IB Geography: Freshwater Revision

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Why is water security an issue if Earth is mostly water?

Freshwater is a core part of IB Geography. Revise the key concepts and common mistakes below, then lock them in with the free games.

Key concepts

Physical water scarcityLack of water resources to meet demand, common in arid regions.

Economic water scarcityInadequate investment in water infrastructure despite sufficient resources.

Water stressPer capita water availability below 1,700 m³/year.

Water transfer schemeLarge-scale transport of water from surplus to deficit regions, e.g. South-North Water Transfer Project (China).

Demand-side managementReducing water use through pricing, efficiency, leakage repair and awareness.

DesalinationRemoval of salt from seawater or brackish water to produce freshwater, energy-intensive but expanding in the Gulf and elsewhere.

ErosionWearing away of channel bed and banks by hydraulic action, abrasion, attrition and corrosion.

TransportationMovement of sediment by traction, saltation, suspension and solution.

DepositionSettling of sediment when river energy falls, forming features like floodplains and deltas.

MeanderSinuous river bend formed by lateral erosion on the outer bank and deposition on the inner bank.

Hard engineeringBuilt structures such as dams, levees and channel straightening for flood defence.

Soft engineeringNon-structural approaches like floodplain zoning, afforestation and wetland restoration.

Hydrological cycleClosed system circulating water between atmosphere, land and oceans.

Drainage basinArea of land drained by a river and its tributaries, an open subsystem of the hydrological cycle.

Learn Freshwater step by step

Free interactive mini-lessons: short screens, worked examples and quick checks. Pick your exam board to open its course map, then tap L on this topic:

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Common mistakes to avoid

Questions where students often pick the tempting wrong answer — make sure you know the right one:

Why is water security an issue if Earth is mostly water?✗ There is no shortage of usable water anywhere. ✓ Most water is salty or frozen; usable fresh water is scarce and unevenly spread.

Practise Freshwater — free games

Test yourself with these quick revision games for this topic:

▶ Two Truths, One Lie ▶ Reveal Race ▶ Connections Grid ▶ Falling Words ▶ Word Web

See all 22 games in the Revision Arcade →

Freshwater

Key concepts

Common mistakes to avoid

Practise Freshwater — free games

More IB Geography topics