Natural Hazards
Most earthquakes occur in the centers of continents.
False
A tornado watch means?
The conditions are right for a tornado, but it is not occurring yet.
When rocks break because of stress, the energy released is in the form of a(n)
earthquake
What materials do volcanoes release when they have erupted?
volcanic ash, lava flow, and gases
The magnitude of an earthquake is measured by the ____.
Richter Scale
Volcanoes can form on the ocean floor.
True
What are the causes and effects of floods?
Effects: property and environmental damage, loss of habitats
Breaks in Earth’s lithosphere are called fractures.
False
The most powerful severe storm is the ____. (also called the "eye of the storm")
hurricane
“We all got scared and ran outside. The house was ok, but our old shed fell over.” This quote would help a researcher to place an earthquake on which scale?
Modified Mercalli Scale
Earthquakes are associated with ____.
faults
A tropical storm with winds exceeding _________ is a hurricane.
119km/hr
Long streams of molten rock from volcanoes are called _____.
lava flows
According to the Saffir- Simpson Scale, what category would have some structural damage, large trees are blown down, mobile homes and signs are cut down, and inland terrain may be flooded
Category 3
An earthquake with a(n)_______________ of 7.2 releases about 30 times as much energy as an earthquake that registers 6.2 on the Richter scale.
magnitude
Why would securing gas appliances help make your home earthquake-safe?
Securing the appliances would keep them from moving a great deal during an earthquake. There would be less chance that the pipeline would jar loose and cause a gas leak or that the appliances would break, which could lead to fire or an explosion.
Your town is experiencing a drought in which the weather has been hot and dry for weeks. Infer which type of pressure system is stalled over the area. Explain your answer.
Most likely, there is a high-pressure system over the area. High-pressure systems are characterized by sinking air, which works against the formation of clouds and precipitation.
The Richter scale is based on the height of the lines traced by a(n)
seismograph
In what states is Tornado Alley?
Nebraska, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma
For the moment magnitude scale, each increase on the scale represents 31.5 times more energy released by the earthquake. Which is a good estimate of about how much more motion there is for a magnitude 7 earthquake than a magnitude 4 earthquake?
27,000 times
Describe the process of volcano formation at each of these three locations: divergent plate boundaries, convergent plate boundaries, and hot spots. Then describe one way that the volcanoes formed at each of these is similar.
At divergent plate boundaries, rifts, or cracks, form as the plates separate. These rifts allow magma to flow from the mantle to Earth’s surface. At convergent place boundaries, one plate sinks below another. When a plate sinks, part of it is melted by the heat of the mantle. The melted material then moves upward. Hot spots are areas where large bodies of magma get forced upward through the mantle and crust at a place that is not near a plate boundary. The volcanoes at all of these locations are similar in that they are places where magma reaches Earth’s surface.
What do drought hazards lead to within weeks to months of low precipitation?
soil erosion, wildfires, decrease in water supply, agricultural impact
A __________ is a violent, whirling column of air in contact with the ground.
tornado
Volcanoes that are not associated with plate boundaries are called _____________.
What does the Enhanced Fujita Damage Intensity Scale measure?
What category is devastating damage, structures are lifted from the foundation, cars become airborne, and trees are debarked
measures wind speed and damage
EF-4