Investigating River Processes and Pressures (Edexcel GCSE Geography: B (1GB0))

Topic Questions

1a10 marks
a)
Study Figure 9, which is the data collected by a group of students studying river gradient changes in two different upland locations with contrasting rock types.

  • The students measured river gradient on two different streams at locations chosen using a geology map.
  • They measured river gradient at eight sites at each location using ranging poles, tapes and a clinometer.
  • The sites were about 1 km apart with Site 1 furthest upstream and Site 8 furthest downstream.

Location 1 – Boulder Clay Gradient (degrees°) Location 2 – Sandstone Gradient (degrees°)
Site 1 7 Site 1 12
Site 2 7 Site 2 8
Site 3 6 Site 3 10
Site 4 6 Site 4 9
Site 5 5 Site 5 4
Site 6 6 Site 6 4
Site 7 4 Site 7 10
Site 8 3 Site 8 7
Average Gradient 5.5 Average Gradient 8.0

Figure 9

i)
Suggest a suitable enquiry question that the students could have investigated.
(2)
ii)
Suggest two factors which should have been considered when choosing the fieldwork locations.
(4)
iii)
Describe the results of the students’ fieldwork shown on Figure 9.
(4)
1b8 marks
b)
You have carried out your own fieldwork investigating how and why drainage basin characteristics influence flood risk for people and property.

Name your river environment fieldwork location:

Assess the role of secondary data sources in your investigation.

(8)

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2a10 marks
a)
Analyse Figure 9 which is the data collected by a group of students studying changes in river characteristics.

  • The students chose to study the changes in river channel characteristics along a rural stream in the south-west of England.

  • The students chose to focus on the relationship between river discharge and river gradient.

  • They collected data at eight sites along the river beginning with site 1 near the source and then at further sites spaced out at roughly equal distances downstream.

  • One site was inaccessible so no data was recorded there and not all data could be collected at another site.

Site number Average width (mm) Average depth (mm) Average velocity (cm/sec) Gradient (degrees) Channel bed
characteristics
1 207 55 14.5 4.5 Small stones,
rocky
2 Inaccessible
3 324 80 8 3.0 Small stones,
silt/sand
4 1520 Not available 3.0 Not available
5 1560 145 35 3.5 Small stones,
silt/sand
6 1440 145 38 3.0 Silt
7 1650 205 26 3.0 Small stones,
silt
8 1740 350 41 2.0 Silt

Figure 9

i)
Suggest two factors that the students may have considered when selecting their sites.

(4)

ii)
Explain one problem resulting from the lack of data from sites 2 and 4.

(2)

iii)
Describe the relationship between river gradient and velocity in Figure 9.

(4)

2b8 marks
b)
You have carried out your own fieldwork investigating how and why drainage basin characteristics influence flood risk for people and property.

Name your river environment fieldwork location:

Using the conclusions from your geographical investigation, assess the accuracy and reliability of your results.

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3a
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2 marks

You have carried out your own fieldwork investigating the influence of drainage basin and channel characteristics on flood risk.

Name your river fieldwork location:

a)

Explain one method that you used to collect your primary data.

(2)

3b
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4 marks
b)

Using an annotated diagram, explain how you used a graph to present your fieldwork data.

(4)

3c
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4 marks
c)

Explain how geographical case studies and theories helped in the analysis of your data.

(4)

3d
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8 marks
d)

In 2018 a group of 20 students stayed in a hostel in Gunnerside, North Yorkshire, for two days to carry out their fieldwork into the impact of drainage basin and channel characteristics on flood risk.

They decided to measure channel characteristics at two contrasting locations to investigate the impact of channel characteristics on flood risk.
   
They used the 1:25,000 OS map below (Figure 9) to choose the two contrasting locations for their data collection.

fig-9-qp-nov-2020-paper-2-gcse-edexcel-b-geo

Figure 9

Assess the factors that the students should have considered when selecting their two contrasting locations.

You must use evidence from Figure 9 to support your answer.

(8)

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410 marks
Study Figure 9, which are photographs of the two access points chosen by a group of students studying river channel changes on a river at two different locations.

  • The students chose to measure river channels at two different locations.
  • The chosen locations are about 10 km apart with Location A furthest upstream and Location B furthest downstream.
  • At each location they selected three sites to carry out their channel measurements.
  • They intended to measure channel width and channel depth.

fig-9-june-2019-paper-2-gcse-edexcel-b-geo

Figure 9

i)
Suggest an enquiry question or hypothesis that the students might have proposed for their investigation.

(2)

ii)
Suggest two problems that the students’ choice of locations may have caused for data collection.

(4)

iii)
Explain how the use of Ordnance Survey (OS) maps might have helped the students choose their two river locations and the three sites on each of those rivers to carry out their channel measurements.

(4)

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58 marks

You have carried out your own fieldwork investigating how and why drainage basin characteristics influence flood risk for people and property.

Name your river fieldwork location:

Assess the accuracy and reliability of the results of your investigation.

(8)

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