National 5 Environmental Science Past Paper Questions ......Environmental Science Past Paper Questions December 2017 Name: Class: X726750102 Page 02 MARKS DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN

Belmont Academy

Geography Department

National 5 Environmental Science

Past Paper Questions December 2017

Name: Class:

*X726750102*Page 02

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Total marks — 80

Attempt ALL questions

1. Buzzards are birds of prey, commonly found throughout Scotland.

(a) State the term used to describe the place where buzzards live.

(b) Buzzards are part of the woodland ecosystem, which has several components.

Complete the table below to identify the terms and their definitions.

Term Definition

Community The sum of all the populations of plants, animals and micro-organisms living together in an ecosystem.

Species

The range of species which are present in a community.

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1. (continued)

(c) The table below shows the changes in the number of nesting buzzards in the Caledonian Forest between 1997 and 2005.

Year Number of buzzards (thousands)

1997 30·0

1999 30·5

2001 31·5

2003 32·5

2005 34·0

(i) Using the information from the table, complete a line graph below by:

1 adding the scale and label to the horizontal (x) axis;

2 completing the line graph to show the number of buzzards between 1997 and 2005.

40

35

30

25

20

Numberof

buzzards(thousands)

(Additional graph paper, if required, can be found on Page 31)

(ii) Use the data to predict the buzzard population in 2007.

buzzards

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3. (a) The diagram below shows part of the carbon cycle.

Carbon dioxide in air

Carbon compounds in animals

Carbon compounds in the soil

Fossil fuels

FossilisationProcess X

Decomposition

Photosynthesis

RespirationCarbon compounds

in plants

(i) Complete the diagram by adding an arrow to represent the process of feeding.

(ii) Name Process X.

(b) Complete the word equation for the process of photosynthesis.

lightCarbon dioxide + Glucose + chlorophyll

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3. (continued)

(c) The graph below shows carbon dioxide produced from the decomposition of leaf litter in a Scottish woodland throughout the year.

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Carbon dioxide

produced (units)

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Month

(i) Calculate the average monthly carbon dioxide produced from the beginning of May to the end of August.

Show your working clearly.

Space for calculation

units

(ii) Explain why there is a general decrease in the carbon dioxide produced from November to February.

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4. Lichens are an indicator species that can be found growing on tree trunks in towns and rural areas. Many lichens are sensitive to pollutants in the air.

(a) State what is meant by an indicator species.

(b) The following table shows the approximate maximum levels of air pollution tolerated by some species of lichen.

Lichen Species Maximum level of air pollution tolerated (µg m−3)

Graphis elegans 50

Hypogymnia physodes 70

Lepraria incana 125

Paremelia sulcata 60

Ramalina fraxinea 35

Usnea subfloridana 40

(i) Select the lichen that is least tolerant to air pollution.

(ii) The level of air pollution in one area was found to be 65 µg m−3.

Select all the species of lichen which would be found growing in the area.

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4. (continued)

(c) A field sketch of a lichen, which is loosely attached to a tree trunk by root-like strands, is shown below.

Field sketch of lichen fruiting body

orange centre

grey frilly edge

(i) Using the paired statement key below, identify the lichen.

1. Lichen cannot be removed from tree bark Lichen can be removed without damaging tree bark

Go to 2Go to 5

2. Lichen made up of fine powder/tiny balls Lichen not just made up of fine powder

Lepraria incanaGo to 3

3. Grey with lobed edges Green or grey without lobed edges

Diploicia canescensGo to 4

4. Yellow-green to green with disc shaped fruits Grey-green with dome shaped fruits

Lecidella elaeochromaBuellia punctata

5. Leafy lichens attached to bark by root-like strands Bushy or hair-like lichens

Go to 6Go to 7

6. Edges of fruits orange Edge of fruits grey

Degelia plumbeaPannaria rubiginosa

7. Lichen orange Lichen green or grey

Teloschistes flavicansGo to 8

8. Lichen shaped like a string of sausages Lichen not shaped like a string of sausages

Usnea articulataUsnea florida

Lichen

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4. (c) (continued)

(ii) Give one similarity and one difference between Usnea articulata and Teloschistes flavicans.

Similarity

Difference

(iii) Suggest why identification of lichens based on colour may not be very reliable.

