Question 1: Describe the steps you would take to plan a fieldwork investigation to measure the water quality of a river. Include considerations for safety, equipment, and data collection methods.

Answer: Identify the need to select a suitable river site, conduct a risk assessment, gather equipment such as test kits and a GPS device, plan to measure parameters like pH, turbidity, and temperature, ensure safety measures like wearing suitable clothing and informing others, and plan data recording procedures.

Question 2: List three types of data you would collect during a field visit to study the environmental quality of an urban park.

Answer: Examples include air pollution levels, types of vegetation, and noise levels.

Question 3: Explain why it is important to take multiple readings at different points within a study area, rather than just one measurement.

Answer: Multiple readings account for variability and ensure more accurate, representative data, reducing the effect of anomalies or errors at any single point.

Question 4: Sketch a simple diagram of a transect line used in fieldwork to study changes in land use across a rural-urban gradient. Label the key features.

Answer: A straight line running from the rural area through the suburban zone to the urban center, with labels indicating land use types such as farmland, residential, commercial, and industrial zones.

Question 5: Describe how you would ensure the reliability and validity of your collected data during a field study.

Answer: Use standardized equipment and procedures, take multiple readings and average them, calibrate instruments regularly, and follow consistent data collection methods across all sites.

Question 6: Imagine you are collecting data on the slope angle of a hillside at different points. Explain how you would perform this measurement and what tools you might need.

Answer: Use a clinometer or a smartphone app with a level feature, stand at the point of measurement, align the device with the slope, and record the angle. Repeat at multiple points for accuracy.

Question 7: Identify two potential sources of error in field measurements and suggest how to minimise them.

Answer: Sources include equipment calibration errors and human misreading. Minimise by calibrating instruments before use and double-checking readings.

Question 8: Draw a diagram to illustrate how a random sampling method can be used to select locations within a study area. Ensure your diagram shows the process clearly.

Answer: A large area with a grid or numbered points, with students selecting random coordinates using a random number generator or drawing lots to choose sampling points.