unit 1 - hazardous earth

chatgpt flashcards from the knowledge organisers

what is the difference between weather and climate

weather is the conditions at a particular time and changes from minute to minute climate is average weather measured over thirty years

how does the earth receive energy

energy from the sun passes through the atmosphere and heats the ground directly

how does the ground warm the atmosphere

the warmed ground heats the air above it and the warm air rises transferring heat into the atmosphere

what is global atmospheric circulation

the movement of air that transfers heat around the earth through circulation cells

what happens when warm air rises at the equator

it creates low pressure and rising air cools and condenses leading to high precipitation

why is the equator hotter than the poles

the suns rays strike the equator at a higher angle and concentrate energy over a smaller area

why are the poles colder

the suns rays arrive at a lower angle and spread energy over a larger area

what happens to air around thirty degrees north and south

cool dry air sinks creating high pressure clear skies little precipitation and arid conditions

how are winds caused

air moves from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure

what is the coriolis effect

earths rotation deflects moving air to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere

what role do jet streams play

jet streams influence the movement of air in the atmosphere

how do ocean currents transfer heat

surface currents are driven by winds while deep currents form as cold salty water sinks near the arctic and antarctic and pulls warmer water from lower latitudes

what are the three atmospheric circulation cells

the hadley cell the ferrel cell and the polar cell

what are natural causes of climate change

orbital changes solar output volcanic activity and asteroid collisions

what are milankovitch cycles

long term changes in the earths orbit around the sun that affect the amount of solar energy received

how often does the orbital cycle in the notes occur

the notes describe orbital changes occurring roughly every one hundred thousand years

how can changes in earths orbit affect climate

the orbit changes between more circular and more elliptical and changes incoming solar energy

how can solar output change climate

sunspot activity changes the suns energy output and more sunspots are associated with higher temperatures in the notes

how often do sunspots usually come and go

about every eleven years

how can volcanic eruptions cool the earth

ash in the atmosphere blocks solar radiation and reduces the energy reaching the surface

how can asteroid collisions affect climate

dust and particles entering the atmosphere can block or absorb solar radiation and cause short periods of cooling

what evidence shows that climate changed naturally in the past

tree rings ice cores and historical sources such as diaries paintings and farming records

what do tree rings reveal about past climate

wider growth rings indicate warmer wetter conditions

what can ice cores reveal

ice cores from greenland and antarctica preserve evidence about past atmospheric carbon dioxide levels

what historical evidence can help reconstruct climate

diaries paintings farming records and crop yields

what is the greenhouse effect

greenhouse gases trap some heat radiated from the earth and keep the planet warm enough to support life

what happens to incoming solar energy in the greenhouse effect

solar energy passes through the atmosphere some is absorbed by the earth and the rest is reflected absorbed by clouds or the atmosphere or scattered to space

what happens to energy absorbed by the ground

the ground radiates energy back into the atmosphere and greenhouse gases trap some of it

which greenhouse gases are named in the notes

carbon dioxide methane and nitrous oxide

what is the enhanced greenhouse effect

human activities increase greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and increase the amount of heat retained

how has carbon dioxide increased due to human activity

burning fossil fuels and reducing the ability of the environment to absorb carbon dioxide have increased atmospheric levels

which activities contribute to carbon dioxide emissions in the notes

energy supply transport manufacturing and deforestation

how does energy supply contribute to climate change

burning coal gas and oil releases carbon dioxide

how does transport contribute to climate change

journeys that use oil burning transport release carbon dioxide

how does manufacturing contribute to climate change

industry uses energy and produces waste and emissions

how does deforestation contribute to climate change

cutting forests releases carbon dioxide and reduces carbon stores that absorb it

what are sources of nitrous oxide in the notes

jet engines fertilisers and sewage farms

what is a source of methane in the notes

grazing cattle release methane

how can melting ice worsen climate change

melting ice may release greenhouse gases such as methane that have been trapped for centuries

what are two main causes of sea level rise

warming seawater expands and melting ice caps and glaciers add water to the oceans

how much have sea levels risen since around eighteen seventy according to the notes

around two hundred millimetres

what range of future sea level rise is given in the notes

around three hundred to one thousand millimetres depending on global warming

what are possible consequences of climate change

rising sea levels and temperatures and the possible release of stored greenhouse gases

what are the main layers of the earth

the crust the mantle and the core

what is continental crust made of

mainly granitic rock and it is thicker older and less dense than oceanic crust

how thick is continental crust in the notes

around thirty five kilometres

what is oceanic crust made of

mainly basaltic rock and it is thinner younger and denser than continental crust

how thick is oceanic crust in the notes

around six to eight kilometres

what is the lithosphere

the crust and uppermost mantle divided into tectonic plates

what is the asthenosphere

the denser upper mantle beneath the lithosphere where plate movement is enabled

what drives tectonic plate movement

heat from residual energy and radioactive decay creates convection currents in the mantle

how do convection currents move plates

hot less dense mantle material rises spreads beneath the lithosphere cools and sinks causing plates to collide slide past or move apart

what happens at a divergent plate boundary

plates move apart and magma rises to fill the gap then cools to form new crust

what landforms can form at divergent boundaries

mid ocean ridges and shield volcanoes can form as magma reaches the surface

what is an example of a divergent boundary

the mid atlantic ridge

what happens at a convergent boundary with oceanic and continental crust

the denser oceanic plate subducts beneath the less dense continental plate forming a trench and magma that can create composite volcanoes

