Question 1

Jenson found a plant in the garden and measured its height. After two weeks, he measured its height again. From his observation, Jenson concluded that the plant is a living thing because it can ____.

Accepted Answer

A. grow. Jenson measured the plant's height and observed it had increased after two weeks. An increase in height is evidence of growth, which is a characteristic of living things.

Question 2

The diagram shows how some living things can be grouped. Which of the following is the most suitable heading for group X?

Accepted Answer

A. fungi. The pictures in group X show mushrooms, which belong to the fungi group. Mushrooms are the most well-known example of fungi.

Question 3

The diagram shows an axe. Metal is used to make the axe head because metal ____.

Accepted Answer

B. does not break easily. An axe head must be strong and durable to chop wood without breaking. Metal has the property of being strong and does not break easily, making it suitable for the axe head.

Question 4

The diagram shows the life cycle of a plant. What is the stage marked X?

Accepted Answer

D. young plant. Stage X shows a small plant that has just sprouted from a seed but is not yet a mature/adult plant. This stage is called a young plant (or seedling).

Question 5

A, B, C and D are the various stages in the life cycle of a mosquito. Which of the following correctly shows the life cycle of a mosquito?

Accepted Answer

B. B → D → C → A → B. The life cycle of a mosquito is: egg (B) → larva (D) → pupa (C) → adult (A) → back to egg. Option B correctly shows this order.

Question 6

The diagram shows a magnet brought near a plastic block. What will happen to the plastic block? It will ____.

Accepted Answer

B. not move. Plastic is a non-magnetic material. Magnets do not attract or repel non-magnetic materials, so the plastic block will not move.

Question 7

Study the diagram. Which human system is shown above?

Accepted Answer

C. circulatory system. The diagram shows the heart and blood vessels (arteries and veins) which together form the circulatory system, responsible for transporting blood around the body.

Question 8

Study the diagram. What is the volume of liquid Y?

Accepted Answer

B. 52 ml. The magnified view shows the bottom of the meniscus is just above the 50 ml mark, at the 52 ml line. Liquid volume is always read at the bottom of the meniscus at eye level.

Question 9

Which substance has a fixed shape?

Accepted Answer

D. paper. Solids have a fixed shape. Paper is a solid, so it has a fixed shape. Air is a gas (no fixed shape or volume); oil and water are liquids (no fixed shape, take the shape of the container).

Question 10

The set-up shows a torch shining on a metal ball. Which of the following would likely be seen on the screen?

Accepted Answer

D. light screen with a dark circle in the middle. The metal ball is opaque and blocks light from reaching the screen, forming a shadow. Since the ball is circular, the shadow is a dark circle in the middle of an otherwise lit (light) screen.

Question 11

Study the diagram. Animal S is a mammal that lives in the sea. Which letter, A, B, C or D, best represents animal S?

Accepted Answer

C. C. A mammal in the sea (e.g., whale, dolphin): gives birth to young alive (Yes), lives in water (Yes), but breathes through lungs not gills (No) → leads to letter C.

Question 12

Janice puts on her swimming goggles before she goes for a swim. Based on the properties shown, which material is most suitable for making part B of the goggles? A tick (✓) shows that the material has that property. [Table: Material P — Flexible ✗, Waterproof ✗; Material Q — Flexible ✗, Waterproof ✓; Material R — Flexible ✓, Waterproof ✓; Material S — Flexible ✓, Waterproof ✗]

Accepted Answer

C. R. Part B is the elastic strap of the goggles. It must be flexible (to stretch and fit around the head) and waterproof (to not absorb water during swimming). Only Material R has both properties.

Question 13

Two trees, A and B, were grown and the number of leaves on each was recorded at different stages of their growth. What conclusions can be made from the results? A: Tree A has a longer stage 1 than tree B. B: Tree A is taller than tree B at stages 2 and 3. C: Tree B has fewer leaves than tree A at stage 3. D: Tree B has fewer leaves than tree A at stage 2.

Accepted Answer

B. C and D only. The bar graphs show the number of leaves at each stage for the two trees. Based on the recorded data, conclusions C and D can be drawn (tree B has fewer leaves than tree A at stages 2 and 3). Statements A (about duration of stage 1) and B (about heights) cannot be concluded from the leaf-count data.

