Study Hub

Study Guides

This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.

Back to Study HubBrowse Year 9 Geography Guides

Year 9 - Geography

Windfarms: Decision making exercise

Natural resources: Can Earth meet our needs?

Unit Summary

This unit teaches pupils about the growing demand for natural resources and the different renewable and non-renewable ways humans try to meet their needs. Pupils will learn the impact of overexploitation and some of the ways natural resource exploitation can be managed.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explain the human and physical requirements for wind farm sites and evaluate potential site locations.

Key Notes

  • Wind speeds are higher in offshore, high-altitude, flat areas as they are less sheltered.
  • Wind farms should be located far from densely populated areas and close to the electricity grid.
  • Many people campaign against wind farms due to the noise and visual impact.
  • Geographers often use a cost benefit analysis to help make decisions.
  • OS maps are a good source of information for potential sites.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • wind turbine: a device that generates electricity from wind power
  • wind farm: an area in the countryside where a group of wind turbines has been placed to generate electricity
  • sheltered: a location that is protected from harsh conditions such as strong winds
  • electricity grid: a network of wires, power stations and systems that deliver electricity from where it is produced to where it is used by consumers

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Wind farms are best located as remotely as possible.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this geography topic using two clear key points.

Wind speeds are higher in offshore, high-altitude, flat areas as they are less sheltered. Wind farms should be located far from densely populated areas and close to the electricity grid.

2. Define this geography term and use it in an example. 'wind turbine'

a device that generates electricity from wind power.

3. Correct this common geography misunderstanding.

Mistake: Wind farms are best located as remotely as possible. Correction: Wind farms should be located far from densely populated areas but close to the electricity grid. If they are too remote, the cost of connecting them to the grid will be high.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 9 Geography guide library.