What differentiates a natural hazard from a natural disaster?

Natural hazards differ from disasters.

• Hazard is potential harm.

• Disaster is actual impact.

• Disasters cause significant loss.

The point inside the Earth where rock breaks during an earthquake is called the ___, while the point on the surface directly above it is known as the ___.

Hypocenter; epicenter

What are the three main types of tectonic plate boundaries that contribute to earthquakes?

Three main types of tectonic boundaries.

• Divergent: plates move apart.

• Convergent: plates collide together.

• Transform: plates slide past each other.

True or False: Volcanic eruptions are always explosive and can never be gentle.

False

Eruptions can be gentle or explosive.

• Lava flows can be gentle.

• Explosive eruptions happen with gas.

• Magma composition affects eruption type.

Landslides are often triggered by which of the following: heavy rainfall, earthquakes, or volcanic eruptions?

All of the above can trigger landslides, as they can increase the weight of materials on slopes or destabilize them.

Riddle: I can flow like a river but am not made of water, I can destroy homes but move slowly enough to escape. What am I?

A lava flow.

Fill in the blank: The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale classifies hurricanes from Category 1 to Category ___.

5

What role do tsunami warning systems play in mitigating the impact of tsunamis?

Tsunami warning systems save lives.

• Detect underwater earthquakes quickly.

• Monitor ocean buoys for changes.

• Issue alerts for timely evacuations.

How does the composition of magma affect the violence of a volcanic eruption?

Magma composition affects eruption violence.

• High silica magma is thick.

• Traps gases, causing explosions.

• Low silica magma flows easily.

True or False: Earthquakes can only occur at tectonic plate boundaries.

False. While most earthquakes occur at tectonic plate boundaries, they can also happen within plates, known as intraplate earthquakes.