Economic Activity & Energy (Including Case Studies)

Question 1

Define the term ‘Primary’ sector.

Answer 1

Jobs in this sector involve the extraction/growing of raw materials from the natural environment. e.g. Mining, Farming, Forestry, Fishing, etc.

Question 2

Define the term ‘Raw Material’.

Answer 2

Naturally occurring resources in their unprocessed, natural state which can be used to make another product. E.g. wood from trees can be used to make wooden furniture by a carpenter.

Question 3

Define the term ‘Secondary’ sector.

Answer 3

Jobs in this sector are involved in the manufacturing of those raw materials collected in the primary sector. e.g. Car Manufacturers, Carpenter, Baker, etc.

Question 4

Explain the term ‘De-industrialisation’.

Answer 4

The process by which an area which was reliant on manufacturing industrialisation for the economy (secondary sector) moves away from manufacturing to a different industry/sector.

Question 5

Explain the term ‘Mechanisation’.

Answer 5

The process by which an organisation/government changes their workforce from being by human/animal effort but by machines.

Question 6

Define the term ‘Tertiary’ sector.

Answer 6

Jobs in this sector involve service provision. e.g. Teacher, Doctor, Sales Person, etc.

Question 7

Define the term ‘Quaternary’ sector.

Answer 7

Jobs in this sector involve Research & Development/Design. e.g. Software Engineer, etc.

Question 8

Define the term ‘Quinary’ sector.

Answer 8

The highest levels of decision making in an economy - the top business executives and officials in government, science, universities, non-profit organisations, healthcare, culture and the media.

Question 9

Define the term ‘Employment Structure’.

Answer 9

The proportion/percentage of people employed in the different sectors of economic activity, the main ones including primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary.

Question 10

Why might some sectors of economic activity decline while others rise as a country develops (i.e. primary, secondary and tertiary)?

Answer 10

• Primary Decrease…
  
  • Improvements in technology lead to more machines that require fewer workers (redundancy).
  • Raw materials become cheaper to to import from foreign competitors than to extract them.
  • Jobs in the primary sector are seen as being ‘dirty’ and have fewer career prospects.
• Secondary Decrease…
  
  • Decline in secondary industry due to cheaper labour availability in LIC’s/MIC’s such as China.
  • Factories and new technology is able to manufacture goods more efficiently using fewer people.
  • This might mean vacant industrial sites, unemployment, changes in education, etc.
• Tertiary Increase…
  
  • Urban populations increase so need support and food to be transported and sold.
  • Aspirations increase - people want more luxury. The more you have, the more you want.
    
    • Sufficient technology has developed to replace most jobs in the primary and secondary sectors.

Question 11

Which factors might effect the location of different sectors of economic activity?

Answer 11

• Raw Materials - Availability, Proximity, Quality.
• Customers - Access to customers is essential. Close to residential areas.
• Accessibility - Near main roads, ports, parking, close to airports, train stations, etc.
• Labour Market - Available/Highly Skilled Workers. Close to universities.
• Land - Space, Cost, Fertility, Type of land - flat, woodland, etc. What are the physical (weather) conditions?
• Infrastructure - Facilities/Installations. Electricity, Water, Gas, Heating, Ventilation, etc.
• Transport - Reduce transport costs.
• Financial Incentives - Government Incentives - grants/loans, etc.
• Nearby Nature & Location - Greener, Healthy Environment, Air Quality, Brownfield vs. Greenfield. Is it noisy? Crime Rates, etc.

Question 12

What is the Clark-Fisher Model and what does it show?

Answer 12

• The Clark-Fisher Model shows changes in employment structure over time as a country develops.
• It can be divided into 3 different stages of development; pre-industrial, industrial and post-industrial.

Question 13

What factors may affect employment (structure)?

