Year 

9 Paper
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Do not open this booklet until told to do so by your teacher.
2. Use only B or 2B pencil.
3. Answers must be recorded on the answer sheet provided.
There is no penalty for an incorrect answer.
4. Calculators may be used.
5. Diagrams are not necessarily drawn to scale.

TIME
50 minutes
30 Questions
All questions have equal marks
 MOTH SCALES
Bats use echolocation to locate food at night. The bats produce soundwaves. These soundwaves bounce
off objects and the echoes received are processed by the bat’s brain.

sounds produced by bat

returning echo

Moths are a common source of food for bats. Scientists have discovered that the wings of the Cabbage
Tree Emperor Moths are covered in many small, soft scales. These Emperor Moths are more difficult for
bats to detect than many other moth species. The echoes from the Emperor Moths are relatively faint.

1 Which of these describes a soundwave?

A Air particles travelling and carrying sound with them.
B Particles moving randomly when air pressure changes.
C A pattern of moving particles when air pressure changes.
D Sounds moving through the spaces between air particles.

2 Which of these best explains why the Emperor Moths are more difficult for bats to detect than
other species of moth?
A The tiny scales reflect both sound and light waves.
B The bat’s brain becomes desensitised to the faint echoes.
C The bat recognises the emperor moths, so does not produce a sound.
D The tiny scales absorb some of the sound waves produced by the bat.

3 If a special amplifier is used, the sounds produced by bats can be heard by humans. These
sounds can be used to identify the species of bat making the noise.
What must be true about the noises made by bats?
A Each species of bat must make a unique sound.
B All bats must produce sounds of the same volume.
C There are no mammals that can hear the sounds produced by bats.
D There is no variation in the sound that one species of bat makes.

Big Science Competition Year 9 Paper © Australian Science Innovations ABN 81731558309 2
 WIND TREES
A French company has designed and produced an unusual wind turbine called a ‘wind tree’.
The branches of a wind tree hold many micro wind turbines, each of which looks like a leaf. Each micro
wind turbine generates electricity as it spins.

A wind tree Conventional wind turbine

4 What best describes how the micro wind turbines generate electricity?
A They convert one type of energy into another type of energy.
B They capture electricity that is present in the wind.
C They store electricity for later use.
D They generate static electricity.

5 Each micro turbine ‘leaf’ of the wind tree spins when it is hit by the force of the wind. The
‘leaves’ of the wind tree spin when the wind blows at 9 km per hour or more. However, when
wind speeds reach 65 km per hour a brake system is activated.
Which of these is the most likely outcome of including a brake system in each ‘leaf’?
A There will be a maximum power output per ‘leaf’.
B High wind speeds determine the safe number of ‘leaves’ per tree.
C Electricity will only be generated at wind speeds less than 9 km per hour.
D Wind trees would not be recommended for urban areas with average wind speeds less
than 65 km per hour.

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 3D PRINTED ORGANS
Scientists are trying to develop 3D printed organs. These organs could be used to replace
damaged organs.
The 3D printed organs will be created using this process:
1. a cell is harvested (taken) from a patient’s organ (such as the heart)
2. the cell is placed in a flask containing nutrient rich liquid to grow and multiply
3. the cells are collected and used to ‘print’ an organ of appropriate shape
4. the printed organ is transplanted into the patient.

6 In what organ system is the heart found?

A the nervous system
B the endocrine system
C the circulatory system
D the respiratory system

7 At present, transplanted organs come from another person (donor).

The use of these 3D printed organs rather than donor organs means that the new organ will not
be attacked by the patient’s immune system.
Which of these situations would cause the immune system of a patient to attack a
transplanted organ?
A When the transplanted organ’s cells were 3D printed from the patient’s own cells.
B When the transplanted organ’s cells are those of a different individual than the patient.
C When the transplanted organ’s cells were grown from the patient’s damaged heart.
D When the transplanted organ’s cells are not the same age as the cells in the rest of the
patient’s body.

8 A new development involves a network of plastic tubes being printed within an organ. After the
whole organ is printed, these plastic tubes are dissolved, leaving a network of empty tunnels.
Why does the organ need to have the empty tunnels within it?
A After transplant, the tunnels will allow air to reach all cells.
B After transplant, the tunnels will allow blood to reach all cells.
C The tunnels mean that less cells are needed to print the organ.
D The tunnels will reduce the effect of the immune system on the organ.

