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WACE Geography ATAR study materials
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WACE Geography ATAR practice questions

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Question 1Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which term describes the process by which wind, water or ice transports weathered material away from its original location?

  1. Deposition
  2. Erosion Correct answer.
  3. Pedogenesis
  4. Weathering

Explanation

Erosion is the removal and transport of weathered material by a moving agent such as water, wind or ice. Weathering breaks rock down in place without transport, and deposition is the later laying down of that material. Pedogenesis refers to soil formation, so it does not describe transport.

Question 2Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

A river flows from a steep upland into a wide, flat lowland basin. Which change in channel characteristics is most likely to occur downstream?

  1. Gradient decreases and channel width generally increases Correct answer.
  2. Gradient and channel width both increase sharply
  3. Gradient and channel width both remain constant
  4. Gradient increases and channel width generally decreases

Explanation

As a river moves onto flatter lowland terrain, its gradient falls and discharge accumulates from tributaries, so the channel tends to widen and become less confined. The steeper upland reach has greater gradient and narrower channels. The other options contradict this downstream pattern of declining slope and increasing width.

Question 3Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which landform is produced by longshore drift where the coastline direction changes abruptly?

  1. Sea stack
  2. Wave-cut notch
  3. Blowhole
  4. Spit Correct answer.

Explanation

A spit forms where longshore drift carries sediment along the shore and deposition occurs as the coastline bends, building a ridge extending into open water. Sea stacks and wave-cut notches are erosional features of cliffed coasts, and blowholes are erosional features of cave roofs. Only a spit is a depositional feature linked to drift.

Question 4Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

In a dune system, vegetation cover increases from the foredune inland toward the hind dune. Which consequence best explains this pattern?

  1. Wind speeds increase inland, encouraging rapid plant growth
  2. Salt spray is strongest furthest inland, favouring vegetation
  3. Sediment supply increases inland, burying plants and reducing cover
  4. Older, more stabilised surfaces inland allow soil development and plant establishment Correct answer.

Explanation

Dunes become progressively older and more sheltered inland, allowing organic matter to accumulate and soils to develop, which supports more vegetation. The foredune is youngest, most exposed to salt spray and mobile sand, so cover is sparse there. Increasing wind speed or salt spray inland would inhibit rather than encourage vegetation.

Question 5Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which soil horizon is typically the zone of greatest organic matter accumulation?

  1. O horizon Correct answer.
  2. R horizon
  3. C horizon
  4. B horizon

Explanation

The O horizon is the surface layer dominated by fresh and decaying organic matter, so it holds the highest organic content. The B horizon is a subsoil zone of accumulation of clays, iron or carbonate, and the C horizon is weathered parent material. The R horizon is unweathered bedrock.

Question 6Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

A soil profile shows strong leaching of iron and aluminium oxides from the upper horizons and their accumulation in a lower, reddish horizon. Which soil-forming process does this describe?

  1. Salinisation
  2. Calcification
  3. Gleying
  4. Podzolisation Correct answer.

Explanation

Podzolisation involves acidic leaching that moves iron and aluminium down the profile, leaving a pale eluvial horizon above a reddish-brown illuvial horizon. Salinisation concentrates soluble salts, calcification accumulates calcium carbonate, and gleying reflects waterlogging and reduced conditions. Only podzolisation matches the described iron and aluminium translocation.

Question 7Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which statement best describes the relationship between population growth rate and doubling time?

  1. A higher growth rate produces a shorter doubling time Correct answer.
  2. A higher growth rate produces a longer doubling time
  3. Doubling time is unaffected by growth rate
  4. Doubling time depends only on total population size

Explanation

Doubling time is inversely related to the growth rate, so a faster rate of increase shortens the time taken for a population to double. This is captured by the rule of 70, where doubling time approximates 70 divided by the percentage growth rate. Total population size does not determine the doubling time.

Question 8Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

A country has a birth rate of 12 per 1000 and a death rate of 10 per 1000, with negligible migration. What is its annual rate of natural increase?

