Hazard vs Disaster
A natural event with the potential to cause harm.
What is a hazard?
The uneven heating of Earth creates this, which drives weather.
What is air movement/pressure differences?
This hazard forms over warm ocean water.
What is a Hurricane?
Movement of tectonic plates along faults causes this hazard.
What is an earthquake?
This tool records earthquake vibrations.
What is a seismograph?
Occurs when a hazard impacts people and causes serious damage.
What is a disaster?
The deflection of moving air caused by Earth’s rotation.
What is the Coriolis effect?
This hazard forms quickly and affects a small area.
What is a tornado?
This hazard is caused by sudden displacement of ocean water.
What is a tsunami?
Name ONE warning sign of a volcanic eruption.
What is: gas emissions / ground swelling / small earthquakes / temperature rise?
Name ONE factor that increases vulnerability.
What is: poor infrastructure / high population density / low wealth / weak emergency services?
When warm and cold air masses meet, this forms.
What is a front?
This hazard develops slowly over time with little precipitation.
What is drought?
This hazard involves material moving downhill due to gravity.
What is a landslide?
Why are earthquakes difficult to predict?
What is: scientists cannot measure exactly when stress will be released?
Explain why a hazard in an uninhabited area does not become a disaster.
What is: no people or infrastructure are affected?
Why are atmospheric hazards more common in some regions than others?
What is: differences in temperature, pressure, ocean proximity, and air mass interaction?
Compare the onset speed of tornadoes and hurricanes.
What is: tornadoes are fast, hurricanes are slower?
Explain how an underwater earthquake leads to a tsunami.
What is: the seafloor shifts, displacing water, creating waves that grow as they reach shallow coastal areas?
Give ONE way to reduce damage from geologic hazards.
What is: building codes / evacuation plans / monitoring systems / zoning laws?
Two countries experience earthquakes of different magnitudes. The smaller earthquake causes more deaths. Explain why using vulnerability AND preparedness.
What is: higher vulnerability (poor buildings, dense population, weak emergency response) and low preparedness lead to greater impact despite lower magnitude?
Explain how uneven heating + pressure differences + Coriolis effect work together to form large storm systems.
What is: uneven heating creates pressure differences, causing air to move; rising air forms clouds/storms; Coriolis effect causes rotation, organizing storms like hurricanes?
Explain why drought can be more dangerous than a tornado, even though it develops slowly.
What is: drought affects large areas, lasts long periods, impacts food supply, economy, and migration, leading to widespread long-term damage?
Explain how one geologic hazard can trigger another.
What is: an earthquake can displace ocean water causing a tsunami, or shake loose slopes causing landslides?
“Technology can stop natural hazards.” Explain why this statement is true or false using examples.
What is: false — hazards cannot be stopped, but technology (monitoring, warning systems, building design) can reduce their impact?