Cambridge IGCSE Environmental Management: Natural Hazards — Practice Questions (0680)

These practice questions cover all of Topic 6, Natural hazards, in Cambridge IGCSE Environmental Management (0680, 2027-2029): earthquakes and volcanoes, tropical cyclones, flooding and drought. Several questions use short source material, as Paper 2 does, and the final questions ask you to discuss strategies before, during and after a hazard.

These are original questions written for Marlbridge, for revision and practice on this content. They are not reproduced past-paper questions, and they do not replicate the exam’s exact structure, question count or mark tariffs — Cambridge International holds copyright in its own papers. Use these alongside the official past papers available free from your board.

Related: Natural hazards study guide and revision notes

---

Section A

1. Name the three main layers of the Earth, from the outside inwards. [1]

2. Distinguish between the focus and the epicentre of an earthquake. [2]

3. Name the scale used to measure earthquake magnitude in the syllabus. [1]

4. Define drought. [1]

Section B

5. Describe how convection currents in the mantle cause plates to move. [3]

6. For a convergent (destructive) plate boundary: (a) describe what happens to the plates; [2] (b) explain why both earthquakes and a line of volcanoes occur there. [3]

7. Name four features of a volcanic eruption. [4]

8. A farming family lives on the slopes of an active volcano. Explain three reasons why they might choose to stay. [3]

9. Source: A tropical cyclone crossed a low-lying coastal delta. Winds reached 200 km/h, 300 mm of rain fell in two days and a storm surge flooded farmland 20 km inland. Hand-pumped wells were flooded with sea water and sewage. (a) State the three ocean conditions needed for the cyclone to form. [3] (b) Using the source, describe three impacts on people. [3] (c) Explain why water-related diseases may increase in the weeks after the cyclone. [2]

10. Explain how urbanisation and deforestation increase the risk of flooding. [4]

11. Describe two opportunities that flooding provides to people. [2]

12. Describe four impacts of a prolonged drought on a rural community and its environment. [4]

Section C

13. Discuss the benefits and limitations of strategies for managing the impacts of an earthquake before it happens. [6]

14. Discuss the benefits and limitations of increasing water supply to manage the impacts of drought. [6]

15. “International aid is the most important strategy after a tropical cyclone.” Discuss. [6]

---

Answers

1. Crust, mantle, core. [1]

2. The focus is the point underground where the earthquake starts [1]; the epicentre is the point on the surface directly above it [1].

3. Moment Magnitude Scale. [1]

4. A period of dry weather that is longer or more severe than normal. [1]

5. Heat from the core heats mantle rock, which rises [1]; it spreads out beneath the crust, cools and sinks [1]; this circular movement drags the plates above it [1].

6. (a) Plates move towards each other [1] and one (the denser plate) is subducted beneath the other [1]. (b) Friction as the plate is forced down builds up pressure, released suddenly as earthquakes [1]; the subducted plate melts in the mantle, forming magma [1], which rises through the overlying plate to form a line of volcanoes [1].

7. Any four: lava; ash; gases (water vapour, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide); acid rain; volcanic bombs; pyroclastic flows. [4]

8. Any three explained: fertile volcanic soils give high crop yields [1]; income from tourism [1]; jobs in mineral extraction or quarrying building materials [1]; geothermal power [1]; eruptions may be rare and monitored, so they feel safe. [max 3]

9. (a) Latitude between 5° and 30° from the Equator [1]; ocean temperature at least 27 °C [1]; ocean depth at least 60 m [1]. (b) Any three from the source: farmland flooded so crops lost [1]; drinking water contaminated by sea water and sewage [1]; damage from 200 km/h winds to buildings [1]; evacuation needed; financial losses. [max 3] (c) Wells are contaminated with sewage [1], so people drink water carrying pathogens such as those causing cholera; standing water can also allow mosquitoes to breed [1].

10. Urbanisation replaces soil with impermeable concrete and tarmac [1], so less infiltration and faster surface run-off to rivers [1]. Deforestation removes interception and water uptake by trees [1], and exposes soil to erosion, which silts rivers and reduces their capacity [1].

11. Nutrient-rich silt deposited on farmland [1]; recharge of surface water and ground water stores [1].

12. Any four: wells and rivers dry up [1]; crops and livestock die [1]; famine [1]; soil erosion and desertification [1]; increased risk of wildfires [1]; decreased air quality from dust [1]; financial losses; health problems. [max 4]

13. [6] Strategies before: monitoring (benefit - warns of related hazards such as tsunamis; limitation - earthquakes cannot be precisely predicted); land use zoning (benefit - keeps homes and schools away from fault lines and unstable slopes; limitation - land shortage and enforcement); building structure (benefit - cross-bracing and flexible foundations reduce collapse; limitation - cost, especially for existing homes in LICs); disaster preparation and drills (benefit - people know to drop, cover and hold; limitation - needs funding and repetition). Conclusion: building structure saves most lives but is costliest.

14. [6] Dams and reservoirs: store water for dry seasons; but costly, flood land and lose water by evaporation. Aquifers and wells: reliable underground supply; but over-pumping lowers the water table and can make wells run dry. Desalination: unlimited sea water; but high energy use and cost. Rainwater harvesting: cheap and local; but collects nothing during the drought itself. Conclusion: increasing supply works best with water conservation.

15. [6] For: aid brings money, food, shelters, medical teams and water purification quickly, especially where governments lack resources; it supports rebuilding. Against: aid may arrive late or not reach remote areas, can be misused, and may create dependency; local preparation, warnings and evacuation before the cyclone often save more lives. Conclusion: aid is vital after the event but less important than preparation overall.

A note on exam technique for this topic

Use the source. If a question says “using the source”, every point should quote or refer to evidence in it. For “discuss” questions, link each strategy to the correct stage of the hazard and balance the answer.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need named case studies? The syllabus does not list specific events, but using a real example accurately, with location and date, strengthens a “discuss” answer.

Which hazards have opportunities on the syllabus? Volcanoes (fertile soils, minerals, building materials, geothermal power, tourism) and flooding (silt and water recharge).

What is the difference between a storm, a hurricane and a typhoon? They are names for tropical cyclones used in different regions; the formation conditions are the same.

Official syllabus

Cambridge IGCSE Environmental Management (0680) syllabus for 2027, 2028 and 2029 - official syllabus PDF.