Cambridge IGCSE Environmental Management: The Atmosphere and Human Activities — Practice Questions (0680)

These practice questions cover every learning outcome in Topic 4, The atmosphere and human activities, of Cambridge IGCSE Environmental Management (0680, 2027-2029 syllabus). They include recall items, a data question, and “discuss” questions that need benefits and limitations, as on Paper 1 Principles of Environmental Management and Paper 2 Environmental Management in Context.

These are original questions written for Marlbridge, for revision and practice on this content. They are not reproduced past-paper questions, and they do not replicate the exam’s exact structure, question count or mark tariffs — Cambridge International holds copyright in its own papers. Use these alongside the official past papers available free from your board.

Related: Atmosphere study guide and revision notes

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Section A

1. Name the four layers of the atmosphere in order, starting at the Earth’s surface. [2]

2. State the percentage of nitrogen and of oxygen in clean air. [2]

3. Define climate. [1]

4. Name the layer of the atmosphere that contains the ozone layer. [1]

Section B

5. Describe the natural greenhouse effect. [4]

6. (a) Define a greenhouse gas. [1] (b) Name two agricultural sources of methane. [2] (c) Explain how cement manufacture adds carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. [2]

7. The table shows mean annual atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration at one monitoring station.

Year	2000	2010	2020
CO2 (ppm)	370	390	414

(a) Calculate the percentage increase in carbon dioxide between 2000 and 2020. Show your working. [2] (b) Describe the trend shown. [2] (c) Explain how this trend could lead to climate change. [3]

8. Describe four impacts of climate change on coastal communities. [4]

9. A low-lying coastal city is planning for climate change. (a) Define climate change adaptation. [1] (b) Describe two adaptation strategies the city could use. [2]

10. Explain how acid rain forms from a coal-fired power station. [3]

11. Describe the impacts of acid rain on a lake ecosystem. [3]

12. State the cause of ozone depletion and describe two of its impacts on people. [3]

Section C

13. Discuss the benefits and limitations of using taxation and international agreements to reduce carbon footprints. [6]

14. Discuss the benefits and limitations of flue-gas desulfurisation and catalytic converters as strategies to manage acid rain. [6]

15. “The strategies used to manage ozone depletion have been more successful than those used to manage climate change.” Discuss this statement. [6]

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Answers

1. Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere. [2] (1 mark for all four named, 1 for the correct order.)

2. Nitrogen 78%; oxygen 21%. [2]

3. The weather conditions in a location based on the weather over many years. [1]

4. The stratosphere (lower stratosphere). [1]

5. Any four: solar radiation passes through the atmosphere [1]; some is absorbed by land and oceans, heating the Earth [1]; some is reflected back into space [1]; some is absorbed and re-emitted back to the surface by greenhouse gases and clouds [1]; this keeps the Earth warm enough to support life [1]. [max 4]

6. (a) A gas that absorbs radiation and emits the energy as thermal (heat) energy. [1] (b) Any two: digestion by cattle; decomposition of manure; rice fields. [2] (c) Limestone (calcium carbonate) is heated [1] to make lime (calcium oxide), releasing carbon dioxide [1].

7. (a) Increase = 414 - 370 = 44 ppm; 44 / 370 x 100 = 11.9%. [2] (1 for working, 1 for answer.) (b) CO2 increased throughout [1]; the rate increased - 20 ppm from 2000-2010, 24 ppm from 2010-2020 [1]. (c) More carbon dioxide absorbs more radiation [1], increasing the greenhouse effect (enhanced greenhouse effect) [1], causing global warming, which changes long-term weather patterns [1].

8. Any four, each described: sea-level rise from melting ice sheets and glaciers causing loss of land [1]; more frequent and severe storms causing flooding [1]; warmer, more acidic oceans disrupting fish food chains and catches [1]; loss of habitats such as wetlands [1]; forced migration of people [1]; financial losses. [max 4]

9. (a) Altering behaviour, practices and infrastructure to adapt to the impacts of climate change. [1] (b) Any two: improve flood defences such as sea walls [1]; legislation limiting building near the coast or on floodplains [1]; building design and materials, such as raised floors [1]. [max 2]

10. Coal contains sulfur compounds; burning it releases sulfur dioxide [1]; the high temperature also makes oxides of nitrogen [1]; these gases react with oxygen and water vapour in the atmosphere to form acid rain [1]. (Accept nitrogen oxides from high-temperature combustion; the syllabus links them to vehicle engines.)

11. The water becomes acidified [1]; fish populations fall [1]; aquatic food webs are disrupted as species that feed on fish or invertebrates decline [1].

12. Cause: CFCs from aerosols and refrigerants [1]. Impacts, any two: more solar radiation reaching the surface [1]; increased rates of skin cancer [1]; increased cataracts [1]; lower crop yields affecting food supply [1]. [max 3]

13. Indicative content, levels-marked [6]:

• Taxation benefit: makes fossil fuels more expensive, so people and firms use less and switch to cleaner options; revenue can fund renewable energy.
• Taxation limitation: hits poorer households; can be unpopular, so governments may cut it.
• Agreement benefit: shared targets, such as the Paris Agreement of 2015, involve almost all countries and encourage action on a global problem.
• Agreement limitation: targets are hard to enforce; countries may miss them or withdraw; emissions are still rising.
• For full marks, a balanced conclusion, such as that the two work best together.

14. [6]

• Flue-gas desulfurisation: benefit - removes sulfur dioxide from power-station chimneys by reacting it with calcium carbonate or calcium oxide; limitation - expensive to install and run, needs quarried limestone, and does not reduce carbon dioxide.
• Catalytic converters: benefit - remove oxides of nitrogen from vehicle exhaust; limitation - only work on vehicles fitted with them, need replacing, and do not reduce the number of vehicles.
• Conclusion: each targets only one of the acid gases, so they work best together with transport policies.

15. [6]

• Ozone: one main cause (CFCs), a clear alternative, and a single agreement (Montreal Protocol, 1987) followed by a ban; CFC use fell sharply.
• Limitation for ozone: CFCs persist, so recovery takes decades; old appliances need safe disposal.
• Climate: many causes (fossil fuels, farming, deforestation, cement, population growth) linked to energy and food, so strategies are costlier and harder to agree; emissions continue to rise.
• Conclusion: the statement is largely true because the ozone problem had fewer causes and cheaper alternatives.

A note on exam technique for this topic

“Describe” needs features; “explain” needs a reason linked by “because” or “so”; “discuss” needs both a benefit and a limitation, and a short conclusion. In data questions, quote figures with units and always show your working for percentage change.

Frequently asked questions

How are “discuss” questions marked? They are usually marked in levels. A list of strategies stays in the lowest level; balanced benefits and limitations with a conclusion reach the top level.

Do I need to learn specific international agreements? The syllabus says “international agreements and policies”. Naming the Montreal Protocol and the Paris Agreement adds precision, but the marks come from explaining how the agreement helps.

What units should I use for gas concentrations? Parts per million (ppm) is the usual unit for carbon dioxide in source material.

Official syllabus

Cambridge IGCSE Environmental Management (0680) syllabus for 2027, 2028 and 2029 - official syllabus PDF.