NCEA Level 3 Science (90731) 2009 — page 1 of 2
Assessment Schedule – 2009
Science: Describe geological processes affecting New Zealand (90731)
Evidence Statement
Q
ONE
(a)
(b)
Evidence
Achievement
Andesite volcano has:
 steep sides
 cone volcano
 crater (lakes) in cone of volcano
 old lahars
 gentle sloping ring plain
 layering of deposits from old eruptions.
Describes two
features of an
andesite volcano.
(a)
 Pacific plate ( oceanic) subducting under the
Indo-Australian plate( continental).
 Plate melts and rises to the surface, so there is
a mixture of continental and oceanic crust.
 Water in sediments of oceanic plate change
composition of melted plate.
 Finds weakness in crust and travels through.
 Forms andesitic volcano as the magma:
• has medium percentage of silica
• thicker consistency so doesn’t flow as
easily as basaltic lava leading to steep
sided shape.
Describes process
of subduction at
plate boundary.
Achievement
with Merit
Linking tectonic
processes to
volcanic features.
OR
Richter Scale:
 Measures magnitude.
 How much energy is released.
Explains
EITHER.
M
Explains BOTH.
OR
OR
Modified Mercalli scale:
 Damage reading.
 People’s perception of damage caused.
 Can only be used if people can give a damage
reading.
Discussion of
volcano features,
magma type and
the processes
that result in this.
Describes how
type of magma
leads to volcano
shape. (a)
1  a =A
TWO
Achievement
with Excellence
Compares their
usefulness in
different
situations.
Explains either
and compares
their usefulness in
different
situations.
E
Explains both,
then compares
their usefulness
in different
situations.
Richter can be used anywhere. MM can only be
used where people can access, eg not useful in
the middle of the ocean.
Structural integrity of the infrastructure / houses
/ motorways / roads / type of land / wet land can
cause a high MM reading for a low Richter.
Can get earthquakes with high Richter and low
MM or vice versa.
A
THREE
(a)
The focus is where the earthquake originates in
the crust. The epicentre is the area on the earth’s
surface directly above the focus.
Description of
both. (a)
M
E
NCEA Level 3 Science (90731) 2009 — page 2 of 2
(b)
 Alpine Fault, west moving north, east moving
south.
 Converging of two continental plates.
 Transform fault / slip strike fault.
 Build-up of pressure due to plate movement
causing friction between two crusts.
 Fault line can’t take any more pressure so
fractures / moves rapidly / sudden movement /
‘snaps’.
 Release of pressure in waves of energy.
 Located close to plate boundary therefore
depth is shallow, the fault is not very deep.
 Depth (shallow) related to no subduction at
Alpine Fault.
Describes fault
line movement.
OR reasons for
movement.
OR
Describes buildup
of pressure.
Explains build-up
of pressure then
release.
Discusses build
up of pressure
and release of
energy, and
relates depth and
location to plate
boundary.
M
E
OR
relates depth and
location to plate
boundary. (a)
1a=A
Judgement Statement
Achievement
Achievement with Merit
Achievement with Excellence
2A
2M
OR
1A+1E
OR
2A+1M
1M+1E
Lower case a, m, e may be used throughout the paper to indicate contributing evidence for overall
grades for questions.
Only the circled upper case A, M and E grades shown at the end of each full question are used to make
the final judgement.