1

Wake Acceleration Academy

Earth & Environmental Science: Semester B Note Guide Unit 3: Human Impacts on Earth

Extra Resources Website: http://waa-science.weebly.com

Module 1: Natural Hazards Vocabulary Word Definition

Earthquakes

Volcanoes

Natural Hazards

1. Why is earthquake prediction a challenge for scientists? In your answer, explain why scientists aren’t able to develop

a warning system for earthquakes.

Hypocenter

Epicenter

2. Below are several diagrams used to show earthquakes. Label the hypocenter and epicenter in each.

1. 1. 1.

2. 2. 2.

3. What causes an earthquake to occur?

Magnitude

2

4. What types of waves are created from an earthquake?

5. Where do 81% of the Earth’s earthquakes occur?

What other type of natural disaster frequents this spot?

Seismograph

6. On a seismograph which part shakes as a result of an earthquake?

Which part holds still? Why?

7. If you were designing your own seismograph, which features would be important to include?

[Oscillate means to move or swing back and forth]

8. There are two scales that measures earthquakes: Richter Magnitude Scale and Mercalli Intensity Scale. Do low

numbers or high numbers indicate a more dangerous/larger shake quake?

9. What is the name of the famous fault in California where earthquakes frequently occur?

10. Label the diagram (1, 2, 3) and use the table below to describe the three ways that volcanoes can form.

Label Volcano

Formation

Brief Description

1 Hot Spot

Volcanoes

3

2 Underwater

Volcanoes

3 Volcanoes from

Melted Crust

11. Volcanoes give warning signs before an eruption. Use the table below to briefly describe each warning sign.

Warning Sign Brief Description

Seismic activity

Ground

deformation

Visible Gases

Increase in gas

temperatures

Environmental

indicators

12. What is VEI and what do scientists use it for?

13. Magma and lava are both melted rock. Using the diagram on the right, what is

the main difference between magma and lava?

Tsunami

Landslide

14. What are three geological events that can cause a tsunami?

4

Review:

Subduction is the sideways/downward

movement of a tectonic plate under

another plate.

Hurricanes

15. What is a flash flood?

16. Complete the table below to summarize the four common causes of flooding.

Cause of Flooding Brief Description

Dam or levee failure

Rapid snowmelt

Wildfire

Construction

Mass Wasting

17. Complete the table below to summarize the different types of mass wasting Type of Mass Wasting Brief Description

Creep

Landslides

Topple

Earthflow

Mudslide

18. Wildfires are natural hazards that most commonly occur in forests. 90% of wildfires are caused by human activities.

What are three examples of how humans can cause wildfires?

The other 10% of wildfires are caused by nature. What are two examples of how natures causes wildfires?

5

Module 2: Technology and the Changing Earth 1. What is a rain gauge and how does it work?

2. What is one advantage of radar over rain gauges?

3. How do weather satellites compare to rain gauges and radar in their function to predict storms?

Vocabulary Word Definition

Dam

4. Briefly describe Tokyo’s flood-control plan.

5. Complete the table below on the different ways to control flood risk and minimize damages.

Technique Image Brief Summary

Emergency

warning Systems

Dams

Levees

Diversion canals

Sea Walls

Snow and Ice

Removal

Flood Barriers

6

Tsunami

6. What are three examples of natural barriers that can protect a region from flooding due to a tsunami?

Levees

Tornadoes

Hurricanes

7. In the United States, where do tornadoes most frequently occur?

8. Is Doppler radar or conventional radar more helpful in predicting tornadoes?

9. Complete the table below on the different ways to reduce tornado damage.

Method Image Brief Description

Safe

Shelters

Resistant

Structures

Warning

Systems

10. How do weather satellites help in predicting hurricanes?

11. What is the job of Hurricane Hunters?

12. Complete the table below on the different ways to reduce hurricane damage.

Method Image Brief Description

Hurricane

Shutters

7

Hurricane

Ties

Garage

Doors

Safe

Rooms or

Store

Rooms

Raised

Houses

13. Where do hurricanes frequently occur in the

USA? Mark the areas on the map with the letter H �

14. Where do droughts frequently occur in the USA?

Mark the areas on the map with the letter D �

Arid

15. Complete the table below on the different ways to

reduce the effects of droughts.

Method Image Brief Description

Dams

Levees

Domestic

Water

Conservation

Devices

8

Desalination

16. Make the match! This map shows three areas that are prone to natural hazards. Match each technology with the

area most likely to find it helpful.

California

Kansas

Florida

Water Conservation

Devices

Hurricane shutters

for windows

Satellites that detect

air movement over

the ocean

Desalinization

Plants

Safe rooms in

basements

Warn-on-Forecast

tool

Volcano

17. What is the name of a scientist who studies volcanoes?

18. Complete the table below to summarize the methods used in studying volcanoes.

Method Brief Description

Remote

sensing.