  1. 22%
  2. 2%
  3. 1.2%
  4. 0.2% Correct answer.

Explanation

Rate of natural increase equals births minus deaths per 1000, which here is 12 minus 10, or 2 per 1000. Converting to a percentage gives 0.2%. Adding the two rates or misplacing the decimal produces the other figures.

Question 9Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which stage of the demographic transition model is characterised by high birth rates and rapidly falling death rates, producing the fastest natural increase?

  1. Stage 2 Correct answer.
  2. Stage 1
  3. Stage 5
  4. Stage 3

Explanation

In Stage 2, improved health care and sanitation lower death rates while birth rates remain high, so natural increase peaks. Stage 1 has high birth and death rates with little growth, and Stage 3 sees birth rates falling. Stage 5 involves very low birth rates and possible population decline.

Question 10Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

A population pyramid with a broad base and narrow top most likely indicates which situation?

  1. A rapidly ageing population
  2. Heavy net emigration of young adults
  3. High fertility with lower life expectancy Correct answer.
  4. Low fertility with high life expectancy

Explanation

A broad base reflects a large proportion of children, indicating high fertility, while the narrow top shows relatively few elderly people, consistent with lower life expectancy. Ageing populations show narrow bases and wide tops. Heavy emigration of young adults would narrow the middle of the pyramid rather than widen the base.

Question 11Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which measure best expresses the number of deaths of infants under one year per 1000 live births in a year?

  1. Infant mortality rate Correct answer.
  2. Life expectancy at birth
  3. Crude death rate
  4. Total fertility rate

Explanation

The infant mortality rate counts deaths of children under one year per 1000 live births in a given year. The crude death rate covers all deaths per 1000 of the total population, regardless of age. Life expectancy and total fertility rate measure average lifespan and births per woman respectively.

Question 12Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

A city experiences rapid outward expansion of low-density housing into surrounding farmland. Which term best describes this process?

  1. Gentrification
  2. Counter-urbanisation
  3. Urban sprawl Correct answer.
  4. Urban consolidation

Explanation

Urban sprawl is the low-density, often unplanned outward growth of a city into surrounding rural land. Urban consolidation encourages denser development within existing boundaries, and gentrification is the upgrading of inner-city neighbourhoods. Counter-urbanisation is movement of people away from large cities to smaller settlements.

Question 13Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which factor most directly explains the location of many large cities on coastal plains or at river mouths?

  1. Higher rainfall and cooler temperatures than inland
  2. Protection from all natural hazards
  3. Greater mineral wealth than any inland region
  4. Access to water transport, trade and flat land for building Correct answer.

Explanation

Coastal plains and river mouths offer flat land for construction, fresh water and access to sea trade routes, which historically attracted large populations. Inland areas can be equally or more mineral-rich, and coastal locations are exposed to hazards such as storm surge. Climate alone does not explain the concentration of major cities at these sites.

Question 14Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which of the following is a renewable resource when managed sustainably?

  1. Iron ore from a banded iron formation
  2. Crude oil from a mature field
  3. Natural gas from a shale basin
  4. Timber from a selectively harvested forest Correct answer.

Explanation

Timber is renewable because forests can regrow if harvesting rates do not exceed regeneration. Crude oil, natural gas and iron ore are finite stocks formed over geological time and are depleted by extraction. Sustainable management is what allows the forest resource to persist.

Question 15Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

A region extracts groundwater from an aquifer faster than it is recharged. Which outcome is most likely?

  1. Falling water tables and land subsidence Correct answer.
  2. Reduced soil salinity in the district
  3. Permanent increase in aquifer storage
  4. Rising water tables and increased spring flow

Explanation

When abstraction exceeds recharge, stored groundwater is mined, so water tables decline and sediments can compact, causing subsidence. Spring flow typically falls rather than rises as the water table drops. Over-extraction can worsen salinity by drawing saline water into the aquifer.

Question 16Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which process transfers carbon from the atmosphere into living biomass?

