1.1 Reliance On Fossil Fuels

Question 1

Coal, oil and gas are all examples of what type of non-renewable resource? {1}

Answer 1

Fossil Fuels. {1}

Question 2

Coal is an example of a fossil fuel. Name two other fossil fuels.{2}

Answer 2

Oil, gas. {2}

Question 3

List four uses of fossil fuels in modern day life. {4}

Answer 3

Power / Electricity.
Transport Fuel
Plastics
Pharmaceutics
Fibres. {4}

Question 4

Explain with the aid of an example, the following terms;
a (i) Fossil fuel. {2}
a (ii) Renewable energy source. {2}

Answer 4

(i) Fossil fuel – fuel consisting of the remains of organisms preserved in
rocks in the earth’s crust with high carbon and hydrogen content. {1}
Or fuel which is used to generate electricity by combustion. {1}
Any one relevant example: Such as coal, oil or gas. {1}

(ii) Renewable energy source – a form of energy derived from natural
sources that do not use up natural resources to harm the environment. {1}
Or use of wind turbine to produce electricity. {1}
Any one relevant example: Such as the sun, wind, tides. {1}

Question 5

Name one fossil fuel found on earth. {1}

Answer 5

Coal/ Oil/ Gas {1}

Question 6

Fossil fuel consumption is increasing worldwide.
State two different manufacturing processes that rely on fossil fuels for their raw
materials. {2}

Answer 6

Any two from: Plastics / pharmaceuticals / fibres. {2}

Question 7

In the early 1800s coal and other fossil fuels were instrumental in the Industrial
Revolution.
Identify two reasons why fossil fuels have been important in the development of
modern society. {2}

Answer 7

Fossil fuels are a source of fuel for transport/electricity generation.
Fossil fuels also provide raw materials for plastic/pharmaceutical/fibre production {2}

Question 8

State three main manufacturing industries where fossil fuels are used {3}

Answer 8

Any three of the following:
plastics, pharmaceuticals, transport, fibres {3}

Question 9

Explain why global action on conservation of fossil
fuels and climate change is needed. {3}

Answer 9

Conservation is triggered by a realisation that the worlds non-renewable
resources are diminishing and that countries are using fossil fuels at a faster
rate especially in emerging economies e.g. China, India {1}
Climate change has been linked to increasing use of fossil fuels. {1}
Global action is needed because the impact of excessive resource use affects
the whole world. {1}

Question 10

Explain why global action on fossil fuel conservation is necessary, by making
reference to lifespan of reserves, location of reserves and accessibility.
Lifespan of reserves: {2}
Location of reserves: {2}
Accessibility: {2}

Answer 10

Lifespan of Reserves:
Fossil Fuels are a finite resource, meaning they will eventually run out unless
they are conserved.
Fossil fuel reserves are estimated to last between 50 and 200 years. {2}

Location of Reserves:
Fossil fuel reserves can be located in areas of the world which are politically
unstable/hostile, e.g. large methane deposits in Russia/large oil deposits in the
Middle East and North Africa. {2}

Accessibility:
There are environmental and social issues surrounding extraction of fossil fuels,
e.g. drilling for oil in the Arctic has been suspended following campaigning
against it. {2}

Question 11

State 2 pieces of evidence presented by the global
scientific community linking the combustion of fossil fuels with global warming
and climate change. {2}

Answer 11

Any 2 from;
Weather patterns – Floods, Increased storms and famines.
Sea temperature rises.
Ecology changes.
Polar Ice caps melting.
Rise in sea levels. {2}

Question 12

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
has concluded that the combustion of fossil fuels, and subsequent increase in
global carbon emissions, is linked to global warming and climate change.
Describe three different pieces of scientific evidence that link the combustion of
fossil fuels to global warming and climate change. {3}

Answer 12

Any 3 from;
Levels of carbon dioxide has increased markedly.
There are fewer cold days, nights and frost events.
Hot days, nights and heat waves are more common.
There is an increase in ocean temperature.
There are increases in drought and heavy precipitation events
There is an increase in hurricane activity. {3}