Answer 13

• New/Advances in Technology… - Redundancy increases as workers are no longer needed as their jobs can be replaced by machines. For example, mechanisation of agriculture (primary), robotic building of cars (secondary), automated answering systems (tertiary), robotic operations/surgery (quaternary), etc. - Technology has also influenced transport, reducing the ‘friction of distance’. The distance is no longer the problem but rather the cost or type of transport used. Communication and transfer of information around the Earth is instantaneous bringing with it the effect of bringing places closer and so, shrinking the world.
• Globalisation…
  • Globalisation describes the process by which countries all over the world are being drawn together into a single global economy by a growing network of links and organisations. This is encouraged by a range of factors including:
  • Improvements in transport (speed, cost and capacity).
  • Improvements in communication information technologies.
  • Growth of TNC’s and intergovernmental organisations.
  • Growth of international trade, foreign investment and aid.
  • Expanding markets, especially in developing/emerging countries.
  • Cost and mobility of labour (economic migrants).

Government Policies…
- Governments usually take an active interest in the economy and jobs. It is from taxes paid by companies on their profits/goods sold and individuals in work that a government has money to fund the following; health, education and the military.
- Governments can have huge impacts on the locations of industry; they can provide tax incentives, cheap rates and other benefits to companies encouraging them to locate in certain areas.
- Can also lead to the closure of industries too, such as coal mining in the UK. The decisions made by governments can have massive impacts on companies, for example BREXIT.

• Demographics & Social Change…
  
  • As population grows there will be more demand for goods and services as well as a greater supply of workers. Development creates wealth and this in turn fuels the demand for goods.
  • As the tertiary/quaternary sector grows more/better job vacancies open up which are filled increasing employment, workers gain a more disposable income which increases the demand for goods and services as peoples aspirations grow.

Question 14

Explain the term ‘Disposable Income’ and its significance.

Answer 14

• It is income remaining after the deduction of taxes/social security charges available to be spent or saved as the individual desires.
• More disposable income increases the demand for goods/services as people’s aspirations grow opening up new vacancies as firms seek to expand…

Question 15

Explain what is meant by a ‘developed’ and ‘emerging’ economy.

Answer 15

• Developed - Mature and sophisticated economy with a high GDP compared to emerging/developing countries.
• Emerging - Changing, maturing and growing economy with a significantly lower GDP and perhaps quality of life. Experience high rates of economic growth due to rapid industrialisation.

Question 16

Explain what is meant by the term ‘Positive Multiplier Effect (PME)’.

Answer 16

The PME is a combination of events which cause economical improvements and conditions by creating jobs, thus creating more income for those who are paid for paying for better health care, transport as well as other forms of infrastructure. Therefore, it is a cycle of events as this continuously happens again and again like a snowballing effect.. making our world a better place.

Question 17

Study Figure 1c in the Resource Booklet.
Analyse the reasons for these changes in the primary and quaternary sectors of employment. (8)

You can access the figure via this link…

https://pmt.physicsandmathstutor.com/download/Geography/GCSE/Past-Papers/Edexcel-IGCSE/Paper-2/June%202019%20RB%20-%20Paper%202%20Edexcel%20Geography%20IGCSE.pdf

Scroll down to the third figure - The Clark- Fisher Model.

Answer 17

• Mark Scheme…
• AO3 -
• The primary sector is working with natural resources which includes farming, fishing, forestry mining and quarrying.
• The quaternary sector is involved in information and communications as well as R&D and development. Universities are an important part of this sector.
• The relative importance of primary and quaternary sectors (together with secondary and tertiary) is a good indicator of the level of economic development.
• In general terms a LIC (or MIC) / developing economy relies heavily on the primary sector, whereas a developed county (HIC) has a recently, but rapidly growing quaternary sector.
• Sectoral shifts are wedded to the development process (pathway) and it is a result of several other factors that come into play, including rural-urban migration, increasing wealth as well as wider considerations such as globalisation and technological developments.
• AO4 -
• Figure 1c shows the decrease in primary from the pre-industrial, to industrial to post-industrial stages.
• On Figure 1c, it can be seen that the most dramatic (steepest) drop in employment occurs for the primary sector during the industrial
  phase.
• Figure 1c shows that absolute decline in numbers employed in primary sector, post-industrial, are relatively low.
• Figure 1c shows that the in the post-industrial phase there is a growth of quaternary, starting from zero.
• Overall the percentage employed in quaternary remains low in the post-industrial, peaking at about 5%.
• Level 3 (7-8 marks) -
• Applies understanding to deconstruct information and provide logical connections between concepts throughout.
  A balanced, well-developed argument that synthesises relevant understanding coherently leading to judgements that are supported by evidence throughout. (AO3)
• Uses geographical skills to obtain accurate information that supports all aspects of the argument. (AO4)
• Exemplar Response… (8/8) -

Figure 1c shows that the primary starts off with the highest percentage of employment in the pre-industrial stage at 70%. This is because in the pre-industrial stage technology wasn’t as developed in the past and education was more focused on manual labour as was the mindset in those days.

