Semester 2, 2022

Year 9

Science PRACTICE Examination

Question and Answer Booklet

Student Name: ___________SOLUTIONS______________

Teacher Name: ____________________________________

This exam contains the relevant questions from the 2019 and 2018 Sem 2 Standard
Exam and the 2017 Standard Exam

Reading Time: 15 mins

Writing Time: 60 mins

Section Number of questions Type of questions Number of

marks
A 16 Multiple Choice Questions 16
B 6 Short Answer Questions 34
Total Marks 50

Materials supplied to student

Question & Answer booklet, multiple choice answer sheet, data sheet.

Additional materials student is permitted

Students are permitted to bring one scientific calculator (CAS or graphics calculators are not
permitted).
Pens, pencil, eraser, ruler, one handwritten double-sided A4 reference sheet.

Instructions
1. Do not open this booklet until requested to do so
2. Do not speak to other students in the Examination Room
3. Read the questions carefully and allow time to check your work
4. Do not mark the examination answer booklet in any way during Reading Time
5. Ensure that your name is printed clearly on this page

Students are NOT permitted to bring mobile phones and/or any other unauthorised electronic
devices into the examination room.
Year 9 Science Semester 2 PRACTICE Exam 2022

Section A - Multiple Choice Section (20 marks)

Instructions for Section A

Answer all questions in pencil on the answer sheet provided for multiple multiple-choices.
 Choose the response that is correct or that best answers the question.
 A correct answer scores 1, an incorrect answer scores 0.
 Marks will not be deducted for incorrect answers.
 No marks will be given if more than one answer is filled in for any question.
 Unless otherwise indicated, the diagrams in this book are not drawn to scale.

Question 1
State the general name for organisms that cause disease.

A. Bacterium
B. Antibody
C. Pathogen
D. Virus

Question 2
Select the list that best describes the first line of defence against disease.
A. skin; mucus; inflammation; pus formation
B. stomach acid; sneezing; white blood cells; inflammation
C. skin; mucus; coughing; stomach acid
D. inflammation; coughing; white blood cells; pus formation

Question 3
What type of pathogen reproduces by using a host cell?

A. Bacteria
B. Fungus
C. Virus
D. E.coli

Question 4
Which division of the nervous system is activated when a person is exposed to a threatening stimulus?

A. Autonomic (parasympathetic)
B. Autonomic (sympathetic)
C. Somatic (motor neurons)
D. Somatic (sensory neurons)

Page 1 of 12
Year 9 Science Semester 2 PRACTICE Exam 2022

Question 5
Which of the following statements is true?

A. Fever is always dangerous.

B. Inflammation kills specific pathogens.
C. Phagocytes in the second line of defence target specific pathogens.
D. Phagocytes travel in the bloodstream to the site of infection.

Question 6
Which of the steps below occurs directly before the vesicles moving towards the synapse?

A. An electrical message arrives at the terminal button

B. Neurotransmitters bind with receptors
C. Neurotransmitters are made
D. An electrical message is conducted in the next neuron

Question 7
The name of the insulating substance that coats the axons in brain cells, and helps speed up the message
through the brain cells is called:

A. Matter
B. Insulation
C. Cognitive Support
D. Myelin

Question 8
What is the major role of the Cerebellum?

A. Memory, Learning and Language

B. Regulates life support systems, such as heart rate, breathing and blood pressure
C. Controls hormone levels
D. Controls your center of balance

Section A continues on the next page

Page 2 of 12
Year 9 Science Semester 2 PRACTICE Exam 2022

Question 9
Select the incorrect comparison between aspects of the nervous system.

A. The central nervous system carries messages to and from all parts of the body. The peripheral
nervous system processes information and tells the body how to respond.
B. Motor neurones carry messages from the central nervous system to effectors. Sensory neurones carry
messages from cells in the sense organs to the central nervous system.
C. Effectors are muscles or glands that put the messages from the nervous system into effect. Receptors
are organs or tissues that have nerve endings that detect changes in the environment.
D. A stimulus is something that you can detect using your sense organs. A response is a reaction to a
stimulus.

