Living with the Physical Environment

natural hazard

is a naturally occurring event that is a threat to a population.

Geological hazards

hazards caused by the process on the land.

Hydrological hazards

hazards caused by the movement of water on the land.

Atmospheric hazards

hazards caused by the water.

Hazard risk

is the probability (i.e. the likelihood or the chance) that a natural hazard will actually affect a population.

risk

a hazard poses is dependent on a population's exposure to the hazard as well as the population's vulnerability to the hazard. 

tectonic

refers to the structure of the Earth's crust, the outside layer of the Earth.

tectonic plates

The crust is broken up into huge slabs of rock called

Earthquakes

occur along plate margins due to plate movements causing vibrations.

Volcanoes

occur along certain plate margins as magma (molten rock found underground) feeds volcanoes, and this magma can get to the surface at certain plate margins.

Plate margins

interact in different ways depending on the direction they are moving in relation to each other.

Constructive

Plates move away from each other.

Destructive

Plates move towards each other.

Conservative

Plates move alongside each other.

sea floor spreading

When new land is formed on the ocean floor

oceanic crust

is moving towards continental crust. 

Primary effects

The effects that are directly caused by the natural hazard itself.

Secondary effects

The effects that are a result of the primary effects.

responses

refers to how the local community, the government, and international organizations/governments react to a hazard so that the effects can be reduced as much as possible. Responses are either classed as immediate or long-term.

Immediate responses

Actions taken as soon as the hazard happens and in its immediate aftermath (hours, days, and potentially a week or so after the event).

Long-term responses

Actions taken after the immediate responses when the effects of the hazard have been minimized (weeks, months, and years after the event).

Global Atmospheric Circulation

The way our atmosphere circulates around the Earth impacts global weather and climate patterns, as the movement of air around the globe influences the temperature and humidity.

Atmospheric Circulation

The atmosphere is the layer of air surrounding the Earth's surface which extends hundreds of kilometers high.

Hadley Cell

At the equator, hot, moist air rises, moves to higher latitudes (30") and sinks.

Ferrel Cell

At around 60° either side of the equator, moist air rises, any travels to lower latitudes at around 30° where it sinks, along with air traveling from the equator.

 Polar Cell

At 60° north or south of the equator, moist air rises, and travels to the poles (90°), where it sinks.’

Pressure Belts

These air circulations create different areas of pressure.

tropical storm

is a very large, spinning storm that forms in the tropics.

Distribution

refers to where the tropical storms are formed, and where they move to.

Frequency

refers to the number of tropical storms.

 Sea level rise

is one of the most visible and measurable impacts of climate change. 

Glaciers

are large masses of ice that move slowly over land surfaces, sculpting landscapes and feeding freshwater systems. 

Eccentricity refers to the shape of Earth's orbit around the Sun. 

Desertification

is caused by both natural factors and human activities

Cold environments

are regions that experience sustained below freezing (0°C) temperatures, resulting in a short growing season and highly adapted wildlife.

Polar

areas surrounding the poles (90°N and 90°S), such as Antarctica or Greenland.

Tundra

Areas at high latitudes with low temperatures and short growing seasons.

Alpine

Cold, mountainous regions with snowy conditions and warmer summers, such as the Himalayas and the Alps.

Wilderness areas

are wild, natural environments that are mostly unchanged by people

landscape

The character of an area, resulting from the action and interaction of natural and human elements

Igneous rock

Form when magma from the mantle cools down and hardens

Sedimentary rock

Layers of sediment is compacted together until they become solid rock

Metamorphic rock

When rock (igneous, sedimentary or older metamorphic rock) is put under pressure and heat (but not melted), the original rock becomes a new type of rock

coast

is the boundary area where land and sea meet.

Constructive waves

are typically low-energy waves with long wavelengths and low height-to-length ratios.

 Destructive waves

are high-energy waves with short wavelengths and high height-to-length ratios.

Erosion

this is the process by which waves and currents remove sediment from the shore, cliffs, or dunes.

Deposition

is where sediment is deposited along the coast.

Weathering

is the process by which rocks and other materials are broken down by physical and chemical processes. 

Hydraulic action

This is the process by which waves exert pressure on rocks and cliffs, leading to erosion.

Abrasion

the process by which sediment is removed from the coast by the action of waves carrying sediment and other debris, which can cause erosion of the shoreline or cliffs.

Corrosion

is also known as solution, is the process by which waves and currents dissolve soluble rocks, such as limestone or chalk, and carry the dissolved material away, leading to erosion.

Attrition

This is the process by which sediment on the coast is worn down and broken up into smaller pieces by the action of waves and currents, leading to erosion and loss of sediment.

Headlands and bays

are formed along discordant coastlines where alternating bands of hard and soft rocks run perpendicular to oncoming waves.

 Cliffs

are steep rock faces formed by the erosion of coastal rock by waves and other processes.

Caves, arches, and stacks

are formed through the erosion of coastal cliffs by waves.

Longshore drift

is a coastal process whereby waves and currents move sediment along the shore in a zigzag pattern parallel to the coastline.

 Spits

are long, narrow stretches of sand or sediment that extend from the mainland out into the sea.

tombolo

is a sandbar or spit that connects an island to the mainland.

Bars

are submerged or partially submerged sandbars that form offshore, parallel to the shoreline.

Marine processes

Offshore (water-based)

Terrestrial processes

Onshore (land-based)

Waves

are formed as winds blow over the surface of the sea

Weathering

does not involve the movement of the material; this is what makes it different from erosion

Sub-aerial weathering

describes coastal processes that are not linked to the action of the sea

Mechanical weathering

physically breaks up rock

Chemical weathering

occurs when rocks are broken down by a chemical process

Biological weathering

takes place when rocks are worn away by living organisms:

Mass movement

The downhill movement of material under the influence of gravity

Soil Creep

Common in humid climes with the movement of less than 1cm per year

Flow

Occurs on slopes between 5° and 15° with speeds between 1 to 15km per year

Slide

A movement of material 'en masse' which remains together until hitting the bottom of a slope

Fall

Slopes are steep and movement is rapid