Practice 4.4 Climate change with authentic IB Biology exam questions for both SL and HL students. This question bank mirrors Paper 1A, 1B, 2 structure, covering key topics like cell biology, genetics, and ecology. Get instant solutions, detailed explanations, and build exam confidence with questions in the style of IB examiners.
Paper
Level
Question 1
SLPaper 1A
Which characteristic of water vapour classifies it as a greenhouse gas?
Question 2
SLPaper 1A
Which activity directly contributes the most to recent increases in atmospheric CO₂ concentrations?
Question 3
HLPaper 1A
How do greenhouse gases contribute to global warming?
Question 4
HLPaper 1A
The table shows the monthly CO2 concentrations in mgL-1 taken at two monitoring stations.
| Month | Jul 2011 | Aug 2011 | Sept 2011 | Oct 2011 | Nov 2011 | Dec 2011 | Jan 2012 | Feb 2012 | Mar 2012 | Apr 2012 | May 2012 | Jun 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Grim, Australia | 388 | 389 | 389 | 389 | 389 | 389 | 389 | 389 | 389 | 389 | 389 | 390 |
| Mauna Loa, Hawaii, USA | 392 | 390 | 389 | 389 | 390 | 392 | 393 | 394 | 394 | 396 | 397 | 396 |
What is directly indicated by the data?
Question 5
SLPaper 1A
Attempts are being made in some countries to reduce the impact of global warming in the future by building wind turbines for electricity generation. How could wind turbines reduce the impact of global warming?
Question 6
SLPaper 1A
Carbon sinks are any reservoirs that absorb and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Which process increases the size of the carbon sink in oceans?
Question 7
SLPaper 1A
The table shows the monthly concentrations in taken at two monitoring stations.
| Month | Jul 2011 | Aug 2011 | Sept 2011 | Oct 2011 | Nov 2011 | Dec 2011 | Jan 2012 | Feb 2012 | Mar 2012 | Apr 2012 | May 2012 | Jun 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Grim, Australia | 388 | 389 | 389 | 389 | 389 | 389 | 389 | 389 | 389 | 389 | 389 | 390 |
| Mauna Loa, Hawaii, USA | 392 | 390 | 389 | 389 | 390 | 392 | 393 | 394 | 394 | 396 | 397 | 396 |
What is directly indicated by the data?
Question 8
HLPaper 2
1.[5]
Describe the relationship between the rise in the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide and the enhanced greenhouse effect.
2.[3]
Outline the precautionary principle.
3.[6]
Antibiotic resistance in bacteria is an example of evolution in response to environmental change. Using another example, explain how an environmental change can lead to evolution.
Question 9
HLPaper 1A
The following graph refers to questions 19 and 20. It shows variation in the concentration of in the atmosphere as measured at Mauna Loa in Hawai'i. The small inset graph shows the variations in during a one year period.
[Source: adapted from Dr P Tans, NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory]
What is the main cause of the increase in levels from 1960 to 2000?
Question 10
SLPaper 1A
Which diagram best illustrates the flow of energy through a community with three trophic levels?
