AQA Geography GCSE 3.1.1 Climate Change, Tectonic & Weather Hazards - 100 QA Flashcards

100 QA-style flashcards drawn from the supplied notes on climate change, tectonic and weather hazards for AQA Geography GCSE.

What is the Quaternary Period?

The geological time period that started 2.6 million years ago and extends to the present, characterized by cycles of glacials and interglacials.

What do the fluctuations in the Quaternary period show on temperature graphs?

Fluctuations between colder glacial periods and warmer interglacial periods.

What is the instrumental temperature record?

The reliable global temperature record obtained from thermometer measurements starting around the late 1800s.

How do scientists estimate past global temperatures before instrumental data?

By using proxies such as deep marine sediment cores and ice cores.

What can ice cores tell us about past climates?

Past temperatures and atmospheric gas composition trapped in air bubbles.

How far back has an ice core gone according to the notes?

About 400,000 years.

What information can marine sediment cores provide?

Past temperatures through analysis of carbonates and water composition, though usually less accurate than ice cores.

What are the two main categories of evidence for climate change?

Current warming (instrumental data) and past climate indicators (proxy data like cores and sediments).

How much has global average air temperature risen since 1880?

About 0.85°C.

When has the majority of recent warming occurred?

Since the 1970s.

What does rising CO2 concentration in the atmosphere indicate in climate studies?

A link to rising temperatures and a driver of the greenhouse effect.

What gases are commonly studied in ice cores to understand past climates?

Carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases.

What is the Greenhouse Effect?

A natural process where greenhouse gases trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, warming the planet.

What drives the Enhanced Greenhouse Effect?

Higher concentrations of greenhouse gases due to human activities.

Name three human activities that increase greenhouse gases.

Burning fossil fuels, methane from agriculture, and deforestation.

What role does methane play in climate forcing?

It is a potent greenhouse gas and contributes to warming; agriculture is a major source.

What is Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)?

Capturing CO2 from fossil fuel use and storing it underground, usually in reservoirs.

How much CO2 could CCS potentially store from industry and power generation?

Up to about 90% of CO2 emissions.

What is afforestation?

Planting forests to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere.

What is carbon fertilisation?

The idea that higher CO2 could enhance photosynthesis and crop yields, though evidence is uncertain.

What is the Kyoto Protocol?

The 2005 international treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; US did not sign; over 170 countries did.

What is the Paris Climate Agreement’s goal?

To keep warming well below 2°C, aiming for 1.5°C, and strengthen countries’ ability to deal with impacts.

What is mitigation in climate policy?

Reducing the causes of climate change by lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

What is adaptation in climate policy?

Responding to climate change by living with its effects and reducing risks.

Name several renewable energy sources mentioned.

Nuclear, Biomass, Hydroelectric, Geothermal, Solar, Wind, and Tidal.

What fraction of the UK’s energy comes from renewables according to the notes?

Over one third (more than 33%).

What is deforestation’s effect on atmospheric CO2?

Removes trees that absorb CO2, increasing atmospheric CO2 levels.

What is the long-term pattern between CO2 levels and temperature?

CO2 levels and temperatures rise and fall in tandem over long timescales.

What is the projected sea level rise by 2100?

About 26-82 cm, with significant coastal flooding implications.

What is hazard mapping used for?

Dividing hazardous areas into risk levels and guiding land use and evacuations.

What are the four hazard management strategies?

Monitoring, Predicting, Protecting, Planning.

What does monitoring involve in hazard management?

Detecting physical changes and warning signs with instruments and sensors.

What does predicting entail in hazard management?

Forecasting hazards using monitoring data, historical trends, and models.

What does protecting involve in hazard management?

Increasing resilience of people and infrastructure to hazards.

What does planning include in hazard management?

Establishing evacuation routes and warning systems in advance.

What equipment is commonly used to monitor volcanoes?

Satellites, sensors, tiltmeters, GPS, cameras, gas sensors, and heat sensors.

What is a tectonic plate margin?

The boundary where tectonic plates interact and move relative to each other.

What are the three main plate margin types?

Constructive (moving apart), Destructive (coming together), Conservative (sliding past).

What happens at a constructive plate margin?

Plates move apart, magma rises, lava erupts, and new sea floor forms.

What is sea-floor spreading?

When new ocean floor forms as tectonic plates pull apart at constructive margins.

What is a hotspot?

A location where magma breaks through the middle of a plate, forming volcanoes (e.g., Hawaii).

What happens at destructive plate margins?

Oceanic crust subducts beneath continental crust, forming trenches and volcanic activity.

What happens when two continental plates collide?

Crust crumples to form fold mountains (e.g., the Himalayas).

What is a conservative plate margin?

Parallel plates move in the same or opposite directions at different speeds; friction builds up, causing earthquakes.

Where do tectonic hazards commonly occur?

Along plate margins, e.g., the Ring of Fire around the Pacific.

What is the Ring of Fire?

A major area of seismic and volcanic activity encircling the Pacific Ocean.

What are primary effects of tectonic hazards?

Direct effects such as deaths, injuries, and destruction of buildings and infrastructure.

What are secondary effects of tectonic hazards?

After-effects like homelessness, disease, loss of income, fires, and landslides.

What are the two categories of responses to tectonic hazards?

Immediate responses and long-term responses.

Give examples of immediate responses to tectonic hazards.

Search and rescue, medical care, shelter, food and water distribution, clearing roads.

Give examples of long-term responses to tectonic hazards.

Rebuilding infrastructure, housing reconstruction, improving buildings to resist earthquakes, warning systems.

Why do people live in hazardous tectonic areas?

Economic benefits, perceived lower risk than benefits, or lack of ability to move.

What positive effects can tectonic hazards have?

Fertile volcanic soils that boost agriculture and support tourism in volcanic regions.

What is volcano monitoring used to detect before eruptions?

Bulging ground, gas emissions, temperature changes, seismic activity.

Which two examples show contrasting earthquake impacts due to wealth?

Chile and Nepal.

What magnitude was the 2015 Nepal earthquake?

7.9.

What is the 2010 Chile earthquake associated with tectonic activity?

Destructive margin where the Nazca Plate subducts beneath the South American Plate.

What is a tsunami?

A large wave generated by underwater earthquakes or volcanic activity.

What is a hazard risk?

The probability that a natural hazard will affect a population, depending on exposure and vulnerability.

What factors influence hazard risk besides physical hazard processes?

Social, environmental, and economic factors that affect exposure and vulnerability.

What are the three types of natural hazards by origin?

Geological hazards, hydrological hazards, atmospheric hazards.

What types of weather hazards are common in the UK?

Prolonged rainfall, thunderstorms, extreme cold/heavy snow, strong winds, droughts/heat.

What causes the Coriolis effect?

The rotation of the Earth which deflects moving air to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

What are Hadley, Ferrel, and Polar cells?

Three major atmospheric circulation cells that create global wind patterns.

What are pressure belts?

Zones of high and low pressure created by rising and sinking air in the circulation cells.

Where is the equatorial low pressure zone formed and why?

At the equator due to rising hot, moist air.

Where are the subtropical highs formed?

Around 30° latitude where sinking dry air creates high pressure.

What is the effect of the Coriolis force on wind direction in the hemispheres?

Winds deflect to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

What is the relationship between wind and pressure belts?

Winds move from high pressure to low pressure and are deflected by the Coriolis effect.

What climate is typical at the equator and why?

Humid tropical climate with persistent rainfall due to the equatorial low and rising air.

What climate is typical at the subtropics around 30°N/S?

Desert and dry climates due to sinking air and high pressure.

What climate is typical at around 60° latitude?

Cloudy and wet climates due to low pressure and rising air.

Why is UK weather sometimes extreme?

More energy in the atmosphere and changing atmospheric circulation can intensify storms and alter rainfall patterns.

What is a tropical storm and where do they form?

A large spinning storm with strong winds and heavy rain that forms in the tropics, typically between 5–30° north/south of the equator.

What are the regional names for tropical storms?

Hurricane (Americas), Cyclone (Australia/Madagascar), Typhoon (Asia).

What conditions are required for tropical storm formation?

Warm sea surface temperatures (~26–27°C), water depth >50 m, unstable moist air, sufficient wind shear, and Coriolis effect away from the equator.

Where do tropical storms form relative to the equator?

Between about 5° and 30° latitude from the equator.

What is the eye of a tropical storm?

The calm center with very low pressure where air descends.

What is the eyewall in a tropical storm?

The surrounding region of intense winds and heavy rain around the eye.

What is the Power Dissipation Index (PDI)?

A measure of tropical storm intensity that takes into account strength, duration, and frequency.

Have climate change studies shown a consistent increase in tropical storm frequency?

No, studies have not shown a consistent global increase in frequency; intensity may be increasing.

What effect does warming sea surface temperature have on tropical storms?

Increases in intensity and potential for stronger storms.

What is storm surge?

A rise in sea level caused by a storm’s winds and low pressure pushing water toward the shore.

What is the difference between immediate and long-term responses to tropical storms?

Immediate responses focus on life-saving aid right after the event, while long-term responses involve rebuilding and reducing future risk.

What is the purpose of hazard management in tropical storms?

To monitor, predict, protect, and plan to minimize loss of life and damage.

What is hazard mapping in the context of volcanic hazards?

Dividing areas into different risk levels to guide evacuation and land use.

What strategies help protect buildings from tropical storms?

Sea walls, storm drains, reinforced windows/doors, elevated housing or stilts.

What is the UK example of a major flood event mentioned?

The 2009 Cumbria floods as an example of prolonged rainfall leading to river flooding.

What is the jet stream’s role in UK weather extremes?

It can become blocked and stagnate, causing prolonged periods of heavy rain or heat.

What is the projected UK summer temperature increase by 2050?

About 3–4°C.

What are the four ways to manage tropical storms?

Monitoring, Predicting, Protecting, Planning.

What is the International Hurricane Awareness Week in the USA?

An annual period to educate communities about the dangers of hurricanes.

What is the difference between weather and climate as defined in the notes?

Weather is short-term atmospheric conditions; climate is the long-term average pattern.

What is a key indicator of climate change used in the notes?

Increase in global temperatures and associated changes in sea level, ice cover, and precipitation.

What is the main effect of volcanic eruptions on climate?

Volcanic winters: cooling caused by ash and sulfur aerosols reflecting sunlight.

Which volcanic eruption is associated with a “Year Without a Summer”?

Mount Tambora (1815) in Indonesia.

Which eruption in 1783 affected Northern Hemisphere temperatures?

Laki eruption in Iceland.

Which tectonic feature is associated with dense seismic activity around the Pacific Ocean?

The Ring of Fire.

What is the effect of deforestation on CO2 uptake?

Reduces CO2 uptake, increasing atmospheric CO2.

What is the physical process behind Earth’s plate movements?

Convection currents in the mantle that move tectonic plates.