Question 1

Which statement is true about all mammals?
(1) They have hair.
(2) They have a tail.
(3) They live on land.
(4) They have four legs.

Accepted Answer

(1) They have hair.. All mammals, regardless of their specific type or habitat, possess hair or fur at some point in their life cycle. Options (2), (3), and (4) are not universally true for all mammals (e.g., humans do not have tails, dolphins live in water, whales do not have legs).

Question 2

In which part of the digestive system is most digested food absorbed into the blood?
(1) gullet
(2) stomach
(3) large intestine
(4) small intestine

Accepted Answer

(4) small intestine. The small intestine is specifically adapted with a large surface area (villi) for the absorption of nutrients from digested food into the bloodstream. The gullet (esophagus) transports food, the stomach begins protein digestion, and the large intestine absorbs water.

Question 3

Which animal has a pupa as a stage in its life cycle?
(1) frog
(2) beetle
(3) chicken
(4) grasshopper

Accepted Answer

(2) beetle. A pupa stage is characteristic of animals undergoing complete metamorphosis. Beetles undergo complete metamorphosis (egg -> larva -> pupa -> adult). Frogs have a tadpole stage, chickens lay eggs and hatch directly into chicks, and grasshoppers undergo incomplete metamorphosis (egg -> nymph -> adult) without a pupa stage.

Question 4

The diagram below shows the life cycle of a plant.
What is the stage marked "X"?
(1) egg
(2) seed
(3) seedling
(4) adult plant

Accepted Answer

(2) seed. The diagram shows an adult plant producing 'X', which then germinates into a seedling, which grows into an adult plant. This sequence identifies 'X' as the seed stage.

Question 5

The diagram shows a pair of scissors.
Metal is used to make the blades of the scissors because metal ______.
(1) is strong
(2) can reflect light
(3) can bend without breaking
(4) does not allow light to pass through

Accepted Answer

(1) is strong. Scissors blades need to be strong and hard to cut materials effectively without deforming or breaking. While metal can reflect light and be opaque, these properties are not the primary reason for its use in cutting blades. The ability to bend without breaking (flexibility) is generally not desired for a cutting edge, which needs to be rigid.

Question 6

Which one of the following rods can be attracted by a magnet?
A: iron rod
B: steel rod
C: glass rod
D: plastic rod
(1) A and B
(2) B and C
(3) A and C
(4) B and D

Accepted Answer

(1) A and B. Magnets attract magnetic materials. Iron is a magnetic material. Steel is an alloy primarily composed of iron, making it also magnetic. Glass and plastic are non-magnetic materials. Therefore, iron rods and steel rods can be attracted by a magnet.

Question 7

Which one of the following is a source of light?
(1) moon
(2) mirror
(3) plant
(4) fire

Accepted Answer

(4) fire. A source of light produces its own light. Fire generates light through combustion. The moon reflects light from the sun. A mirror reflects light. Plants do not produce light (though some might glow through bioluminescence, it's not a general property).

Question 8

Look at the picture below.
Which one of the following explains why Sue can see the book on the table?

Accepted Answer

(2) [Diagram with light rays from lamp to book to eye]. For an object to be seen, light must travel from a light source, reflect off the object, and then enter the observer's eye. Diagram (2) correctly illustrates this path: light from the lamp hits the book, and then reflected light from the book travels to Sue's eye.

Question 9

Which one of the following is not a source of heat?
(1) the Sun
(2) a lighted lamp
(3) a lighted stove
(4) a woollen glove

Accepted Answer

(4) a woollen glove. A source of heat produces its own heat. The Sun, a lighted lamp, and a lighted stove all produce heat. A woollen glove is an insulator; it reduces heat loss, but it does not produce heat itself.

Question 10

Philip used a frying pan to cook as shown below.
He is able to hold the frying pan using the plastic handle. This is because plastic is a ______.
(1) light material
(2) flexible material
(3) poor conductor of heat
(4) good conductor of heat

Accepted Answer

(3) poor conductor of heat. The handle of a frying pan needs to protect the user from the heat of the pan. Plastic is a poor conductor of heat (an insulator), meaning it does not transfer heat easily, allowing Philip to hold the hot pan without getting burnt.