Ground

deformation.

Gas

changes.

Hydrology

Seismicity

19. What type of gases are released from volcanoes?

9

Module 3: The Human Population

1. Approximately many people live on the Earth?

Vocabulary Word Definition

Population

2. Using the lesson activity on slide 10, summarize the trend in Earth’s population (is it increasing or decreasing?). What

are some reasons for this change?

3. Over the past 100 years life expectancy has increased from humans living on average to 48 years to now 78 years.

What are some reasons as to why humans are now living longer lives?

Epidemics

An epidemic occurs when a large number of people in an area suffer from a disease at the

same time.

Vaccines

4. Where is there a higher life expectancy: developed countries or developing countries? Why?

Developed Country

Developing Country

5. In 1900, the average life expectancy in the United States was 47.3 years. In 2015, the average life expectancy was

78.8 years. Calculate the percentage increase in life expectancy from 1900 to 2015. Show your work to make your

notes stronger!

Yellow Fever

6. What are vaccines and how are they used to protect people (and the population) from infectious diseases?

7. What is the only infectious disease that we have been able to eliminate completely by a vaccine?

8. What are the five basic needs of humans?

9. Soybean oil is used in food production and cooking. In 2007, the United States produced 3.06 billion bushels of

soybeans, and 65% of the harvest was used to make soybean oil. How many billion bushels of soybean oil were used

for other purposes? Show your work to make your notes stronger!

10

Carrying Capacity

10. Birth rate refers to how often children are born in a particular area. Which type of country historically has higher

birth rates (developed or developing countries)?

As birth rates increase there is more demand for food and water. This means that food and water may become scarce.

Scarce means to be rare, limited, sparse

11. What are examples of factors that lower birth rates?

12. If a countries population grows too quickly they may run out of food. Countries that can’t produce enough food for

their citizens are suffering from what?

13. If water is scarce our food supply may reduce because there isn’t enough water for the plants to grow. One way we

can help limit food insecurity is by reducing food waste. What are three ways that food wasting occurs?

14. The United States produces an average of 429 billion pounds of food annually. About 133 billion pounds of that food

ends up as waste. What is the percentage of food that the United States wastes each year?

Show your work to make your notes stronger!

15. The Earth is 71% water. However, how much of this water is fresh water that is suitable for drinking?

16. Because our population is growing it is important that we protect and conserve our fresh water. What are some

examples of ways that you/city can conserve water?

11

Module 4: Taking Care of Our Planet Vocabulary Word Definition

Pollution

1. The United States has an organization that watches out for the environment known as the EPA. What does EPA stand

for?

2. What two chemicals are released into the air as a result of burning coal?

3. What does a scrubber do for the air?

4. Watch the video on slide 12. Air pollution occurs both indoors and outdoors. List examples of each below.

Example of Indoor Air Pollution Examples of Outdoor Air Pollution

Paint spray cans (aerosols)

5. Watch the video on slide 12. The ozone layer protects us from the Sun’s harmful ultra-violet rays. What are two types

of pollution that have depleted (weakened) the ozone layer?

6. Watch the video on slide 12. What is smog and how is it formed?

7. Watch the video on slide 12. What is acid rain and how is it formed?

8. Water pollution can occur in different ways. Two of them are wastewater and surface runoff. Complete the list of the

steps involved in recycling wastewater.

1.

2. Pumping and Aerating

3.

4.

5.

6.

9. Why is it important to treat wastewater?

10. What are some examples of pollutants that surface run off can collect on its way downhill to a water source?

11. What is the difference between point source and non-point source pollution?

12

12. What effect does excessive pollution have on the oceans?

Note: Oxygen in oceans is necessary for life to exist. Hypoxia is a term used to represent having low levels of oxygen and is not a

good condition for water ecosystems!

Soluble Impurities

13. How does planting new trees help prevent sediments from entering water sources?

14. List a few examples of what you can do to help control and limit water pollution:

15. What are the five main causes of land pollution? (Slides 25-27)

Urbanization

Desertification

Watersheds

Urban Sprawl

16. With the population growing and urban sprawl expanding, how do we help maintain a healthy environment?

17. How does planting trees and other plants help limit climate change? (You may use an outside resource to assist you)

18. How is High Line Park a good example of maintaining a healthy environment?

19. What are the negative effects of a leaky landfill?

13

20. What are the three Rs?

21. Research on the internet about these forms of renewable energy:

Type of Renewable Energy

& Image

Description

Solar Panels

Wind Turbines

Geothermal