hazardous earth - paper 1 Flashcards

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1
Q

how is heat distributed

A

pressure differences
ocean currents

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2
Q

what would happen if heat wasn’t redistributed

A

it would be too hot by the equator but too cold by the poles to be habitable - wind helps move air around

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3
Q

what is pressure differences like on land and why

A

heats quickly in summer and cools quickly in winter due to the land heating the air above, which expands and becomes lighter and rises which forms a low pressure in summer and high pressure in winter

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4
Q

what is pressure differences like at sea and why

A

takes longer to heat but also takes longer to cool. the air above is dense and cool in the summer which forms a area of high pressure in summer and low pressure in winter

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5
Q

what is pressure differences like with wind and why

A

wind moves air from a high to low pressure.

January in the Southern Hemisphere there is an area of low pressure (Australia) as they are warmer than the oceans. due to the oceans being cooler they form areas of high pressure.
opposite happens for the northern hemisphere then they switch for the NH summer

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6
Q

explain the Gulf Stream ocean current and how it works

A
  1. cold, salty water sinks in the northern Atlantic
  2. creates convention current
  3. drags water down
  4. warmer water is drawn from the equator
  5. cools and sinks near Greenland
  6. flows south to the equator to be warmed again
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7
Q

what does ITCZ stand for

A

inter-tropical convergent zone

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8
Q

what does the ITCZ do in June

A

the sun is over the Tropic of Cancer so the ITCZ moves north bringing rain to the Northern Hemisphere

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9
Q

what does the ITCZ do in December/jan

A

the sun is over the Tropic of Capricorn so the ITCZ moves north bringing rain to the Southern Hemisphere

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10
Q

what is the ITCZ part of

A

global circulation model

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11
Q

where does the ITCZ form

A

forms within the tropics where two air masses converge created between the Hadley cells

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12
Q

facts about the Hadley cell

A
  • caused by heating and cooling
  • creates a low and high pressure system
  • consists of 2 parts - one either side of the equator
  • both parts move together as the sun moves overhead seasonally
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13
Q

how does the Hadley cell form the ITCZ in July

A
  1. land warms air, expands and becomes lighter and rises - now low pressure over Sahara
  2. cooler, denser, high pressure air forms as the sea is cooler than the land
  3. ‘trade winds’ blow from high to low pressure towards the southern Sahara - carry moisture to West Africa
  4. high pressure forms over the Atlantic Ocean (sea is cooler than land)
  5. trade winds blow south, drawn by low-pressure at the ITCZ.
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14
Q

how does the Hadley cell form the ITCZ in January/dec

A
  1. winter the in the northern hemisphere with cool dense high pressure over North Africa
  2. Southern Hemisphere warms as the sun is over the Tropic of Capricorn - forms low pressure
  3. ‘trade winds’ blow from high to low pressure towards the southern Sahara - carries dry air causing its dry season
  4. trade winds meet others from the southern hemisphere to form the ITCZ
  5. rising air cools and becomes denser - it spreads out as it reaches high the atmosphere and falls as high pressure to repeat the cycle
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15
Q

what are the 2 other cells in the global circulation model

A

ferrel (30-60 degrees N&S)
polar (60-90 degrees N&S)

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16
Q

what is satellite imagery and what is it used for

A

images which are taken from space satellites and are a form of geographical information system (GIS) and are used to predict weather

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17
Q

what do climate graphs show

A

rainfall and temperature at the same time

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18
Q

how are rainfall, temp and months show on a climate graph

A

rainfall - bars
temp - line
months - x axis

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19
Q

why do we need to track cyclones

A

vital for hazard prediction and to predict their movement

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20
Q

the eruption theory

A

large volcanos alter earths climate for a few years by producing sulphur dioxide and ash which then rise into the stratosphere and reflect some sunlight back to space so earth cools.

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21
Q

asteroid collision theory

A

big asteroids may change earths climate for 5-10 years by millions of tonnes of ash and dust would be blasted into the atmosphere, blocking incoming sunlight and cooling the climate.

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22
Q

sunspots theory

A

sunspots are where black areas on the sun appear when the sun is more active by more sunspots it can be deduced that there is more solar energy coming to earth - cooler periods could be explained by fewer sunspots

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23
Q

orbital change theory

A

long term changes can be explained by the way the earth orbits the sun.

the earth can sometimes move more oval like or circular or the tilt can be more upright or slanted - all of these could be factors towards the start or end of the ice age as they affect the amount of sunlight earth receives

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24
Q

how do ice cores explain past climates

A

ice sheets contain layers of ice - youngest being the top

air bubbles of CO2 get trapped which can also tell us past temperatures

also tell us there has been colder glacial periods

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25
Q

how do tree rings explain past climates

A

each ring shows a years growth - tell us a trees lifetime - warmer and wetter years a tree grows more

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26
Q

how do historical sources explain past climates

A

historical photos, diaries, newspapers or recorded dates of events help show what climates were like before compared to now

