Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

GEOGRAPHY PAPER 1 > Hazards > Flashcards

Hazards Flashcards

(92 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

what is a hazard

A

a potential threat to human life and property caused by an event

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

what is a disaster

A

only occurs when a vulnerable population is exposed to a hazard
eg deggs model - if the population is not vulnerable the hazard will not have a significant effect thus the event will not be disastrous

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

what are the 3 major types of geographical hazard and what are they

A

geophysical - land processes mainly tectonic plates
atmospheric - atmospheric processes and the conditions created because of these such as weather systems
hydrological - water bodies and movements

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

what is hazard perception

A

viewpoints of how dangerous hazards are and what risk they pose (due to lifestyle factors eg economic and cultural elements

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

how does wealth effect hazard perception

A

wealth - wealthier people perceive hazards to be smaller as they are less vulnerable or they might be greater at risk due to property damage and therefore financial loss

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

how does experience effect hazard perception

A

more experience might be able to understand full effect better or they might have a more unrealistic view on future hazards thinking it won’t happen to the
m twice

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

how does education effect hazard perception

A

more educated means they can understand the full effects better

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

how can religion effect hazard perception

A

some may view they put there by god so aren’t a negative thing or could believe god will save them etc

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

how can mobility effect hazard perception

A

limited access to escape may perceive hazards are a greater threat to them

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

what is fatalism

A

the viewpoint that hazards are uncontrollable natural events and any losses should be accepted as there is nothing that can be done to stop them

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

what is prediction

A

using scientific research and past events in order to know when a hazard will take place so warnings are delivered and impacts of the hazard can be reduced

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

what is adaptation

A

attempting to live with hazards by adjusting lifestyle choices so that vulnerability to the hazard is lessened

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

what is mitigation

A

strategies carried out to lessen the severity of a hazard

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

what is management

A

coordinated strategies to reduce the hazards effects

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

what is risk sharing

A

form of community preparedness whereby the community shares the risk posed by a natural hazard and invests collectively to mitigate the impacts for future hazards

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

what is incidence

A

frequency of a hazard
high incidence - every month
low incidence - every century (harder to predict less management strategies also more intense eg 36 since 1500 that were 8.5 or higher but millions of earthquakes happen every year)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

what is distribution

A

where a hazard occur geographically
high distribution - more management strategies
low distribution - opposite

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

what is intensity

A

the power of a hazard

effects on the person & changes dependant on the distance from the hazard or management strategies

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

what is magnitude

A

the size of the hazard usually this is how a hazard’s intensity is measured

its definable can be a number

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

why is level of development important

A

affect how a place can respond to a hazard so a hazard of the same magnitude may have very different effects in two places of contrasting levels of development

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

what is the park model

A

is a graphical representation of human responses to hazards.

the model shows the steps carried out in the recovery after a hazard giving a rough indication of time frame

the steepness shows how quickly an area deteriorates and recovers

the depth shows the scale of the disaster (lower = bad quality of life

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

what is stage 1 in the park model and explain what it is

A

relief (hours-days)#
immediate local response - medical aid, search & rescue etc
foreign aid - the beginnings of global response

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

what is stage 2 in the park model and explain what it is

A

rehabilitation (days-weeks)
services being restored
temporary shelters and hospitals set up
food and water distributed
coordinated foreign aid

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

what is stage 3 in the park model and explain what it is

A

reconstruction (weeks-years)
restoring the area to the same or better quality of life
ecosystems restored, crops regrown
infrastructure rebuilt
mitigation efforts for future events

