All 11 Environmental Management topics for Cambridge IGCSE, grouped the way the exam is. Each topic has a few flashcards to test yourself; the full sets are free in Socrates AI.
Every paper covers the whole syllabus, so topics are grouped by the specification's content sections.
Name the three main types of rock.
Igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic.
How do igneous rocks form?
From magma or lava that cools and solidifies, e.g. granite (slow cooling underground) and basalt (fast cooling at the surface).
How do sedimentary rocks form?
Sediments are deposited in layers, then compacted and cemented over time, e.g. limestone and sandstone.
Revise all 20 Rocks and minerals and their exploitation flashcards free →
What is the difference between renewable and non-renewable energy resources?
Renewable resources are naturally replenished (solar, wind, water); non-renewable resources are finite (coal, oil, gas, uranium).
How did coal form?
From plant material in swamps buried millions of years ago, compressed and heated so it slowly turned to coal.
How did oil and natural gas form?
From tiny marine organisms buried in sediment, which were heated and compressed over millions of years.
What are the four main components of soil?
Mineral particles, organic matter (humus), water and air.
What is humus?
Dark organic matter formed from decomposed plants and animals, which adds nutrients and holds water.
What are the characteristics of a sandy soil?
Large particles and large air spaces: drains quickly, warms quickly, easy to dig, but holds few nutrients.
Revise all 20 Soils and agricultural systems flashcards free →
Why do farmers want to increase crop yields?
To feed a growing population and earn more income.
How do fertilisers increase yields?
They add nutrients (such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) that crops need for growth.
How do pesticides increase yields?
They kill pests (insects, weeds, fungi) that damage or compete with crops.
Revise all 20 Increasing yields and the impacts of agriculture flashcards free →
What is the water cycle?
The continuous movement of water between the oceans, atmosphere and land by evaporation, condensation, precipitation and run-off.
Name four processes in the water cycle.
Evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, infiltration and surface run-off.
What is groundwater?
Water stored underground in the pores and cracks of rocks.
Why are oceans an important resource?
They provide food, minerals, energy, transport routes and tourism, and regulate the climate.
What are ocean currents?
Large-scale movements of seawater, driven by winds, temperature and salinity differences.
What is upwelling, and why is it important for fisheries?
Cold, nutrient-rich water rising to the surface; it supports plankton and large fish populations.
What is a natural hazard?
A natural event that threatens people's lives, property and the environment, such as an earthquake, volcano, tropical cyclone, flood or drought.
What is the difference between a hazard and a disaster?
A hazard is a potential threat; a disaster happens when a hazard seriously affects people and property.
Why do earthquakes and volcanoes occur mainly at plate boundaries?
Plates move against each other there, building up stress and allowing magma to rise.
What are the two main gases in the atmosphere?
Nitrogen (about 78%) and oxygen (about 21%).
What percentage of the atmosphere is carbon dioxide?
About 0.04%.
What is the troposphere?
The lowest layer of the atmosphere, where weather happens and most air is found.
Revise all 20 The atmosphere and air pollution flashcards free →
What is the greenhouse effect?
Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the Earth, keeping the planet warm enough for life.
Name four greenhouse gases.
Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapour and CFCs.
What is the enhanced greenhouse effect?
Extra greenhouse gases from human activities trap more heat, causing global warming.
Revise all 20 The greenhouse effect, climate change and ozone depletion flashcards free →
What is population growth?
An increase in the number of people living in an area.
How is natural population change calculated?
Birth rate − death rate (per 1,000 people per year).
What factors affect birth rates?
Access to contraception, education of women, religion and culture, the need for children as workers, and infant mortality.
What is an ecosystem?
A community of living organisms interacting with each other and their non-living environment.
What is a biome?
A large-scale ecosystem with a distinctive climate and vegetation, such as tropical rainforest, desert or tundra.
What is a food chain?
A sequence showing how energy passes from one organism to another by feeding, starting with a producer.
Revise all 20 Natural ecosystems and human activity flashcards free →
Pick a paper and go through every topic's flashcards in Socrates AI, with a tutor that explains any card you get wrong. Free to start.
Start revising free