WASSCE Geography · Paper 1 style

Earth movements

One sample question with the full working. 4 more in the app, with instant feedback and repair sessions for the traps below.

The earth completes one rotation on its axis in about

A365¼ days
B24 hours
Cone month
D12 hours

Show the answer and working

Answer: B

Rotation ≈ 24 h.

Trap A Confuses rotation and revolution: Rotation (24 h) → day and night. Revolution (365¼ days) with the tilted axis (23½°) → seasons and changing day length.

Trap C Solar system and earth misconceptions: Order: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. Equinoxes ~21 March and 23 September (equal day and night). Solstices ~21 June and 22 December. Lunar eclipse: earth between sun and moon.

Trap D Gives only part of the answer: Recall the full definition or list of factors and check the option covers it.

Traps in Earth movements

Confuses rotation and revolution
Rotation (24 h) → day and night. Revolution (365¼ days) with the tilted axis (23½°) → seasons and changing day length.
Solar system and earth misconceptions
Order: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. Equinoxes ~21 March and 23 September (equal day and night). Solstices ~21 June and 22 December. Lunar eclipse: earth between sun and moon.
Gives only part of the answer
Recall the full definition or list of factors and check the option covers it.
Chooses a true but irrelevant statement
Test each option against the exact term or feature in the stem.
Uses an everyday idea instead of the geography
Test the intuition against the physical process; geography terms and causes often differ from their everyday sense.
Uses the wrong operation
Picture the situation (higher = colder; back bearing = ± 180°) before choosing the operation.

Practise Earth movements (4 questions)Send to your class on WhatsApp