1. 1
   A UK clothing company is deciding whether to make jackets from cotton fabric, which is grown as a crop each year, or from polyester fabric, which is manufactured using crude oil as a raw material.

   (a)

   Which term describes the type of resource that crude oil is classified as?

   [1 mark]

   • ARenewable
   • BFinite
   • CBiodegradable
   • DRecyclable

   (b)

   Which of the following best describes why cotton is considered a renewable resource in this scenario?

   [1 mark]

   • AIt is cheaper to produce than polyester
   • BIt never runs out under any circumstances
   • CIt can be regrown within a human timescale
   • DIt does not require any land to grow

   (c)

   Explain the difference between a finite resource and a renewable resource, using crude oil and cotton as examples.

   [2 marks]

   Total for question 1: 4 marks

2. 2
   A remote village historically relied entirely on natural products: wool for clothing, wood for fuel, and leather for footwear. In recent decades, the village has begun importing synthetic alternatives such as nylon clothing and plastic footwear from nearby towns.

   (a)

   A remote village historically relied on natural products: wool for clothing, wood for fuel, and leather for footwear. In recent decades, the village has begun importing synthetic alternatives such as nylon clothing and plastic footwear. Which of these is a natural product used traditionally by the village?

   [1 mark]

   • ANylon
   • BPolyester
   • CPlastic
   • DWool

   (b)

   Which statement best explains why the village has started using synthetic products instead of only natural ones?

   [1 mark]

   • ANatural products have become illegal to produce
   • BSynthetic products can supplement or replace natural products and may be cheaper or more available
   • CSynthetic products are always more environmentally friendly
   • DNatural resources such as sheep and trees no longer exist

   (c)

   Give two reasons why synthetic products such as nylon and plastic might be used to supplement or replace natural products such as wool and leather.

   [2 marks]

   Total for question 2: 4 marks

3. 3
   A city council is drafting a sustainable development policy. The policy states: "All new developments must meet the needs of current residents without compromising the ability of future residents to meet their own needs." The council must decide whether to prioritise finite resources, such as crude-oil-based building materials, or renewable resources, such as timber from managed forests.

   (a)

   Explain what is meant by sustainable development, using this policy statement as a basis for your answer.

   [3 marks]

   (b)

   The council is comparing two building material options: one based on a finite resource (crude-oil-derived plastic cladding) and one based on a renewable resource (timber from a managed forest that is replanted after every harvest). Evaluate which material choice is more consistent with sustainable development, giving reasons for your answer.

   [4 marks]

   Total for question 3: 7 marks

4. 4
   A small island nation depends heavily on imported crude-oil-based plastics for packaging its exported fruit, and on locally grown bamboo, a fast-growing renewable plant, for construction. Government advisers are debating a national resource strategy for the next fifty years.

   (a)

   Discuss how the distinction between finite and renewable resources should shape this strategy, including the risks of continuing to rely on crude-oil-based plastics.

   [6 marks]

   (b)

   The same government advisers are also considering whether to invest public funds in research into synthetic alternatives that could reduce the island's dependence on both imported plastics and natural resources such as bamboo. Discuss the potential benefits and limitations of this approach in the context of sustainable development.

   [6 marks]

   Total for question 4: 12 marks

End of questions