Topic 1 (Not finished) Flashcards
1
Q
What is the focus of an earthquake?
A
The focus of an earthquake is the point in the Earth where it starts
2
Q
What is the epicentre of an earthquake?
A
The epicentre of an earthquake is the point on the Earth surface straight above the focus
3
Q
What is the air circulation like in arid areas?
A
Sinking air from Hadley and Ferrel cells meets causes high pressure and prevents rainfall
4
Q
What are the two types of volcano and where do they occur?
A
Composite volcanoes occur at convergent plate boundaries, shield volcanoes occur at hotspots or diverging plate boundaries
5
Q
What is the structure of a composite volcano like and why?
A
Composite volcanoes have thick lava which can’t flow far forming a steep-sided cone. Their eruptions start with ash explosions which deposit layers of ash forming aha-lava-ash-lava layered structure
6
Q
What is the lava of composite volcanoes like?
A
Composite volcanoes erupt andesitic lava, which has a high silica content making it thick and sticky
7
Q
What path do tropical cyclones travel along and why?
A
Tropical cyclones move towards the west because of the easterly winds near the equator the Paths may start to curve further from the Equator as they get caught in the mid latitude westerlies
8
Q
What has happened during the Quaternary period?
A
Global temperature has shifted between cold glacial periods of about 100 000 years and warmer interglacial periods lasting around 10 000 years
9
Q
Why do deep focus earthquakes do less damage and shallow focus earthquakes?
A
Shockwaves from deeper earthquakes have to travel for more rock to reach the surface, reducing the power once they reach the surface
10
Q
How did cyclone Nargis impact the environment of Myanmar?
A
The irrawaddy Delta in Lionel was the hardest hit area, a large proportion of it is only just above sea level and 14000 kilometres squared of land was flooded 38000 hectares of mangrove forests were destroyed
11
Q
What is the temperature range in the Earth’s core
A
4400 to 6000 degrees Celsius
12
Q
How can tropical cyclones be forecasted
A
Monitoring using satellites then using computer models to predict paths, measuring winds peed to monitor magnitude
13
Q
Why is Arctic sea ice declining?
A
Because sea ice forms around the poles in winter when ocean temperatures fall below -1.8 degrees Celsius and melts during the summer when it’s warmer
14
Q
Why do tropical cyclones cause landslides?
A
Heavy rain makes hills unstable causing landslides
15
Q
How can volcanic activity lead to climate change?
A
Volcanic eruptions eject lots of material into the atmosphere. Some of the particles reflect the sun’s rays back into space so they don’t reach the Earth’s surface
16
Q
How did Myanmar forecast for cyclone Nargis?
A
Myanmar doesn’t have a dedicated monitoring centre for tropical cyclones nor a radar network to predict the height of storm surges
17
Q
Why does complexity cause uncertainty about future climate change?
A
There are lots of natural processes that we don’t fully understand
18
Q
What happens at a conservative plate boundary?
A
Two plates are moving past each other in the same direction but different speeds or are moving sideways past each other
19
Q
Why do emissions cause uncertainty about future climate change?
A
Predictions need to take into account things like population increase and economic development
20
Q
How did hurricane Katrina impact People In The USA?
A
More than 1800 people were killed, 300000 homes were destroyed and hundreds of people were made homeless , 230000 jobs were lost from damaged business
21
Q
Why is there no rain at 30 ° s/n of the equator?
A
As cool air sinks there creating a high pressure belt with cloudless skies and low rainfall
22
Q
What are the four stages of cycling formation
A
Initial conditions, rising air plus clouds , rotation begins , maturity
23
Q
What are the three types of plate boundary?
A
Convergent boundaries, divergant boundaries, Conservative boundaries
24
Q
Why do earthquakes occur at divergent plate boundaries?
A
Tension builds up along cracks within plates as they move away from each other
25
What are some of the impacts on the environment of tropical cyclones?
- storm surges erode beaches - trees uprooted, habitats destroyed - landslides deposit sediment in lakes can kill fish
26
What happens during the rotation begins stage of a tropical cyclone.?
When's moving upwards spiral as they converge to spin the storm. Coriolis effect causes a contents to Spiral around the centre of the storm spinning the storm.
27
Why is energy causing increased greenhouse effect?
- Co2 is released into atmosphere when fossil fuels burnt - Most energy produced this way - More Tech + People increases demnad
28
What are Tsunamis?
Tsunami are a series of enormous waves caused when huge amounts of water get displaced
29
Why might some countries have economic vulnerability to tropical cyclones
- agriculture dependance of people - people may not have insurance for repairs
30
Which countries usually have the most economic vulnerability to tropical cyclones?
