GEOGRAPHY TOPICAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Give two main sources of population data.

2/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 2 2015 Section B Question 10.

(a) (i) Give two main sources of population data.

National census/head count
Sample surveys
Vital statistics /Registration of birth/death/marriage/migration
Content analysis

(ii) Outline the information that can be derived from a population pyramid.

The size of population
The proportion of males and females
The proportion of youthful/working/ageing population
The composition of population by sex
The dependency ration
Birth/death rate

(b) Explain how the following factors have led to population increase in Kenya
(i) cultural beliefs;
(ii) migration.

(i) cultural beliefs;

Some cultures encourage large families due to preference of one gender to the other/prestige/wealth/source of labour some cultures discourage the use of contraceptives leading to couples getting many children.
Some cultures encourages early marriages hence a longer child bearing period.

(ii) Migration

Political instability in some neighbouring countries has led to an influx of refugees leading to population increase.

.(a) (i) Give two main sources of population data. (ii) Outline the information that can be derived from a population pyramid. (b) Explain how the following factors have led to population increase in Kenya (i) cultural beliefs; (ii) migration. (c) Explain four problems which result from a high population growth rate in Kenya. (d) Describe four ways in which the population of Kenya differs from that of Sweden.

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State four advantages of air transport.

2/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 2 2015 Section B Question 9.

Use the map of Africa below to answer question (a)

(a) Name the trans-continental highways in Africa marked M, N and P.

M - The Great North Road
N - The Trans-Africa Highways
P Algeria-Lagos Highway/Trans-saharan Highway

(b) (i) State four advantages of air transport.

It is a fast means of transport
It operates on fixed schedules that allows for prior planning
It has a minimum risk/damage of cargo
It is the most comfortable means of transport over long distances
It has limitless scope of operations
It allows access to remote areas

(ii) Explain four efforts that the Kenya Government has taken to improve air transport.

Expansion of existing airport/improvement of airport facilities to cope with increased air traffic
Training personnel in modern aviation technology to improve service delivery
Promoting budget flights/package tours to lower the cost of travel/lower operational costs
Enhancing security around the airports to reduce crime/lower accident risks
Installing modem navigational equipment to increase efficiency in service delivery
Encourage partnership with established airlines in order to get capital for expansion of air transport.
Promotion of domestic air transport to maximise use of facilities.

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Differentiate between domestic and international tourism

2/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 2 2015 Section B Question 8.

(a) Differentiate between domestic and international tourism.

Domestic tourism is the visit by people within their country for pleasure while international tourism is the visit by people away from their mother country to a given country for pleasure

Use the map of East Africa below to answer question (b).

(b) Name:
(i) The national parks marked H, J and K.

H- Murchison falls/kabarega
J -Malka Mari
K -Serengeti

(ii) The game reserve marked L.

L -Selous

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State three physical conditions which favour large scale sugarcane growing in Kenya.

2/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 2 2015 Section B Question 7.

(a) State three physical conditions which favour large scale sugarcane growing in Kenya.

The presence of deep, well drained soil/black cotton /clay soils
High temperatures/between 21°C to 27°C
Gently sloping/undulating land which enables mechanization
High rainfall 1200mm to 1500mm, well distributed throughout the year
Sunny conditions for sugar accumulation.

(b) (i) Describe the stages involved in the processing of sugarcane at the factory.

The cane is received and weighed
The cane is washed and chopped into small pieces
The pieces are crushed to extract the juice
The juice is put into clarifiers to filter off the impurities
The juice is boiled to evaporate the water
The juice is further stirred in large tanks to allow crystallization
The juice is further stirred in large tanks to allow crystallization
The crystals are separated from molasses
The sugar is breached to whiten
The sugar is then dried, cooled, graded, weighed and packed.

(ii) Give three by-products obtained from sugarcane.

Bagasse
Molasses
Cane juice
Filter cake/filter mud
Jaggery

(a) State three physical conditions which favour large scale sugarcane growing in Kenya. (b) (i) Describe the stages involved in the processing of sugarcane at the factory. (ii) Give three by-products obtained from sugarcane. (c) Explain three ways in which the Kenya Government is promoting the sugar manufacturing industry. (d) Your class visited a sugarcane plantation for a field study on land preparation and planting. (i) Outline four activities that you are likely to identify. (ii) Give three methods you would use to record data during the field study.

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State three advantages of using comparative bar graphs to represent statistical data.

2/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 2 2015 Section B Question 6.

The table below shows the value of some of Kenya’s mineral exports from 2008 to 2011. Use it to answer questions (a) and (b).

(a) (i) Using a scale of 1 cm to represent 1 000 million Kenya Shillings, draw a comparative bar graph to represent the data shown.

(ii) State three advantages of using comparative bar graphs to represent statistical data.