Question 13

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has produced reports that link
the combustion of coal, oil and natural gas to increased global carbon
emissions which cause climate change.
Identify three environmental changes being caused by climate change. {3}

Answer 13

Any three changes from:
Larger glacial lakes appearing in larger numbers
An increase in sea levels
Significant changes in some ecosystems found in polar regions
Events which normally happen in Spring, e.g. unfolding of leaves and
bird migration happening earlier than previously recorded
Predictions of larger drought affected areas in the world {3}

Question 14

Carbon trading has been put forward as a method of
monitoring and reducing global carbon emissions. Describe two issues
surrounding the use of carbon trading. {2}

Answer 14

Any two from;
Complexity of the market.
Difficulties surrounding governance of the market. Carbon markets open to
fraud and manipulation.
Economic cost of trading carbon credits.
Difficulties in setting the size of credits / credit limits for countries.
Difficulties surrounding measurement of emissions. {2}

Question 15

Outline one advantage and one disadvantage of carbon
trading as a viable option for reducing global carbon emissions. {2}

Answer 15

Any one advantage from;
Carbon trading should result in less carbon entering the air so reducing the
greenhouse effect.
Carbon trading should provide a government control of the carbon emitted
by its industries.
Organisations which have earned unused credits can sell them. {1}

Any one disadvantage from;
The market can be open to fraud and manipulation.
Some businesses could be unwilling to get involved in the trade, as they do
not want to incur costs that will reduce profit margins.
Credit limits available in a country may be too high to produce a significant
decrease in harmful emissions.
The measurement of carbon emissions is very difficult. {1}

Question 16

Carbon trading is a policy used to alter greenhouse
gas emissions.
(i) Explain what is meant by carbon trading and outline three aspects of how
it works in practice. {4}

Answer 16

A carbon trade is an exchange of carbon credits between countries. {1}
Countries are assigned maximum carbon emission levels. {1}
If a country exceeds its maximum level it is penalised. {1}
Countries that have higher carbon emissions can buy the right to release
more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from countries that have lower
carbon emissions. {1}

Question 17

(ii) State one reason why carbon trading policy may not alter greenhouse
gas emissions. {1}

Answer 17

Any one from;
The market is open to fraud.
Businesses may not participate.
Credit limits may be too high.
It is difficult to measure emissions. {1}

Question 18

State the name of the concept developed at the Kyoto Protocol in 1997
intended to help reduce carbon emissions. {1}

Answer 18

Carbon Trading – must be correctly named. {1}

Question 19

Carbon trading is a concept which was set out in the Kyoto Protocol in 1997 in
an attempt to curb emissions of carbon dioxide or greenhouse gases.
(i) Discuss two ways in which carbon trading can reduce worldwide carbon
emissions. {4}

Answer 19

Countries are assigned maximum carbon emission levels in the form of
carbon permits. {1}If a country exceeds its maximum level it must buy extra
carbon permits from other countries. This financial penalty encourages the
country to lower their CO2 emissions. {1}

Countries who produce less than their allotted carbon emissions
can sell their carbon permits to other countries. {1} This financial incentive
encourages the country to lower their CO2 emissions. {1}

Countries are assigned carbon permits each year. Countries who
fail to lower their CO2 emissions will be penalised by getting a lower number of
carbon credits in the next year. {1} Therefore encouraging the country to lower
their CO2 emissions. {1}

Question 20

Outline three different reasons why carbon trading is not always a success in
reducing overall carbon emissions. {3}

Answer 20

Any three of the following:
The market is open to fraud. Larger countries can manipulate smaller
countries and force them to sell their credits at a low price. {1}
Businesses may not participate. Some businesses can afford to pay the
fines without even trying to reduce their carbon dioxide output. {1}
Credit limits may be too high. Setting the credit limits is extremely
complicated and can lead to some participants being given too many credits,
giving them no incentive to lower their carbon dioxide emissions. {1}
It is difficult to measure emissions accurately and consistently across so
many different countries and industries. {1}