Introduction to Environmental Geology, 5e (Keller)
Chapter 5 Introduction to Natural Hazards
5.1 Multiple-Choice Questions
1) How are the magnitude and frequency of natural hazard events typically related?
A) inversely related
B) directly related
C) unrelated
D) correlated
2) How does a catastrophe differ from a disaster?
A) damages from a catastrophe are of such a magnitude to require a long recovery period
B) a disaster is typically much worse than a catastrophe
C) a catastrophe involves loss of life, while a disaster does not
D) a disaster occurs across a much greater geographic area than does a catastrophe
3) Why is history important in understanding natural hazards?
A) Typically, a natural hazard will not recur, so the history of a natural hazard reveals where it
won’t happen.
B) Most natural hazards are low magnitude, high frequency events.
C) Most natural hazards are repetitive events.
D) The history of natural hazards is always interesting.
4) Why are precursor events important?
A) Precursor events provide warning that a hazardous process is becoming active.
B) Precursor events help to define the magnitude and frequency of an event.
C) Precursor events define the history of a hazardous process.
D) Precursor events reveal linkages between hazards.
5) Why are hazard warnings sometimes problematic?
A) people do not believe scientists
B) warnings are occasionally inaccurate
C) people do not want to hear bad news
D) the probability of natural hazards is so low that warnings are irrelevant
6) To what does the concept of acceptable risk refer?
A) the fact that natural hazards always have risks
B) the risk that a prediction of an event is likely to be inaccurate
C) the risk that is inherent in predicting natural hazards
D) the risk that society or individuals are willing to endure
7) How is the risk of a particular event defined?
A) Risk is the probability of occurrence of an event multiplied by its consequences.
B) Risk is the level of consequences of a false prediction.
C) Risk is the number of people that will be killed if an event occurs.
D) Risk is the amount of land that will be affected by a hazardous event.
8) What is the difference between a reactive response and an anticipatory response?
A) A reactive response is typically stronger than an anticipatory response.
B) An anticipatory response is typically stronger than a reactive response.
C) A reactive response has to do with recovery, while an anticipatory response has to do with
preparedness.
D) A reactive response has much less value to society than an anticipatory response.
9) Why is land use planning typically more effective than artificial control of natural hazards?
A) Land use planning often reduces the probability that a hazardous event will occur.
B) Most hazardous natural processes are not amenable to artificial control.
C) Artificial controls usually increase the probability that a hazardous event will occur.
D) Land use planning is an accepted societal tool for hazards, while artificial control is not.
10) Why might global climate change impact the magnitude and frequency of hazardous events?
A) Many hazardous natural events are controlled in part by the amount of water in the system.
B) Climate change may cause the acceptable risk of a natural hazard to increase.
C) Climate change will likely increase the likelihood of earthquakes.
D) Climate change is directly related to land use planning efforts.
11) Why might global warming increase the magnitude and/or frequency of weather-related
hazards?
A) Global warming will affect the fundamental processes occurring in the atmosphere.
B) Warmer clouds are more likely to generate tornadoes.
C) Warmer air is able to hold less water, leading to heavier rains.
D) Warmer ocean waters will channel more energy into the atmosphere.
12) Why does population increase affect the number of catastrophic events?
A) Greater numbers of people occupy marginal lands in the path of hazardous processes.
B) Population affects the magnitude and frequency of hazardous events.
C) Hazardous events are more likely to occur in areas with more people.
D) As in Mexico City, earthquake magnitude is directly related to population.
13) Which of the following did not claim more than 250,000 lives?
A) flooding in Bangladesh in 1970
B) an earthquake in China in 1976
C) a tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004
D) Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005
5.2 True/False Questions
1) The deadly 1985 eruption of Nevado del Ruiz is an example of inaccurate prediction.
2) The magnitude and frequency of a natural hazard are typically inversely related.
3) A catastrophe is an event that requires a long recovery period.
4) Volcanic eruptions are one of the few natural hazards that have no benefit to humans.
5) Changes in land-use patterns alter the effects of natural hazards.
6) Most natural hazards are non-repetitive events.
7) Shale is a strong rock type on which to build structures.
8) Land use planning is an important anticipatory response to natural hazards.
9) Population increase is important because it buffers the impacts of hazardous event.
10) Global climate change is not likely to alter natural hazard frequency because most hazards
are not related to climate.
11) Hazardous processes can become catastrophes because of population increase.
12) Natural hazards are always damaging and never beneficial.
13) A prediction of a hazardous event has greater uncertainty than does a forecast.
5.3 Short Answer Questions
1) A deadly eruption of the Columbian volcano ________ provided lessons concerning the
dissemination of scientific predictions of natural hazards.
2) The recurrence interval of an event, also known as its ________, is typically inversely related
to the event’s magnitude.
3) A(n) ________ is a disaster from which recovery is long and involved.
4) Natural hazards are ________ events; therefore, an examination of their history provides
important clues.
5) Benefits of ________ include enrichment of soils and the creation of new land.
6) The risk of a particular event is the product of the event’s occurrence multiplied by the
________.
7) ________ is the potential for disaster that a society or individual is willing to endure.
8) A(n) ________ response has to do with the impact of and recovery from hazards.
9) A(n) ________ response has to do with the perception, avoidance, and adjustment to hazards.
10) In 1998, Hurricane Mitch hit Central America and caused a catastrophe that was magnified
by the practice of ________.
11) Hurricane Katrina flooded New Orleans when a(n) ________ broke.
12) One benefit of volcanic eruptions is nutrient-rich ________.
13) The ________ of an event is the amount of energy released.