However, as Figure 1c shows in the industrial stage there is a sectoral shift in employment structure from the primary to other sectors as primary decreased by 40%. This is because people were attracted by the higher wages and due to advances in technology (mechanisation) less people were needed in the primary sector.

During the post-industrial stage the primary sector has significantly decreased and remained at 10% as more people moved away to work into the other sectors such as the tertiary sector because of the growing population the demand for goods and services such as education increased (tertiarization). As people became more educated and technology further advanced as the economy became more developed people sought further higher end jobs with higher wages with high demand in technological/quaternary roles key in the research & design of other products/services due to government spending from tertiary services into education. The government could also be fuelling/investing in this sector such as carbon capture schemes creating more employment opportunities. Furthermore, due to an ageing population, more care home workers might be needed and child minders due to a high rate of natural increase. We can see that Figure 1c shows an increasingly growing employment in the quaternary sector from 0-5%.

We can see that there is a common theme here, the primary and quaternary sectors sectors are a good indicator of the level of development in an economy. As an economy becomes wealthier it move up the ranks from primary due to mechanisation, people attracted by higher paid jobs in other sectors and it possible being cheaper to import raw materials from abroad. And eventually to quaternary sector jobs as people become more educated and seek those highly demanded and well paid roles. This in turn, increases the disposable income of employees so the demand for leisure services/goods (wants) increases introducing the multiplier effect as more economic migrants and businesses are attracted.

Question 18

Explain some ‘background information’ about Nigeria. I.e. location, population, birth rate, and any other relevant information.

Answer 18

• Nigeria is an emerging country located in West Africa bordered by Benin, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
• It’s landscape consists of semi-arid regions to the North, whilst in the South the climate is more tropical, there are rainforests.
• Nigeria is located on the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean key in the transportation/trade of goods overseas.
• Nigeria has a population of approximately 220 million people, a birth rate of 5.32, and an astonishing population growth of +2.5%. Half of Nigeria’s population is under 20!
• It has the 11th largest oil reserves in the world accounting for approximately 14% of the country’s GDP and 98% of its export earnings.
• The main items produced in Nigeria include; processed foods, cement, textiles, leather items, soaps and detergents.

Question 19

What are the social impacts of economic growth in Nigeria?

Answer 19

• Nigeria has one of the fastest growing HDI, life expectancy and GDP are increasing.
• However, there are still huge issues with disparity of wealth, health, social polarisation, informal economy, etc.

Question 20

What are the environmental impacts of economic growth in Nigeria?

Answer 20

• Industrial development has often been unplanned and unregulated leading to deforestation; more than 80% of Nigeria’s forests have been lost.
• Also, there is very poor air quality in many urban areas.
• There are issues with sewage and waste water control in cities such as Lagos, Kano and Abuja.
• Economic Development has contributed to urban growth as people arrive in the cities in search of work (economic migrants).
• In 2008 and 2009 there were huge oil eaks at Bodo on the Niger Delta. Shell was accused on not doing anything to stop the leaks. The damage caused huge impacts for the mangrove swamps and the wildlife that lives there as well as for the people who rely on the land to fish and farm. Many villages became uninhabitable.

Question 21

Explain the positive and negative impacts of Shell in Nigeria.

Answer 21

• Shell is one of the world’s largest oil companies operating in more than 70 countries worldwide. Shell has plants in the Niger delta where it is difficult to extract oil as it is very swampy.

