Curriculum

VCE Environmental Science Units 1 & 2 - 5 Practice Packs

Getting Started - VCE ENVSCI U12 - 5 Practice Packs

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Year 11 Guide - VCE ENVSCI U12 - 5 Practice Packs

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Unit 1 Content: How Are Earth's Systems Interconnected?

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Unit 2 Content: What Affects Earth's Capacity to Sustain Life?

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Practice Exam 1 of 5 - VCE ENVSCI U12

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Practice Exam 2 of 5 - VCE ENVSCI U12

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Practice Exam 3 of 5 - VCE ENVSCI U12

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Practice Exam 4 of 5 - VCE ENVSCI U12

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Practice Exam 5 of 5 - VCE ENVSCI U12

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After the Exam - VCE ENVSCI U12 - 5 Practice Packs

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Text lesson

VCE-ENVSCI-U12 8.1 📋 – Practice Exam 5: Question Paper

Practice Exam 5

VCE Environmental Science | Ecosystems, Energy Flow & Nutrient Cycles

✎ Complete ALL questions on paper before opening the Model Answers lesson. No notes. Aim for 1 minute per mark.

SHORT ANSWER

Question 1 (4 marks)

Describe the carbon cycle. Include at least four processes and explain the role of oceans as carbon sinks.

✎ Write your answer on paper

Question 2 (4 marks)

Explain the concept of ecological efficiency and why it limits the number of trophic levels in a food chain.

✎ Write your answer on paper

Question 3 (4 marks)

Describe the process of eutrophication in a lake. What are the causes and consequences for aquatic biodiversity?

✎ Write your answer on paper

Question 4 (4 marks)

Explain the roles of nitrogen-fixing bacteria and denitrifying bacteria in the nitrogen cycle.

✎ Write your answer on paper

Question 5 (4 marks)

Describe primary and secondary succession, giving one example of each. Explain the role of pioneer species.

✎ Write your answer on paper

Question 6 (4 marks)

Explain the difference between gross primary productivity (GPP) and net primary productivity (NPP). Why is NPP more relevant when studying ecosystem carbon storage?

✎ Write your answer on paper

Question 7 (4 marks)

What is biomagnification? Describe how DDT concentrates in a food chain, using specific trophic levels as examples.

✎ Write your answer on paper

Question 8 (4 marks)

Describe the role of wetlands as ecosystems. Include ecosystem services they provide.

✎ Write your answer on paper

EXTENDED RESPONSE

Extended Response 1: Energy Flow in Ecosystems

Question 9 (4 marks)

Extended Response 1: Energy Flow in Ecosystems (a)
Using a specific example, trace the flow of energy through four trophic levels in a terrestrial ecosystem. Calculate the energy available at each level if 10 000 kJ enters the system at the producer level.

✎ Write your answer on paper

Extended Response 1: Energy Flow in Ecosystems

Question 10 (3 marks)

Extended Response 1: Energy Flow in Ecosystems (b)
Explain why converting a forest to agricultural land for cattle production is an energetically inefficient way to provide human food.

✎ Write your answer on paper

Extended Response 1: Energy Flow in Ecosystems

Question 11 (2 marks)

Extended Response 1: Energy Flow in Ecosystems (c)
Explain the significance of the ratio of GPP to NPP in different ecosystems.

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Extended Response 2: Nitrogen Cycle & Human Impact

Question 12 (5 marks)

Extended Response 2: Nitrogen Cycle & Human Impact (a)
Describe the complete nitrogen cycle, including all major processes and organisms involved.

✎ Write your answer on paper

Extended Response 2: Nitrogen Cycle & Human Impact

Question 13 (3 marks)

Extended Response 2: Nitrogen Cycle & Human Impact (b)
Explain how human activities have disrupted the nitrogen cycle and describe two environmental consequences.

✎ Write your answer on paper

✓ Finished? Open the next lesson – Model Answers – to mark your work.