Rich as more damage is done so more repairs needed
31
How are deep ocean currents crated?
When water freezes at the poles the surrounding water gets saltier, increasing in density. It sinks causing warmer water to flow in at the surface. The warmer water cools and sinks repeating the cycle
32
How can historical records be used for evidence for climate change?
Since 1850s global temperatures have been accurately measured with thermometers giving a reliable but short term record. Historical diaries dan say the harvest times, or when there was rain or snow to give an idea of the climate before.
33
What are the four pieces of evidence for human activity causing climate change?
Declining arctic ice, global temperature rise, extreme weather events, sea level rise and warming oceans
34
What may orbital changes have lead to?
Caused the glacial and interglacial cycles of the Quaternary period
35
Where are polar cells found?
.on either sides of the poles
36
What condition do tropical cyclones need to develop?
See temperatures above 26.5°C
37
How did hurricane Katrina impact the environment of the USA?
Flooding damaged oil refineries in Louisiana causing massive oil spills Some coastal conservation areas were destroyed are coastal habitats were damaged
38
What are some of the impacts on people of tropical cyclones?
- People may drown in string currents created - homelessness as buildings destroyed - easy disease spread as little sanitation - unemployment
39
How does farming cause climate change?
- Farming of livestock produces a lot of methane (farting cows) - Rice paddies contribute to global warming as flooded fields emit methane - Trees absorb and store CO2 but when land is cleared of them for farming it stops CO2 being absorbed leaving more co2 in the atmosphere
40
What is a storm surge
A storm surge is a large rise in sea level caused by low pressure and high winds
41
What is thermal expansion?
Water in the oceans expands as It Gets warmer this is called thermal expansion
42
What are surface winds blowing to the poles and equator called?
Poles - westerlies Equator - Trade Winds
43
What can be done to defend against tropical cyclones?
- Defences built along coasts to protect from damage from storm surges - Buildings designed to withstand storm surge, high winds etc
44
Why do volcanoes occur at hotspot?
Sometimes the magma can break through the crust and reach the surface, an eruption snd volcano forms
45
What is air flow like in tropical areas?
Rising air from two Hadley cells meets causes low pressure with lots of rainfall
46
What do orbital changes in the Earth's orbit cause?
They affect the amount of solar radiation the Earth receives and where it is distributed.
47
What is the air flow like in polar areas?
Sinking air from the polar cells creates an area of high pressure at the poles
48
What are the medieval warm period and little ice age?
The medieval warm period was a period of warming between 900 and 1300. The little ice age was a period of cooling followed by the Medieval Warm Period.
49
How can tree rings be used for evidence for climate change?
Most trees grow one ring each year. The thickness of it depends on the climate, warmer means thicker rings. Scientists can take cores through tree trunks, looking at no of rings for year and thickness for climate
50
What can be done to help evacuation during tropical cyclones?
- Warning strategies used to alert people giving time to find a safe place - Governments can plan evacuation routes for fast escape
51
How are convection currents formed?
1) Radioactive decay of elements in the core generated a lot of heat 2) When lower parts of the aesthenosphere heat up they become less sense and rise 3) As they move towards the top of the asthenosphere they cool and become more sense then slowly sink
52
How is earthquake magnitude measured?
Using the moment magnitude scale that measures energy released by an earthquake
53
What are the possible future consequences of climate change?
1 in some places deaths due to heat has increased but that's due to cold have decreased 2) some coastal areas could become so hot and try that their difficult or impossible to inhabit 3) Crops may both benefit or suffer from hotter conditions 4) Lower crop yields may increase malnutrition, starvation 5) Extreme weather events
54
How does Transport increase greenhouse effect?
- Most vehicles run on fossil fuels - car ownership is rapidly increasing in developing countries - Means more congestion, so cars run for longer
55
How did the USA perform on the warning and evacuation side for hurricane Katrina?
Mississippi and Louisiana declared states of emergency and 70 to 80% of New Orleans residents were evacuated before the hurricane reached land the nhc also issued a hurricane warning on 26th of August and continue to track the hurricane
56
What is the quaternary period?
The most recent geological time period spanning 2.6 mil years ago to now
57
What is the structure of a tropical cyclone like heading out from the eye
The eye is surrounded by the eyewall there are spiralling rising air, very strong winds, Stonebridge, torrential rain and a low temperature
58
Describe the structure of the eye of a tropical cyclone
The centre of the cyclone is called the eye it is caused by the descending air. There's very low pressure light winds no clouds no rain and a high temperature in it
59
What causes a tropical cyclone to gain energy or dissipate
They disappear when they move over land or cooler water because the energy supply from the warm water is cut off. Changes in wind speed could also cause a cyclone to dissipate full stop they intensify due to energy from warm water
60
How did cyclone Nargis impact the people of Myanmar?
