Practice 4.4 Water pollution with authentic IB Environmental systems and societies (ESS) 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.[7]
Explain how the eutrophication of an aquatic system can be managed at each level of pollution management strategies.
Question 2
SL & HLPaper 2
1.[4]
Explain how you would measure the impact of pollution on a freshwater ecosystem.
Question 3
SL & HLPaper 2
1.[4]
Describe two ways in which thermal pollution can impact aquatic ecosystems.
Question 4
SL & HLPaper 2
1.[4]
Describe two methods for removing microplastics from water.
Question 5
SL & HLPaper 2
1.[4]
Describe two approaches to reducing nutrient pollution from agricultural runoff.
Question 6
SLPaper 2
Figure 1:
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 7
SL & HLPaper 1
Analyze the following diagram of a wastewater treatment plant:
1.[3]
Identify three main stages of the treatment process.
2.[2]
Explain the purpose of one of these stages.
Question 8
SLPaper 2
1.[9]
To what extent can different environmental value systems contribute to both causing and resolving the problem of water scarcity?
Question 9
SL & HLPaper 2
1.[3]
Explain how climate change might exacerbate water pollution problems.
Question 10
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?