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Predicting Natural Disasters
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- We can't stop natural disasters from happening, but we can reduce their impact.
- Some disasters like tornadoes can be foretasted to give people warning.
- Other natural disasters like earthquakes are not yet predictable.
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Discussion Questions
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Before VideoWhat are three examples of severe weather and areas they are most likely to occur? ANSWER
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Tornadoes occur most frequently in the Midwest and central United States. Hurricanes form in the oceans over warm water and are more likely to hit coastal areas. Wildfires occur in the western United States where it is dry and hot.
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Humans can not eliminate or prevent natural hazards, but they can take steps to reduce their impacts.
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Natural hazards happen everywhere, but certain types of natural disasters are more likely to occur in specific areas. For example, earthquakes are more likely to occur where tectonic plates meet.
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Engineers improve existing technologies or develop new ones to increase their benefits. Examples are building more stable architecture or developing instruments that help to predict natural disasters long before they happen.
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Scientists can track upward movement of magma to predict when a volcano may erupt. Satellites monitor weather patterns over the oceans to predict where and when hurricanes may form and make landfall.
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They are most likely to occur near plate boundaries.
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After VideoHow can humans reduce the impact of natural disasters? ANSWER
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Humans can reduce the impact of natural disasters by analyzing scientific data to make predictions about future events and also by improving engineering design to make buildings and structures that are more likely to withstand damage in earthquake activity.
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Tornadoes are predicted by meteorologists analyzing atmospheric conditions like wind speed and air pressure. Hurricanes are predicted by satellite imaging that detects rotating air masses over warm, tropical, and subtropical waters.
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Earthquakes occur most commonly along plate boundaries. When plates rub against or compress on one another, rock breaks beneath the surface of Earth, releasing energy and causing the Earth's crust to move and shake.
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A seismologist uses trend data of past earthquakes to make predictions about future events. This helps to estimate the areas that have the highest risk for severe earthquakes that can cause mass destruction.
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Earthquakes happen when tectonic plates rub and compress on one another causing rock to break beneath Earth’s surface. When the rock breaks, it releases energy causing Earth to shake. How much energy is released determines where the earthquake is measured on the Richter scale.
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Both volcanologists and meteorologists use scientific instruments and data to observe patterns in natural hazards, allowing them to predict them with more accuracy. Volcanologists study geologic events while meteorologists study atmospheric events.
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Vocabulary
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Natural disaster
DEFINE
A natural event that can cause great damage.
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Earthquake
DEFINE
A shifting of tectonic plates causing breaking of rock and movement of the Earth’s surface, sometimes causing severe destruction to property.
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Tectonic plates
DEFINE
Fragments of Earth’s crust that interact with one another causing various geologic events like volcanoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis.
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Tsunami
DEFINE
A series of huge waves that rush onshore resulting from an earthquake occurring at the ocean floor.
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Tornado
DEFINE
A rapidly rotating column of air that occurs when cold air masses and hot air masses collide, causing patterns of circulating air to move at high speeds.
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Hurricane
DEFINE
A large, rapidly rotating storm system that begins over warm water, usually in tropical or subtropical areas, causing high winds, heavy rain, and severe thunderstorms.
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Seismologist
DEFINE
A scientist who studies earthquakes.
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Seismograph
DEFINE
A scientific instrument that measures the size of waves produced from earthquakes.
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Volcanologist
DEFINE
A scientist who studies volcanoes and collects data to understand how volcanoes work and uses data to predict when they may erupt.
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Meteorologist
DEFINE
A scientist who measures atmospheric conditions like temperature, wind speed, and air pressure to predict weather events in large geographic areas.
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Natural disaster
DEFINE
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Reading Material
Download as PDF Download PDF View as Separate PageWHAT IS PREDICTING NATURAL DISASTERS?Natural disasters are not preventable but their impacts can be reduced with the help of science and engineering. Some natural disasters can be forecasted based on past scientific data. Scientists look for patterns in data to determine where and when natural disasters are likely to occur, like tornadoes. Other disasters like earthquakes are not yet predictable.
To better understand how to predict natural disasters…
WHAT IS PREDICTING NATURAL DISASTERS?. Natural disasters are not preventable but their impacts can be reduced with the help of science and engineering. Some natural disasters can be forecasted based on past scientific data. Scientists look for patterns in data to determine where and when natural disasters are likely to occur, like tornadoes. Other disasters like earthquakes are not yet predictable. To better understand how to predict natural disasters…LET’S BREAK IT DOWN!
