Examine how physical processes affect the level of volcanic hazard risk in different places.

Examine why mass movement hazard risk in some places could change in the future.

Refer to Paper 1 markbands (available under the "Your tests" tab > supplemental materials).

Hazard risk is a function of the interaction between human and physical factors. Physical processes include both the primary hazards resulting from the characteristics of volcanic activity and the associated secondary hazards. The risk from volcanic activity varies between different places (which may be rural or urban, or at different scales, or with varying levels of wealth). Hotspots are relatively localized, and the risk will be over a small area, while activity on a plate margin presents risk over a much wider area.

Possible applied themes (AO2) demonstrating knowledge and understanding (AO1):

• The characteristics of volcanoes, including:

• magnitude and frequency of eruption / active or dormant volcanoes
• the type of eruption, eg destructive plate margins are associated with violent, explosive volcanic activity
• the type of lava – explosive, andesitic or basaltic
• secondary hazards: pyroclastic flows, lahars, landslides, tsunamis.

• The degree of risk is a function of the relationship between the nature of the volcanic hazard and human factors.
• The risk also varies between different rural and urban places.

Good answers may be well structured (AO4) and may additionally offer a critical evaluation (AO3) which examines the statement in a way that shows understanding of the relationship between multiple physical processes, including magnitude and type of volcanic activity, and associated secondary hazards. Another approach would be to examine risks to places at different locations and scales (“hotspots” as opposed to plate margins).

For 5–6 marks, expect some outlining of risk(s) resulting from volcanic activity. The response is partial, narrow or lacks supporting evidence.

For 7–8 marks, expect a well-structured account which includes:

• either a well-evidenced explanation of a range of volcanic processes and associated risks
• or an ongoing evaluation (or discursive conclusion) grounded in geographical concepts and/or perspectives.

For 9–10 marks, expect both of these traits.

Refer to Paper 1 markbands (available under the "Your tests" tab > supplemental materials).

The risk from mass movement hazards is a product of economic factors, such as levels of development and technology; demographic and social factors, such as population density and education; and political factors. The question refers to “some places” – in other words, the risk might not increase in all places; in some it might decrease over time. Some places might be more at risk than others.

Possible applied themes (AO2) demonstrating knowledge and understanding (AO1):

The risk from mass movement hazards might increase because of:

• increased population pressure due to growth of population / urbanization in hazardous areas; eg shanty towns on mountain slopes
• increase in frequency and magnitude of hazard – “trigger actions” due to climate change, such as more storms, deforestation of hillslopes.

In other areas, the hazard risk might decrease due to:

• management practices and mitigation techniques, including slope stabilization,land-use zoning, personal resilience (preparedness, insurance)
• changes in hazard perception.

The nature of the risk may also depend on type of mass movement and local contexts (eg, will high magnitude events increase more than slow types of movement, such as solifluction and creep in thawing periglacial regions).

Good answers may be well structured (AO4) and may additionally offer a critical evaluation (AO3) which examines the varying degree of risk attached to different mass movement processes. Another approach might be to examine how future risks vary between places and may increase over different time scales.

For 5–6 marks, expect some outlining of mass movement hazard risks. The response is partial, narrow or lacks supporting evidence.

For 7–8 marks, expect a well-structured account which includes:

• either a well-evidenced explanation of the varying reasons for future changes in mass movement hazards risks in different places
• or a discursive conclusion (or ongoing evaluation) grounded in geographical concepts and/or perspectives.

For 9–10 marks, expect both of these traits.

Some very good responses, with a detailed examination of varied physical processes and volcanic characteristics at different types of plate margin in different places, including variations in explosivity, lava types and secondary hazards such as lahars. It was pleasing to see some valid diagrams supporting their examples. Weaker candidates described volcanoes in general terms, and some examples were rather dated, such as Mt St Helens (1980). Contemporary examples of volcanic activity should be used wherever possible.

This was a less popular question. There were some good responses, examining changing levels of risk in terms of human pressures, such as deforestation, settlement, and possible climate change, as well as mitigating factors, such as slope stabilization schemes, monitoring and land-use zoning, using pertinent examples. Weaker candidates gave descriptive accounts of mass movements that had occurred, rather than how risk might change in the future. Some, unfortunately, showed a complete lack of understanding and wrote about earthquakes, or population migration - suggesting that the new topic of mass movement had not been taught.