Name Learning Unit 1 Introduction to Natural Disasters Review Questions This assignment is designed to assess your understanding of Unit 1 and includes some of the Ques tions for Review at the end of Chapter 1 from your text plus a few additional questions Each ques tion can be answered in one to two sentences Please limit yourself to a maximum of three sen tences Access the assignment complete it with ANSWERS IN A DIFFERENT COLOR FONT as a separate file and send it back for evaluation and grading through the assignment tab by or before the due date 1 What are some reasons people live in geologically dangerous areas People choose to live in geologically dangerous areas for the natural beauty such as streams and beaches as well as fertile or cheap land 2 Is the geological landscape controlled by gradual and unrelenting processes or intermittent large events with little action in between Provide an example to illustrate The global landscape is controlled by intermittent large events For example while streams may be clear for most of the year they may erode their channels during floods as water carries more sediment 3 Some natural disasters happen when the equilibrium of a system is disrupted What are some examples Some examples are landslides becoming soaked with water or volcano bulges collapses causing an eruption 4 Contrast the general nature of catastrophic losses in developed countries versus poor countries Developing underdeveloped countries typically see more people die from natural disasters Developed countries such as the United States would experience more economic losses than deaths This is likely due to the public policies America has regarding natural disasters 5 What are the main reasons for the ever increasing costs of catastrophic events The world population keeps increasing and migration to dangerous areas 6 If people should not live in especially dangerous areas what beneficial use is there for those areas One example of a beneficial use for such an area would be a flood plain so that nature can take its course without devastating humans 7 When is a large event such as a major earthquake not a disaster If a large event such as an earthquake or volcanic eruption happens in a remote area and does not have a negative effect on humans it is not considered a disaster 8 When an insurance company decides on the cost of an insurance policy for a natural hazard what are the two main deciding factors Insurance companies decide on policies based on risk Risk is assessed using an equation with two main factors First the probability of a natural hazard occurring and second the cost of the probable loss from that event 9 Describe the general relationship between the frequency and magnitude of an event M 1 f The magnitude of an event is inversely proportional to the frequency of an event Basically magnitude refers to the amount of energy produced by an event and frequency is the recurrence interval of the event or how likely it is that an event of that magnitude will occur 10 When people or governmental agencies try to restrict or control the activities of nature what is the general result People typically do not like when the government or private agencies try to restrict land usage regardless of the safety concerns Developers and private citizens often feel that it is not the government s place to control where they are allowed to live or build and that they are responsible for their own safety and the risk associated with that land However the government usually feels that it is responsible for keeping its citizens safe so there is a bit of a paradox If the government infringes upon their land ownership rights then they are eroding civil liberties which results in other problems It is a very tricky area especially since much of this land has already been developed 11 What kind of information must be assembled to make hazard predictions While there are some recurring events called cyclic events that can be predicted there are usually too many variables to get an accurate prediction That being said a lot of different data must be assembled before making a prediction Most often scientists look at data from past events to help them understand the likelihood of future events Statistics and linear models are very helpful 12 What is a precursor event A precursor event is an event that happens prior to a larger natural event The textbook gives the example of minor earthquakes leading up to the eruption of Mt Saint Helens in 1980 These small events can indicate a larger event is on the way such as small tremors before a large earthquake 13 Explain how population growth increases the number of disasters As the world population grows more people move into high risk areas These high risk areas are especially vulnerable to natural events so disasters are much more likely to occur High risk areas that were once remote can be settled with larger populations turning remote areas into disaster regions 14 What are the stages of disaster recovery Disaster recovery includes three stages assessment restoration and recovery First damage needs to be assessed insurance claims made and government relief plans organized Then these plans are implemented Money is allocated to those affected and they can begin the rebuilding process Finally the final phase is when things start transitioning to a pre disaster state For example the boardwalk reopening for business after Hurricane Sandy 15 Provide 3 methods of hazard mitigation 1 Land use planning 2 Insurance 3 Public education about disaster prevention
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