Geography Leaving Cert 2025

What are the forces that act inside the Earth?

Endogenic

Are transform faults associated with shearing, tension or compression?

Shearing

Are normal faults associated with shearing, tension or compression

Tension

Are thrust faults associated with shearing, tension or compression?

Compression

Are rift valleys formed by folding or faulting?

Faulting

What process causes glaciers to move?

Accumulation

Moraines and drumlins are formed by which process?

Glacial Deposition

Stalactites, Pillars and Stalagmites are features found in what type of landscape?

Karst landscapes.

What is percolation?

The downward movement of water through rock or soil.

Batholiths, Stocks, Sills, and Dikes are fall features that form when?

When magma cools after an eruption.

Are lagoons, sand spits and sand dunes a process of erosion or deposition?

Deposition

Granite is an example of what rock type, and where is it found in Ireland?

Igneous, Wicklow Mountains

Schist is an example of what rock type, and where is it found in Ireland?

Metamorphic, Connemara

Limestone is an example of what rock type, and where is it found in Ireland?

Sedimentary, The Burren in Clare.

What process is this describing "Circular movements of fluid caused by differences in temperature and density, where warmer, less dense material rises and cooler, denser material sinks."

Convection Currents

What two metals are mostly present in Earth's inner core?

Iron and Nickel

What layer of the Earth is responsible for Earth's magnetic field?

The outer core.

Where is the Nazca plate located and what mountain range does it influence?

West coast of South America, influencing the Andes.

Hawaii and Iceland are types of what islands?

Volcanic Islands

At what boundary does new crust form?

Divergent boundaries

What is the name for the solid layer of rock around the earth which consists of the upper mantle and the crust?

Lithosphere

London is an example of what region type?

Urban

What is net immigration?

Difference between emigrants and immigrants.

What is the type of front that occurs when a cold front catches up with a warm front, lifting the warm air?

An occluded front.

What tool is used to measure air pressure?

Barometer

What is the term used to describe the wind that blows most frequently over an area?

Prevailing winds.

What is taken every five years in Ireland that helps governments allocate funding, create policies and plan public services?

The census

Why do parasitic cones develop?

Magma escapes through cracks in the volcano, instead of the main vent.

What does low viscosity mean?

A liquid that flows easily and smoothy.

How are shield volcanoes formed?

Formed by low-viscosity lava that flows easily and spreads out over large areas. This lava builds up in thin layers over time, creating a wide, gently sloping volcano.

Raised beaches and fjords are caused due to what type of adjustment?

Isostatic adjustment.

What is the name of the process resulting in a renewal of erosive activity in the old stage of a river?

Rejuvenation

What is meant by the term Hinterland

Area of land surrounding and connected to a town, city, or port, which it serves or depends on for goods, services, and resources.

What is a nodal region?

An area organized around a central point or node, where the surrounding places are connected to that center by some kind of link, like transport, communication, or trade.

What is deposition?

The process where materials carried by wind, water, or ice settle and are dropped in a new location.

What are some features caused by fluvial deposition?

Floodplains, levees, deltas.

How does deposition contribute to the formation of a delta?

When a river slows down as it enters a sea or lake, it deposits sediment, building up land over time to form a delta.

What is a coastal landform created by deposition?

Sand spit and sand dunes.

Describe how a spit forms through deposition.

Longshore drift moves sediment along the coast, and when the water slows, sediment is deposited, creating a narrow landform projecting into the sea.

Give an example of a glacial landform formed by deposition.

A moraine or drumlin.

What is mass movement?

The downhill movement of soil, rock, and debris due to gravity.

What are some types of mass movement processes?

Landslides, mudflows and soil creeps.

What factors affect the speed of a landslide?

Slope angle, water content, type of material, and vegetation cover.

How does water influence mass movement?

Water adds weight and reduces friction between particles, making movement more likely

Why does a steeper slope increase the risk of mass movement?

