geo term 3 test
Explain the differences between climate and weather.
CLIMATE
-Average weather conditions over a long period of time.
-Changes slowly, faster now due to climate change.
-Covers larger regions over long periods.
-Ex. This country has cold winters.
WEATHER
-What is happening in the atmosphere in the present.
-Changes quickly and often.
-Affects small areas at specific times.
-Ex. It is raining in this city today.
Natural Hazards can be classified as three different types. Identify and explain them.
HYDROLOGICAL
-Events associated with water movement, occurrence, and distribution.
-Hurricanes, floods, tsunamis, mudslides, droughts.
CLIMATIC & ATMOSPHERIC
-Influenced by climate, weather, and the atmosphere.
-Extreme temps, droughts, wildfires.
GEOLOGICAL
-From activity on or below the earth’s crust.
-Earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, avalanches, volcanic activity.
What are seismic waves?
Response of material to the arrival of energy fronts released by rupture.
Body waves
Primary Waves (Body):
--fastest seismic waves (5km), first to reach location, travel through 3 states of matter
Secondary waves (Body):
--second to arrive at location, start at same time as P wave, but half as fast
Surface waves (Rayleigh and love)
--Causes largest ground movement and damage, travels slower
How do you locate the epicenter of an earthquake?
-Epicenter is the point on Earth where the earthquake happens.
-Calculated by using the difference in arrival times at seismograph stations.
-The difference in arrival times are used in the method called triangulation
-For triangulation, you need three different seismograph stations.
---Time-distance graphs show the average travel times for P&S waves
---The farther away a seismograph is from the focus of an earthquake, the longer the intervals between the arrival of P&S waves.
---A circle where the radius equals the distance from seismograph to epicenter is drawn, at all three seismographs.
---The intersection of the circles locates the epicenter
How do hurricanes form?
A hurricane is a group of storms with winds at least 74 mph.
They are formed around the intertropical convergence zone.
--The ITCZ is an area of low pressure located ~5 degrees north and south of the equator.
--It is where air converges, rises, and condenses, also the rainiest place on earth.
When a hurricane forms, it creates an eye, an eyewall, and rainbands.
--Eye is the low pressure center.
--Eyewall is storms and strong winds surrounding the eye.
--Rainbands are clouds and precipitation that spiral around the eyewall.
Identify and explain the three products of an explosive volcanic eruption.
An explosive eruption is formed with large amounts of gas and a high viscosity.
The three products are ash fall, pyroclastic flow, and pyroclastic surge.
Ash fall:
--Fallout of rock, debris, and ash from an explosive eruption.
Pyroclastic flow:
--Hot, turbulent, fast moving high particle concentration clouds of rock, ash, and gas.
Pyroclastic surge:
--Low density flows of volcanic material, contain a lot of gas and have a low concentration of particles.
Explain the process in monitoring volcanoes.
There are volcano observatories at all active volcanoes that threaten humans, to monitor behavior.
Magma moves through earth and alters the environment, precursors that an eruption is coming.
Seismicity:
--Increased earthquakes in the area.
Deformation:
--Swelling and cracking of the ground.
Gas output:
--Change in amount or chemistry of gas coming out of the volcano.
What has been climate changes impact on the rate of extreme weather-related events?
Climate change is the changing of global temperature and weather patterns due to human activity.
Climate change is having negative impacts on humans and the environment by worsening extreme weather-related events.
Hurricane season:
--Getting longer, because the warmer ocean temperatures are providing more energy for them longer than usual.
Stronger storms:
--Warmer ocean water gives more energy to storms like hurricanes, making them stronger and more destructive.
Wildfires:
--The rising temperature and lack of precipitation in certain places is causing wildfires to be more frequent and severe.