2019 HSC Earth and Environmental Science

NSW Education Standards Authority

2019 HIGHER SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION

Earth and Environmental Science General Instructions

• Reading time – 5 minutes • Working time – 3 hours • Write using black pen • Draw diagrams using pencil • Calculators approved by NESA may be used • A Geological Time Scale is provided at the back of this paper

Total marks: 100

Section I – 20 marks (pages 2–15) • Attempt Questions 1–20 • Allow about 35 minutes for this section

Section II – 80 marks (pages 17–36) • Attempt Questions 21–35 • Allow about 2 hours and 25 minutes for this section

2050

Section I

20 marks Attempt Questions 1–20 Allow about 35 minutes for this section

Use the multiple-choice answer sheet for Questions 1–20.

1 In which of the following are all the resources renewable?

A. Timber, water, wind

B. Tidal energy, oil, timber

C. Water, solar radiation, coal

D. Solar radiation, water, uranium

2 Which of the following would have the greatest immediate impact on biodiversity?

A. Air pollution

B. Habitat destruction

C. Human population growth

D. Infrastructure development

3 Human activity is most likely to be a contributing factor in the occurrence of which of the following natural disasters?

A. Earthquakes

B. Lahars

C. Landslides

D. Tsunamis

– 2 –

4

To gather evidence for climate variation, a dendrochronologist studies

A. isotope ratios in corals.

B. gas bubbles in ice cores.

C. the annual growth rings of trees.

D. species depicted in Aboriginal art sites.

5 The flow chart summarises a historically important experiment.

Spark discharge

Sea water + H2O, CH4 NH3, H2

Condenser Time

Flask

Heat

What was one of the products in the flask?

A. Proteins

B. Amino acids

C. Eukaryotic cells

D. Photosynthetic cells

6 Which statement is scientifically correct and consistent with the panspermia hypothesis?

A. Extraterrestrial objects brought complex life forms to Earth.

B. NASA has found evidence that primitive life existed on Mars.

C. Organic molecules from outer space were brought to Earth on meteorites.

D. The ancestral DNA for primitive plants was brought to Earth from outer space.

– 3 –

– 4 –

7 Which of the following is an example of a geological hazard?

A. A cyclone approaching the Australian coastline

B. An active volcano that poses a threat to life and property

C. An earthquake that has affected thousands of people and caused enormous damage

D. A tsunami that wipes out coastal communities causing damage and loss of human life

8 In June 1991, Mt Pinatubo in the Philippines erupted, producing ash-rich volcanic plumes that reached a height of more than 40 km.

Which of the following decreased as a result of the eruption?

A. Rainfall on Mt Pinatubo

B. Aerosols in the stratosphere

C. Carbon dioxide levels in the ocean

D. Solar radiation reaching Earth’s surface

9 The picture shows a fossil trilobite (specimen X ).

Specimen X

Replacement image. Original image awaiting copyright.

© FossilEra/Matt Heaton

What type of fossil is specimen X ?

A. Cast

B. Mould

C. Trace fossil

D. Organic fossil

10 The graph shows data from the Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii, recording variations in atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Atmospheric CO2 at Mauna Loa Observatory

320

340

360

380

400A

tmos

pher

ic C

O2

(par

ts p

er m

illio

n)

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

Year KEY

Trend line Actual measurements

– 5 –

What causes the ‘sawtooth’ fluctuations in the graph?

A. Seasonal changes in the rate of photosynthesis

B. Data taken at intervals rather than continuously

C. Monthly changes in the combustion of fuel for heating

D. Random volcanic eruptions occurring throughout the northern hemisphere

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, US Department of Commerce

11 The graph shows the number of severe and non-severe tropical cyclones from 1970–2017 which have occurred in the Australian region.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20 N

umbe

r of

cyc

lone

s KEY

Non-severe

Severe

1970

/197

1

1975

/197

6

1980

/198

1

1985

/198

6

1990

/199

1

1995

/199

6

2000

/200

1

2005

/200

6

2010

/201

1

2015

/201

6

Year www.csiro.au

What conclusion is supported by data in the graph?

A. The total number of cyclones is decreasing.

B. The severity of cyclones has consistently decreased over time.

C. The number of both severe and non-severe cyclones has not changed over time.

D. The number of non-severe cyclones is decreasing while the number of severe cyclones is increasing.

– 6 –

12 The diagram shows a model of solar energy transformations occurring in the atmosphere, producing the greenhouse effect.

