Name Class

SINGAPORE NATIONAL ACADEMY

( I N T E R N AT I O N AL S C H O O L )
PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION
SECONDARY FOUR

COMBINED SCIENCE

Paper 1 Multiple Choice 26 MARCH 2012

1 hour

Additional Materials MCQ Answer Sheet

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

Write in soft pencil.

Write your name in the spaces at the top of this page and on the Answer Sheet in the spaces
provided.
Do not use staples, paper clips, highlighters, glue, or correction fluid.

There are forty questions in this paper. Answer all questions.

For each question there are four possible answers A, B, C and D.
Choose the one you consider correct and record your choice in soft pencil on the separate Answer
Sheet.

Each correct answer will score one mark.

Any rough working should be done in this paper.
A copy of the Periodic Table is printed on page 17.

This document consists of 17 printed pages including this cover page.

[Turn over]
1 The diagram below shows a simple pendulum. It swings between X and Y.

Which sequence should be timed to measure the period of the pendulum?

A X to O C X to Y to O
B X to Y D X to Y to X

2 A cosmonaut has a mass of 75 kg on Earth. He can jump 15 cm high off the surface
of the Earth. When he is on the Moon he can jump higher than this.

This is because, on the Moon,

A his weight is smaller than on C his weight is the same as on Earth.

Earth.
B his weight is greater than on D his mass is smaller than on Earth.
Earth.

3 A truck driver takes a total of two hours to make a journey of 75 km. During the
journey he takes a break of half an hour and speeds a quarter of an hour stationary in
a traffic jam.

At what average speed must he travel during the rest of the time to complete the
journey in two hours?

A 75 km/h C 50 km/h
B 60 km/h D 38 km/h

4 An object of mass 400 g is lowered into a measuring cylinder containing water.

The water level rises from 300 cm³ to 500 cm³.

What is the density of the object?

A 0.50 g/cm³ C 1.33 g/cm³

B 0.80 g/cm³ D 2.0 g/cm³

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5 Two resistors are connected in series with a 9.0 volt supply.

What is the current flowing in the circuit?

A 6.0 A
B 4.5 A
C 3.0 A
D 2.0 A

6 A beaker of water contains a blue crystal which slowly dissolves.

Gentle heat is applied below the crystal.

water

blue crystal

gentle heating

The blue colour is seen to rise.

What is the name of this process?

A evaporation C convection
B conduction D radiation

7 Which type of energy is converted to thermal energy when atoms combine?

A nuclear C solar
B chemical D kinetic

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8 In a liquid-in-glass thermometer, the liquid column is 2.0 cm long and 12.0 cm long at
100 ⁰C.

How long will the liquid column be at 30 ⁰C?

A 9.0 cm
B 5.0 cm
C 3.0 cm
D 2.3 cm

9 The diagram below shows a ray of light passing from air into glass.

Which ratio gives refractive index of light?

A sin p / sin x C sin q / sin x

B sin p / sin y D sin q / sin y

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10 The diagram shows the variation of the displacement of a wave with distance from the
source.

What is the amplitude of the wave?

A 40 cm C 4.0 cm
B 20 cm D 2.0 cm

11 What will prove that a metal bar is a permanent magnet?

A It conducts electricity.
B It attracts both ends of a compass needle.
C It repels another magnet.
D It attracts another magnet.

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12 Ra decays with a half-life of 1600 s.
Rn decays with a half-life of 52 s.
Po decays with a half-life of 9.1 s.
Pb decays with a half-life of 10.6 h.

The changing count rate for one of these radioactive nuclides is shown in the graph
below.
count rate (counts per second)

time / seconds

From the half-life shown by the graph, which was the decaying radioactive nuclide?

A Pb C Rn
B Ra D Po

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13 A metal bar, PQ, has a weight of 5 N and is pivoted at P.

It is held horizontal by a newton meter acting at Q.

What is the reading on the newton meter?

A 5N C 7.5 N

B 2.5 N D 10 N

14 Which statement about the molecules in ammonia gas is correct?

A The molecules are in fixed positions.

B The molecules move randomly.
C The molecules are diatomic.
D The molecules are close together.

15 What particles are present in the nucleus of the oxygen nuclide 17

8 O?

neutrons protons
A 9 8
B 17 8
C 8 9
D 9 17

16 Which statement describes the formation of a chloride ion from a chlorine atom?

A The atom gains one electron.

