Madeley High School

Year 9 Science Exam Revision Questions

Q1. The drawing below shows a barn owl.

Barn owls hunt for small animals such as mice.

(a) (i) Look at the drawing of the barn owl.

Give two ways the barn owl is suited for catching small animals.

1 ............................................................

2 ............................................................

(ii) Draw a line from each animal below to the word that describes it.
Draw only two lines.

4 marks

(b) The photograph below shows two young barn owls.

They are covered with soft feathers.

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Why do the young barn owls need feathers?

.................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................

(c) Barn owls build nests in farm buildings. Mice eat wheat seeds.

(i) Many old farm buildings have been knocked down so that houses can be
built on the farmland.

Give one reason why this has caused the number of barn owls to
decrease.

................................................................................................................

(ii) Suggest one reason why farmers like to have barn owls on their farms.

................................................................................................................
3 marks
maximum 7 marks

Q2. The drawings below show four living things found in a wood.

not to scale

• Caterpillars eat oak leaves.

• Owls eat blackbirds.
• Blackbirds eat caterpillars.

(a) (i) Complete the food chain for these four living things.

oak tree → ................................. → ................................. → ..................................

1 mark

(ii) Why is an oak tree called a producer?

Tick the correct box.

It loses its leaves It makes food by

in autumn. photosynthesis.

Its flowers are tiny. Its leaves will not rot.

1 mark

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(b) On one oak tree, there were two types of caterpillar.

not to scale

All the caterpillars were eating the leaves.

The number of gypsy moth caterpillars increased.

What happened to the number of orange-striped caterpillars?

......................................................................................................................
1 mark

Explain your answer.

......................................................................................................................
1 mark

(c) There are no caterpillars on the oak tree in winter.

Suggest a reason for this.

......................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................
1 mark
maximum 5 marks

Q3 The information below was taken from the label of a can of baked beans in
tomato sauce.

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(a) A healthy diet contains a number of groups of substances. The nutritional
information lists some of these.

Give one group of substances, needed for a healthy diet, which is missing
from the nutritional information.

.................................................
1 mark

(b) (i) Which food, shown in the list of ingredients, provides the most protein in this
can?

........................................
1 mark

(ii) Give one reason why we need protein in our diet.

..........................................................................................................
1 mark

(c) (i) Name one food, shown in the list of ingredients, which provides fibre.

........................................
1 mark

(ii) Why is fibre needed for a balanced diet?

............................................................................................................

............................................................................................................
1 mark
Maximum 5 marks

Q4. The diagram shows a section through the human female reproductive system.

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(a) (i) How often are eggs normally released in the female reproductive system?

.............................................................................................................
1 mark

(ii) In which labelled part is an egg normally fertilised by a sperm?

..........................................
1 mark

(b) Fill the two gaps in the sentences below.

A fertilised egg divides into a tiny ball of cells called an embryo.

The embryo attaches to the lining of the uterus. Here the embryo

grows to become an unborn baby, called a ...................................... .

It takes about ...................................... months for a baby to develop

inside its mother.

2 marks

(c) The diagram below shows a baby growing in its mother’s uterus.

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(i) What is the function of the amniotic fluid?

.............................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................
1 mark

(ii) Through which part can harmful substances, such as nicotine, pass from the
mother’s blood to the baby’s blood?

.................................................
1 mark

(iii) Give one other harmful substance which may be passed from the mother’s
blood to the baby’s blood.

............................................
1 mark

(d) When the baby is born it is pushed out of the mother’s body.
What happens in the wall of the uterus to push the baby out?

.....................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................
1 mark
Maximum 8 marks

Q5. (a) Diagram 1 is a simplified drawing of bones and muscles in a left leg viewed
from the outer side.

(i) Muscle A contracts. What effect does this have on the leg?

.............................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................
1 mark

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(ii) Muscles are found in antagonistic pairs. Write the letters of the pair of muscles
which control the bending and straightening of the leg at the knee.