Sun

Earth X

Z

Y W

KEY

W X Y Z

Solar radiation Majority of Some infrared Reabsorption of enters the solar radiation radiation escapes trapped infrared atmosphere is absorbed by but most is trapped radiation by

Earth’s surface and then re-emitted as

by the atmosphere Earth’s surface

infrared radiation

Which statement correctly explains the ‘enhanced’ greenhouse effect?

A. Increased melting of ice caps increased the reflection of solar radiation from the surface at X.

B. Increased ozone levels led to greater absorbance of solar radiation by Earth’s surface at X.

C. A hole in the ozone layer decreased the solar radiation being reflected by the atmosphere at W.

D. Increased carbon dioxide levels have increased the trapping of infrared radiation in the atmosphere at Y.

– 7 –

– 8 –

13 A company discovered an ore body after prospecting in an area of NSW. The flow chart shows subsequent stages of the proposed mine.

Which row in the table correctly identifies the appropriate stage for undertaking each activity?

A.

B.

C.

D.

Activity

Submission of an Environmental Impact

Statement

Collection and propagation of

indigenous plants

Consultation with traditional owners

Planning Development All stages

Development All stages Development

All stages Planning Extraction

Planning Extraction All stages

Due to copyright restrictions, this material cannot be displayed.

Source is accessible at https://www.superfund.arizona.edu/learning-modules/tribal-modules/copper/mine-life-cycle

14 The graph shows future oil production based on estimates of three rates of oil recovery from known reserves.

Estimates of future oil production

1900 0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

1925 1950 1975 2000 2025

Oil

prod

uctio

n(b

illio

n ba

rrel

s pe

r ye

ar)

2050

2047 2037

2026

2075 2100 2125

Time (Years)

KEY Historical rate of oil production

Predicted rate of oil production based on a high recovery

Predicted rate of oil production based on a medium recovery

Predicted rate of oil production based on a low recovery

– 9 –

© Commonwealth of Australia (Geoscience Australia) 2019This product is released under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence.

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode

What is the most valid conclusion that can be drawn from the data in the graph?

A. By 2025 oil production will be in rapid decline.

B. By 2100 there will be no oil reserves remaining.

C. By 2080 oil production will be less than 10 billion barrels of oil per year.

D. By 2060 oil production will be reduced to 20% of the 2019 production levels.

15 During the Permian period, the supercontinent Pangaea formed during a plate tectonic supercycle. The diagram shows four stages of the plate tectonic supercycle.

W X

Y Z

KEY

Continental crust Mantle

Oceanic crust Direction of movement

Ocean Creative Commons, Philip J Heron – A Simplified ‘Wilson Cycle’

Which sequence shows the correct order of the stages that resulted in the formation of Pangaea?

A. W, X, Y, Z

B. Z, W, X, Y

C. X, Z, W, Y

D. Y, X, W, Z

– 10 –

16 The diagram is one model showing the influence of oceanic conditions on coral reef systems.

– 11 –

Algal survival

Algal abundance

Coral survival

Coral abundance

Grazing organisms

?

–

–

+

++

–

+ +

Nutrients

Oceanic CO2

Algal growth

Coral +growth

Ocean warming

?–

+– +–

+– KEY

Global Local + Positive impact – Negative impact ? Unknown impact

According to the model, which of the following is a likely consequence of changing ocean conditions?

A. A change in pH from 8.2 to 8 which will lead to a reduction in coral survival and a reduction in algal growth

B. An increase of 5% in nutrients which will lead to an increase in coral growth and a decrease in algal abundance

C. An atmospheric temperature increase of 2°C which will lead to an increase in coral abundance and an increase in algal abundance

D. An increase in the population of grazing organisms which will lead to an increase in coral abundance and a decrease in algal survival

© John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

17 The graph shows world plastics production from 1950 to 2020.

Plas

tics

prod

uctio

n (m

illio

n to

nnes

)

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

Year China Plastic & Rubber Journal (www.adsalecprj.com)

By what percentage did plastics production increase between 1990 and 2010?

A. 1 50%

B. 200%

C. 2 50%

D. 3 00%

18 Which combination of plate boundary and volcanic feature would result in both effusive volcanic eruptions and shallow focus earthquakes?

A.

B.

C.

D.

Plate boundary Volcanic feature

Ocean–continent divergent Shield volcano

Ocean–ocean convergent Stratovolcano

Ocean–continent convergent Stratovolcano

Continent–continent divergent Continental rift volcano

– 12 –

19 The satellite image shows a 2007 weather event.

Which sequence explains this event?

A. Warmer than normal ocean temperatures moist air rises low air pressure system

B. Colder than normal ocean temperatures dry air falls low air pressure system

C. Warmer than normal ocean temperatures moist air rises high air pressure system

D. Colder than normal ocean temperatures dry air falls high air pressure system

© Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology

– 13 –

20 A recent theory for the origin of life on Earth suggests that the simple organic precursor molecules for amino acids and proteins were formed at black smokers.

Which diagram best represents this theory?

UVAnoxic atmosphere

Alkaline Acidic vent water sea water

Metallic coat

Granite 300–600°C

H2

NH3

NH3

CH4

H2

CO2

A.

Limited oxygen in the atmosphere

Alkaline sea water

Acidic vent water

Iron molybdenum coating

Basalt with porous surface 200°C

H2

NH3CO2

CH4

Primordial soup

B.

Lightning UVOxygen-rich

atmosphere

Acidic vent water

Iron oxide covering

Primordial soup

Acidic sea water

Solid basalt 900–1500°C

H2

NH3 CO2 CH4

C.

Anoxic atmosphere

CO2

Acidic sea water

Alkaline vent water

Metallic deposits

Basalt with porous surface 200–400°C

H2

NH3

NH3

CH4

CH4

H2

D.

NOT TO SCALE

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© 2019 NSW Education Standards Authority

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HIGHER SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION

Centre Number Earth and Environmental Science

Student Number Section II Answer Booklet

80 marks Attempt Questions 21–35 Allow about 2 hours and 25 minutes for this section

Instructions • Write your Centre Number and Student Number at the top of this page.

• Answer the questions in the spaces provided. These spacesprovide guidance for the expected length of response.

• Show all relevant working in questions involving calculations.

• Extra writing space is provided at the back of this booklet.If you use this space, clearly indicate which question you areanswering.

Please turn over

2051 15100

2019

– 17 – Office Use Only – Do NOT write anything, or make any marks below this line. 5638310365

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Question 21 (5 marks)


Assess the sustainability of processes used by Aboriginal Peoples or Torres Strait Islander Peoples as resource managers. Use examples to support your answer.

5


Construct a flow diagram to summarise the processes used to manage different types of household solid waste.

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The table gives information about the generation and the reuse of some materials in Australia in 2016.

Metals Organics Paper and cardboard

Plastics Glass

Generation (Mt) 5.2 12.8 5.3 2.5 1.1

Energy recovery (Mt) 0.0 1.4 0.5 0.02 0.0

Recycling (Mt) 4.6 5.2 3.2 0.3 0.6

Disposal (Mt) 0.6 6.2 1.6 2.2 0.5

(a) Complete the graph for Organics using information in the table. 3

Generation and reuse of materials in Australia in 2016

Gen

erat

ion

(Mt)

14

13

12

11

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

Recycling

Energy recovery

Disposal

KEY

Metals Organics Paper and Plastics Glass cardboard

© Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy

Question 23 continues on page 21 – 20 –

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Question 23 (continued)

In the table on page 20, the recovery rates of different classes of materials are given as ‘Energy recovery’ and ‘Recycling’ rates. ‘Energy recovery’ is where the material is converted into some form of energy and reused in this fashion, whereas ‘Recycling’ is where the material is reused to make new products.

The percentage total recovery (PTR) can be calculated as

Energy recovery (Mt) + Recycling (Mt) 100 PTR = ×

Generation (Mt) 1

(b) Complete the table by adding the missing data for Organics and Plastics and calculate the PTR (to one decimal place) for Organics and Plastics.

2

Material class Energy recovery (Mt)

Recycling (Mt)

Generation (Mt)

PTR (%)

Metals 0.0 4.6 5.2 88.5

Organics

Paper and cardboard

0.5 3.2 5.3 69.8

Plastics

Glass 0.0 0.6 1.1 54.5

(c) Identify the material with the lowest percentage total recovery (PTR) and justify a strategy to improve its recovery rate.

3

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The diagram shows the relationship between various geological units in a study area.


Diagram 1 – Block diagram of a study area

Unit 1 KEY

Unit 2 Dolerite

Unit 3 Limestone Unit 4 Unit 5 Basalt

NOT TO Unit 6 Shale SCALE Unit 7

Sandstone

Unit 8 Granite

Unit 9 Muddy limestone Unit 10

Table 1 shows marine index fossils for various geological periods. Graph 1 is a section of a potassium–argon decay curve. A Geological Time Scale is provided at the back of this paper.