  1. Photosynthesis Correct answer.
  2. Decomposition
  3. Respiration
  4. Combustion

Explanation

Photosynthesis removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and fixes it into organic compounds in plants, storing carbon in biomass. Respiration, combustion and decomposition all release carbon back to the atmosphere. Only photosynthesis is a net transfer from atmosphere to biomass.

Question 17Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which combination of factors most strongly increases the risk of a bushfire spreading rapidly?

  1. Recent heavy rainfall and waterlogged soils
  2. High humidity, dense green understorey and light winds
  3. High temperature, low humidity and strong winds Correct answer.
  4. Low temperature, high humidity and calm air

Explanation

Hot, dry air lowers fuel moisture and strong winds both dry fuels and drive the fire front forward, so this combination maximises spread. High humidity and calm conditions reduce ignition and spread, and recent heavy rain raises fuel moisture. Waterlogged soils also inhibit fire.

Question 18Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which hazard management approach is an example of mitigation rather than response?

  1. Building levees to reduce flood damage Correct answer.
  2. Evacuating residents during a flood
  3. Distributing emergency food after a flood
  4. Restoring power lines after a flood

Explanation

Mitigation reduces the impact of a hazard before it occurs, and levees lower flood damage by keeping water away from settlements. Evacuation, emergency food distribution and power restoration are response and recovery actions taken during or after the event.

Question 19Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which plate boundary type is most commonly associated with the formation of a deep ocean trench and an adjacent volcanic island arc?

  1. Oceanic-oceanic convergent boundary Correct answer.
  2. Continental-continental convergent boundary
  3. Transform boundary
  4. Divergent mid-ocean ridge boundary

Explanation

At an oceanic-oceanic convergent boundary, one plate subducts beneath the other, creating a deep trench and generating magma that feeds a volcanic island arc. Divergent and transform boundaries lack subduction, and continental-continental collision produces fold mountains without an oceanic trench or island arc.

Question 20Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which landform is formed by glacial erosion on a mountainside?

  1. Cirque Correct answer.
  2. Moraine
  3. Outwash plain
  4. Drumlin

Explanation

A cirque is a bowl-shaped hollow carved by ice and frost action at the head of a glacier. Moraines, drumlins and outwash plains are depositional features built from material left by melting ice or meltwater. Only the cirque results primarily from erosion.

Question 21Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

A region's economy shifts from primary production to manufacturing and then to services. Which concept does this describe?

  1. Demographic transition
  2. Spatial diffusion of innovation
  3. Urban consolidation
  4. Economic restructuring through sectoral change Correct answer.

Explanation

Economic restructuring describes the shift in employment and output between primary, secondary and tertiary sectors as an economy develops. Spatial diffusion concerns how innovations spread between places, while demographic transition tracks birth and death rates. Urban consolidation is a planning policy, not a sectoral shift.

Question 22Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which statement best explains why globalisation has increased the interdependence of national economies?

  1. Nations have standardised all wages and labour laws
  2. Production is split across countries linked by trade, investment and communication networks Correct answer.
  3. Transport costs have risen sharply between countries
  4. Countries have reduced their reliance on international trade

Explanation

Globalisation spreads stages of production across borders, so countries depend on trade, foreign investment and fast communication to supply components and markets. Reduced trade and rising transport costs would weaken interdependence, and wages and labour laws remain nationally varied rather than standardised.

Question 23Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

A geographer uses a geographic information system to overlay flood extent, population density and road data. Which capability of GIS does this best demonstrate?

  1. Random sampling of vegetation quadrats
  2. Spatial analysis through layering of datasets Correct answer.
  3. Qualitative interviewing of residents
  4. Field measurement of river discharge

Explanation

GIS enables different spatial datasets to be layered and analysed together to reveal relationships, such as which populations and roads fall within flood extents. Field measurement, interviewing and quadrat sampling are data collection methods rather than spatial overlay analysis.

Question 24Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

On a map with a scale of 1:50 000, a measured distance of 4 centimetres represents what ground distance?

