Quiz about Natural Hazards

Question 1

This map shows tornado activity in the United States between 1950 and 1998. Based on the data provided by this map, which of the following cities would be most likely to experience a tornado with a rating of F3 or greater in the next year?

Accepted Answer

Topeka, Kansas

Answer

Phoenix, Arizona

Answer

Orlando, Florida

Answer

Columbia, South Carolina

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT a natural hazard?

Accepted Answer

House Fire

Answer

Hurricane

Answer

Tornado

Answer

Earthquake

Question 3

Earthquakes are caused by all of the following EXCEPT...

Accepted Answer

tsunamis.

Answer

movement of tectonic plates.

Answer

volcanic activity.

Answer

underground collapses.

Question 4

Which of the following statements about natural hazards is NOT true?

Accepted Answer

Hazards are natural processes that harm people on a regular basis.

Answer

Hazards are natural processes that CAN be dangerous, but have not yet caused damage.

Answer

Hazards become disasters when they harm many people.

Answer

Some hazards can be predicted, but usually can't be stopped.

Question 5

A natural disaster occurs when a natural hazard...

Accepted Answer

causes major damage and harms humans.

Answer

poses a danger to any part of the earth.

Answer

changes the physical features of the earth.

Answer

impacts everyday life for humans.

Question 6

a type of natural hazard that includes thunderstorms, tropical storms, lightning and tornadoes.

Accepted Answer

weather hazard

Answer

natural disaster

Answer

geology hazard

Answer

unnatural disaster

Question 7

a type of natural hazard that includes earthquakes and volcanic eruptions

Accepted Answer

geologic hazard

Answer

weather hazard

Answer

natural disaster

Answer

volcano emergency

Question 8

a fast-moving current of hot gas and volcanic matter that flows along the ground away from a volcano

Accepted Answer

pyroclastic flow

Answer

aa lava

Answer

lahar

Answer

supercell

Question 9

a powerful wave caused by movement of ocean water after an earthquake, landslide or a volcanic eruption

Accepted Answer

tsunami

Answer

tidal wave

Answer

ocean wave

Answer

earthquake wave

Question 10

intense, rotating thunderstorms that can develop into tornadoes

Accepted Answer

supercell thunderstorms

Answer

tornado

Answer

hurricane

Answer

volcanic eruption

Question 11

is used to assign a tornado a 'rating' based on estimated wind speeds and related damage

Accepted Answer

Fugita Scale

Answer

Tornado Scale

Answer

Richter Scale

Answer

Mercalli Scale

Question 12

violent type of mudflow or debris flow composed of pyroclastic material, rocky debris and water

Accepted Answer

lahar

Answer

aa lava

Answer

pyroclastic flow

Answer

supercell

Question 13

Which type of storm forms over water in warm air conditions?

Accepted Answer

hurricane

Answer

blizzard

Answer

thunderstorm

Question 14

Which type of storm forms over land in warm air conditions?

Accepted Answer

thunderstorm

Answer

hurricane

Answer

blizzard

Question 15

A sudden shift in the earth's crust is called a...

Accepted Answer

Earthquake

Answer

Volcano

Answer

Tsunami

Answer

Flood

Question 16

A spinning funnel cloud which causes much destruction is called a...

Accepted Answer

Tornado

Answer

Earthquake

Answer

Tsunami

Answer

Hurricane

Question 17

What catastrophic event is caused by an unusually large amount of water for an area?

Accepted Answer

Flood

Answer

Hurricane

Answer

Blizzard

Answer

Tsunami

Question 18

When lava or ash spew from a mountain vent, what catastrophic event does this describe?

Accepted Answer

Volcano

Answer

Drought

Answer

Wildfire

Answer

Meteor

Question 19

Where are hurricanes most likely to do the most damage?

Accepted Answer

Near the coast

Answer

In the forest

Answer

In a desert

Answer

On the North Pole

Question 20

What causes damage in a hurricane?

Accepted Answer

All of the above

Answer

Winds

Answer

Flooding

Answer

Storm Surge

Question 21

A natural hazard is

Accepted Answer

an event in nature that may have a negative effect

Answer

an event in nature that does not impact human life

Question 22

What is a dormant volcano?

Accepted Answer

A volcano that erupted in the past and is expected to erupt again in the future.

Answer

A volcano that has not erupted for a very long time.

Answer

A volcano that scientists think cannot erupt.

Answer

A volcano that is about to erupt very soon.

Question 23

Which of the following is TRUE about earthquakes?

Accepted Answer

Earthquakes happen along cracks in the earth's surface, called fault lines, and can be felt over large areas.

Answer

Earthquakes occur randomly all over the planet, so it is impossible to determine where earthquake risk is high.

Answer

Earthquakes can be accurately predicted with scientific monitoring.

Answer

Earthquakes happen along cracks in the earth's surface, called fault lines, and can only be felt near the epicenter of the quake.

Question 24

Why does having lots of plants make flooding slower?

