Summative assessment
Statement of inquiry:
Changes in our environment require all living things to adapt in
order to survive.
Introduction
The Dead Sea is the lowest place on Earth below sea level. The
water contains about ten times more salt than normal sea water
and so, apart from some microscopic organisms, it contains no
animals or plants – hence its name.
A B
The density of the Dead Sea
C D
A tourist visiting the Dead Sea took a sample of the water and
measured it. Its volume was 250 cm and its mass was 310 g.
1. Calculate the density of the water in the Dead Sea. Give your
answer in:
–3
a) g cm
–3
b) kg m . [3]
–3
2. The density of pure water is 1,000 kg m . Explain why the density
of the Dead Sea means that you oat better in it than in ordinary
water. [3]
The surface of the Dead Sea is 430 m below sea level which makes it
the lowest place on the surface of the Earth. Water that ows into it
evaporates and this concentrates the salt and other minerals.
3. Explain how the water from the Dead Sea evaporates, turning from
a liquid into a gas, despite it not being near its boiling point. [3]
4. The Dead Sea has a volume of about 147 km . Convert this
volume into cubic meters. [2]
5. Using the density that you calculated in question 1b, calculate the
mass of salty water in the Dead Sea. [2]
6. Explain why this large mass of water causes the local environment
to have a more constant temperature. [2]
A B
Investigating evaporation
C D
7. A student plans to investigate the effect of temperature on the
rate of evaporation.
a) Suggest a suitable hypothesis that the student might
investigate. [3]
b) The student has access to a water bath which can maintain a
constant temperature. What other equipment does the student
need to complete the experiment? [3]
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E N V I R O N M E N T
c) Describe a suitable procedure that the student should follow.
Detail the measurements that should be taken. [7]
d) Identify two control variables for this experiment. [2]
A B
Dead Sea water levels
C D
The graph below shows how the depth of the Dead Sea has changed
over a period of 15 years.
325
)m(
htped
320
315
310
5
9
0
9
0
1
2
year
8. Add a line of best t to a copy of the graph. [1]
9. Find the gradient of the graph. [2]
10. Comment on the reliability of this trend. [1]
11. Each data point has an error bar which indicates that the actual
level of the Dead Sea lies somewhere within these bounds.
Explain why it might not be possible to attribute an exact depth to
the Dead Sea for any given year. You should consider more than
one factor. [4]
12. Some people say that this graph might suggest that the Dead Sea
might completely dry up one day. Using the graph and your value
of the gradient, estimate the year in which it will dry up. [3]
13. How reliable is your estimate for the year at which the Dead Sea
might dry up? You should evaluate two factors which might affect
your estimate. [4]
A B
Protecting the Dead Sea
C D
The Dead Sea is a unique environment which is fed by the River
Jordan. The rapid loss of water threatens its existence. As a result,
there are various proposals to protect the Dead Sea.
12
One scheme proposes that 2.05 × 10 kg of water from the Red Sea
is pumped into the Dead Sea every year. The water would have to be
pumped along 140 km of pipes.
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14. Discuss one advantage and one disadvantage of this scheme. You
may wish to refer to a map. [4]
–3
15. The density of the sea water is 1,025 kg m . Calculate the volume
of the water which would be pumped into the Dead Sea every
year. [2]
16. The Dead Sea has a surface area of about 600 km . Convert this
into m . [2]
17. Calculate the amount that the pumped water would raise the
level of the Dead Sea by every year. Assume that there is no loss
of sea level by any other means. [3]
18. Evaluate the effectiveness of this solution with reference to your
calculations. [4]
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