Glossopdale Community College Science Department
Course Title: BTEC extended certificate in Applied Science
Assessors Name :
Assessment Title Affecting the environment
Learners Name
Time needed
Start date
3 weeks
Finish by
Chemistry and our Earth
Scenario
You work for the council in its planning and environment department. The council applying
for an award its environmental awareness. You have been asked to prepare a presentation to
support the application.
Assessment Evidence, Notes of your research for the poster to short PowerPoint presentation
giving a balanced view of the affects of human and natural activities of the earth and its
environment. These will come from carrying out the tasks set in the assignment, but you may want to
add extra information you find.
A poster or short PowerPoint presentation. Whichever is used it must provide evidence that the
affects of human and natural activities of the earth and its environment are described, explained
and evaluated
Achieved Grading Criteria
The grading criteria that this assignment relates to:
P6 Identify the human activities that are affecting the Earth and its environment
M6 Describe how the choices humans make have an effect on the Earth and its
environment
D4 Explain possible solutions to the effect humans have on the Earth and its
environment.
P7 Identify natural factors that have changed the surface and atmosphere of the
Earth.
M7 Describe the ways that natural factors have changed the surface and atmosphere
of the Earth over millions of years.
Assessor’s Comments/Feedback
Internal Verifier’s comments
Learner’s Signature
Human and Natural activities
Task 1
The earth’s ‘environment’ consists of land, water and air.
(a) Identify the human activities affects have on the earth’s environment:
(b) Identify some natural activities that change the Earths surface and atmosphere.
P6
P7
Task 2
As Humans we have choices on how to use the resources on our planet. Describe what affects these
have include positives and negatives for these situations.

obtaining starting materials from the sea, land and air, e.g. coal, natural gas, oil, metal ores, salt,
nitrogen, oxygen

burning fossil fuels to provide societies with energy

processing and manufacturing chemicals.

CFC

Land and sea contamination
Task 3
M6.
Part 1
Use your knowledge of tectonic plates to describe how the land has changed over millions of years.
This should include
(a) Formation of mountains
(b) Earthquakes
(c) Position and fertility of Islands
Part 2
Describe how Natural Factors the atmosphere has changed.
(a) Carbon content
(b) Sources of nitrogen
(c) Oxygen content
M7
Task 4 Sustainable development
Find out about these issues:

waste disposal, recycling and reuse

fossil fuels versus nuclear fission fuels; biomass; future fuels, e.g. hydrogen, ethanol, nuclear
fusion

greenhouse gases

acid rain

Damaging effects of chemicals such as DDT, CFCs.
From the information you have gathered here and in task 2, write a balanced account of the effects
of human and natural activities on the earth and its environment AND HOW THEY CAN BE
AVOIDED.
D4.