.............................................................................................................
1 mark

(iii) When one muscle of an antagonistic pair contracts the other muscle does not
relax completely, but maintains some tension.

What is the advantage of maintaining tension in both muscles.

.............................................................................................................
1 mark

(b) Diagram 2 shows the elbow joint. Tissue X covers the ends of the bones at
the joint.

(i) Give the name of tissue X. ……………………………………………….

1 mark

(ii) Osteoarthritis is a very painful condition. In the joints of people with

osteoarthritis small pieces of tissue X break off.
Suggest two effects this could have on the joint.

.............................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................
2 marks

(c) Tendons are shown in diagram 1 and ligaments are shown in diagram 2. Ligaments
can stretch much more than tendons.

(i) Explain why ligaments at the elbow need to stretch.

.............................................................................................................
1 mark

(ii) Explain why it is necessary that tendons hardly stretch at all when a muscle
contracts.

.............................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................
1 mark
Maximum 8 marks

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Q6. Michelle added some universal indicator solution to four liquids.

Michelle uses the pH chart to fill in her table of results.

pH chart

pH 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

colour red orange green blue purple

(a) The table below shows some of Michelle’s results.

Complete Michelle’s table of results below.

Use the pH chart to help you.

colour of universal
liquid pH
indicator solution

milk green

rain water 5

hydrochloric acid red

bleach 11

2 marks

(b) Explain why using acids can be dangerous.

........................................................................................................................
1 mark

(c) Michelle measured the pH of some milk stored at room temperature for five days.

The graph of Michelle’s results is shown below.

One of the axes has been labelled.

1 mark

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(i) Write the axis label for the graph at X.

(ii) Use the graph. How does the pH of the milk change over the five days?

...............................................................................................................
1 mark
maximum 5 marks

Q7. The pH scale shown below is used to measure how acidic or alkaline a solution is.

The graph below shows how the pH of the liquid in Barry's mouth changed as he
ate a meal.

(a) (i) Use the graph to give the pH of the liquid in Barry's mouth before he started
to eat.

pH ..................
1 mark

(ii) What does this pH tell you about the liquid in Barry's mouth before he started
to eat?

Use the pH scale above to help you.

Tick the correct box.

It was acidic. It was alkaline. It was colourless. It was neutral.

1 mark

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(b) Look at the graph above.
What happened to the pH of the liquid in Barry's mouth as he ate the meal?

.....................................................................................................................
1 mark

(c) Barry chews special chewing gum after each meal. The chewing gum neutralises
the liquid in his mouth.

What type of substance neutralises an acid?

Tick the correct box.

an acid an alkali

an indicator a solid
1 mark
Maximum 4 marks

Q8. The list below shows properties that different elements can have.

• magnetic

• can be compressed

• very high melting point

• very low melting point

• good conductor of heat

• poor conductor of heat

• good conductor of electricity

• poor conductor of electricity

(a) Which two properties from the list above make aluminium suitable for saucepans?

1. .................................................................................................................

2. .................................................................................................................
2 marks

(b) Which property in the list above explains why:

(i) copper is used in the cable of a television?

.............................................................................................................
1 mark

(ii) a lot of oxygen gas can be pumped into a very small container?

.............................................................................................................
1 mark
Maximum 4 marks

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Q9. (a) The table below shows information about five elements.

melting point boiling point conducts

element colour
(°C) (°C) electricity

A –7 59 no brown

B –218 –183 no colourless

C 1535 2750 yes silvery

D 113 445 no yellow

E 1083 2567 yes orange

(i) Which two of these elements are likely to be metals?

Write the letters.

............................... and ...............................

1 mark

(ii) Which element in the table is liquid at room temperature?

Write the letter.

.......................
1 mark

(b) What is the chemical symbol for copper?

Tick the correct box.

Cr Cu C Co Ca
1 mark

(c) How many atoms of iron and oxygen are there shown in the formulas for FeO and
Fe2O3?