PROS…
* Investment in local infrastructure such as roads/education.
* Opportunities for locals to develop new skills through training provided (increased employment).
* Local businesses benefit as they provide resources to the larger companies.
* Positive Multiplier Effect…

CONS…

• Most profit goes to foreign countries rather than to Nigeria.
• Gives management jobs/promotions (of much higher pay)to foreign workers rather than to Nigerian workers.
• Lack of health and safety regulations in Nigeria mean poor and unsafe working conditions.
• Roles are poorly paid to local Nigerian workers.
• Oil spills have led to environmental damage to water sources, wildlife, and air quality.

Question 22

Where is the UK located?

Answer 22

• The UK is an island country located off the North-Western coast of mainland Europe. It consists of several countries including England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Island.

Question 23

Explain why the UK’s economy has changed over time as the country developed.

Answer 23

• De-industrialisation/Mechanisation…
  
  • Primary decrease due to mechanisation and higher wages available in other sectors.
  • Decrease in manufacturing coupled with growth in the tertiary and quaternary sectors.
  • Traditional industries, e.g. ship building and textiles have declined due to the global shift
    in manufacturing to emerging countries and mechanisation.

Globalisation…
- It is now possible to locate factories abroad and get products shipped in to UK ports.
- In the 1900s, 55% of the UK’s population worked in the secondary sector. In 2011, this figure had dropped to just 9%.

• Growth of Tertiary & Quaternary Industries…
  
  • The IT industry in the UK is worth £58 billion a year with around 100,000 software companies operating in the UK, e.g. Microsoft.
  • Service sector makes up for about 3/4 of the UK’s economy.

Question 24

Define the term ‘Megacity’,

Answer 24

A city with a population of more than 10 million people.

Question 25

Explain the terms ‘formal’ and ‘informal’ sectors of employment.

Answer 25

• Formal Sector - Jobs where people work in regular employment, pay taxes and have employment rights.
• Informal Sector - Unofficial work, usually without regular pay and with no worker rights.

Question 26

What is a ‘paratransit service’?

Answer 26

Supplements of public transport systems by providing individual rides without fixed routes or timetables. Informal Sector.

Question 27

Describe the characteristics of the informal economy in developing/emerging countries.

Answer 27

• Completely unregulated.
• Involve a much greater variety of people and jobs including street vendors, shoes-shine boys, car washers, litter pickers, etc.
• Can be very low paid work and for long hours, e.g. cardboard grannies…
• Dangerous working conditions.

Question 28

Describe the characteristics of the informal economy in developed countries.

Answer 28

• Workers usually do not pay taxes, may be illegal immigrants.
• Includes jobs such as child minding and car/general cleaning.
• Earning money through the buying and selling of goods - often on the internet, e.g. Etsy.
• Workers usually paid in cash by the day or hour.

Question 29

What are the advantages and dis-advantages of the informal sector?

Answer 29

PROS…
- A range of cheap goods and services.
- Gives the poor a method of survival - can work for themselves without having to pay taxes.

CONS…
- No benefits, holiday pay, insurance cover, worker rights, or healthcare.
- High exposure to health and safety risks, no employment laws/regulations.
- Lower taxation income.
- Poor quality goods/services.
- Discrimination and child labour.
- Poor working conditions.

Question 30

For a named megacity explain two advantages of the informal economy. (4)

Answer 30

• Named Megacity… Mumbai :
• Working as a rickshaw driver in paratransit provides an opportunity for income (1) without having to pay taxes increasing overall earnings (1).
• Selling street food in places such as Dharavi but without needing a fixed buildings to sell produce (1) meaning they do not have to pay rent (1).

Question 31

Define the term ‘resource’.

Answer 31

A naturally occuring product that can be used in its own right or made into something else (food, energy, water, building material, etc).

Question 32

Explain the terms ‘biological’, ‘physical’, ‘energy’, ‘mineral’ and ‘human’ resources.

Answer 32

• Biological Resources - Living things which have grown naturally or been planted.
• Physical Resources - Natural materials found at or below the Earth’s surface.
• Energy Resources - Used specifically for the creation of heat/electricity.
• Mineral Resources - Usually quarried or mined from the ground in raw form and purified into materials to be used elsewhere.
• Human Resources - The skills, knowledge, and potential of a population in a society.

