Edexcel GCSE Geography B (1GB0) — Hazardous Earth
| Strategy | Advantages | Disadvantages / Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Warning Systems | Buys seconds/minutes to shut off gas; uses DART (Tsunami) for 80-90% accuracy. | Very expensive; false alarms cause "warning fatigue". |
| Building Design | Cross-bracing prevents structural collapse and twisting. | High cost; building codes are frequently bypassed or ignored in LICs. |
| Evacuation | Moves people out of danger zones prior to the event. | Relies on public trust; communication barriers exist (e.g., 121 languages in Nepal). |
Students often confuse short-term relief with long-term planning; remember that search and rescue during the 'Golden 72 Hours' is short-term, while rebuilding infrastructure like sea walls is long-term.
In 8-mark 'Evaluate' questions comparing contrasting countries, examiners expect a balanced concluding judgement; explicitly state that LICs are often forced to be 'reactive' due to lack of funds, while HICs can afford to be 'proactive'.
When asked to identify earthquake-resistant features from a diagram, 'cross-bracing' and 'base isolators' are frequent 1-mark answers in Edexcel mark schemes.
For 'Discuss' questions on preparation, always provide a counter-argument or limitation; for example, mention that even the best warning systems fail if human compliance is low (like the 58% evacuation rate in Japan).
Short-term relief
Immediate assistance provided in the first 0-3 months after a disaster, focused on saving lives and providing basic necessities.
Long-term planning
Sustained efforts taking months or years to rebuild infrastructure, restore the economy, and implement mitigation strategies.
Park Model (Hazard Response Curve)
A conceptual graph showing how a country's quality of life dips sharply post-disaster and recovers through relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction.
Golden 72 Hours
The critical three-day window immediately following a disaster where search and rescue operations have the highest chance of finding survivors.
Monitoring
Using scientific equipment such as seismometers, GPS, and tiltmeters to detect signs of an imminent tectonic hazard.
Land use zoning
A planning strategy that restricts building and development in high-risk areas identified via hazard mapping.
Lahar
A destructive mudflow on the slopes of a volcano, created when volcanic ash mixes with water.
MP3 Model
A mitigation framework based on four pillars: Monitoring, Prediction, Protection, and Planning.
Earthquake Early Warning (EEW)
A system that detects initial P-waves from an earthquake to trigger automatic safety responses, like shutting off gas mains.
DART (Tsunami)
Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis; a system using bottom pressure recorders to detect tiny sea-level changes.
Aseismic design
Construction techniques and engineering modifications designed to help buildings withstand earthquake shaking.
Base isolation
An aseismic technique where rubber or lead shock absorbers are placed in a building's foundations to dampen tremors.
Tuned mass dampers
Large counterweights or pendulums placed at the top of skyscrapers that sway in the opposite direction to earthquake tremors to stabilise the building.
Liquefaction
A process where intense earthquake shaking causes water-saturated soil to temporarily lose its strength and act like a liquid.
Retrofitting
The process of adding earthquake-resistant features, such as steel cross-bracing, to existing older buildings.
Cross-bracing
An aseismic design feature using steel frames in 'X' shapes to prevent a building from buckling or twisting during an earthquake.
Put your knowledge into practice — try past paper questions for Geography B
Short-term relief
Immediate assistance provided in the first 0-3 months after a disaster, focused on saving lives and providing basic necessities.
Long-term planning
Sustained efforts taking months or years to rebuild infrastructure, restore the economy, and implement mitigation strategies.
Park Model (Hazard Response Curve)
A conceptual graph showing how a country's quality of life dips sharply post-disaster and recovers through relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction.
Golden 72 Hours
The critical three-day window immediately following a disaster where search and rescue operations have the highest chance of finding survivors.
Monitoring
Using scientific equipment such as seismometers, GPS, and tiltmeters to detect signs of an imminent tectonic hazard.
Land use zoning
A planning strategy that restricts building and development in high-risk areas identified via hazard mapping.
Lahar
A destructive mudflow on the slopes of a volcano, created when volcanic ash mixes with water.
MP3 Model
A mitigation framework based on four pillars: Monitoring, Prediction, Protection, and Planning.
Earthquake Early Warning (EEW)
A system that detects initial P-waves from an earthquake to trigger automatic safety responses, like shutting off gas mains.
DART (Tsunami)
Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis; a system using bottom pressure recorders to detect tiny sea-level changes.
Aseismic design
Construction techniques and engineering modifications designed to help buildings withstand earthquake shaking.
Base isolation
An aseismic technique where rubber or lead shock absorbers are placed in a building's foundations to dampen tremors.
Tuned mass dampers
Large counterweights or pendulums placed at the top of skyscrapers that sway in the opposite direction to earthquake tremors to stabilise the building.
Liquefaction
A process where intense earthquake shaking causes water-saturated soil to temporarily lose its strength and act like a liquid.
Retrofitting
The process of adding earthquake-resistant features, such as steel cross-bracing, to existing older buildings.
Cross-bracing
An aseismic design feature using steel frames in 'X' shapes to prevent a building from buckling or twisting during an earthquake.
