Name: ____________________ Class: __________________

Sydney Boys High School

Year 9 Science Half-Yearly Exam

April 2022

Instructions:

• Write your name and class on all sections of this paper.

• Answer all questions
• Write using black or blue pen.
• Draw diagrams using pencil.
• Show all relevant working in questions involving calculations.
• Calculators may be used.
• You may remove the Multiple Choice Answer Sheet

Topics to be Examined:

 Ecosystems
 Inside the Atom

Time:
90 Minutes

Part A Multiple Choice:

Q1-20 Knowledge 20 marks
Q21-40 Process 20 marks
Part B Skills Questions 20 marks
Total 60 marks
Part A Multiple Choice: (40 marks)

Knowledge Questions

The diagram below shows a simplified model of the atom. It relates to Questions 1-3.

Y X

1.

Bohr

2.

3. Which element does the atom above represent?

(A) Beryllium
(B) Sodium
(C) Magnesium
(D) Calcium
4. Identify the alternative below which identifies the number of protons, neutrons and
electrons in the neutral species with the symbol.

65
29Cu

Number of Number of Number of

protons neutrons electrons

(A) 29 65 29

(B) 29 36 29

(C) 65 29 31

(D) 65 36 31

5. Consider the following table:

The two atoms which are classified as isotopes are

(A) W and Y.
(B) W and Z.
(C) X and Y.
(D) X and Z.

6. The colour produced when an element or its salt is heated is due to:

(A) energy being absorbed by the nucleus.

(B) energy released by the atoms in the compound separately.
(C) energy being absorbed to melt the salt.
(D) energy being emitted by electrons changing energy levels.
7. What is the electron configuration for an atom of Silicon?

(A) 2,4
(B) 2,8,4
(C) 2,8,6
(D) 2,8

8. What always occurs as a result of radioactive decay?

(A) Particles and/or energy are emitted.

(B) The element becomes more reactive.
(C) There is a change in the mass number of the atom.
(D) The nuclei of the atoms become less stable.

9. A radioisotope (X) undergoes α-decay to produce radioisotope Y.

Radioisotope Y then undergoes β-decay to produce actinium-228.

Which of the following identifies radioisotope X?

(A) Radium-226
(B) Uranium-238
(C) Palladium-231
(D) Thorium-232

10. On the graph below, the black dots represent isotopes that are stable (ie do not undergo
radioactive decay). This is known as the Zone of Stability.

According to the Zone of Stability on the graph above, which isotope is radioactive?

(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
Use the following model of the carbon cycle to answer Questions 11–14.

11 Where in the cycle is carbon dioxide produced via natural processes?

(A) A
(B) B
(C) C
(D) D

12 What is the best description of the process E?

(A) the energy of the sun is converted to chemical energy.

(B) glucose is used to produce oxygen.
(C) chemical energy in glucose is converted to a form which organisms can use.
(D) oxygen and carbon dioxide are combined to produce energy.

13 There are many global issues affecting society today.

Which problem has our increased production of carbon dioxide most directly contributed to?

(A) Ozone depletion

(B) Enhanced greenhouse effect
(C) Loss of biodiversity
(D) Particulate pollution

14 Looking at the model, what strategy could humans use to reduce the amount of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere?

(A) Decrease the number of trees

(B) Increase the number of trees
(C) Increase the number of farm animals
(D) Dig up and use the remaining fossil fuels
15. What distinguishes autotrophs from heterotrophs?

(A) Heterotrophs cannot photosynthesise.

(B) Autotrophs do not produce wastes like heterotrophs.
(C) Autotrophs do not undergo respiration like heterotrophs.
(D) The populations of heterotrophs is always far greater than autotrophs.

16. Why is it important to maintain biodiversity in ecosystems?

(A) A large variety of organisms make ecosystems more stable and able to withstand
change.
(B) A large variety of organisms keeps predators healthy, because they are provided with a
greater variety of food.
(C) Biodiversity is important for the economy, as it encourages more people and tourists
to visit national parks.
(D) Biodiversity allows logging companies greater choice of timber to cut, rather than
relying on mature growth forests.

17. A group of ecologists studied a range of ecosystems and recorded their data in the tables
below.

Which of the following tables contains ONLY abiotic factors?

Questions 18, 19 and 20 refer to the food web below, which shows the feeding relationships in a
NSW marine ecosystem.

18. Which one of the following is a producer?

(A) seagull
(B) crab
(C) shrimp
(D) seaweed

19 Which one of the following is a predator of the scale shrimp?

(A) rock cod

(B) crab
(C) sea anemone
(D) starfish

20. Which species would have the greatest population this ecosystem?

(A) seagull
(B) crab
(C) plant plankton
(D) mussel
Process Questions

21.

22.
For questions 23 and 24 use the information below.

23.

24.

25.
For questions 26 and 27 use the information below.

26.

27.

28
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30.
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32.

33.
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35.
36.

37.

38.
For questions 39 and 40 use the information below

39.

40.
Name: ____________________ Class: __________________

Part B Skills (20 marks)

Question 41 (10 marks)

Iodine-131 is a radioactive isotope that is used in nuclear medicine. The following table shows the
amount of radioactivity of iodine-131 over time after a dose is given to a human for therapy.

Time
Radioactivity (Bq)
(hours)
0 150
4 95
8 60
12 40
16 25
20 15

An element’s radioactive half-life is the amount of time taken for its radioactivity to decrease by half.

(a) Graph the radioactivity of iodine-131 over time on the grid provided. Include a curve of best
fit. (4 marks)
(b) Use your graph to find the half-life of iodine-131. (1 mark)

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(c) What is the minimum number of half-lives that must pass for there to be less than 5Bq of
radioactive iodine-131 in the body. (1 mark)

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Iodine-131decays through both beta and gamma emission. Another radioisotope, iodine-123, decays
through gamma emission only. Both radioisotopes are used in nuclear medicine.

(d) Write the equation representing the decay of iodine-131. (1 mark)

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(e) Iodine-131 is used to detect cancers, as well as treat them. However, iodine-123 is used
exclusively to detect cancers.

The table below shows the ability of different particles emitted via radiation to penetrate
human tissue (ie cells).

With reference to the type of emission by each radioisotope, the information in the table, and
your understanding of ionising radiation, suggest an explanation for the different uses of these
two radioisotopes. (3 marks)

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Question 42 (5 marks)

Paramecium aurelia (P. aurelia) and Paramecium caudatum (P. caudatum) are both water plants that
grow on the surface of ponds and lakes.

A group of botanists did a study on the relationship between these species. The graphs below show the
populations of these water plants versus time, when grown separately OR together in an area with finite
resources.

(a) Identify the dependent and independent variables for this experiment. (1 mark)

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(b) Identify an appropriate method to determine the populations of P. aurelia and P. caudatum in
ecosystem, and justify your choice. (2 marks)

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(c) Identify the type of relationship between P. aurelia and P. caudatum. Justify your decision
using data from the graphs above. (2 marks)

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Q43 (5 marks)

Below is a simple energy pyramid from an Australian ecosystem.

(a) Describe what this energy pyramid shows, and use it to explain fully how the organisms in the
energy pyramid obtain and use energy. In your response, account for the shape of this energy
pyramid. (5 marks).

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