Question 33

Explain what is meant by a ‘renewable’ and ‘non-renewable’ resource.

Answer 33

• Non-renewable Resources - Exists in a fixed (finite) amount and cannot be remade deliberately, e.g. coal, oil, diamonds. Once they are gone, they are gone!
• Renewable Resources - Can be deliberately renewed like wood and will (in theory) never run out. E.g. solar and wind power.

Question 34

Define the term ‘sustainability’.

Answer 34

• Sustainability - Meeting the needs of the current state/generation of the world in such a way without compromising future generations from meeting their own needs.

Question 35

The percentage increase of world population from 1850 to 2019 was 516% from 1.25 billion to 7.7 billion. How might we calculate this? Show your workings!

Answer 35

• 7.7 billion (new number) - 1.25 billion (old number) = 6.45 billion increase.
• 6.45 billion (increase) ÷ 1.25 billion (old number) x 100 = 516% increase.

Question 36

Briefly explain the Malthusian population theory.

Answer 36

• “We are doomed”. As population increases exponentially food supply also grows arithmetically but is only of limited supply and will eventually run out as it is surpassed by the ever-growing population and demand resulting in natural checks including starvation, war, and disease.

Question 37

Explain the population theory of Boserup.

Answer 37

• By controlling farming methods and inventing solutions to production limiting resource consumption through using technology and agricultural intensification we can account for the growing population and prevent resource exhaustion, e.g. more efficient farming methods.

Question 38

Explain the link between population growth and resources.

Answer 38

As population increases, the demand for resources will increase while the amount of resources is finite and cannot account for the rapidly growing population unless something is done to either increase resources or decrease resource consumption.

Question 39

Explain the link between population growth and economic activities.

Answer 39

• Most economic activities involve the consumption of resources and and energy. As population increases, economic activities also increase due to the increase in demand for goods and services therefore increasing the consumption of those finite resources.
• Furthermore, as countries develop, economic activity increases, population becomes wealthier and more resources are consumed.

Question 40

Study Figure 1c. Analyse the reasons for the different population and resource relationships shown below. (8)

Follow (or copy and paste) this link to find the figure from the past paper resource booklet, scroll down to find it - To do with Malthus & Boserup.

https://pmt.physicsandmathstutor.com/download/Geography/GCSE/Past-Papers/Edexcel-IGCSE/Paper-2/June%202019%20(R)%20RB%20-%20Paper%202%20Edexcel%20Geography%20IGCSE.pdf

Answer 40

• Mark Scheme :
• AO3 - Knowledge Application…
• Malthus thought that if the human population continued to grow, food production would not be able to keep up with demand and there would
  not be enough food to go around. The result, he warned, would be a
  terrible famine that would kill many people.
• Boserup suggested that food production can, and will, increase to match the needs of the population - Boserup described this change as
  ‘agricultural intensification’.
• Boserup used her knowledge of farming in the developing world, where populations were growing quickly, Boserup argued that the threat of starvation and the challenge of feeding more mouths motivates people to improve their farming methods and invent new technologies in order to produce more food.
• In contrast Malthus was arguing that the human population was at risk of outgrowing its carrying capacity (the number of individuals that can be supported by a specific habitat). At the time when he was writing the Industrial Revolution had not yet arrived, and without developments such as pesticides and fertilisers the amount of food that could be produced per acre of land was much smaller than it is today.
• AO4 - Skills Application…
• Figure 1c shows the differences between two population theories, with both increasing demand for food and a growing population.
• On Figure 1c, it can be seen that the models are very different to each other, with different assumptions about futures.
• Figure 1c shows that Malthus assumes a linear or steady relationship between population and food resources, but where the population
  line (red) intersects the model (green line) then there is a collapse or catastrophe.
• Figure 1c shows that the Boserup theory indicates that the food resource can keep pace with the increase in population, and the red
  line never intersects the blue line of the model.
• Overall the population increases at an exponential rate.
• Level 3 - (7-8 marks)
• Applies understanding to deconstruct information and provide logical connections between concepts throughout.
  A balanced, well-developed argument that synthesises relevant understanding coherently leading to judgements that are supported by evidence throughout. (AO3)
• Uses geographical skills to obtain accurate information that supports all aspects of the argument. (AO4)

Question 41

Explain the relationship between population and food supply as outlined by Malthus. (4)

Answer 41

Malthus believed that as population grew (exponentially) the demand for resources would also increase (1) but food supply would only increase arithmetically and inevitably would not be able to support the needs and demand of the population (1) as it is only of limited (finite) supply (1) resulting in a series of natural checks including famine, war, and starvation (1) .

