Energy

16 Grade 10 Geography questions on Energy, with worked marking schemes. 16 questions are available on this topic in full.

1. Question 1

   2 marks

   State two challenges facing the exploitation of crude oil in Turkana County.

   (2 marks)

   Marking scheme for this question

   Create a free account to see it

2. Question 2

   4 marks

   Outline four benefits of rural electrification to a community in Kenya.

   (4 marks)

   Marking scheme for this question

   Create a free account to see it

3. Question 3

   5 marks

   Describe how electricity is generated at a geothermal power station such as the one at Olkaria.

   (5 marks)

   Marking scheme

   Award 1 mark for each correct step, in sequence; max 5 marks: 1. Wells are drilled into the hot rocks lying beneath the floor of the Rift Valley. 2. Underground water in the cracks of the rocks is heated by the hot rock to a very high temperature. 3. The hot water and steam rise up the well under great pressure. 4. The mixture passes through a separator where water is removed, leaving dry steam which is piped to the power house. 5. The steam is directed onto the blades of a turbine, making it spin. 6. The spinning turbine drives a generator which produces electricity that is fed to the national grid. (Accept: the condensed water is re-injected into the ground.)

4. Question 4

   1 mark

   Which one of the following sources of energy used in Kenya is non-renewable?

   A. Wind blowing across the Ngong Hills

   B. Coal mined from the Mui Basin

   C. Biogas from a zero-grazing dairy unit

   D. Bagasse burnt at a sugar factory in western Kenya

   (1 mark)

   Marking scheme for this question

   Create a free account to see it

5. Question 5

   1 mark

   Marsabit County was selected for Kenya's largest wind power project mainly because

   A. the county has a large population that needs electricity

   B. it lies closest to the existing national grid line

   C. the land there is owned by the national government

   D. strong winds blow steadily there for most of the year

   (1 mark)

   Marking scheme for this question

   Create a free account to see it

6. Question 6

   1 mark

   Which source supplies the largest share of the energy used for cooking in rural households in Kenya?

   A. Paraffin

   B. Firewood and charcoal

   C. Liquefied petroleum gas

   D. Electricity from the national grid

   (1 mark)

   Marking scheme for this question

   Create a free account to see it

7. Question 7

   1 mark

   Geothermal power stations in Kenya are concentrated in the Rift Valley around Naivasha mainly because the area has

   A. hot and dry weather throughout the year

   B. a high altitude that lowers the boiling point of water in the wells

   C. a large lake whose water is pumped directly onto the turbines

   D. molten rock lying close to the surface along the faults

   (1 mark)

   Marking scheme for this question

   Create a free account to see it

8. Question 8

   6 marks

   Explain three effects of a prolonged drought on the supply of hydro-electric power in Kenya.

   (6 marks)

   Marking scheme

   Any THREE effects, each identified (1 mark) and explained (1 mark); max 6 marks. 1. Reduced river discharge into reservoirs such as Masinga (1) so the turbines run below installed capacity and less electricity is generated (1). 2. Falling water levels force the power company to ration supply (1) leading to load shedding that interrupts industries, schools and homes (1). 3. The shortfall is covered by expensive thermal/diesel generation (1) which raises the cost of electricity paid by consumers (1). 4. Reduced generation slows down industrial production (1) causing loss of output and jobs (1). Accept any other correct, well explained effect.

9. Question 9

   3 marks

   Suggest three measures the government can take to increase the use of solar energy in rural homes in Kenya.

   (3 marks)

   Marking scheme for this question

   Create a free account to see it

10. Question 10

    4 marks

    Outline four effects of the heavy dependence on wood fuel on the environment in Kenya.

    (4 marks)

    Marking scheme for this question

    Create a free account to see it

11. Question 11

    1 mark

    A river is most suitable for hydro-electric power generation at a point where it

    A. divides into several shallow channels near its mouth

    B. flows slowly across a wide flood plain

    C. carries a heavy load of silt washed from farmlands

    D. maintains a steady flow and falls steeply over hard rock

    (1 mark)

    Marking scheme for this question

    Create a free account to see it

12. Question 12

    1 mark

    Farmers who cultivate steep slopes without terraces in the upper Tana catchment affect the Masinga hydro-electric scheme mainly by

    A. increasing the amount of silt deposited in the reservoir

    B. using up most of the river water for irrigation

    C. reducing the amount of rainfall received over the catchment

    D. adding fertilisers that make the water unfit for turbines

    (1 mark)

    Marking scheme for this question

    Create a free account to see it

13. Question 13

    1 mark

    The main disadvantage of relying on solar panels alone to run equipment at a rural health centre is that

    A. the output falls at night and on cloudy days unless batteries are fitted

    B. the panels require a constant supply of running water to work

    C. solar energy releases fumes that pollute the air around the building

    D. solar panels cannot operate in the cool highland areas

    (1 mark)

    Marking scheme for this question

    Create a free account to see it

14. Question 14

    4 marks

    Outline four problems facing the supply and distribution of electricity in Kenya.

    (4 marks)

    Marking scheme

    Any FOUR, 1 mark each: 1. Homesteads are widely scattered, so extending lines to each household is very costly. 2. Rugged relief, swampy ground and long distances make construction of transmission lines difficult and expensive. 3. Vandalism and theft of transformers, cables and poles interrupt supply and raise maintenance costs. 4. High connection fees and tariffs keep many low income households off the grid. 5. Ageing and overloaded lines cause frequent blackouts and heavy power losses during transmission. 6. Over-dependence on hydro-electric power makes supply unreliable when rivers dry up in drought years. 7. Shortage of funds and of trained technicians delays repair and expansion of the network.

15. Question 15

    1 mark

    The gas that forms the largest proportion of the biogas produced in a farm digester is

    A. butane

    B. hydrogen

    C. carbon dioxide

    D. methane

    (1 mark)

    Marking scheme for this question

    Create a free account to see it

16. Question 16

    4 marks

    Account for the slow adoption of biogas by small-scale dairy farmers in Kenya.

    (4 marks)

    Marking scheme

    Any FOUR, 1 mark each: 1. The initial cost of constructing and installing a digester is high for a small-scale farmer. 2. A farmer needs several animals kept in a zero-grazing unit to collect enough dung daily; free-range herds make collection difficult. 3. Mixing the dung into slurry needs a reliable supply of water, which is scarce in many areas. 4. Few trained technicians are available locally, so repairs and maintenance are difficult. 5. Limited knowledge about how the digester works discourages farmers from trying it. 6. Some households dislike handling dung near the kitchen for cultural or hygiene reasons. 7. The digester requires space on a farm where land is already scarce.

17. 12 more marking schemes are on this page. A free account opens all of them, and lets you build your own paper on the topics you have actually taught, laid out in KNEC format with its full marking scheme.

    Create a free account

More Grade 10 Geography topics