unit 1 revision notes

Unit 1 Revision notes

On the unit 1 paper you will answer questions 1 – 4, 5 and 8.

Do not answer 6 & 7

Key wordsWrite down definitions for the following

words used in exam questions:

• Distribution• Economic impact• Social Impact• Environmental impact• Biome• Enhanced greenhouse effect• Sustainable• Vulnerable• Insufficient• Goods and services

Topic 1: Restless EarthThis will be question 1 on the paper

Key areas:

1.Structure of the Earth

2. Where earthquakes/ volcanoes are found

3. Volcano case studies

4. Earthquake case studies

5. How you can be more prepared for earthquakes?

1. Structure of the Earth

Inner core, outer core, mantle and crust

The core is the thickest layer. It is made from solid iron and nickel.

The mantle is liquid rock and the crust is solid rock.

We live on the crust.

2. Where are the found?

• Volcanoes and earthquakes tend to occur along tectonic plate boundaries. There is a cluster of volcanoes known as the ‘ring of fire’ which is found in the Pacific.

• The type of hazard depends on the type of plate boundary: conservative, constructive, collision or destructive.

• Using the book quickly sketch all 4 and annotate to show the hazard they cause.


• Iceland 2010 (MEDC): Causes a massive ash cloud which led to global economic issues. All planes in the zone were grounded andc train prices rocketed as people tries to get home. Children could attend school, and people were left stranded. Crops were killed by ash deposits and people were forced to wear gas masks. It also increased the temperature of the earth by one degree for over a year.


• Hawaii

• This is an example of hotspot volcanoes. This is where magma is forced up from a fixed spot under the sea, it cools and creates volcanoes. As the plates move, new volcanoes are formed in a chain.

4. Earthquake case studies• Kasmir Earthquake 2005• 8th October 2005• 7.6 on the richter scale• 75,000 died, 75,000 injured.• 2.8 million homeless• $440 damages

The earthquake hit on a school day making impacts worse. Also it was during Ramadan a time when many fasting adults are asleep. Both of these resulted in more deaths.

It was a race against time as winter was drawing in. Relief agencies managed to stop a secondary disaster providing blankets and shelter.

4. Earthquake case studiesLoma Prieta California 1989• 17th October • 6.9 on the Ricter scale• 63 died, 3,757 injured• 12,000 homeless• Property cost $10 billion

The earthquake took place during rush hour meaning offices were mainly empty. It was a very quiet rush hour as there was a major baseball game on. This help lower death toll.

Property costs were so high because California is very advanced. The were able to recover quickly as they had the money to repair damages.

5. How you can prepare for an earthquake

• San Francisco lies on several fault lines including San Andreas and Hayward. There is a 2 in 3 chance an earthquake will hit before 2032. The question is are they ready?

• Yes: Police and fire fighters train regularly; they have evacuation plans in place; websites to inform citizens what to do; they have urged residents to prepare emergency kits.

• No: The famous Golden Bridge has not been reinforced and if this collapsed San Francisco would become isolated; lots of the old buildings would not be able to withstand a quake; there is no incentive to ‘save’ these building as housing is already such an issue, the last thing they want is for housing to become more unaffordable.

5. How can you prepare for an earthquake?

1. Earthquake proof buildings: cross bracing, strengthen corner walls and base isolators should all help building withstand the force of quakes.

2. Have national training days such as those in Japan to train people how to react during disasters.

3. Encourage residents to create an emergency kit including items such as blankets, disinfectants, water etc.

Topic 2: Climate & ChangeThis will be question 2 on the paper

• Key areas

1. Natural causes of climate change

2. The little ice age

3. Geological climate events

4. Human causes of climate change

5. Enhanced greenhouse effect

6. Case studies: Impacts on the future

1. Natural causes of climate change

1. Orbital changes: The Earth’s orbit changes from a circular to an egg shape. This changes how much sunlight we receive. This explains why we have ice ages. The cycles last between 21,000 and 41,000 years.

2. Solar Output: The sun’s output is not constant. These cycles seem to last about 11 years and temperatures are highest where there are lots of sunspots.