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
why is the park model good
acts as a control line to compare hazards
26
what is the hazard management cycle
outlines the stages of responding to events showing how the same stages take place after every hazard
27
what are the 4 stages of the hazard management cycle and explain what they are
preparedness - ready for an event to occur response - immediate action taken after an event recovery - long-term responses mitigation - strategies to lessen effects of another hazard
28
what are negatives about the model
unpredictability of hazards makes the models less effective some hazards might be more complicated making this model too vague
29
describe the inner core
solid ball iron / nickel very hot due to pressure and radioactive decay this heat is responsible for earths internal energy
30
describe the outer core
semi-molten iron/nickel
31
describe the mantle
mainly solid rock which are highly silicon but the top layer of the mantle is semi-molten magma which is know as the asthenosphere and the lithosphere rests on top
32
describe the asthenosphere
semi-molten layer constantly moves dues to flows of heat called convection currents movements are powered by heat from core lithosphere above
33
describe the lithosphere
broken up into plates majority of the lithosphere is within the mantle the top of it is the crust which is the land and sea we live on
34
describe the crust
the thin top of the lithosphere oceanic crust is dense and is destroyed by plate movement continental crust is less dense and is not destroyed
35
what is the plate tectonic theory
lithosphere is broken up tino large slabs of rocks called tectonic plates plates move due to convection currents in the asthenosphere which push and pull the plates in different directions convection currents caused when less dense magma rises, cools, then sinks. edges of where plates meet are called plate boundaries
36
what are destructive plate boundaries
plates that move towards each other C&C - fold mountains, earthquakes C&O - volcanoes, fold mountains, earthquakes O&O - ocean trenches, island arcs, earthquakes, volcanoes
37
what are constructive plate boundaries
plates that move away from each other C&C - rift valleys, earthquakes, volcanoes O&O - ocean ridges, earthquakes, volcanoes
38
what are conservative plate boundaries
plates that move parallel to each other earthquakes
39
what are hotspots
are areas of volcanic activity that are not related to plate boundaries hot magma plumes rise and burn through weaker parts of the crust creates volcanoes and islands - as plates continue to move can cause a chain of islands eg Hawaii
40
what are lava flows
lava can flow quickly or slowly depending on its viscosity silica makes lava viscous and slow which is common in explosive eruptions
41
what are lahars
caused by a number of reasons usually by melting ice at high altitudes
42
what are glacial floods
when temperatures are high from magma, ice sheets or glaciers melt and large amounts of water is discharged
43
what is a tephra
any type of rock that is ejected by a volcano
44
what are toxic gases
released during some eruptions even CO2 can be toxic as it can replace oxygen as it is heavier
45
what is acid rain
caused when gases such as sulphur dioxide are released into the atmosphere
46
what are pyroclastic flows
clouds of burning hot ash and gas that collapses down a burning volcano at high speeds
47
how is the magnitude of a volcano measured
volcanic explosivity index the more powerful the more explosive the scale is logarithmic from VEI2 and onwards intense high magnitude eruptions are explosive lower magnitude eruptions are effusive
48
what is the frequency of volcanoes
vary classed as active dormant or extinct estimated 50-60 erupt each month normally higher frequency = effusive low frequency = explosive
49
what is the predictability of a volcano
regularity of eruptions help estimate when eruptions will take place seismic activity realsing gases elevation etc can all imminent an eruption but there is no definite predications
50
what are primary and secondary environmental effects of volcanoes
primary - ecosystems damaged through various volcanic hazards, wildlife killed secondary - water acidified by acid rain, volcanic gases contribute to greenhouse effect
51
what are primary and secondary economic effects of volcanoes
primary - businesses and industries destroyed or disrupted secondary - jobs lost, profit from tourism industry
52
what are primary and secondary social effects of volcanoes
primary - people killed, homes destroyed from lava/pyroclastic flows secondary - fires can start which puts lives at risk, mudflows or floods, trauma, homelessness
53
what are primary and secondary political effects of volcanoes
primary - government building and other important areas destroyed or disrupted secondary - conflicts concerning government response, food shortages, insurance etc
54
how is seismic activity measured
using the logarithmic Richter scale which is a measure of the strength of seismic waves modified Mercalli scale which is the rate of destruction caused and has a definite end at 12 unlike the Richter scale it is also subjective
