Geography Exam Questions

Q
(i) Explain how limestone rock is formed.
(ii) Describe two ways rocks may be of economic use to people.

A
(i) Limestone is formed from the remains of fish and other sea
creatures. These build up at the bottom of a shallow ocean. Over
millions of years the weight of the water compacts and compresses
these remains until they form solid rock.

(ii) Ways rocks may be of economic use to people:

. Rocks are used in the building industry. Limestone is used to
make cement.
. Rocks are also used for agricultural purposes. Farmers use
ground-up limestone as a fertiliser for soil.
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Q
Explain, with the aid of a labelled diagram, how any one
underground feature in a Karst Landscape was formed.

A
One underground feature found in a karst landscape is pillars. They
are formed when rainwater passes through the porous rock
limestone causing it to dissolve and be taken with the rainwater
to the cave below. Once it reaches the cave the water may stay on
the ceiling or may fall on the floor of the cave. Once the water
evaporates it will leave a deposit of calcite. Over time this will form
stalactites and stalagmites, which can be seen below in the
diagram. Then after a considerable amount of time the stalagmites
and stalactites may join to form a pillar.

Pillar

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Q
(i) Describe two different ways in which technology has aided the
exploitation of peat.
(ii) Explain two reasons why there is limited commercial peat
production in blanket bogs.

A
(i) Ways in which technology has aided the exploitation of peat:
. In the past turf was cut by hand using a sleán and only a small
amount of turf could be cut each day. Nowadays, machines
called baggers are used to cut large amounts of peat sods
every day.
. Railway lines have been laid in the bogs to transport the peat
to generating stations. In the past the peat was transported by
donkey and cart.

(ii) Reasons why there is limited commercial peat production in

blanket bogs:
. Blanket bogs are shallow and vary in depth from 1-6 m making
them unproductive.
. Blanket bogs are located in upland areas with high levels of
rainfall, which make them inaccesible for commercial
production.
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Q
(i) Name the ocean current labelled X and the ocean current
labelled Y.
(ii) Explain two effects that the ocean current Y has on the climate
of Ireland.

A
(i) Ocean current X: The Labrador Current
Ocean current Y: The North Atlantic Drift

(ii) Effects that ocean current Y has on the climate of Ireland:

. The North Atlantic Drift warms the sea off the west coast of
Ireland by about 8° C.
. The North Atlantic Drift also warms onshore winds. It warms
the south westerly winds and helps to keep our winters mild.
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Q
(i) State what is meant by irrigation.
(ii) Name any one irrigation scheme that you have studied.
(iii) Explain two advantages of this irrigation scheme.

A
(i) Irrigation is the term given to the artificial watering of crops.

(ii) The Central Valley Project, California.

(iii) Advantages of the Central Valley Project:

. The San Joaquin Valley is no longer a semi-arid desert region.
Irrigation water allows for the production of cotton, vegetables,
oranges and lemons in the region.
. There is now a widespread availability of water and
hydroelectric power in the region. This has created millions of
jobs.
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Q
(i) Explain one natural cause and explain one human cause of
desertification.
(ii) Describe two effects of desertification.

A
(i)
Natural cause: Drought
Droughts are long periods without rainfall when crops fail and soils
become dry.

Human cause: Rapid population growth

An increase in population means that land is overcultivated and
overgrazed so its fertility is reduced.

(ii) Effects of desertification:

. Desertification has resulted in the outbreak of famines in
countries such as Sudan and Ethiopia.
. Desertification also results in migration. People are forced to
leave their homes, as the area becomes overpopulated.

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Q
(i) Name one country where polders are found.
(ii) Explain one reason why new settlement were created on
polders.
(iii) Describe two characteristics of settlement on polders.

A
(i) Polders are found in the Netherlands.

(ii) New settlements were created on polders because the

Netherlands is the world’s most densely populated country. By
reclaiming land from the sea it allowed the country to create more
space for its inhabitants.

(iii) Characteristics of settlement on polders:

. Rural settlement patterns are planned in a specific way –
polders devoted to agriculture have large rectangular-shaped
farms and straight roads.
. Urban settlement is also planned in a specific way – the
largest town is situated in the centre of the polder, e.g.
Emmeloord in the North-East Polder. A ring of villages is then
built around this town with a circular road connecting the
villages.
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Q
Explain how any two of the following factors have influenced the
rate of population change in any country that you have studied.
A
Food supplies:
Food supplies have influenced the rate of population change in
Brazil. In recent years food production has increased in Brazil. As a
result of a better food supply, the population of Brazil has more than
trebled in the past fifty years.

Health:
Improvements in health have also led to an increase in Brazil’s
population. There has been an improvement in public health
facilities in recent years. This has meant that fewer people are dying
from diseases such as gastroenteritis, and people have a longer life
expectancy.
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Q
(i) Name one example of individual migration that you have
studied.
(ii) Explain two push factors associated with this example of
individual migration.
(iii) Describe one effect of this individual migration on the area from
which people have migrated.

A
(i) One example of individual migration that I have studied is Ann
O’Reilly who migrated from Roscommon to Dublin.

(ii) Push factors associated with this example of individual

migration:
. Poor educational opportunities – Ann wanted to study nursing
and there were no third level colleges in Roscommon.
. A dull social life – Ann lived in a quiet rural area in Co.
Roscommon and there weren’t many social activities for young
people.

(iii) One effect of this individual migration on the area is rural

depopulation. This leads to a loss of services in local areas.
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Q
(i) Name one city in the developing world with a high population
density, that you have studied.
(ii) Explain two problems resulting from the high population density
in the developing world city named in part (i) above.
A
(i) A city with a high population density in the developing world is
Kolkata in India.
(ii) Problems resulting from the high population density in
Kolkata:
. Overcrowding – about four million people in Kolkata live in
overcrowded bustees and more than half a million people live
on the streets. These people are known as pavement dwellers.
. Pollution – on some streets sewerage flows through open
drains, which sometimes flood after heavy monsoon rains.
There is no proper rubbish collection service in the city;
therefore, piles of rubbish build up on the streets.
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Q
(i) State what is meant by each of the following terms:
• Urban decline.
• Urban sprawl.
(ii) Describe two problems associated with urban sprawl.

A
(i)
Urban decline occurs when inner city areas beside or around the
Central Business District fall into decline.
As the population of the inner city declines old houses fall into
decay.

Urban sprawl is the rapid growth of housing from urban areas

outwards into the countryside.

(ii) Problems associated with urban sprawl:

. Valuable agricultural land has been lost to housing
developments. This can be seen in areas in North County
Dublin such as Rush and Lusk where agricultural land was
rezoned for housing. This will lead to a reduction in food
production in Ireland.
. The sense of community in these towns and villages is lost as
many people with no family connection to the local area
swamp the population.

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