IB ESS Paper 1

28 Nov IB ESS Paper 1

• IB ESS Paper 1 is based on a Case study.
• Students are provided with a resource booklet which contains a Case study. All data is contained here together with pictures, maps and diagrams.
• Questions are based on the evaluation and analysis of the data in Case study.
Some of the IB ESS Paper 1 style questions:
1. Figure 1 below shows the estimated biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) for a series of point and non-point sources along the river Mersey.

Figure 1. BOD values (pounds day–1) for the river Mersey in England.

[R B Clarke, Marine Pollution, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994) page 17. By permission of Oxford University Press]
(a) (i) Define what is meant by the term biochemical oxygen demand.
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(1)
(ii) Using figure 1, complete the scatter graph below by adding data for trade effluent from Widnes and for trade effluent from Ellesmere Port and Stanlow.

Figure 2. Selected BOD values for the river Mersey.

(2)
(iii) Suggest one reason why the BOD values for the Manchester Ship Canal and the “river upstream” are so different.
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(1)
(iv) Suggest why some sites contribute more pollution to the river Mersey than others.
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(2)
(b) (i) Define what is meant by the term eutrophication.
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(1)
(ii) State one way in which humans can accelerate the process of eutrophication.
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(1)
(iii) Outline and evaluate how eutrophication can be controlled from
• an ecocentric perspective
• a technocentric perspective.
Ecocentric: …………………………………………………………………………………………..
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Technocentric: ……………………………………………………………………………………..
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(4)
(Total 12 marks)