GCSE GEOGRAPHY A (9–1): THE PHYSICAL
ENVIRONMENT COMPREHENSIVE STUDY
GUIDE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ General description of the Holderness Coast.
Answer: It's made mainly of soft boulder clay. Cliffs are eroding quickly so
leads to formation of depositional landforms like spits.
◍ Igneous rocks - formation, properties and examples.
Answer: Formed when molten rock (magma) cools down and hardens. They
are resistant and form crystals. E.g) Granite and Basalt
◍ Sedimentary rocks - formation, properties and examples.
Answer: Formed when layers of sediment are compacted together until they
become solid rock. They are quite easily eroded and are soft. They have
layers and fossils. E.g) Sandstone and Chalk
◍ Metamorphic rocks - formation, properties and examples.
Answer: Formed when other rocks are changed by heat and pressure. They
are hard and very compact. E.g) Slate and Schist
◍ How have humans changed the landscape through agriculture?.
Answer: Deforestation for more farmland and putting in hedgerows/walls to
mark out fields
◍ How have humans changed the landscape through forestry?.
Answer: The UK used to be deciduous woodland, but now there's very little
left. Coniferous (evergreen) trees have been planted for timber. When areas
are felled, landscapes are left bare.
◍ How have humans changed the landscape through settlement?.
, Answer: Settlements are typically in lowland areas, near rivers and coasts
for water supply.Land is concreted over for roads, affecting drainage. Rivers
are diverted, straightened or had embankments built to prevent flooding.
◍ Mechanical Weathering (3).
Answer: 1) Seawater gets into a crack in a rock2) When the water
evaporates, salt crystals form and they expand which puts pressure on the
rock3) Repeated evaporation of saltwater and salt forming causes the crack
to widen and break the rock.
◍ spatial approach.
Answer: The way of identifying, explaining, and predicting the human and
physical patterns and the connections of various locations.
◍ physical geography.
Answer: the branch of geography dealing with natural features and
processes
◍ human geography.
Answer: The study of where and why human activities are located where
they are
◍ absolute location.
Answer: Exact location of a place on the earth described by global
coordinates
◍ Chemical Weathering (2).
Answer: 1) Rainwater has CO2 dissolved in it, making it a weak carbonic
acid2) Carbonic acid reacts with rock that contains calcium carbonate so
rocks are dissolved by rainwater.
◍ Biological Weathering (1).
Answer: 1) Plant roots break down rocks by growing into cracks and
pushing them apart.
◍ What is mass movement and the 2 types?.
Answer: The shifting of rocks and loose material down a slope caused by the
, pull of gravity.Sliding - shifts in a straight lineSlumping - material shifts
with a rotation
◍ What are the 4 types of erosion?.
Answer: Hydraulic action - sheer power of the wavesAbrasion - particles in
water scrape against rockAttrition - eroded particles in water smash into
each otherSolution - dissolved CO2 in water reacts chemically with some
rocks
◍ Destructive Waves (5).
Answer: The waves that erode the beach- High frequency- High and steep-
Weak swash- Strong backwash- Remove material
◍ Longshore Drift (3).
Answer: 1) Waves follow direction of the prevailing wind and hit the coast
at an angle. 2) Swash carries material up the beach3) Backwash carries
material down the beach at right angles back towards sea.
◍ What are the 4 processes of transportation?.
Answer: Traction - large particles pushed along the sea bed by the water's
forceSuspension - small particles carried along in the waterSaltation -
pebble sized particles bounced along the sea bed by the water's
forceSolution - soluble materials dissolve in the water and are carried away
◍ Deposition.
Answer: When material being carried in the sea water is dropped on the
coast with the heaviest material being dropped first
◍ latitude.
Answer: the distance in degrees north or south of the equator
◍ Constructive Waves (4).
Answer: Waves that deposit material- Low frequency- Low and long-
Strong swash- Weak backwash
◍ Discordant Coastlines (explanation and 2 landform examples).