  1. 2 kilometres Correct answer.
  2. 20 kilometres
  3. 8 kilometres
  4. 0.5 kilometres

Explanation

A scale of 1:50 000 means one unit on the map equals 50 000 of the same units on the ground, so 4 centimetres represents 200 000 centimetres. Converting to metres and then kilometres gives 2 kilometres. Multiplying incorrectly or misplacing the decimal yields the other values.

Question 25Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Two nearby weather stations at similar elevation record different annual rainfall totals, with one on a windward slope and one on a leeward slope. Which explanation best accounts for the difference?

  1. Air rises and cools on the windward slope, releasing rain, while descending air on the leeward slope warms and dries Correct answer.
  2. The leeward slope receives more direct sun, which increases its rainfall
  3. Windward slopes are always closer to the coast than leeward slopes
  4. Rainfall is unrelated to slope aspect and reflects only latitude

Explanation

Orographic effects cause moist air to rise and cool on the windward side, producing condensation and rainfall, while descending air on the leeward side warms and dries, creating a rain shadow. Slope aspect relative to prevailing winds, not latitude alone or coastal proximity, explains the contrast. Sun exposure does not generate rainfall.

Question 26Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which term describes the total value of goods and services produced within a country's borders in a year, regardless of ownership?

  1. Human development index
  2. Gross national income
  3. Gross domestic product Correct answer.
  4. Purchasing power parity

Explanation

Gross domestic product measures output produced inside a country's territory in a given period, irrespective of who owns the firms. Gross national income instead counts income earned by a country's residents, including earnings from abroad.

Question 27Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which factor of production refers to the natural resources used in production, such as minerals, timber and fertile soil?

  1. Labour
  2. Enterprise
  3. Capital
  4. Land Correct answer.

Explanation

In the traditional classification, land covers all natural resources gifted by the environment, including minerals, forests, water and soil. Capital refers to manufactured aids to production, labour to human effort and enterprise to risk-taking organisation.

Question 28Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

A population has 240 births in a year and a mid-year population of 60 000. What is the crude birth rate per 1000 people?

  1. 4.0 Correct answer.
  2. 2.5
  3. 6.0
  4. 0.4

Explanation

The crude birth rate is births divided by mid-year population, multiplied by 1000. Here 240 divided by 60 000 equals 0.004, which multiplied by 1000 gives 4.0 births per 1000 people.

Question 29Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which feature of a map shows the relationship between distance on the map and distance on the ground?

  1. Contour interval
  2. Scale Correct answer.
  3. Grid reference
  4. Legend

Explanation

A map's scale states the ratio between a measured map distance and the corresponding real-world distance. It allows users to convert measurements on the map into ground distances.

Question 30Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which natural process removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores it in ocean water?

  1. Combustion
  2. Respiration
  3. Photosynthesis
  4. Ocean uptake Correct answer.

Explanation

The ocean absorbs carbon dioxide directly at the air-sea interface, dissolving it in seawater and forming a major carbon sink. This physical and chemical uptake is distinct from biological processes on land.

Question 31Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which landform is created where a river slows on entering a lake and deposits its sediment load?

  1. A gorge
  2. An oxbow lake
  3. A meander
  4. A delta Correct answer.

Explanation

When a river loses velocity on entering standing water, its competence to carry sediment falls and material is deposited in a fan-shaped body called a delta. The deposit builds outward as sediment accumulates.

Question 32Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which type of plate boundary is associated with plates sliding horizontally past each other, producing shallow earthquakes but little volcanism?

  1. Convergent boundary
  2. Transform boundary Correct answer.
  3. Divergent boundary
  4. Hotspot boundary

Explanation

At a transform boundary, plates move laterally against each other, generating friction and shallow-focus earthquakes without significant magma production. The absence of subduction or rifting limits volcanic activity.

Question 33Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which term describes the variety of living organisms within an ecosystem, including the range of species and genetic differences among them?