55
what is the magnitude of the earthquake dependant on
depth of focus conservative boundaries have the shallowest boundaries meaning they are closer to the epicentre and the seismic waves are stronger destructive ones have deeper focuses meaning the seismic waves are spread over a large area before they reach the epicentre
56
what is the frequency of seismic activity
could occur every day hundreds of smaller magnitude earthquakes that cannot be felt by humans occur everyday larger ones are less frequent
57
how can we predict seismic activity
impossible to predict microquakes may give some indication but the magnitude cannot be predicted as how strong they are is random
58
what are shockwaves
when two plates move side by side friction builds up and pressure increases this pressure is stored as potential energy when it becomes too much the plates then move. the energy is then transferred to kinetic energy which is released and vibrates through the ground the further away from the focus the weaker the shockwaves
59
how are tsunamis caused
when oceanic crust is jolted during an earthquake so all the water above is displaced water travels fast but with a low amplitude as it gets closer to land the sea level decreases so there is friction between the sea bed and the waves this causes the waves to slow down and gain height can be 10ft - 100ft
60
what is liquefaction
when soil is saturated the vibrations of an earthquake cause it to act like a liquid soil becomes weaker and more likely to subside when it has a large weight on it
61
what are primary and secondary environmental effects of seismic hazards
primary - earthquake can cause fault lines which destroy the environment, liquefaction secondary - radioactive materials and other dangerous substances leaked from power plants , saltwater from tsunamis flood freshwater ecosystems, soil salinisation
62
what are primary and secondary economic effects of seismic hazards
primary - businesses destroyed secondary - economic decline businesses are destroyed , high costs of rebuilding and insurance payout, sources of income lost
63
what are primary and secondary social effects of seismic hazards
primary - buildings collapse, killing/injured people secondary - gas pipes rupture, starting fires which can kill, water supplies are contaminated as pipes burst, spreading diseases, tsunamis which lead to damaging flooding
64
what are primary and secondary political effects of seismic hazarads
primary - government buildings destroyed secondary - political unrest from flood shortages pr water shortages, borrowing money for international aid, can be initial lawlessness eg looting
65
why is temperature important for a tropical storm
ocean temps must be around 26-27 and at least 50m deep warm water provides energy for the storm
66
why is air pressure important for a tropical storm
must be in areas of unstable air pressure usually where areas of high pressure and low pressure meet so that warm air rises more readily and clouds can form warm air rises because it is less dense than cold air
67
why is wind shear important for a tropical storm
winds must be present for the swirling motion to form but not too strong or the storm system will be ripper apart in the early stages
68
why is rotation important for a tropical storm
only form around the equator but no less than 5 either side Coriolis effect is the effect of the earths rotation on weather events no Coriolis effect at equator why they a bit further away
69
why is a trigger important for a tropical storm
a spot of very high sea surface temp, an area of low pressure etc can act as a trigger which will only further develop when the other conditions are present
70
what is the formation of a tropical storm
1. warm moist air rises leaving an area of low pressure below. 2. when the warm air rises it cools condensing into thunderstorm clouds 3. system spins due to the Coriolis effect. south - clockwise, north - anticlockwise 4. constant additions of energy from air causes it to spin faster at 39mph can be classed as a tropical storm 5. eye = centre, area spanning 30 miles wide that is extremely low pressure, cool dry air descends into the eye causing weather to become calm and cloud free (more intense = clearer eye) 6. surrounding the eye is the eyewall most powerful part, warm air rapidly rises when winds reach 74mph becomes a hurricane/typhoon etc 7. when reaches coast low pressure and high winds cause sea water to be taken in then released called a storm surge 8. when reaches land no longer has energy supply and the eye collapses (heavy rain - days after)
71
how is tropical storms magnitude measured
Saffir Simpson scale based on wind speed and thus power of the storm (1-5 scale)
72
what is the frequency of tropical storms
north hem - June - November south hem - November - April higher magnitude and reaching land are said to be increasing in frequency they are irregular - same sports but different routes
73
what is the predictability of tropical storms
