Lesson 3.1.4.2

3.1.4.2 The nature and distribution of cold environments Quiz: AQA Geography, Unit 1

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.1.4.2, The nature and distribution of cold environments: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Geography (7037), Unit 1: Physical geography, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which climate characteristic is typical of polar cold environments?

    • High temperatures and high humidity throughout the year, which support dense forest cover
    • Low temperatures for most of the year with limited precipitation and frequent permafrost
    • Dry summers and very hot winters with no snow, which is typical of hot desert margins
    • Heavy monsoon rainfall with mild winters, which keeps the ground wet for much of the year

  2. What is permafrost?

    • Ground that remains at or below 0 degrees Celsius for at least two consecutive years
    • A layer of volcanic ash deposited on the surface, which is frozen in place by the cold
    • Snow that accumulates over decades on a glacier surface and compacts into dense ice
    • Ground that thaws completely every summer, so it is never frozen for more than a few months

  3. Which cold environment is found at high altitude in mid-latitude mountain ranges?

    • Tropical, which describes the warm and wet lowland forests found close to the equator
    • Arid desert, which describes the dry and hot environments found in subtropical latitudes
    • Alpine
    • Coastal lagoon, which describes the sheltered shallow water found behind barrier beaches

  4. Which term describes cold environments that are not covered by glacier ice but experience frost action?

    • Coastal, which describes areas where the land meets the sea and is shaped by waves
    • Tropical, which describes warm and humid regions near the equator without frost action
    • Periglacial
    • Glacial, which describes areas where the land is covered by ice sheets or glaciers

  5. Which soil characteristic is typical of cold environments with permafrost?

    • Soils rich in volcanic ash with no moisture, which are kept dry by the constant wind
    • Dry, saline soils formed by evaporation of water that has been drawn to the surface
    • Poorly drained soils with limited biological activity due to the cold and waterlogging
    • Deep, rapidly draining soils with high biological activity throughout the year in the warm season

  6. Which vegetation type is characteristic of the tundra?

    • Mosses, lichens, dwarf shrubs and herbaceous plants adapted to short growing seasons
    • Tall tropical hardwoods with a dense canopy, which grow in warm and wet lowland forests
    • Succulent cacti adapted to desert conditions, which store water in thick stems
    • Dense monsoon forest with lianas, which thrives on heavy seasonal rain and high temperatures

  7. Which global region is most associated with past Pleistocene glaciation in the northern hemisphere?

    • The Sahara desert with extensive dune fields, which has been hot and dry throughout the period
    • The Amazon Basin with lowland rainforest, which remained warm and humid during the glacial periods
    • Northern Europe and North America, where ice sheets covered large areas
    • Central Africa with dense rainforest, which was not covered by ice during the Pleistocene

  8. Which factor best explains the distribution of present-day alpine cold environments?

    • The presence of deserts that trap cold air over the mountains and keep them permanently frozen
    • Altitude, which reduces temperature with height and creates cold conditions at higher elevations
    • Distance from the sea, which increases temperature and so reduces the extent of alpine conditions
    • Latitude alone, with no effect of altitude on the temperature of the mountain environment

  9. Which statement describes the relationship between climate, soils and vegetation in cold environments?

    • Vegetation has no effect on soils in cold environments, which develop independently of plant cover
    • Vegetation is abundant regardless of climate in polar areas, because plants adapt to any conditions
    • Cold temperatures and permafrost shape soil development, which in turn limits the vegetation that can grow
    • Soils are unaffected by temperature in cold environments, which depend only on the parent rock

  10. Why are polar environments described as having low precipitation even though they are covered by ice?

    • Ice prevents any precipitation from falling, because the surface reflects the moisture away
    • Cold air holds very little moisture, so the total annual precipitation is low
    • They receive very high precipitation from storms all year, which is why the ice has built up so thickly
    • Precipitation is high because evaporation is always zero in the cold, so all water falls as snow

  11. Which area is most likely to have been affected by the Pleistocene glaciations but is now ice-free?

    • The Sahara desert with no glacial history, which has been dry and ice-free for all of its existence
    • Parts of northern Europe where glacial landforms such as moraines and drumlins are preserved
    • Equatorial rainforest with no cold climate, which has never been affected by ice cover
    • Tropical coral reefs in shallow water, which have no connection with the glacial period at all

  12. Which description of a glacial environment is most accurate?

    • A warm environment with no snow or ice present, which is shaped by heat and dry winds
    • A cold environment where glacier ice is present and interacts with snow, meltwater and bedrock
    • A desert environment with dune fields on the valley floor, which is shaped by wind alone
    • A coastal environment with high tidal ranges, which is shaped by the movement of the sea

  13. Which statement about the global distribution of cold environments is correct?

    • They occur at high latitudes and at high altitudes in mountain ranges across the world
    • They occur only in deserts at low latitudes, where the cold nights are most extreme
    • They occur only beneath the oceans, where the water is coldest at great depths
    • They occur only at the equator, where the coldest air of the planet is found all year round

  14. Which measure would best describe the physical characteristics of a cold environment as part of a field study?

    • A count of the number of tourists visiting the area, which describes the pressure on the site
    • The number of local shops in the nearest town, which describes the economy of the region
    • The price of land in the nearest city, which describes the property market in the area
    • Records of air temperature, precipitation, soil temperature and vegetation cover over time

  15. What distinguishes periglacial climates from glacial environments?

    • Temperatures always remain above freezing for most of the year, so frost is rare
    • Frost action and permafrost operate without a permanent ice sheet covering the ground
    • There is no precipitation at all, so frost action cannot occur in any season
    • Permanent ice covers all the land surface throughout the year, with no exposed ground at all

  16. Which cold environment is characterised by extensive coniferous forest in subarctic latitudes with very cold winters?

    • Boreal forest, or taiga, in subarctic latitudes
    • Mangrove swamp on tropical coasts, which is warm and sheltered by the shoreline
    • Tropical rainforest along the equator, which is warm and wet throughout the year
    • Hot desert in the subtropics, which is dry and hot with very sparse vegetation

  17. Why does a deeper active layer often indicate warming in cold environments?

    • A deeper active layer shows that the permafrost is growing thicker each year as it freezes
    • Less summer thaw means the ground warms less, so the active layer grows thicker over time
    • The active layer depth has no link to temperature, as it depends only on the colour of the soil
    • More summer thaw penetrates deeper into the ground, so the layer above permafrost becomes thicker

  18. Which vegetation feature helps plants in polar environments survive short growing seasons?

    • Tall stems that compete for sunlight in a dense canopy, which is typical of forest
    • A low growth form and rapid growth during the brief summer period
    • Large leaves that maximise photosynthesis during the long winter nights of the polar region
    • Deep taproots that extend into permafrost layers that are always wet and unfrozen

  19. What is the main distinction between polar and alpine cold environments?

    • Polar environments are always warmer than alpine ones, which is why they support forest
    • Alpine environments are found only near the equator, while polar ones are found only at sea level
    • Polar environments occur because of high-latitude climate, while alpine environments are caused by high altitude
    • Polar environments have no permafrost, while alpine environments are always permanently frozen

  20. Which cold environment is most extensive in the northern hemisphere?

    • The circumpolar tundra and boreal regions of northern Eurasia and North America
    • The Amazon basin, which is the largest tropical forest on the Earth
    • The Antarctic ice sheet, which covers the southern continent almost entirely
    • The Sahara desert, which is located mostly in the northern hemisphere but is hot

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