Energy issues

Energy is a key topic on most A-level courses. This Question and Answer explores an AS question from AQA Unit 1 on the Energy Issues option. It focuses on trends in energy use, trade and managing energy. Edexcel A2 students could use this Question and Answer as part of their study of the Unit 3 topic Energy Security. Energy is also part of OCR AS Unit 2 and WJEC Unit 4, theme 3. The question is printed in bold type and the students’ answers are in tint areas. The examiner’s comments are the responsibility of GEOGRAPHY REVIEW and have neither been provided nor approved by the examination board. Cameron Dunn writes here in a personal capacity

Table 1 Mark scheme to part (a) (i)

The question reproduced here is Question 7 from the AQA May 2010 Unit 1 Physical and Human Geography paper, GEOG1. This question has a typical AS structure, gradually moving up an incline of difficulty. The four sub-parts of the question move from a low mark tariff (4 marks) towards a high tariff (15 marks) and from description towards explanation and discussion. In the examination it is important to move through the low-mark questions swiftly (but accurately) in order to leave enough time to do justice to the longer questions. Part (c) in this example is essentially an essay question in which structure (logical organisation) and use of examples to support the answer are important.

(a) (i) Distinguish between primary and secondary energy. (4 marks)