Plate Tectonics & Rocks
What are the natural compounds that make up rocks? Name the term and give two examples.
Minerals. Examples: quartz, feldspar, calcite.
What is weathering? Give one simple example.
Weathering is the breakdown of rocks at Earth's surface by natural processes. Example: freezing water breaks rock.
Give two main uses of fresh water in daily life.
Drinking, cooking, cleaning, irrigation, industry, power generation.
Define a natural resource and give one renewable and one non‑renewable example.
Natural resource: materials from nature used by people. Renewable: wind, solar. Non‑renewable: coal, oil.
Name the four employment sectors and give one job example for any two of them.
Sectors: Primary (farmer), Secondary (factory worker), Tertiary (teacher), Quaternary (software developer).
Name the three main groups of rock and give one example rock for each group.
Sedimentary (e.g., sandstone), Igneous (e.g., granite), Metamorphic (e.g., slate).
State the two main types of weathering and give one example of each.
Physical (mechanical) weathering (e.g., freeze–thaw); Chemical weathering (e.g., acid rain dissolves limestone).
Define "water stress" in one sentence.
Water stress: when demand for water exceeds available supply or when quality limits use.
Name two renewable energy sources used to generate electricity in the UK.
Examples in UK: wind farms, solar panels, hydroelectric, biomass.
Explain in one sentence how employment structure in the UK has changed since 1600 (mention at least one sector that grew and one that declined).
Since 1600, primary sector declined (fewer farm jobs), secondary grew then declined in late 20th century, tertiary and quaternary expanded.
Explain, in a sentence, how igneous rock forms.
Igneous rock forms when molten rock (magma or lava) cools and solidifies.
Describe two processes of physical (mechanical) weathering.
Examples: freeze–thaw (water in cracks freezes and expands); abrasion (rocks grinding in rivers); exfoliation (pressure release causing outer layers to peel).
Explain one reason why water stress is increasing in some parts of the world.
Reasons: population growth, pollution, climate change reducing rainfall, over-extraction of aquifers.
Explain one advantage of solar power and one limitation of solar for global energy supply.
Advantage of solar: abundant and low emissions. Limitation: intermittent (depends on sun), needs storage and space.
Using Doncaster as an example, explain one reason why the loss of industry can lead to local economic decline.
Loss of local industry reduces jobs, lowers income, leads to poorer public services and decline in town centres; Doncaster example: decline in coal and manufacturing, later development of logistics and service jobs.
Describe the rock cycle step that turns sedimentary rock into metamorphic rock (what causes it and what changes happen).
Sedimentary → Metamorphic: burial and heat/pressure cause recrystallization and foliation without melting.
Give one example of chemical weathering and explain why it is different from physical weathering.
Chemical weathering example: acid reacting with calcium carbonate in limestone causing it to dissolve. Different because it alters rock chemistry.
What does it mean if groundwater becomes a non‑renewable resource? Give a short example (name an aquifer or describe over‑pumping).
Non‑renewable groundwater: recharge is much slower than extraction (e.g., Ogallala aquifer being pumped faster than recharge).
Describe briefly how exploiting natural resources can impact other species (give one concrete example).
Example: mining for minerals destroys habitats and can pollute rivers, harming fish and other species.
Define globalisation and give one example of how a mobile phone connects to globalisation (name at least two countries or processes involved).
Globalisation: increasing connections of trade, people, and ideas. Mobile phone example: components mined in Democratic Republic of Congo, manufactured in China, designed in Europe, assembled in multiple countries — supply chain across the world.
Briefly explain how plate movements created mountain ranges (mention the type of plate boundary involved).
Mountains form at convergent plate boundaries where plates collide and compress crust upward (e.g., continental-continental collisions).
Draw and label the main layers of a soil profile (topsoil, subsoil, bedrock) and write one function of soil for humans.
Typical soil profile: Topsoil (organic matter, plant roots), Subsoil (minerals, less organic), Bedrock (parent material). Function: provides nutrients for crops; supplies minerals for human diets.
List four actions that could help reduce water stress (at least one technological and one policy or behaviour change).
Actions: improve irrigation efficiency (drip irrigation), water recycling and reuse, protect watersheds, pricing/policies to limit waste, desalination (tech), reduce pollution.
Which two renewable energy sources would you choose to help reach carbon neutrality by 2060? Give a short justification for each choice.
Possible pair: wind (offshore) — reliable large-scale generation; solar — scalable and distributed. Justification: together mitigate intermittency and lower carbon emissions.
Describe two ways that technology or globalisation might change the kinds of jobs people do in the future (mention "gig economy" or "green jobs" in one example).
Examples: automation and AI could replace routine manufacturing jobs; growth of green jobs in renewable energy; gig economy provides flexible but insecure work; remote work and digital platforms change job geography.