Period Index fossils

Quaternary Pecten gibbus Neptunea tabulata

Neogene

Paleogene Venericardia planicosta Calyptraphorus velatus

Cretaceous Inoceramus labiatus Scaphites hippocrepis

Jurassic Nerinea trinodosa Perisphinctes tiziani

Triassic Monotis subcircularis Tropites subbullatus

Permian Parafusulina bosei Leptodus americanus

Carboniferous Prolecanites gurleyi Cactocrinus multibrachiatus

Devonian Palmatolepus unicornis Mucrospirifer mucronatus

Silurian Hexamoceras hertzeri Cystiphyllum niagarense

Ordovician Tetragraptus fructicosus Bathyurus extans

Cambrian Billingsella corrugata Paradoxides pinus

Public Domain, United States Geological Survey (USGS), http://pubs.usgs.gov/giv/geotime/fossiis.html

Table 1 – Marine index fossils

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Graph 1 – Section of a potassium–argon decay curve

1.00

Prop

ortio

n of

pot

assi

um-4

0 re

mai

ning

0.98

0.96

0.94

0.92

0.90

0.88

0.86

0.84 0 100 200 300 400

Age (millions of years) Isotopic Dating Methods, © Steve Earle

(a) Complete the table by adding the missing data. 4

Unit Lithology An index fossil

Proportion potassium-40

remaining

Geological Period

Absolute age in millions

of years

1 0.99

2 Basalt 0.96 Cretaceous 80

3 Sandstone Perisphinctes tiziani

Jurassic

4 Muddy limestone Triassic

5

6 Muddy limestone Triassic

7

8 Cystiphyllum niagarense

9 Shale Tetragraptus fructicosus

Ordovician

10 Granite 0.865 Permian


(b) What is the likely age of Unit 7? Give reasons for your answer. 4

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How can the reliability of the data from a first-hand investigation be tested? 2

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The graph shows the abundance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere and the relative abundance of banded iron formations (BIF) produced over time.

4

Time (billions of years before present)

Carbon dioxide

Oxygen

Relative deposition

of BIF

4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0

100% 1%

100% 10% 1% 1000 ppm 100 ppm 10 ppm 1 ppm

Atm

osph

eric

CO

2 co

ncen

trat

ion

Atm

osph

eric

O2

conc

entr

atio

n 100 ppm 1 ppm

10–2 ppm 10–4 ppm 10–6 ppm 10–8 0.1 ppm ppm

Creative Commons

Explain how the biosphere has influenced Earth’s atmosphere and hydrosphere over time. Use information from the graph to support your answer.

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The average abundance of iridium in meteorites is 0.5 ppm and the average abundance of iridium in general crustal rocks is less than 0.001 ppm.

How can the iridium content of BOTH meteorites and Earth’s crust be used to support the theory that the end-Cretaceous mass extinction was caused by a meteorite impact?

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Explain how BOTH tsunamis and lahars are produced. 4

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Evaluate technologies used in meteorology to predict extreme weather events. 7

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(a) Account for the difference in the depth at which earthquakes originate at divergent and convergent boundaries.

3

(b) Compare the effects of explosive and effusive volcanism on BOTH the biosphere and atmosphere.

4


Biosphere

Explosive volcanism Effusive volcanism

Atmosphere

Explosive volcanism Effusive volcanism

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Why are some scientists investigating the current trend of increasing atmospheric CO2 when Earth’s history has shown the planet has undergone several periods of increasing levels of atmospheric CO2?

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(a) Explain how oceans become acidified. 3

(b) Describe ONE effect of ocean acidification. 2

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(a) How can Aboriginal art be used as evidence of the changing biodiversity of Australia?

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(b) Explain how scientists can interpret past environments from the study of sedimentary rocks. Support your answer using examples.


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Assess the use of ONE geo-engineering strategy in mitigating global temperature increases.

3

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Analyse the use of working scientifically skills in BOTH investigating major anthropogenic environmental problems facing Australia AND developing management strategies to minimise the effects of these problems. Use examples to support your answer.

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Section II extra writing space

If you use this space, clearly indicate which question you are answering.

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– 36 – © 2019 NSW Education Standards Authority


2019 HIGHER SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION

Earth and Environmental Science Geological Time Scale

EON ERA PERIOD EPOCH

Ma

BP

0

2

5

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

100

200

300

400

500

600

1000

2000

3000

4000 Hadean

Archaean

Oligocene

Eocene

Pliocene

PleistoceneQuaternary

Neogene

Cretaceous

Paleogene

Permian

Jurassic

Triassic

Devonian Silurian

Ordovician

Cambrian

Ediacaran

Carboniferous

Miocene

Palaeocene

Prot

eroz

oic

Prec

ambr

ian

Phan

eroz

oic

Cen

ozoi

cPa

laeo

zoic

Neo

pro

tero

zoic

M

esoz

oic

Holocene

2052 – 1 –

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© 2019 NSW Education Standards Authority

Documents

2019 HSC Earth and Environmental Science