Recall — GCSE Flashcards
🌍 GCSE Geography Flashcards
Physical and human geography essentials — 10 free revision cards. Study them below, or add the whole deck to Recall and let FSRS spaced repetition schedule your revision so it actually sticks.
Name the four layers of the Earth.
1. Crust — thin, solid (5-70 km)
2. Mantle — semi-molten rock, convection currents
3. Outer core — molten iron/nickel
4. Inner core — solid iron/nickel (~6000 °C)
2. Mantle — semi-molten rock, convection currents
3. Outer core — molten iron/nickel
4. Inner core — solid iron/nickel (~6000 °C)
What are the three types of plate boundary?
Constructive (divergent): plates move apart → new crust forms (Mid-Atlantic Ridge)
Destructive (convergent): plates collide → subduction or mountains (Andes)
Conservative (transform): plates slide past → earthquakes (San Andreas Fault)
Destructive (convergent): plates collide → subduction or mountains (Andes)
Conservative (transform): plates slide past → earthquakes (San Andreas Fault)
What is the water cycle (hydrological cycle)?
Evaporation → Condensation → Precipitation → Surface runoff / Infiltration → back to the sea.
Key processes: transpiration (from plants), percolation (through soil), groundwater flow.
Key processes: transpiration (from plants), percolation (through soil), groundwater flow.
Compare HICs, NEEs and LICs.
HIC (High Income Country): GNI > $12,696/yr (UK, USA, Japan)
NEE (Newly Emerging Economy): rapidly industrialising (Nigeria, India, Brazil)
LIC (Low Income Country): GNI < $1,046/yr (Malawi, Afghanistan)
NEE (Newly Emerging Economy): rapidly industrialising (Nigeria, India, Brazil)
LIC (Low Income Country): GNI < $1,046/yr (Malawi, Afghanistan)
What is urbanisation and what causes it?
The increase in proportion of people living in cities.
Push factors (from rural): poverty, lack of jobs, drought, conflict.
Pull factors (to urban): jobs, healthcare, education, better quality of life.
Push factors (from rural): poverty, lack of jobs, drought, conflict.
Pull factors (to urban): jobs, healthcare, education, better quality of life.
What are the three types of rainfall?
Relief: moist air forced upwards by mountains (e.g. Lake District)
Convectional: sun heats ground → warm air rises → condenses (UK in summer, tropics)
Frontal: warm air rises over cold air at a weather front (UK in winter)
Convectional: sun heats ground → warm air rises → condenses (UK in summer, tropics)
Frontal: warm air rises over cold air at a weather front (UK in winter)
Describe the carbon cycle in brief.
CO₂ in atmosphere ↔ absorbed by plants (photosynthesis) → eaten by consumers → released via respiration or decomposition → some becomes fossil fuels over millions of years → released by combustion.
What is a tropical storm and what conditions does it need?
An intense low-pressure system with strong rotating winds (called hurricane / typhoon / cyclone depending on region).
Needs: sea temperature >26.5°C, ocean depth >50m, latitude 5-30° from equator, low wind shear.
Needs: sea temperature >26.5°C, ocean depth >50m, latitude 5-30° from equator, low wind shear.
What causes coastal erosion? Name 4 processes.
1. Hydraulic action — water compresses air in cracks
2. Abrasion — sediment grinds against rock
3. Attrition — rocks knock each other smaller and rounder
4. Solution — slightly acidic seawater dissolves rock (e.g. chalk, limestone)
2. Abrasion — sediment grinds against rock
3. Attrition — rocks knock each other smaller and rounder
4. Solution — slightly acidic seawater dissolves rock (e.g. chalk, limestone)
What is sustainable development?
Meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.
(Brundtland definition, 1987)
Three pillars: environmental, economic, social.
(Brundtland definition, 1987)
Three pillars: environmental, economic, social.
These 10 cards are a free starter deck — a companion for memorising the core facts, not a complete course. In the Recall app you can also paste your own class notes and have AI build decks for the topics your exam board covers.