The map below shows cities’ risk of exposure to natural disasters.
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs
(a)
Identify one city shown to be at high risk from three or more types of natural disasters.
[1]
(b)
State the continent with the largest number of high-population cities (10 million or more) exposed to multiple hazard risks.
[1]
(c)
Outline one reason why urban areas are often more exposed to multiple natural hazards than rural areas.
[2]
(d)
Explain two ways in which multi-hazard exposure can increase the vulnerability of megacities.
[6]
(e)
Examine the challenges of managing geophysical hazards in cities located in multi-hazard zones.
[10]
(f)
Discuss the extent to which population size is the most important factor in determining urban vulnerability to geophysical hazards.
[10]
SL & HLPaper 1
The map shows global seismic hazard zones, indicating the probability of ground shaking caused by earthquakes.
Source: Global Seismic Hazard Assessment Program (GSHAP)
(a)
Identify one country that is located in a high seismic hazard zone.
[1]
(b)
Identify one country that is located in a low seismic hazard zone.
[1]
SL & HLPaper 1
The map shows global tectonic plates, the locations of volcanoes and earthquakes, and selected tectonic events since 2000.
Source: Oxford University Press (Adapted)
(a)
Using the map, identify one tectonic plate that has a high concentration of both earthquakes and volcanoes.
[1]
(b)
Using the map, state the type of plate boundary most commonly associated with both earthquakes and volcanoes.
[1]
SL & HLPaper 1
The map shows global plate boundaries and the distribution of volcanic activity (active since 1900 and active in the Holocene).
Source:
(a)
Identify the type of plate boundary most commonly associated with active volcanoes.
[1]
(b)
Identify one region where volcanoes have been active since 1900.
[1]
SL & HLPaper 1
The following figure indicates the number of major floods per decade.
(a)
State the number of major floods in the 1960s
[1]
(b)
Identify the decade with the highest number of major floods.
[1]
(c)
IB Geography Topic Option D Geophysical Hazards Questionbank
Practice IB Geography Topic Option D Geophysical Hazards with authentic exam-style questions for both SL and HL students. This question bank focuses on the exact syllabus content for Option D Geophysical Hazards and mirrors Paper 1, 2, 3 style where relevant.
Get instant solutions, detailed explanations, and build confidence with questions aligned to IB examiner expectations.
(c)
Outline one reason why seismic hazard is higher along plate boundaries.
[2]
(d)
Explain two reasons why the impacts of earthquakes differ between countries.
[6]
(e)
Discuss the extent to which earthquake hazards can be managed through prediction and preparation.
[10]
(f)
Evaluate the reasons why some locations experience more serious consequences from earthquakes than others.
[10]
(c)
Outline one reason why destructive plate boundaries are associated with high geophysical hazard risk.
[2]
(d)
Explain two ways in which the characteristics of different plate boundaries influence the severity of geophysical hazards.
[6]
(e)
Examine how different types of plate boundaries contribute to the occurrence of volcanic and earthquake hazards around the world.
[10]
(f)
Evaluate the extent to which the impacts of geophysical hazards are influenced more by the characteristics of the hazard than by human vulnerability.
[10]
(c)
Outline one reason why volcanic activity is concentrated along convergent plate boundaries.
[2]
(d)
Explain two challenges posed by volcanic hazards to communities living near active volcanoes.
[6]
(e)
Discuss the reasons why some regions are more vulnerable to volcanic hazards than others.
[10]
(f)
Evaluate the effectiveness of strategies used to manage volcanic hazards.
[10]
Outline one reason why the number of major floods may have increased over time.
[2]
(d)
Outline one physical reason and one human reason why the risk of river floods can change with time.
[6]
(e)
To what extent has human activity contributed to the increase in major floods over time?