Question 10
A car horn emits a sound of frequency at 200 Hz. Knowing that the speed of sound in air is 340 m/s,
calculate the wavelength of the sound of the wave:

A. 0.59 m
B. 68000 m
C. 1.7 m
D. 140 m

Question 11
A ray of light passes from water into air at an angle of incidence of 45⁰. The angle of refraction will be

A. exactly 45⁰.
B. less than 45⁰.
C. more than 45⁰.
D. It is impossible to tell from the information given.

Question 12
Refractive index = speed of light in air
speed of light in material

The speed of light in air is 300,000,000 m/s. If the speed of light travelling through material X is
150,000,000m/s, the refractive index of the material is:

A. 2
B. 2m
C. 0.5
D. 0.5m

Page 3 of 12
Year 9 Science Semester 2 PRACTICE Exam 2022

Question 13
What is a 'normal' line?

A. The line where you put the mirror to get light to reflect
B. An imaginary line at 45 degrees to the surface
C. An imaginary line at 90 degrees to the surface
D. The line where you put the glass block to get light to refract

Question 14
Glass has a higher refractive index than air. Light passing from air into glass will

A. speed up and bend towards the normal.

B. slow down and bend towards the normal.
C. slow down and bend away from the normal.
D. speed up and bend away from the normal.

Question 15
Which of the following components make up the central nervous system?

A. Brain and sensory neurons.

B. Brain and spinal cord.
C. Spinal cord and sensory neurons.
D. Motor neurons and sensory neurons.

Question 16
The figure below shows the path a ray of light takes when travelling between two mediums. Which angle is
the angle of incidence?

Normal

A. angle A
B. angle B
C. angle C
D. angle D

End of Section A

Page 4 of 12
Year 9 Science Semester 2 PRACTICE Exam 2022

Section B – Short Answer Questions (34 marks)

Instructions for Section B
 Answer all questions in the spaces provided.
 Write using blue or black pen.
 Unless otherwise indicated, the diagrams in this book are not drawn to scale.
 Show all working in your answers to numerical questions; no marks will be given for an incorrect
answer unless it is accompanied by details of the working.
Question 1 (5 marks)
Polio is a preventable viral infection that can cause paralysis of the central nervous system. Julian was given
the polio vaccination as a young child.

a) Explain how this vaccination helps protect Julian from contracting the polio virus as an adult.
3 marks
Vaccinations ‘infect’ you with something very similar to the pathogen—usually a virus or bacterium that
had been modified or rendered harmless (1 mark). Your body responds to the ‘infection’ by making
antibodies that protect you from the active pathogens (1 mark). These antibodies then remain in your
bloodstream to help fight or suppress infection, if exposed to the pathogen again (1 mark).

James and Julian go to the same primary school. James is unable to get the polio vaccination due to medical
reasons, however all the other students at this school are vaccinated against polio.

b) Explain the concept of herd immunity, and how this reduces the risk of James contracting the polio
virus.
2 marks
Herd immunity is when a significant proportion of the population are vaccinated against a disease (1 mark).
In this case, when the other children have all been vaccinated against polio, James is protected from
exposure to polio and therefore is less likely to contract this virus (1 mark).

Section B continues on the next page

Page 5 of 12
Year 9 Science Semester 2 PRACTICE Exam 2022

Question 2 (4 marks)
A daily blood sample was obtained from a student who received a single vaccination against a particular
strain of the influenza virus. The student had no prior exposure to this strain of influenza. The graph below
shows the concentration of antibodies present in the student’s blood for this strain of influenza over a period
of 65 days.

a) Name the cells that are responsible for the production of antibodies.
1 mark

B Cells, Memory B Cells, T cells.

b) Suggest why the concentration of antibodies in the blood increased again on day 22.
1 mark

The student got infected by the same strain of influenza virus

c) List two healthy behaviours that can reduce the spread of virus.
2 marks

Washing hands; isolation; disinfecting surfaces; coughing into tissue/arm sleeve; wear protective
masks

Section B continues on the next page

Page 6 of 12
Year 9 Science Semester 2 PRACTICE Exam 2022

Question 3 (8 marks)
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infection caused by bacteria.

