Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Geography Common Entrance Revision Notes For June 2011
Geography Common Entrance Revision Notes For June 2011
Geography Common Entrance Revision Notes For June 2011
Plate Tectonics
Plate Tectonic Theory
The Earth is divided into: crust
outer mantle
inner mantle
core
The crust is broken into plates (e.g. Eurasian or South American plates). These plates move due
to the hot liquid mantle moving underneath them (convection currents). Some plates move
towards each other (Destructive boundaries), some plates move away from each other
(Constructive boundaries) and some move past each other (Conservative boundaries). All plate
boundaries cause tectonic activity volcanoes and/or earthquakes.
Plate Boundaries
North America
Europe
Constructive
Destructive
Where plates meet, the oceanic plate
sinks beneath the continental plate
(subduction zone) where it melts. This
causes intense friction and pressure
and lava erupts to the surface. There
will also be earthquakes.
Conservative - where plates move sideways, friction occurs. This causes pressure and the plates
tear apart, creating an earthquake (e.g. San Andreas Fault San Francisco 1989).
Major Volcanoes: Pinatubo
Etna
Kilimanjaro
Hawaii
Montserrat
Iceland
Population Evacuation
Divert lava flow
Monitor volcanic activity
Learn from past events
c) Geothermal energy supply e.g. Iceland d) Plate Boundaries rich in raw materials e.g. copper, diamonds
Plate Tectonics
Youll be asked to draw and fully label (annotate) the plate boundaries. Can you???
(5 marks each)
Responses to an Earthquake
Effects of an Earthquake
Earthquake-proof buildings
Earthquake drills for evacuation
Rescue services/technology
Earthquake prediction/prevention
Quakes to know
San Francisco 1989
Indonesia 2004 (cause of the Tsunami)
Pakistan 2005
TIP!
Make sure you know how volcanoes are formed and why earthquakes occur.
A question might ask you, Why are volcanoes and earthquakes associated with plate
boundaries? Basically, this is asking you to explain how the plate movements at different
boundaries result in volcanoes and earthquakes.
Sample C.E. Questions
1. What are plates? (1)
2. Using examples that you have studied, describe the problems caused by a volcanic eruption
and an earthquake (4 marks each example)
3. Describe a destructive plate boundary in order to explain how volcanoes occur (4)
4. Briefly explain on which plate boundaries earthquakes occur (3)
5. Why do people live in areas that are prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity? (4)
which warms the air above it. This warm air rises rapidly,
cooling and forming large thunderclouds. (e.g. on the
Equator or on a hot summers day in the UK).
3.
CE Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Settlement Function
a)
b)
c)
d)
market town e.g. Reading grew where the Thames and Kennet rivers joined
tourist town e.g. Brighton has an famous beach and pier
industrial centre e.g. Sheffield specialised in steel production
port e.g. London was once the worlds largest port
The functions of a settlement will change over time (e.g. London was a port, yet
now it is a financial centre as well as many other functions).
Geomorphology - Weathering
Chemical weathering
This occurs where water and air produce chemical reactions in rock. Caves form in limestone due
to chemical weathering. Chalk cliffs are easily damaged.
water + carbon dioxide = carbonic acid
Biological weathering
Rock may be broken up by tree roots or by animals burrowing
This is very common in Rainforest areas where the soils are extremely deep.
Remember not all rocks weather at the same rate. Just as in erosion, some rock types are
more resistant than others.
CE Questions
1. Briefly describe what weathering processes are typical in high mountainous areas. (2)
2. For one rock type, explain how it is more influenced by weathering than others. (4)
3. Explain the term biological weathering and where it is likely to happen. (2)
Rivers erode their banks (lateral) and their beds (vertically) by the following processes:
2. Transportation
Traction (tumbling) large stones roll along the river bed
Suspension of small particles in flow
Solution of dissolved particles (e.g. chalk)
Floatation of very small particles on surface of water
The movement of stones and soil from the Upper stages to the Lower stages of a river system is called its load.
3. Deposition
Caused by a change in the rivers ability to transport load (i.e. the speed of flow is not fast
enough to carry stones and soil any more). This occurs:
on the inside of a meander (river beaches formed)
on the flat land of a floodplain (levees and silt deposits form on floodplain)
or as a river grows in size and reaches the sea (deltas form)
Features in the Upper Stages of a River (Erosion Landforms)
a) V-shaped valleys
Erosion, weathering
and transportation
continue until a vshaped valley forms.
b) Waterfalls, where water flows over a cap of hard rock with a layer of soft rock underneath
leaving behind gorges (e.g. Niagara Falls, Canada).
10
Meanders
Floodplains
When a river floods, it deposits its load. The
larger particles end up close by creating a
levee. The smaller particles are left on the
floodplain and create rich farmland.
Ox-bow lakes
Slow flowing water in old
meander causes deposition
to occur. Ox-bow lake is
now cut off permanently.
Flood Management
These include:
As people choose to live and farm 1. Storm warning systems of when the river might flood
2. Dams
on floodplains, it is increasingly
3. Levees (embankments) to contain the water
necessary to manage rivers in
4. Planting trees to absorb water
times of flood, to prevent the sort 5. Enlarging or straightening the river
of damage caused by the floods
6. Planning to restrict where new houses can be built
e.g. Mississippi Floods 1993.
