GEOGRAPHY 2152 MIDTERM 2026 REVISION
SET CLIMATE PATTERNS AND LANDFORMS
QUESTION AND ANSWERS
◉ Geographical hazard examples.
Answer: 1. West coast: earthquakes, landslides
2. East coast: hurricanes, tropical storms
3. Mid-continent: tornadoes, blizzards
4. All areas: drought
◉ Natural hazards can arise from 3 main processes.
Answer: 1. Internal forces within the Earth (crust, mantle). Driven
by the internal energy of the earth. Ex; plate tectonics
2. External forces on Earth's surface. Driven by the sun's energy. Ex;
atmospheric effects
3. Gravitational attraction. Driven by the force of gravity. Ex;
downslope movement
◉ Hazard definition.
Answer: A process that possesses a potential threat to people or the
environment
,◉ Risk definition.
Answer: The probability of an event occurring multiplied by the
impact on people or the environment
◉ Disaster definition.
Answer: A brief event that causes great property damage or loss of
life
◉ Catastrophe definition.
Answer: A massive disaster
◉ Examples of recent catastrophes.
Answer: 1. Hurricane Katrina 2005
2. Indian ocean tsunami (Thailand 2004)
3. Japan earthquake which caused a nuclear meltdown and a
tsunami in 2011
4. Earthquake in Haiti in 2010
5. Oil Spill in Gulf of Mexico in 2010
◉ Hazards as potential catastrophes.
Answer: 1. More likely to be catastrophic: tsunamis, earthquakes,
volcanoes, hurricanes, floods
,2. Less likely to be catastrophic: landslides, tornadoes, avalanches,
wildfires
◉ Magnitude and frequency.
Answer: The impact of a hazard is a function of both its magnitude
(i.e. energy released) and frequency. It can also be affected by other
factors (geology, land use, population density etc)
◉ Magnitude frequency concept.
Answer: There is an inverse relationship between magnitude and
frequency; as one variable goes up, the other goes down
◉ The geologic cycle.
Answer: 1. Tectonic cycle
2. Rock cycle
3. Water cycle (hydrologic)
◉ Tectonic cycle.
Answer: This cycle involves the creation, movement, and destruction
of tectonic plates. The process is driven by Earth's internal energy
◉ Tectonic plates.
, Answer: Large blocks of the earth's crust that form its outer shell;
there are 14 plates (7 big ones and 7 small ones). New land is
formed at mid-ocean ridges and land is destroyed at subduction
zones
◉ Earth's internal structure.
Answer: 1. Lithosphere; thin brittle crust
2. Asthenosphere; (upper mantle) is composed of hot magma with
some flow
◉ Plate tectonics.
Answer: The crust forms the upper part of the lithosphere and is
broken into fragments (plates). Movement of the plates is caused by
convection currents within the mantle.
◉ Oceanic vs Continental plates.
Answer: If the continental plate and oceanic plate collided, which
one would sink? The answer is the oceanic plate would sink because
it is more dense. When the plate sinks, the rock is melting and the
currents are carrying the melted rock up through the continental
crust which can cause volcanoes. Vancouver is prone to earthquakes
and volcanoes because these plates are colliding
1. Oceanic: dense, thin (averages 7 km thickness)
2. Continental: relatively buoyant, thick (averages 30km thickness)
SET CLIMATE PATTERNS AND LANDFORMS
QUESTION AND ANSWERS
◉ Geographical hazard examples.
Answer: 1. West coast: earthquakes, landslides
2. East coast: hurricanes, tropical storms
3. Mid-continent: tornadoes, blizzards
4. All areas: drought
◉ Natural hazards can arise from 3 main processes.
Answer: 1. Internal forces within the Earth (crust, mantle). Driven
by the internal energy of the earth. Ex; plate tectonics
2. External forces on Earth's surface. Driven by the sun's energy. Ex;
atmospheric effects
3. Gravitational attraction. Driven by the force of gravity. Ex;
downslope movement
◉ Hazard definition.
Answer: A process that possesses a potential threat to people or the
environment
,◉ Risk definition.
Answer: The probability of an event occurring multiplied by the
impact on people or the environment
◉ Disaster definition.
Answer: A brief event that causes great property damage or loss of
life
◉ Catastrophe definition.
Answer: A massive disaster
◉ Examples of recent catastrophes.
Answer: 1. Hurricane Katrina 2005
2. Indian ocean tsunami (Thailand 2004)
3. Japan earthquake which caused a nuclear meltdown and a
tsunami in 2011
4. Earthquake in Haiti in 2010
5. Oil Spill in Gulf of Mexico in 2010
◉ Hazards as potential catastrophes.
Answer: 1. More likely to be catastrophic: tsunamis, earthquakes,
volcanoes, hurricanes, floods
,2. Less likely to be catastrophic: landslides, tornadoes, avalanches,
wildfires
◉ Magnitude and frequency.
Answer: The impact of a hazard is a function of both its magnitude
(i.e. energy released) and frequency. It can also be affected by other
factors (geology, land use, population density etc)
◉ Magnitude frequency concept.
Answer: There is an inverse relationship between magnitude and
frequency; as one variable goes up, the other goes down
◉ The geologic cycle.
Answer: 1. Tectonic cycle
2. Rock cycle
3. Water cycle (hydrologic)
◉ Tectonic cycle.
Answer: This cycle involves the creation, movement, and destruction
of tectonic plates. The process is driven by Earth's internal energy
◉ Tectonic plates.
, Answer: Large blocks of the earth's crust that form its outer shell;
there are 14 plates (7 big ones and 7 small ones). New land is
formed at mid-ocean ridges and land is destroyed at subduction
zones
◉ Earth's internal structure.
Answer: 1. Lithosphere; thin brittle crust
2. Asthenosphere; (upper mantle) is composed of hot magma with
some flow
◉ Plate tectonics.
Answer: The crust forms the upper part of the lithosphere and is
broken into fragments (plates). Movement of the plates is caused by
convection currents within the mantle.
◉ Oceanic vs Continental plates.
Answer: If the continental plate and oceanic plate collided, which
one would sink? The answer is the oceanic plate would sink because
it is more dense. When the plate sinks, the rock is melting and the
currents are carrying the melted rock up through the continental
crust which can cause volcanoes. Vancouver is prone to earthquakes
and volcanoes because these plates are colliding
1. Oceanic: dense, thin (averages 7 km thickness)
2. Continental: relatively buoyant, thick (averages 30km thickness)
