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AQA Geography Paper One Study Guide

May 4, 2025

AQA Geography Paper One Overview

This guide provides a comprehensive review of key topics you need to study for AQA Geography Paper One. It includes case studies, hazard types, climate patterns, and ecosystem overviews.

Preparation Tips

  • Use the free revision guide available on the website.
  • Checklists and workbooks with practice questions are available online.
  • Focus on relevant sections based on what you've studied.

Natural Hazards

  • Definition: Natural events with social impacts (e.g., damage or loss of life).
  • Types:
    • Tectonic Hazards: Volcanoes, tsunamis, earthquakes.
    • Biological Hazards: Forest fires.
    • Geomorphological Hazards: Flooding, mudslides.
    • Atmospheric Hazards: Hurricanes, tornadoes.

Human and Social Factors

  • People live in hazard-prone areas due to economic, social, and lack of awareness factors.
  • Examples:
    • Economic opportunities, fertile land for farming.
    • Lack of affordable housing in safer areas.

Human Impact on Climate

  • CO2 emissions from human activity cause climate change, contributing to extreme weather events.

Tectonic Plates

  • Structure: Earth's crust, mantle, core.
  • Plate Movement
    • Continental vs. Oceanic crust.
    • Types of plate margins: Destructive, Conservative, Constructive.

Case Studies

  • Chile (2010): 8.8 magnitude, $30 billion damage.
  • Italy (2009): 6.3 magnitude, $11 billion damage.
  • Nepal (2015): 7.9 magnitude, $5 billion damage.

Climate and Weather Patterns

  • Global Atmospheric Circulation: Affects world weather patterns.
  • Tropical Storms
    • Formation conditions: High sea temperature, low pressure.
    • Impact of climate change: Increased frequency and severity.

Ecosystems

  • Food Webs: Energy transfer from producers to consumers.
  • UK Ecosystems: Affected by weather, human activity.

Biomes

  • Tropical Rainforests: High biodiversity, significant deforestation impacts.
  • Deserts: Extreme temperature variations, adaptations of flora and fauna.

Deforestation Impacts

  • Loss of biodiversity, climate regulation, soil erosion.
  • Management strategies include conservation, reforestation.

Cold Environments

  • Polar & Tundra Regions: Adaptations of plants and animals.
  • Challenges include extreme cold, limited resources.

Case Studies

  • Norway's Islands: Economy based on coal, energy, fishing.
  • Alaska: Diverse economy, environmental challenges from resource extraction.

Rivers and Coasts

  • River Processes: Erosion, transportation, deposition.
  • Coastal Erosion: Types of waves, erosion mechanisms.

Flood Risk Management

  • Hard Engineering: Dams, embankments.
  • Soft Engineering: Flood warnings, zoning, afforestation.

Case Studies

  • Jubilee River: Flood management near Windsor.
  • Cherwell near Banbury: Embankments, floodwater storage.

Glacial Landscapes

  • Glacial Erosion & Deposition: Landform creation and features.
  • Living in Glacial Areas: Opportunities and conflicts from tourism, farming.

Case Studies

  • Lake District: Impact of tourism on economy and environment.
  • Isle of Arran: Tourism effects on local community and infrastructure.

This guide provides an overview of important topics and conceptual frameworks necessary for mastering AQA Geography Paper One, emphasizing real-world applications and case studies to solidify understanding.

Full transcript