| Date | November 2021 | Marks available | 6 | Reference code | 21N.1.bp.5 |
| Level | SL and HL | Paper | 1 | Time zone | |
| Command term | Explain | Question number | 5 | Adapted from | N/A |
Question
The map shows the distribution of buildings on the continent of Antarctica.
[Source: Brooks, S. T., Jabour, J., Van den Hoff, J. and Bergstrom, D. M., 2019. Our footprint on Antarctica competes with
nature for rare ice-free land. Nature Sustainability. [online]. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/
Distribution-of-building-footprint-on-Antarctica-a-The-distribution-and-density-of_fig1_331506395 [Accessed 1
October 2020]. Source adapted.]
Identify one feature of the way buildings are dispersed across Antarctica.
Estimate the latitude of building A.
Outline one reason why a long-term fall in temperature might cause glaciers to advance.
Explain two geographic factors that can make very high-latitude polar regions challenging for human activity.
Markscheme
Near ice shelves / on the edge of the continent / coastal / concentrated on the Antarctic Peninsula / concentrated between 135 ° E and 180 ° / to the east of Ross Ice Shelf / none at the South Pole.
Accept 80 ° or 80 ° South (credit 78–82)
Award [1] for the reason and [1] for explanation/development.
For example: Volume of ice increases due to more snowfall [1] accumulation exceeds ablation/melting [1].
Other possibilities include:
- Movement of glacier accelerated by greater mass of ice
- Mass balance changes
- Reaches pressure melting point.
In each case, award [1] for a valid factor and up to [2] for development / explanation.
For example: Remoteness makes communications difficult [1] due to distance/time/hostile ocean/lack of infrastructure [1] and increases the cost of supplies/materials that have to be brought into the area [1].
Other factors include:
- Extreme cold – human discomfort
- Frozen ground/ice cover/permafrost – inaccessibility.
Examiners report
This was well done.
There was some confusion between latitude and longitude.
This was generally understood with regard to accumulation.
The question was reasonably well attempted although some confused high latitude with high altitude.
