Practice 1.5 Humans and pollution with authentic IB Environmental systems and societies (ESS - Old) exam questions for both SL and HL students. This question bank mirrors Paper 1, 2 structure, covering key topics like ecosystems, human impact, and sustainability. Get instant solutions, detailed explanations, and build exam confidence with questions in the style of IB examiners.
Paper
Level
Question 1
SL & HLPaper 2
1.[4]
Explain how you would measure the impact of pollution on a freshwater ecosystem.
Question 2
SL & HLPaper 2
1.[3]
Explain the environmental impacts of acid deposition.
Question 3
SLPaper 2
Figure 1: The water cycle
1.[2]
Identify one transfer and one transformation process shown in Figure 1.
2.[2]
Outline how urbanization could impact two of the storages in Figure 1.
3.[3]
Runoff from agricultural land may lead to excess nutrients entering water bodies. Outline one indirect measure of organic pollution.
4.[1]
Runoff from agricultural land can result in excess nutrients entering water bodies. State one management strategy that could control the release of agricultural runoff.
Question 4
SLPaper 2
1.[9]
To what extent can different environmental value systems contribute to both causing and resolving the problem of water scarcity?
Question 5
SL & HLPaper 2
1.[4]
Describe two methods for treating wastewater.
Question 6
SL & HLPaper 2
1.[3]
Explain the environmental impacts of plastic pollution in marine ecosystems.
Question 7
SL & HLPaper 2
1.[4]
Describe two ways in which air pollution can affect human health.
Question 8
SLPaper 2
1.[2]
The soil system includes storages of inorganic nutrients.
Identify two inputs to these storages.
2.[2]
The soil system includes storages of inorganic nutrients.
Identify two outputs from these storages.
3.[7]
Solid domestic waste may contain non-biodegradable material and toxins that have the potential to reduce the fertility of soils.
Explain how strategies for the management of this waste may help to preserve soil fertility.
4.[9]
The provision of food resources and assimilation of wastes are two key factors of the environment that determine its carrying capacity for a given species.
To what extent does the human production of food and waste each influence the carrying capacity for human populations?
Question 9
SLPaper 2
1.[4]
Outline two factors that affect the frequency and severity of photochemical smog in an area.
2.[7]
Evaluate strategies to manage regional acid deposition using the pollution management model.
3.[9]
To what extent have international agreements been successful in solving atmospheric air pollution and climate change?
Question 10
SL & HLPaper 2
1.[4]
Using named examples, outline the difference between natural and anthropogenic atmospheric primary pollutants.
2.[7]
Discuss reasons for high human population density within urban systems.
3.[9]
Evaluate a range of pollution management strategies that can be used to reduce urban air pollution.