STUDENT NAME/NUMBER

TEACHER NAME

2014
SEMESTER 2 EXAM

Year 10 Science
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

TOTAL MARKS 80

Reading time 5 minutes

Section I pages 2 10

Working time 75 minutes

20 marks

Write by using blue or black pen

Attempt Questions 1 - 20

Allow 20 minutes for this section

Use the multiple-choice answer sheet

provided
Write your name in the space(s)
provided

Section II pages 11 25
50 marks

Attempt Questions 21 33

Allow 45 minutes for this section

Section III pages 26 28

10 marks

Attempt Questions 34

Allow 10 minutes for this section

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Section I
20 marks
Allow 20 minutes for this section
Use the Multiple Choice Answer Sheet provided.
1.

What is a gene?
(A) A chromosome
(B) A section of DNA
(C) A disease causing organism
(D) A compound produced by biotechnology

2.

Meiosis is used for:

(A) growth of organism.
(B) sexual reproduction.
(C) asexual reproduction.
(D) replacing old, worn out cells.

3.

Which of the following diseases is not caused by a mutation in the DNA

molecule?
(A) Aids
(B) Cancer
(C) Cystic fibrosis
(D) Sickle-cell anaemia

4.

When cells divide to replace dead cells the DNA is replicated exactly.
What advantage does this give the new cells?

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(A) They will have stronger cell nuclei

(B) They will be less susceptible to disease
(C) They will undergo cell division more efficiently
(D) They will perform the same function as the ones they replace
5.

Which of the following cannot be used as evidence for evolution?

(A) Vestigial organs
(B) Cross-breeding experiments
(C) Fossils of transitional organisms
(D) Comparing DNA sequences between organisms

6.

Neon is a noble gas because the atom of the element is very stable and
unreactive.
What feature of an atom of neon makes it unreactive?
(A) The number of protons
(B) The size of the neutrons
(C) The arrangement of the electrons
(D) The location of the protons and neutrons

7.

A group of students mixed two colourless solutions in a beaker. A solid

formed as the solutions mixed. What type of reaction were the students
observing?
(A) Combustion
(B) Decomposition
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(C) Neutralisation
(D) Precipitation
8.

The equation below is the reaction of sulfuric acid with calcium hydroxide.

Sulfuric acid + calcium hydroxide X + water

What does X represent in this equation?

(A) Hydrogen
(B) Carbon dioxide
(C) Calcium sulphate
(D) Sulfuric hydroxide
9.

According to Darwins theory of evolution, what can the differences

between species be the result of?
(A) Natural selection
(B) Mutagenic agents
(C) The disuse of body structures
(D) The transmission of acquired characteristics

10.

What do the structural similarities between the flippers of whales and the
arms of humans show us?
(A) The human species began in the ocean
(B) Whales evolved from the human species
(C) Whales are older than the human species
(D)The human species and whales have a common ancestor

11.

Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum may be observed as different

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colours?
(A) Gamma rays
(B) Infrared radiation
(C) Visible light
(D) X-rays
12.

What term refers to the tendency of an object to remain at rest or in

uniform, straight-line motion?
(A) Force
(B) Inertia
(C) Mass
(D) Speed

13.

Which of the following quantities is not a speed?

(A) 5/m/s/s
(B) 12m/s
(C) 80cm/s
(D) 120km/h

14.

A toy car produced the following ticker tape recording after it was set in
motion and moved from left to right along a desk.
Direction of motion

Which statement describes the motion of the toy car as it moved from left
to right along the desk?
(A) The toy car was accelerating
(B) The toy car was slowing down
(C) The toy car was travelling at constant speed
(D) The toy car first accelerated then it slowed down
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15.
John wanted to investigate how much energy is contained in a walnut. He
burned one 3 gram walnut to heat the test tube containing 20ml of water,
and measured the change in temperature.

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Which of the following would improve Johns procedure so that his results
will be more reliable?