Reducing Impact of Natural Disasters
Natural disasters cannot be prevented, but some can be predicted, allowing humans to engineer and design solutions for minimizing the impact of natural disasters. Scientists and engineers work together to improve existing technologies or develop new ones to increase their benefits hoping to reduce the impact of natural hazards such as earthquakes, tornadoes, wildfires, tsunamis, and hurricanes.
Reducing Impact of Natural Disasters Natural disasters cannot be prevented, but some can be predicted, allowing humans to engineer and design solutions for minimizing the impact of natural disasters. Scientists and engineers work together to improve existing technologies or develop new ones to increase their benefits hoping to reduce the impact of natural hazards such as earthquakes, tornadoes, wildfires, tsunamis, and hurricanes.Some Natural Disasters Can Be Forecasted
Meteorologists use weather data such as air pressure, wind speed, and temperature to make predictions about weather systems. Because of that, severe thunderstorms that have the capability of producing tornadoes can be forecasted, sometimes allowing people to be prepared for a tornadic event by taking shelter and having supplies. Tornadoes are most common in the central United States in an area known as “tornado alley” and are known to cause mass destruction reaching wind speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. Other times, however, weather systems can change rapidly without warning, and it can make it more difficult to predict storm systems with accuracy.
Some Natural Disasters Can Be Forecasted Meteorologists use weather data such as air pressure, wind speed, and temperature to make predictions about weather systems. Because of that, severe thunderstorms that have the capability of producing tornadoes can be forecasted, sometimes allowing people to be prepared for a tornadic event by taking shelter and having supplies. Tornadoes are most common in the central United States in an area known as “tornado alley” and are known to cause mass destruction reaching wind speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. Other times, however, weather systems can change rapidly without warning, and it can make it more difficult to predict storm systems with accuracy.Other Natural Disasters are Less Predictable
Earthquakes are examples of natural hazards that are less predictable than weather events. Earthquakes are a result of tectonic plates rubbing and compressing together, breaking rock beneath the Earth’s surface. When this rock breaks, it generates energy causing other parts of the Earth’s crust to shake and tremble. Earthquakes can also occur on the ocean floor, resulting in massive wave systems to rush in various directions from the earthquake. This is known as a tsunami. Seismologists use data from past earthquakes to make predictions about future events, but scientists have not yet figured out how to determine when and where an earthquake will occur.
Other Natural Disasters are Less Predictable Earthquakes are examples of natural hazards that are less predictable than weather events. Earthquakes are a result of tectonic plates rubbing and compressing together, breaking rock beneath the Earth’s surface. When this rock breaks, it generates energy causing other parts of the Earth’s crust to shake and tremble. Earthquakes can also occur on the ocean floor, resulting in massive wave systems to rush in various directions from the earthquake. This is known as a tsunami. Seismologists use data from past earthquakes to make predictions about future events, but scientists have not yet figured out how to determine when and where an earthquake will occur.Take Cover in Earthquakes
Earthquakes can cause mass destruction to buildings and property. It is important to take proper precautions when an earthquake strikes. If you live in areas that have high earthquake activity, it is important to be prepared with essential supplies like water and food because you could be without power for an extended period of time. Additionally, when an earthquake starts, you should drop right where you are, cover yourself to protect from falling objects, and hold on to something with stability. Engineers and architects work together to design structures in places that have high earthquake activity to be very stable and withstand high magnitude earthquakes.
Take Cover in Earthquakes Earthquakes can cause mass destruction to buildings and property. It is important to take proper precautions when an earthquake strikes. If you live in areas that have high earthquake activity, it is important to be prepared with essential supplies like water and food because you could be without power for an extended period of time. Additionally, when an earthquake starts, you should drop right where you are, cover yourself to protect from falling objects, and hold on to something with stability. Engineers and architects work together to design structures in places that have high earthquake activity to be very stable and withstand high magnitude earthquakes.Scientists Work to Predict Natural Disasters
Seismologists, volcanologists, and meteorologists are all examples of scientists that collect and analyze data over periods of time to make predictions about future geologic or weather events. Scientists look for patterns in data that help them to learn more about how and why these events occur while attempting to predict when, where, and how intense the next event will be. These scientists use different types of instruments to collect data. Seismologists use a seismograph that detects the intensity of energy waves produced from an earthquake.
Scientists Work to Predict Natural Disasters Seismologists, volcanologists, and meteorologists are all examples of scientists that collect and analyze data over periods of time to make predictions about future geologic or weather events. Scientists look for patterns in data that help them to learn more about how and why these events occur while attempting to predict when, where, and how intense the next event will be. These scientists use different types of instruments to collect data. Seismologists use a seismograph that detects the intensity of energy waves produced from an earthquake. -
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