Question 11

Study the flow chart below.
Which of the following plants, Q, R, S or T, best represents a fern?
(1) Q
(2) R
(3) S
(4) T

Accepted Answer

(2) R. Ferns are living things that have green leaves. They reproduce using spores, not seeds. They also do not bear flowers. Following the flowchart: 'Does it have green leaves?' -> Yes. Then, 'Does it reproduce from seeds?' -> No. This path leads directly to R, making R the best representation for a fern.

Question 12

Study the young of an organism shown below.
Which of the following is the adult stage of the organism?

Accepted Answer

(4) [Frog]. The image of the young organism is a tadpole, which is the larval stage of an amphibian, specifically a frog. The adult stage of a tadpole is a frog.

Question 13

The diagram below shows the life cycle of living thing P. The time taken from one stage to another stage is represented by the letters, X, Y and Z.
Study the three statements made.
A: P lives on land.
B: The young of P resembles the adult.
C: Y represents a longer time compared to X and Z.
Which statement(s) is/are true?
(1) A only
(2) B only
(3) B and C only
(4) None of the above

Accepted Answer

(4) None of the above. A: The diagram does not provide any information about the habitat of living thing P, so we cannot determine if it lives on land. Thus, statement A is false.
B: The diagram illustrates a general life cycle, but it does not provide enough detail to conclude whether the young of P resembles the adult. Many organisms undergo complete metamorphosis where the young (larval stage) looks significantly different from the adult. Thus, statement B is false.
C: The diagram uses letters X, Y, and Z to represent time taken for stages, but it does not provide any quantitative or comparative information about these durations. Thus, statement C is false.
Since all statements A, B, and C are false, the correct option is (4) None of the above.

Question 14

Sam wanted to find out how the amount of light affects the growth of plant X. The diagram below shows his set-ups.
His dad suggested adding another set-up for his experiment. Which one of the following should be used to ensure a fair test?

Accepted Answer

(2) [Light, glass tank covered with black paper]. Sam's experiment investigates how the amount of light affects plant growth. His initial setups provide full light (uncovered glass tank) and partial light (tracing paper). To ensure a fair test across a range of light conditions, a 'no light' condition is needed. Covering a glass tank with black paper (as shown in options 1, 2, and 4) effectively blocks all light from reaching the plant, providing the necessary 'no light' control. Option (2) provides such a setup.

Question 15

Which one of the following animals has the same number of stages in its life cycle as a mosquito?

Accepted Answer

(3) [Butterfly]. Mosquitoes undergo complete metamorphosis, which has four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
(1) Frog: Egg, tadpole (larva), adult (often simplified to 3 stages).
(2) Grasshopper: Egg, nymph, adult (3 stages - incomplete metamorphosis).
(3) Butterfly: Egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), adult (4 stages - complete metamorphosis).
(4) Pigeon: Egg, chick, adult (3 stages - direct development).
Therefore, a butterfly has the same number of life cycle stages (4) as a mosquito.

Question 16

Study the flowchart below.
Which of the following animals, A, B, C or D, is definitely a chicken?
(1) A
(2) B
(3) C
(4) D

Accepted Answer

(2) B. Let's trace the characteristics of a chicken through the flowchart:
- Does the animal lay eggs? Yes (Chickens lay eggs).
- Does its young resemble the adult? Yes (Chicks resemble adult chickens, albeit smaller).
Following this path in the flowchart leads directly to B. Therefore, B definitely represents a chicken.

Question 17

The pictures below show how the cockroach and diving beetle lay their eggs. The diving beetle and cockroach put the eggs in a case. The diving beetle lays the egg case and attaches it to a floating leaf while the cockroach lays the egg case in dark places.
How are the animals similar?
(1) They lay eggs in water.
(2) They lay many eggs at a time.
(3) They lay their eggs in dark places.
(4) They protect their eggs until they hatch.