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27
Q

what are the gases which make up the greenhouse gases

A

nitrogen - plant growth
carbon dioxide - gas taken in by plants
oxygen - breathed in by plants
water vapour - makes clouds

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28
Q

what is the greenhouse effect

A

completely natural way which the atmosphere trap heat from the sun and warms the planet to make it habitable

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29
Q

what is the enhanced greenhouse effect

A

human process where greenhouse gases are produced by human activities such as burning fossil fuels which pollute the atmosphere which adds CO2 into the environment

burning fossil fuels is the main way we gain our electricity

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30
Q

thermal expansion

A

sea expanding due to ice melting which increases sea levels

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31
Q

why do climate scientists find it hard to predict what will happen in the future

A

population may grow
fossil fuels may be changed to renewable energy
peoples lifestyles may change

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32
Q

what do climate scientists predict

A

temp will rise between 1.1 and 6.4 degrees C
sea levels will rise

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33
Q

what can climate change cause

A

more frequent floods an droughts
stronger storms
changes to farming

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34
Q

what is a cyclone

A

a rotating system of clouds and storms which form over subtropical waters with winds which can exceed 118km/h

can be know as a typhoon or hurricane also

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35
Q

where are cyclones found

A

indian and pacific oceans

36
Q

where are hurricanes found

A

north Atlantic ocean and pacific oceans of USA

37
Q

where are typhoons found

A

western pacific oceans

38
Q

what do cyclones bring

A

storm surges
strong winds
intense rainfall
landslides

39
Q

what is a storm surge

A

brings flooding of tides

40
Q

what is strong winds

A

bring down trees, destroy power lines or whole buildings

41
Q

what is intense rainfall

A

high amount of rainfall which is usually uncommon at any other time

42
Q

what are landslides

A

intense rainfall leads to saturated heavy ground which causes it to slump

43
Q

where do tropical cyclones develop

A

large still ocean which is above 26.5 degrees
strong winds - create the rotation

44
Q

how do tropical cyclones develop

A
  1. warm air rises from the ocean and more air rushes in to replace it and is also then drawn up
  2. water vapour in the up-draughts of air condense to form cumulonimbus clouds - power cyclone further
  3. Coriolis force causes the air spiral around the centre of the cyclone which then rises and cools - some descends create the eye of the storm
  4. the cyclone enlarges as it is fed more moisture and heat
  5. it looks energy once it reaches landmass and decays to become a mere storm
45
Q

where was CYCLONE AILA

A

Bangladesh - one of the worlds poorest countries making it vulnerable

46
Q

what was CYCLONE AILA event cycle

A

began as a tropical storm, high intensity rainfall fell in a few hours - strong winds reached 360km/h - low pressure caused sea level to rise creating a huge storm surge

47
Q

social impacts of CYCLONE AILA

A

190 people killed

750,000 made homeless

sickness spread in contaminated water

48
Q

economic impacts of CYCLONE AILA

A

crops destroyed

nearly 60,000 animals killed - affecting food supply and

farming income

half the flooding protection embankments were destroyed

49
Q

environmental impacts of CYCLONE AILA

A

pressure on firewood resources as fuel from animal dung was lost

fresh water contaminated

mangroves badly effected

30 endangered tigers drowned

50
Q

long term impacts of CYCLONE AILA

A

by 2010 (year later) 200,000 people were still living in temporary shacks

poverty forced some people to migrate to slums

51
Q

what was Bangladesh’s response to the cyclone (4)

A
  1. weather forecasting - put in to increase awareness of the weather
  2. satellite technology - expensive images brought from USA, China and Japan to give them live weather updates to track cyclones
  3. warning systems - developed early weather systems to evacuate costal communities
  4. evacuation strategies - invested in procedures and save refuges (embankments and shelters) attempt to protect people to prevent more deaths
52
Q

how do the USA protect their people during a hurricane

A
  1. forecasting and satellite technology - over 20 weather satellites and forecasts are issued frequently + everyone has access to technology
  2. risk and evacuation - warning and evacuation systems help plan evacuations - there are classified risk zones to go to also
  3. storm surges - there are softer and cheaper defences which are available to protect better against storm surges
53
Q

hurricane katrine facts

A
  • 1833 people died
  • damage cost US$108 billion to repair
  • 80% of New Orleans was evacuated with the poor and elderly left behind - government faced backlash
  • worst cyclone to hit the US
54
Q

where does evidence for the earths structure come from

A

its surface, earthquakes and space

55
Q

properties of the lithosphere

A

uppermost layer of the earth, split into tectonic plates
which moves on the uppermost layer of the mantle

continental crust - forms land and is thicker and is less dense than oceanic
oceanic crust - forms under the ocean and is thinner however its more dense