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4. (a) The diagram below shows part of a food web in an oak woodland community.

SpottedWoodpecker

Stag Beetle Larvae

Oak TreeBark

Leaf Litter

Weevils

Tawny Owl

Coal Tit

Caterpillar

Blackbird Woodmice

Woodlice

))

Using information from the diagram answer the following questions

(i) Name an omnivore.

(ii) Coal tits and Spotted woodpeckers share a common food source. Suggest two ways in which competition between these two species is reduced.

(iii) State one way in which energy is lost from this food chain.

(b) Decomposers are not represented in the food web.

Give an example of a decomposer and explain its role within an ecosystem.

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Total marks — 80

Attempt ALL questions

1. (a) The following diagram shows a piece of equipment that a group of students used to sample species of invertebrate found in leaf litter.

(i) Name the sampling technique used to sample species of invertebrate found in leaf litter.

(ii) Suggest a reason why the students should use the sampling technique more than once in the area.

(b) The table describes the niche of some invertebrates.

Invertebrate Niche

Woodlouse Feeds on dead leaves and wood. Crawls along the soil surface underneath leaf litter.

Earthworm Feeds on dead leaves. Burrows through the soil.

Greenfly Sucks the sap of green leaves. Flies from plant to plant.

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1. (b) (continued)

(i) From the invertebrates listed in the table opposite, select the invertebrate that is most likely to be sampled by using the technique shown.

Give a reason for your answer.

Invertebrate

Reason

The students obtained the following data from their sampling.

Type of invertebrate Percentage

Mites 50

Beetles 35

Spiders 5

Ants 10

(ii) 300 invertebrates were collected.

Calculate how many were beetles.


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3. Crude oil is a valuable global resource which is extracted from the Earth, refined and used for industrial, domestic and agricultural purposes.

(a) Place the statements below into the correct order to reflect the stages in the formation of oil.

A Organic material slowly turns into crude oil

B Being less dense, oil moves upwards into the overlying sandstone

C Organic material is changed by pressure and heat

D Organic material falls to the ocean floor

E Organic material gets buried beneath sand and mud on the ocean floor.

Give only the letters

D

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3. (continued)

(b) The diagram below shows an oil well.

Gas

Cap rock Granite

Limestone

SandstoneOil

Oil well

(i) Name the igneous rock shown in the diagram.

(ii) Describe the property of sandstone that allows it to hold oil.

You may wish to include a diagram as part of your answer.

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3. (continued)

(c) The table below shows the oil and gas reserves for the well between 1994–2002.

Year Oil and Gas Reserves (million tonnes)

1994 5·7

1995 5·2

1996 5·1

1997 5·0

1998 4·5

1999 4·4

2000 3·5

2001 3·3

2002 3·1

(i) Describe the trend in the oil and gas reserves between 1994 and 2002.

(ii) Calculate the percentage change in the oil and gas reserves between 1994 and 2002.


%

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3. (continued)

(d) Crude oil is refined using the process of fractional distillation.

Complete the diagram below using the information given in the box to show the order in which the different fractions are separated.

Kerosene (250 °C); Petrol (160 °C); Diesel (320 °C); Bitumen (400 °C)

Naptha (110 °C)

LPG (20 °C)

Heated crude oil

(e) Current oil usage is not sustainable.

Describe one domestic and one industrial approach to reducing oil use.

Domestic

Industrial

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6. Scotland’s Tidal Energy

Orkney Islands

Pentland Firth

A £4 billion project to build a number of tidal power stations around the Orkney Islands and the Pentland Firth is expected to generate the same amount of power as a nuclear power station. This is 1·2 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy, enough to power up to 750 000 homes.

These areas features narrow sea channels and are suited to take advantage of the powerful Atlantic waves and some of the world’s strongest tidal streams.

This development is one of the world’s first commercial tidal power schemes that combines the use of two different tidal power generation systems. One will incorporate twin underwater “propellers” attached to a column which is anchored to the seabed. The other is a large underwater turbine bolted to the seabed.

To further increase power generation from the sea, it is estimated that a combination of tidal and wave power from the area could produce up to 60 GW of power. This would represent 10 times Scotland’s annual electricity usage.

Use the information in the passage above to answer the following questions.

(a) Give two reasons for investing in this project.

