ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY CHAPTER
2 TEST EXAM WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS 2025
What is a catastrophe, and how does it differ from a disaster? - correct
answers - A situation in which damages are sufficient that recovery is a long,
involved process, while a disaster is simply an event that causes great loss of
life and/or property damage.
What do we mean by the magnitude and frequency of a natural process? -
correct answers - Magnitude is the energy release and frequency is the
reoccurrence interval.
What is the main conclusion of the magnitude-frequency concept? - correct
answers - They are inversely related
What were the two main lessons learned from the 1985 eruption of Nevado
del Ruiz in Colombia? - correct answers - Better communication is needed in
order to evacuate the city effectively, and always be prepared and accept
the warnings given
What is the role of history in understanding natural hazards? - correct
answers - Most natural hazards are repetitive events.
List some potential linkages between hazardous events. - correct
answers - Linked hazards such as hurricanes, flooding, and landslides;
linkages between material characteristics and hazards, such as
weakness within shale leading to landslides.
What are some of the methods of predicting where a disaster is likely to
occur? - correct answers - Identifying the location where a hazardous event
will likely occur, determining the probability that an event of a given
magnitude will occur, and observing precursor events.
What is the difference between a forecast and a prediction? - correct
answers - Forecasting: predicting when disaster will occur, on a scale of
days to months, with a range of uncertainty. Prediction: issued to the
public when a hazard is imminent, with specific date, time, and size of the
event.
Why do you think there are sometimes strained relations between the
media and scientists? - correct answers - There are strained relations
between media and the scientists because one group (scientists) views the
other group as people interested in telling "half-truths;" whereas the other
group (the media) views the other group as uncooperative.
, What are some of the common adjustments that limit or reduce the
effects of natural hazards? - correct answers - Insurance, evacuation, and
disaster preparedness
What is the role of global climate in the occurrence of natural hazardous
events? - correct answers - Climate change may affect land-surface
processes themselves, and may increase incidence of hazardous storms
because of heat added to the oceans.
How does human population increase result in disasters becoming
catastrophes? - correct answers - Population growth increases the
number of people potentially affected, and forces people into marginal
lands.
How may the risk of a particular event be defined? - correct answers -
risk is the probability of occurrence of an event multiplied by its
consequences
What is the difference between a reactive response and an anticipatory
response in hazard reduction? - correct answers - Reactive response
(especially recovery) occurs after a disaster has occurred, while an
anticipatory reaction occurs as preparation before a disaster occurs, for
purposes of disaster preparedness.
What is the difference between the focus and the epicenter of an
earthquake? - correct answers - The focus is where the earthquake starts,
while the epicenter is the point directly above it at the surface of the Earth.
How is the Richter magnitude determined? - correct answers - By
measuring the amplitude of the largest seismic wave
What are slow earthquakes? - correct answers - Slow earthquakes are
earthquakes made by fault rupture; moreover, the rupture last from days
to months.
What factors determine the modified mercalli scale? - correct answers -
Severity of shaking
What are the main differences between the Richter, moment magnitude,
modified mercalli, and instrumental scales? - correct answers - - Richter:
used to describe the energy re-leased by an earthquake. Richter magnitude
is based upon the amplitude, or size, of the largest seismic wave produced
during an earthquake.
- Moment Magnitude: A measure of the energy released by the earthquake.
The
moment magnitude is based, in part, upon important physical
characteristics, including the seismic moment, the area that ruptured along
a fault plane during an earthquake, the amount of movement or fault slip
during an earthquake, and the rigidity (i.e., shear modulus) of the rocks
-Modified Mercalli: Based on the severity of shaking as reported by
observers and varies with proximity to the epicenter and local geologic
and engineering features
Amplitude, earth energy released, severity of shaking, displacement
2 TEST EXAM WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS 2025
What is a catastrophe, and how does it differ from a disaster? - correct
answers - A situation in which damages are sufficient that recovery is a long,
involved process, while a disaster is simply an event that causes great loss of
life and/or property damage.
What do we mean by the magnitude and frequency of a natural process? -
correct answers - Magnitude is the energy release and frequency is the
reoccurrence interval.
What is the main conclusion of the magnitude-frequency concept? - correct
answers - They are inversely related
What were the two main lessons learned from the 1985 eruption of Nevado
del Ruiz in Colombia? - correct answers - Better communication is needed in
order to evacuate the city effectively, and always be prepared and accept
the warnings given
What is the role of history in understanding natural hazards? - correct
answers - Most natural hazards are repetitive events.
List some potential linkages between hazardous events. - correct
answers - Linked hazards such as hurricanes, flooding, and landslides;
linkages between material characteristics and hazards, such as
weakness within shale leading to landslides.
What are some of the methods of predicting where a disaster is likely to
occur? - correct answers - Identifying the location where a hazardous event
will likely occur, determining the probability that an event of a given
magnitude will occur, and observing precursor events.
What is the difference between a forecast and a prediction? - correct
answers - Forecasting: predicting when disaster will occur, on a scale of
days to months, with a range of uncertainty. Prediction: issued to the
public when a hazard is imminent, with specific date, time, and size of the
event.
Why do you think there are sometimes strained relations between the
media and scientists? - correct answers - There are strained relations
between media and the scientists because one group (scientists) views the
other group as people interested in telling "half-truths;" whereas the other
group (the media) views the other group as uncooperative.
, What are some of the common adjustments that limit or reduce the
effects of natural hazards? - correct answers - Insurance, evacuation, and
disaster preparedness
What is the role of global climate in the occurrence of natural hazardous
events? - correct answers - Climate change may affect land-surface
processes themselves, and may increase incidence of hazardous storms
because of heat added to the oceans.
How does human population increase result in disasters becoming
catastrophes? - correct answers - Population growth increases the
number of people potentially affected, and forces people into marginal
lands.
How may the risk of a particular event be defined? - correct answers -
risk is the probability of occurrence of an event multiplied by its
consequences
What is the difference between a reactive response and an anticipatory
response in hazard reduction? - correct answers - Reactive response
(especially recovery) occurs after a disaster has occurred, while an
anticipatory reaction occurs as preparation before a disaster occurs, for
purposes of disaster preparedness.
What is the difference between the focus and the epicenter of an
earthquake? - correct answers - The focus is where the earthquake starts,
while the epicenter is the point directly above it at the surface of the Earth.
How is the Richter magnitude determined? - correct answers - By
measuring the amplitude of the largest seismic wave
What are slow earthquakes? - correct answers - Slow earthquakes are
earthquakes made by fault rupture; moreover, the rupture last from days
to months.
What factors determine the modified mercalli scale? - correct answers -
Severity of shaking
What are the main differences between the Richter, moment magnitude,
modified mercalli, and instrumental scales? - correct answers - - Richter:
used to describe the energy re-leased by an earthquake. Richter magnitude
is based upon the amplitude, or size, of the largest seismic wave produced
during an earthquake.
- Moment Magnitude: A measure of the energy released by the earthquake.
The
moment magnitude is based, in part, upon important physical
characteristics, including the seismic moment, the area that ruptured along
a fault plane during an earthquake, the amount of movement or fault slip
during an earthquake, and the rigidity (i.e., shear modulus) of the rocks
-Modified Mercalli: Based on the severity of shaking as reported by
observers and varies with proximity to the epicenter and local geologic
and engineering features
Amplitude, earth energy released, severity of shaking, displacement
