Hazardous Environments

Question 1

What are tectonic hazards?

Answer 1

Natural disasters caused by the movement of tectonic plates.

Question 2

Name two main types of tectonic hazards.

Answer 2

Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Question 3

True or False: Tectonic hazards can affect human life and infrastructure.

Answer 3

True.

Question 4

What is an earthquake?

Answer 4

A sudden shaking of the ground caused by the release of energy in the Earth’s crust.

Question 5

Fill in the blank: The point on the Earth’s surface directly above the focus of an earthquake is called the _______.

Answer 5

epicenter.

Question 6

What is the focus of an earthquake?

Answer 6

The point within the Earth where the earthquake originates.

Question 7

What scale is commonly used to measure earthquake magnitude?

Answer 7

The Richter scale.

Question 8

Multiple Choice: Which of the following is NOT a type of seismic wave? A) P-waves B) S-waves C) T-waves

Answer 8

C) T-waves.

Question 9

What is the difference between a tectonic plate and a fault line?

Answer 9

A tectonic plate is a large slab of Earth’s lithosphere, while a fault line is a fracture along which movement has occurred.

Question 10

True or False: Volcanic eruptions can only occur at tectonic plate boundaries.

Answer 10

False.

Question 11

What is magma?

Answer 11

Molten rock located beneath the Earth’s surface.

Question 12

What is lava?

Answer 12

Magma that has reached the Earth’s surface.

Question 13

Fill in the blank: The volcanic explosivity index (VEI) measures the _______ of volcanic eruptions.

Answer 13

explosiveness.

Question 14

What is a stratovolcano?

Answer 14

A type of volcano characterized by steep profiles and explosive eruptions.

Question 15

Multiple Choice: Which of the following is a type of tectonic plate boundary? A) Divergent B) Convergent C) Transform D) All of the above

Answer 15

D) All of the above.

Question 16

What happens at a divergent boundary?

Answer 16

Tectonic plates move apart, leading to the formation of new crust.

Question 17

What is a tsunami?

Answer 17

A series of ocean waves caused by large-scale disturbances, often due to underwater earthquakes.

Question 18

Fill in the blank: The _______ is the layer of the Earth where tectonic plates float.

Answer 18

asthenosphere.

Question 19

What is the main cause of volcanic eruptions?

Answer 19

The buildup of pressure from magma beneath the Earth’s surface.

Question 20

True or False: All earthquakes are caused by human activity.

Answer 20

False.

Question 21

What is a fault?

Answer 21

A fracture or zone of fractures between two blocks of rock.

Question 22

Multiple Choice: Which type of seismic wave travels fastest? A) P-waves B) S-waves C) Surface waves

Answer 22

A) P-waves.

Question 23

What is liquefaction?

Answer 23

The process by which saturated soil loses strength and stiffness during an earthquake.

Question 24

Fill in the blank: The _______ is a measure of the energy released during an earthquake.

Answer 24

magnitude.

Question 25

What is a volcanic ash cloud?

Answer 25

A cloud of ash and gas emitted during a volcanic eruption.

Question 26

True or False: Earthquakes can only occur in certain regions of the world.

Answer 26

False.

Question 27

What is the Ring of Fire?

Answer 27

A major area in the basin of the Pacific Ocean where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur.

Question 28

What is a caldera?

Answer 28

A large depression formed when a volcano erupts and collapses.

Question 29

Fill in the blank: _______ are small earthquakes that occur in the same area as a larger earthquake.

Answer 29

Aftershocks.

Question 30

What is a seismic hazard?

Answer 30

The probability of an earthquake causing damage in a specific area.

Question 31

Multiple Choice: Which of the following can be a secondary effect of an earthquake? A) Landslides B) Tsunamis C) Fires D) All of the above

Answer 31

D) All of the above.

Question 32

What is the significance of the Mercalli Intensity Scale?

Answer 32

It measures the intensity of an earthquake based on its observed effects on people and structures.

Question 33

True or False: Volcanic eruptions can influence global climate.

Answer 33

True.

Question 34

What is a pyroclastic flow?

Answer 34

A fast-moving current of hot gas and volcanic matter that flows down the slopes of a volcano.

Question 35

Fill in the blank: The _______ of a volcano is the opening through which lava, ash, and gases escape.

Answer 35

vent.

Question 36

What are tectonic plates made of?

Answer 36

Rigid lithospheric material that includes the crust and the upper mantle.

Question 37

What is subduction?

Answer 37

The process where one tectonic plate moves under another and sinks into the mantle.

Question 38

Multiple Choice: Which type of boundary is associated with earthquakes? A) Convergent B) Divergent C) Transform D) All of the above

Answer 38

D) All of the above.

Question 39

What is a volcanic eruption column?

Answer 39

A vertical plume of ash and gas ejected during an explosive volcanic eruption.

Question 40

True or False: Earthquake prediction is currently 100% accurate.

Answer 40

False.

Question 41

What role do tectonic hazards play in the Earth's geology?

Answer 41

They shape the Earth's surface and contribute to the rock cycle.

Question 42

Fill in the blank: The _______ is the layer of the Earth beneath the crust.

Answer 42

mantle.

Question 43

What is the primary driver of tectonic plate movement?

Answer 43

Heat from the Earth's interior.

Question 44

What are volcanic gases?

Answer 44

Gases emitted during a volcanic eruption, including water vapor, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide.

Question 45

True or False: Tectonic hazards can be mitigated through preparedness and building codes.

Answer 45

True.