Question 1

Timothy wants to keep his pet grasshopper alive for as long as possible.

Which of the following set-ups is the most suitable for keeping Timothy's pet grasshopper alive for the longest period of time?

Accepted Answer

D. Glass jar with a lid with holes, containing a grasshopper and a leaf. The grasshopper needs air (oxygen) and food to survive. A lid with holes allows air to enter for breathing, and the leaf provides food. Only set-up (4) has both holes for air and a leaf for food.

Question 2

Which of the following common characteristics are found in both amphibians and reptiles?

A : Both reproduce by laying eggs.
B : Both breathe through their lungs.
C : Both have part of their life cycle in the water.
D : Both have scales as their outer body covering.

Accepted Answer

A. A and B only. Both amphibians and reptiles reproduce by laying eggs (A) and breathe through lungs as adults (B). Only amphibians have part of their life cycle in water (C is not common), and only reptiles have scales (D is not common to amphibians). So A and B only.

Question 3

Study the diagram of the human digestive system shown below.

Which of the following correctly identifies the parts of the digestive system where digestion starts and ends?

Accepted Answer

B. Digestion starts here: A, Digestion ends here: E. Digestion begins in the mouth (labelled A) where saliva acts on food, and is completed in the small intestine (labelled E) where digestion ends and absorption takes place. So A and E.

Question 4

The diagram below shows part X which is found on the leaves of a plant.

When John put a leaf in hot water, he observed more bubbles on the lower surface than on the upper surface of the leaf.

Which of the following best explains his observation when the leaf was placed in the hot water?

Accepted Answer

D. More of part X are found on the lower surface than the upper surface of the leaf.. Part X is the stomata. Bubbles form where air escapes through stomata. More bubbles on the lower surface means there are more stomata (part X) on the lower surface than the upper surface.

Question 5

Flowers benefit directly from the visits of insects like butterflies and bees because they ____.

Accepted Answer

A. pollinate the flowers. When insects like butterflies and bees visit flowers for nectar, they transfer pollen from one flower to another, pollinating the flowers. This directly benefits the flower for reproduction.

Question 6

Which of the following about photosynthesis is correct?

Accepted Answer

D. Light needed? yes, Chlorophyll needed? yes, Gas taken in: carbon dioxide, Gas given out: oxygen, Food made: sugar. Photosynthesis requires light and chlorophyll, takes in carbon dioxide, gives out oxygen, and produces sugar (glucose) as the food made. Option (4) correctly lists all of these.

Question 7

In a pond, there are very tiny plants which are too small to be seen by our eyes.

They are important to the aquatic animals in the pond because they ____.

Accepted Answer

C. are a source of food for them. The tiny plants are producers that make food through photosynthesis. They serve as a source of food for the aquatic animals in the pond, forming the base of the food chain.

Question 8

The diagrams below show two insects, A and B, as they appear when resting.

Which of the following observable characteristic(s) of the insects would be most useful to tell them apart?

Accepted Answer

C. The wing shape at rest. Both are insects so they share the same number of legs (6), wings, and body parts (3). The difference visible at rest is how they hold their wings — Insect A holds its wings outspread while Insect B holds them differently — so wing shape at rest is the most useful distinguishing characteristic.

Question 9

The diagram below shows how food and various gases are transported in the systems, X, Y and Z, in the human body.

Which of the following shows the correct identification of systems X, Y and Z and gas W?

Accepted Answer

C. X: respiratory, Y: circulatory, Z: digestive, Gas W: oxygen. System X takes in surrounding air and breathes out air, so it is the respiratory system. Food enters system Z (digestive system). System Y in the middle transports materials, so it is the circulatory system. Gas W passes from the respiratory system (X) to the circulatory system (Y), which is oxygen. So respiratory, circulatory, digestive and oxygen.

Question 10

The graphs below show how the temperature of water affects the amount of dissolved oxygen and the rate at which water passes over the gills of fish.

Which of the following shows the correct relationship between the temperature of water and amount of dissolved oxygen and rate of water passing over the gills?

Accepted Answer

A. Temperature of water: decreases, Amount of dissolved oxygen: increases, Rate at which water passes over the gills: decreases. The first graph shows that as temperature rises, dissolved oxygen falls (inverse). The second graph shows that as temperature rises, rate of water passing over the gills rises. Reading them consistently: when temperature decreases, dissolved oxygen increases and the rate of water passing over the gills decreases. So option (1).

Question 11

The diagram below shows the location of two plants, P and Q. The fruits of plant P and Q are shown below.

Which of the following correctly shows the dispersal patterns of the seedlings of plants P and Q after a period of time?

Accepted Answer

C. Option 3. Plant P's fruit has a wing-like part, so it is dispersed by wind (in the wind direction shown). Plant Q's fruit is fibrous and floats, so it is dispersed by water along the river current. The correct option shows young plant P scattered in the wind direction and young plant Q carried along the river in the current direction. Option (3) matches both dispersal patterns.

