AQA GEOGRAPHY PAPER EXAM 2025
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What is a natural hazard? - ANS An extreme natural process that can cause significant
damage and disruption to humans
What are the two main types of natural hazard? - ANS Tectonic and climatic
Give four examples of tectonic hazards - ANS Earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, avalanches
Give four examples of climatic hazards - ANS Flooding, tropical storms, tornadoes, droughts
What is meant by "hazard risk"? - ANS The chance of a natural hazard affecting people
Give three factors that could affect hazard risk - ANS The type of natural hazard, the level of
development, the likelihood of a natural hazard occurring in that area
What is the theory of plate tectonics? - ANS That Earth's crust is split into tectonic plates
which can move
Explain why tectonic plates are moving - ANS Complex interactions between the dense crust
and the less dense mantle
What are the two types of crust? - ANS Oceanic and continental
Where is oceanic crust found? - ANS Under the oceans
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,Where is continental crust found? - ANS Under land
What name is given to areas where different plates meet? - ANS Plate margins/boundaries
Which natural hazards are found at a plate boundary? - ANS An earthquake or volcano
What are the three types of plate margin? - ANS Constructive, destructive, conservative
At a destructive margin, which direction are the plates moving? - ANS Towards each other
At a conservative margin, which direction are the plates moving? - ANS Sideways past each
other or in the same direction at different speeds
At what type or types of plate margin are volcanoes more likely? - ANS Destructive and
constructive
At what type or types of plate margin are earthquakes more likely? - ANS All types
What is the difference between a primary effect and a secondary effect of a natural hazard? -
ANS Primary effects happen immediately as a result of the hazard, secondary effects can be
delayed
Give two examples of secondary effects of earthquakes - ANS Tsunamis, food shortages,
economic weakening
What are the two main types of response to a natural hazard? - ANS Immediate and long-
term
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,What were the main primary effects of New Zealand's 2016 earthquake? - ANS 2 people
died. 50 people injured. Thousands of buildings damaged and destroyed. Critical transport
infrastructure damaged and destroyed. Water, sewage, power and communications cut off.
$8.5bn in damage.
What were the main secondary effects of New Zealand's 2016 earthquake? - ANS Landslides
blocked roads and rail. River blockages caused flooding. Tsunami generated which caused
flooding and further damage.
What were the main immediate responses to New Zealand's 2016 earthquake? -
ANS Tsunami warning. Evacuation to higher ground and shelters. Temporary water supplies
provided. International aid and supplies delivered.
What were the main long-term responses to New Zealand's 2016 earthquake? - ANS New
water pipes built to withstand future damage. Charities set up with international donations to
help those worst affected. Central funds provided for rebuilding. Repair of roads and rails.
What were the main primary effects of Nepal's 2015 earthquake? - ANS 9000 people died.
22000+ injured. Millions of people left homeless. Hundreds of thousands of buildings damaged
and destroyed. Millions of people left without clean water and sanitation. Critical transport
infrastructure damaged and destroyed. $5bn in damage.
What were the main secondary effects of Nepal's 2015 earthquake? - ANS Landslides
blocked roads. Outbreaks of typhus. Avalanches.
What were the main immediate responses to Nepal's 2015 earthquake? - ANS International
charities provided medicine, food, water and shelters. Rescue workers sent by India and China.
What were the main long-term responses to Nepal's 2015 earthquake? - ANS International
funding to build earthquake-resistant housing and infrastructure. Repair of water supply.
Reopening roads. Preparation of alternative energy sources in case of future events. Reopening
of heritage sites to encourage tourism.
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, Why do some people choose to live in an area of tectonic hazard? - ANS Volcanic soil can be
very fertile. Volcanoes can be tourist attractions. Don't want to leave jobs or families. Risk
management strategies can lower the hazard risk.
Why do some people not have a choice about living in an area of tectonic hazard? - ANS They
cannot afford to live anywhere else
What are the four types of management strategy for natural hazards? - ANS Monitoring,
prediction, protection, planning
What is a monitoring strategy? - ANS A way for scientists to keep track of tectonic activity
How can earthquakes be monitored? - ANS Using seismometers
How can volcanoes be monitored? - ANS By monitoring gas emissions and small seismic
changes
Can earthquakes be predicted? - ANS Their timing cannot but their rough location can
How can volcanoes be predicted? - ANS Close monitoring of volcanic sites can give good
predictions
How can we protect people and buildings from earthquakes? - ANS Strengthening building
materials. Allowing buildings to sway slightly with tremors.
How can we protect people and buildings from volcanoes? - ANS Strengthening building
materials
How can we plan and prepare for earthquakes? - ANS Preparing evacuation routes and
areas. Stockpiling goods and supplies. Emergency services practising different scenarios.
