days to ensure people is safe
Long term response 
What happens over the months and years to get life back to normal and sometimes prevent it happening again
Extreme weather 
When a weather event is significantly different from the average or usual weather pattern, and is especially severe, unseasonal or lasts for an unusual length of time (breaks records)
Flash flood 
A sudden flood that is usually caused by heavy rain followed by rapid surface runoff
Precipitation 
Moisture falling from the atmosphere as rain, hail, sleet or snow
Saturated (Ground/soil) 
Filled with water
Impermeable 
A material (e.g. a rock) that does not allow water to infiltrate (pass) through it
Surface runoff 
Water moves across the surface of the earth becoming a stream, tributary or river
Hydro-meteorological hazards 
Natural hazard caused by atmospheric processes and any associated flooding