Question 12

The diagrams below show the parts that make up the circulatory system in an organism. The organisation of the parts to make up the system is shown below (cells → tissue → organ → system).

Which one of the following is correct about the parts that make up the circulatory system in an organism?

Accepted Answer

B. cells: B, D; tissue: A; organ: C; system: E. D shows a single blood cell (cell), and B also shows cells; A shows muscle tissue of the heart wall (tissue); C is the heart (organ); E is the whole circulatory system in the body (system). The correct grouping is cells: B and D, tissue: A, organ: C, system: E — option (2).

Question 13

Teck An used the following set-up as shown below to investigate the rate of photosynthesis at different temperatures. He plotted a graph to show the number of bubbles counted per minute at different temperatures as shown below.

At which temperature range of water should he expose the plant in the jar in order to have the highest rate of photosynthesis?

Accepted Answer

C. 30°C to 35°C. The rate of photosynthesis is shown by the number of bubbles per minute. The graph peaks (highest number of bubbles, around 65-70) at about 30°C to 35°C, so this temperature range gives the highest rate of photosynthesis.

Question 14

He Zhong wanted to find out which soil samples taken from four different places can retain the most amount of water. He used the set-up as shown below for his experiment. He kept the duration of the experiment the same for each soil sample.

Which other variables must be kept the same to ensure that his experiment was carried out fairly?

A : Amount of water in the beaker
B : Amount of soil taken from each place
C : Amount of water collected in the measuring cylinder

Accepted Answer

A. A and B only. To make it a fair test, the amount of water poured in (A) and the amount of soil (B) must be kept the same for each sample. The amount of water collected in the measuring cylinder (C) is the result being measured (dependent variable), so it must not be controlled. So A and B only.

Question 15

Study the flow chart below.

Which of the following represents the missing questions, X and Y, in the flow chart?

Accepted Answer

D. X: Is it waterproof?, Y: Does it allow most light to pass through?. A cotton shirt is reached at X = 'no', so X must distinguish the cotton shirt: cotton is not waterproof (it absorbs water), so X = 'Is it waterproof?' (cotton answers no). The gold ring is reached at Y = 'no' and the glass beaker at Y = 'yes'; glass allows light through while the gold ring does not, so Y = 'Does it allow most light to pass through?'. Option (4).

Question 16

Aaron conducted an experiment with a tank that has a capacity of 400 cm³ as shown below. He used the tap to remove 20 cm³ of water. He then used the pump to add 10 cm³ of air into the container.

What was the final volume of air in the container?

Accepted Answer

C. 320 cm³. Initially air = 300 cm³, water = 100 cm³. Removing 20 cm³ of water frees up 20 cm³, so air expands to fill it: 300 + 20 = 320 cm³. Then 10 cm³ of air is pumped in, but the tank's total capacity is fixed at 400 cm³; with 80 cm³ of water remaining, the air occupies 400 − 80 = 320 cm³. The added air simply increases the air's compression, so the final volume of air is 320 cm³.

Question 17

Helen felt cold in an air-conditioned room.

Which one of the following statements can be used to explain correctly why she felt cold?

Accepted Answer

A. Her body lost heat to the surrounding air.. Heat always flows from a hotter object to a cooler one. Helen's body is warmer than the cool air-conditioned air, so heat flows from her body to the surrounding air. Losing heat makes her feel cold. 'Coldness' cannot be transferred. So option (1).

Question 18

The diagram below represents the water cycle.

Which of the following statements are correct?

A: Condensation occurs during process Z.
B: Water vapour gains heat during Process Y.
C: Evaporation occurs during Process X.
D: There is a change of state during Process Y.

Accepted Answer

B. C and D only. Process X (sea water → water vapour) is evaporation, where water gains heat — so C is correct, but B (water vapour gains heat) is wrong because evaporation involves the water gaining heat, not water vapour. Process Y (water vapour → cloud) is condensation, which is a change of state — so D is correct. Process Z (cloud → rain) is not condensation. So C and D only.

Question 19

Study the electrical circuit below.

Which of the following statements is correct?

Accepted Answer

D. If bulb C fuses, all the other bulbs will not light up.. Bulbs A and C are in series in the main loop, while B and D are in parallel branches between them. If bulb C fuses, it breaks the only path through the main series loop, so no current flows and all the other bulbs will not light up. Option (4).

Question 20

The diagram below shows a toy car on a flat surface. The direction of the toy car's movement depends on the amount of forces P and Q applied on it.

Which of the following statements correctly explain the car's possible movement?

A: The car does not move because force P is equal to force Q.
B: The car moves towards Y because force Q is smaller than force P.
C: The car moves towards X because force P is greater than force Q.

Accepted Answer

A. A and B only. Force P points towards Y and force Q points towards X. If P = Q the forces balance and the car does not move (A correct). If Q is smaller than P, the net force is towards Y, so the car moves towards Y (B correct). Statement C is wrong: if P is greater than Q the car moves towards Y, not X. So A and B only.