More than 140 thousand people were killed, 45000 houses were destroyed, around 65% of rice paddies in the irrawaddy Delta were damaged
61
What evidence is there for: - The little ice age - The medieval warm period - Dark ages and roman warm period
LIA - Paintings from 17th century show frozen river Thames and historical records talk about arctic ice reaching scotland and inuit sightings MWP - Harvest records show England was warm enough to grow lots of grapes DA, RWP - Tree rings were thinner, tree ring data suggests climate 1 ° warmer than today
62
What were the magnitudes of the tropical cyclones hitting the US and Myanmar?
Us, category 3 at landfall. Myanmar comma category 4 at landfall
63
Why might some countries have social vulnerability to tropical cyclones?
Buildings are poor quality so easily damaged, Healthcare is poor, there is little money for flood defences or emergency teams, it is harder to rescue people due to poor infrastructure
64
How may asteroid collisions have contributed to climate change?
Asteroids that hit the Earth's surface can throw up lots of dust into the atmosphere. The particles prevent the Sun's energy from reaching the Earth's surface so global temperatures fall
65
What are the three types of orbital change?
Stretch, tilt and wobble
66
How did the USA forecast hurricane Katrina?
The USA has a sophisticated monitoring system to predict if a hurricane will hit and where
67
How can solar output cause climate change?
The sun's output of energy is not constant, it changes in short cycles of 11 years and longer of several hundred. Periods when the solar output was reduced may cause the Earth's climate to become cooler
68
How can ice cores be used for evidence for climate change?
Ice sheets are make up of layers of ice, a layer formed each year. Scientists can drill into them to get long cores of ice and look at each layer. They can analyse the gases trapped in the layers they can tell what the temperature was each year.
69
How do earthquakes cause tsunamis?
Underwater earthquake cause the sea bed to move which displaces water. We spread out from the epicentre of the earthquake
70
How does global warming work?
1) Incoming energy from sun Is shortwave radiation 2) The outgoing energy from the Earth is longwave radiation 3) Gases in atmosphere naturally act as an insulating layer, letting short wave in but trapping long wave from going out
71
What causes uncertainty about future climate change?
Emissions complexity and management
72
Where does the gulf stream transfer heat?
It brings warm water form the Caribbean to keep Western Europe warmer than it would be
73
What are the two reasons for sea level rise?
Thermal expansion and eustatic sea level rise
74
What is the difference between continental crust and oceanic crust?
Continental crust is thicker and less dense where that has oceanic crust is thinner and more dense
75
How did Myanmar defend against cyclone Nargis?
Mangrove forests protect the coast from flooding but loads have been chopped down in the decade before the cyclone hit that use international protection
76
What may volcanic eruptions have caused (climate change)?
Short-term changes in climate. The eruption of Mount Tamboura in Indonesia 1815 may have lead to the 'year without a summer' in 1816
77
What happens in Tilt orbital changes?
The tilt of the Earth's axis as it orbits the sun changes over a cycle of about 41000 years
78
Why do tectonic plates move
Convection currents in the asthenosphere create drag on the base of the tectonic plates causing them to move
79
How do hotspots occur?
Hotspots occur where plume of hot magma from the mantle moves towards the surface, causing an unusually large flow of heat from mantle to crust
80
How are surface ocean currents formed?
They are caused by winds that help transfer heat away from the equator
81
What happens during Wobble (precession) orbital changes?
The axis of the Earth wobbles like a spinning top in a cycle of about 22000 years
82
By what extent does Arctic sea ice decline East in the past 35 years?
More than 3%
83
What is the evidence for extreme Weather events?
Since 1950 there has been a high frequency of heat waves in many areas and fewer cold weather extremes
84
What are the properties of the Earth's core ?
The inner core is solid and outer core is liquid iron and nickel
85
How did the USA defend against hurricane Katrina?
The city of New Orleans was very badly damaged as flood defences that was supposed to protect it failed causing widespread flooding over 80% of the city was underwater
86
Why does the equator receive the most radiation?
- It is closest to the sun so the rays have less distance to travel - The rays have a higher concentration due to the earth's curvature - The rays have less atmosphere to pass through where they are scattered and absorbed (due to curvature)
87
What happens at a convergent plate boundary?
