Weather + climate change

• What is a Natural Hazard?

  A Natural Hazard is a threat to people or property.
• Why might a natural hazard not pose a threat to humans?

  If it occurs in an uninhabited area, such as a drought in a desert.
• What are the two main types of natural hazards?

  • Geological Hazards
  • Meteorological Hazards
• What are geological hazards caused by?

  Geological hazards are caused by geological processes.
• Give two examples of geological hazards.

  Volcanoes and earthquakes.
• What are meteorological hazards caused by?

  Meteorological hazards are caused by weather and climate.
• Give two examples of meteorological hazards.

  Tropical storms and heatwaves.
• What factors affect the hazard risk from natural hazards?

  • Vulnerability
  • Capacity to cope
  • Nature of natural hazards
  • Magnitude
• How does vulnerability affect hazard risk?

  The more people exposed to natural hazards, the greater the probability they will be affected.
• Why is an area with high population density on a floodplain vulnerable to flooding?

  Because many people are at risk of being affected by extreme weather.
• How does the capacity to cope affect hazard risk?

  The better a population can cope with an extreme event, the lower the risk of severe effects.
• Why are higher income countries (HICs) better able to cope with flooding?

  They can afford to build flood defenses and evacuate people.
• How does the nature of natural hazards affect risk?

  Some hazards can be predicted, while others occur suddenly with no warning.
• Why might earthquakes carry a higher risk than tropical storms?

  Earthquakes happen suddenly with no warning, making it harder to protect people.
• How does the frequency of natural hazards affect risk?

  Natural hazards that occur more often may carry a higher risk.
• What is the significance of magnitude in natural hazards?

  Higher magnitude natural hazards tend to have the greatest effects.
• What was the magnitude of the earthquake that struck Japan in 2011?

  Magnitude 9.0.
• How many people were killed by the 2011 Japan earthquake?

  Over 15,000 people.
• How many people were killed by the earthquake in L'Aquila, Italy, in 2009?

  Around 300 people.
• What is an example of a humorous natural hazard mentioned in the material?

  Forgetting to wear deodorant for PE.
• What are the primary effects of natural hazards?

  • Damage to buildings and roads
  • Injuries or deaths from collapses
  • Damage to crops and water supplies
  • Disruption of electricity and communication networks
• What are the secondary effects of natural hazards?

  • Triggering of other hazards (e.g., tsunamis)
  • Blocked roads affecting aid delivery
  • Spread of diseases due to lack of clean water
  • Food shortages from damaged crops
  • Economic weakening due to business damage
• What are the immediate responses to natural hazards?

  1. Evacuate people
  2. Treat the injured
  3. Recover dead bodies
  4. Provide temporary utilities
  5. Supply food, drink, and shelter
  6. Send aid from foreign governments or charities
• What are the long-term responses to natural hazards?

  1. Repair homes and relocate people
  2. Rebuild infrastructure (buildings, roads)
  3. Restore utilities and communication
  4. Improve forecasting and evacuation plans
  5. Enhance building regulations
  6. Boost economic recovery (e.g., tourism)
• What are tectonic plates?

  Large sections of the Earth's crust that move and interact with each other
• What happens at destructive plate margins?

  One tectonic plate is subducted beneath another, leading to volcanic activity
• How many types of plate margins are there?

  Three types
• What occurs at constructive plate margins?

  Magma rises to fill the gap created by plates moving apart, forming new crust
• How does the movement of the Eurasian plate and North American plate relate to the mid-Atlantic ridge?

  They are moving away from each other, forming the mid-Atlantic ridge
• What is the characteristic of conservative margins?

  Two plates move past each other without creating or destroying crust
• What is an example of a conservative margin?

  The San Andreas Fault
• What happens when tension builds at destructive margins?


  One plate is forced down into the mantle, causing earthquakes and volcanic activity
• What causes earthquakes at all three types of plate margins?


  Stress that builds up as plates interact with each other
• What is the focus of an earthquake?


  The point in the Earth where the earthquake starts
• What is the epicenter of an earthquake?


  The point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus
• How are earthquakes measured?

  Using the moment magnitude scale
• What does the moment magnitude scale measure?

  The amount of energy released by an earthquake
• How does a magnitude 7 earthquake compare to a magnitude 6 earthquake?

  A magnitude 7 earthquake causes ten times as much ground shaking as a magnitude 6 earthquake
• What kind of damage do earthquakes of magnitude 6 and below typically cause?

  They normally only cause slight damage to buildings
• What can earthquakes of magnitude 7 and above cause?

  Major damage and deaths