AQA A-level Geography · 3.2.5

Energy security

50 exam-style questions with answers for 3.2.5 Energy security in AQA A-level Geography (spec 7037). Practise with flashcards, a topic quiz, a random quiz across the course, 5 crosswords, or read every question and answer below. Not official AQA material.

All 50 questions and answers

Question 1 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Sources and demand
Define the term energy security and outline the main dimensions of it. [4 marks]
Answer:
Energy security is the uninterrupted availability of energy at an affordable price (1); availability means that there is enough supply from reserves, imports and generating capacity (1); affordability means that prices are reasonable for households and industry (1); accessibility and acceptability mean that people can reach supplies, and that the environmental and social costs are acceptable (1).
Question 2 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Sources and demand
Distinguish between primary and secondary energy, giving examples. [3 marks]
Answer:
Primary energy is found in nature in a form that can be used directly or processed, such as coal, crude oil, natural gas, uranium, wind, solar and hydro (1); secondary energy is produced from primary sources, such as electricity, petrol, diesel and coke (1); conversion from primary to secondary energy wastes some energy as heat, which affects efficiency (1).
Question 3 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Sources and demand
Describe the global energy mix. [3 marks]
Answer:
Fossil fuels supply about 80% of the world's primary energy, with oil, coal and natural gas each providing a large share (1); hydro, wind, solar and other renewable sources provide about 14%, and nuclear power about 4% (1); the share of renewables is rising, but because total demand is also rising, the use of fossil fuels is at record levels (1).
Question 4 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Sources and demand
Explain the components of demand for energy. [4 marks]
Answer:
Industry uses energy for manufacturing, mining and processing, and is a large share of use in countries such as China (1); transport uses mostly oil for road, air and sea (1); domestic use includes heating, cooling, cooking, lighting and appliances (1); commercial and public buildings, farming and the generation of electricity itself also create demand (1).
Question 5 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Sources and demand
Explain why global demand for energy is rising. [3 marks]
Answer:
Population growth increases the number of consumers (1); economic growth and industrialisation, especially in Asia, raise the use of energy per person (1); rising incomes lead to more vehicles, air travel, appliances and air conditioning, and electrification of transport and heating adds demand (1).
Question 6 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Energy mixes
Describe and explain the energy mix of France. [3 marks]
Answer:
About two thirds of France's electricity comes from nuclear power, one of the highest shares in the world (1); the government built many reactors after the 1973 oil crisis because France has few fossil fuels of its own (1); France exports electricity to neighbours, but its ageing reactors and the cost of building new ones are issues (1).
Question 7 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Energy mixes
Describe how the UK's energy mix has changed. [4 marks]
Answer:
Coal supplied most electricity until the 1990s, but the use of coal fell and the last coal power station closed in 2024 (1); the 'dash for gas' increased the use of natural gas in electricity and heating (1); offshore and onshore wind now supply about a third of electricity, with nuclear about 14% (1); oil is still the main fuel for transport, and gas for domestic heating (1).
Question 8 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Energy mixes
Explain how the UK's energy security has changed since 1990. [3 marks]
Answer:
North Sea oil and gas output peaked around 1999-2000, and the UK became a net importer of gas in 2004 and oil in 2005 (1); imports of gas arrive by pipeline from Norway and by LNG tanker from Qatar and the USA, so the UK is exposed to world prices (1); renewable electricity and interconnectors have improved security, but the closure of coal and nuclear stations and the need for storage are concerns (1).
Question 9 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Energy mixes
Describe the energy mix of China. [3 marks]
Answer:
China is the world's largest energy consumer, and coal supplies about 60% of its electricity (1); it has the world's largest capacity of wind, solar and hydro power and is increasing nuclear power (1); it imports large volumes of oil, gas and coal, and is trying to reduce pollution and carbon emissions (1).
Question 10 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Energy mixes
Describe the energy mix of renewable-rich countries such as Norway, Iceland and Brazil. [3 marks]
Answer:
Norway gets almost all its electricity from hydropower, using its high rainfall and steep valleys (1); Iceland uses hydro and geothermal for nearly all its electricity, and geothermal heat warms most homes (1); Brazil gets about 60% of its electricity from hydro, and uses ethanol from sugar cane as a transport fuel (1).
