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Module 6: Geohazards

3 dot points across 3 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

What are the hazards of an earthquake, and how can the risk be reduced?

Earthquake hazards: the primary and secondary hazards (ground shaking, surface rupture, liquefaction, landslides and tsunamis); the distinction between hazard, vulnerability, exposure and risk; the factors that determine the impact of an earthquake (magnitude, depth, ground conditions, population density, building design and preparedness); monitoring and mitigation (building codes, land-use planning, early-warning systems and education); the limits of earthquake prediction.
A focused answer to the OCR H414 dot point on earthquake hazards. Covers primary and secondary hazards (shaking, surface rupture, liquefaction, landslides, tsunamis), the distinction between hazard, vulnerability, exposure and risk, the factors controlling impact, monitoring and mitigation, and the limits of earthquake prediction.
13 min answer →

What causes slopes to fail, and how can mass movement hazards be reduced?

Mass movement: the types of slope failure (rockfall, translational and rotational slides, slumps and debris flows); the balance of driving and resisting forces on a slope; the factors that trigger failure (slope angle, rock and soil type, water content, discontinuities, weathering, earthquakes and human activity); the recognition of warning signs; the engineering methods used to stabilise slopes and reduce risk.
A focused answer to the OCR H414 dot point on mass movement. Covers the types of slope failure (rockfall, translational and rotational slides, slumps, debris flows), the balance of driving and resisting forces, the triggers of failure (slope angle, rock type, water, discontinuities, earthquakes, human activity), warning signs, and the engineering methods used to stabilise slopes.
12 min answer →

What are the hazards of a volcanic eruption, and how do we forecast and mitigate them?

Volcanic hazards: the hazards of an eruption (lava flows, pyroclastic flows, ash falls, lahars, volcanic gases and sector collapse) and how they relate to magma type and the Volcanic Explosivity Index; the methods of monitoring a volcano (seismicity, ground deformation, gas emissions and thermal anomalies); the use of hazard maps, exclusion zones and evacuation to mitigate risk; the comparison with earthquakes in terms of predictability.
A focused answer to the OCR H414 dot point on volcanic hazards. Covers the hazards of an eruption (lava, pyroclastic flows, ash, lahars, gases, sector collapse) and their link to magma type and explosivity, the monitoring methods (seismicity, ground deformation, gas, thermal), hazard maps, exclusion zones and evacuation, and how volcanoes compare with earthquakes for predictability.
13 min answer →