Impact of Catastrophic Events on the Earth Vocabulary of Instruction: 7th Grade Unit 8: Natural Events that Change the Environment Lesson 1: Impact of Catastrophic Events on the Earth Vocabulary of Instruction:

1. Catastrophic Event Are sudden, natural or man-made situations where change and destruction may occur without prior knowledge or preparation.  Ex: Supervolcano

2. Drought Long periods of usually low precipitation (rainfall).

San Andreas Fault, California 3. Earthquake The shaking and trembling that result from the sudden movement of the earth’s crust (Rock beneath Earth’s surface). San Andreas Fault, California

4. Equilibrium A state at which opposing forces in a system are equally balanced or stable.

5. Flood Is when a body of water suddenly increases in volume, sending water over its banks into nearby land that is normally dry.

6. Hurricane A powerful tropical storm with heavy rains and winds with speeds of 119 kilometers per hour (74 miles) or higher. The winds rotate around an area of calm known as the eye.

7. Natural Disaster Any sudden event that results from Earth processes and that can cause damage or endanger human life.

8. Tornado A rapidly whirling, funnel-shaped cloud that sometimes develops during a violent thunderstorm and reaches down from a storm cloud to touch the Earth’s surface.

9. Tsunami Is a very large sea wave, or series of waves, produced by underwater earth quake or volcanic eruption.

10. Volcano An opening in the earth's crust through which molten lava, ash, and hot gases are ejected during the eruption.

11. Wildfires A raging, rapidly spreading fire.