Earth and Environmental Science exam trends & analysis (2019–2025)
Across 2019–2025, Climate Science is examined most (76 questions), ahead of Earth's Processes (73 questions) and Hazards (63 questions). By topic, Fossils and geological time, Carbon cycle and the greenhouse effect and Sustainability and Indigenous land management come up most, with Evidence for climate change and Hazard monitoring and risk management also recurring.
Based on 268 questions across 7 official NESA exam papers, their marking guidelines and marking feedback.
Work in progress
These exam-trend insights are an early release. The frequencies, mark ranges and figures are still being verified against the official NESA past papers and may change. Treat them as a study guide, not a guarantee of what will be examined.
Most-examined dot points
By module
Every dot point, by exam frequency
Click any dot point for the full verbatim syllabus wording, worked answers and past questions.
Showing 22 of 22 dot points
| Dot point | Times | Marks | Years | Most common mistake |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fossils and geological timeM5 Extract accurate data from graphs; understand cross-cutting relationships | 44× | 1–8 | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | Extract accurate data from graphs; understand cross-cutting relationships |
| Carbon cycle and the greenhouse effectM7 Address natural and anthropogenic causes; include rates and timeframes | 30× | 1–8 | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | Address natural and anthropogenic causes; include rates and timeframes |
| Sustainability and Indigenous land managementM8 Use appropriate terminology to link processes and examples to sustainability | 23× | 1–7 | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | Use appropriate terminology to link processes and examples to sustainability |
| Evidence for climate changeM7 Identify changes in named species, not general comments | 20× | 1–6 | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | Identify changes in named species, not general comments |
| Hazard monitoring and risk managementM6 Use specific examples; evaluate two-plus technologies; distinguish tectonic vs weather events | 20× | 1–7 | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | Use specific examples; evaluate two-plus technologies; distinguish tectonic vs weather events |
| Volcanic hazardsM6 Use the table to compare; give specific not general knowledge | 20× | 1–4 | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | Use the table to compare; give specific not general knowledge |
| Oceans and climateM7 Understand pH scale; use cause and effect | 15× | 1–7 | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025 | Understand pH scale; use cause and effect |
| Evidence for plate tectonicsM5 Weak diagram-text links; generalised terminology; unclear supercycle understanding. | 14× | 1–8 | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | Weak diagram-text links; generalised terminology; unclear supercycle understanding. |
| Mining impacts and rehabilitationM8 Confused waste management options with waste reduction strategies; weak sustainable vs unsustainable distinction | 14× | 1–5 | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | Confused waste management options with waste reduction strategies; weak sustainable vs unsustainable distinction |
| Earthquakes and plate tectonicsM6 Show specific boundary characteristics not general comments | 13× | 1–4 | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025 | Show specific boundary characteristics not general comments |
| Energy flow through Earth's spheresM5 Use correct terminology (cyanobacteria not stromatolites); use numeric data | 13× | 1–8 | 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | Use correct terminology (cyanobacteria not stromatolites); use numeric data |
| Sustainable resource extractionM8 Clearly justify the strategy to improve the recovery rate | 10× | 1–4 | 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | Clearly justify the strategy to improve the recovery rate |
| Earth's energy budget and past climatesM7 Did not distinguish gases or timeframes; misconception of Traps causing ice age. | 8× | 1–4 | 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | Did not distinguish gases or timeframes; misconception of Traps causing ice age. |
| Meteorological hazardsM6 Reversed cause-effect (bushfire impacts on humans); did not treat human/climate factors independently. | 7× | 1–8 | 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 | Reversed cause-effect (bushfire impacts on humans); did not treat human/climate factors independently. |
| Energy resources and the energy transitionM8 | 5× | 1 | 2019, 2021, 2025 | — |
| Water resource managementM8 Listed impacts vaguely; confused sewage with water pipes; insufficient detail. | 4× | 1–5 | 2020, 2022, 2023, 2025 | Listed impacts vaguely; confused sewage with water pipes; insufficient detail. |
| Climate models and future projectionsM7 | 3× | 1 | 2020 | — |
| Tsunami hazardsM6 Use scientific terminology; use diagrams to relate causes and effects | 3× | 1–4 | 2019, 2020, 2025 | Use scientific terminology; use diagrams to relate causes and effects |
| Minerals: formation and identificationM5 Could not recall sources of minerals and tectonic settings for magma formation | 2× | 3–4 | 2021 | Could not recall sources of minerals and tectonic settings for magma formation |
| Formation of mineral and ore depositsM5 | — | — | not yet | — |
| The rock cycleM5 | — | — | not yet | — |
| Weathering, erosion and soil formationM5 | — | — | not yet | — |