Complete the table below.

number of atoms number of atoms

compound
of iron of oxygen

FeO

Fe2O3

2 marks
maximum 5 marks

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Q10. (a) Methane can be a gas, a liquid or a solid. In the diagram below, arrows P, Q,
R and S represent changes of state.

The boxes on the right show the arrangement of particles of methane in the three
different physical states.
Each circle represents a particle of methane.

(i) Draw a line from each physical state of methane to the arrangement of
particles in that physical state.
Draw only three lines.
1 mark

(ii) Arrows P, Q, R and S represent changes of state.

Which arrow represents:

evaporation? ............................................................

melting? ...................................................................
2 marks

(b) Methane is the main compound in natural gas. The scale below shows the
melting point and the boiling point of methane.

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Methane has three physical states: solid, liquid and gas.

(i) What is the physical state of methane at –170°C?

.............................................................
1 mark

(ii) The formula of methane is CH4. The symbols for the two elements in methane
are C and H.

Give the names of these two elements.

element C .............................................

element H ............................................
2 marks

(iii) When methane burns, it reacts with oxygen.

One of the products is water, H2O.

Give the name of the other product.

..............................................................
1 mark
Maximum 7 marks

Q11. (a) The table below shows the melting points of four metals.

melting point,
metal
in °C
gold 1064

mercury –37

sodium 98

iron 1540

(i) Which metal in the table has the highest melting point?

............................................................
1 mark

(ii) Which metal in the table has the lowest melting point?

............................................................
1 mark

(b) Gold can be a gas or a liquid or a solid.

Choose from these words to fill the gaps below.

When gold is heated from room temperature to 1070°C, the gold

changes from a ................................. to a ................................... .

1 mark

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(c) 5 g of gold is melted and all of it is poured into a mould to make a pendant as
shown below.

What is the mass of the gold pendant?

........................... g
1 mark

(d) The table below shows how the four metals react with oxygen when heated in air.

reaction when
metal
heated in air
gold no change
slowly forms a
mercury
red powder
bursts into flames
sodium
straight away
very slowly turns
iron
black

(i) Which is the most reactive metal in the table?

............................................................
1 mark

(ii) Which is the least reactive metal in the table?

............................................................
1 mark
Maximum 6 marks

Q12. Joanne added iron filings to copper sulphate solution.

She observed the reaction after one week.

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(a) What evidence in the diagrams shows that a chemical reaction has taken place?

........................................................................................................................
1 mark

(b) The reaction between iron and copper sulphate is a displacement reaction.

(i) Give the name of the orange metal visible after one week.

.................................................
1 mark

(ii) What is the name of the compound formed in this reaction?

.................................................
1 mark

(iii) Joanne poured the green solution into another test tube. She added some
copper pieces to the solution.

Will a displacement reaction occur?

yes no

Explain your answer.

...............................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................
1 mark

(c) Part of the reactivity series of metals is shown below.

Use the information above.

Which two metals would react with aluminium nitrate in a displacement reaction?

Tick the two correct boxes.

calcium potassium

zinc lead
1 mark
maximum 5 marks

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Q13. (a) Draw a line from each circuit symbol below to the correct name.
Draw only four lines.

circuit symbol name

3 marks

(b) Fred made circuit 1 as shown below.

Give the name of the part that is the energy source for the circuit.

.........................................................
1 mark

(c) Fred then made circuit 2 as shown below.

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In the table below, tick a box to show whether circuit 1 and circuit 2 are series or
parallel circuits.
Tick only two boxes.

series parallel

circuit 1

circuit 2

1 mark

(d) What metal is usually used for wires in electric circuits?

...........................................................
1 mark
maximum 6 marks

Q14. David put two bars of iron close to each other.

There was no magnetic force between them.
David recorded the result as shown below.

(a) David did three other tests.

Tick the correct box to show the result for each test.

(i)

1 mar

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(ii)

1 mark

(iii)

1 mark

(b) David then did two experiments with magnets.

The tick in each box shows David’s results in each experiment.

Label the missing poles on each magnet to match David’s results.

