1. 1
   A family is choosing which fuel to take on a camping trip to cook their food: wood, gas canisters, or charcoal. They consider how easy each fuel is to carry, how much energy it releases for its mass, and how safely it can be stored in their car.

   (a)

   Which of the following is the best description of what a fuel is?

   [1 mark]

   • AA store of energy
   • BA type of force
   • CA unit of power
   • DA type of wave

   (b)

   When one of these fuels is burned to cook food, some of the chemical energy released is transferred to the food, but some is always transferred elsewhere. Where does this other energy go?

   [1 mark]

   • AIt is destroyed
   • BIt is transferred to the surroundings, mostly as heat
   • CIt disappears into the fuel's remaining ash
   • DIt is converted entirely back into chemical energy

   (c)

   The family finds that, for the same mass of fuel, the gas canister releases more energy than the wood, and is also easier to store safely in a sealed canister. Explain why these two factors might make gas the more suitable fuel choice for their camping trip.

   [2 marks]

   Total for question 1: 4 marks

2. 2
   A national electricity company is deciding on its future mix of power stations, choosing between coal, natural gas, nuclear, and wind. It considers which resources will still be available in 100 years' time.

   (a)

   Which of these energy resources is classified as renewable?

   [1 mark]

   • ACoal
   • BNatural gas
   • CWind
   • DNuclear fuel (uranium)

   (b)

   The company's environmental report states that continuing to burn coal and natural gas on a national scale contributes to global environmental problems. Which of the following is a key environmental impact of using fossil fuels on a global scale?

   [1 mark]

   • AA decrease in the frequency of radio waves used for broadcasting
   • BA reduction in the strength of the Earth's magnetic field
   • CAn increase in the speed of light through the atmosphere
   • DIncreased release of carbon dioxide, contributing to climate change

   (c)

   Evaluate one advantage and one disadvantage of the company relying more heavily on wind power compared with fossil fuels for national electricity generation.

   [2 marks]

   Total for question 2: 4 marks

3. 3
   A coastal community is considering building a wave power station, in which floating devices are pushed up and down by the motion of waves, driving generators to produce electricity.

   (a)

   Describe how energy from ocean waves is transferred into electrical energy by a wave power station.

   [3 marks]

   (b)

   Evaluate the advantages and drawbacks of the community choosing wave power instead of continuing to import electricity generated from burning natural gas.

   [4 marks]

   Total for question 3: 7 marks

4. 4
   A remote island community currently relies on diesel generators shipped in at great expense, and is considering switching to either solar power or geothermal power (using heat from underground rock to generate electricity) instead.

   (a)

   Discuss the advantages and drawbacks of the community switching to solar power.

   [6 marks]

   (b)

   Discuss the advantages and drawbacks of the community switching to geothermal power instead, and suggest which of the two renewable options, solar or geothermal, might be more suitable if the island has very consistent underground rock temperatures but is often cloudy.

   [6 marks]

   Total for question 4: 12 marks

End of questions