1. (a) Figure 1 shows an aerial view of a river. Name and describe the features labelled “X” and “Y”. [2]




(b) Figure 2 shows sketch diagrams of the formation of a river landform Z in the upper course of a river. Identify the river landform Z and describe how the feature is formed. [6]








(c) Describe the problem faced by people living near floodplains and suggest why they do not want to move away. [3]


(d) Name three coastal features that are formed by the erosion of large waves. [3]



(e) Spits and Tombolos (Figure 3) are depositional features found in certain coastal areas with low energy waves.




Describe and explain how they are formed. [5]





(f) To what extent are hard engineering methods such as seawalls and groynes useful in preventing wave erosion along the coasts? [6] (Refer to the notes on beach management that I have posted earlier on)

Suggested answers

1. (a) Figure 1 shows an aerial view of a river.
Name the features labelled “X” and “Y”. [2]
X = Ox bow lake, Y = Meander

(b) Figure 2 shows sketch diagrams of the formation of a river landform Z in the upper course of a river.
Identify the river landform Z and describe how the feature is formed. [6]

1. River landform Z is a waterfall.
2. A river flows across rocks of different resistance.
3. The river erodes the less resistant rock more rapidly
4. And this causes a change in the gradient of the river course.
5. Over time the river plunges from a great height
6. To hit the river bed below with tremendous force.
7. Repeated pounding of the river bed may leave a depression at the base of the waterfall (creating a plunge pool)

(c) Describe the problem faced by people living near floodplains and suggest why they do not want to move. [3]
1. They face the problems of flooding when the river overflows.
2. They do not want to move as the soil is very fertile / good for growing crops
3. This fertility is renewed every year when the river floods.

(d) Name three coastal features that are formed by the erosion of large waves.
[3]
Any 3 of the following:
Arch, stack, stump, cliffs, headlands, bays and wave-cut platforms

(e) Spits and Tombolos (Figure 3) are depositional features found in certain coastal areas with low energy waves.
Describe and explain how they are formed. [5]
1. A spit is formed when longshore currents encounter a bay or a bend in the coast with shallow sheltered water
2. And materials they carry will be deposited,
3. Resulting in a long narrow ridge of sand with one end attached to the mainland over time.
4. Tombolos are created when spits continue to extend seaward and
5. Sediments accumulate between the mainland and an island to join them together.




(f) To what extent are hard engineering methods such as seawalls and groynes useful in preventing wave erosion along the coasts? [6]


Level 1

No supported usefulness or using simple statement.
Eg. Hard engineering methods are useful.

Award 1m for the above and an additional mark for any supporting details.

Level 2

Describes one or more hard enginnering coastal protection scheme(s).
Brief statements of usefulness.

Eg.
Ø To protect a coast from erosion, people have built seawalls in front of a cliff or along the coast.
Ø A sea wall is usually made of concrete, which absorbs the energy of the waves and protects the coast against strong waves, especially during storms.
Ø Therefore, it stops the waves from rushing onto the beach and successfully helps to prevent wave erosion.

Award 3m for describe one method and an additional mark for any further supporting details to explain its usefulness.

Level 3

L2 + Explains the usefulness AND non usefulness of the coastal protection methods.
Clear statements of degree of effectiveness.

Eg.
Ø To protect a coast from erosion, people have built seawalls in front of a cliff or along the coast.
Ø A seawall is usually made of concrete, which absorbs the energy of the waves and protects the coast against strong waves, especially during storms.
Ø Therefore, it stops the waves from rushing onto the beach and successfully helps to prevent wave erosion.
Ø However, a seawall may not protect a coast from erosion in the long run.
Ø As waves break against the seawall, the energy from the waves is redirected downwards, to the base of the seawall, resulting in a strong backwash.
Ø The backwash wears away the base of the seawall, causing it to weaken and eventually collapse.

Award 5m for a description of a coastal protection method and an explanation of the effectiveness and ineffectiveness in implementing the method and an additional mark for any further supporting details/explanations of other methods to a maximum of 6m.