Practice B.2 Interactions between oceans and the coastal places with authentic IB Geography exam questions for both SL and HL students. This question bank mirrors Paper 1, 2, 3 structure, covering key topics like physical geography, human geography, and geospatial analysis. Get instant solutions, detailed explanations, and build exam confidence with questions in the style of IB examiners.
Paper
Level
Question 1
SL & HLPaper 1
The map below shows The Overview of Thermohaline Circulation.
Source: SEAICE Portal
1.[1]
Identify one ocean region where surface flow moves warm water toward the poles.
2.[1]
Identify the direction of bottom flow in the Southern Ocean (around Antarctica).
3.[2]
Outline one reason why deep water forms in the Labrador or Greenland Sea.
4.[6]
Explain two effects of thermohaline circulation on global climate patterns.
5.[10]
Examine how the disruption of thermohaline circulation could impact human societies.
6.[10]
Discuss the importance of ocean circulation in maintaining planetary energy balance.
Question 2
SL & HLPaper 1
The map below shows The Overview of Thermohaline Circulation.
Source: SEAICE Portal
1.[1]
Identify one ocean region where surface flow moves warm water toward the poles.
2.[1]
Identify the direction of bottom flow in the Southern Ocean (around Antarctica).
3.[2]
Outline one reason why deep water forms in the Labrador or Greenland Sea.
4.[6]
Explain two effects of thermohaline circulation on global climate patterns.
5.[10]
Examine how the disruption of thermohaline circulation could impact human societies.
6.[10]
Discuss the importance of ocean circulation in maintaining planetary energy balance.
Question 3
SL & HLPaper 1
The graph below shows the Global Fisheries and Aquaculture in Million tonnes
Source: Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
1.[1]
Identify the period when aquaculture (marine and inland combined) surpassed capture fisheries in total production.
2.[1]
Identify the approximate total global fish production in 2020.
3.[2]
Describe the overall trend in global aquaculture production from 1950 to 2020.
4.[6]
Explain two environmental or socio-economic reasons for the rise of aquaculture as a source of fish production.
5.[10]
Examine the environmental impacts of increasing global aquaculture production.
6.[10]
Discuss the implications of changing global fish production trends for food security.
Question 4
SL & HLPaper 1
1.[8]
Assess the impact of sea-level rise on coastal communities and ecosystems. Use examples in your answer.
Question 5
SL & HLPaper 1
1.[6]
Explain how the lithology of a coastline influences the development of coastal landforms.
Question 6
SL & HLPaper 1
1.[4]
Describe two physical processes that contribute to the formation of a wave-cut platform.
Question 7
SL & HLPaper 1
The map below shows the fish catch (tonnes per square kilometre) globally
Source: Based on Alhenius, H., (2008), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
1.[1]
Identify one region with the highest fish catch intensity
2.[1]
Identify one region with the lowest fish catch intensity.
3.[2]
Describe the global spatial pattern of fish catch intensity shown in the map.
4.[6]
Explain two physical or environmental factors that influence fish catch productivity in coastal waters.
5.[10]
Discuss the environmental consequences of overfishing in high-intensity fish catch regions.
6.[10]
Examine the challenges of achieving sustainable fishery management in regions of high fish catch.
Question 8
SL & HLPaper 1
1.[8]
Discuss the challenges associated with balancing economic development and environmental conservation in coastal zones. Use examples in your answer.
Question 9
SL & HLPaper 1
The graph below shows daily sea surface temperature in the Northeastern Atlantic Ocean (1979–2023)
Source: Programme of the European Union, Copernicus, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF).
1.[1]
Identify the year with the highest sea surface temperatures in this region.
2.[1]
State the temperature range for June 2023.
3.[2]
Outline one possible reason for the observed rise in sea surface temperatures in recent decades.
4.[6]
Explain two ways rising sea surface temperatures can affect coastal environments.
5.[10]
Examine the potential impacts of rising sea surface temperatures on coastal communities.
6.[10]
Discuss strategies that can be used to mitigate the effects of warming seas on marine ecosystems.
Question 10
SL & HLPaper 1
The photograph below shows Coastal Landscape with different Erosional Landforms
Source: Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.
1.[2]
Identify two coastal erosional landforms visible in the image.
2.[2]
Outline one process responsible for the formation of the stack.
3.[6]
Explain how wave-cut platforms are formed through marine erosion
4.[10]
Examine the influence of geological structure and wave energy on the development of coastal erosional landforms.
5.[10]
Discuss the ways in which coastal erosion can affect human use of coastal areas.