MYP4&5 Chemistry – Criterion D – Organic Chemistry

Name: Time allowed: 40 minutes

Score: ___/ 29 Achievement level Crit D: ____/8

Question 1 (12 marks)

Our use and dependence on fossil fuels is affecting the carbon cycle. Carbon footprint is defined as the mass of
greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and other compounds) produced by the consumption of fossil fuels by a
particular individual or group.

(Source: https://serc.carleton.edu/download/images/56944/global_carbon_cycle_1427132279.jpg)

Discuss how can we, as a society, can respond to climate change and reduce the carbon footprint, by changing our
behaviours. In your answer, you need to consider both individuals and larger groups and include the following:

 a brief description of activities that increase the carbon footprint

 an explanation of how these activities increase the carbon footprint
 a brief description of activities that would decrease the carbon footprint
 a justification of how these activities would affect the carbon cycle.
Question 2 (17 marks)

Engineers in the car industry are trying to find creative ways to reduce the emission of one of the pollutants, carbon
dioxide.

The car industry has produced electric cars and hybrid cars, which emit less CO2 than petrol cars.

A hybrid car is a cross between a petrol car and an electric car. A hybrid car combines the two setups into one
system.

Recently a car manufacturer announced that their scientists have developed a new type of hybrid car, a plug-in car.

Plug-in hybrids are equipped with a bigger battery than regular hybrids and can be plugged in to charge like an
electric car, giving an extra 15 to 30 km of zero emission driving before the petrol engine kicks in.

Many people interested in buying environmentally friendly cars are often concerned about the usefulness of the
car. To be useful, a car must meet certain minimum requirements. The car should be able to:

 drive at least 500km before refuelling

 be refuelled quickly and easily
 and keep up with the other traffic on the road.

However, electricity isn’t always cleaner than petrol. If an electric car charges from coal-generated electricity, it
could be responsible for emitting more polluting gases than any hybrid or petrol car.
Select two different types of cars to compare.

Car 1:

Car 2:

Using all of the information and experience of your wider MYP studies, discuss and evaluate the impact of driving
these cars. In your answer you should consider:

 the environmental impact of the different types of cars you have chosen
 the costs of running the car
 the sustainability of the fuel
 the usefulness of the cars
 a concluding appraisal.
 Criterion D – Mark scheme
Questions taken from MYP e-Assessments

Question 1 (12 marks, one for each bullet point)

Activity that increases the carbon footprint.
 An activity that increases the carbon footprint or the production of emissions
 A relevant activity that increases the carbon footprint or the emissions
 More than one relevant activity that increases the carbon footprint or the emissions
Activity that decreases the carbon footprint.
 An activity that decreases the carbon footprint or the production of emissions
 A relevant activity that decreases the carbon footprint
 More than one relevant activity that decreases the carbon footprint
Impact on individual/society
 A general reference to the result of an activity of either an individual or society on the carbon footprint
 A specific reference to the result of an activity of either an individual or society on the carbon footprint
 A specific reference to the result of an activity of an individual and society on the carbon footprint and justification
Explanations
 Incomplete scientific explanation
 Complete scientific explanation of impact on carbon footprint for activities that either increase or decrease the
carbon footprint
 Complete scientific explanation of impact on carbon footprint for activities that either increase and decrease the
carbon footprint

Question 2 (17 marks, one for each bullet point)

Environmental impact
 An environmental impact
 An environmental impact for both cars
 An environmental impact for both cars with supporting data
Running costs/economic impact
 An economic impact
 An economic impact for both cars
 An economic impact for both cars with explicit supporting data
Fuel sustainability
 A relevant comment about sustainability for a fuel
 A relevant comment about sustainability for one fuel with justification or a relevant comment about sustainability for
both fuels
 A relevant comment about sustainability for both fuels with justification for one
 A relevant comment about sustainability for both fuels with justification for both
Usefulness of cars – range and refuelling
 A relevant comment about usefulness
 A relevant comment about usefulness for both cars referring to data
 More than one relevant comment about usefulness with supporting data
 More than one relevant comment about usefulness with explicit supporting data
Appraisal
 A concluding appraisal linked to previous arguments
 A concluding appraisal with some scientific justification
 A concluding appraisal with complete and detailed scientific justification

Criterion D – grade boundaries

Achievement level Marks range
1 0-3
2 4-7
3 8-11
4 12-15
5 16-19
6 20-23
7 24-26
8 27-29