3. Volcanic activity: Major volcanic activity can lead to an increase in world temperatures of about 1.2 degrees. This is due to the ash injection. This lasts for about a year.


• The little ice age refers to the 17th – 19th century. Obviously modern technology did not record temperatures but there is lots of evidence to suggest it happened.

• Charles Dickens wrote about very cold, snowy winters and paintings showed that the River Thames was frozen in the winter.

• Scientists have looked at tree rings from houses of the time which suggests slow growth, linked to colder climates.

• In the past we have used artistic as well as scientific data to show changes.


• Impacts:

• Napoleon’s army froze in the 1800’s.

• Valley glaciers grew in size.

• Farmers suffered from poor harvests, resulting in them having to adapt fast.

• Seal populations fell as a result of falling fish stocks.

3. Geological climate events

• Significant changes in climate taking place over millions of years are called geological climate events. These form major chapters in history.

• When these changes occur it has massive impacts of flora (plants) and fauna (animals).

• The most recent change was the extinction of megafauna after the last major ice age. Animals such as the woolly mammoth did not adapt to the warming climate and became extinct.

4. Human causes of climate change

Greenhouse gases• CO2- Industrialisation and new

technologies such as cars have seen massive increases in our output of co2.

• Methane- Ever increasing demand for meat, especially beef has led to more cattle being breed. As the breeds we are responsible for this. Cattle make up 11% of Australia’s carbon footprint.

4. Human causes of Climate change

• Who produces the most?Traditionally MEDCs have been responsible for being the

big polluters.However, in recent years trade has move over to

developing countries where labour is cheaper. This has seen countries such as China ‘take off’. China is now the world’s largest single polluter.

Are they to blame? China is home to 1/7th of our population so surely they are going to be the highest. Also the factories are often owned by richer countries who just use China for their labour. Does this really mean that it is China’s fault? Or is this pollution down to MEDCs?

5. Enhanced Greenhouse effect

• The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomena. The greenhouse gases have always entered the atmosphere when we e.g.breathe out, and these are need to keep the earth warm. They act like a blanket around the earth, letting sun in and trapping some of the heat to keep up warm.

• The problem is the Enhanced greenhouse effect. We are now adding more gases than ever before and the blanket has become too thick. If you had an extra blanket in bed you would become too warm and it is the same here. The thicker layer is letting less of the heat escape through the atmosphere than before and leading to our Earth heating up in a process known as global warming.

5. Enhanced greenhosue effect

• Another way to remember:A greenhouse allows sun light and heat in and

warms up the plants enough to survive.If you double glazed the roof of the greenhouse

the plants would become too warm, because less heat would escape, and plants may die.

This ‘double glazing’ is what we are doing when we pump extra greenhouse gases into our atmosphere.

This is not the same as the ozone layer.

6. Case studies: Future changes

• UK: Positives-Different growing season, would be able to grow more

diverse crops such as grapes.Hotter summers could boost tourism.Negatives-Scotland’s ski resorts could disappear by 2050.Formby sand dunes could sea major erosion from rising

sea levels.Increased temperatures could lead to more air conditioning,

using more electricity and adding to the problem.

6. Case studies: Future changes

• Bangladesh:As the seventh most populous country and one of the poorest in the

world Bangladesh would massively suffer. They are also one of the world’s smallest polluters.

Flooding is already frequent and damaging. Schools are constantly being such, damaging education which doesn’t help break the poverty cycle.

Disease spreads rapidly form infected waters.Homes are often destroyed by storms and floods meaning people have

to keep moving using money and energy they cannot afford.

Britain recently gave £75million to help tackle some of these issues. The raises schools on stilts to help protect them from flooding and farmers have been given money to make crops more salt tolerant to prevent floods killing them.

Topic 3: Battle for the biosphereThis will be question 3 on the paper

• What is the biosphere and biomes?

• Where are biomes located?

• Local factors affecting biomes

• Life support system

• Goods and services

• Destruction of the Amazon

• Conservation

1. What is the biosphere and biomes

• Biosphere: The living –plants and animals- parts of the world.

• Biome: Large plant and animal communities (this means the same as ecosystem) e.g Tropical rainforest, desert, savanna, tundra

2. Where are the biomes located

Tropical Rainforest: Lie in a band either side of the equator.

