First Year Geology Hazard Topics Quiz

Natural Hazards Driven by Tectonic Plates

• Earthquakes are primarily driven by the movement of tectonic plates.
• Volcanic eruptions can occur due to the rapid release of energy in the Earth's crust associated with tectonic activity.

Geological Hazards Related to Sea Level and Weather Patterns

• Coastal hazards are influenced by changes in sea level and weather patterns, including storms and flooding.

Hazards at Plate Boundaries

• Geological hazards such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions typically occur at plate boundaries where lithospheric plates interact.

Causes of Coastal Hazards

• Coastal hazards are mainly caused by a variety of factors, including geological processes and climate change impacts.

Volcanic Island Formation

• Volcanic islands are formed through the movement of tectonic plates, where magma surfaces through oceanic crust, typically at divergent or convergent boundaries.

Common Triggers for Flooding

• Flooding can be triggered by heavy rainfall, rapid snowmelt, or other weather phenomena rather than exclusively through tectonic plate movements.

Ring of Fire Association

• The Ring of Fire is associated with high seismic activity, including frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to subduction zones.

Mountain Range Formation

• The formation of mountain ranges, such as the Himalayas, is caused by the collision and convergence of tectonic plates leading to uplift.

Misconceptions in Geological Processes

• Climate change does not directly trigger earthquakes or volcanic eruptions; these events are primarily due to natural tectonic processes.
• Floods are not exclusively caused by tectonic plate movements; they result from various environmental factors.
• Plate tectonics does play a significant role in shaping coastal regions and their associated hazards.
• While volcanic eruptions can create new landmasses, not all eruptions are accompanied by landmass formation.
• Earthquakes do not always lead to volcanic activity in the same region; the two processes, while related, are not directly dependent on each other.