Accepted Answer

The plants absorb water (interception) so the water takes longer to reach the river

Answer

The plants cannot absorb water very fast

Answer

The plants' roots are connected to the river

Answer

Plants increase run-off

Question 25

During the year 2003, the number of earthquakes that occurred was higher than usual. The map shows the locations of some of these earthquakes.

Which question does the information on this map help answer?

Accepted Answer

Where are earthquakes likely in the future?

Answer

How often do earthquakes happen?

Answer

When will the next earthquake happen?

Answer

What will be the strength of the next earthquake?

Question 26

A hurricane was predicted and people were asked to evacuate from an area. The area experienced a strong hurricane. Which description of damage is most typical for this type of natural disaster?

Accepted Answer

many structures were damaged by flooding and wind

Answer

lightning damaged many buildings

Answer

air quality became unsafe for many people

Answer

buildings and bridges collapsed without warning

Question 27

Alicia wants to buy a house. She does not want to buy a house in an area where earthquakes and flooding are common. Which information would help her most in choosing where to buy a house?

Accepted Answer

a map that includes elevation of land and location of faults

Answer

a map that shows typical rainfall and location of volcanic activity

Answer

a graph of the number of earthquakes and floods in the last ten years

Answer

a graph of how much damage is caused by earthquakes compared with floods

Question 28

Natural hazards can cause a variety of problems. Which type of destruction can be caused only by volcanic activity?

Choose the correct answer.

Accepted Answer

areas being covered by ash and concrete-like mudslides

Answer

damage from flooding and wind

Answer

erosion of land along coasts and rivers

Answer

sudden crumbling of buildings and chimneys

Question 29

Which event can produce an earthquake?

Accepted Answer

movement of tectonic plates along a boundary

Answer

the crash of tsunamis against a shoreline

Answer

convection of hot rock deep within the mantle

Answer

the violent shaking of sections of the lithosphere

Question 30

What conditions are likely for a tornado to form?

Accepted Answer

Severe thunderstorms form, air pressure suddenly drops, warm air rises quickly, & winds are blowing in the opposite direction

Answer

A low pressure system forms over warm water, moist air rises into it to give it energy, and has wind speeds of at least 74 mph

Answer

Potential energy builds up and suddenly released near fault zones, large vibrations move through rock or other Earth materials, and causes rocks to deform slowly over time

Answer

Unusually persistent dry weather due to a lack of precipitation and increased temperatures

Question 31

The ring of fire is where the pacific plate meets other tectonic plates at a tectonic plate boundary. The events that are common in this area include mountain formation, volcanoes and what else?

Accepted Answer

Earthquakes

Answer

Hurricanes

Answer

Tornadoes

Answer

Landslides

Question 32

Which of the following statements is true?

Accepted Answer

The number of tornadoes per year varies from year to year.

Answer

The number of tornadoes per year remains about the same.

Answer

The number of tornadoes per year is increasing each year.

Answer

The number of tornadoes per year is decreasing each year.

Question 33

Natural hazard predictions are efforts to forecast the ____, ____, and ____ of natural hazards.

Accepted Answer

occurrence

Accepted Answer

intensity

Accepted Answer

effects

Answer

precursors

Question 34

All natural hazards are predictable.

Accepted Answer

false

Answer

true

Question 35

Precursor events are known events that occur ____ hazards.

Accepted Answer

before

Answer

after

Answer

before or after

Answer

before and after

Question 36

How are natural hazard predictions improved?

Accepted Answer

by gaining scientific understanding of hazards

Accepted Answer

collecting and analyzing data

Accepted Answer

using monitoring techniques

Answer

guessing based off of what others think

Question 37

What are examples of historical data?

Accepted Answer

locations

Accepted Answer

frequencies

Accepted Answer

magnitudes

Accepted Answer

effects on environment or people

Question 38

What information can be provided from past eruption data for a volcano?

Accepted Answer

eruption timing

Accepted Answer

precursor events

Accepted Answer

eruption types

Answer

eruption warnings

Question 39

What are volcanoes that often have steady lava flows rather than explosive eruptions?

Accepted Answer

shield volcano

Answer

active volcano

Answer

reactive volcano

Answer

dormant volcano

Question 40

What are types of technology used to monitor volcanoes?

Accepted Answer

GPS instruments

Accepted Answer

thermal imaging sensors

Accepted Answer

seismometers

Accepted Answer

tiltmeters

Question 41

Which technology monitors vibrations in the ground?

Accepted Answer

seismometers

Answer

GPS instruments

Answer

thermal imaging sensors

Answer

tiltmeters

Question 42

What technology monitors changes in volcanoes shape that are related to pressure changes?

Accepted Answer

tiltmeters

Answer

seismometers

Answer

GPS instruments

Answer

thermal imaging sensors

Question 43

What information is used to make earthquake risk maps?

Accepted Answer

historical data

Accepted Answer

seismograph data

Accepted Answer

GPS data

Answer

thermal data

Question 44

What do earthquake risk maps show?

Accepted Answer

likelihood

Accepted Answer

specific size

Accepted Answer

given area

Accepted Answer

given time frame

Question 45

What are hazards that occur in locations where the atmosphere, ocean, and land interact to create specific conditions?