Deserts: Found close to the tropics.

Deciduous: Found in higher latitudes e.g. UK

Tundra: Found at the Arctic circle

3. Local factors affecting biomes• A world map suggests that entire areas are covered in forest, but

that is not true at a local level. For example the UK isn’t entirely covered in deciduous forest.

Natural reasons: 1.Altitude: Temperatures falls as you move upwards. This means

trees are quickly replaces by grasses and tougher plants.2.Distance inland: Inland areas suffer from less rainfall which changes

plant type.3. Geology: Different plants grow best in different rock types.

Human reasons:1. Deforestation: We often cut down trees to building roads and

houses or to use as resources.2. Framing: We often destroy native plants in order to grow more

desirable crops.

4. Life support system

• The biosphere acts as a life support for the Earth.

1. Plants absorb Co2 and give off oxygen, vital for our survival.

2. Dead leaves and plants add nutrients to the ground allowing new plants and crops to flourish.

3. Trees and other plants slow the flow of rivers, acting as a natural flood defence.

5. Goods and services from biomes: Tropical rainforest

• Goods: Something tangible (we can see)

e.g. medicine, food, wood, minerals

• Services: Something intangible (we cannot see)

e.g. ecotourism, oxygen, flood barrier

6. Destruction of the Amazon

How are we destroying it?

- Deforestation

- New roads

- Building dams

- Farming

- Increased population

7. Conservation

Different agencies try to conserve the different global biomes include:

- CITES: Issue harsh penalties for poachers caught shooting endangered species eg. Rhinos

- Rainforest conservation: International action called ‘debt for nature’ swap. The US reduced the size of Guatemala’s debt in exchange for a strict promise that they would cut down less rainforest.

- National parks: Covering 13% of the world’s surface these protect special areas.

- World heritage sites: Protect over 800 global important sites- Wetland management: The ramsar convention has achieved

real success, protecting wetlands from being over used.

Topic 4: Water WorldThis will be question 4 on the exam

• The hydrological cycle• Water stores• Unreliable water supplies: Case study• Climate change and water supplies• Human interference with water cycle• Changing water stores• Case study: Coca – Cola• Case study: Large scale water management – Colorado

River• Case study: Small scale water management –

handpumps in Tanzania

1. The hydrological cycle

• You need to be able to explain the cycle and define key words such as precipitation (moisture that falls in the form of rain, hail or snow)

2. Water stores

• Water sometimes stops flowing through the cycle for periods of time.

• 99% of the Earth’s water is stored in Ice caps or oceans.

• Some water is also stored in vegetation until evaporation takes it away.

• Soil and rocks are also water stores

3. Unreliable water supplies

• 3 major reasons:Seasons: some climates have wet and dry

seasons.Longer natural cycles: natural weather

cycles means some years are drier than others

Climate change: Currently global temperatures are rising and this is affecting water supplies.

3. Unreliable water supplies

• Case study: Australia

Naturally arid, recently water supplies have become even more unreliable. Since the 90’s rainfall has fallen by 25%.

Reasons include: El Nino, a complex weather pattern that results in less rain has been affecting Australia; overuse of water by farms; global warming.

Impacts: Failing crops has seen food prices rise dramatically; hundred of winemakers forced out of business by failing crops; Government forced to pay farmers to retrain or relocate; local ecosystems suffering, with animals such as kangaroos losing homes.

4. Climate change and water supplies

• Longer summers in places such as UK leading to drought and hose pipe bans.

• Higher rates of evaporation leading to more severe flash floods such as Boscastle 2007.

• In the US, many states are already dependant on the Colorado River and this is set to become worse. More money will have to be so spent to provide states with adequate water.

• In Asia, melting glaciers is realising lots of water from it stores which could lead to problematic flooding. Also if this water isn’t replaces it could see the Himalayan glaciers disappear.

5. Human interferance

• 3 major ways:1 – Human excrement: Bacteria spreads when human

waste is added to water and can cause issues with cholera particularly in LEDCs.

2 – Toxic chemicals: Pumped into rivers by factories, they kill local wildlife. River Mersey is an example of highly polluted river that have cost millions to clean.