Answer: Coastlines made up of alternating bands of soft rock perpendicular
ENVIRONMENT COMPREHENSIVE STUDY
GUIDE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ General description of the Holderness Coast.
Answer: It's made mainly of soft boulder clay. Cliffs are eroding quickly so
leads to formation of depositional landforms like spits.
◍ Igneous rocks - formation, properties and examples.
Answer: Formed when molten rock (magma) cools down and hardens. They
are resistant and form crystals. E.g) Granite and Basalt
◍ Sedimentary rocks - formation, properties and examples.
Answer: Formed when layers of sediment are compacted together until they
become solid rock. They are quite easily eroded and are soft. They have
layers and fossils. E.g) Sandstone and Chalk
◍ Metamorphic rocks - formation, properties and examples.
Answer: Formed when other rocks are changed by heat and pressure. They
are hard and very compact. E.g) Slate and Schist
◍ How have humans changed the landscape through agriculture?.
Answer: Deforestation for more farmland and putting in hedgerows/walls to
mark out fields
◍ How have humans changed the landscape through forestry?.
Answer: The UK used to be deciduous woodland, but now there's very little
left. Coniferous (evergreen) trees have been planted for timber. When areas
are felled, landscapes are left bare.
◍ How have humans changed the landscape through settlement?.
, Answer: Settlements are typically in lowland areas, near rivers and coasts
for water supply.Land is concreted over for roads, affecting drainage. Rivers
are diverted, straightened or had embankments built to prevent flooding.
◍ Mechanical Weathering (3).
Answer: 1) Seawater gets into a crack in a rock2) When the water
evaporates, salt crystals form and they expand which puts pressure on the
rock3) Repeated evaporation of saltwater and salt forming causes the crack
to widen and break the rock.
◍ spatial approach.
Answer: The way of identifying, explaining, and predicting the human and
physical patterns and the connections of various locations.
◍ physical geography.
Answer: the branch of geography dealing with natural features and
processes
◍ human geography.
Answer: The study of where and why human activities are located where
they are
◍ absolute location.
Answer: Exact location of a place on the earth described by global
coordinates
◍ Chemical Weathering (2).
Answer: 1) Rainwater has CO2 dissolved in it, making it a weak carbonic
acid2) Carbonic acid reacts with rock that contains calcium carbonate so
rocks are dissolved by rainwater.
◍ Biological Weathering (1).
Answer: 1) Plant roots break down rocks by growing into cracks and
pushing them apart.
◍ What is mass movement and the 2 types?.
Answer: The shifting of rocks and loose material down a slope caused by the
, pull of gravity.Sliding - shifts in a straight lineSlumping - material shifts
with a rotation
◍ What are the 4 types of erosion?.
Answer: Hydraulic action - sheer power of the wavesAbrasion - particles in
water scrape against rockAttrition - eroded particles in water smash into
each otherSolution - dissolved CO2 in water reacts chemically with some
rocks
◍ Destructive Waves (5).
Answer: The waves that erode the beach- High frequency- High and steep-
Weak swash- Strong backwash- Remove material
◍ Longshore Drift (3).
Answer: 1) Waves follow direction of the prevailing wind and hit the coast
at an angle. 2) Swash carries material up the beach3) Backwash carries
material down the beach at right angles back towards sea.
◍ What are the 4 processes of transportation?.
Answer: Traction - large particles pushed along the sea bed by the water's
forceSuspension - small particles carried along in the waterSaltation -
pebble sized particles bounced along the sea bed by the water's
forceSolution - soluble materials dissolve in the water and are carried away
◍ Deposition.
Answer: When material being carried in the sea water is dropped on the
coast with the heaviest material being dropped first
◍ latitude.
Answer: the distance in degrees north or south of the equator
◍ Constructive Waves (4).
Answer: Waves that deposit material- Low frequency- Low and long-
Strong swash- Weak backwash
◍ Discordant Coastlines (explanation and 2 landform examples).
Answer: Coastlines made up of alternating bands of soft rock perpendicular