Question 14

The diagram shows how a steel bar AB was magnetised using the Stroke method as shown in diagram 1. Diagram 2 shows the poles of bar AB after it was magnetised. Another steel bar XY was magnetised using two magnets as shown in diagram 3. [Figure: diagram 3 — two magnets in a V-shape stroking outwards along bar XY, with the left magnet's S pole stroking towards end X and the right magnet's N pole stroking towards end Y] Which of the following are most likely the poles of steel bar XY?

Accepted Answer

C. X: South, Y: North. From diagram 1, the S pole stroked towards end A and made A a North pole — so the end the stroking pole leaves becomes the same polarity as the stroking pole's induced opposite. Applying this rule to diagram 3: the left magnet's S pole strokes outwards to X (so X becomes South), and the right magnet's N pole strokes outwards to Y (so Y becomes North).

Question 15

The diagram shows the distance at which the different magnets, W, X, Y and Z, can attract a paper clip. Which of the following best describes the observations?

Accepted Answer

B. Magnet Z is as strong as magnet W.. The greater the distance at which a magnet can attract a paper clip, the stronger the magnet. Magnets W and Z both attract from 4 cm, so they are of equal strength. Magnet Y (6 cm) is the strongest, and magnet X (2 cm) is the weakest.

Question 16

The diagram shows the human digestive system. Digestion is completed at ____.

Accepted Answer

C. C. Digestion is completed in the small intestine, where the final breakdown of food into simple substances takes place before absorption. In this diagram, label C indicates the small intestine.

Question 17

Which of the following is the function of the stem of a plant?

Accepted Answer

D. holds the plant upright to get light. The stem supports the plant and holds the leaves upright so they can receive sunlight for photosynthesis. Making food is done by the leaves; gas exchange is done by leaves (stomata); roots absorb water and mineral salts.

Question 18

Abdul carried out an experiment with two similar plants as shown in set-ups 1 and 2. After one week, which of the following would he most likely observe?

Accepted Answer

D. The plant in set-up 1 grew taller than the plant in set-up 2.. In set-up 2, the plastic bag prevents the roots from absorbing water from the surrounding water. Without water, the plant cannot transport mineral salts or carry out photosynthesis effectively, so it grows poorly. The plant in set-up 1 has access to water and grows taller.

Question 19

Two boxes, X and Y, attached to a pump, have the same capacity of 500 cm³ each. A ball of volume 50 cm³ was placed inside box Y. Both boxes are then sealed with an air-tight cover. An additional 200 cm³ of air was pumped into box X and 100 cm³ of air was pumped into box Y. Which of the following shows the final volume of air in each box?

Accepted Answer

A. Box X: 500, Box Y: 450. A gas takes the shape and volume of its container. Since both boxes are sealed and rigid, the volume of air cannot increase beyond what the box can hold. Box X (empty, 500 cm³ capacity) holds 500 cm³ of air. Box Y has a 50 cm³ ball, so it can only hold 500 − 50 = 450 cm³ of air. The additional air pumped in compresses but does not change the volume the air occupies.

Question 20

The diagram shows a container filled with substance Q being placed in two different positions, A and B. In both positions, substance Q occupied half of the container. Based on the diagram, what can you conclude about substance Q?

Accepted Answer

C. Q has a definite volume.. Substance Q occupies half the container in both positions, meaning its volume stays the same even when the container is reoriented. However, its shape changes to match the container, showing it has a definite volume but no definite shape — typical of a liquid.

Question 21

Richard placed two solid balls, R and S, on a balance in set-up X. He then put each ball into two identical beakers containing the same amount of water in set-up Y. He observed that the balance tilted to one side and the water level in both beakers rose to the same height. What conclusions can be made from the observations? A: R has a greater mass than S. B: R and S are made of the same material. C: R and S have the same volume but different masses.

Accepted Answer

C. A and C only. The balance tilting shows R and S have different masses (A is correct). The water rising to the same height shows the balls displaced equal volumes of water, so they have the same volume (C is correct). We cannot conclude they are made of the same material (B is incorrect) because same-mass-or-volume does not imply same material.

Question 22

Study the table. Which items are not grouped correctly?

Accepted Answer

A. Moon and fire. The Moon does not produce its own light — it only reflects sunlight, so it is not a light source and is wrongly placed. Fire produces its own light, so it IS a light source and is wrongly placed in the non-light sources group. Both Moon and fire are misclassified.

Question 23

In an experiment, a ball was dropped between a light source and a light sensor as shown in the diagram. As the ball bounced, it bounced lower. The duration of light captured by the light sensor decreased. The amount of light detected by the light sensor was then recorded. Which graph correctly shows the results of the experiment?