what can happen when plates of similar density collide

the crust may crumple and fold to form fold mountains

what is an example of a convergent boundary

the nazca plate subducting beneath the south american plate

what happens at a conservative plate boundary

plates slide past one another or move in the same direction at different speeds and crust is neither created nor destroyed

what hazards occur at conservative boundaries

earthquakes can occur but volcanoes do not generally form there

what is an example of a conservative boundary

the san andreas fault in the united states

where do volcanoes mainly occur

in lines along plate margins although some form away from margins at hotspots

what is magma

molten rock beneath the earths surface

what is lava

molten rock that has erupted onto the earths surface

what materials can a volcano release

lava ash cinders pumice dust gases and steam

how is volcanic explosivity measured

using the volcanic explosivity index known as the vei

what is a shield volcano like

it is broad and low with gentle slopes and fluid basaltic magma that flows quickly and usually erupts gently and frequently

what is a composite volcano like

it is steep sided with layers of ash and lava and more viscous magma that flows slowly and can erupt explosively

what volcano example is given for shield volcanoes

kilauea in hawaii and mauna loa in hawaii are given as examples

what volcano example is given for composite volcanoes

montserrat in the caribbean

what is a hotspot volcano

a volcano formed above a hot area of mantle away from a plate boundary

what causes earthquakes

sudden movement of the earths crust when stress builds and rocks fracture along a fault releasing energy

what is the focus of an earthquake

the point below the surface where earthquake energy is released

what is the epicentre

the point on the earths surface directly above the focus where shaking is often strongest

why do most earthquakes occur at convergent boundaries

stress builds as one plate subducts beneath another until rocks fracture and release energy

where do more than ninety percent of earthquakes occur according to the notes

at convergent boundaries

where else can earthquakes occur

at conservative boundaries and smaller earthquakes can occur at divergent boundaries and away from plate margins

how are earthquakes measured

seismometers record earthquakes and magnitude can be expressed using the richter scale

what scale is described in the notes for earthquake magnitude

the richter scale described as logarithmic with values from one to ten

what causes a tsunami

undersea earthquakes or volcanic eruptions displace water and create destructive ocean waves

how fast can tsunami waves travel according to the notes

up to nine hundred kilometres per hour

what affects the impacts of an earthquake

focus depth population density time of day preparation and vulnerability

what are primary effects of tectonic hazards

immediate impacts on people and property such as deaths and collapsed buildings

what are secondary effects of tectonic hazards

later impacts such as fires disease and wider disruption

what happened during the mount pinatubo eruption

mount pinatubo erupted in the philippines in nineteen ninety one after being dormant for around six hundred years

what were primary impacts of mount pinatubo in the notes

eight hundred and forty seven deaths around five thousand homes destroyed and seventy thousand damaged with power supplies cut and roads and bridges unstable

what were secondary impacts of mount pinatubo in the notes

disease including diarrhoea damaged rice crops costing farmers around twenty million pounds and severe effects on farming fishing tourism and employment

how was mount pinatubo monitored and people protected

moving magma was detected tiltmeters monitored surface shape helicopters checked gases geologists mapped past eruptions warnings were issued people evacuated vaccinations given and aid flown in

what were long term responses after mount pinatubo

dykes and dams were built to reduce flooding and lahars farms were established away from danger and a former us air base became clark international airport

what were the key facts of the haiti earthquake

it occurred in january twenty ten had magnitude seven and an epicentre about ten miles from port au prince

what were the primary impacts of the haiti earthquake

around three hundred and sixteen thousand deaths shanty towns and many homes and businesses collapsed ports and major roads were damaged and rubble blocked transport

what were the secondary impacts of the haiti earthquake

people remained in temporary homes jobs were lost transport was damaged looting and violence occurred and poor sanitation contributed to cholera

what responses followed the haiti earthquake

rescue and medical teams arrived the european union provided three hundred and thirty million dollars the world bank waived debt repayments for five years charities raised around one point one billion dollars and the dominican republic offered support

what were the key facts of the kilauea volcanic activity

kilauea in hawaii has been active since nineteen eighty three and formed over an oceanic hotspot

what were primary impacts of kilauea in the notes

around one hundred square kilometres of land was destroyed more than two hundred homes were destroyed roads blocked and utilities damaged

what were secondary impacts of kilauea in the notes

sulphur dioxide caused air pollution and acid rain respiratory problems were linked to vog and tourism and fertile soil provided benefits

how is kilauea monitored

the hawaiian volcano observatory monitors it with webcams gas monitoring and seismometers

what were the key facts of the tohoku earthquake

it occurred in march twenty eleven at two forty six in the afternoon had magnitude nine and affected an area where around nine million people lived

what were the primary impacts of the tohoku earthquake

around fifteen hundred deaths one thousand buildings damaged by liquefaction collapsed motorways and roads closed by debris

what were the secondary impacts of the tohoku earthquake

a tsunami raised deaths to around seventeen thousand the estimated cost of rebuilding basic infrastructure was three hundred billion pounds the fukushima nuclear plant lost power and around one hundred and thirty thousand people became homeless