Reason 1

Reason 2

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6. (continued)

(b) Describe one way in which this area is suited for generating power from tidal power stations.

(c) Calculate Scotland’s annual electricity usage.


(d) Describe two differences between the two tidal power generation systems.

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5. The diagram below shows an island where renewable sources of energy are used to generate electricity for the islanders.

A

BC

D

Reservoir and damPlantation

Settlement

Rocky shore Sandy beachOcean

Solar panel

Access track

(a) Sites A, B, C and D show possible locations for a wind farm.

Choose one site and give one disadvantage of using this location for siting a wind farm.

Site

Disadvantage

(b) A dam and a reservoir have been constructed on the island.

(i) Other than the dam and reservoir, suggest one other way in which water could be used to generate electricity.

(ii) Explain how energy sources from water can be sustainable.

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5. (continued)

(c) The school on the island has installed a new biomass boiler to provide heat. The wood pellets that are used to power the boiler come from a sustainably managed source on the island.

(i) The annual cost of heating the school was £20 000. Installation of the biomass boiler has reduced this cost by 80%.

Calculate the new annual cost of heating the school.


£

(ii) The government has set a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The biomass boiler replaced an oil-fired boiler.

Compare the greenhouse gas emissions from burning biomass with those from burning oil.

(d) Fisheries play a major part in the economy of the island.

Describe one way in which stocks of fish and shellfish can be conserved.

Total marks

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7. Some farmers produce food using organic farming methods.

(a) Explain what is meant by the term “organic farming”.

(b) Describe and explain one advantage to the farmer of producing foods using organic farming methods.

(c) Some people believe that organic farming methods help protect the environment.

Name one piece of legislation used to protect the environment.

(d) Organic food production in the European Union (EU) is strictly regulated. Pre-packaged organic foods that have been produced in the EU must display the EU organic production logo as shown below.

(i) Suggest one advantage to the consumer of having a European Union approved logo for organically produced food.

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7. (d) (continued)

(ii) Tick (✓) the box to indicate whether or not you would choose organically produced food products and justify your choice.

Would choose organically produced food

Would not choose organically produced food

Justification

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11. The foods we consume each have a carbon footprint that has an impact on the environment. Carbon footprint is a measure of the CO2 released from production to consumption. The lower the carbon footprint, the less impact there is on the environment.

Asparagus is produced throughout the year. UK grown asparagus is only available in UK supermarkets in the early summer months. At other times of the year asparagus is sourced from outwith the UK.

The carbon footprint of asparagus when bought from a UK supermarket in summer is 125 g of CO2 released per 250 g pack, compared to 3·5 kg of CO2 per 250 g pack when bought from a UK supermarket during winter.

(a) Explain why the carbon footprint of asparagus is much greater in the winter months.

(b) Calculate by how many times greater the carbon footprint has increased in the winter months compared with the summer months.


times

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11. (continued)

(c) Temperature controlled glasshouses are being used to extend the growing season of asparagus by up to three months.

Name one abiotic factor, other than temperature, and one biotic factor which could be controlled to maximise the growth of asparagus.

Abiotic

Biotic

(d) Fruit and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet.

Give one way in which consumers can maintain a healthy diet throughout the year whilst reducing their environmental impact.

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Write your answers to questions 12 and 13 on the following pages. Diagrams may be used where appropriate.

12. (a) Energy produced from wind power contributes to Scotland’s economy.

Describe the effects that wind farms have on:

(i) landscape

(ii) wildlife.

oR

(b) Limestone is an important resource for the construction industry.

Describe the

(i) formation,

(ii) extraction, and

(iii) processing of limestone.

13. (a) National organisations are responsible for developing legislation that relates to the protection and sustainability of the environment.

Name two national organisations which have this responsibility and describe ways in which the implementation of the relevant legislation protects the environment.

oR

(b) Freshwater loch ecosystems can be damaged by human activity.

Identify and describe how this may occur and suggest conservation measures which could be taken to minimise this damage.

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Documents

National 5 Environmental Science Past Paper Questions ......Environmental Science Past Paper Questions December 2017 Name: Class: *X726750102* Page 02 MARKS DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN

National 5 Environmental Science Past Paper Questions ......Environmental Science Past Paper Questions December 2017 Name: Class: X726750102 Page 02 MARKS DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN