GCSE Geography | Avalanches, effects of ice on the landscape

Geography Quiz - Avalanches (Questions)

Avalanches are fast-moving snow slides that can transform peaceful mountains into dangerous places. This GCSE Geography quiz tests how well you understand their causes, impacts, and management.

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Fascinating Fact:

Mountain regions reduce risk using avalanche forecasting, weather and snowpack monitoring, hazard maps, and warning systems for residents and tourists.

In GCSE Geography, avalanches are studied as rapid mass movements of snow and ice. You learn how slopes become unstable, how people are affected, and how mountain communities plan to live more safely with this hazard.

Key Terms

Avalanche: A sudden, fast flow of snow, ice, and sometimes rock down a mountainside when the slope becomes unstable.
Snowpack: The layer or layers of snow that build up on the ground over time, with different densities and weaknesses inside.
Trigger: The final action or change, such as extra snowfall, warming, or a skier’s weight, that starts an avalanche sliding.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What is an avalanche in GCSE Geography?

In GCSE Geography, an avalanche is defined as a rapid movement of snow and ice down a steep slope. It is a type of mass movement that can damage buildings, roads, and ski resorts.

What natural factors can cause avalanches?

Avalanches can be caused by heavy snowfall, strong winds building deep drifts, sudden warming, and weak layers in the snowpack. Steep slopes and limited vegetation also make avalanches more likely.

How do people manage avalanche risk in mountain areas?

People manage avalanche risk by restricting access to dangerous slopes, building protective structures above villages and roads, carrying safety equipment, and sometimes using controlled explosions to release unstable snow safely.

Try These Related Quizzes

An avalanche is ...

[ ]	a gradual movement of a mass of snow towards the coast
[ ]	a slow movement of ices towards a river
[ ]	a rapid movement of snow over flat land
[ ]	a sudden fast movement of snow down a steep slope

Which of the following is not a method used to manage avalanches in the area of a winter sports resort?

[ ]	Brushing the snow off a slope
[ ]	Setting off an explosion in the snow
[ ]	Building a reinforced tunnel over a road
[ ]	Using large fences and barriers

Which of the following is least likely to cause an avalanche?

[ ]	The first light snowfall of the winter
[ ]	Heavy snowfall
[ ]	Skiing
[ ]	An earthquake

Which of the following is a type of avalanche?

[ ]	Lumpy
[ ]	Block
[ ]	Slab
[ ]	Chunk

Why is the type of avalanche mentioned in the previous question more destructive than a loose snow avalanche?

[ ]	It is made from a large volume of very compacted snow
[ ]	It occurs over a wide area and travels a long way
[ ]	It carries rocks, trees and other debris with it
[ ]	All of the above

When is the main avalanche 'season' in mountain ranges in the Northern hemisphere?

[ ]	July to September
[ ]	October to December
[ ]	January to March
[ ]	April to June

Which of the following statements about avalanches is correct?

[ ]	Avalanches only occur in summer when melting snow becomes very soft
[ ]	It is difficult to predict exactly when and where an avalanche will occur
[ ]	All avalanches will destroy buildings that are in their path
[ ]	Avalanches pose no threat to skiers because their skis keep them on the surface of the moving snow

Which of the following most closely describes some of the effects of avalanches on an area?

[ ]	An increase in tourism because a lot of people come into the area hoping to watch more avalanches
[ ]	The soil and grass is removed from the slopes of the mountain which decreases the agriculture of the meadows in the summer
[ ]	It increases the number of wild animals and trees by sweeping away the rubbish left by tourists
[ ]	Avalanches cause deforestation, destruction and damage to some buildings and financial losses to an area

What is the main cause of death from avalanches?

[ ]	Crushing
[ ]	Being hit on the head by rocks in the snow
[ ]	Suffocation
[ ]	Freezing

10.

When an avalanche is over ...

[ ]	the snow becomes extremely solid
[ ]	the snow rapidly melts because it is warmer lower down the slopes
[ ]	the snow is very soft as it contains a lot of air
[ ]	the snow becomes very powdery and easy to clear

Geography Quiz - Avalanches (Answers)

An avalanche is ...

[ ]	a gradual movement of a mass of snow towards the coast
[ ]	a slow movement of ices towards a river
[ ]	a rapid movement of snow over flat land
[x]	a sudden fast movement of snow down a steep slope

There is nothing gradual or slow about an avalanche!

Which of the following is not a method used to manage avalanches in the area of a winter sports resort?

[x]	Brushing the snow off a slope
[ ]	Setting off an explosion in the snow
[ ]	Building a reinforced tunnel over a road
[ ]	Using large fences and barriers

During the First World War in the Alps, opposing forces aimed their artillery towards the slopes above the enemy forces in order to try to create avalanches

Which of the following is least likely to cause an avalanche?

[x]	The first light snowfall of the winter
[ ]	Heavy snowfall
[ ]	Skiing
[ ]	An earthquake

The most likely avalanche conditions come after heavy snowfall

Which of the following is a type of avalanche?

[ ]	Lumpy
[ ]	Block
[x]	Slab
[ ]	Chunk

After snowfall, the new snow settles and becomes firmer forming a snow 'slab'. If this is not well-bonded to the snow underneath, it can slide downhill

Why is the type of avalanche mentioned in the previous question more destructive than a loose snow avalanche?

[ ]	It is made from a large volume of very compacted snow
[ ]	It occurs over a wide area and travels a long way
[ ]	It carries rocks, trees and other debris with it
[x]	All of the above

Loose snow avalanches usually occur on a smaller scale

When is the main avalanche 'season' in mountain ranges in the Northern hemisphere?

[ ]	July to September
[ ]	October to December
[x]	January to March
[ ]	April to June

This is when the most snow falls

Which of the following statements about avalanches is correct?

[ ]	Avalanches only occur in summer when melting snow becomes very soft
[x]	It is difficult to predict exactly when and where an avalanche will occur
[ ]	All avalanches will destroy buildings that are in their path
[ ]	Avalanches pose no threat to skiers because their skis keep them on the surface of the moving snow

An avalanche needs a trigger to set it off even if it is just a slight change in the snow slab created over a long period by gravity. Triggers are random events and cannot be predicted and snow slabs are extremely complex which adds to the difficulties. This unpredictability is one of the reasons that safety teams trigger avalanches using explosives

Which of the following most closely describes some of the effects of avalanches on an area?

[ ]	An increase in tourism because a lot of people come into the area hoping to watch more avalanches
[ ]	The soil and grass is removed from the slopes of the mountain which decreases the agriculture of the meadows in the summer
[ ]	It increases the number of wild animals and trees by sweeping away the rubbish left by tourists
[x]	Avalanches cause deforestation, destruction and damage to some buildings and financial losses to an area

Roads and other transport infrastructure are damaged by avalanches and areas can be closed to tourism whilst clearing up the debris and snow from avalanches