Big Science Competition Year 9 Paper © Australian Science Innovations ABN 81731558309 4
 CRUSTY OLD PLATES
The Earth is approximately 4.6 billion years old. The young Earth was very geologically active, with
small sections of volcanically active crust moving rapidly on the Earth’s surface. These sections of crust
often collided and joined together, slowly forming the tectonic plates we see today.
Scientists looking for the earliest physical evidence of plate tectonics may have found it in Greenland.
Here, they discovered a well-preserved section of crust, about 3.7 to 3.8 billion years old.
Scientists think that life on Earth began about 3.5 to 3.7 billion years ago. Volcanoes that were active
when the tectonic plates formed may have helped support some of the earliest life forms on Earth.

9 Which of the following statements is true?

A Tectonic plates are found on all types of planets in our Solar System.
B Tectonic plates on Earth are all approximately the same size and shape.
C Tectonic plate boundaries are the only place that volcanoes are found.
D Tectonic plate boundaries can occur both within continents and under the ocean.

10 Scientists were surprised to find that the piece of crust from Greenland was so well preserved,
because it was 3.7 to 3.8 billion years old.
Why might it be unusual for a piece of Earth’s crust to be so well preserved?
Select the column that provides a correct response for each reason.

Is this is a reason that it is unusual for a piece of crust to

A B C D
be so well preserved?
Crust at tectonic plate boundaries is often destroyed as plates
yes yes no no
move in relation to each other.
Scientists do not have techniques to tell the age of a piece of
no yes no yes
Earth’s crust.
Chemical and physical weathering processes erode landforms
yes no yes yes
over time.

11 Some of the first life forms on Earth were photosynthetic bacteria.

How did volcanoes help support the survival of these early life forms on Earth?
A Early life only existed on land formed from volcanic material.
B The volcanoes released carbon dioxide and water into the atmosphere.
C Ash from the volcanoes completely blocked UV and visible light from the Earth.
D Photosynthetic bacteria use thermal energy from the volcanoes as their primary energy
source.

Big Science Competition Year 9 Paper © Australian Science Innovations ABN 81731558309 5
 MERCURY SHRINKING
The surface of the planet Mercury looks more like the Moon than the Earth. The surface of Mercury has
a large number of craters. Some of these craters are old and some are new.
Like Earth, Mercury has a very hot interior. Mercury has only one tectonic plate, which covers its entire
surface. The Earth has many tectonic plates on its surface.
Scientists used to believe that Mercury was not tectonically active.
Recently, images of the surface of Mercury have been examined, which showed long, cliff-like
landforms over 1.5 kilometres high.
The cliffs are believed to have been formed by tectonic activity caused by Mercury shrinking.

cliff

crater

Long cliffs and craters on the surface of Mercury

(Image courtesy NASA/Johns Hopkins University. Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
https://www.nasa.gov/images/content/570880main_messenger_orbit_image1_20110715_full_full.jpg, annotations added)

12 Which of the following must be true about the geology of both Earth and Mercury?
A Earth and Mercury are shrinking at the same rate.
B The surfaces of Earth and Mercury undergo identical weathering processes.
C Earth’s tectonic plates and Mercury’s tectonic plate both float on molten rock.
D All geological features of Earth and Mercury are caused by tectonic processes.

Big Science Competition Year 9 Paper © Australian Science Innovations ABN 81731558309 6
13 Which of these processes best explains why Mercury is shrinking?
A cooling of the hot interior
B bombardment from meteorites
C decomposition of organic materials
D frequent earthquakes and volcanoes

14 Scientists believe that the long cliffs are geologically young, and that some are still forming as
Mercury continues to shrink.
Which of the following would provide evidence that these cliffs are geologically young or
still forming?
A If cliffs of a similar height on Earth are known to be young.
B If the Moon does not have similar cliffs to those on Mercury.
C If the cliffs are still present in future pictures of Mercury’s surface.
D If there are cliffs that have not been damaged by the creation of craters.

Big Science Competition Year 9 Paper © Australian Science Innovations ABN 81731558309 7
 HYDROGEN FUEL CELL
‘Hydrogen fuel cells’ are a technology that has been considered for powering electric vehicles.
The hydrogen gas that will be used in the fuel cell is made in an industrial process. The process breaks
down water into H2 and O2 using electricity.
Vehicles that use hydrogen fuel cells need to store the hydrogen inside the vehicle.
In the fuel cells, a chemical reaction occurs between hydrogen gas and oxygen gas to produce water and
electricity.
2H2(g) + O2(g) → 2H2O(g) + electricity

15 Using hydrogen fuel cells in a vehicle is most similar to using

A a conventional combustion engine, because hot gases are produced.
B a hybrid car, because multiple sources of energy are used to power the vehicle.
C a car with an electric motor, because electricity is converted to another form of energy.
D a battery in an electric car, because a store of chemical energy is transformed into
electrical energy.

