OCR Geology AS Monday 23rd (Rock cycle)

How did everyone find the exam?

Tougher than I thought it'd be, some things like what an imbricate structure is and what an agglomerate is just completely vanished out of my head but I put down some stuff along the lines of what I thought it'd be...

Thought the 10 markers were alright though, I can see why the grade boundaries are so low though! Personally didn't feel like that paper was similar to the older papers, but I'm kinda happy sedimentary structures didn't come up

Reply 2

bne

Original post by Lukazztic

World's easiest 10 marker, on the rock cycle, it was a dream come true. Overall the paper was fairly easy. Some things that caught me out (and I know for a fact I probably got 0/1 on) were in particular: thinking coccolithospores form silicic oozes (it's calcite ooze, diatoms form silicic), thinking chalk was made of crinoids. Everything biological, basically, not really my strong point. (unless the question was calcite ooze, I don't remember).

I forgot what ignimbrites *were*, but remembered and mentioned they contain pumice. Do you think I'll get any marks for that question?

And the lack of a big sedimentary environment question saddened me because I'd spent a lot of time revising them. However the other 10 marker on contact metamorphism was probably better. Shale: Spotted slate (chlorite/biotite index) -> Andalusite slate (andalusite index) -> Hornfels (sillimanite index), Limestone -> Marble. I mentioned how marble turns from having round grains into interlocking grains, as well as the crystal grain size of the various grades as you got closer to the batholith, and also added some things about the size of a metamorphic aureole. Hopefully got at least 7 marks on that one and didn't miss out anything big.

The sedimentary structures (desiccation cracks, graded bedding, flute casts (i hope)) were all fairly easy for me.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 3

Lukazztic

Original post by bne

The mark schemes are generally quite generous, I'd be surprised if you didn't get at least a mark

The first 10 marker was just perfect, the second 10 marker required a bit more thinking, I feel like there wasn't nearly as much to write about so I imagine that provided that you wrote the different grades of metamorphosed rock for shale and that, I feel a lot of people wouldn't have understood that question quite as well.

Oops meant sedimentary environments haha, I mean I'd be able to explain a lot of the deposits present in a certain environment but the graphic logs I just couldn't remember exactly.

The first paper was a lot easier for me as I'm a bigger fan of global tectonics, but I still think generally that I've done well on this one

There were a lot of 1 and 2 markers which will have thrown people off, personally think there should be more of those 10 markers in both geology papers as those really show your depth of understanding and the point marking makes it so much easier to pick up marks... You planning on doing A2?

Reply 4

bne

Original post by Lukazztic

You planning on doing A2?

Yes. It's that or further and after that FP1 exam I doubt I'll be *allowed* to continue it. Plus, our geology teachers are very good, which makes the lessons very enjoyable. :wink:

I honestly expected more questions on deserts and glaciers since I haven't seen many on past papers... OCR, take notes, less biological questions, more deserts and glaciers. > :frown:

What did you put for the checkbox volcano question? I did
X lava
X tuff or something
O ignim

X
X
X

X
O
O

...all of them have at least some lava, no?

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 5

Lukazztic

Yeah the environmental geology side sounds great, not sure I'll do well with the fossils side of the course next year but I just regret not spending more time on doing my prep notes this year, my teachers are decent as well - what other options did you take?

Yep I put exactly the same as you, after not knowing what an ignimbrite was I just had to take an educated guess, seems like I guessed right.. haha

Reply 6

bne

Physics (disastrous course but hey what can you do) and regular maths. As far as I know the fossil side is just a thing you have to learn. The engineering side sounds a lot more interesting, but it's the shorter unit like global tectonics was. At the moment geology is really the only thing that I'm almost guaranteed an A in, with edexcel ruining another C1 exam.

Reply 7

Lukazztic

Yeah it was a similar story to GCSE geology, I chose geology not biology so why is half the A2 course basically biology haha

AQA Physics? I did physics as well, not looking forward to tomorrows exam in the slightest..

no, OCR, much worse

Hey guys, what did everyone write for the 10 marker on processes in the rock cycle? :smile:

Reply 10

bne

Original post by passmore1999

Hey guys, what did everyone write for the 10 marker on processes in the rock cycle? :smile:

Uhm.

Above the surface: Extrusive igneous rocks (volcanoes, lava flows), weathering, erosion, transport, deposition, burial
Below the surface <0.5km: Minor intrusions (intrusive igneous rocks), diagenesis/subprocesses, uplift

+ description, processes (eg. saltation, traction for transport), effects on sediment/rock and named examples of rock for each.

Reply 11

passmore1999

Yeah thats pretty much the same as me. I thought it was an alright question to be honest :smile:

Original post by bne

Reply 12

georgie_axolotls

I could have sworn the question was just about just below the surface... I just wrote a whole lot about diagenesis and intrusions. I loved the paper overall though,so I'm not too worried! :smile: