Natural Hazards, Disasters & Energy Resources MCQs with Answers
Solved Natural Hazards, Disasters & Energy Resources MCQs with answers — earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, cyclones & renewable energy. Free quiz + PDF for PPSC, FPSC, NTS, CSS & PMS.
Natural Hazards, Disasters & Energy Resources — Master Reference for Pakistani Competitive Exams
The chapter Natural Hazards, Disasters & Energy Resources is a high-frequency Everyday Science / Geography topic in Pakistan’s PPSC, FPSC, NTS, CSS, PMS, OTS, CTS, BPSC, KPPSC and SPSC One Paper exams. Almost every Junior Clerk, Tehsildar, Assistant, Sub-Inspector, Lecturer and BPS-14 to BPS-17 paper carries 2–4 MCQs from this chapter — plus it is core content for the CSS Screening MPT (General Science & Ability) paper. This page consolidates solved MCQs with answers covering earthquakes (plate tectonics, Richter scale, seismograph, Ring of Fire, P-waves, epicentre, world’s 10 largest quakes), volcanoes (4 types — shield, lava dome, cinder cone, composite/stratovolcano; Mauna Loa, Vesuvius, magma vs lava), tsunamis (Japanese origin, Pacific Ring of Fire), other disasters (cyclone, hurricane, typhoon, anticyclone, blizzard, avalanche, flood, drought, wildfire, landslide) and energy resources — full renewable (solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, tidal, biomass) vs non-renewable (coal, oil, natural gas) breakdown. For wider context, see Wikipedia: Natural disaster and the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program — the official US authority for global seismic data.
Four Types of Volcanoes
| Type | Also Known As | Key Characteristic |
|---|---|---|
| Shield Volcano | — | Broad, gentle slopes; low-viscosity lava. Example: Mauna Loa (Hawaii). |
| Lava Domes | — | Slow extrusion of highly viscous lava that piles up near the vent. |
| Cinder Cones | Scoria Cones | Most common type — built from tephra and pyroclastic material; steep-sided. |
| Composite Volcanoes | Stratovolcanoes | Alternating layers of lava and pyroclastic material; tall and steep. |
Renewable vs Non-Renewable Energy
| Renewable Energy | Non-Renewable Energy |
|---|---|
| Solar (sun’s energy) | Fossil fuels (coal, petroleum, natural gas) |
| Wind (wind power, turbines) | Oil |
| Hydropower (dams, rivers) | Natural fuels |
| Geothermal (clean Earth heat) | Gas |
| Tidal (ocean tides) | Coal |
| Biomass (decomposing organic matter) | Nuclear (uranium-based) |
Common Natural Disasters — Quick Reference
| Disaster | Definition |
|---|---|
| Cyclone | System of winds rotating counterclockwise (Northern Hemisphere) around a low-pressure centre. Forms over South Pacific & Indian Ocean. Bay of Bengal cyclones are usually called Hurricanes. |
| Anticyclone | Caused by winds blowing spirally outwards from the centre. |
| Hurricane | Tropical storm forming over the North Atlantic Ocean & Northeast Pacific. |
| Typhoon | Tropical storm forming over the Northwest Pacific Ocean. |
| Blizzard | Severe snowstorm — strong sustained winds ≥ 56 km/h, lasting 3+ hours. |
| Avalanche | Masses of snow, ice and rocks falling rapidly down a mountainside. |
| Drought | Period of below-normal precipitation in a region. |
| Wildfire | Unplanned fire in a natural area (forest, grassland, prairie). |
| Landslide | Downward movement of rocks and debris detaching from a slope. |
| Tsunami | Ocean wave triggered by large undersea earthquakes, volcanic eruptions or landslides. ~80% occur in the Pacific Ring of Fire. |
Key Facts to Memorise
- Earthquakes — caused by tectonic plates getting stuck and straining the ground. Smaller ones from volcanic activity, landslides, mine blasts, nuclear tests.
- Seismograph / Seismometer — instrument used to detect and record earthquakes.
- Richter scale — measure of the strength of earthquakes.
- Ring of Fire (Circum-Pacific Belt) — path along the Pacific Ocean with active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes.
- Epicentre — point on Earth’s surface directly above the hypocentre/focus of an earthquake.
- P-wave — compressional seismic body wave that shakes the ground in the same direction as wave motion.
- Magma vs lava — Magma is hot liquid rock under Earth’s surface; once ejected by a volcano it is called lava.
- Caldera — volcanic feature formed by the collapse of a volcano into itself.
- Active volcanoes worldwide — approximately 1,350 (per the US Geologic Survey).
- Iceland — has over 200 volcanoes (many active).
- Vesuvius (Italy) — currently a dormant volcano.
- Mauna Loa (Hawaii) — example of an active shield volcano.
- Cinder cones (scoria cones) — the most common type of volcano.
- Tsunami — Japanese-origin word; ~80% occur in the Pacific Ring of Fire.
- Electricity — a secondary source of energy.
- Water stored in a dam possesses potential energy.
- Chemical energy — stored in a dry cell.
- Element required for solar energy conversion — Silicon.
- All forms of energy we use are ultimately transformed into heat energy.
- Gamma ray — packet of electromagnetic energy (photon) emitted from the nucleus during radioactive decay.
Exam tip: Lock six anchors and you cover ~80% of all MCQs from this chapter — Plate tectonics → earthquakes, Richter scale = magnitude, Ring of Fire = Pacific (~80% of tsunamis), 4 volcano types, Tsunami = Japanese word, and Renewable (solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, tidal, biomass) vs Non-renewable (coal, oil, gas).
Frequently Asked Questions
Earthquakes are caused by tectonic plates getting stuck and putting strain on the ground. They are a series of seismic waves or tremors in Earth’s crust. Smaller quakes can also be caused by volcanic activity, landslides, mine blasts and nuclear experiments.
The Ring of Fire (also called the Circum-Pacific Belt) is a path along the Pacific Ocean characterised by active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes. About 80% of tsunamis happen within the Ring of Fire.
(1) Shield Volcanoes (e.g. Mauna Loa); (2) Lava Domes; (3) Cinder Cones (also called Scoria Cones — the most common type); (4) Composite Volcanoes (also called Stratovolcanoes).
Renewable energy is replenished as fast as it is consumed — solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, tidal, biomass. Non-renewable energy will eventually run out — fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) and nuclear.
A tsunami is an ocean wave triggered by a large undersea earthquake, volcanic eruption, submarine landslide or onshore landslide that dumps debris into water. The word “tsunami” is from Japanese. About 80% occur in the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Magma is hot liquid and semi-liquid rock located under Earth’s surface. When it is ejected by a volcano (or vent) onto the surface, the same material is called lava.
Yes — essential. Natural Hazards & Energy Resources MCQs are tested in every One Paper, NTS NAT, GAT, OTS, CTS, BPSC, KPPSC, SPSC, PPSC and FPSC exam — and are core CSS Screening MPT (General Science & Ability) content. Expect 2–4 MCQs per 100-mark paper.
Yes. Click the Download PDF button to get all Natural Hazards, Disasters & Energy Resources MCQs with correct answers as a branded QuizWing PDF for offline revision.