AQA Geography Paper 1

Tectonic hazard

A natural event caused by movement of the Earth's tectonic plates

Earthquake

A sudden shaking of the ground caused by the release of built up energy in the boundary of tectonic plates

Volcano

An opening in the Earth's crust that allows magma

Plate boundary

The margin where two tectonic plates meet

Destructive plate margin

Where an oceanic plate subducts beneath a continental plate causing volcanoes and earthquakes

Constructive plate margin

Where two plates move apart creating new crust and volcanic activity

Conservative plate margin

Where two plates slide past each other causing earthquakes but no volcanoes

Primary effects

Immediate impacts of a hazard such as buildings collapsing

Secondary effects

Later impacts such as homelessness and disease

Immediate response

Action taken straight after a hazard such as rescue and aid

Long-term response

Rebuilding and improving after a hazard

Example of a tectonic case study

Nepal earthquake 2015

Tropical storm

A rotating storm system with strong winds and heavy rain formed over warm oceans

Eye of the storm

The calm center of a tropical storm

Eye wall

The area surrounding the eye with the strongest winds and heaviest rain

Storm surge

A rise in sea level caused by a storm’s winds

Conditions for tropical storms

Sea temperature above 27°C and low wind shear

Coriolis effect

The force that causes storm rotation due to Earth's spin

Tropical storm management

Prediction

Example of tropical storm case study

Typhoon Haiyan 2013

Climate change

A long-term change in global or regional climate patterns

Greenhouse effect

The trapping of heat by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

Main greenhouse gases

Carbon dioxide

Evidence of climate change

Ice cores

Natural causes of climate change

Solar output

Human causes of climate change

Burning fossil fuels

Effects of climate change

Sea level rise

Mitigation

Reducing causes of climate change such as renewable energy use

Adaptation

Adjusting to climate change effects such as flood defenses

Ecosystem

A community of plants

Producer

An organism that makes its own food through photosynthesis

Consumer

An organism that eats other organisms

Decomposer

An organism that breaks down dead material

Food chain

A sequence showing energy flow between organisms

Food web

A complex network of interconnected food chains

Nutrient cycling

The movement of nutrients through an ecosystem

Small-scale UK ecosystem example

A pond or woodland showing biotic and abiotic links

Tropical rainforest

A hot

Biodiversity

The variety of living species in an ecosystem

Rainforest layers

Emergent

Adaptation

How plants and animals change to survive in an environment

Deforestation

The large-scale cutting down of trees

Causes of deforestation

Logging

Impacts of deforestation

Loss of biodiversity

Sustainable management

Using resources without damaging future supply

Example of rainforest case study

Amazon Rainforest

Hot desert

An area with less than 250mm rainfall per year

Desert climate

Hot days

Desert plant adaptation

Long roots

Desert animal adaptation

Nocturnal lifestyle

Desertification

The spread of desert conditions into non-desert areas

Causes of desertification

Overgrazing

Reducing desertification

Tree planting

Example of desert case study

Thar Desert

Coastal landscape

The landforms and processes along the coast

Erosion

The wearing away of rock by waves

Hydraulic action

Water forcing air into cracks causing rock to break

Abrasion

Rocks thrown by waves grind against cliffs

Attrition

Rocks smash into each other and become smoother

Solution

Chemical reaction dissolving rock minerals

Transportation

The movement of material by waves

Longshore drift

The zigzag movement of sediment along the coast

Deposition

When the sea loses energy and drops sediment

Headland

A point of high land jutting into the sea

Bay

A curved inlet between headlands

Wave-cut platform

A flat rock surface left behind after cliff retreat

Cave

Formed when waves erode weak points in a cliff

Arch

Formed when a cave breaks through a headland

Stack

A pillar of rock left when an arch collapses

Stump

A low rock left after a stack erodes

Beach

Accumulation of sand or pebbles along the coast

Spit

A narrow stretch of sand connected to the land at one end

Bar

A spit that joins two headlands

Coastal management

Methods used to protect the coastline

Hard engineering

Man-made structures to control coastal processes

Soft engineering

Working with natural processes to reduce erosion

Sea wall

Concrete wall that reflects wave energy

Groynes

Barriers built at right angles to trap sediment

Rock armour

Large boulders placed to absorb wave energy

Beach nourishment

Adding sand to widen the beach

Managed retreat

Allowing controlled flooding of low-lying areas

Example of coastal case study

Sheringham

River landscape

Landforms created by river erosion and deposition

Upper course

Steep gradient

Middle course

Gentle gradient

Lower course

Flat land

Erosion processes in rivers

Hydraulic action

Transportation in rivers

Traction

Deposition in rivers

When river loses energy and drops material

Meander

A bend in a river caused by lateral erosion and deposition

Oxbow lake

Formed when a meander is cut off from the main river

Waterfall

A sudden drop along the river course

Floodplain

Flat land next to river that floods

Levee

Natural embankment formed by river floods

River management

Strategies to reduce flooding and erosion

Hard engineering for rivers

Dams

Soft engineering for rivers

Afforestation

Example of river case study

River Tees or Boscastle flood

Fieldwork enquiry

An investigation carried out outside the classroom

Physical geography fieldwork

Coastal study at Sheringham