Accepted Answer

A. bars of equal height but decreasing in width over time. Each time the ball blocks the path between source and sensor, the sensor reading drops. As the ball bounces lower, it stays in the light path for a shorter duration each bounce. So the height of each bar (amount of light during the bounce gap) stays the same, but the width (duration each bar covers) decreases — matching option A.

Question 24

Glenn had three sheets of different materials cut into shapes. He conducted an experiment in a dark room using the set-up as shown. [Figure: torch shining through sheet K, then sheet M (semi-circle in front), then sheet L, onto a screen; the shadow on the screen is a black semi-circle] Glenn observed a shadow on the screen. What conclusion about sheets K, L and M is correct? [Table comparing options 1–4 on which sheet 'Allows light to pass through' / 'Do not allow light to pass through' / 'Not possible to tell']

Accepted Answer

D. Allows: K and L; Does not allow: M; Not possible to tell: none. The shadow on the screen is shaped like a semi-circle (sheet M's shape), meaning M blocked the light. Since sheets K and L are rectangles and no rectangular shadow appears, light must have passed through K and L (otherwise the shadow would be rectangular). So K and L allow light through, M does not.

Question 25

Ali wanted to find out how the distance between the light source and the object affects the size of the shadow. He set up the experiment as shown and carried it out in a dark room, moving only the object while keeping the torch and screen at the same positions. The results are as shown. [Table: P=12 cm, Q=8 cm — Shadow A; P=10 cm, Q=10 cm — Shadow B; P=6 cm, Q=14 cm — Shadow C] Based on the results, arrange the size of the shadow from the smallest to the largest.

Accepted Answer

A. Smallest: A, B, C: Largest. The closer the object is to the light source (smaller P), the larger the shadow on the screen. P values: A=12, B=10, C=6. So shadow size: A (smallest) < B < C (largest).

Question 26

Which statement is correct?

Accepted Answer

C. Heat flows between two objects of different temperatures.. Heat is a form of energy that flows from a hotter object to a cooler object until they reach the same temperature. Temperature is a measure (not a form of energy), heat and temperature are not the same, and temperature cannot be accurately measured by touch — only with a thermometer.

Question 27

A metal spoon was placed in a bowl of hot soup. Which objects would gain heat? A: bowl, B: soup, C: table, D: metal spoon.

Accepted Answer

D. A, C and D only. The hot soup is the heat source — it loses heat. The bowl (A), metal spoon (D, in contact with the soup), and table (C, in contact with the warm bowl) are all cooler than the soup and gain heat from it. The soup (B) itself loses heat.

Question 28

A, B, C and D are pieces of wax on the metal rod. Which is the correct order in which the pieces of wax will drop?

Accepted Answer

B. First → Last: B, C, D, A. Heat travels along the metal rod by conduction, from the candle outwards. The closer a piece of wax is to the flame, the faster it gains heat and drops. Order by distance from candle: B (closest) → C → D → A (furthest). So wax pieces drop in the order B, C, D, A.

Question 29

Mr Lim conducted an experiment by heating three rods of identical length made of different metals, P, Q and R, for thirty minutes. He recorded the length of each rod before and after heating. Mr Lim noticed that there were gaps on steel bridges as shown. He also observed that the gaps were smaller on a hot day. [Figure: gaps on a steel bridge, with a magnified view of the zigzag interlocking gap] If metals P, Q and R were used to make the steel bridge, which metals would result in the smallest and largest gaps on the steel bridge on a hot day?

Accepted Answer

C. Smallest: P, Largest: Q. On a hot day, metals expand. The greater the expansion, the smaller the gap. P expanded the most (12 mm), so it gives the smallest gap. Q expanded the least (5 mm), so it gives the largest gap. Therefore: smallest gap = P; largest gap = Q.

Question 30

Beakers A and B were filled with different amounts of water at 80 °C. A similar ice cube was placed in each beaker. Which observation is correct?

Accepted Answer

C. The ice in beaker A melted faster than the ice in beaker B because there was more heat in beaker A.. Heat flows from hotter (water at 80 °C) to colder (ice) objects — not the other way. Beaker A has more water (150 ml) at the same temperature as beaker B (100 ml), so beaker A holds more heat energy. The ice in beaker A therefore melts faster.

P4 Science SA2 2025 — Catholic High

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