Natural Disasters, Climate Change, and Urbanization

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and definitions from the lecture notes on natural disasters, climate change, and urbanization.

Plate tectonics

The theory that explains how the Earth's outer layer is divided into several large plates that move around.

Lithosphere

The Earth's outer layer, which is divided into several large plates.

Asthenosphere

The softer, semi-fluid layer beneath the lithosphere on which the plates move.

Convection currents

The movement of magma in the mantle due to heat from the Earth's core.

Continental Plates

Thick and less dense plates, mainly made of granite, forming the Earth's landmasses.

Oceanic Plates

Thinner but denser plates, primarily composed of basalt, making up the ocean floors.

Pangaea

A massive supercontinent where all Earth’s continents were joined together around 335 million years ago.

Alfred Wegener

A scientist who first introduced the theory of continental drift.

Convergent Boundaries

Plate boundaries where plates move toward each other.

Subduction

The process where a denser oceanic plate slides under a continental plate.

Divergent Boundaries

Plate boundaries where plates move apart, and magma rises to form new crust.

Transform Boundaries

Plate boundaries where plates slide horizontally past each other.

Richter Scale

Measures the magnitude of an earthquake based on the amplitude of seismic waves.

Seismometer

A machine used to measure earthquakes.

Moment Magnitude Scale

Uses the same logarithmic scale as the Richter scale, but more accurately measures the strength of larger earthquakes.

Ridge push

Forces where new crust pushes plates apart at mid-ocean ridges.

Slab pull

Forces where a sinking subducting plate drags the rest of the plate down with it.

Primary Effects

Effects directly caused by the hazard (e.g., buildings collapsing).

Secondary Effects

Effects that result from primary effects (e.g., tsunamis, landslides).

Natural greenhouse effect

Gases like CO₂ and CH₄ trap heat, keeping Earth warm.

Enhanced greenhouse effect

Human activities increase greenhouse gas levels, leading to more heat being trapped and causing global warming.

Mitigation

Reducing climate change causes (e.g., cutting greenhouse gas emissions, switching to renewable energy).

Adaptation

Adjusting to climate impacts (e.g., building sea walls, using drought-resistant crops).

Albedo effect

Ice reflects sunlight, but when it melts, darker ocean water absorbs more heat, making warming happen faster.

Tropical disturbance

A low-pressure system forms, pulling in warm, moist air.

Eye of the storm

Calm, low-pressure center of a hurricane.

Eyewall

Strongest winds and rain in a hurricane.

Rainbands

Spiral bands of rain around a hurricane.

Climate change

Long-term changes in Earth's weather patterns.

Salinization

Saltwater getting into soil.

Urbanisation

The increasing percentage of people living in cities.

Green Exchange program

Programme where slum dwellers collect rubbish and get food in return

London docklands development corporation (LDDC)

Tax reliefs used to attract private investment to the area.

Favela Bairro Project

City Project to improve quality of life of favela residents

Push factors

Things that make people want to leave rural areas

Pull factors

Things that attract people to a city