They give a clear visual impression on total values
They are easy to read/interpret the values for each bar
They are easy to compare the values of commodities
They can be used to represent a wide range of data
They are easy to draw/construct

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State three advantages of geothermal power as a source of energy.

1/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 2 2015 Section A Question 5.

Use the map of Kenya below to answer question (a).

(a) Name the hydro-electric power projects marked E, F and C.

E -Gogo
F -Sondu Miriu/Sangoro
G- Turkwel

(b) State three advantages of geothermal power as a source of energy.

It is a clean source of energy/non pollutant
The cost of production is low
It has minimal environmental degradation
It is a renewable source of energy
It is a reliable source of energy

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Give four challenges facing Nomadic pastoralism in Kenya.

1/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 2 2015 Section A Question 4.

Give four challenges facing Nomadic pastoralism in Kenya.

Shortage of water
Scarcity of pasture
Outbreak of animal diseases/rinderpest/foot and mouth/tripanosomiasis
Attacks by animal pests/ticks/tsetseflies
Inadequate veterinary services
Poor marketing strategies
Cattle rustling/raids/attacks by wild animals
Decrease in grazing land/competition from other land uses.

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Distinguish between forest and forestry.

1/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 2 2015 Section A Question 3.

(a) Distinguish between forest and forestry.

A forest is a continuous cover of trees over a large area while forestry is a science of developing/managing forests.

(b) Identify three activities that may be undertaken in your school to conserve trees.

Planting trees/establishing a tree planting thy within the school calendar.
Establishing tree nurseries
Establishing tree planting/environmental clubs to create awareness on conservation
Using alternative sources of energy
Taking care/protection of young trees/watering/that mulching
Using energy save jikos/stoves
Using alternative sources of construction material
Pest/disease control

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Identify three factors that influence the occurrence of minerals.

1/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 2 2015 Section A Question 2.

(a) Identify three factors that influence the occurrence of minerals.

vulcanicity
metamorphism
denudation/weathering/erosion
earth movements/folding
evaporation
sedimentation/deposition

(b) Name the area where the following minerals are mined in Kenya:
(i) diatomite;
(ii) salt.

(i) diatomite - Kariandusi
(ii) salt - Magadi/Malindi/Ngoleni/Magarice/Ngongori

(a) Identify three factors that influence the occurrence of minerals. (b) Name the area where the following minerals are mined in Kenya: (i) diatomite; (ii) salt.

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Define the term environment.

1/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 2 2015 Section A Question 1.

(a) Define the term environment.

is the sum of all the external conditions/influences affecting the life/development of organisms.

(b) Give three effects of air pollution in major urban centres.

causes poor visibility/haze/smog
causes respiratory diseases/skin cancer in humans
leads to acidic rain
causes increase in air temperature
causes stunted growth in plants

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Explain how the following factors influence the amount of underground water in limestone areas:

1/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 1 2015 Section B Question 10.

The diagram below represents an artesian basin. Use it to answer question (a).

(a) Identify:
(i) the layers marked X and Y.

x - Impermeable rocks
y-Aquifer

(ii) the process marked Z.

z - Percolation

(b) Explain how the following factors influence the amount of underground water in limestone areas:
(i) rainfall;
(ii) vegetation cover.

(i) Rainfall

When rains last for long hours it enhances infiltration thereby replenishing the underground water sources.
Heavy rains saturate the surface blocking air spaces thus reducing the rate of infiltration/leading to low amount of underground water.
Little rainfall/no rainfall leads to low amount of under ground water.

(ii) Vegetation cover

Presence of vegetation cover reduces the speed of surface runoff hence increasing the rate of infiltration/leading to high amount of underground water.
Presence of vegetation cover breaks the force of raindrops giving water more time to infiltrate hence increasing the amount of underground water.
In areas of scanty vegetation/on bare ground the surface runoff is high hence reduce rate of infiltration/leading to low amount of underground water.
Presence of vegetation cover provide shade in the ground reducing direct loss of water through evaporation hence increasing the rate of infiltration leading to high amount of underground water.

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Apart form alternate wetting and drying, name three other processes of mechanical weathering.

1/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 1 2015 Section B Question 9.

(a) (i) Apart form alternate wetting and drying, name three other processes of mechanical weathering.

Exfoliation/onion peeling/spalling
Block disintegration/block separation
Pressure release
Granular disintegration
Frost action
Crystal growth

(ii) Describe the following processes of weathering:
alternate wetting and drying;
hydrolysis:
carbonation.

Alternate wetting and drying

During the wet season surface rocks such as clay/shale absorb water causing them to swell.
During the dry season these rocks dry out causing the outer surface to shrink.
Repeated wetting and drying weakens the rocks leading to cracking/slaking.
These rocks break away from the main rock.