Question 42

Explain the differences in the theories of Malthus and Boserup about the relationship between population and resources. (6)

Answer 42

• Exemplar Response…

Malthus and Boserup both agree and conflict in different areas of their views. Malthus believed that as population grew as well as the demand for resources the limited, finite supply of food and resources would eventually run out resulting in a famine, war and starvation becoming more . On the other hand, Boserup disagreed with Malthus and believed that as population and the demand for resources increase we can provide for the needs of the population through advances in technology and ‘agricultural intensification.

One reason for these differences in views may have been because of the times they were written in. Malthus was writing in the pre-industrial stage of development where he did not understand the coming series of events, increases in production, amazing advances in technology, development and globalisation and thus took the more pessimistic view. However, Boserup wrote his theory at the end of the industrial period where he had probably first-hand witness human ingenuity rise to meet the increased demand and solve the problems of resource consumption.

Overall, both theories attempted to predict the expected response they both knew that might happen of potential resource exhaustion by humanity. Whilst Malthus believed the we were inevitably going to run out of resourced, it was out of our control. In opposition, Boserup took the more optimistic option. Boserup overpredicted the amount of resources we would be able to produce it is much better to be safe than sorry. Although now, a big problem we face is the uneven distribution of resources and wealth resulting in social polarisation. There are now enough resources, but some people do not have access to these basic infrastructures and resources. Not only this, but if we are not careful in our approach, advances in technology could harm the environment and quality instead focusing on mass quantities and growth to fulfill our ever increasing desire for more.

Question 43

Explain the terms ‘renewable’ and ‘non-renewable’ resources.

Answer 43

Renewable Resources - Can be deliberately renewed like wood and will never run out. E.g. solar and wind power.

Non-renewable Resources - Exists in a fixed (finite) amount and cannot be remade, e.g. coal, oil, diamonds. Once they are gone, they are gone! They cannot be replaced!

Question 44

Explain the importance of energy.

Answer 44

Keeping Us Warm
Allows Us To Cook
Provides Light
Powers Machines
Transportation/Movement

Question 45

Why might the demand for energy be constantly rising?

Answer 45

Increases in the demand for energy is caused by population increase fuelling economic development/activity.
As a country develops, there is an increased amount/significance of manufacturing, service provision, transport, and so on. These activities all rely on energy consumption to function. This increased demand may be met by either using the country’s resources or importing energy from countries that produce energy already.
But population growth is not only what is fuelling this extraordinary energy demand crisis. As people become more wealthy, their lifestyles change as they can afford more effective devices/technology to produce/power thus increasing energy consumption massively. Also, due to globalisation as the world becomes increasingly interconnected we need to transport a lot more goods (and ourselves).

Question 46

Why might some countries find it difficult to make commitments to replace fossil fuels?
What might be some solutions?

Answer 46

Even as we strive to replace fossil fuels as our main source of energy it will still be a slow transition away from fossil fuels as firms and countries are dependant on it as a source of income and some cannot afford more renewable and ecological alternatives.
However, if we decrease the dependancy on non-renewables and increase the accessibility and ease with which we can transfer our energy demands on to more renewable alternative sources as well as changing our lifestyles we can therefore overcome these challenges.

Question 47

Explain the factors affecting energy supply.

Answer 47

• Lack of finance; some countries may not have enough money to afford extracting their resources due to high costs of building new infrastructure such as wind farms (turbines are expensive) and they cannot afford expensive energy from abroad.
• Unequal distribution of fossil fuels; some countries have more than others and some may not be as accessible.
• Costs of energy; some energy may be more expensive due to the resources becoming increasingly scarce.
• Poor technology; some countries may have energy resources but are not able to access and exploit them because they do not have sufficient technology which is expensive.
• Variations in climate and geography; affect the potential for various forms of renewable energy such as solar, wind, HEP, geothermal, etc.