16 Oxygen gas does not need to be stored in the vehicle for use with the fuel cell.
Where does the oxygen come from that the fuel cell needs?
A From the splitting of water molecules found in the atmosphere around the vehicle.
B From the same industrial process that produces the hydrogen gas.
C From the oxygen molecules in the atmosphere around the vehicle.
D From other chemical reactions inside the fuel cells.

17 The hydrogen fuel cell does not need to use fossil fuels to produce energy. However, critics say
these fuel cells are not necessarily ‘carbon neutral’.
Why might using a fuel cell not be carbon neutral?
A Because fuel cells produce water, which is a greenhouse gas.
B If using the fuel cell does not result in fewer vehicles on the road.
C If the electricity generated by the fuel cell is being used to power vehicles.
D If the electricity used to make the hydrogen gas comes from the burning of fossil fuels.

Big Science Competition Year 9 Paper © Australian Science Innovations ABN 81731558309 8
 THE SMELL OF FEAR
Living things respond to changes in their environment. One aspect of the environment that many
animals respond to is the presence of their predators.
Biologists have conducted a study into whether rabbits can detect ferrets (a predator) that have recently
eaten rabbits through the scent of the ferret’s droppings (faeces).
Before the study, rabbits were known to be present in all of Areas 1, 2 and 3.
This is an outline of the study:
1. Area 1 was sprayed with a specific volume of liquid extracted from ferret droppings,
where the ferrets had been fed a diet of beef.
2. Area 2 was sprayed with the same specific volume of liquid extracted from ferret
droppings, where the ferrets had been fed a diet of rabbit.
3. Area 3 was sprayed with the same specific volume of pure water.
4. The biologists then counted the amount of rabbit droppings in each area.
After the study, the biologist’s finding was that Area 2 had the least rabbit droppings in it.

18 Which aspect of this experimental design is the control?

A the counting of the rabbit droppings in Areas 1, 2 and 3
B the treatment of Area 1
C the treatment of Area 2
D the treatment of Area 3

19 The biologists studied the results. They concluded that rabbits are able to detect the presence of
predators that have recently eaten other rabbits.
Which of these assumptions would be important in making this conclusion?
Select the column that provides a correct response for each assumption.

Would this be an assumption in making this conclusion? A B C D

The number of rabbit droppings in an area is a measure of how

yes yes yes no
often rabbits use that area.
The conditions in Areas 1, 2 and 3 were the same except for the
yes yes no no
spray treatment.

That ferrets must be the main predator of rabbits in the wild. yes no no yes

Big Science Competition Year 9 Paper © Australian Science Innovations ABN 81731558309 9
 DIGGERS
Many Australian mammals dig holes into the soil. These holes may be dug for shelter or when the
mammal is searching for food.
In the past, species of digging mammals were more common in Australia. However, in the last 200 years
many of these species have become extinct or have disappeared from large areas where they were
once found.
The changes to ecosystems caused by the loss of these digging mammals has been studied.

An echidna – this species digs shallow holes A wombat – this species digs large,
when feeding and sheltering deep burrows for shelter

20 The echidna and the wombat are both classified as mammals.

The echidna is also classified as a monotreme, and the wombat as a marsupial.
Which organ system of the echidna and wombat would be most different to that of most other
mammals?
A the nervous system
B the digestive system
C the circulatory system
D the reproductive system

Big Science Competition Year 9 Paper © Australian Science Innovations ABN 81731558309 10
21 Nutrient levels in soils tend to decrease when ecosystems lose their digging mammals.
Would these facts help explain this decrease in nutrient levels?
Select the column that provides a correct response for each observation.

Would this fact help explain the decrease in nutrient levels? A B C D

The actions of digging mammals often bury organic matter in

yes yes yes no
the soil.
Oxygen gas can penetrate deeper into the soil when the soil
yes no yes no
is loosened.
Plant material is quickly returned to the soil through
no no yes yes
animals’ droppings.

22 Two studies were carried out in which:

1 digging mammals were reintroduced to ecosystems
2 scientists artificially disturbed small areas of soil by digging.
In both of these studies, plant species that had long been absent from the entire ecosystem often
reappeared where the soil had been dug.
What is the most likely explanation for the reappearance of these plants in the ecosystems?
A The seeds of the plants were brought into the ecosystems by the digging mammals.
B The plants grew from seeds that were previously too deep in the soil to germinate.
C The altered conditions allowed these plants to move into the area from other ecosystems.
D The plants spread into the disturbed areas from elsewhere within the ecosystems.

