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Edexcel B-Hazards

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toto8462

Thanks, this is all useful stuff. Two things though:

1. What is the whole "multiple hazard zones" stuff about? Are we surposed to have researched areas of multiple hazard impact?

2. In what context are Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Pinatubo geomorphic hazards. Are they not tectonic? Are you refering to the lahars present post-erruption of both volcanoes?

Thanks.

In my class, we discussed the Philippines as a multi hazard zone, as the country are affected by 7 different impacts e.g. droughts, floods, typhoons, earth quakes, volcanoe eruptions and mudslides.

Multihazard zones are places which are affected by more than one hazard.

Reply 41

12345

Right, I have got some good case studies etc. But...

Forgive for being completely stupid but does the " Spatial Variation " bit mean where the hazards are located. i.e medcs/ledcs where earthquakes appear over the world etc.

Am I on the right lines?

We had 1 lesson on this and all our stupid teacher did was say " Get a variety of case studies " " Structure your essay ". Not actually what the bloody essay actaully is.

Thanks

Reply 42

nicko_88

Just a quick question. is there always two essay questions that you can choose from in the exam?

Reply 43

toto8462

nicko_88

Just a quick question. is there always two essay questions that you can choose from in the exam?

Yes, Questions 3 and 4

Reply 44

azza777

what kind of question could they ask? my teacher has given me 4 and i think thats it. he knows his stuff and he basically told us one of the qs lol. well he hinted as he knows the examiner

Anyone care to just give me the title of their practice qs

Cheers

Reply 45

toto8462

azza777

What 4 questions have you got?

Reply 46

azza777

1 Why are impacts of hazards worse in LEDCs than MEDCs
2 Multiple hazards question
3 Using case studies for 3 contrasting hazards which have impacts on different scales. describe and explain the spatial and temporal extent of their impact?
4 Natural hazard events may be classified according to their scale of impact. Study the impact of different types of hazards and devise a scale of impace.

Im OK for q 1 and 2 but 3 and 4 i dont have a clue. Any help on them would be great or if u know any other questions. i dnt want to rely on my teachers prediction

Reply 47

blondemoment

same im stuck on 4, i have a book on it and it seems to suggest it is a simple as classifying them as geomorphological tectonic etc but i know that must be wrong

Reply 48

toto8462

azza777

Remember these questions are designed to be quite open.

To answer question 4 i would do the following:

- Do the usual definitions.
- Be sure to define the impacts in terms of economic/environmental/social.
- You could mention Saffir-Simpson/richter etc/

- Talk about various impacts of each type of hazard (geomorphic/tectonic/meteorological)

Now the important bit:

- A hazard is defined as a perceived threat to human life or property!
- Therefore the human impacts (economic/social) should be weighted to be of greater significance than environmental.

- If you develop this idea of weighting, you end up with a scale of impact. REMEMBER to note the context of the question.

This is the way i would attempt Q4. Let me know if it is useful.

Reply 49

speedybecs

hey does anyone know what the general grade boundaries are for a hazard essay that is out of 60?
cheers

Reply 50

toto8462

speedybecs

hey does anyone know what the general grade boundaries are for a hazard essay that is out of 60?
cheers

I thought it was the following:

80% A = 48/60
70% B = 42/60
60% C = 36/60

and so on...

However, i remember my teacher pulling out a examiners report and for that year, the A grade boundry was 45/60. So i think it varies from year to year depending on the difficulty of the questions etc.

I wouldnt spend too much time worrying about it, its out of your control. :smile:

Reply 51

toto8462

After a bit of searching, i have managed to compile the grade boundries for the past 3 exams (i.e. back to january 2005 for all the A2 papers).

Don't say im never good to you...

Its in a word file for ease. Enjoy.

geography_grades.doc73.7KB

Reply 52

curlylocks88

HI
I haven't started to revise or learn any case studies yet.... There are sooo many facts to learn, have I left it too late??!! :/

Reply 53

davey_boy

toto8462

- You could mention Saffir-Simpson/richter etc/

Being a pedantic seismologist I'd point out that the Richter scale only applies to earthquakes in California. The scale seismologists use these days is the Moment Magnitude scale (Mw). Although 99% of markers are unlikely to know this.....

Someone mentioned the Java earthquake - may not be a great idea. News websites often get details wrong and by the time things are being marked more details may have emerged making some things you say incorrect. If you do mention it *make sure you state it was a strike-slip (or transform) earthquake and not a subduction zone event - meaning there was never any risk of a tsunami.*

Reply 54

earthworm Pete

Hey these forums are brill! loadsa help!

when tryin practise exam questions on the spatial variations my teacher keeps pulling me down marks for not stating the sources of information for my case studies. Does anyone know if i shud write the source for every piece of information or definition i write in the exam?

Reply 55

azza777

what definitions are people learning??

please help

Reply 56

blondemoment

davey_boy

dont you only get tsunamis on megathrust subductions, so not all subductions, to be equally pedantic!!! :smile:

tho i'm interested in you answer as i know there is a large chance that im wrong

Reply 57

blondemoment

earthworm Pete

yeah you should apparently, but think of it this way:

if its about the UK --> Met office for weather

USA--> NOAA --> atmosphere
-USGS for volcs/earthqs
-FEMA for how many died, and or damage coost

LEDCs- UNICEF, RED CROSS, other such orgs

oh and PUT A DATE, and if comparing monetary figs, point out that $9bill USD in 1990 is different to the same amount now.

ANY HELP?? :confused:

Reply 58

cornstar

hey guys!
Just wondering how much information are u learning for each case study? How much information does the examiner expect? i have learnt basic figures such as death tolls amount of people injured and the cost of each hazard to the area, is this sufficient or is more information needed? :smile:

Reply 59

earthworm Pete