Year 11 Paper 4: Physical Geography Topics
This paper covers tectonic hazards, weather hazards and climate change together with river, coastal and glacial landscapes.
Year 11 here means a typical teaching order, not a syllabus rule. No exam board defines what belongs to Year 11, and schools sequence the course differently. Check it against your own scheme of work before using it to decide what a class has covered.
Questions
Question 1 [1 marks]
Weather Hazards
Name the calm area of clear skies and light winds found at the centre of a tropical storm.
Question 2 [1 marks]
Climate Change
Name one piece of evidence scientists use to study the Earth's climate from thousands of years before instrumental records began.
Question 3 [2 marks]
Glacial Landscapes and Processes
State two landforms of glacial erosion.
Question 4 [2 marks]
Coastal Landscapes and Processes
State two factors that affect the rate at which a coastline is eroded.
Question 5 [2 marks]
River Landscapes and Processes
State two characteristics of a river's upper course.
Question 6 [2 marks]
Glacial Landscapes and Processes
State two conditions needed for a corrie glacier to begin forming on a hillside.
Question 7 [3 marks]
Tectonic Hazards
State three primary effects of a volcanic eruption.
Question 8 [3 marks]
Glacial Landscapes and Processes
Explain one reason why an arete forms between two corries on neighbouring sides of the same mountain.
Question 9 [2 marks]
Coastal Landscapes and Processes
A cliff at Combe Head has retreated 54 metres over the last 30 years.
Calculate the average annual rate of coastal erosion at this location, in metres per year.
Question 10 [4 marks]
Glacial Landscapes and Processes
A ribbon lake formed in a glacial trough is 4.5km long, and a terminal moraine deposited at the valley mouth stretches for 800m.
Calculate the length that each feature would be drawn as on a map with a scale of 1:25,000, giving both answers in centimetres.
Question 11 [4 marks]
Tectonic Hazards
A pyroclastic flow travels 9km from a volcano's vent in 3 minutes.
Calculate its speed in kilometres per hour, then state whether a person could outrun it if the fastest a person can sprint is approximately 35 km/h.
Question 12 [5 marks]
Coastal Landscapes and Processes
Explain how groynes are intended to reduce coastal erosion on a beach.
Question 13 [5 marks]
River Landscapes and Processes
During a storm, a river's discharge was recorded every hour: 08:00: 8 cumecs, 09:00: 40 cumecs, 10:00: 68 cumecs (peak), 11:00: 58 cumecs, 12:00: 50 cumecs, 13:00: 44 cumecs.
Calculate the rise in discharge from the start of the storm to the peak, then state whether the river's rising limb or its falling limb was steeper, giving a reason based on the data.
Question 14 [5 marks]
Coastal Landscapes and Processes
Before groynes were built, a beach had an average width of 12 metres. Five years after the groynes were installed, the beach on the up-drift side had widened to 34 metres.
Calculate the percentage increase in the beach's width, then suggest one problem this might create for a settlement further along the coast, in the direction sediment was previously moving.
Question 15 [5 marks]
River Landscapes and Processes
Explain how an ox-bow lake forms from a meander.
Question 16 [4 marks]
Climate Change
A country aims to cut its annual carbon emissions from 480 million tonnes to 336 million tonnes by 2030.
Calculate the percentage reduction this target represents.
Question 17 [6 marks]
River Landscapes and Processes
For a UK river you have studied, assess how far human activity in the river's catchment has affected its flood risk.
Question 18 [6 marks]
Coastal Landscapes and Processes
For a stretch of UK coastline you have studied, assess the extent to which rising sea levels are likely to increase the risk it faces in the future.
Question 19 [6 marks]
Tectonic Hazards
In 2010, an earthquake measuring magnitude 7.0 struck Haiti, a lower-income country, killing an estimated 220,000 people. In the same year, an earthquake measuring magnitude 6.3 struck Christchurch, New Zealand, a higher-income country, killing 185 people.