(A) Use heavier walnuts

(B) Use more than one thermometer
(C) Repeat the investigation under same conditions
(D) Use cold water at the beginning of the investigation

16.

This electrical circuit was set up. X and Y are two globes.

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Switch 1 is now closed but switch 2 is left open. Which globe(s) will light
up?
(A) X only
(B) Y only
(C)Both X and Y
(D)Neither X or Y

17.

Which statement about the speed of electromagnetic radiation is correct?

(A) All electromagnetic radiation travel at the speed of light
(B) All electromagnetic radiation travel at the speed of sound
(C) Each type of electromagnetic radiation travels at a different speed
(D) Electromagnetic radiation travels faster in our atmosphere than in outer
space

18.

The diagram shows an electric circuit.

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Which of the following statements about the current in the circuit is

correct?
(A) It is zero at S
(B) It is equal at Q and S
(C) It is less at R than at S
(D) It is greater at Q than at P
19.

A simple series circuit is set up so that the voltage in the circuit remains
constant.
What is the relationship between resistance and current in this circuit?
(A) As the resistance increases, the current increases
(B) As the resistance increases, the current decreases
(C) As the resistance decreases, the current decreases
(D) As the resistance changes, the current remains the same

20.

Mike wanted to set up a circuit in which two light globes would shine with
the same brightness. He also wanted to make sure that one light globe
would keep shining even if the other globe was not working.

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Which diagram represents a circuit that Mike could set up to achieve his
purpose?
(A)

(B)

(C)

(D)

END OF SECTION I

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Section II
50 marks
Attempt Questions 21 33
Allow 45 minutes for this section
Answer each question in the spaces provided. These spaces provide guidance for
the expected length of response
QUESTION 21

6 MARKS

Magnesium and hydrochloric acid are mixed in a test tube. Gas bubbles are given
off. The test tube gets hot and the magnesium eventually disappears.

(a) Write down the chemical formula for hydrochloric acid.

(b) What is the name of the gas that is given off?

Question 21 continues on the next page

Question 21 continued
2
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(c) Explain a test that could be used for the presence of gas from (b).

(d) Write a word equation for the reaction between magnesium and hydrochloric
acid.

END OF QUESTION 21

QUESTION 22

5 MARKS

The word equation for the burning of butane gas that is used in cigarette lighters,
is:

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butane

oxygen

TEACHER NAME

carbon dioxide

water

(a) Summarise what this equation means.

(b) What type of reaction is represented by the above reaction?

(c) Justify TWO safety procedures that you would follow while heating chemicals

in the science laboratory.

(d) Butane has a chemical C4H10 .How many atoms of each element is

represented in this chemical formula?

END OF QUESTION 22

QUESTION 23

4 MARKS

The diagram is a model of a DNA molecule.

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(a) Name the TWO types of chemicals that form the backbone of the DNA

molecule.

(b) Define the term Biotechnology.

Question 23 continues on the next page

Question 23 continued
(c) The black coil is a new strand of DNA that is forming as the molecule unwinds.
This process is called replication.
Account for the need for DNA to undergo replication and state what would
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happen if it did not replicate.

END OF QUESTION 23

QUESTION 24

2 MARKS

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Bilbies and jackrabbits live in desert habitats. They both have very large ears and
are nocturnal.
Describe how these adaptations allow them to live in their hot and dry
environments.

END OF QUESTION 24

QUESTION 25

3 MARKS

The peppered moth exists in two varieties, a darker variety and a lighter variety.
The moths major predators are small birds. The lighter variety is more common in
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towns and cities where there is less pollution. The darker variety survives in
polluted areas, particularly near coal burning power stations and factories, where
tree trunks are darkened by soot and acid rain.
With reference to appropriate scientific theories, explain why the darker variety of

these moths survives better in polluted areas.

END OF QUESTION 25

QUESTION 26

6 MARKS

The electrical resistance can be calculated when the voltage and current is known.
An electrical circuit is set up to determine the resistance of a wire. It contains a
power source, the resistance wire, an open switch, an ammeter and one other
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important component.
(a) Identify the important component.