  1. Biodiversity Correct answer.
  2. Ecological footprint
  3. Biomass
  4. Carrying capacity

Explanation

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life at genetic, species and ecosystem levels. It is a measure of variety rather than of total mass or of human demand on resources.

Question 34Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

A country's population grows from 20 million to 22 million over ten years. What is the approximate average annual growth rate?

  1. 1.0% Correct answer.
  2. 10%
  3. 2.0%
  4. 0.9%

Explanation

The total increase is 2 million on a base of 20 million, which is 10% over ten years. Dividing the ten-year rate by ten gives an average of about 1.0% per year.

Question 35Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which statement best describes a country in Stage 4 of the demographic transition model?

  1. Death rates fall rapidly while birth rates stay high
  2. Birth rates rise while death rates remain low
  3. Birth and death rates are both low and stable Correct answer.
  4. Birth and death rates are both high and fluctuate

Explanation

In Stage 4 both birth and death rates have fallen to low levels, giving slow or stable population growth. This pattern reflects widespread use of contraception, lower infant mortality and higher living standards.

Question 36Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which process in the hydrological cycle returns water vapour from plants to the atmosphere?

  1. Infiltration
  2. Percolation
  3. Transpiration Correct answer.
  4. Interception

Explanation

Transpiration is the loss of water vapour through plant stomata, which together with evaporation from surfaces returns moisture to the atmosphere. It is a key pathway in the evapotranspiration component of the water cycle.

Question 37Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which human activity is the largest single source of global greenhouse gas emissions?

  1. Burning of fossil fuels Correct answer.
  2. Cement production
  3. Agriculture and land clearing
  4. Waste decomposition in landfills

Explanation

Burning coal, oil and gas for energy releases the greatest share of global greenhouse gases, mainly carbon dioxide. Other sources contribute meaningfully but are smaller in total.

Question 38Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

A coastal community builds seawalls and replants mangroves to reduce damage from storm surges. Which category of hazard management does this represent?

  1. Preparedness
  2. Relief
  3. Mitigation Correct answer.
  4. Recovery

Explanation

Mitigation involves long-term measures that reduce the impact of a hazard before it occurs, such as engineered defences and ecosystem buffers. These actions lower potential damage rather than responding after an event.

Question 39Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which soil property is most directly increased by the addition of decomposed organic matter?

  1. Water-holding capacity Correct answer.
  2. Salinity
  3. Bulk density
  4. Soil pH

Explanation

Humus from decomposed organic matter binds soil particles into aggregates and retains moisture, raising water-holding capacity. It also improves structure and aeration, benefiting plant growth.

Question 40Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which explanation best accounts for the high rainfall on the windward side of a mountain range?

  1. Warm ocean currents increase evaporation on the leeward side
  2. Surface friction slows the wind and forces moisture downward
  3. Air cools and expands as it rises, reducing its capacity to hold moisture Correct answer.
  4. Descending air compresses and warms, forming clouds

Explanation

As moist air is forced up the windward slope it expands and cools, lowering its capacity to hold water vapour and causing condensation and orographic rain. The leeward side then receives descending, warming air and stays drier.

Question 41Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which characteristic is typical of a highly globalised economy?

  1. Most production is consumed locally with little trade
  2. Supply chains are spread across several countries Correct answer.
  3. Foreign investment is tightly limited by governments
  4. Trade is restricted by high tariffs and quotas

Explanation

Globalisation involves the integration of economies through trade, investment and communication, so production is often fragmented across national borders. Components may be designed, manufactured and assembled in different countries.

Question 42Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

A company locates a factory near a large source of iron ore and a port. Which locational factor does this best illustrate?

  1. Raw material orientation Correct answer.
  2. Footloose industry
  3. Agglomeration economies
  4. Market orientation

Explanation

Raw material orientation occurs when processing is sited close to bulky or weight-losing inputs to reduce transport costs. Locating near the ore source and a port minimises the cost of moving heavy materials.

Question 43Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which statement best explains why urban heat islands form in large cities?

