Study Figs 8A and 8B, which show information about the percentage of total electricity generated by nuclear power stations. Using Fig. 8A, state the percentage of the world's electricity which is generated by nuclear power stations.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2010). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] (a) (i) 14
2. [2] (a) (ii) It is more important in France/less important in Germany/roughly three times as important in France; 7-8% France but 2-3% Germany (figures for both countries needed)
3. [3] (a) (iii) Ideas such as: Level of development/technology available; Availability of finance; Government policy; Attitude towards the environment; Availability of alternatives/reserves of fossil fuels/coal/oil/ natural gas etc.
4. [4] (a) (iv) Advantages such as: low production costs; renewable/sustainable/uranium will not run out; does not produce greenhouse gases/pollute atmosphere; only uses small amounts of uranium/fuel; uranium has no other uses (apart from nuclear weapons); produces only a small amount of waste; large amount of energy per unit of input etc Disadvantages such as: Expensive to build/maintain power stations; High cost of decommissioning; Danger of radioactivity; Difficulty of disposal of waste; General public perceive it as dangerous/opposition from pressure groups etc MAXIMUM 2 MARKS ON ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES
5. [3] (b) (i) Ideas such as: Southern part of Hungary; North of/near/next to/close to border with Croatia/Serbia; 60-80km from border with Croatia; south/south south west of Budapest/capital city; About 190-230km from Budapest/capital city; Any correct reference to Slovenia/Austria/Slovakia/Romania = MAX 1
6. [5] (b) (ii) Ideas such as: Availability of water/close to river/lake; For use in cooling processes (dev); Rail/road transport; for fuel deliveries/taking waste away (dev); flat land; Plenty of land/room; for large building/high generating capacity (dev); Solid foundations; Due to weight of reactors/cooling towers (dev); positioned well in relation to National Grid/supply network; for ease of distribution of electricity (dev); Not close to large centres of population; Danger of radiation; perception of danger/public opposition (dev) etc; No reserve on description/explanation
7. [7] (c) Levels marking Level 1 (1–3 marks) Statements including limited detail which describe how the use of a form of energy threatens the natural environment. (e.g. pollutes the atmosphere, deforestation etc)
8. [7] (c) Levels marking Level 2 (4–6 marks) Uses named example More developed statements which describe how the use of a named form of energy threatens the natural environment. (e.g. the burning of coal burning pollutes the atmosphere with gases such as carbon dioxide/sulphur dioxide, causing acid rain, which damages forests, and kills aquatic life, extraction in opencast mines destroys landscape, and vegetation, gases result in global warming/enhanced greenhouse effect, which causes melting of ice caps/rise in sea level, resulting in flooding of areas of coastal lowland etc). (NB MAX 5 if no named example)
9. [7] (c) Levels marking Level 3 (7 marks) Uses named example (e.g. Poland). Comprehensive and accurate statements describing how the use of a named form of energy threatens the natural environment. (e.g. the use of coal for generating over three quarters of Poland`s electricity pollutes the atmosphere with gases such as carbon dioxide/sulphur dioxide, causing acid rain, which damages forests in the Tatra mountains, and kills aquatic life, extraction in opencast mines around Katowice destroys landscape, and vegetation, gases result in global warming/enhanced greenhouse effect, which causes melting of ice caps/rise in sea level, resulting in flooding of areas of coastal lowland such as Maldives etc)