2021 HSC Earth and Environmental Science
2021 HSC Earth and Environmental Science
2050
Section I
20 marks
Attempt Questions 1–20
Allow about 35 minutes for this section
A. Palaeozoic
B. Phanerozoic
C. Precambrian
D. Quaternary
A. Dendrochronology
B. Superposition
C. Sustainability
D. Uniformitarianism
3 What was produced in the flask as a result of Urey and Miller’s experiment?
A. DNA
B. Amino acids
C. Living tissue
D. The first cells
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5 The following model shows a suggested change in thinking for solid waste management.
If this change in thinking was adopted in Australia, which row of the table shows the
most likely outcome?
Increased Decreased
A. Recycling and composting Source reduction
B. Conversion technologies Recycling and composting
C. Landfilling Source reduction
D. Source reduction Landfilling
A. Observations of fossils
B. Changes in the Earth’s orbit
C. Pollen grains in sedimentary rocks
D. Ice cores containing gas bubbles and oxygen isotopes
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7 The graphic identifies trends in the composition and physical characteristics of magma.
Basaltic Rhyolitic
Explosivity
8 The most effective strategy for NSW to help reduce rising global temperatures would
be to
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9 Which of the following most accurately identifies the relationship between plate
boundaries and the nature of eruptions and depth of earthquakes found along these
boundaries?
10 The diagram shows a sketch of different Australian dinosaur footprints that were made
approximately 95 million years ago.
50 cm
In which type of environment were these trace fossils most likely formed?
A. Mud flats
B. Lava field
C. Sand dunes
D. Flowing river
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11 The managed landfill system shown was built to service a growing city.
Leachate
removal pipe
Upgradient
groundwater Downgradient
monitoring well groundwater
monitoring well
Gas monitoring Liner system
probe
© United Nations Environment Progarmme
Which of the following would have the greatest impact on the sustainability of this
system?
A. Air pollution
B. Volume of waste
C. Habitat destruction
D. Groundwater pollution
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13 Which of the following is the best indication that increases in atmospheric carbon
dioxide are of anthropogenic origin?
14 The eruption of Mt Pinatubo in 1991 ejected more than 5 km3 of material from the
volcano and released about 20 million tonnes of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere.
The 0.5°C fall in average global temperature which lasted throughout 1991–1993 was
most likely due to the
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15 This graph contains information about changes in atmospheric CO2 and the pH of
seawater over time.
400 8.38
Atmospheric CO2
Seawater pH 8.33
375
8.28
350 8.23
CO2
pH
ppm
325 8.18
8.13
300
8.08
275 8.03
1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Year
Courtesy of NOAA
According to the graph, which row of the table correctly identifies the changes in
atmospheric CO2 and seawater pH?
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16 Students used the following source to analyse the impact that large-scale renewable
energy projects had on the Australian economy in 2017.
Western Australia
20 Megawatts
$50M Investment
100 Jobs Queensland
NT 1711 Megawatts
$3263M Investment
QLD 2330 Jobs
WA
SA
New South Wales
NSW 1016 Megawatts
$2140M Investment
ACT 1245 Jobs
VIC
Which inference could the students correctly make based on this source?
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17 The image shows the position of the leading edge of the Gangotri glacier in the Himalayas
since 1780.
2001
1935 1950 1971
DRAWN TO SCALE
1780
KEY
Leading edge of the glacier at times indicated
Position of the ice in 2001
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18 The following diagram shows a method for small-scale mining of a lake to extract gold.
PVC pipe
Sluice box
Pump
Barge Dirty water
Dirty water
River/lake
bed
Steel
spearhead
© Pact, Inc.
19 Technologies available for the prediction of volcanic eruptions are more effective than
those available for predicting earthquakes, because they
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20 As part of the most recent plate tectonic supercycle, India collided with Asia forming the
Himalayan mountain range.
N EURASIAN HIMALAYAN
PLATE MOUNTAIN
RANGE
INDIAN
PLATE
ARABIAN
PLATE INDIA
today
Sri Lanka
INDIAN
OCEAN
Equator
‘India’
landmass
50 million
years ago
INDIAN
OCEAN
‘India’
landmass
70 million
years ago
Which row of the table correctly identifies the tectonic boundaries that moved India from
its location 70 million years ago to its location 50 million years ago?
Boundary south of Indian land mass Boundary north of Indian land mass
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© 2021 NSW Education Standards Authority
2021 HIGHER SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION
Centre Number
Earth and Environmental
Science
Student Number
Section II Answer Booklet
80 marks
Attempt Questions 21–33
Allow about 2 hours and 25 minutes for this section
Do NOT write in this area.
Instructions • Write your Centre Number and Student Number at the top of this
page.
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2690310371
2051 15100
Question 21 (4 marks)
Rubbish, packaging and discarded household goods resulting from online shopping, 4
home renovations and general clean-ups has increased in recent years.
Describe one sustainable and one unsustainable management option for different
types of household solid waste.
Sustainable: .....................................................................................................................
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Question 22 (7 marks)
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Question 23 (4 marks)
Identify TWO hazards associated with earthquakes and explain the effect that each 4
has on the environment.
