Date | May 2021 | Marks available | 10 | Reference code | 21M.1.bp.4 |
Level | SL and HL | Paper | 1 | Time zone | |
Command term | Evaluate | Question number | 4 | Adapted from | N/A |
Question
Examine how the importance of wind and waves varies for the development of two or more coastal landforms.
Evaluate strategies designed to manage pollution caused by two or more types of waste materials in the oceans.
Markscheme
Marks should be allocated according to the Paper 1 markbands (available under the "Your tests" tab > supplemental materials).
Erosional landforms include cliffs, stacks and wave-cut platforms, while depositional features include beaches, spits, bars and sand dunes. The actions of wind and waves are interrelated in the formation of such landforms.
Possible applied themes (AO2) demonstrating knowledge and understanding (AO1):
- The actions of wind and waves are interrelated in the formation of coastal landforms, although their relative importance may vary.
- Wind affects wave strength and type – whether constructive or destructive – and the direction of longshore drift.
- Constructive waves – of low energy – produce depositional features. Destructive waves – of high energy – are responsible for erosional features.
- The importance of wind is dominant in the formation of sand dunes; other factors include adequate sediment supply and the role of vegetation.
Good answers may be well structured (AO4) and may additionally offer a critical evaluation (AO3) that examines the interrelationships between the two sets of processes, the relative power of the different influences in shaping environments, and the possibility of extreme wind and wave processes at different timescales, e.g. tsunamis.
For 5–6 marks, expect some weakly evidenced outlining of the formation of one or more coastal landforms by wind and/or waves.
For 7–8 marks, expect a structured account that includes:
- either an evidenced examination of the relative importance of wind and waves (do not expect balance) in the formation of two coastal landforms
- or a discursive conclusion (or ongoing evaluation) regarding their relative importance.
For 9–10 marks, expect both of these traits.
Marks should be allocated according to the Paper 1 markbands (available under the "Your tests" tab > supplemental materials).
Waste in the oceans includes radioactive materials, oil and chemical waste, and solid materials such as plastics. The consequences of the disposal of plastic waste have been of particular concern in recent years.
Possible applied themes (AO2) demonstrating knowledge and understanding (AO1):
- Chemical waste includes SO2 and NOx and nitrates.
- Oil pollution may come from offshore oil production and effluent from ships.
- Physical waste includes plastic materials and sediment inputs from rivers.
- Waste may be deliberately disposed of in the oceans, or may come from effluent and output from rivers and land run-off, such as from agriculture.
- Oceanic pollution from waste may lead to significant damage to marine ecosystems, including fisheries and coral reefs.
- Strategies to manage pollution occur at both the local and global scales, including monitoring of levels of pollution, regulations and laws to limit different types of waste disposal, and clean-up operations following a significant pollution event.
Good answers may be well structured (AO4) and may additionally offer a critical evaluation (AO3) that examines a variety of strategies and the roles of different stakeholders in varying places and different scales from local to global. For example, strategies to deal with oil pollution may be more successful than plastics because of the temporal and spatial scales of the problem. It is hard to get stakeholder agreement to tackle plastic waste because of scale.
For 5–6 marks, expect some weakly evidenced outlining of management strategies aimed at reducing oceanic pollution for one or more types of waste materials.
For 7–8 marks, expect a structured account that includes:
- either an evidenced examination of strategies for managing pollution caused by two or more types of waste materials
- or a discursive conclusion (or ongoing evaluation) grounded in geographical concepts and/or perspectives regarding the success of management strategies.
For 9–10 marks, expect both of these traits.
Examiners report
Responses were often descriptive, with limited reference to the relative importance of wind and waves. Better answers explained the role of wind in formation of constructive and destructive waves, as well as specific landforms.
Many answers were descriptive of types of pollution (plastic, oil and radioactive) with attempts to clean up, but with little focus on management strategies and their evaluation.