Specification points
SQA National 5 Environmental Science C826 75
92 points in 6 topics, with SQA's codes and titles.
Grade boundaries·SQA command words
Codes and titles are read by a script from SQA's published specification and have not been checked by a person. What each point covers is in the specification itself: SQA’s specification.
1 Living environment
- 1.1 Investigating ecosystems and biodiversity
- 1.1.a Key terms: ecosystems and biodiversity
- 1.1.b Biodiversity in an aquatic and a terrestrial ecosystem
- 1.1.c Quantitative sampling of plants and animals
- 1.1.d Measuring abiotic factors
- 1.1.e Limitations and errors in quantitative techniques
- 1.1.f Abiotic factors and the distribution of organisms
- 1.1.g Paired-statement keys
- 1.2 Interdependence
- 1.2.a Key terms: interdependence
- 1.2.b Food webs in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems
- 1.2.c Plant–animal interdependence, photosynthesis and respiration
- 1.2.d Energy flow through food webs
- 1.2.e Energy losses in food chains
- 1.2.f Factors affecting food webs
- 1.2.g The carbon cycle
- 1.2.h The nitrogen cycle
- 1.3 Human influences on biodiversity
- 1.3.a Key terms: human influences on biodiversity
- 1.3.b Human activities affecting ecosystems
- 1.3.c Indicator species in environmental monitoring
- 1.3.d Impact of an invasive non-native species
- 1.3.e Conflicts over shared land and water resources
- 1.3.f National environmental organisations
2 Earth’s resources
- 2.1 Overview of Earth systems and their interactions
- 2.1.a The main Earth systems
- 2.1.b Classifying resources
- 2.2 Geosphere
- 2.2.a Key terms: the geosphere
- 2.2.b Structure of the Earth
- 2.2.c Rock cycle processes
- 2.2.d Rocks, minerals and ores
- 2.2.e Porosity and permeability of rocks
- 2.2.f Limestone
- 2.2.g The geological carbon cycle and carbon sinks
- 2.2.h Iron ore
- 2.2.i Crude oil
- 2.3 Hydrosphere
- 2.3.a Key terms: the hydrosphere
- 2.3.b The water cycle
- 2.3.c Main stores of water
- 2.3.d Uses of water
- 2.3.e Drought and flooding in Scotland and the British Isles
- 2.3.f Energy from water
- 2.3.g Siting hydro-electric and tidal power stations
- 2.4 Biosphere
- 2.4.a Key terms: the biosphere
- 2.4.b Economically important oceanic and freshwater species
- 2.4.c Economically important terrestrial resources
- 2.4.d Energy from biomass and biofuels
- 2.5 Atmosphere
- 2.5.a Key term: the atmosphere
- 2.5.b Composition of the atmosphere and the natural greenhouse effect
- 2.5.c Energy from wind
- 2.5.d Siting wind farms
3 Sustainability
- 3.1 Introduction to sustainability
- 3.1.a Key terms: sustainability
- 3.1.b Global citizenship and the sustainable development goals
- 3.2 Food
- 3.2.a Key terms: food
- 3.2.b Impacts of population growth on food supplies
- 3.2.c Farming strategies for a secure food supply
- 3.2.d Organic farming
- 3.2.e Freshwater and marine strategies for food supply
- 3.2.f Fish conservation approaches
- 3.2.g Environmental impact of food distribution
- 3.3 Water
- 3.3.a Key term: water
- 3.3.b Impacts of population growth on water supplies
- 3.3.c Issues arising from water use
- 3.3.d Sustainable water use and conservation
- 3.3.e SEPA’s role in monitoring water
- 3.4 Energy
- 3.4.a Key terms: energy
- 3.4.b Impacts of population growth on energy supplies
- 3.4.c The enhanced greenhouse effect
- 3.4.d Renewable and non-renewable energy sources
- 3.4.e Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- 3.4.f Impacts of climate change
- 3.5 Waste management
- 3.5.a Key terms: waste management
- 3.5.b Growth in waste production
- 3.5.c Sustainable waste management
- 3.5.d SEPA’s role in waste management