“Oil should not be used as a source of energy because it has more important uses.” Suggest two arguments that support the continued use of oil as an energy source, and two against.

Arguments for: [2 max]

high energy content / high enthalpy of combustion;

shortage of alternatives;

alternatives are expensive / oil relatively cheap;

well-established technology;

easy to store;

easy to transport;

produces energy at a reasonable rate;

Arguments against: [2 max]

chemical feedstock of limited supply/OWTTE;

non-renewable;

combustion causes global warming/greenhouse gases;

combustion produces acidic gases;

Apply OWTTE throughout.

Candidates tended to provide vague, journalist answers rather than provide specific points to score the marks, e.g. candidates would suggest ‘pollution’ as an argument against without being specific.