3 – Plastic bags: In China and Bangladesh very thin bags are banned. They block waterways and sewers causing problems. Also if dumped in warm water they are the perfect breeding ground for malaria carrying mosquitoes

6. Changing stores

• Water is essential for human society, however we need to manage is sustainably. In many places over abstraction (over pumping) takes places. We take too much water from under ground which can result in some water stores being destroyed.

7. Case study: Coca - cola

• Coca – cola wanted to boot sales in Kerala. They needed clean water but this was hard to find.

• They dug into an underground water store, and very soon afterwards water shortages were reported. Quickly the village had dried up.

• It is likely that the drought would have occurred anyway but Coke’s arrival didn’t help. They had to help the locals survive the drought.

8. Large Scale water management: The Colorado River

Provides reliable water for seven US states and Mexico. Before water was very unreliable and drought and floods were both problematic.

Positives: year round water; less flood risks.

Negatives: shrinking sandbanks means animals have lost homes; less energy left to move sediment has resulted in colder water which has harmed fish.

9. Small scale water management: Hand pumps in Tanzania

• Located in East Africa, life expectancy is just 46.• 70% of rural dwellers and 30% of urban have no access to

clean water.• Diarrhoea accounts for 20% of infant deaths, a common

problem in places were water is contaminated by sewage.• WaterAid bring intermediate (appropriate) technology to

communities need sewage free water.• They work with local people to find out there needs. They

create simple solutions, that do need costly maintenance.• The hand pumps do break but can be easily repaid by local

people.

Visit: www.wateraid.ord for more details.

http://www.wateraid.ord/

Topic 5: Coastal Change and conflict

This will be question 5 on the paper• You will need to know: 1.Contrasting cliffs in hard/soft rock areas.2. How waves erode the coast3. Landforms created by wave action4. Concordant and discordant coasts5. Different types of waves6. Retreating cliffs7.Longshore drift8.Case study: Hornsea – Coastal retreat9.Case study: Swanage – Coastal management10. Hard and soft engineering

1. Contrasting cliffs

2. How do waves erode the coast?

3. Landforms created by wave action

4. Concordant and discordant coasts

• Discordant: Soft and hard rock runs at right angles to the coast. Soft rock such as clay erode faster creating bays. The Hard rock sticks out creating headlands.

• Concordant: Bands of soft and hard rock run parallel to the coast. Erosion is slower and narrower causing narrow paths followed by wider opening. This creates coves.

5. Different type of waves

• Swash: When waves break and rush to the beach they lose energy.

• Backwash: When the water has lost its energy gravity forces it back into the sea.

• Destructive waves: Big waves carrying lots of energy with a strong backwash. Cause high erosion.

• Constructive waves: Usually occur in calm conditions, these have little energy and weak backwash. Cause less erosion.

6. Retreating cliffs

7. Longshore drift

This process can lead to the formation of spits, bars and lagoons. When there is a bend in the beach longshore

drift carries sediment beyond the end leading to an extension of the beach, known as a spit. If this continues the spit can eventually join another piece of land and is known as a bar. The area behind a bar is known as a

lagoon.

7. Case study: Cliff retreat Hornsea

• 3 reasons for different rates of retreat:

Fetch: Distances of sea over which wind blows. Long fetch=strong waves.

Geology: Softer coasts erode faster e.g. clay

Coastal management strategies:

Area which are not being managed, or which are poorly managed erode fastest.

7. Case study: Coastal retreat Hornsea

• Hornsea is the fastest eroding cliff in Europe. Reasons include

Fetch: Area has a long fetch with strong winds from over the North sea

Geology: The coastline is made of very weak clay

Coastal management: The area has a small population so the council have taken a ‘do nothing’ approach believe money can be best spent elsewhere.

8. Case study: Coastal management Swanage Bay, Dorset• Erosion rates of 40 – 50cm a year.

• Management techniques:1. Regrading of the cliff – this extends the base

forward, making it less steep.2. Installing drainage: this removes excess water,

so slope is not as heavy and prone to slumping after rainfall.

3. Placing rip rap – large boulders of granitite places at the base of the cliff to resist attack.

9. Management options

Topic 8: Extreme ClimatesThis will be question 8 on the paper

• YOU WILL ALWAYS BE GIVEN THE CHOICE TO EITHER ANSWER QUESTIONS ON ARID CLIMATES OR POLAR.

Glacial/Arid

• Location and key terms

• Flora and fauna

• Adaptations

• Unique Culture

• Threats to extreme climates

• Sustainable management

1. Location and key terms

• Hot arid:

Deserts – places with less than 250mm rain per year e.g. Sahara.

Drylands – places with between 250 and 500mm rain per year e.g. Sahel

• Polar:

Glacial – ice covered places e.g. Greenland

Tundra – places with frozen soil e.g. Alaska

2. Flora (plants) and fauna (animals)

Arid:-Grasses and plants (e.g. cactus) with extensive roots to

find water deep into ground. Roots also grow sideways.-Cactus have spikes to prevent them being eaten and thick

skins to prevent evaporation.-Insects collects moisture form the air. By standing still they

collect condensation that run to their mouths.-Camels store fat in their humps so the can go days without

food, the have wide, leathery feet to protect the from the heat and stop them sinking. They have long tails to act as a fly squat.

2. Flora and fauna

• Polar:- Water loving moss thrives in the summer as they

grow close to the ground, protecting them from the wind and get plenty of water when the sun melts the ice.

- Animals such as snowshoe rabbits and snowy owls are white to act as camouflage.

- The caribou has to layers of fur to survive the cold. It also sheds it antlers in the autumn, to blend in with the red vegetation.

3. Adaptations

Arid:Building: White to reflect sun; small windows to reduce light;

MEDCs have air conditioning; flat roofs collect water.Transport: Traditionally camels, still used in poorer areas.

Richer countires drive large 4x4.Farming methods: Tribes operate nomadic farming. They

move farms regularly giving the area chance to recover. Rely on rivers for irrigation.

Clothing: white, loose clothing protect from sun. Turbans offer head protection from sunburn.

Energy use: Traditional low as heat mean the wood was dry and sufficient for evening fires. However, modern richer society rely on a.c. which uses lots of energy.

3. Adaptations

PolarBuildings: Peaked roofs so snow runs off quickly; built on

stilts to prevent frozen grounds; triple glazing to heat homes.

Transport: Built on thick gravel pads to prevent car heat defrosting frozen grounds.

Farming: Alaskans rely on fishing and hunting for food traditionally as the growing season is very short.

Clothing: Traditionally made from caribou skin, the double layer of fur protecting them from the cold.

Energy use: This is very high as sunlight is weak. In some areas underground heat from volcanoes provides a sustainable source of energy.

4. Unique Culture

• Arid:

Egypt: Pyramids lie in the desert showing that the harsh climate never stopped them developing.

Aboriginal tribes: ceremonial songs and painting stretch back of 40,000 years.

Nazca lines: In Peru, giant shapes have been ‘drawn’ into the land. Constructed over 1,500 years ago they can only properly been seen from above.

4. Unique Culture

• Polar

Yup’ik masks: Alsaka are well known for their carved masks.

Inupiat art: The Tlingit village on Alaska attracts tourists to see this impressive art.

Iceland’s rotten shark: Natural poisonous, Icelanders traditionally bury it for months before eating. It is still eaten today as a traditional dish.

5. Human threats to extreme climates

• Both extremes face three major threats as they are so fragile small changes have big impacts:

• Pollution

• Land degradation

• Cultural dilution

6. Sustainable management

• In topic 4 you cover intermediate technologies used to help arid climates so this section focuses on polar regions.

• Local:In Iceland and Alaska there are many active

volcanoes. This means that the groundwater beneath them is heated and can often create warm springs. In some areas groundwater is so hot it produces steam. This steam is used to drive turbines and create very sustainable energy.

• Global:

The best known effort to protect polar regions is the Antarctic Treaty 1961. Signed by all countries it is one of the world’s most successful agreements.

Under this agreement no new activity can take place in Antarctic without all potential impacts being assessed and improved. It limits the number of tourist and scientists allowed to visit the area.

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