Question 48

What impact will population growth have on energy demand?

Answer 48

As population increases the demand for resources such as electricity, gas, and wood increase so there is an increased need (demand) for energy thus creating economic activity and businesses centre around this increased demand further fuelling economic development acting as a magnet.

Question 49

Explain the relationship between energy use and levels of development.

Answer 49

As development and wealth increases so
does the energy consumption. As a country
develops, there is an increased amount/
significance of manufacturing, service
provision, transport, and so on. These
activities all rely on energy consumption
to function. Furthermore, increases in
development cause growth in the
quaternary sector thus causing advances
in technology which may also rely on more
energy. As people become more wealthy,
their lifestyles change as they can afford
more effective devices/technology to
produce/power their home/lifestyle thus increasing energy consumption massively.

Question 50

Explain two reasons why the production of energy varies between countries. (4)

Answer 50

• Availability of energy resources (1), some countries may have lots of natural energy resources such as being oil rich and some do not. The more that they have, consumption rates will most likely be higher. (1)
• Price of energy (1) will impact on supply and demand within a region or country. The more expensive energy is, less consumption as it is much more affordable. (1)
• Size of population (1) will mean that the more people there are the greater the demand for energy. (1)
• Climate conditions (1), cooler areas will often require more energy to ‘heat things up’ whereas hotter countries will usually required things like air conditioning and other cooling mechanisms. Furthermore, people in sunnier or more windy countries will benefit from being able to use solar energy and wind energy to produce electricity.
• Transport links (1), if a country does not have good transport links it will be harder to import energy from abroad therefore decreasing the amount of consumption of energy from abroad so the country will most likely resort to its own supplies of energy (primary and secondary).
• Wealth & Development (1), more wealthier countries such as HIC’s will be able to afford more renewable forms of energy such as solar panels so will not have to import from abroad as much.

In order to earn 4 marks the student must include 2 valid points (2) and explain them in relation to energy production (2). They must have selected two of the above or alternative valid responses.

Question 51

What is ‘energy security’?

Answer 51

The ability of a nation to secure sufficient, affordable and consistent energy supplies for its domestic, industrial, transport and military requirements.

Question 52

How might a country achieve energy security?

Answer 52

Countries can achieve energy security by:
- Making sure they use their own energy sources do they are self-sufficient.
- Supplementing their own energy resources with reliable supplies from other countries – e.g. USA/Canada.
- Importing energy from a range of suppliers.
- Switching supply so there is less demand on imports.
- Reducing demand for and making more suitable ways of retaining energy – insulation homes, public transport, encouraging cycling rather than cars, etc.

Question 53

Explain the term ‘fossil fuel’.

Answer 53

Non-renewable energy sources (finite/fixed amount), e.g. coal, oil and gas (COG).

Question 54

Explain why fossil fuels are so important.

Answer 54

• Because they are the world’s main fuel source.
• Our global economies were built on them and still are…

Question 55

Explain how ‘hydro-electric power’ (HEP) works.

Answer 55

Flowing water (it’s kinetic energy) that has fallen from a tall height due to a dam is used to spin a turbine which spins a generator generating electricity.

Question 56

Explain the benefits/drawbacks of using hydro-electric power (HEP).

Answer 56

Advantages of Hydroelectric Power :

• When the electricity is generated, no greenhouse gases are produced.
• The water used is free.
• It is a renewable energy source.
• May attract tourists to dams.

Disadvantages of Hydroelectric Power :

• Expensive construction and maintenance.
• Nearby area may be at risk of flooding affecting nearby habitats (humans & animals).
• Relies on large amounts of rainfall to continue the water cycle so there is enough power to spin the turbines (e.g. drought)
• Subjective to location.
• May look ugly and unappealing.

Question 57

Explain how ‘wind power’ works.

Answer 57

Wind turbines are used to generate electricity from the wind taking the form of kinetic energy.
The wind turns the large blades which in turn spin a generator producing electricity.
This works best in windy places such as the coast.