56
Q

properties of the mantle

A

lubricating layer under the lithosphere

lower mantle - largest of earths layers

57
Q

properties of the core

A

solid and is 2900km below the surface

58
Q

geothermal

A

‘earth heat’ produced by the radioactive decay of elements in the core and mantle

59
Q

how is the earth heated

A

through radioactive decay in the core and mantle

60
Q

how are convention currents created

A

by heat rising from the core which moves tectonic plates

61
Q

what is a plume

A

part of the convection cell created by rising heat which brings magma to the surface

62
Q

how is the earths magnetic field created

A

by the outer core as liquid iron flows

e.g. the northern lights

63
Q

why is continental crust so much older than oceanic crust

A

because new oceanic crust forms at the divergent plate boundary and old oceanic crust is destroyed by subduction at convergent plate boundaries

new oceanic crust is constantly being created at divergent plate boundaries

64
Q

where do divergent plate boundaries form

A

when 2 plates move apart

65
Q

where do convergent plate boundaries form

A

when 2 plates collide

66
Q

where do conservative plate boundaries form

A

when 2 plates slide past each other

67
Q

what happens at conservative plate boundaries

A

earthquakes - friction between plates causes earthquakes, shallow, destructive up to a magnitude of 8.5 with small tremors almost daily
volcanos - none

68
Q

what happens at divergent plate boundaries

A

earthquakes - small earthquakes up to a magnitude of 6.0, caused by friction as the plates tear apart
volcanos - hot, runny magma, not very explosive or dangerous, lava flows down the shallow sides

69
Q

what happens at convergent plate boundaries

A

earthquakes - can be violent and devastating up to magnitude of 9.5 + tsunami can form
volcanos - steep sided cone shaped volcanos, ash is blasted, volcanos are explosive

70
Q

what happens at collision zone plate boundaries

A

earthquakes - destructive (magnitude 9), can trigger landslides
volcanoes - very rare

71
Q

what is a seismometer

A

measures magnitude on the Richter scale

72
Q

epicentre

A

directly above the focus on the earths surface - shallower the focus the more destructive the earthquake

73
Q

what is a tsunami

A

earthquakes beneath the sea bed can generate a tsunami. warning systems can be detected but only if they are far from a coast - can destroy homes and infrastructure

74
Q

Sendai, Japan 2011 earthquake factors

A
  • magnitude - 9.0
  • focus - 30km deep
  • convergent plate boundary
  • epicentre - 70km from the coast
75
Q

Sendai, Japan 2011 earthquake primary effects

A
  • 1 dam collapsed (environmental)
  • 2 nuclear power stations (economic)
  • motorway damaged (economic)
  • airport closed (social)
  • US$235 billion of damage (economic)
76
Q

Sendai, Japan 2011 earthquake secondary effects

A
  • deaths - 15900 (social)
  • missing - 2600 (social)
  • injured - 6150 (social)
  • homeless - 350,000 (social)
  • 2 nuclear reactors melt down (environmental and economic)
  • businesses disrupted (economic)
  • disrupted schooling, unemployment, stress lasted for years (social)
77
Q

port-au-prince, Haiti 2010 factors

A
  • magnitude - 7.0
  • focus - 13km deep
  • conservative plate boundary
  • epicentre - 25km from the capital
78
Q

port-au-prince, Haiti 2010 primary effects

A
  • deaths - 316,000 (social)
  • injured - 300,000 (social)
  • homeless - 1 million (social)
  • port, communications and roads were damaged beyond repair (economic)
79
Q

port-au-prince, Haiti 2010 secondary effects

A
  • cholera outbreak killed over 8,000 people (social and environmental)
  • aid struggled to get in (social)
  • 1 in 5 lost their jobs (social and economic)
  • by 2015 most people displaced had been rehoused (social)
80
Q

Haiti and Japans long term planning

A

Japan has invested in long term planing - earthquake drills, emergency kits, building designs, tsunami walls

81
Q

location of Nepal earthquake 2015

A

rural and isolated
surrounded by the himalayas
one of Asia’s poorest countries

82
Q

Nepal earthquake 2015 - event

A

magnitude - 8.1 on the 25th of April
magnitude - 7.3 on 12th of May

aftershock reaching magnitude of 6.7 - Indian and Eurasian plate

83
Q

Nepal earthquake 2015 - social impacts

A
  • 9107 people died
  • 23,000 people injured, 6000 still being treated
  • drinking water and sanitation systems were destroyed
84
Q

Nepal earthquake 2015 - economic impacts

A
  • international airports closed preventing aid and deliveries
  • rebuilding cost US$7 billion
  • crops were destroyed and missed planting season - rural families lost inciem
85
Q

Nepal earthquake 2015 - environmental impacts

A
  • 1000 ancient temples destroyed
86
Q

Nepal earthquake 2015 - international responses

A
  • several organisations helped with rebuilding cheap houses to withstand earthquakes
  • uk public donated US$80 million
  • uk government donated US$51 million
  • UN provided blankets, tents, water