Earth and Environmental Science 2023 HSC exam pack

Students should:

• read the question carefully to ensure that they do not miss important components of the question
• students should be familiar with the provided Geological Timescale
• have a clear understanding of key words in the question and recognise the intent of the question and its requirements
• plan the response to assist in the logical sequencing of information
• integrate relevant scientific terms into their responses
• engage with any stimulus material provided and refer to it in their response
• understand that all parts of a question can be related
• show all working in calculations and include correct units and significant figures
• present a logical and succinct response that addresses the question
• ensure ideas from separate modules can be connected to form a cohesive response
• review their response to ensure that it addresses the question requirement.

Question 21

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate an understanding of a disaster in contrast to a hazard
• quantify the level of damage or provide features of the impacts caused by a disaster. For example, hundreds of deaths or millions of dollars of damage.

Areas for students to improve include:

• using details about features of east coast lows
• understanding the difference between a hazard and a disaster.

Question 22

In better responses, students were able to:

• outline the effects of photosynthesis on both the geosphere such as banded iron formations and the atmosphere such as the increase of oxygen and development of the ozone layer
• clarify the differences in changes in spheres
• demonstrate an understanding of the process of photosynthesis.

Areas for students to improve include:

• distinguishing between the geosphere and biosphere
• using relevant examples for each of the spheres
• distinguishing between respiration and photosynthesis.

Question 23

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify an appropriate natural source of greenhouse gases such as methane from melting permafrost
• outline that the anthropogenic greenhouse effect has been occurring since the Industrial Revolution over centuries
• outline that the anthropogenic greenhouse effect includes humans causing an increase in greenhouse gases and linking this to an increase in temperature.

Areas for students to improve include:

• linking the anthropogenic greenhouse effect to humans and making a link to the increase in temperature
• stating the timescale over which the anthropogenic greenhouse effect occurred.

Question 24

In better responses, students were able to:

• include TWO specific mitigation modifications such as solar panels and insulation
• justify how modifications minimise the greenhouse effect by reducing the energy demand, and the resultant emissions from burning fossil fuels.

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding the difference between urban design as mitigation and as adaptation
• avoiding the creation of an equivalence between sustainability and mitigation.

Question 25

In better responses, students were able to:

• give a definition that emphasises continued availability of an environmental resource, economic prosperity, and social benefits to future generations (a)
• provide a relevant example related to areas covered in the course content, such as continued access to clean water, preventing overharvesting of fisheries or recycling of non-renewable resources (a)
• provide support for an investigation with a reason, such as using a council website as it is relevant and credible (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• distinguishing between sustainability and renewable resources
• responding to both the definition and an example using appropriate reasons for selecting a choice.

Question 26

In better responses, students were able to:

• name a renewable or non-renewable resource such as coal or water
• specify how suggested improvements are sustainable such as reducing water consumption in the home with shorter showers
• demonstrate an understanding of sustainable extraction and/or management practices.

Areas for students to improve include:

• distinguishing between sustainable, recyclable and renewable as concepts
• identifying the natural or original resource rather than manufactured products.

Question 27

In better responses, students were able to:

• process information from the stimulus provided to respond to the questions
• use sub-headings, table or Venn diagram to present multiple examples of similarities and differences such as the diversity of hard body parts in the Cambrian compared to the soft-bodied organism in the Ediacaran (b)
• apply knowledge of relative dating techniques to a scenario such as describing deeper layers of rock as older (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• identifying types of trace fossils such as burrows and tracks (a)
• ensuring that differences contrast by identifying aspects of both environments
• explaining the processes of relative dating (c)
• using the information from the source explicitly.

Question 28

In better responses, students were able to:

• distinguish between categories of waste such as paper, PET plastics and organics
• demonstrate pathways of sustainable management of waste, such as recycling paper and using organic matter for compost on gardens
• use concise but accurate features of management processes.

Areas for students to improve include:

• drawing arrows in flow charts to show the processes
• linking management to sustainability by demonstrating the preservation of a resource.