Gravity pulls materials downhill more easily on steeper slopes.

How does vegetation affect mass movement?

Roots help bind soil and absorb water, reducing the chance of movement.

What role does human activity play in mass movement?

Construction, deforestation, and excavation can destabilize slopes and trigger movement.

Describe soil creep and one factor that controls its operation.

Soil creep is the slow, gradual downhill movement of soil; influenced by freeze-thaw cycles.

What is tectonic activity?

Movement of Earth's plates that causes events like earthquakes, mountain building, and volcanic activity.

Name one landscape feature in Ireland formed by tectonic activity.

The Antrim Plateau, formed by volcanic activity during the opening of the North Atlantic.

What are the igneous rocks in Ireland evidence of?

Ancient tectonic and volcanic activity, such as granite in the Wicklow Mountains or basalt in the Giant's Causeway.

How does folding relate to Ireland's tectonic history?

Tectonic compression caused rocks to fold, creating upland areas and mountain ranges.

What type of plate boundary once influenced Ireland's geology?

Convergent boundaries during ancient times led to mountain building and folding of rocks.

How do rock types influence Ireland's landscape?

Different rocks resist erosion differently, shaping the land's height, texture, and features.

What landscape is formed by limestone in Ireland?

The Burren in County Clare

Why is limestone easily eroded?

It's a sedimentary rock that dissolves in slightly acidic rainwater.

Name a distinctive landscape formed by igneous rock.

The Giant's Causeway

What makes basalt landscapes like the Giant's Causeway distinctive?

Column-like shapes from cooling lava and a rugged coastal appearance.

What landscape feature is associated with granite in Ireland?

The Wicklow Mountains, where granite forms rounded hills and exposed rock.

Give an example of a local economic activity that impacts the environment.

Agriculture in Ireland — use of fertilisers and slurry can cause water pollution.

How can farming affect the environment locally?

How can farming affect the environment locally?

What is a global example of economic activity harming the environment?

Deforestation in the Amazon due to farming, logging, and mining.

What are some global impacts of deforestation?

Loss of biodiversity, contribution to climate change, and disruption of ecosystems.

How does industrial activity affect the environment globally?

t releases greenhouse gases, contributing to global warming and air pollution.

How can overfishing be considered an economic activity with environmental impact?

It depletes fish stocks, disrupts marine food chains, and damages ocean ecosystems.

Name one way to reduce the environmental impact of economic activity.

Use of sustainable farming, renewable energy, or environmental regulations.

What is weathering in relation to soil formation?

The breakdown of rocks into smaller particles, which becomes part of the soil.

How does weathering affect soil texture?

It breaks down rocks into sand, silt, and clay, influencing how fine or coarse the soil is.

What type of climate speeds up chemical weathering?

Warm and wet conditions.

How does physical weathering contribute to soil formation?

By breaking rocks into smaller particles through processes like freeze-thaw, helping to form mineral-rich soil.

What is soil erosion?

The removal of topsoil by wind, water, or human activity.

How does soil erosion impact soil fertility?

It removes the nutrient-rich topsoil, reducing the soil's ability to support plant growth.

Name one human activity that increases soil erosion.

Overgrazing, deforestation, or poor farming practices.

How can erosion affect soil structure?

It can compact the soil or leave it loose and vulnerable, depending on erosion type.

What is leaching in soil?

The process where nutrients are washed down through the soil by rainfall.

How does leaching affect soil colour?

It can make upper soil horizons pale or grey due to loss of minerals like iron and humus.

What climate conditions make leaching more likely?

High rainfall and poor drainage.

What is podzolisation?

An extreme form of leaching in cold, wet climates, often under coniferous forests.

What type of soil forms from podzolisation?

Podzols — acidic, low in nutrients, and often grey in colour with a hardpan.

What is a hardpan, and how does it form?

A compact, iron-rich layer formed from leached minerals that blocks drainage.