Hydrolysis

This is a process in which hydrogen ions/hydroxyl ions in water react with mineral ions in a rock.
This reaction leads to formation of new chemical compounds in the rocks.
With alteration of the original minerals, the rock becomes weak and disintegrates/decays.

Carbonation

It involves rain water dissolving carbon 4 oxide in the atmosphere forming a weak carbonic acid.
The carbonic acid reacts with calcium carbonate in rocks to form calcium bicarbonate solution.
Calcium bicarbonate solution is removed by running water.
This leads to the weakening/disintegration of the rock.

(b) (i) State three conditions that influence the process of solifluction in mass wasting.

The presence of a gentle slope.
The occurrence of alternating warm and cold season.
Presence of a permafrost layer/frozen ground/bedrock.
Unconsolidated saturated weathered materials/debris.

(ii) Give three negative effects of mass wasting on the physical environment.

Destruction of vegetation.
Blockage of rivers/disruption of flow of rivers.
Exposure of land to agents of soil erosion.
Loss of life/property.
Results in the formation of scars on the land/derelict land.

(i) Apart form alternate wetting and drying, name three other processes of mechanical weathering. (ii) Describe the following processes of weathering: alternate wetting and drying; hydrolysis: carbonation

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Apart from the Rift Valley, name three other relief’ features formed as a result of faulting.

1/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 1 2015 Section B Question 8.

(a) (i) Apart from the Rift Valley, name three other relief’ features formed as a result of faulting.

Escarpments/scarp slopes.
Tilt blocks.
Fault steps.
Block mountains/horst/fault block.

(ii) With the aid of diagrams, describe how the Great Rift Valley may have been formed by tensional forces.

Layers of rocks are subjected to tensional forces when there is some instability within the earth’s crust.

(b) Explain three ways in which faulting may influence drainage systems.

Uplifting of landscape which leads to faulting may cause rivers to reverse their direction of fowl back tilting.
Vertical faulting across a river may cause a change in the local base level resulting in the formation of a waterfall.
Basins/depressions resulting from faulting may be filled with water to form lakes/inland drainage basins.
Some rivers flow along fault lines forming fault guided drainage patterns.
Some rivers may disappear into the ground through a fault forming underground streams.
Uplift of some river channels may cause river rejuvenation.
Faulting may expose underground water leading to formation of springs.

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Define the term weather.

1/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 1 2015 Section B Question 7.

(i) Define the term weather.

Weather is the daily atmospheric conditions of a place at particular time.

(ii) Explain how the following factors influence weather:
cloud cover;
local winds.

Cloud cover:

Thick cloud cover reduces the amout of solar radiation reaching the earth surface thus decreasing the atmospheric temperature.
Absence of cloud cover leads to an increase in diurnal range of temperature.
Thick cloud cover blocks terestial radiation from leaving the earth surface lower atmosphere thereby increasing the atmospheric temperature.
The type of cloud determines type/amount of rainfall.
The amount of cloud cover determines the intensity of sunshine received on the earth surface.
Shape/height/movement of clouds determines the type of weather that is likely to occur.

Local winds:

Warm winds blowing over an area bring the warming effect thereby raising the temperature of the place.
Cold winds blowing over an area bring the cooling effect hence lowering the temperature of the place.
Moist winds passing over a region drop moisture as precipitation/increase humidity.
Dry winds passing over a region bring a drying effect/aridity/lower humidity.

The diagram below represents a weather measuring instrument. Use it to answer question (b).

(ii) Explain how the following factors influence weather: cloud cover; local winds. The diagram below represents a weather measuring instrument. Use it to answer question (b).

(b) (i) Which element of weather is measured using the instrument shown above?
(ii) Describe how the above instrument is used.

(i) Which element of weather is measured using the instrument shown?

Rainfall.

(ii) Describe how the above instrument is used.

The instrument is placed in an open area and rain water collects in the jar.
The metal collecting jar is removed from the metal holder.
The water is poured into a measuring/graduated cylinder.
The reading is taken/recorded.
The water is emptied and the instrument is placed outside to collect more water for measuring the following day.

The table below shows the temperature and rainfall readings for station T in one week. Use it to answer question (c).

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Convert the ratio scale of the map extract into a statement scale.

1/2/2021

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KCSE Geography Paper 1 2015 Section B Question 6.

Study the map of Busia 1:50,000 (sheet 101/1) provided and answer the following questions.
(a) (i) Convert the ratio scale of the map extract into a statement scale.

1 cm on the map represents - km / 0.5 km on the ground.

(ii) What is the general direction of flow of river Sio?

North East to South West.

(iii) Identify the two dominant types of natural vegetation shown in the area covered by the map.

Scrub;
Papyrus swamp/vegetation;
Scattered trees;
Thicket;
Three swamp vegetation;
Riverine trees;
Woodlands

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