Question 58

Explain the benefits/drawbacks of using wind power.

Answer 58

Advantages of Wind Power :

• Renewable and free.
• No greenhouse gases produced.
• Few safety risks (except from them falling over in strong winds causing fires or physical damage which is unlikely).

Disadvantages of Wind Power :

• Lots of wind turbines needed = very expensive.
• Relies on strong winds = not always windy.
• May look ugly and produce noise pollution.

Question 59

Explain how ‘solar power’ works.

Answer 59

Solar power uses light energy from the sun which can be converted into more useful energy via solar panels such as electricity.

Question 60

Explain the benefits/drawbacks of using solar power.

Answer 60

Advantages of Solar Power :

• Free energy.
• Does not produce greenhouse gases.
  Renewable.

Disadvantages of Solar Power :

• Very expensive and not the most efficient.
• Does not produce electricity when not sunny = inconsistent.
• May look ugly and unpleasant.
• Takes up a lot of space which could be used for a better purpose.

Question 61

Explain how ‘geothermal power’ works.

Answer 61

Rocks in the mantle of the earth are very hot. This heat can be used to heat water producing steam which can be directed to spin a turbine and thus an electricity generator.

Question 62

Explain the benefits/drawbacks of using geothermal power.

Answer 62

Advantages of Geothermal Power :

• Does not produce greenhouse gases.
• Renewable and free.

Disadvantages of Geothermal Power :

• Not many suitable locations.
• Harmful gases and minerals may occasionally come up from the ground below.
• Extremely expensive!

Question 63

Explain how ‘shale fracking’ works.

Answer 63

Fracking involves the extracting of natural gas found in the layers of shale rock deep within the Earth.

Question 64

Explain the benefits/drawbacks of using shale fracking.

Answer 64

Advantages of Fracking :

• Use of natural gas rather than coal is better for the environment as it produces fewer greenhouse gases.

Disadvantages of Fracking :

• Lots of wasted water.
• Extremely expensive.
• Risk of Earth tremors.

Question 65

Describe the location of Nepal. What is it like there?

Answer 65

• Located in Southwest Asia near China and India next to Bhutan.
• One of the poorest and landlocked countries in the world at the Himalayas. The great Ganges river rises here.
• No known major oil, gas, or coal reserves, and its position in the Himalayas makes it hard to reach remote communities.
• Most Nepali citizens have met their energy needs with biomass, human labour, imported kerosene, and/or traditional water powered mills.
• However, per person, energy consumption is very low at less than one-fifth of the worldwide average.
• Population of roughly 30 million people.

Question 66

Explain the implementation of ‘micro-hydro’ in Nepal.

Answer 66

• The schemes use water from the fast-flowing rivers that thunder down the Himalayan mountains. The water is diverted from the stream or river to drive a water turbine. Often the turbine drive belt is hooked to the drive shaft of a food processing appliance, eg. to mechanically turn the grindstones to mill grain.
• The most common use of micro-hydro schemes is for agricultural processes, such as milling grain or de-hulling rice. More micro-hydro schemes have been designed to produce electricity. In this scheme the water turbine drive belt is connected to a small generator or alternator to produce electricity.

Question 67

Explain the effects of ‘micro-hydro’ energy in Nepal.

Answer 67

• Grinding enough grain to feed a family for just three days takes 15 hours by hand. By taking it to the mill-house, it now takes 15 minutes.
• Cooking on open fire burns up a great deal of wood and gives off a lot of thick smoke. Many women and children suffer from serious lung problems. A Bijuli dekchi cooker is a low wattage electric cooker. Less fuelwood is used, women don’t have to spend time collecting it, and health problems are reduced.
• Light allows children and adults to improve their education by learning to read and write in the evenings. Electricity is cheaper, cleaner and safer than kerosene lamps.

Question 68

Define the term ‘appropriate technology’.

Answer 68

Small-scale technology which is designed to be simple enough that people can manage it directly and on a local level. It makes use of skills and technology that are available in a local community to supply basic human needs such as gas, electricity, water, food and waste disposal.