O-LevelGeographyThe natural environment2217/13 · May/June 2014 · Q325 Marks

(a) Study Fig. 4 (Insert), a map of the area around Mount St. Helens, a volcano in the USA. [Figure 4] (b) Study Fig. 5, which shows an ash cloud from the eruption of a volcano in Iceland in 2010. [Figure 5]

(a)(i)What is the height of Mount St. Helens?[1]
(a)(ii)Identify two features which suggest that tourists visit Mount St. Helens.[2]
(a)(iii)Give three pieces of evidence from Fig. 4 that Mount St. Helens volcano has erupted.[3]
(a)(iv)Mount St. Helens is on a destructive plate boundary. Explain why volcanoes erupt on destructive plate boundaries.[4]
(b)(i)Describe the distribution of the area covered by the ash cloud.[3]
(b)(ii)Explain how a volcanic eruption can damage the economy of a country.[5]
(c)Another natural hazard is a drought. For a named area you have studied, describe the impacts of a drought. Named area[7]

This question uses a diagram from the original paper, which isn't shown here. Open the full paper from the past papers archive to see it.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2014). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

[1] 2549 (metres).
[1] Features such as: Viewpoints;
[1] camp sites;
[1] picnic areas;
[1] Evidence such as: Debris avalanche;
[1] Mudflow;
[1] Pyroclastic flow;
[1] Forests are scorched/blown down;
[1] Crater/crater walls;
[1] Lava dome;
[1] Ideas such as: plates move together/towards each other/converges;
[1] subduction occurs;
[1] friction/heat builds up;
[1] destruction/melting of crust/magma is created;
[1] pressure build up/magma builds up/high pressure;
[1] etc.
[1] Ideas such as: Uneven distribution;
[1] Mainly to South East of Iceland;
[1] To South West of Iceland;
[1] North/North East of Iceland/East of Iceland;
[1] Countries such as UK/France/Germany/Norway (2 needed);
[1] North West Europe;
[1] Any correct and valid use of distance/scale;
[1] etc.
[1] Ideas such as: disruption of flights;
[1] so people are stranded (dev);
[1] airlines lose money (dev);
[1] ash covers crops;
[1] reducing yields (dev);
[1] closure/damage to workplaces (or examples);
[1] disruption to road/rail transport;
[1] prevents movement of raw materials/products (dev);
[1] cost of repair to buildings/infrastructure/rebuilding;
[1] reduces tourism;
[1] cost of medical care/rescuing people/or other specific idea such as this;
[1] people become too ill to work;
[1] etc.
Level 1 (1–3 marks) Statements including limited detail which describe the impacts of a drought.
Level 2 (4–6 marks) Uses named example. More developed statements which describe the impacts of a drought.
(NB. Max. 5 if no named example)
Level 3 (7 marks) Uses named example. Comprehensive and accurate statements including some place specific reference.
Content Guide: Answers are likely to refer to; Difficulties of obtaining drinking water; Death/dehydration; Lack of food supply/starvation/malnutrition; Soil erosion; Migration; Impacts on flora and fauna; Disease from drinking dirty water; etc.
Place specific reference is likely to consist of: Named parts of the area/locational detail, Precipitation statistics etc.
NB: Can be impacts on people and environment as it is not specified in the question.