4 Copyright ©BRIGHSTARS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2025
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What is a natural hazard? - ANS An extreme natural process that can cause significant
damage and disruption to humans
What are the two main types of natural hazard? - ANS Tectonic and climatic
Give four examples of tectonic hazards - ANS Earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, avalanches
Give four examples of climatic hazards - ANS Flooding, tropical storms, tornadoes, droughts
What is meant by "hazard risk"? - ANS The chance of a natural hazard affecting people
Give three factors that could affect hazard risk - ANS The type of natural hazard, the level of
development, the likelihood of a natural hazard occurring in that area
What is the theory of plate tectonics? - ANS That Earth's crust is split into tectonic plates
which can move
Explain why tectonic plates are moving - ANS Complex interactions between the dense crust
and the less dense mantle
What are the two types of crust? - ANS Oceanic and continental
Where is oceanic crust found? - ANS Under the oceans
1 Copyright ©BRIGHSTARS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2025
,Where is continental crust found? - ANS Under land
What name is given to areas where different plates meet? - ANS Plate margins/boundaries
Which natural hazards are found at a plate boundary? - ANS An earthquake or volcano
What are the three types of plate margin? - ANS Constructive, destructive, conservative
At a destructive margin, which direction are the plates moving? - ANS Towards each other
At a conservative margin, which direction are the plates moving? - ANS Sideways past each
other or in the same direction at different speeds
At what type or types of plate margin are volcanoes more likely? - ANS Destructive and
constructive
At what type or types of plate margin are earthquakes more likely? - ANS All types
What is the difference between a primary effect and a secondary effect of a natural hazard? -
ANS Primary effects happen immediately as a result of the hazard, secondary effects can be
delayed
Give two examples of secondary effects of earthquakes - ANS Tsunamis, food shortages,
economic weakening
What are the two main types of response to a natural hazard? - ANS Immediate and long-
term
2 Copyright ©BRIGHSTARS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2025
,What were the main primary effects of New Zealand's 2016 earthquake? - ANS 2 people
died. 50 people injured. Thousands of buildings damaged and destroyed. Critical transport
infrastructure damaged and destroyed. Water, sewage, power and communications cut off.
$8.5bn in damage.
What were the main secondary effects of New Zealand's 2016 earthquake? - ANS Landslides
blocked roads and rail. River blockages caused flooding. Tsunami generated which caused
flooding and further damage.
What were the main immediate responses to New Zealand's 2016 earthquake? -
ANS Tsunami warning. Evacuation to higher ground and shelters. Temporary water supplies
provided. International aid and supplies delivered.
What were the main long-term responses to New Zealand's 2016 earthquake? - ANS New
water pipes built to withstand future damage. Charities set up with international donations to
help those worst affected. Central funds provided for rebuilding. Repair of roads and rails.
What were the main primary effects of Nepal's 2015 earthquake? - ANS 9000 people died.
22000+ injured. Millions of people left homeless. Hundreds of thousands of buildings damaged
and destroyed. Millions of people left without clean water and sanitation. Critical transport
infrastructure damaged and destroyed. $5bn in damage.
What were the main secondary effects of Nepal's 2015 earthquake? - ANS Landslides
blocked roads. Outbreaks of typhus. Avalanches.
What were the main immediate responses to Nepal's 2015 earthquake? - ANS International
charities provided medicine, food, water and shelters. Rescue workers sent by India and China.
What were the main long-term responses to Nepal's 2015 earthquake? - ANS International
funding to build earthquake-resistant housing and infrastructure. Repair of water supply.
Reopening roads. Preparation of alternative energy sources in case of future events. Reopening
of heritage sites to encourage tourism.
3 Copyright ©BRIGHSTARS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2025
, Why do some people choose to live in an area of tectonic hazard? - ANS Volcanic soil can be
very fertile. Volcanoes can be tourist attractions. Don't want to leave jobs or families. Risk
management strategies can lower the hazard risk.
Why do some people not have a choice about living in an area of tectonic hazard? - ANS They
cannot afford to live anywhere else
What are the four types of management strategy for natural hazards? - ANS Monitoring,
prediction, protection, planning
What is a monitoring strategy? - ANS A way for scientists to keep track of tectonic activity
How can earthquakes be monitored? - ANS Using seismometers
How can volcanoes be monitored? - ANS By monitoring gas emissions and small seismic
changes
Can earthquakes be predicted? - ANS Their timing cannot but their rough location can
How can volcanoes be predicted? - ANS Close monitoring of volcanic sites can give good
predictions
How can we protect people and buildings from earthquakes? - ANS Strengthening building
materials. Allowing buildings to sway slightly with tremors.
How can we protect people and buildings from volcanoes? - ANS Strengthening building
materials
How can we plan and prepare for earthquakes? - ANS Preparing evacuation routes and
areas. Stockpiling goods and supplies. Emergency services practising different scenarios.
4 Copyright ©BRIGHSTARS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2025