Calculate how many times greater the Haiti death toll was than the Christchurch death toll, giving your answer to the nearest whole number, then explain why Christchurch, despite experiencing a lower-magnitude earthquake, suffered far fewer deaths than Haiti.
Question 20 [6 marks]
Climate Change
Evaluate the argument that individual lifestyle choices, rather than government and international action, are the most effective way to tackle climate change.
Question 21 [6 marks]
Coastal Landscapes and Processes
For a stretch of UK coastline you have studied, evaluate the social, economic and environmental impacts of the coastal management strategy used there.
Model solutions
| Question 1[1 mark] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| the eye (of the storm) | B1 |
| Question 2[1 mark] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| a valid source of evidence, e.g. ice cores (or tree rings/pollen analysis) | B1 |
| Final answer: Any valid source, e.g. ice cores, tree rings, or pollen analysis | |
| Question 3[2 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| one valid landform, e.g. a corrie (cirque), an arete, a pyramidal peak or a U-shaped valley | B1 |
| a second valid landform, different from the first | B1 |
| Final answer: Any two of: corrie, arete, pyramidal peak, U-shaped valley, ribbon lake, truncated spur | |
| Question 4[2 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| one valid factor, e.g. rock type/resistance (geology) | B1 |
| a second valid factor, e.g. fetch, wave energy or height, or the presence of a protective beach | B1 |
| Final answer: Any two of: rock type/resistance, fetch, wave energy or height, presence of a protective beach | |
| Question 5[2 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| one valid characteristic, e.g. a steep gradient | B1 |
| a second valid characteristic, e.g. a narrow, shallow channel, or a V-shaped valley | B1 |
| Final answer: Any two of: steep gradient, narrow/shallow channel, V-shaped valley, large angular boulders on the bed | |
| Question 6[2 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| one valid condition, e.g. a north-facing (shaded) hollow where snow does not melt in summer | B1 |
| a second valid condition, e.g. enough snowfall to accumulate and compress into ice over many years | B1 |
| Final answer: Any two of: a north-facing (shaded) hollow where snow survives summer melting, sufficient snowfall accumulating and compressing into ice over time | |
| Question 7[3 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| identifying a valid primary effect, e.g. lava flows destroying buildings and vegetation | B1 |
| identifying a second valid primary effect, e.g. ash fall damaging crops or causing roofs to collapse | B1 |
| identifying a third valid primary effect, e.g. pyroclastic flows destroying property and killing people, or the release of toxic volcanic gases | B1 |
| Final answer: Any three of: lava flows destroying buildings/vegetation, ash fall damaging crops or causing roofs to collapse, pyroclastic flows destroying property and killing people, release of toxic volcanic gases | |
| Question 8[3 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| identifying that two corries erode backwards into the mountain, one on each side, through plucking and abrasion | B1 |
| developing this, e.g. as both corries deepen, their back walls retreat towards each other over time | B1 |
| a valid concluding link, e.g. eventually only a narrow, steep-sided ridge of rock is left standing between them, called an arete | B1 |
| Final answer: Two corries erode backwards into the mountain from opposite sides through plucking and abrasion; as both deepen and their back walls retreat towards each other, only a narrow, steep-sided ridge is left between them - an arete | |
| Question 9[2 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| dividing total retreat by the number of years, 54 / 30 | M1 |
| 1.8 metres per year | A1 |
| Question 10[4 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| converting the lake's length to centimetres and dividing by the scale, (4.5 x 100,000) / 25,000 | M1 |
| the lake, 18cm | A1 |
| converting the moraine's length to centimetres and dividing by the scale, (800 x 100) / 25,000 | M1 |
| the moraine, 3.2cm | A1 |
| Final answer: The ribbon lake would be drawn as 18cm; the moraine would be drawn as 3.2cm | |
| Question 11[4 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| finding the rate per minute, 9 / 3 = 3km per minute | M1 |
| converting to kilometres per hour, 3 x 60 | M1 |
| 180 km/h | A1 |