  1. Air pressure is consistently lower over built-up areas
  2. Cities receive more direct sunlight than rural areas
  3. Dark surfaces and concrete absorb and store more heat Correct answer.
  4. Vegetation cover is greater in cities than in rural areas

Explanation

Urban surfaces such as asphalt and concrete have low albedo and high thermal mass, absorbing solar energy and releasing it slowly. Reduced vegetation and waste heat from vehicles and buildings further raise urban temperatures.

Question 44Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which measure of development adjusts income per person to reflect differences in the cost of living between countries?

  1. Literacy rate
  2. Purchasing power parity Correct answer.
  3. Life expectancy
  4. Gross domestic product per capita

Explanation

Purchasing power parity converts incomes into a common currency using the relative cost of goods, allowing more meaningful comparisons of living standards. It corrects for the fact that money buys different amounts in different countries.

Question 45Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

A geographer wants to show the proportion of a city's workforce employed in primary, secondary and tertiary sectors. Which presentation method is most appropriate?

  1. A choropleth map
  2. A line graph
  3. A scatter graph
  4. A divided bar or pie chart Correct answer.

Explanation

A divided bar or pie chart displays parts of a whole, making it suited to showing the proportional shares of employment sectors that sum to 100%. Line and scatter graphs are better for trends and relationships between variables.

Question 46Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which factor most strongly explains why some countries remain dependent on primary exports despite economic growth elsewhere?

  1. Limited capital, infrastructure and skilled labour Correct answer.
  2. Diversified industrial bases and strong domestic markets
  3. High levels of foreign direct investment in manufacturing
  4. Stable commodity prices over long periods

Explanation

Countries dependent on primary exports often lack the capital, infrastructure and skilled labour needed to diversify into manufacturing and services. This reinforces specialisation in unprocessed goods, whose prices are volatile.

Question 47Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Two regions have similar rainfall and temperature but different vegetation. Which explanation is most plausible?

  1. Differences in the rotation of the Earth between the two locations
  2. Differences in latitude causing major differences in solar radiation
  3. Differences in the age of the atmosphere above each region
  4. Differences in soil type and drainage affecting water and nutrient availability Correct answer.

Explanation

Where climate is similar, vegetation differences are commonly explained by edaphic factors such as soil texture, depth, drainage and nutrient status. These control how much water and nutrients plants can access, shaping the plant community.

Question 48Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

A hazard event of the same magnitude causes far greater loss of life in one country than another. Which explanation is most consistent with the concept of vulnerability?

  1. The country with greater losses had weaker building codes and emergency planning Correct answer.
  2. The hazard magnitude was actually higher in the country with greater losses
  3. Both countries had identical exposure and adaptive capacity
  4. The country with fewer losses had no population in the affected area

Explanation

Vulnerability describes the characteristics of a society that make it susceptible to harm, including poor construction standards, limited planning and low adaptive capacity. Where these are weak, the same physical hazard produces greater casualties.

Question 49Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

Which reasoning best explains why a country with a high proportion of young dependants may struggle to raise national income per person?

  1. High dependency reduces the share of the population in productive employment Correct answer.
  2. A youthful population eliminates the need for investment in education
  3. A large young population always produces higher savings rates
  4. Young dependants contribute more tax revenue than adults

Explanation

A high dependency ratio means fewer people of working age relative to dependants, so income generated must support more people. Investment is diverted to schools and health care, and savings may be lower, slowing growth in income per person.

Question 50Geography (ATAR course content as specified in the Geography ATAR syllabus)

A river's discharge rises sharply within hours of heavy rain in a catchment with steep slopes, thin soils and little vegetation. Which interpretation is most appropriate?

  1. The catchment has a long lag time and low peak discharge
  2. The catchment has high infiltration and low surface runoff
  3. The catchment stores most rainfall in deep groundwater
  4. The catchment has a short lag time and high peak discharge Correct answer.

Explanation

Steep slopes, thin soils and sparse vegetation reduce infiltration and speed surface runoff, so water reaches the channel quickly. This produces a short lag time between rainfall and peak discharge and a higher flood peak.