Question 11 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Energy mixes
Describe the energy situation in sub-Saharan Africa. [3 marks]
Answer:
About 600 million people have no access to electricity, which is most of the world's population without power (1); many people depend on wood, charcoal and dung for cooking, causing indoor air pollution and deforestation (1); generation is mainly from hydro, coal in South Africa and oil and gas, and off-grid solar is growing quickly (1).
Question 12 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Energy mixes
Explain why countries have different energy mixes. [4 marks]
Answer:
Physical resources such as coal, oil, gas, rivers, wind and sunshine determine what is available (1); the level of economic development affects the ability to pay for infrastructure and imports (1); government policy, such as support for nuclear power or renewables, has a strong influence (1); trade, prices and past investment in power stations and pipelines make changes slow (1).
Question 13 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Physical geography
Explain how climate affects energy supply and demand. [4 marks]
Answer:
Sunny climates in deserts and the tropics suit solar power, such as in Morocco and the Atacama (1); windy coasts and uplands suit wind farms, such as the North Sea (1); rainfall and river flow affect hydropower, and droughts can reduce supply (1); cold and hot climates increase demand for heating and cooling (1).
Question 14 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Physical geography
Explain how geology affects the supply of fossil fuels. [4 marks]
Answer:
Oil and gas form in sedimentary basins where organic material was buried and heated, such as the Middle East and North Sea (1); they collect in porous reservoir rocks beneath an impermeable cap rock in structures called traps (1); coal formed from plant material in swamps that was buried, and is found in coalfields such as the Appalachians and Shanxi (1); tectonic folding and faulting affect where deposits are found and how easy they are to reach (1).
Question 15 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Physical geography
Explain how relief, drainage and tectonic activity affect the supply of hydropower and geothermal energy. [3 marks]
Answer:
Hydropower needs a large flow of water and a steep drop, with narrow valleys for dams (1); examples are Norway, the Himalaya and the Andes, while flat regions with slow rivers are not suitable (1); geothermal energy is found where hot rocks are near the surface along plate boundaries, such as in Iceland and New Zealand (1).
Question 16 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Physical geography
Explain what is meant by the quality of an energy resource, using examples. [3 marks]
Answer:
Quality includes the energy content of a fuel, and anthracite coal has more energy and burns more cleanly than lignite (1); light, low sulphur crude oil, such as Brent crude, is cheaper to refine than heavy, sour crude (1); the purity of gas and the consistency of wind or sun also affect how useful a source is (1).
Question 17 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Physical geography
Explain how the geology of the North Sea gave rise to oil and gas resources. [3 marks]
Answer:
Organic-rich rocks were buried under later layers of sediment and heated, turning to oil and gas (1); the hydrocarbons moved up into porous sandstone reservoirs and were trapped beneath impermeable rock (1); the oil and gas have been extracted since the 1960s, and output has declined from the peak around 2000 (1).
Question 18 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Globalisation
Describe the role of transnational corporations in the energy industry. [4 marks]
Answer:
Companies such as ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, Chevron and TotalEnergies explore for oil and gas around the world (1); they build and operate pipelines, tankers, LNG terminals and refineries that process crude oil into products (1); they have the finance and technology to work in difficult areas such as deepwater and the Arctic (1); they have been criticised for pollution, tax avoidance and influence over governments, and are investing in renewables (1).
Question 19 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Globalisation
Explain the role of national oil companies. [3 marks]
Answer:
State-owned companies, such as Saudi Aramco, Gazprom, PetroChina and Petrobras, control most of the world's oil and gas reserves (1); governments use them to earn revenue and to pursue political aims, such as supplying friendly countries (1); they may work with TNCs for technology and finance (1).
Question 20 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Globalisation
Explain how competing national interests affect energy supply, using China as an example. [4 marks]
Answer:
China imports over 70% of its oil and a growing share of its gas, so energy security is a national priority (1); it has invested in oil, gas and mines in Africa, Central Asia and Latin America, often by loans linked to the Belt and Road Initiative (1); it has built pipelines from Russia, Kazakhstan and Myanmar to reduce its reliance on the Strait of Malacca (1); this brings it into competition with other importers such as the USA, India and Japan (1).
Question 21 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Globalisation
Describe the importance of pipelines and LNG in the global distribution of gas. [3 marks]
Answer:
Pipelines, such as those from Russia to Europe and the Power of Siberia to China, carry gas cheaply over land (1); LNG is gas cooled to -162 degrees C so that it can be shipped by tanker from Qatar, Australia and the USA to any country with a terminal (1); pipelines and shipping routes can be disrupted by conflict, sabotage or politics, as shown by the damage to Nord Stream in 2022 (1).