Big Science Competition Year 9 Paper © Australian Science Innovations ABN 81731558309 11
 EXPLOSIVE DISCOVERIES
New types of explosives are always being developed. Compared to older explosives, it is harder to
explode newer explosives. Newer explosives also tend to be more powerful.
Explosives are usually solid materials. When they explode, they change into other substances, which
are gases.
A ‘fireball’ produced by an explosive is a ball of these hot gases. It is this quickly expanding ball of hot
gases that causes damage.

23 What best explains why an explosion is classified as a chemical change?

A because heat is released
B because gases are formed
C because new substances are formed
D because the shape of the explosive is changed

24 A new explosive compound has the formula C6H4N6O8. Based on this formula, what substances
could be formed when it explodes?
Select the column that provides a correct response for each substance.

Could this be a substance formed from the explosion

A B C D
of C6H4N6O8?

CO2 (carbon dioxide) yes yes no yes

N2 (nitrogen) yes no yes yes

SO2 (sulfur dioxide) no yes yes yes

H2O (water) yes yes yes no

25 Why would newer explosives generally be considered safer than older explosives?
Select the column that provides a correct response for each reason.

Is this a reason why newer explosives are considered to

A B C D
be safer?
Less explosive is needed to produce an explosion of the
yes no yes no
same size.

They are less likely to explode before it is intended. no no no yes

They are less likely to cause explosive damage. no yes yes no

Big Science Competition Year 9 Paper © Australian Science Innovations ABN 81731558309 12
 TASMANIA AND THE GRAND CANYON
Geologists have discovered what they believe is a link between Tasmania (in Australia) and the Grand
Canyon (in south-west USA). Today, these places are over 13,000 km apart. Both areas contain layers
of metamorphic rocks and sedimentary rocks. The geologists suspect these areas were located close
together in the past.

Layers of rock visible

in the Grand Canyon

26 What is a metamorphic rock?

A A rock that has changed due to large amounts of heat and pressure acting on the rock
over long periods of time.
B A rock that has formed due to the compression of mud and sand over long periods of time.
C A rock that is formed from the cooling of liquid rock below the Earth’s surface.
D A rock that is formed from the cooling of liquid rock at the Earth’s surface.

27 Which pieces of information would provide evidence of the link between the rocks in Tasmania
and the Grand Canyon?
Select the column that provides a correct response for each piece of information.

Does this information provide evidence of the connection

A B C D
between the rocks in Tasmania and the Grand Canyon?

erosion has occurred in both places no yes no yes

the order and size of the rock layers in both places is the same no yes yes yes

the chemical makeup of rock layers is the same yes no yes yes

Big Science Competition Year 9 Paper © Australian Science Innovations ABN 81731558309 13
 NIGHT VISION
Driving at night can be hazardous. Night vision cameras allow people to see more effectively in darkness.
It is claimed that if night vision cameras are used in vehicles at night, hazards can be reduced for
vehicles travelling at average speeds.
The night vision cameras have a screen similar to a GPS.

A simulation of a night vision screen in a car

Using traditional headlights, objects can be seen up to about 50 metres away. Using night vision
cameras, objects up to 150 metres away can be seen on a screen.
Some night vision cameras are passive: they are capable of picking up the heat that radiates from
objects. Other cameras are active: they produce infrared light and detect this light when it is reflected
from objects in front of the car.

28 For the claim of reduced hazard to be supported, what must be true about the average stopping
distance of vehicles?
A The average stopping distance must be exactly 50 metres.
B The average stopping distance must be less than 50 metres.
C The average stopping distance must be greater than 150 metres.
D The average stopping distance must be between 50 and 150 metres.

Big Science Competition Year 9 Paper © Australian Science Innovations ABN 81731558309 14
29 For passive night vision systems, which of these conclusions are supported?
Select the column that provides a correct response for each conclusion.

Is this conclusion supported? A B C D

People standing on the road can be detected by passive

yes no no yes
night vision cameras.
At the end of a hot day, passive night vision cameras will better
no no yes yes
detect the road surface ahead compared to after a cold day.

Other moving vehicles on the road will be readily detected. yes yes no no

30 Active night vision cameras do not work very well when it hails or snows.
What is the most likely reason for this?
A Infrared light is produced by hail and snow.
B The infrared light source is blocked by the falling hail and snow.
C No infrared light can be detected by the camera.
D The surrounding darkness is intensified because available light is reduced by the hail
and snow.

Big Science Competition Year 9 Paper © Australian Science Innovations ABN 81731558309 15