(b) Calculate the resistance if the reading on the ammeter is 2.6 amperes and the

voltage is 10.4 volts.

(c) Draw a neat diagram of the circuit, using the correct symbols for all

components.

END OF QUESTION 26

QUESTION 27

3 MARKS

A water pump circuit is analogous to an electric circuit in certain aspects.

Complete the following table to compare an electrical circuit with a water pump
circuit.

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Electrical Circuit

TEACHER NAME

Water Pump Circuit

Battery
Current
Val
ve or tap

END OF QUESTION 27

QUESTION 28

3 MARKS

A series and a parallel circuit were set up, each with two identical globes
connected to a battery.

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(a) What will happen to the other globe in the series circuit if one globe would

break in that circuit?

(b) Compare the brightness of the globes in the series circuit with that in the

parallel circuit.

(c) What is an advantage of streetlights being connected in parallel?

END OF QUESTION 28
QUESTION 29

5 MARKS

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The above diagram shows the waves that make up the electromagnetic spectrum.
(a) Which type of electromagnetic wave has a wavelength of 1000 metres?

(b) Describe how UV rays can be beneficial as well as harmful to mankind.

(c) Infra-red cameras may be used to help find a lost bushwalker, even in the

dark. Outline how this is possible.

END OF QUESTION 29

QUESTION 30

3 MARKS

The graph represents a students progress walking from school to home over 20
minutes.
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(a) How far was the student from the school after 14 minutes?

(b) Determine the total time that the student stopped to rest during his trip home

from school.

(c) Calculate the students average walking speed during the first 4 minutes?

END OF QUESTION 30

QUESTION 31

5 MARKS

Vehicles are used daily to commute and transport goods. Driving a vehicle may
be a hazard in certain situations on the road.
(a) Explain why a vehicle on ice is almost impossible to stop or control and
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identify the force required to gain control.

(b) Explain by referring to Newtons laws of motion, why it is dangerous to drive a

car without wearing a seatbelt.

END OF QUESTION 31

QUESTION 32

3 MARKS

A group of students found a tennis ball and a soccer ball at rest, on the oval. The
students start kicking the balls around and play a game. They notice during the
game that if they kick the two balls with the same force, the lighter ball had a
greater acceleration than the heavier ball. They also noticed that as they kick the

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ball around, it caused their feet to hurt.

3
Explain all three of Newtons Laws of Motion using this example.

END OF QUESTION 32
QUESTION 33

2 MARKS

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A block with a mass of 5 kg is placed on top of a block with a mass of 10 kg that

rests on a frictionless surface. A force of 30 N is applied to the block.
(a) Calculate the acceleration of the two block system.

(b) The blocks are now placed on a surface that provides a frictional force of 3 N.
The blocks are pushed with the same force of 30 N. Determine the net force
acting on the two block system.

END OF QUESTION 33

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Section III
10 marks
Attempt Question 34
Allow 10 minutes for this section
Answer each question in the spaces provided. These spaces provide guidance for
the expected length of response
QUESTION 34

10 MARKS

A biologist conducted an experiment to investigate the amount of bubbles

released per minute by two types of plants A and B at various depths of water.
The result of the scientific investigation was recorded in the table shown below.

Depth

Plant A

Plant B

(metres)
2
5
10
16
25
30

(No. of bubbles/min)
29
36
45
32
20
10

(No. of bubbles/min)
21
27
40
50
34
20

Question 34 continues on the next page

Question 34 continued
(a) Plot the data from the table on the same of set of axes.

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Question 34 continues on the next page

Question 34 continued
(b) Use the graph to predict the number of bubbles/min that would be released by
plant A at a depth of 20 metres.

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(c) At what depth was the highest number of bubbles released by plant B in one

minute?

(d) What is the independent variable for this investigation?

(e) Describe the trend for each plant with regards to the number of bubbles
released in one minute and the depth of water.

END OF QUESTION 34

END OF EXAM

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