Question 22 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Globalisation
Explain why energy supply chains are vulnerable to disruption. [3 marks]
Answer:
Oil and gas pass through chokepoints, such as the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal and Malacca Strait, and a blockage would affect world prices (1); pipelines and power stations can be damaged by war, terrorism or extreme weather (1); suppliers may use cuts in supplies for political aims, as in the 1973 oil embargo and Russia's cuts to gas supply in 2022 (1).
Question 23 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Environmental impacts
Explain the environmental impacts of oil production in the Niger Delta. [4 marks]
Answer:
Thousands of oil spills from damaged pipelines, sabotage and poor maintenance have polluted soil, creeks and mangroves (1); gas flaring burns off waste gas, releasing carbon dioxide and soot and causing acid rain (1); fishing and farming have been damaged, so people have lost their livelihoods, and drinking water is polluted (1); clean-up has been slow and compensation poor, which has caused protest and conflict (1).
Question 24 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Environmental impacts
Explain the environmental impacts of oil development on Alaska's North Slope and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. [4 marks]
Answer:
Roads, drilling pads and facilities cover areas of tundra and disturb caribou migration (1); the 1,300 km pipeline from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez is raised on supports in places to stop heat melting the permafrost (1); spills and leaks have occurred, and tanker traffic in Prince William Sound is a risk (1); the extraction of oil adds to greenhouse gas emissions, and the warming climate is thawing the permafrost (1).
Question 25 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Environmental impacts
Describe the causes and environmental impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. [4 marks]
Answer:
An explosion on the BP Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico killed 11 workers, and the well leaked for 87 days (1); about 4.9 million barrels of oil were released, which polluted the coast from Louisiana to Florida (1); thousands of birds, turtles and dolphins died, and fishing and tourism were damaged (1); the cause was failures in safety and cement, and BP has paid costs of over $60 billion (1).
Question 26 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Environmental impacts
Explain the environmental impacts of open-cast coal mining. [4 marks]
Answer:
Vegetation and soil are cleared over large areas, destroying habitats and creating huge spoil heaps (1); dust and noise affect nearby communities, and blasting causes disturbance (1); rainwater can wash acid and heavy metals from the waste into rivers, called acid mine drainage (1); burning coal releases carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and particulates, and the land needs expensive restoration afterwards (1).
Question 27 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Environmental impacts
Describe the environmental impacts of the Groningen gas field in the Netherlands. [3 marks]
Answer:
Extraction since the 1960s caused the land above to subside and triggered thousands of small earthquakes (1); the quakes damaged tens of thousands of homes and caused anger, and the government decided to end production in 2023 (1); pipelines and processing plants also affected the landscape, and compensation claims have been slow to settle (1).
Question 28 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Environmental impacts
Explain the environmental concerns about fracking for shale gas. [4 marks]
Answer:
Large volumes of water, mixed with sand and chemicals, are used and must be disposed of (1); there are risks of groundwater contamination if wells leak, and methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, may escape (1); injecting fluid can trigger small earthquakes, and the UK stopped fracking in 2019 after tremors near Blackpool (1); drilling sites cause traffic, noise and industrialisation of the countryside (1).
Question 29 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Environmental impacts
Describe the environmental impacts of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989. [3 marks]
Answer:
The tanker ran aground in Prince William Sound, Alaska, and spilled about 11 million US gallons of crude oil (1); oil covered hundreds of kilometres of coastline, killing hundreds of thousands of seabirds and many otters, seals and fish (1); the herring fishery collapsed, and some oil is still found on beaches, but the disaster led to double-hulled tankers being required in the USA (1).
Question 30 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Increasing supply
Describe the strategies used to increase the supply of oil and gas. [3 marks]
Answer:
Exploration in new frontier areas, such as the Arctic, deepwater offshore and the Atlantic coasts of Brazil and Guyana (1); developing unconventional resources, such as oil sands, shale oil and shale gas (1); enhanced oil recovery from existing fields by injecting water, gas or carbon dioxide to push more oil out (1).
Question 31 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Increasing supply
Evaluate nuclear power as a strategy to increase energy supply. [4 marks]
Answer:
Nuclear plants produce large amounts of reliable electricity with low carbon dioxide emissions, and use little fuel (1); they reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, as in France (1); costs of building are high and delays are common, and radioactive waste must be stored for thousands of years (1); there is a risk of accidents, such as at Chernobyl in 1986 and Fukushima in 2011, and public opposition (1).
