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Worksheets

Natural Hazards and Vulnerability

Total questions: 30

Worksheet time: 23mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

A ______ is a section of the lithosphere that slowly moves over the mantle, carrying large slabs of continental and oceanic crust.

a)

wedge

b)

plate

c)

chunk

d)

fault

2.
What is the name of the single landmass that began to break apart 200 million years ago?
a)
Panthalassa
b)
Laurasia
c)
Gondwanna
d)
Pangaea
3.

At a _____________ plate boundary two plates move away from each other.

a)

Destructive

b)

Constructive

c)

Conservative

d)

Collision

4.

At a _____________ plate boundary two plates move toward each other.

a)

Destructive

b)

Conservative

c)

Constructive

d)

Deconstructive

5.

At a _____________ plate boundary two plates slide past each other.

a)

Destructive

b)

Constructive

c)

Deconstructive

d)

Conservative

6.
___________ is the theory that pieces of Earth's lithosphere are in constant motion, driven by convection currents in the mantle.
a)
Seismic waves
b)
Convection current
c)
Divergent boundary
d)
Plate tectonics
7.

What is the correct order (starting from the surface) of Earth’s layers?

a)

crust, outer core, inner core, mantle

b)

mantle, outer core, inner core, crust

c)

crust, mantle, outer core, inner core

d)

outer core, inner core, crust, mantle

8.

What type of plate boundary is shown in the diagram?

a)

Conservative

b)

Constructive

c)

Destructive

d)

Collision

9.

The process by which the ocean floor sinks beneath a deep-ocean trench and back into the mantle is known as _______

a)

convection.

b)

continental drift.

c)

subduction.

d)

conduction.

10.

Most geologists think that the movement of Earth’s plates is caused by _______

a)

convection.

b)

continental drift.

c)

subduction.

d)

conduction.

11.

The geological theory of _______ states that pieces of Earth’s lithosphere are in constant, slow motion.

a)

subduction

b)

plate tectonics

c)

deep-ocean trenches

d)

sea-floor spreading

12.

Scientists think that convection currents flow in Earth’s

a)

continents.

b)

mantle.

c)

lithosphere.

d)

inner core.

13.

The San Andreas Fault in California is known as an active earthquake area. What type of boundary is it?

a)

Constructive

b)

Destructive

c)

Conservative

d)

Collision

14.
How is it possible for new crust to be formed without increasing the surface area of the Earth?
a)
Crust is destroyed at the same time it is created
b)
New crust is underwater where it sinks
c)
New crust breaks more easily than old crust
15.
This layer of Earth is the thickest part
a)
crust
b)
outer core
c)
mantle
d)
inner core
16.
What are the two types of crust
a)
continental and oceanic
b)
ocean and upper
c)
lower and upper
d)
pizza and subway
17.
What is Pangaea?
a)
the name of a German scientist
b)
the name of the super-continent that existed millions of years ago
c)
another name for continental drift
d)
the name of an ancient fossil
18.
Identify the Major Plate labeled B
a)
African Plate
b)
Antarctic Plate
c)
Pacific Plate
d)
Eurasian Plate 
19.

Identify the Major Plate labeled I

a)

African Plate

b)

Antarctic Plate

c)

Pacific Plate

d)

Eurasian Plate

20.

Observe this diagram of a plate boundary. Which statement BEST describes what is happening. It is that

a)

the oceanic crust is being created.

b)

the denser oceanic crust is subducting under the less dense oceanic crust

c)

Two continental plates are colliding.

d)

the tectonic plates are moving away from each other.

21.

The map in the picture shows tectonic plate boundaries. This map would be useful in predicting the location of future

a)

droughts

b)

hurricanes

c)

earthquakes

d)

tornadoes

22.

What is the source of energy that drives plate movement?

a)

the subducton of the sea floor

b)

the different densities of the oceanic and crustal plates

c)

convection currents in the mantle

d)

the friction force between the plates that move past each other

23.

Which of the following is a tectonic hazard?

a)

Hurricanes

b)

Earthquakes

c)

Drought

d)

Tornado

24.

Which of the following best describes a natural hazard?

a)

a natural event such as a hurricane or volcanic eruption which has the potential to cause social and economic impacts.

b)

a natural event such as a hurricane or volcanic eruption which causes no harm.

c)

a natural event such as a hurricane or volcanic eruption which causes social and economic impacts to a vulnerable population.

25.

Which of the following best describes a natural disaster?

a)

a natural event such as a hurricane or volcanic eruption which has the potential to cause social and economic impacts.

b)

a natural event such as a hurricane or volcanic eruption which causes no harm.

c)

a major hazard event that causes widespread disruption to a community or region, with significant impacts on people, the economy and/or the environment..

26.

Why did the scientific community not believe Alfred's Wegener's theory of continental drift?

a)

He did not have evidence to support his theory.

b)

He could not explain what force was responsible for driving the plates apart.

c)

He could not describe how the plates had drifted over time.

27.

What is risk?

a)

the conditions that increases the chances that a community will be impacted by a natural hazard.

b)

the probability of a hazard event causing harming consequences (loss of life, injuries, damages)

c)

major hazard event that causes widespread disruption to a community or region, with significant impacts on people, the economy and/or the environment.

d)

the ability of individuals and societies to cope with the sudden impacts of disasters and restore to normal as quickly as possible.

28.

At which plate boundary would volcanic eruptions not occur?

a)

Destructive

b)

Conservative

c)

Constructive

29.

At which plate boundary would large fold mountains, like the Himalayas, be formed?

a)

Constructive

b)

Conservative

c)

Collision

30.

What is vulnerability?

a)

the conditions that increases the chances that a community will be impacted by a natural hazard.

b)

the probability of a hazard event causing harming consequences (loss of life, injuries, damages)

c)

major hazard event that causes widespread disruption to a community or region, with significant impacts on people, the economy and/or the environment.

d)

the ability of individuals and societies to cope with the sudden impacts of disasters and restore to normal as quickly as possible.