Welcome to this deck on natural hazards, a key topic for Paper 1 of your AQA GCSE Geography exam. We'll explore what a natural hazard is, why some places are more at risk than others, and the different types of hazards that can affect our planet and its people. Understanding these core concepts is essential for building strong exam answers.

To start, let's be clear about the difference between a natural event and a natural hazard. A natural event is simply a process that occurs in the physical environment, like an earthquake shaking the ground or a tropical storm forming over the ocean. By itself, an earthquake in an unpopulated desert is just a natural event.

So, when does a natural event become a natural hazard? The crucial factor is people. A natural hazard is a natural event that has the potential to threaten human life and property. That earthquake in the desert becomes a hazard when it happens under a city, threatening buildings, infrastructure, and people's lives. The key takeaway for your exam is that a hazard is the interaction between a natural process and human activity.

Now let's look at hazard risk. This is the probability or chance that a natural hazard may actually take place and affect people. For example, people living on the coast of the Caribbean have a high risk from hurricanes. But the level of risk isn't just about where you live. It's also affected by how prepared a community is, and how easily they can be harmed.