B The atom gains two electrons.
C The atom loses one electron.
D The atom loses two electrons.

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17 The outer electronic structure of compound U is shown.
Y and Z are different elements.

compound U

Which formula could represent compound U?

A H2O B CO2
C Cl2O D SiO2

18 A student wishes to extract a coloured solution from some flowers to make an

indicator solution.
Which of the listed instructions should the student follow?

1 crush the petals

2 leave the mixture overnight
3 pour alcohol to cover petals
4 filter the mixture
5 distil the filtrate

A 1, 2, 3 and 4
B 1, 3, 2 and 5
C 2, 3, 1 and 5
D 3, 1, 2 and 4

19 The diagrams show models of molecules.

Which molecules could the above models represent?

X Y Z
A hydrogen chlorine carbon dioxide
B hydrogen oxygen water
C helium chlorine water
D helium oxygen carbon dioxide

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20 Carbon and chlorine form a chloride.
What is the formula of this chloride?

A CaCl2

B CaCl4

C CCl4

D CCl2

21 Which atom has two more electrons than an atom of a noble gas?

A nitrogen
B magnesium
C caesium
D chlorine

22 The diagram shows the pH values of four solutions.

Which of these solutions are alkaline?

A R and S only
B P only
C P and Q only
D Q and R only

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23 The table lists some reactions of metals P, Q and R.

most reactive least reactive

A P R Q
B R P Q
C R Q P
D Q P R

24 Which statement about alloys is not correct?

A Alloys are mixtures of different metals and other elements.

B Alloys are not as strong as the metals they are made from.
C Alloys are more expensive than pure metals.
D Alloys are good conductors of electricity.

25 A magazine article claims that carbon dioxide is formed as follows.

1 during respiration
2 when magnesium carbonate reacts with hydrochloric acid
3 when propane burns in air

Which statements are correct?

A 1 and 2 only
B 1, 2 and 3
C 2 and 3 only
D 1 and 3 only

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26 The diagrams show the growth of four plants.

Which element is acting as a fertiliser?

A S B O
C N D H

27 The structures of three compounds are shown.

Why do these substances all belong to the same homologous series?

A They all contain an even number of carbon atoms.

B They are all saturated hydrocarbons.
C They can all serve as fuel.
D They all contain the same functional group.

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28 A person moves from a dark room into sunlight.
How do their eyes respond?

A The blind spots become larger.

B The blind spots become smaller.
C The pupils become larger.
D The pupils become smaller.

29 What are found in the parts labeled A and B ?

A B
A Nucleus Chloroplasts
B Enzymes Mitochondria
C Mitochondria Enzymes
D Chloroplasts Mitochondria

30 Some red blood cells were placed in distilled water and others were placed in
three salt solutions of different concentrations. Which diagram shows the
appearance of a cell after being in the most concentrated salt solution?

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31 Why is sunlight necessary for photosynthesis?

A It is a catalyst.
B It is a source of energy.
C It provides nutrients.
D It provides oxygen.

32 What is the optimum pH for a stomach protease?

A pH 2
B pH 7
C pH 9
D pH 12

Use the diagram of a section through a leaf to answer questions 33 and 34.

33 Which can perform the most photosynthesis?

A P C R
B Q D S

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34 The structures shown are all parts of the same

A cell.
B organ.
C organ system.
D tissue.

35 The table shows some of the nutrients in four meals. Which meal will be the
most likely to stimulate peristalsis in the alimentary canal?

g/100 g
Fibre
Carbohydrate Fat Protein
(Roughage)
A 18 12 8 30
B 30 32 30 4
C 40 15 21 10
D 28 4 15 30

36 The diagram shows a vertical section through the human heart.

Which of the following is the bicuspid valve?

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37 Which of the following shows the components and functions of blood?

Red blood cell White blood cell Platelets

A Antibody production Clotting Oxygen transport

B Clotting Oxygen transport Antibody production

C Oxygen transport Antibody production Clotting

D Carbon dioxide transport Clotting Antibody production

38 Four flasks are sterilised and set up as shown. Which flask will contain the
most alcohol after several hours?

39 The experiment shown in the diagram was set up to investigate the conditions
required for the germination of bean seeds.
Which seed would be most likely to germinate?

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40 The diagram shows a food chain. Where does energy enter the food chain?

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