Accepted Answer

(4) They protect their eggs until they hatch.. The text states: 'The diving beetle and cockroach put the eggs in a case.' This egg case provides protection for the eggs from the environment and potential predators. Option (1) is only true for the diving beetle. Option (3) is only true for the cockroach. The text does not explicitly state that they lay many eggs, though it is often true for insects. The common similarity highlighted is the use of an egg case for protection.

Question 18

The following pictures show the different stages in the life cycle of a plant.
At which stage(s) of the life cycle does the plant make its own food?
(1) A only
(2) B only
(3) A and D only
(4) A, B, C and D

Accepted Answer

(3) A and D only. Plants make their own food through photosynthesis, which primarily occurs in green parts (leaves) containing chlorophyll. This requires sunlight.
- Stage A (seedling): Has green leaves and can photosynthesize.
- Stage B (germinating seed): Has just started growing with a shoot emerging but not significant green leaves; it relies mostly on stored food in the seed.
- Stage C (seed): Dormant, relies on stored food, no photosynthesis.
- Stage D (adult plant): Has many green leaves and actively photosynthesizes.
Therefore, the plant makes its own food at stages A and D.

Question 19

Study the two set-ups, A and B, shown below.
The aim of the experiment is to find out if ______ is needed for germination.
(1) air
(2) light
(3) water
(4) warmth

Accepted Answer

(3) water. For a fair test, only one variable should differ between the set-ups. Set-up A has moist cotton wool, while Set-up B has dry cotton wool. This means the presence of water is the only difference between the two setups. All other conditions (light, air, warmth) are assumed to be the same. Therefore, this experiment is designed to investigate if water is needed for germination.

Question 20

Charlene found object A and recorded her observations about object A below.
* It is flexible.
* It is waterproof.
* It does not allow light to pass through it.
Which of the following could object A be?

Accepted Answer

(4) [Eraser]. Let's check the properties against each option:
- (1) Metal straw: Not flexible. Fails.
- (2) Towel: Not waterproof (absorbs water). Fails.
- (3) Toilet roll: Not waterproof (made of paper). Fails.
- (4) Eraser: Flexible (can bend), waterproof (made of rubber/plastic polymer), and opaque (does not allow light to pass through). Matches all properties.

Question 21

After playing a game of checkers, John tried to stack up the black and white discs. He was able to do this as every piece of the black and white disc had a magnet in them as shown below.
It was easy for him to stack one black surface disc on top of a white surface disc. What could be a possible reason for John's observation?
(1) The like poles of the magnets in the disc are facing each other so they repel.
(2) The like poles of the magnets in the disc are facing each other so they attract.
(3) The unlike poles of the magnets in the disc are facing each other so they attract.
(4) The unlike poles of the magnets in the disc are facing each other so they repel.

Accepted Answer

(3) The unlike poles of the magnets in the disc are facing each other so they attract.. John was able to stack the discs easily, which means the magnets were attracting each other. Magnetic attraction occurs when the unlike poles (North and South) of two magnets face each other. Therefore, the unlike poles of the magnets in the discs were facing each other, causing them to attract.

Question 22

Study the diagram below. Container A has 300ml of water.
Which of the following will remain the same when all the water is poured from container A to container B and then to container C, with no loss of water?
A: mass of water
B: shape of water
C: volume of water
(1) A only
(2) C only
(3) A and C only
(4) B and C only

Accepted Answer

(3) A and C only. When water is poured from one container to another without any loss, its mass (amount of substance) and volume (space it occupies) remain constant. However, as water is a liquid, its shape will change to conform to the shape of the container it is in. Therefore, mass (A) and volume (C) will remain the same, while shape (B) will change.

Question 23

Study the classification chart below.
David wants to use the above substances to fill up the balloon so that he will get a balloon with the shape as shown below.
Which substances can be used to fill up the balloon?
(1) A and B only
(2) A and C only
(3) B and C only
(4) A, B and C

Accepted Answer

(4) A, B and C. Based on the classification chart:
- Substance A: Cannot be compressed, has no definite shape (describes a liquid).
- Substance B: Cannot be compressed, has a definite shape (describes a solid).
- Substance C: Can be compressed (describes a gas).
When a balloon is filled, the substance inside takes the shape of the balloon.
- Liquids (Substance A) and gases (Substance C) naturally take the shape of their container.
- Solids (Substance B), if in the form of small particles (e.g., sand, beads, powder), can also fill the space within a flexible container like a balloon and conform to its general shape.
Therefore, all three substances (A, B, and C) could be used to fill up the balloon and allow it to take on the depicted shape.

