In every part of the world, there are natural disasters that can cause damage to property, land, wildlife, and even humans. A natural disaster is a major event that is caused by natural processes around the world. The following activities will introduce students to the different types of disaster and help them be prepared for common natural disasters in their area.
The Richter Scale is a logarithmic scale used to express the magnitude of an earthquake. It ranges from 1 to 10, where 1 can barely be felt, and 10 is near total destruction.
The Beaufort Scale relates wind speed with observable effects of wind. It was developed in 1805 by Francis Beaufort.
The epicenter is the point on the surface of the Earth that is directly above the focus of an earthquake.
PYROCLASTIC FLOW
Natural Disasters Vocabulary
FAULT LINE
The pyroclastic flow is the fast moving mass of hot gas, lava, and rock fragments when a volcano erupts.
A fault line is the boundary between two tectonic plates.