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Question 24 (4 marks)
As climate continues to change, many people believe human behaviour must also 4
change to build climate resilience. One model for building climate resilience is shown
below.
Mitigation Adaptation
Action to reduce Action to manage
emissions that cause the risks of climate
climate change Water change impacts
conservation
Disaster
management
New energy Agricultural
Sustainable systems and business
practices continuity
transportation
strategies
Energy Urban
Education design
efficiency
Choose one of the strategies identified in the above model. Discuss its usefulness in
the mitigation of, and/or adaptation to, increased global temperatures.
Strategy: ....................................................................................................................
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Question 25 (7 marks)
Assess the extent to which human activities have affected the sustainability of 7
Australian resources. Support your answer with examples.
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Question 26 (8 marks)
(a) Modelling can be used to describe the causes of the natural greenhouse effect. 4
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(b) How does the anthropogenic greenhouse effect differ from the natural 4
greenhouse effect?
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0279310372
Question 27 (5 marks)
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Question 28 (7 marks)
Scientists have been monitoring and recording volcanic activity in Hawaii for more
than 100 years.
Graph 1 shows the summit tilt of the Hawaiian volcano Kilauea and a record of
ground movement data measured in microradians collected from tilt meters at the
summit of Kilauea from 1958–2000.
Graph 2 shows detailed volcanic and seismic data for the period between January and
June of 1986.
600
400
200
0
30
20
10
0
Number of tectonic
2500
1000
earthquakes
earthquakes
Number of
2000
volcanic
800
No data
No data
No data
1500 600
1000 400
500 200
0 0
January February March April May June
KEY
Continuous eruptions Tectonic earthquakes
Eruption
© Robert I. Tilling
(a) Outline the relationship between changes in summit tilt and eruptions on 1
Kilauea.
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(b) Using Graph 2, describe ONE indicator other than tilt of an impending eruption. 2
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(c) Assess the importance of historical data like that shown in the graphs in making 4
predictions that a volcano is about to erupt.
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Question 29 (7 marks)
Diagram A
Temperature Minerals Magma type
High temperature
of crystallisation Olivine Calcium rich
1200°C
Mafic
Cooling of magma
Plagioclase
feldspar
Pyroxene
(a) Use diagram A and your own knowledge to complete the following table. 3
Magma
Mafic Intermediate Felsic
Minerals Olivine, pyroxene Pyroxene,
present amphibole, biotite
mica
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Question 29 (continued)
Diagram B
Mineral
1 2 3
1200°C 600°C
Cooling
© Woudloper
Do NOT write in this area.
(b) Use diagrams A and B to account for the differences in the mineral composition 4
of Magma X and Magma Z.
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9827310370
Question 30 (5 marks)
Examples of all stages of the plate tectonic supercycle currently taking place on Earth
are indicated by the letters A–F on Map 1.
Map 1
C B
See
Map 2
D
E
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Question 30 (continued)
(b) Twenty million years ago, North and South America were not joined, and the 3
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans were able to mix. Over time, the plates drifted
closer and the strip of land shown below (known as the Isthmus of Panama)
formed. It joins the continents of North and South America.
Map 2
Atlantic
Ocean
Panama
Pacific Ocean
North
South
Do NOT write in this area.
America
America
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Question 31 (11 marks)
The images below show the shape of burrows made by an unknown organism
that lived in the sea floor sediment of ancient seas. This trace fossil is known as
Treptichnus pedum. Fossils of the unknown organism that formed the burrows have
never been found.
The organism, perhaps a type of worm, would push through the sediment on the floor
of the shallow sea and then push upwards, possibly looking for food or checking
for predators. It would then move back down and repeat this behaviour, making a
complicated path within the sea floor sediment.
Image A Image B
Burrow known as Cast of burrow know as
Treptichnus pedum in Treptichnus pedum
three dimensions
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Question 31 (continued)
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Question 31 (continued)
(b) This stratigraphic sequence can be used to date the Treptichnus pedum shown.
Age
Ma BP
505 KEY
Fossil
Treptichnus pedum
Dickinsonia
Trilobite
620
KEY (continued)
Rock types
(i) Describe how scientists would use this sequence to determine the age of 3
the Treptichnus pedum as accurately as possible.
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Question 31 (continued)
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Question 32 (3 marks)
Explain how TWO conditions present at ‘Black Smokers’ may have resulted in the 3
origin of organic molecules.
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Question 33 (8 marks)
‘Some scientists are predicting the possibility of a new mass extinction event as a 8
result of the impact of human activities.’
Analyse this statement with reference to any TWO of the following modules of the
Earth and Environmental Science course:
Earth Processes, Hazards, Climate Science, Resource Management.
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2021 HIGHER SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION
20
30 Oligocene
40
Paleogene Eocene
50
Phanerozoic
60 Palaeocene
Ma BP
70
Mesozoic
Cretaceous
100
Jurassic
200
Triassic
Permian
300
Carboniferous
Palaeozoic
Devonian
400
Silurian
Ordovician
500
Cambrian
Neopro-
terozoic
Ediacaran
600
Proterozoic
Precambrian
1000
2000
3000 Archaean
4000
Hadean
2052 –1–
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© 2021 NSW Education Standards Authority