GEOL200 QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS 2025.
What is the definition of a natural hazard? - ANSWER: the threat of a naturally occurring
event that will have a negative effect on humans
What are geologic hazards? - ANSWER: or geohazard is an adverse environmental
condition capable of causing widespread damage or loss of property and life.
What is a natural disaster? - ANSWER: the harmful effects of a naturally occurring
event (would not exist if not for humans, without humans there are only natural events)
What is a natural catastrophe? - ANSWER: disaster with devastating consequences for
a large number of people
What is the difference between hazard and risk? - ANSWER: Hazard: threat of naturally
occurring event (ex: the probability that an earthquake will strike Long Angeles in the
next 50 years)
Risk: the cost associated with the hazard (ex: Human cost)s
What is a hazard map? - ANSWER: map that highlights areas that are affected by or
are vulnerable to a particular hazard. They are typically created for natural hazards,
such as earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, flooding and tsunamis
What is involved in hazard assessment? - ANSWER: systematic process of identifying,
characterizing, and analyzing potential hazards or threats that could lead to adverse
events or disasters. (data collection, identification of hazards, spatial analysis)
, What additional tasks have to be carried out for risk assessment? - ANSWER:
probabilistic assessment, risk calculation, consequence analysis, monitoring
How is vulnerability assessed? - ANSWER: risk = hazard x vulnerability
What is event recurrence time? - ANSWER: Characteristic time needed for an event of
a certain magnitude to occur in a given location (years/earthquake)
What are conditional probabilities and how are they calculated? - ANSWER: p(A/B) is
the probability of event A occurring, given that event B occurs
What is the relationship between hazard, risk and vulnerability? - ANSWER: the higher
the vulnerability of the are, the more risky the hazard will be.
Where (geographically) do we expect largest economic losses? - ANSWER: fault lines,
coastlines, ring of fire
What are the benefits of living near volcanoes? - ANSWER: agricultural resource,
industrial use, mineral oores,
How do volcanoes affect soils and local climate? - ANSWER: Produce nutrient-rich soil
-Fine-grained materials decompose easily
-Volcanic deposits rapidly become fertile soil
Rain shadows concentrate rainfall on one side of a volcano
Where do diamonds come from? - ANSWER: formed in the mantle, most commonly
brought to surface by volcaninc eruptions, Kimberlite and Lamproite Pipes
What are the main layers in the Earth? - ANSWER: crust, mantle, core
What are the two types of crust and their characteristics? - ANSWER: -Continental
(felsic) ~35 km thick
-Oceanic (mafic) ~ 8 km thick
What are the two most abundant elements in the: 1. Universe? 2. Earth? 3. Crust? -
ANSWER: Universe: Hydrogen (H), Helium (He)
Earth: Oxygen (O), Silicon (Si)
Crust: Oxygen (O), Silicon (Si)
SOLUTIONS 2025.
What is the definition of a natural hazard? - ANSWER: the threat of a naturally occurring
event that will have a negative effect on humans
What are geologic hazards? - ANSWER: or geohazard is an adverse environmental
condition capable of causing widespread damage or loss of property and life.
What is a natural disaster? - ANSWER: the harmful effects of a naturally occurring
event (would not exist if not for humans, without humans there are only natural events)
What is a natural catastrophe? - ANSWER: disaster with devastating consequences for
a large number of people
What is the difference between hazard and risk? - ANSWER: Hazard: threat of naturally
occurring event (ex: the probability that an earthquake will strike Long Angeles in the
next 50 years)
Risk: the cost associated with the hazard (ex: Human cost)s
What is a hazard map? - ANSWER: map that highlights areas that are affected by or
are vulnerable to a particular hazard. They are typically created for natural hazards,
such as earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, flooding and tsunamis
What is involved in hazard assessment? - ANSWER: systematic process of identifying,
characterizing, and analyzing potential hazards or threats that could lead to adverse
events or disasters. (data collection, identification of hazards, spatial analysis)
, What additional tasks have to be carried out for risk assessment? - ANSWER:
probabilistic assessment, risk calculation, consequence analysis, monitoring
How is vulnerability assessed? - ANSWER: risk = hazard x vulnerability
What is event recurrence time? - ANSWER: Characteristic time needed for an event of
a certain magnitude to occur in a given location (years/earthquake)
What are conditional probabilities and how are they calculated? - ANSWER: p(A/B) is
the probability of event A occurring, given that event B occurs
What is the relationship between hazard, risk and vulnerability? - ANSWER: the higher
the vulnerability of the are, the more risky the hazard will be.
Where (geographically) do we expect largest economic losses? - ANSWER: fault lines,
coastlines, ring of fire
What are the benefits of living near volcanoes? - ANSWER: agricultural resource,
industrial use, mineral oores,
How do volcanoes affect soils and local climate? - ANSWER: Produce nutrient-rich soil
-Fine-grained materials decompose easily
-Volcanic deposits rapidly become fertile soil
Rain shadows concentrate rainfall on one side of a volcano
Where do diamonds come from? - ANSWER: formed in the mantle, most commonly
brought to surface by volcaninc eruptions, Kimberlite and Lamproite Pipes
What are the main layers in the Earth? - ANSWER: crust, mantle, core
What are the two types of crust and their characteristics? - ANSWER: -Continental
(felsic) ~35 km thick
-Oceanic (mafic) ~ 8 km thick
What are the two most abundant elements in the: 1. Universe? 2. Earth? 3. Crust? -
ANSWER: Universe: Hydrogen (H), Helium (He)
Earth: Oxygen (O), Silicon (Si)
Crust: Oxygen (O), Silicon (Si)
