Investigating Coastal Change & Conflict (Edexcel GCSE Geography B)

Analyse Figure 8 which is the data collected by a group of students studying the characteristics of an east-facing beach.

Figure 8

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 beach gradient and pebble diameter in Figure 8.

(4)

You have carried out your own fieldwork investigating the impact of coastal management on coastal processes and communities. Name your coastal environment fieldwork location:

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

You have carried out your own fieldwork investigating the impact of coastal management on coastal processes and communities.

Name your coastal fieldwork location:

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

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

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

In 2018 a group of 20 students stayed in a hostel in New Quay/Ceinewydd, west Wales, for two days to carry out their fieldwork into the impact of coastal management on coastal processes.

They decided to measure beach profiles at two contrasting locations to investigate whether coastal management affected beach gradients.

They used the 1:25,000 OS map below (Figure 8) to choose the two contrasting locations for their data collection.

Figure 8

Assess the factors that the students should have considered when selecting their two contrasting locations. You must use evidence from Figure 8 to support your answer.

Study Figure 8, which are photographs of the two beaches chosen by a group of students studying the impact of coastal management on coastal processes at two different locations.

Figure 8

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 beach locations and the three sites on each of those beaches to carry out the profiles.

(4)