Accepted Answer

weather hazards

Answer

climate hazards

Answer

water hazards

Answer

atmospheric hazards

Question 46

What are large-scale phenomena that are related to long-term weather patterns?

Accepted Answer

climate hazards

Answer

weather hazards

Answer

geographic hazards

Answer

atmospheric hazards

Question 47

How is data collected for predicting tornadoes?

Accepted Answer

weather satellites

Accepted Answer

weather balloons

Accepted Answer

weather stations

Accepted Answer

reports from weather observers

Question 48

What technology uses radio waves to identify direction and intensity of precipitation, wind direction and speed, and the locations of boundaries between large air masses?

Accepted Answer

doppler radar

Answer

telescopes

Answer

seismometers

Answer

tiltmeters

Question 49

What are floods that occur suddenly as very fast moving water from excessive rainfall runs over land?

Accepted Answer

flash floods

Answer

overbank floods

Answer

coastal floods

Answer

climate floods

Question 50

What are floods that happen slowly when rain or melting snow makes river or lake levels rise?

Accepted Answer

overbank floods

Answer

flash floods

Answer

coastal floods

Answer

climate floods

Question 51

What are floods that happen when high winds or storms push ocean water onto shore?

Accepted Answer

coastal floods

Answer

flash floods

Answer

overbank floods

Answer

climate floods

Question 52

What are asteroids that orbit close enough to Earth to pose a threat?

Accepted Answer

potentially hazardous asteroids

Answer

potentially disastrous asteroids

Answer

shooting stars

Answer

potential orbits

Question 53

Which data is most helpful in predicting volcanic activity?

Accepted Answer

frequency of earthquakes and stability of land surface

Answer

sea surface temperatures and wind speed

Answer

satellite data about atmospheric conditions

Answer

historic information about landslides and flooding

Question 54

A scientist wants to track a hurricane and predict where it will go next. Which tools are best for making predictions about hurricanes?

Accepted Answer

satellites and computer models

Answer

thermometers and GPS

Answer

geologic maps and tiltmeters

Answer

weather balloons and seismometers

Question 55

A scientist used a model to predict the path of a hurricane. The hurricane followed a similar path but did not follow the exact path that was predicted. How does this example demonstrate a limitation of models?

Accepted Answer

Models cannot account for how every factor may suddenly change.

Answer

Models cannot be used to predict things.

Answer

Models can be used to predict weather events before the event occurs.

Answer

Models can be used to show only physical structures, not events such as hurricanes.

Question 56

A town is deciding where to build a new road. There have been landslides in this town in the past. Which information will help the engineers decide where to put the road to avoid damage due to landslides?

Accepted Answer

the steepness of the ground in different areas

Answer

the number of houses in different areas

Answer

weather predictions about amount of rainfall in different states

Answer

the number of cars expected to use the road at different times of day

Question 57

The map shows the epicenters of some major earthquakes of 2003. Based on this information, on which continent is an earthquake least likely to happen in the future?

Accepted Answer

Africa

Answer

Asia

Answer

South America

Answer

North America

Question 58

The weather has been warmer than usual in a town in California. A student wants to know if warmer weather means that an earthquake is more likely to happen. Which statement about earthquakes and weather is true?

Accepted Answer

Earthquakes and weather are not related.

Answer

Earthquakes cannot happen in cold weather.

Answer

Atmospheric conditions cause both earthquakes and weather.

Answer

The movement of tectonic plates causes both earthquakes and weather.

Question 59

This diagram shows how layers of information can be combined to create one map. Based on the layers present on the map, what could this map best be used for?

Accepted Answer

to determine which areas and streets would be most at risk for flooding

Answer

to study the effect erosion has had on the path of the river

Answer

to measure the distance from the town library to the school

Answer

to compare the elevation of one town with the elevation of another town

Question 60

Engineers are designing a bridge that will better withstand earthquake forces. What is the process called when engineers use a computer to see what happens to their design during an earthquake?

Accepted Answer

modeling

Answer

variables

Answer

prediction

Answer

navigation

Question 61

What is the best method for a geologist to find a scientific explanation for varying levels of damage in a city after an earthquake?

Accepted Answer

Create a computer model that takes into account different variables.

Answer

Review local newspaper reports.

Answer

Conduct a survey of residents in each area.

Answer

Analyze the strength of previous earthquakes that have struck the same area.

Question 62

Scientists and engineers work together to try to reduce the damage from natural hazards. Which term is used to describe this process?

Accepted Answer

mitigation

Answer

technology

Answer

scientific method

Answer

controlling variables

Question 63

A scientist is constructing a device that will predict exactly where hurricanes will travel. This device could save many lives but will be extremely expensive. Which term describes the high cost of this device?

Accepted Answer

constraint

Answer

benefit

Answer

criteria

Answer

technology

Question 64

Engineers have been asked to develop a plan to reduce the effects of hurricanes on a coastal community. Which is the first step engineers should take when developing a plan to reduce the effects of a natural hazard?

Accepted Answer

identify a need

Answer

propose a solution

Answer

evaluate a solution

Answer

determine criteria and constraints

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