What is an earthquake?
A violent shaking of the earth
What is a tornado?
A fast rotation column of air in the shape of a funnel
What is a volcanic eruption?
An opening in the earth's crust where magma comes up
What is tsunami?
Large and powerful ocean waves that grow in size when they reach the shore
What is a cause?
An action or event that makes something else happen
Where do earthquakes occur?
Along tectonic plate boundaries (fault lines)
In which country do most tornadoes occur?
The United States
What is a dormant volcano?
A volcano that is "sleeping" but may erupt again in the future
What is the most common cause of a tsunami?
An earthquake
What is an effect?
The result of a cause
Which country is in the middle of four different tectonic plates and has many earthquakes?
Japan
What is the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning?
A tornado watch means a tornado could happen. A tornado warning means a tornado is happening or could happen.
What is lava called when it is below the earth?
Magma
What is a warning sign of a tsunami?
An earthquake, or water moving away from the shore
What is a natural disaster?
a large event caused by nature that is dangerous and descructive
How are earthquakes measured?
The MMS scale: 1-10
What are four colors a tornado could be?
Grey, white, blue, green, black, or red
What are three different types of volcanoes?
Shield, cinder cone, lava dome, composite
What should someone at the beach do to be safe when a tsunami warning comes?
Leave the beach and find high ground
What does evacuate mean?
To leave for safety reasons
When did the large earthquake in Haiti (that we read about in "Eight Days") occur?
2010
When does a spinning column of air officially become a tornado?
When it touches the ground
What is the ring of fire?
An area in the Pacific Ocean where there are most of the world's volcanoes
What does tsunami mean in Japanese?
Harbor wave
What are tectonic plates?
Pieces of the earth's crust and mantle that move