Chapter 1

Question 1

What is the principal of uniformitarianism?

Answer 1

The Earth formed and continues to form as a result of slow, consistent processes.

Question 2

What is the principal of catastrophism?

Answer 2

The Earth formed and continues to form as a result of short, brief catastrophic events (i.e. Earthquake, volcano.) This implies that the Earth is not that old.

Question 3

What is the principal of Actualism?

Answer 3

The Earth formed, and continues to form as the result of slow, consistent processes that are periodically interrupted by catastrophic events.

Question 4

What is a hazard?

Answer 4

Something that can cause problems or harm. (ex: BC Mountains)

Question 5

What is a “natural hazard”

Answer 5

Some natural place, event or process that can cause harm.

Question 6

What is a disaster or catastrophic event?

Answer 6

a (significant) event or process that has caused harm. (ex: Avalanche)

Question 7

Define Exposure, give an example.

Answer 7

Exposure - proximity someone or something has to a hazard ex: high exposure beside a cliff, low exposure when you move away from the cliff.

Question 8

What factors affect exposure?

Answer 8

Sensitivity and proximity, because a persons understanding of the hazards around them can keep them informed and aware which affects their exposure to the hazard.

Question 9

Define Sensitivity. Given an example.

Answer 9

A measure of how someone or something may be affected by this hazard. (ex: Informed - less sensitive. uninformed - more sensitive.)

Question 10

What resources are needed to reduce sensitivity?

Answer 10

1. Information/education
2. Plans to avoid, respond or recover from a hazard/ catastrophe.
3. The material needs in place to support plan.

Question 11

Explain Vulnerability. Give an example.

Answer 11

Combination of exposure and sensitivity. It takes into account a persons or places proximity to a hazard and their ability to deal with or to determine what will happen when a catastrophic event takes place.

Question 12

What resources are necessary to reduce vulnerability in the event of a disaster?

Answer 12

reduce exposure meaning removing the hazard.

Question 13

Discuss the relative differences between exposure, sensitivity and vulnerability as they pertain to mass wasting events, in mid-latitude regions (i.e. Canada) as compared to subtropical regions (i.e. El. Salvador).

Answer 13

For both these places, mass wasting in the form of avalanches and flows is a significant hazard. So both locations have a high degree of exposure.
Sensitivity however, is different. It is less in British Columbia because we are aware of the hazard and can avoid it. Sensitivity is higher in El Salvador because despite awareness, steep terrain is harder to avoid.
In El Salvador there is less land - it is a small country and land that is safer is often owned or controlled by others.

Question 14

Why do people live near potentially dangerous natural areas?

Answer 14

1. They are unaware of the hazard.
2. They choose to ignore the hazard of downplay it.
3. They have no choice.

Question 15

What is the relationship between wealth and mortality rates during a natural disaster?

Answer 15

In a wealthy place where sensitivity is less the result of a catastrophic event is often property damage. Moralities are much less. In poorer ares where sensitivity is higher there is usually less property damage but mortality is higher. In Canada we have more (stuff) to break, but have good medical care.

Question 16

What is risk?

Answer 16

The chance or odds that something will happen.
Risk management -
1. Avoid it.
2. Accept it.
3. Transfer it. - Pay someone else to assume the risk.

Question 17

Probability is the likelihood that a particular event will happen. Most measures of probability rely on observation and experience. Essentially, the size and frequency of past events are used to determine when and how similar events will take place in the future. While the probability of an event can be determined to some degree if circumstance are known, there is a reason why forecasting a particular event is not so simple. Briefly explain what it is.

Answer 17

When creating a graph that compares flood frequency with size, there is often information on smaller more frequent floods. What is absent is information on the larger, more rare events (floods. The ability to predict larger more catastrophic floods is suspected at best. Whats more when this is larger, catastrophic event does occur, the prediction graph may have to be rewritten.

Question 18

Is it possible to predict a natural event? Why or why not?

Answer 18

No. Predictions are of more precise events, such as a magnitude 7.0 Earthquake on Vancouver Island the week of January 7-13.

Question 19

Is it possible to forecast a natural event? Why or why not?

Answer 19

Yes. These are more general statements about a situation such as there will be an earthquake in British Columbia in the next 50 years.

Question 20

What is a fractal and what use is one in understanding Earth? Give an example.

Answer 20

A fractal is something that behaves the same regardless of scale. Understanding Fractals helps to understand natural processes including hazards. an example would be a river system.

Question 21

What is the relationship between magnitude and perception when it comes to humans and natural events?

Answer 21

Magnitude - The severity of the hazard, the size and frequency.
Perception - Awareness of hazard.

People are generally more aware of large, potentially more disastrous hazards. People tend to be less focused on smaller, more frequent events that may be less hazardous. This then biases our perception of hazards and their potential impact.

Question 22

What is Adaptive Capacity?

Answer 22

The ability to plan for, react to and recover from a catastrophe.

Question 23

How has population growth contributed to loss of life and property damage during a natural catastrophe?

Answer 23

1. Population is increasing.
2. People are moving. More and more people are concentrating in urban, coastal areas. More people are exposed.
3. There is also more property and more stuff. There is more complex, fragile, expensive stuff to repair or replace.

Question 24

What is the best mitigation effort in response to an actual or anticipated natural catastrophe?

Answer 24

To be informed and have a plan. Ex: Out of province contact.

Question 25

What are some problems concerning society and its approach to natural hazards?

Answer 25

People are not as prepared as they should be because they lack information, experience, resources and the will to deal with it.