A school wants to upgrade its network infrastructure. They are considering installing Fibre Optic cables. (a) State two reasons why Fibre Optic cables are suitable for a school's network backbone. (2) (b) Describe one environmental issue associated with the disposal of old network hardware. (2)

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme. The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. 12(a)
2. High bandwidth / faster data transmission (B1)
3. Less susceptible to electromagnetic interference (B1)
4. Secure / difficult to 'tap' / no signal leakage (B1)
5. Can transmit data over longer distances without signal degradation (B1)
6. Max 2 marks.
7. 12(b)
8. Issue: Landfill pollution (B1).
9. Description: Electronic waste (e-waste) contains toxic materials (e.g., lead, mercury) that can leach into soil and water, harming ecosystems and human health (B1).
10. Issue: Energy consumption (B1).
11. Description: Recycling/disposal processes for electronics are often energy-intensive, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions (B1).
12. Issue: Resource depletion (B1).
13. Description: Manufacturing new devices requires valuable raw materials, and improper disposal means these are lost rather than recycled (B1).
14. Max 2 marks.