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GCSE GEOGRAPHY - topic 1: global hazards

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What is the global circulation system?

At the equator the sun warms the Earth, which transfers heat to the air above, causing it to rise. This creates a low pressure belt with rising air, clouds and rain. As the air rises it cools and moves out to 30 degrees north and south of the equator. Here the cool air sinks, causing a high pressure belt with cloudless skies and very low rainfall. The cool air reaches the ground and moves as surface winds. These are called trade winds. At 60 degrees north and south of the equator, the warmer surface winds meet cool air from the poles. The warmer air rises, creating low pressure, clouds and rain. At the poles, cool air sinks causing high pressure and low precipitation rates. The air is then drawn back too the equator as surface winds.

What were the impacts of the Australian drought (social, economic, environmental)

Crop yields fell e.g. rice production fell to 2% of pre-drought totals. Liverstock died – the number of sheep fell by 8 million during 2002-2003. More than 100,000 people employed in farming lost their jobs. Vegetation loss led to increased wildfires. More than 30,000 km2 of land destroyed. 8 people were killed in these wildfires.

What are hotspots, how do they form and what hazards take place there?

Hotspots are places of intense heat on the earth’s plates that are found away from plate boundaries. They occur where a plume of intense heat from the mantle moves towards the surface. When it breaks through, there is an eruption and a volcano forms. As the crust moves over the hotspot, island chains can form such as Hawaii.

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Institution OCR
Study GCSE
Module Geography

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