Question 32 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Increasing supply
Describe the future of nuclear power in the UK. [3 marks]
Answer:
Hinkley Point C in Somerset is being built by EDF, with two reactors of 3.2 gigawatts that are expected to be operating around 2030, at a cost of over £30 billion (1); Sizewell C is planned in Suffolk, and small modular reactors are being developed that could be built in factories (1); old reactors are closing, so new plants are needed to keep nuclear's share of electricity (1).
Question 33 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Increasing supply
Evaluate wind power as a source of energy. [4 marks]
Answer:
Wind is renewable, produces no carbon dioxide in operation and costs have fallen, so it is now among the cheapest sources of new electricity (1); Denmark gets over half of its electricity from wind, and the UK has some of the world's largest offshore wind farms such as Hornsea (1); wind is intermittent, so backup and storage are needed, and turbines may harm birds and the view (1); building is expensive offshore and connection to the grid is needed (1).
Question 34 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Increasing supply
Evaluate solar power as a source of energy. [4 marks]
Answer:
Solar energy is renewable and abundant, and panel costs have fallen by about 90% in a decade (1); it can be used on a small scale on rooftops or in large plants, such as Noor Ouarzazate in Morocco, which uses mirrors and stores heat in molten salt (1); it only works in daylight and is variable with cloud cover, and needs land and storage (1); manufacturing panels needs energy and minerals, and China dominates the supply chain (1).
Question 35 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Increasing supply
Describe the potential of hydro, geothermal and tidal power. [3 marks]
Answer:
Hydropower is the largest renewable source and gives reliable electricity and storage, but dams have social and environmental costs (1); geothermal energy, as in Iceland and New Zealand, uses heat from the Earth for electricity and heating, but only in suitable tectonic areas (1); tidal energy is predictable but costly and few schemes exist, such as La Rance in France and Sihwa Lake in South Korea (1).
Question 36 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Increasing supply
Evaluate biomass and biofuels as sources of energy. [3 marks]
Answer:
Biomass and biofuels can be grown again and may be carbon neutral if replanted, and Brazil makes ethanol from sugar cane for about half its car fuel (1); they provide energy in rural areas and use waste products (1); growing crops for fuel can compete with food production and cause deforestation, as with palm oil, so benefits depend on how it is grown (1).
Question 37 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Increasing supply
Explain the problem of intermittency in renewable energy and how it may be overcome. [4 marks]
Answer:
Wind and solar output vary with weather and time of day, so supply and demand may not match (1); batteries, pumped storage and hydrogen can store surplus energy (1); interconnectors and smart grids link regions and balance supply and demand (1); a mix of sources and flexible demand, such as charging electric vehicles when power is plentiful, also reduce the problem (1).
Question 38 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Increasing supply
Describe Germany's Energiewende. [3 marks]
Answer:
It is the policy to change from fossil fuels and nuclear to renewable energy (1); Germany shut down its last nuclear reactors in 2023, and renewables supplied about half of its electricity in that year (1); it still burns coal and imported Russian gas, which brought problems of cost and security after 2022 (1).
Question 39 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Increasing supply
Describe the growth of offshore wind power in the UK. [3 marks]
Answer:
The UK has one of the largest offshore wind capacities in the world, with farms such as Hornsea in the North Sea (1); shallow water, strong winds and a long coastline suit the technology, and government auctions have supported it (1); costs have fallen, but connecting the farms to the grid and the effect on fishing and wildlife are issues (1).
Question 40 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Managing consumption
Describe strategies to manage and reduce energy consumption. [4 marks]
Answer:
Improving insulation and building standards reduce heat loss (1); efficient appliances and light bulbs, with energy labels, cut electricity use (1); public transport, cycling and electric vehicles reduce oil consumption in transport (1); industry can recover waste heat and use combined heat and power (1).
Question 41 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Managing consumption
Explain how government policy can reduce energy demand. [4 marks]
Answer:
Carbon taxes and higher fuel duties make energy more costly, so people and firms use less (1); regulations set minimum standards for buildings, vehicles and appliances, such as the EU energy label (1); subsidies and grants support insulation, heat pumps and electric cars (1); targets and campaigns raise awareness, but policies may be unpopular and affect poorer households most (1).