Question 24

Ali made a hollow tube using a piece of cardboard. He looked through it at a lighted candle which was placed at one end of the cardboard.
Which of the following statements explains why Ali was able to see the flame?
(1) Light from the flame enters Ali's eyes.
(2) Light from Ali's eyes travels to the flame.
(3) Light from the surroundings travels into Ali's eyes.
(4) Cardboard does not allow the surrounding light to pass through it.

Accepted Answer

(1) Light from the flame enters Ali's eyes.. For an object to be seen, light from that object (or light reflected off it) must travel directly into the observer's eyes. In this case, the flame is a light source, so light from the flame travels through the hollow tube and enters Ali's eyes, allowing him to see it.

Question 25

Peter measured the length of a shadow formed by a lamp post at different intervals on a sunny day from points A to C. The sun was directly overhead the lamp post at point B.
Which graph shows the length of the shadows at different times of the day?

Accepted Answer

(4) [Graph 4]. The length of a shadow changes with the sun's position in the sky. When the sun is high (closer to overhead), shadows are shorter. When the sun is lower (morning/late afternoon), shadows are longer.
- At 12 p.m. (point A), the sun is relatively high, so a shorter shadow than peak length.
- At 2 p.m. (point B), the sun is directly overhead the lamp post, meaning the shadow will be at its shortest (or nearly absent).
- At 4 p.m. (point C), the sun is lower again, so the shadow lengthens.
Therefore, the shadow is shortest at B and longer at A and C. Graph (4) correctly illustrates this pattern.

Question 26

Rani cut out two shapes, circular and rectangular, from two identical sheets as show below. The circle has a diameter of 5cm while the width of the rectangle is 2cm. The two cardboard sheets are of the same size.
The two cardboard sheets K and L were placed together in a straight line between the screen and the torch as shown below.
Which one of the following diagrams below is the shadow cast on the screen?

Accepted Answer

(1) [Shadow of rectangle inside circle]. Light travels in straight lines. The torch acts as the light source. Sheet K (with a circular hole) is closer to the torch, creating a circular beam of light that projects onto sheet L. Sheet L (with a rectangular hole) is further. If the rectangular hole is smaller and centered within the projected circular light from K, the light passing through both will form a rectangle on the screen. The 'shadow cast on the screen' refers to the dark area formed by the opaque parts of the cardboard sheets. The overall shape of the shadow will be influenced by the circular sheet K (as it's closer to the light source), and the rectangular hole in sheet L will create a region of light (absence of shadow) within that circular area. Thus, option (1) which shows a large dark circular shadow with a central rectangular area of light (not shadow) is the correct representation.

Question 27

Annie places a metal spoon in a bowl of hot soup.
The metal spoon becomes hot after a while. What could be the reason?
(1) Heat travelled to the hot soup.
(2) Heat travelled to the metal spoon.
(3) Heat travelled away from the hot soup.
(4) Heat travelled away from the metal spoon.

Accepted Answer

(2) Heat travelled to the metal spoon.. Heat always travels from a hotter region to a colder region. The hot soup is hotter than the spoon. Therefore, heat travels from the hot soup to the colder metal spoon, causing the spoon to become hot through conduction.

Question 28

A delivery rider placed two ordered items in two identical containers, A and B, as shown below.
Based on the above information, which one of the following graphs correctly shows the temperature change of the contents in the two boxes after a few hours?

Accepted Answer

(2) [Graph 2]. Container A has hot pizza, so its temperature will decrease as it loses heat to the surroundings. Container B has cool bottled drinks, so its temperature will increase as it gains heat from the warmer surroundings. Both temperatures will eventually approach the ambient temperature of the room. Graph (2) correctly shows temperature A decreasing and temperature B increasing over time.

P4 Science SA2 2023 — Rosyth

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