Natural Hazards on the Rise
This natural hazard is becoming more common in the western United States due to hotter, drier conditions caused by climate change.
What are Wildfires
This type of energy comes from natural sources that are replenished quickly, such as sunlight, wind, and flowing water.
What is renewable energy?
These resources, like coal, oil, and natural gas, cannot be replaced once they are used.
What are nonrenewable resources?
Burning gasoline in cars and coal in power plants releases this gas, which contributes to global warming.
What is carbon dioxide (CO2)?
The long-term average of temperature, humidity, wind, and precipitation in a region is known as:
What is climate?
Warmer oceans provide more energy for these storms, increasing their frequency and intensity along coastlines.
What are hurricanes?
Reducing waste by using materials again instead of throwing them away is known as this.
What is recycling?
Resources such as sunlight, wind, and water are called this because they can naturally replenish over time.
What are renewable resources?
This human activity, such as burning fossil fuels and cutting down forests, traps heat in the atmosphere and contributes to global temperature rise.
What is Greenhouse Gas Emissions?
This greenhouse gas, produced by burning fossil fuels, is the primary contributor to global warming.
What is Carbon Dioxide (CO2)?
Human activities such as paving land, removing vegetation, and building near rivers have increased the frequency of this type of natural disaster.
What are floods?
This type of renewable energy uses the movement of wind to turn turbines and generate electricity.
What is wind energy?
Cutting down large areas of forest can lead to soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, and increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This practice is called
What is deforestation?
Industries, transportation, and energy production produce tiny particles and chemicals in the air that can cause respiratory issues and environmental damage. These are called:
What are air pollutants/pollutions?
Rising global temperatures cause polar ice caps and glaciers to melt, which contributes to this global problem affecting coastal areas.
What is sea level rise?
This natural hazard is becoming more common as rising ocean temperatures disrupt weather patterns, creating longer and more intense periods without rainfall.
What are droughts?
Energy produced from the flow of rivers or man-made dams is known as this.
What is hydropower?
This form of energy production can lead to habitat destruction, water pollution, and the release of greenhouse gases if not carefully managed.
What is fossil fuel use?
Industrial and agricultural activities release chemicals and waste into rivers, lakes, and oceans, harming wildlife and contaminating drinking water. This is an example of:
What is water pollution?
Increasing greenhouse gases can change weather patterns, leading to more frequent and severe storms, droughts, and heatwaves. These are examples of:
What are climate-related extreme events (or climate change impacts)?
A very powerful undersea earthquake can displace water and generate this series of massive waves that travel across oceans.
What is a Tsunami?
Energy generated from organic materials such as wood, crops, or waste that can be converted to heat, electricity, or fuel is called this.
What is biomass
Overfishing, pollution, and habitat destruction can reduce fish populations and disrupt marine ecosystems, ultimately affecting human food sources and livelihoods. This is an example of:
What is the impact of resource overuse on ecosystems and humans?
Humans extracting water faster than it is replenished, overfishing oceans, and mining minerals unsustainably are examples of this type of activity that threatens Earth’s long-term health.
What is unsustainable resource use?
This process occurs when greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, causing Earth’s average temperature to increase.
What is the greenhouse effect?