Question 42 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Managing consumption
Explain how smart meters and behaviour change can reduce energy consumption. [3 marks]
Answer:
Smart meters show real-time use and cost, which encourages people to switch off wasted energy (1); time-of-use tariffs make electricity cheaper at off-peak times, which moves demand away from peaks (1); the rebound effect can occur, as savings may lead people to use more energy elsewhere (1).
Question 43 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Managing consumption
Explain the role of transport policy in managing energy consumption. [3 marks]
Answer:
Governments plan to end sales of new petrol and diesel cars, around 2030 to 2035, in the UK and EU (1); charging points and incentives support electric vehicles, and public transport and cycling lanes reduce car use (1); congestion charges and low emission zones, such as London's, discourage private cars (1).
Question 44 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Sustainability
Explain the causes, effects and management of acid rain. [4 marks]
Answer:
Burning coal and oil releases sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which react with water in the atmosphere to form acid rain (1); it damaged forests and acidified lakes in Scandinavia and Germany and corroded buildings, with winds carrying pollutants across borders (1); flue gas desulphurisation, catalytic converters and a switch to cleaner fuels have reduced emissions, and UK sulphur dioxide emissions have fallen by over 90% since 1970 (1); international agreements such as the 1979 Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution, and acid rain, are still a problem in parts of Asia (1).
Question 45 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Sustainability
Explain how energy production contributes to the enhanced greenhouse effect. [4 marks]
Answer:
Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide, which has risen from about 280 parts per million before industrialisation to over 420 (1); energy production produces about three quarters of greenhouse gas emissions (1); methane leaks from coal mines, gas pipelines and oil wells, and is a more powerful greenhouse gas (1); average temperatures are over 1.1 degrees C above pre-industrial levels, causing sea level rise, extreme weather and ecosystem change (1).
Question 46 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Sustainability
Explain the sustainability issues of nuclear waste and accidents. [4 marks]
Answer:
Spent fuel and other waste stay radioactive for thousands of years and must be stored securely (1); Finland is building a deep repository at Onkalo, in granite, but most countries still store waste at power stations (1); accidents, such as Chernobyl in 1986 and Fukushima in 2011, spread radiation and forced the evacuation of over 100,000 people (1); decommissioning old plants is costly, and uranium mining also affects the environment (1).
Question 47 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Evaluation
Assess whether renewable energy can replace fossil fuels as the main source of the world's energy. [6 marks]
Answer:
Costs of wind and solar have fallen sharply and capacity is growing fast, with China, the EU and the USA leading (1); renewables reduce carbon emissions, air pollution and dependence on imports (1); however, fossil fuels still supply about 80% of world energy, and demand is rising in developing countries (1); intermittency, grid capacity, storage and the supply of minerals are constraints (1); some uses, such as aviation, shipping and steel, are hard to electrify (1); renewables will probably grow to be the main source of electricity in coming decades, but a full replacement depends on investment, policy and technology (1).
Question 48 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Evaluation
Assess the extent to which nuclear power should be part of a sustainable energy strategy. [6 marks]
Answer:
Nuclear power provides large amounts of reliable low-carbon electricity, which complements wind and solar (1); it increases energy security by reducing the need for imported gas, as in France (1); however, plants are very costly to build and decommission, and projects such as Hinkley Point C have been delayed (1); radioactive waste lasts for thousands of years and accidents, though rare, have severe effects (1); renewables are now cheaper and quicker to build in many places (1); the answer depends on whether a country has alternatives, public support and funds, and many experts see nuclear as one part of a mixed strategy (1).
Question 49 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Sustainability
Describe carbon capture and storage as a way of reducing the impact of fossil fuel use. [3 marks]
Answer:
Carbon dioxide is captured from power stations or factories before it enters the atmosphere (1); it is transported by pipeline or ship and stored deep underground in depleted oil and gas fields or saline aquifers, such as at Sleipner in Norway since 1996 (1); it is costly and uses energy, and few large projects exist, so it is uncertain how much it can contribute (1).
Question 50 · Spec 3.2.5.4 · Globalisation
Explain how the energy crisis of 2022 showed the importance of energy security. [3 marks]
Answer:
After Russia invaded Ukraine, sanctions and cuts in pipeline gas pushed European gas prices to several times their usual level (1); household energy bills rose, industry cut production and governments had to give financial support (1); countries looked for new suppliers, built LNG terminals, filled gas stores and speeded up renewable energy (1).

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