Question 21

Salim set up three magnets AB, CD and EF and an iron bar GH as shown in the arrangement below.

Which one of the following arrangements is possible?

Accepted Answer

C. Option 3. From the original arrangement the magnetic poles of magnets AB, CD and EF and the induced poles on iron bar GH can be worked out. The possible arrangement is the one in which all neighbouring ends attract (opposite poles meet) and the induced poles on the iron bar are consistent. Option (3) shows a valid attracting arrangement of A,B / C,D / E,F and the iron bar GH.

Question 22

Ray conducted an experiment using three set-ups as shown below. He recorded his observations in the table below (Set-up A: No changes were observed; Set-up B: Bubbles observed around the tube; Set-up C: Water rose up the tube).

Which of the following correctly shows the temperature of the cloth used to wrap the flask in each set-up?

Accepted Answer

D. Set-up A: Room temperature, Set-up B: 90°C, Set-up C: 5°C. The flask contains air. In Set-up A no change means the air stayed the same temperature, so the cloth was at room temperature. In Set-up B bubbles came out, meaning the air expanded and was pushed out — the cloth was hot (90°C). In Set-up C water rose up the tube, meaning the air contracted — the cloth was cold (5°C). So Room temperature, 90°C, 5°C — option (4).

Question 23

Containers in the two set-ups below were of the same size and thickness but made of different materials. The containers were filled with the same volume of water at 80°C and left on a table. The graph shows the temperature of water in the two set-ups over a period of time.

Which of the following correctly shows the materials of the two containers?

Accepted Answer

B. Material A: glass, Material B: iron. The water in container B cooled faster (its curve drops more steeply), meaning B is the better conductor of heat. Iron is a better conductor than glass, so B is iron and A is glass. Option (2).

Question 24

Myra wanted to find out how the presence of wind affects the rate of evaporation of water.

Which two set-ups should Myra use so that her investigation is a fair test?

Accepted Answer

A. A and D. To test the effect of wind only, the wind variable must differ while all others (exposed surface area, volume of water, temperature) stay the same. Set-up A (150 cm², 320 ml, 27°C, wind present) and Set-up D (150 cm², 320 ml, 27°C, wind absent) differ only in wind, so A and D is the fair test. Option (1).

Question 25

Two containers of water, at room temperature, were heated on hot plates. The identical hot plates were set to the same temperature. Each container had 500 cm³ of water.

Which of the following statement(s) is/are correct?

A: Water in set-up A will boil first.
B: The water in both containers will change state.
C: Water in set-up B will boil first.

Accepted Answer

D. B and C only. Set-up B has a wider container, so the water has a larger surface area in contact with the hot plate and gains heat faster — it boils first (C correct, A wrong). Both containers are heated to boiling, so the water in both will change state from liquid to gas (B correct). So B and C only — option (4).

Question 26

Four metal pins, A, B, C and D, were fixed onto a wooden board as shown in Figure 1 below. Figure 2 shows a battery and a bulb connected to two wires, X and Y. Lisa connected a few pins on the wooden board in Figure 1 with wires. She then connected X and Y across different pairs of pins. She recorded her results in the table below (A–B: no; B–C: yes; C–D: yes; D–A: no).

Which one of the following correctly shows the connections made by Lisa?

Accepted Answer

C. Option 3. The bulb lights only when the pins touched by X and Y are joined by a wire (completing the circuit). It lit for B–C and C–D (so B–C and C–D are connected), and did not light for A–B and D–A (so A–B and D–A are not directly connected, but B and D connect through C). The arrangement with wires joining B–C and C–D (a path through C) is option (3).

Question 27

A block of wood slid down a smooth glass slope after it was released at the top as shown in the diagram below. The graph shows the amount of different types of energy of the block at mid-point P. The experiment was repeated on a slope covered with a sheet of sandpaper.

Which one of the following graphs correctly shows the amounts of different types of energy at P?

Accepted Answer

D. Option 4. At point P the height is the same, so the potential energy is unchanged (still 10 units). Sandpaper increases friction, so more energy is converted to heat and less to kinetic energy. So at P: potential energy stays at 10, heat increases, kinetic energy decreases. Option (4) shows potential energy at 10, with reduced kinetic energy and increased heat compared with the original.

Question 28

Taylor hung two identical springs from the ceiling. Each spring is attached to a block of 1 kg or 2 kg weights.

Which one of the following arrangements would be possible?

Accepted Answer

C. Option 3. The upper spring carries the weight of both blocks while the lower spring carries only the lower block. A spring stretches more with a heavier load. So the upper spring should be stretched more than the lower spring, and the heavier (2 kg) block placed appropriately. Option (3), with the more-stretched upper spring carrying the larger combined load and the lower spring (carrying only the 1 kg block) stretched less, is the possible arrangement.

P6 Science SA1 2018 — Henry Park

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P6 Science SA1 2018 — Henry Park

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