Question 29

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify the components of the Urey-Miller experiment and link them to the early conditions on Earth such as the chamber representing the early atmosphere (a)
• show understanding that inorganic molecules reacted to become organic molecules (a)
• annotate the diagram to demonstrate an understanding of the experiment (a)
• reference a specific model. For example, computer simulation, stop motion diagrams (b)
• use the scaffolding provided to answer the question. For example, a computer simulation allow scientists to predict future position and how that may influence climate (b)
• provide a supported judgement (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• outlining how each component linked to the early conditions on Earth (a)
• linking the outcome of the experiment to the production of amino acids from inorganic molecules (a)
• engaging with the scaffolding provided in the question and address each component (b).

Question 30

In better responses, students were able to:

• use specific language when referring to independent and dependent variables. For example, the mass of shell (a)
• use relevant data calculated from the table to justify their conclusion (b)
• calculate percentages for the data in the table and round off appropriately (b)
• use explicit reference to data to support the conclusion (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• referring to variables using a measurable descriptor instead of vague terms like ‘amount of’
• distinguishing between independent and dependent variables (a)
• referring to data in their response (c).

Question 31

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide a clear judgement
• structure their response to address each section of the question including planning, practices and restoration
• provide relevant and specific criteria for each process such as protection of cultural sites, employment and restoration practices including re-establishing vegetation
• indicate a depth of understanding related to a specific case study, with detailed examples rather than generalisations.

Areas for students to improve include:

• referring to a relevant and specific case study, naming the mine and the country of traditional owners
• referring to all aspects of the question using specific examples of practices, process and restoration.

Question 32

In better responses, students were able to:

• draw a cross-section that demonstrates an understanding of the plate boundary which included clear tectonic and topographical features such as subduction zone movement and volcanic structures (a)
• show an understanding of the specific technology and the related characteristics of the earthquake such as seismometer measuring both magnitude and location of earthquakes (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• drawing diagrams that show specific details that are supported by annotations (a)
• interpreting map views of boundaries to create cross-section diagrams.

Question 33

In better responses, students were able to:

• recall specific details of the 1991 Pinatubo case study, such as the products of the eruption including pyroclastic flows and lahars (a)
• demonstrate an understanding of the difference between a hazard and a disaster based on qualities such as the level of damage or quantities such as numbers of deaths (a)
• provide specific examples of the natural environment such as the destruction of vegetation-based habitats (b)
• provide judgements for impacts on the natural environment (b)
• address the key words ‘account for’ by relating explosivity to the composition and behaviour of magma. For example, high silica magma is higher in viscosity and traps gases causing explosive eruptions (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing details for the 1991 eruption (a)
• referring to features of a natural environment (b)
• making a judgement based on criteria such as area or time (b)
• using correct terms to describe magma/eruptions, such as felsic, mafic, viscous, non-viscous, effusive, explosive (c)
• referring to the correct tectonic setting (c).

Question 34

In better responses, students were able to:

• interpret the rainfall data to show relative size of growth rings (a)
• describe examples of both types of evidence and apply it to determining temperature variation. For example, thicker rings mean warmer and wetter years, and glacial tills represent colder climates (b)recognise the limitation of local data as evidence for global trends (b)
• provide advantages or disadvantages of using the specific type of evidence. For example, dendrochronology is likely to be limited to recent timescales (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• drawing diagrams with clarity and accuracy (a)
• responding to key words in the question. For example, temperature rather than rainfall or other aspects of climate (b)
• providing multiple discussion points.

Question 35

In better responses, students were able to:

• show an analysis of the two key figures by drawing out implications and relating the implications to both natural processes and human influences. For example, the clear pattern of artificial light distribution is a representation of human population density, and influences like emissions from energy production.

Areas for students to improve include:

• referring to specific course content, rather than general or common knowledge
• engaging in the stimulus by referring to aspects explicitly
• linking their response to the two figures in a significant and effective way that is related to both natural processes and human influences.