AQA · GCSE · Chemistry

    Course version: 8462 · Version from Sept 2018

    The carbon footprint is the total amount of carbon dioxide and other…

    Full specification wording

    The carbon footprint and its reduction: The carbon footprint is the total amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emitted over the full life cycle of a product, service or event.

    A carbon footprint measures the total greenhouse gases released across the whole life cycle of a product, service or event.

    Checked against the AQA 8462 specification (opens in a new tab) on .

    • Point 1 of 3
    • 4 key terms

    Study notes

    From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    The idea

    A carbon footprint measures the total greenhouse gases released across the whole life cycle of a product, service or event. The life cycle begins with extracting raw materials and processing them, continues through manufacture, packaging, transport, use and repair, and ends with disposal, recycling or reuse. Carbon dioxide and methane are the main gases counted, and other greenhouse gases may be included by converting them to a carbon dioxide equivalent. For example, a cotton T-shirt carries emissions from growing and irrigating the crop, making and dyeing the fabric, shipping it, washing and drying it during use, and finally discarding it. Because the footprint covers every stage, changing one stage alone may not reduce the total much.

    What earns the marks

    • Defines the carbon footprint as the total greenhouse gases emitted, not just carbon dioxide.
    • States that the whole life cycle is included, from raw material extraction to disposal or recycling.
    • Names carbon dioxide and methane as greenhouse gases that contribute to the footprint.
    • Applies the idea to a product, service or event, for example tracing stages of a T-shirt or a concert.
    • Recognises that transport, manufacture, use and waste disposal can each add emissions.
    • Explains that a full life-cycle view is needed before claiming a product is low carbon.

    Common mistakes and how to put them right

    • Counting only carbon dioxide.

      Put it right: Methane and other greenhouse gases are also included.

    • Considering only one stage, such as transport.

      Put it right: The full life cycle from extraction to disposal must be counted.

    • Confusing carbon footprint with the mass of the product.

      Put it right: It is a mass of greenhouse gases emitted, not the product's own mass.

    Exam tips

    • Quote the definition precisely, including the words total, greenhouse gases and full life cycle.
    • When applying the idea, name at least three life-cycle stages to show the full scope.
    • Use a familiar product as a worked example so the abstract definition becomes concrete.

    Try the lesson

    The start of the The carbon footprint and its reduction: The carbon footprint is the total amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emitted over the full life cycle of a product, service or event. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    Have a go first

    Which of these is included when working out the carbon footprint of a product?

    Listen

    A carbon footprint measures the total greenhouse gases released across the whole life cycle of a product, service or event. The life cycle begins with extracting raw materials and processing them, continues through manufacture, packaging, transport, use and repair, and ends with disposal, recycling or reuse. Carbon dioxide and methane are the main gases counted, and other greenhouse gases may be included by converting them to a carbon dioxide equivalent. For example, a cotton T-shirt carries emissions from growing and irrigating the crop, making and dyeing the fabric, shipping it, washing and drying it during use, and finally discarding it. Because the footprint covers every stage, changing one stage alone may not reduce the total much. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Defines the carbon footprint as the total greenhouse gases emitted, not just carbon dioxide. States that the whole life cycle is included, from raw material extraction to disposal or recycling. Names carbon dioxide and methane as greenhouse gases that contribute to the footprint. Applies the idea to a product, service or event, for example tracing stages of a T-shirt or a concert. A common slip: Counting only carbon dioxide. Instead, methane and other greenhouse gases are also included. Exam tip: Quote the definition precisely, including the words total, greenhouse gases and full life cycle.

    See it

    A top-down flowchart. A chain of six boxes runs downwards: raw material extraction and processing leads to manufacture, which leads to packaging, then transport, then use and repair, then disposal, recycling or reuse. A separate box lists carbon dioxide and methane, with other greenhouse gases included as carbon dioxide equivalent, and points to a final box reading total greenhouse gases over full life cycle equals carbon footprint. The last life-cycle stage, disposal, recycling or reuse, also points to that final box.
    It shows the life-cycle stages of a product, service or event feeding into the total greenhouse gas emissions that make up the carbon footprint.

    Key words

    Say what each word means before you turn the card.

    Carbon footprint

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Life-cycle thinking

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Greenhouse gas emissions

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Product, service and event impacts

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    See every definition
    Carbon footprint
    The total amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emitted over the full life cycle of a product, service or event.
    Life-cycle thinking
    Considering every stage from raw material extraction through manufacture, packaging, transport, use and repair to disposal, recycling or reuse.
    Greenhouse gas emissions
    Gases released across the life cycle, with carbon dioxide and methane the main gases counted and others included by converting them to a carbon dioxide equivalent.
    Product, service and event impacts
    Emissions added at each stage, since transport, manufacture, use and waste disposal can each add emissions.

    Label the diagram

    Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.

    The diagram again, with 3 boxes numbered instead of named. A top-down flowchart. A chain of six boxes runs downwards: raw material extraction and processing leads to manufacture, which leads to packaging, then transport, then use and repair, then disposal, recycling or reuse. A separate box lists carbon dioxide and methane, with other greenhouse gases included as carbon dioxide equivalent, and points to a final box reading total greenhouse gases over full life cycle equals carbon footprint. The last life-cycle stage, disposal, recycling or reuse, also points to that final box.

    • 1Box 1

    • 2Box 2

    • 3Box 3

    0 of 3 labelled

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