| correctly stating no, a person could not outrun it, since 180 km/h is far faster than a top sprint speed of about 35 km/h | B1 |
| Final answer: 180 km/h; no, a person could not outrun it, since 180 km/h is far faster than a top sprint speed of about 35 km/h | |
| Question 12[5 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| identifying that groynes are wooden or rock barriers built out into the sea, perpendicular to the coastline | B1 |
| developing this, e.g. they interrupt longshore drift, trapping sediment being moved along the beach | B1 |
| identifying that this builds up a wider beach on the up-drift side of the groyne | B1 |
| developing this, e.g. a wider beach absorbs more wave energy before it reaches the base of the cliff or sea wall behind it | B1 |
| a valid concluding link, e.g. this reduces the rate of erosion on that section of coastline | B1 |
| Final answer: Groynes interrupt longshore drift, trapping sediment and building a wider beach on the up-drift side; a wider beach absorbs more wave energy before it reaches the cliff or defences behind it, reducing erosion on that section of coastline | |
| Question 13[5 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| finding the rise, 68 - 8 | M1 |
| a rise of 60 cumecs | A1 |
| correctly identifying the rising limb as steeper | B1 |
| a valid reason using the data, e.g. discharge rose 60 cumecs in the 2 hours from 08:00 to 10:00, but fell only 24 cumecs over the following 3 hours to 13:00, a much faster rate of change during the rise | B1 |
| a valid geographical explanation, e.g. surface runoff reaches the channel quickly after rainfall, causing a rapid rise, while water draining more slowly from ground storage causes a more gradual fall | B1 |
| Final answer: 60 cumecs; the rising limb was steeper, since discharge rose 60 cumecs in 2 hours but fell only 24 cumecs over the following 3 hours, a much faster rate of change during the rise, caused by surface runoff reaching the channel quickly after rainfall compared with the slower drainage that causes the fall | |
| Question 14[5 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| finding the increase, 34 - 12 = 22 | M1 |
| setting up the percentage calculation, (22 / 12) x 100 | M1 |
| approximately 183% (accept 183-184%) | A1 |
| a valid problem, e.g. the settlement further along the coast that used to receive this sediment now receives less, leaving its own beach thinner | B1 |
| developing this, e.g. a thinner beach there provides less natural protection from wave energy, increasing that settlement's own erosion or flood risk | B1 |
| Final answer: Approximately 183% increase; the settlement further along the coast now receives less sediment, leaving its beach thinner and providing less natural protection, which can increase its own erosion or flood risk | |
| Question 15[5 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| identifying that erosion on the outer bends of adjacent meanders makes the neck of land between them narrower over time | B1 |
| developing this, e.g. often during a flood, when the river has more energy, it breaks through the narrow neck and takes the shorter, straighter route | B1 |
| identifying that deposition then seals off the entrance to the old meander bend | B1 |
| developing this, e.g. leaving the old bend isolated from the main channel as a curved, standalone lake | B1 |
| correctly naming the resulting landform, an ox-bow lake | B1 |
| Final answer: Erosion narrows the neck of land between adjacent meander bends until the river breaks through, often during a flood, taking a shorter, straighter route; deposition then seals off the old bend, leaving it isolated as a curved ox-bow lake | |
| Question 16[4 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| finding the reduction, 480 - 336 = 144 | M1 |
| setting up the percentage calculation, (144 / 480) x 100 | M1 |
| 30% | A1 |
| a valid comment, e.g. this is a substantial cut that would likely require major changes such as a large-scale shift to renewable energy | B1 |
| Final answer: A 30% reduction; achieving this would likely require major changes such as a large-scale shift to renewable energy | |
| Question 17[6 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| Names and locates the UK river and catchment studied (1 mark) | 1 |
| Describes a human activity affecting the catchment, e.g. urbanisation adding impermeable surfaces, or deforestation of the upper catchment (1 mark) | 1 |
| Explains how this activity increases flood risk, e.g. impermeable surfaces increase surface runoff and reduce infiltration, so water reaches the river faster (1 mark) | 1 |