(i)

1 mark

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(ii)

1 mark
maximum 5 marks

Q15. Alex makes an electromagnet.

She winds insulated wire around an iron nail.
She connects the wire to a power supply.
She uses the electromagnet to pick up some steel paper-clips.

This is her prediction.

The more turns of wire around the iron nail the stronger
the electromagnet becomes.

(a) (i) Give the one factor she should change as she investigates her prediction.

.............................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................
1 mark

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(ii) Give one factor she should keep the same.

.............................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................
1 mark

(iii) Describe how she could use the paper-clips to measure the
strength of the electromagnet.

.............................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................
1 mark

(b) Alex wrote a report of her investigation.

What would an odd result suggest?

......................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................
1 mark

(c) (i) Which size paper-clips would Alex use to make her results more
accurate?
Tick the correct box.

1 mark

(ii) Give a reason for your choice.

.............................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................
1 mark
maximum 6 marks

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Q16. Tom tries on four types of footwear in a sports shop.

ski boot trainer

ice skate walking boot

(a) (i) When Tom tries on the footwear, which one sinks into the carpet the most?

.............................................................................................................
1 mark

(ii) When Tom tries on the footwear, what is the same for each type of footwear?
Tick the correct box.

the area of the footwear

Tom’s weight on the footwear

the material of the footwear

the weight of the footwear

1 mark

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(b) The drawing below shows a snowshoe.

How do snowshoes help people to walk in deep snow?

.....................................................................................................................
1 mark

(c) Choose the correct word from the list to complete the sentence below.

air resistance friction gravity magnetism

When Tom is ice skating the force of ..........................................................

between the skate and the ice is less than when he is walking on a carpet.
1 mark
Maximum 4 marks

Q17. James shone a ray of light at a mirror as shown below.

diagram 1

He measured the angle of reflection for different angles of incidence.

His results are shown below.

angle of incidence (º) 30 40 50 60 70

angle of reflection (º) 30 40 50 65 70

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(a) Which angle of reflection was not measured accurately?

..................°

How can you tell this from the table?

.........................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................

1 mark

(b) James set up a different experiment as shown below.

diagram 2

He measured the angle of refraction for different angles of incidence.

His results are shown in the graph.

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Use the graph to answer the questions below.

(i) When the angle of refraction is 20°, what is the angle of incidence?

..................°
1 mark

(ii) What conclusion could James draw from his graph?

Complete the sentence below.

When light passes from air into glass, the angle of incidence is

always .......................................................... the angle of refraction.

1 mark

(c) On diagram 2, draw a line to continue the refracted ray as it leaves the glass
block.
1 mark
maximum 4 marks

Q18

The table below gives information about the planets of the Solar System.
They are listed in alphabetical order.

average time for time for temperature on

planet distance from diameter one orbit one rotation surface of
the Sun in in km round the on its axis planet in °C
million km Sun in hours

Earth 150 13 000 365 days 24 +22

Jupiter 780 140 000 12 years 9.8 –150

Mars 230 6800 687 days 25 –23

Mercury 58 4900 88 days 1400 +350

Neptune 4500 51 000 165 years 16 –220

Pluto 5900 2300 248 years 150 –220

Saturn 1400 120 000 29 years 10.2 –180

Uranus 2900 51 000 84 years 17 –210

Venus 110 12 000 225 days 5800 +480

(Data obtained from The Guinness Book of Astronomy, Patrick Moore; published by Guinness 1992)

(a) Explain why Neptune and Pluto are the coldest planets.

......................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................
1 mark

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(b) Explain why there could be no liquid water on the surface of:

(i) Mars ...................................................................................................

............................................................................................................
1 mark

(ii) Venus .................................................................................................

............................................................................................................
1 mark

(c) On which planet would the time between sunrise and sunset be shortest?

..................................................................……
1 mark

(d) Which planet has the shortest year?’

1 mark

..................................................................……

(e) Give the name of the force which keeps the planets in their orbits.

..................................................................……
1 mark
Maximum 6 marks

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