The Challenge Of Natural Hazards

Question 1

Conservative plate margin

Answer 1

Two plates sliding alongside each other, in the same or opposite directions

Question 2

Constructive plate margin

Answer 2

Plates that are moving apart

Question 3

Destructive plate margin

Answer 3

Two plates are converging (moving towards one another) and the oceanic plate is subducted

Question 4

Earthquake

Answer 4

A sudden violent movement within the Earth’s crust followed by a series of shocks

Question 5

Economic impact

Answer 5

Effect of an event on the wealth of an area or community

Question 6

Environmental impact

Answer 6

Effect of an impact on the landscape and ecology of the area

Question 7

Hazard risk

Answer 7

Probability or chance that a natural hazard may take place

Question 8

Immediate responses

Answer 8

Reaction of people as the disaster happens in the immediate aftermath

Question 9

Infrastructure

Answer 9

The basic equipment and structures that are needed for a country or region to function (roads, utilities, water sewage)

Question 10

Long-term responses

Answer 10

Later reactions that occur in the weeks, months and years after the event

Question 11

Monitoring

Answer 11

Recording physical changes to help forecast and predict when a natural hazard might strike

Question 12

Planning

Answer 12

Actions taken to enable communities to respond to, and recover from, natural disasters

Question 13

Plate margin

Answer 13

The border between two tectonic plates

Question 14

Prediction

Answer 14

Attempts to forecast when and where a natural disaster will strike, based on current knowledge. This can be done to some extent for volcanic eruptions (and tropical storms), but less reliably for earthquakes

Question 15

Primary effects

Answer 15

Initial impact of a natural event on people and property, caused directly by it

Question 16

Protection

Answer 16

Actions taken before a hazard strikes to reduce its impact, such as educating people or improving building design

Question 17

Secondary effects

Answer 17

After-effects that occur as indirect impacts of a natural event, sometimes on a longer timescale

Question 18

Social impact

Answer 18

The effect of an event on the lives of people and the community

Question 19

Tectonic hazard

Answer 19

Natural event caused by the movement of the Earth’s tectonic plates- e.g. volcanic eruption, earthquake and tsunami

Question 20

Volcano

Answer 20

An opening in the Earth’s crust from which lava, ash and gases erupt