The table below shows the number of cases of TB in different regions of southern England from 2000–
2010.

Number of cases of TB per 100 000 people

Year London South South

East West

2000 37 5 3

2001 36 6 4

2002 42 6 6

2003 42 7 4

2004 42 7 5

2005 49 8 5

2006 44 8 3

2007 43 8 5

2008 44 8 5

2009 44 9 6

2010 42 9 5

a) Using data from the table, describe the pattern for the cases of TB in the South East of England.
2 marks

The number of TB cases in SE England increases from 2000 to 2010 - 1 mark for ID of trend

This is shown by an increase of 4 per 100,000 across this time frame – 1 mark for reference to data
(variation in responses are possible here)

Page 7 of 12
Year 9 Science Semester 2 PRACTICE Exam 2022

b) On the graph paper below:

 plot the number of cases of TB in London

 label both axes on the graph
 include a descriptive title
3 marks

1 mark for each descriptor above

Linegraph showing number of cases of TB per 100 000 people in London from 2000 to 2010

c) People can be vaccinated against TV. With reference to the third line of defence, explain the
immune response that would occur in a TB vaccinated individual if they were exposed to the
pathogen
3 marks

If a vaccinated individual is exposed to TB, then:

 (TB) pathogens/antigens are identified by the immune system – 1 mark
 B cells/lymphocytes will produce specific antibodies– 1 mark
 Antibodies bind with complementary antigens/cause pathogens to clump together – 1 mark
 Accept T cells would kill the pathogen

Page 8 of 12
Year 9 Science Semester 2 PRACTICE Exam 2022

Question 4 (6 marks)
Alysia was warming her hands over an open fire. She felt the heat on the skin of her hands and thought
about how nice that feels. Alysia then proceeded to move her arm muscles to rub her hands together.

a) Complete the following blanks to show the series of events that enable Alysia to rub her hands
together.
4 marks
Stimulus heat

Receptor skin (thermoreceptors in skin)

Goes to CNS

Effector arm muscles

Response rub your hands

b) Is the situation above a voluntary or reflex reaction? Justify your response, with reference to the
central nervous system and the given scenario.

2 marks
This is a voluntary reaction (1 mark) as Alysia registers the feeling of heat on her skin and chooses to rub
her hands accordingly. This shows that the electrical impulses are sent to the brain (1 mark).

Question 5 (7 marks)

a) Microwave radiation used to cook food in a particular oven has a wavelength of 3 m. Calculate the
frequency of this radiation if the speed of electromagnetic radiation is 3 x 10 8 m/s. Show your
working.
2 marks
Frequency = speed / wavelength = (3 x 108) / 3 = 1 x 108 Hz
Method – 1 mark
Answer (with correct units) – 1 mark

b) An elephant makes a very low sound of 20 Hz as it communicates to other elephants. Calculate the
wavelength of this sound if the speed of sound in air is 340 m/s. Show your working.
2 marks
Wavelength = speed / frequency = 340 / 20 = 17 m
Method – 1 mark
Answer (with correct units) – 1 mark

c) Sketch a light wave that has an amplitude of 0.2 m and wavelength of 0.4 m.
3 marks

Page 9 of 12
Year 9 Science Semester 2 PRACTICE Exam 2022

Correct amplitude – 1 mark

Correct wavelength – 1 mark
Graph layout (shape and scaling) – 1 mark
Question 6 (4 Marks)
The diagram shows a ray of light hitting the surface of a mirror made from thick glass. The incident ray is
both reflected and refracted.

air glass mirror

glass m irror
incident
ray

a) Give the letters of the two reflected rays.

1 mark

C and A

b) Give the letter of one refracted ray.

1 mark

B or D

c) The light travels along the path from C to D. Explain the change in the speed and direction of the ray.
2 marks

As Light travels from a more dense substance of glass into a less dense substance of air, it speeds up (1
mark) and refracts away from the normal (1 mark)

End of Examination
Page 10 of 12