If an oceanic plate meet a continental plate the denser oceanic plate is forced down into the mantle and destroyed, where two continental plates meet the plates collide and the ground is folded and forced upwurds to create mountains
88
Name the layers of the Earth from centre most to outermost?
Call, mantle, crust
89
Where are ferrel cells found?
30 to 60 ° Lat
90
What is so,e evidence for solar output causing climate change?
The Maunder Minim was a period of reduced solar activity 1645 - 1715 coinciding with the Little Ice Age
91
What is the composition of the mantle and crust?
The mantle and crust are made up of silicone based rocks
92
What have paintings shown relating to climate change?
Paintings of fairs and markets on frozen rivers show that winters in Europe were regularly much colder 500 years ago.
93
Why might countries have physical vulnerability to tropical cyclones
- low lying countries are vulnerable to storm surge flooding as well as large waves - areas in the path of tropical cyclones are hit more frequently - steep hillsides may increase the risk of landslides
94
Where are Hadley cells found?
On either side of the equator
95
How did Myanmar perform on the warning and evacuation side for cyclone Nargis?
Indian weather agencies won the government that the cyclone was likely to hit the country 48 hours before it did however while warnings were issued on the TV and video they didn't reach people win for rural communities. No evacuation plans or emergency preparation plans
96
Why does management increase uncertainty about future climate change?
We don't know what the attempts will be to manage the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere of how successful that be
97
What are shield volcanoes like?
They are not very explosive and are made up only of lava. They erupt ballistic lava which has a high silica content and is runny. It flows quickly and spreads over a wide area forming a low, gentle-sided volcano
98
What is the depth of shallow and deep focus earthquakes?
Shallow focus - 0 to 70km Deep focus - 70 to 700km
99
What happens in stretch (eccentricity) orbital changes?
The path of the Earth's orbit around the sun changes from an almost perfect circle to an ellipse and back about every 96000 years. Longer distance = longer distance for sun rays to travel, rays spread out
100
What were the names of the tropical cyclones are coming in the US and Myanmar?
Hurricane Katrina dash us, cyclone Nargis dash Myanmar
101
What is air transfer like 30 ° n/s of the equator?
The cool air reaching the ground moves as surface winds either back to the equator or towards the poles
102
What are the eruptions of composite volcanoes like?
They have explosive eruptions that start with ashy explosions
103
What is the properties of the Earth's mantle?
The part of the mantle nearest the core is quite rigid, the layer above this called the asthenosphere is semi molten, and the very top bit of the mantle is Rigid
104
What are the 5 physical hazards caused by tropical cyclones?
High winds, intense rainfall, storm surges, coastal flooding, landslides
105
Are we in a glacial or interglacial section of the quaternary period now?
The last glacial period ended about 15000 years ago and since then it's been warming
106
What is the air movement -30 ° to 30 ° like? Why does the equator have lots of rain?
At the equator the sun warms the earth transferring heat to the air above, causing it to rise. It creates a low pressure belt. As air rises it cools and condenses forming clouds. The air moves out to 30 ° n/s
107
What happens at divergent plate boundaries?
Diverging boundaries over to place on moving away from each other, magma is rises from mantle to fill the gap and cools creating new crust
108
Why are volcanoes formed at convergent plate boundaries?
The oceanic plate moves down into the mantle where it is melted and destroyed, a pool of magma forms, The magma rises from cracks in the crust called vents, the magma erupts onto the surface forming a volcano
109
What is the structure of a tropical cyclone like towards the edges of the cyclone?
The wind speeds fall, the clouds become smaller and more scattered, the line becomes less intense and the temperature increases
110
What is the temperature range of the mantle?
Between 1000 and 3700 degrees Celsius
111
How does Industry increase the greenhouse effect?
- Industry uses lots of energy - Some industrial processes also emit greenhouse gasses - Industrial waste ends up in landfill sites, decaying releasing methane
112
What happens during the rising air plus clouds tropical cyclone formation?
Rising create areas of low pressure so winds rush in creating an updraft. Up draughts of air containing huge volumes of water vapour from oceans condensing to produce cumulonimbus clouds. Condensing releases heat and energy stored in water further powering the cyclone.
113
By how much have temperatures increased since 1880?
1 °C
114
What is the air transfer like at 60 ° n/s ?
Warmer surface winds meet cooler polar winds, and as they are less dense are forced to rise creating low pressure and frontal rain. Some air moves back to the equator but the rest to the poles
115
What is eustatic sea level rise?
Will the temperatures are causing glaciers to shrink and ice sheets to melt
