IB ESS HL 4.4.3 Water Quality Measurement Questions
Interpret physical, chemical and biological indicators of water quality.
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2026
- Course
- ESS HL
- Level
- HL
Exam points
- identify methods and indicators for measuring water quality, including transparency, turbidity, nutrients, algae, coliform bacteria and oxygen
- explain how sampling position, Secchi-disk use, sediment, sewage and nutrient inputs affect the reliability and interpretation of measurements
- interpret water-quality data to compare sites, identify pollution patterns and support a conclusion with valid evidence
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IB ESS HL 4.4.3 Water Quality Measurement Questions question 1
Question (a)
(a)
Figure:Coliform bacteria one day after untreated sewage release
Using Figure: Coliform bacteria one day after untreated sewage release, estimate the highest concentrations of coliform bacteria (in units/ 100 mL ) found in the St Lawrence River one day after the untreated sewage was released.
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Question (b)
(b)
Figure:Coliform bacteria before untreated sewage release
Figure:Untreated sewage release into the St Lawrence River
- Figure: Untreated sewage release into the St Lawrence River
- Figure: Untreated sewage release into the St Lawrence River: Montreal discharged 5-8 billion litres of untreated sewage into the St Lawrence River in November 2015; river pollution returned to normal within 4-10 days.
- Quebec discharged 110 million litres in November 2016; nationally, 205 billion litres of untreated sewage are released into Canadian rivers and oceans each year.
With reference to Figures: Untreated sewage release into the St Lawrence River, Coliform bacteria before untreated sewage release and Coliform bacteria one day after untreated sewage release, describe a method to monitor the impact of the release of untreated sewage into the St Lawrence River ecosystem.
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