UNIT CRITERIA
Plate Tectonics
Plate margins: destructive, constructive, conservative. Characteristic processes: seismicity and vulcanicity
Volcanic Hazards
The nature of vulcanicity
Forms of volcanic hazards: nueés ardentes, lava flows, mudflows, pyroclastic and ash fallout, gases/acid rain.
Tephra.
Spatial distribution, magnitude, frequency, regularity and predictability
Impacts: Primary/secondary, envt, economic, social, political.
Short and long-term responses: risk management through preparedness, mitigation, prevention and adaptation
Impacts and human responses – recent volcanic event
Seismic Hazards
The nature of seismicity in relation to plate tectonics
Forms of seismic hazards: earthquakes, shockwaves, tsunamis, liquefaction, landslides
Spatial distribution, magnitude, frequency, regularity and predictability
Impacts: Primary/secondary, envt, economic, social, political.
Short and long-term responses: risk management through preparedness, mitigation, prevention and adaptation
Impacts and human responses – recent seismic event
Storm Hazards
The nature of tropical storms and their underlying causes
Forms of storm hazard: high winds, storm surges, coastal flooding, river flooding and landslides
Spatial distribution, magnitude, frequency, regularity and predictability
Impacts: Primary/secondary, envt, economic, social, political.
Short and long-term responses: risk management through preparedness, mitigation, prevention and adaptation
Impacts and human responses – two recent tropical storms in contrasting areas
Fires in Nature
Nature of wildfires and conditions that favour them: vegetation type, fuel characteristics, climate, recent weather,
fire behaviour
Causes of fires: natural and human agency
Impacts: Primary/secondary, envt, economic, social, political.
Short and long-term responses: risk management through preparedness, mitigation, prevention and adaptation
Impact and human responses as evidenced by a recent wildfire event
4-mark questions:
Plate tectonics
Outline the different types of plate margin
There are three different times of plate margin; constructive, destructive, and conservative. Constructive or
divergent plate boundaries are when two tectonic plates move apart from one another and new crust is
formed as a result. An example of a constructive boundary is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge whereby the Pacific
and Nazca Plate diverge. Destructive or convergent plate boundaries are when two plates collide with one
another and the denser plate is subducted below the lighter plate (often, oceanic crust is subducted below
continental crust), volcanoes and earthquakes are common at this type of plate boundary. Conservative or
passive boundaries occur when two plates are sliding past one another. There is no subduction and
therefore no volcanic activity at this type of boundary however the movement does cause stresses and can
result in seismic activity (earthquakes).
Plate Tectonics
Plate margins: destructive, constructive, conservative. Characteristic processes: seismicity and vulcanicity
Volcanic Hazards
The nature of vulcanicity
Forms of volcanic hazards: nueés ardentes, lava flows, mudflows, pyroclastic and ash fallout, gases/acid rain.
Tephra.
Spatial distribution, magnitude, frequency, regularity and predictability
Impacts: Primary/secondary, envt, economic, social, political.
Short and long-term responses: risk management through preparedness, mitigation, prevention and adaptation
Impacts and human responses – recent volcanic event
Seismic Hazards
The nature of seismicity in relation to plate tectonics
Forms of seismic hazards: earthquakes, shockwaves, tsunamis, liquefaction, landslides
Spatial distribution, magnitude, frequency, regularity and predictability
Impacts: Primary/secondary, envt, economic, social, political.
Short and long-term responses: risk management through preparedness, mitigation, prevention and adaptation
Impacts and human responses – recent seismic event
Storm Hazards
The nature of tropical storms and their underlying causes
Forms of storm hazard: high winds, storm surges, coastal flooding, river flooding and landslides
Spatial distribution, magnitude, frequency, regularity and predictability
Impacts: Primary/secondary, envt, economic, social, political.
Short and long-term responses: risk management through preparedness, mitigation, prevention and adaptation
Impacts and human responses – two recent tropical storms in contrasting areas
Fires in Nature
Nature of wildfires and conditions that favour them: vegetation type, fuel characteristics, climate, recent weather,
fire behaviour
Causes of fires: natural and human agency
Impacts: Primary/secondary, envt, economic, social, political.
Short and long-term responses: risk management through preparedness, mitigation, prevention and adaptation
Impact and human responses as evidenced by a recent wildfire event
4-mark questions:
Plate tectonics
Outline the different types of plate margin
There are three different times of plate margin; constructive, destructive, and conservative. Constructive or
divergent plate boundaries are when two tectonic plates move apart from one another and new crust is
formed as a result. An example of a constructive boundary is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge whereby the Pacific
and Nazca Plate diverge. Destructive or convergent plate boundaries are when two plates collide with one
another and the denser plate is subducted below the lighter plate (often, oceanic crust is subducted below
continental crust), volcanoes and earthquakes are common at this type of plate boundary. Conservative or
passive boundaries occur when two plates are sliding past one another. There is no subduction and
therefore no volcanic activity at this type of boundary however the movement does cause stresses and can
result in seismic activity (earthquakes).
