DP Biology (last assessment 2024)

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Question 22M.2.SL.TZ1.3c

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Date May 2022 Marks available [Maximum mark: 3] Reference code 22M.2.SL.TZ1.3c
Level SL Paper 2 Time zone TZ1
Command term Explain Question number c Adapted from N/A
c.
[Maximum mark: 3]
22M.2.SL.TZ1.3c

The graph shows the mean annual changes in global temperatures between 1880 and 2014. The mean temperature from 1951 to 1980 was used as the value of zero change in temperature.

[Source: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, n.d. GISS Surface Temperature Analysis (v3). [online]
Available at: https://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/graphs_v3/ [Accessed 20 August 2019].]

(c)

Explain how increased carbon dioxide in the air leads to the greenhouse effect.

[3]

Markscheme
  1. short wave radiation from sun passes through atmosphere / is not absorbed by CO2;
  2. infrared/long wave (radiation) / heat emitted from/released from (surface of) Earth;
  3. CO2 in the atmosphere absorbs infrared/long wave (radiation)/heat / cannot pass through the greenhouse gases;
  4. this results in warm/increased temperatures on Earth/global warming;

Do not accept “reflected” for mpb.

Examiners report

There were elegant answers to this question demonstrating a high level of understanding. Many other candidates mixed up all sorts of ideas here, including the idea of ozone being a cause of global warming and stating as a "fact" that heat travels from the sun to the earth. Among the confused ideas was the notion that carbon dioxide is a toxic pollutant.

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