Water and carbon cycles

Question and Answer in this issue examines some questions from the May 2019 Edexcel A-level paper 1, Physical Geography, Section C Physical Systems and Sustainability. The question considers aspects of both the carbon and water cycles. Similar questions are set by other exam boards (see Box 1). The questions are printed in bold type and the students’ answers are in tinted boxes. The exam comments and mark schemes are the responsibility of GEOGRAPHY REVIEW and have neither been provided nor approved by Edexcel. The answers given are not the only possible answers

Figure 1 Biofuel production in Brazil, 2000–16. Brazil is the world’s second largest biofuel producer

This Question and Answer looks at a ramped sequence of 3, 6 and 12-mark questions. The 3-mark question is point-marked, whereas the 6 and 12-mark questions are marked using levels. Both the 3 and 6-mark questions only test Assessment Objective 1 (AO1), knowledge and understanding, whereas the 12-mark question tests AO1 and AO2 (interpretation, analysis and evaluation). Longer questions worth 12 marks or more always test AO2 and use command words such as ‘assess’ and ‘evaluate’. These indicate that answers need to demonstrate higher-order thinking skills by weighing up arguments, and making evidenced judgements and supported conclusions.

This Question and Answer can be used by students studying other A-level specifications, bearing in mind different question styles, mark tariffs and mark schemes.