| Describes a second human activity or a mitigating measure, e.g. river straightening speeding the flow downstream, or afforestation intended to reduce runoff (1 mark) | 1 |
| Explains its effect on flood risk (1 mark) | 1 |
| Reaches a supported overall judgement on how far human activity, rather than natural factors, explains the river's flood risk (1 mark) | 1 |
| Final answer: A named river and catchment with a human activity and its effect on flood risk, a second activity or measure and its effect, and a supported judgement on how far human activity explains the risk | |
| Question 18[6 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| Names and locates the stretch of UK coastline studied (1 mark) | 1 |
| Describes the current level of risk the coastline faces, e.g. from erosion or flooding (1 mark) | 1 |
| Explains how rising sea levels could increase this risk, e.g. higher water levels allow waves to reach further up the beach or cliff, increasing erosion or flood frequency (1 mark) | 1 |
| Describes a management response that could help, e.g. managed retreat or upgraded coastal defences (1 mark) | 1 |
| Evaluates a limitation of this response, e.g. its high cost or that it may only delay rather than prevent the problem (1 mark) | 1 |
| Reaches a supported overall judgement on how serious the future risk is likely to be (1 mark) | 1 |
| Final answer: A named coastline with its current risk, an explained sea-level-rise effect, a management response and its limitation, and a supported judgement on the future risk | |
| Question 19[6 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| dividing the two death tolls, 220,000 / 185 | M1 |
| approximately 1189 times greater (accept 1189-1190) | A1 |
| noting that Christchurch's magnitude (6.3) was lower than Haiti's (7.0), yet its death toll was far smaller | B1 |
| a valid reason for the difference, e.g. New Zealand's strict building codes meant most structures withstood the shaking | B1 |
| a second valid reason, e.g. Haiti's capital had a high population density and the earthquake's focus was shallow and close to the city | B1 |
| a concluding point that level of economic development, not magnitude alone, best explains the difference in death toll | B1 |
| Final answer: Approximately 1189 times greater; despite its lower magnitude, Christchurch suffered far fewer deaths because of stricter building codes, while Haiti's high population density, shallow focus and lower level of development greatly increased its death toll | |
| Question 20[6 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| Describes an individual lifestyle choice that reduces emissions, e.g. flying less or eating less meat (1 mark) | 1 |
| Explains its potential impact, e.g. reduces one person's carbon footprint directly (1 mark) | 1 |
| Identifies a limitation of relying on individual choices, e.g. only a minority of people may choose to change their behaviour without a requirement to do so (1 mark) | 1 |
| Describes a government or international-level action, e.g. a carbon tax or an international agreement setting binding targets (1 mark) | 1 |
| Explains why action at this scale can achieve more, e.g. it changes the behaviour of every business and citizen in a country at once, rather than relying on voluntary choices (1 mark) | 1 |
| Reaches a supported overall judgement on which is the more effective route to tackling climate change (1 mark) | 1 |
| Final answer: A compared answer covering an individual choice and a government or international action, their relative reach and a supported judgement on which is more effective | |
| Question 21[6 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| Names and locates the stretch of UK coastline and management strategy studied (1 mark) | 1 |
| Describes a social impact of the strategy, e.g. it protects homes and gives residents greater security (1 mark) | 1 |
| Describes an economic impact, e.g. it protects businesses or tourism income, though construction and maintenance are costly (1 mark) | 1 |
| Describes an environmental impact, e.g. it may disrupt the natural sediment supply to beaches further along the coast (1 mark) | 1 |
| Evaluates a conflict between these impacts, e.g. protecting one settlement can increase erosion risk for a neighbouring, undefended stretch of coast (1 mark) | 1 |
| Reaches a supported overall judgement on whether the strategy's benefits outweigh its costs (1 mark) | 1 |
| Final answer: A named coastline and strategy with described social, economic and environmental impacts, an evaluated conflict between them and a supported overall judgement | |