Tectonic hazards
•What is a hazard and how are they classified?
A Hazard is a situation which poses a level of threat to life, health, property or environment. Most
hazards are dormant or potential, with only a theoretical risk of harm, however, once a hazard
becomes 'active', it can create an emergency situation.
•What is an earthquake?
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic
waves.
•What is a volcano?
A volcano is a mountain formed from solidified lava from different eruptions. Lava that flows out can
come from 30 to 60 kilometres,from inside the Earth.
•Tectonic plate theory
•Location and why are they located there – plate boundaries
•How are volcanoes formed?
A volcano is formed by pressure building up below the Earth’s crust. Magma forces it way through
weaknesses in the earth's crust. When the magma emerges it is called lava. When it cools, it
solidifies into rock,or it may emerge though thin cracks,which are called fissure.Or it may be forced
though wider pipes,that starts to build up, to a volcano.
•How do volcanoes effect people – Montserrat?
Volcanoes affect people in many ways, some are good, some are not. Some of the bad ways that
houses, buildings, roads, and fields can get covered with ash.
Your house may not collapse, but often the people leave because of the ash and are not around to
continually clean off their roofs. If the ashfall is really heavy it can make it impossible to breathe.
Some of the good ways that volcanoes affect people include producing spectacular scenery, and
producing very rich soils for farming.
•How are earthquakes formed and what impact do they have – San Francisco
and Kent?
•How can these impacts be reduced?