for away from land so satellite tracking of cloud formations and movement can be tracked from past storms and climate trends the probability of a storm hitting an area can also be predicted scientist have predicted how many years it will take for a tropical storm to hit an area
74
what are some hazards caused by tropical storms
high winds - 300km/h flooding - storm surges and heavy rain landslides - soil becoming heavy when wet storm surges - large rise in sea levels caused by low pressure and high winds
75
what are the primary and secondary environmental effects of a storm hazard
primary - beaches eroded, sand displaced, costal habitats such as coral reefs are destroyed secondary - river flooding / salt water contamination, animals displaced from flooding, water sources changing sources from blockages
76
what are the primary and secondary economic effects of a storm hazard
primary - businesses destroyed, agricultural land damaged secondary - rebuilding insurance pay-out, sources of income lost, economic decline from sources of income destroyed
77
what are the primary and secondary social effects of a storm hazard
primary - drowning, debris carried by high winds can injure or kill, buildings destroyed secondary - homelessness, polluted water supplies spread disease, food shortages from damaged land
78
what are the primary and secondary political effects of a storm hazard
primary - government buildings destroyed secondary - issues paying back international aid, pressure for government to do more about global warming
79
what is a wildfire
a large uncontrolled fire that quickly spreads through vegetation
80
why is vegetation important factor for wildfires to occur
thick close together vegetation allows fires to spread quickly and easily trees and thick bushes lead to more intense fires vegetation with flammable oils eg eucalyptus causes more intense fires
81
why is climate and recent weather important factor for wildfires to occur
occur in a climate that has enough rainfall to have sufficient plant growth but considerable dry spells and droughts to dry out the fuel areas like cali allow for intense wildfires, wind also causes it to spread quicker
82
why are fuel characteristics an important factor for wildfires to occur
veg should be dry to allow it to catch finer veg causes fires to spread quicker but larger thicker veg burns for longer and more intensely
83
what is the behaviour of fire
spreads quickly on hills as the heat rises fire can also jump across rivers and into areas due to lit debris which causes it to spread
84
what are the 3 main types of wildfire burning and explain them
crown fires - burnt he entire tee from bottom to top most dangerous surface fires - only burn leaf litter so easy to extinguish ground fires - burn at dry peat of veg beneath the surface and move slowly through the dried underground
85
what are the causes of wildfires
naturally or via humans majority wildfires are caused by human activity. humans start the accidently or through arson natural causes include lightning, volcanoes etc human causes include lit cigarettes, barbeques, agriculture, train lines and more
86
what are the primary and secondary environmental effects of a wildfire
primary - air pollution, water pollution, habitats destroyed, toxic gases released in burning secondary - removing invasive species and stimulating seed germination, migration patters of animals, increased co2 could heighten the greenhouse effect
87
what are the primary and secondary economic effects of a wildfire
primary - businesses destroyed, agriculture land damaged, cost of fighting fires secondary - high cost of rebuilding and insurance pay-out, sources of income lost, discouraging visitors losing tourism =, planes cancelled
88
what are the primary and secondary social effects of a wildfire
primary - people killed or injured, homes destroyed, people go missing secondary - homelessness, food shortages from destroyed agricultural land, health problems eg asthma
89
what are the primary and secondary political effects of a wildifre
primary - gov buildings destroyed secondary - borrowing money for international aid, pressure for gov to do more about global warming due to increased frequency
90
how can you prevent / prepare for a wildfire
evacuation plans, emergency services training and drills warning systems (red flag warning) thermal infrared satellite imagery so can see where wildfires are occurring so evacuation zones can be set up
91
how can you mitigate against wildfires
immediate - search and rescue, immediate aid and evacuations, firefighters dispatched longterm - remove flamable materials so less fuel is available , fire breaks gaps in trees to limit spread homes built using materials that will not produce harmful substances when burnt
92
how can you adapt against wildfires
some say we shouldn't intervene - fatalistic outlook also have ecological benefits - they eradicate disease and stimulate seed germination or we can move away from prone areas or starting to reduce co2 levels in the atmosphere so wildfires reduce

GEOGRAPHY PAPER 1 (2 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions