All flashcards
Flashcard 1: What is one major human impact of drought?
Answer: Water shortages that harm crops, livestock, and people. Plants die without water, reducing food supply for animals and humans.
Flashcard 2: What is weathering?
Answer: The breaking down of rock into smaller pieces. Water, ice, wind, and temperature changes slowly break rock apart.
Flashcard 3: How can erosion impact humans along a riverbank or coastline?
Answer: It can remove land and weaken or damage buildings and roads. Soil loss undermines foundations, causing structural collapse.
Flashcard 4: What is a flood?
Answer: Water covering land that is usually dry. Occurs when rivers overflow, heavy rain falls, or snow melts rapidly.
Flashcard 5: Which condition increases landslide risk most: heavy rain, clear skies, or freezing air?
Answer: Heavy rain. Water saturates soil, making it heavy and slippery on slopes.
Flashcard 6: What is a landslide?
Answer: A rapid downhill movement of rock, soil, or debris. Gravity pulls loose material down steep slopes, especially when wet.
Flashcard 7: What is one major human impact of a volcanic eruption?
Answer: Lava and ash can destroy homes and harm breathing. Hot materials burn structures and tiny ash particles damage lungs.
Flashcard 8: What is a volcano?
Answer: An opening where magma, ash, and gases reach Earth’s surface. Molten rock rises through cracks in Earth's crust due to pressure.
Flashcard 9: Which natural event most commonly triggers a tsunami: earthquake, drought, or hail?
Answer: Earthquake. Underwater earthquakes displace ocean water, creating massive waves.
Flashcard 10: What is a tsunami?
Answer: A series of large ocean waves caused by undersea disturbance. Usually triggered by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or underwater landslides.
Flashcard 11: What is the main way an earthquake can impact humans?
Answer: Shaking that damages buildings and can injure people. Ground motion collapses structures and falling debris causes injuries.
Flashcard 12: What natural Earth process causes most earthquakes?
Answer: Movement of tectonic plates along faults. Plates grind past, pull apart, or collide at boundaries, releasing energy.
Flashcard 13: What is a natural hazard?
Answer: A natural event that can cause harm to people or property. Natural forces like earthquakes, floods, or storms that threaten human safety.
Flashcard 14: Identify one natural trigger that can cause a landslide.
Answer: Heavy rain that makes soil loose and unstable. Water saturates soil, reducing friction between particles.
Flashcard 15: Which option best describes a landslide?
Answer: A rapid downhill movement of rock and soil. Gravity pulls unstable earth materials down steep slopes.
Flashcard 16: How can erosion negatively impact humans near rivers or coasts?
Answer: It can remove land and damage homes, roads, and farmland. Erosion undercuts foundations and washes away valuable topsoil.
Flashcard 17: What is one major way droughts impact humans?
Answer: Reduced water supply for drinking and farming. Water scarcity affects crops, livestock, and human consumption.
Flashcard 18: Which Earth process causes a volcanic eruption?
Answer: Magma rising and escaping through a volcano. Molten rock erupts when pressure builds beneath Earth's surface.
Flashcard 19: What is one direct human impact of volcanic ash fall?
Answer: Breathing problems and damage to crops and roofs. Fine particles irritate lungs and accumulate on surfaces.
Flashcard 20: What is the main way earthquakes can impact humans?
Answer: They can damage buildings, roads, and cause injuries. Shaking destroys structures and infrastructure, endangering lives.
Flashcard 21: Which Earth process causes an earthquake?
Answer: Sudden movement of tectonic plates along faults. Plates grind past each other, releasing energy as seismic waves.
Flashcard 22: Which event most commonly triggers a tsunami?
Answer: A strong undersea earthquake. Seafloor shifts suddenly, displacing massive amounts of water.
Flashcard 23: Identify the most common natural cause of river flooding.
Answer: Heavy rainfall over time. Excess water overwhelms river capacity and spills onto floodplains.
Flashcard 24: Which option best explains why people living near volcanoes may still choose to stay?
Answer: Volcanic soil can be very fertile for farming. Volcanic ash enriches soil with minerals beneficial for crops.
Flashcard 25: Identify the best safety response: You feel strong shaking indoors during an earthquake.
Answer: Drop, cover, and hold on. Protects from falling debris and structural collapse.
Flashcard 26: Choose the correct impact: A storm surge pushes seawater onto land. What happens?
Answer: Coastal flooding and damage to buildings and roads. Wind-driven ocean water overwhelms coastal areas.
Flashcard 27: Which option best describes a hurricane’s main human risk?
Answer: Strong winds and storm surge that cause flooding and damage. Rotating storms bring destructive winds and ocean water inland.
Flashcard 28: What is a volcano eruption?
Answer: Release of lava, ash, and gases from an opening in Earth’s crust. Magma pressure builds until it breaks through Earth's surface.
Flashcard 29: Which location is safest during a flood: a low valley floor or higher ground nearby?
Answer: Higher ground nearby. Water flows downhill, making elevated areas safer from flooding.
Flashcard 30: Which condition most increases the chance of a landslide on a hillside?
Answer: Heavy rainfall that soaks and loosens the soil. Water adds weight and reduces friction between soil particles.