With the aid of a diagram, show how erosion results in the formation of a waterfall (5)
Explain, with the aid of a diagram, how a floodplain or ox-bow lake is formed (5)
Name 2 processes of river erosion (2)
With reference to examples, describe the ways in which humans can control the effects of
river flooding in low-lying areas (4)
5. How does human activity help to cause greater river flooding? (4)
11
Attrition stones and sand in the waves or on the beaches collide and erode each other
Hydraulic Action water sweeps into cracks in a cliff and the pressure erodes the rock
Solution some rocks (e.g. chalk) are dissolved in salt water quite easily
Corrasion stones and sand in the waves erode cliffs and headlands
3. Deposition
The dropping of material (load). Caused by a change in the waves ability to transport load
(i.e. not enough energy to carry pebbles and sand any more). This occurs:
in bays where the water is shallow (beaches formed)
in river estuaries where river flow and waves meet (spits formed)
Factors that affect the speed of erosion
1.
2.
3.
4.
Rock type soft rocks like clay or chalk erode more easily than hard ones like granite
Structure rocks with many joints and cracks are eroded more easily
Shelter from wind sheltered coasts erode more slowly as there are fewer waves
Depth of water deep water has more power to erode as the waves are bigger
cut Platform.
Headlands and Bays the sea erodes
soft rock more easily (bays) leaving the
harder rock behind (headlands)
12
Wind and
wave
direction
Deposition Landforms
Eroded material is transported along the coast by
means of Longshore Drift (swash & backwash). This
material is deposited to forms beaches and spits.
Coastal Management
In some areas, we need to protect the coast from erosion. At
Holderness, for example, 2 metres of the clay coastline are
being lost to the sea each year. This is called cliff collapse.
The photo shows Holbeck Hall Hotel falling into the sea.
TIP! CAN YOU DRAW A FEATURE OF COASTAL EROSION (e.g. ARCHES & STACKS) & A FEATURE OF
C.E. Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
13
Economic Activity
There are four main types of economic activity:
(a) Primary THE TAKING OF NATURAL RESOURCES e.g. farming, mining, FORESTRY, fishing (SOLOMONS)
(b) Secondary THE MAKING OF GOODS e.g. CARS in factories (Manufacturing industries) (HONDA)
(c) Tertiary PROVIDING SERVICES such as retail, businesses (SONY), TOURISM, teachers & doctors.
(d) Quaternary IT programming and software such as SONY, MICROSOFT or APPLE
In LEDCs (e.g. Kenya), most people are employed in primary activities. Farming is very labour
intensive, education is limited and there is little investment in manufacturing.
In Newly Industrialising Countries (e.g. India & China), most people are employed in secondary
activities. This is the stage of development that we in the UK called the Industrial Revolution.
In MEDCs, most people are employed in tertiary or quaternary activities as we all have more
money to spend.
Primary Economic Activity
C
CA
AS
SE
ES
STTU
UD
DY
Y:: S
SU
US
STTA
AIIN
NA
AB
BLLE
E FFO
OR
RE
ES
STTR
RY
Y // S
SU
US
STTA
AIIN
NA
AB
BLLE
ED
DE
EV
VE
ELLO
OP
PM
ME
EN
NTT IIN
N
TTH
HE
ES
SO
OLLO
OM
MO
ON
N IIS
SLLA
AN
ND
DS
S
The Solomon Islands are Less Economically Developed and are a poor country but they have a
valuable resource of wood and if they sell this they can develop
BUT: Unsustainable forestry has damaged the land.
Companies (e.g. from Malaysia) have exploited the forests (taken as much as they can).
Wood is sold to people like us in Asian & European countries!
There is hope Local people have
set up a Sustainable method of
forestry. Instead of gaining only 2%
of the money for the wood they sell
(the rest going to the foreign logging
companies), they now see 50% of
the money for it. They take only the
trees they need, leaving a healthy
forest behind where trees will
continue to grow for the future.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - There will be a future!
Location of Industry
Originally, factors such as being near to raw materials were very important for industries.
Nowadays, access and the cost of land are more important. Many industries now choose to
locate on edge-of-city locations, where:
14
This developed as companies needed more space to expand. Many moved from run-down inner city
areas in London. The M4 links London to South Wales. Towns along it like Bracknell, Reading and
Swindon provide edge-of-city locations especially suitable for manufacturing companies. Many
foreign companies ( eg. Honda ) choose to locate here because of:
Good access to the rest of the UK & to Europe (motorways, railways, ports and airports) to
bring resources in and take products away to sell
Government grants that make it cheap to locate there
Good telecommunications (email/phone networks)
Skilled workforce nearby (high population to choose from)
This has provided much investment and employment to the Thames Valley and South Wales. This
was great for Wales as it suffered when coalmines and steelworks closed and jobs were lost.
Choose a type of primary activity, and explain why it occurs in that location (3)
Explain what is meant by the term sustainable development (3)
Describe what is meant by tertiary activities (2)
State four factors that influenced the location of an industry of your choice (4)
Why do global industries operate in many different countries? (3)
15
Environmental Issues
UK National Parks
The role of a National Parks is to:
(a) preserve the environment
(b) provide services to tourists
(c) protect economic activities
What is?
Conservation: protecting something so
that it is not damaged
e.g. rare wildlife or vegetation in areas of
outstanding natural beauty.
Stewardship:
Sustainable
Development:
using
resources in a responsible way (not
exploiting or over-using) so that there will
be enough for future generations (reduce,
recycle, re-use).
Case Study:
Are your examples sustainable? What solutions are being put in place?
CE Questions
1. Suggest one way in which farming may conflict with the demands of tourists in a National
Park (2)
2. Suggest two problems caused by the presence of large numbers of tourists in this area (2)
3. Explain how National Parks try to cope with so many visitors (3)
4. Describe what is meant by sustainable development (2)
5. For an environmental area under threat, explain how conservation is being managed (6)
16