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Year 7 Investigative Skills Practice
Q1. (a) Peter used the equipment below to investigate growth of plants.
equipment measurement unit
(i) Draw one line from each piece of equipment to the measurement Peter made.2 marks
(ii) Then draw one line from each measurement to the correct unit. 2 marks
(b) The diagrams below show four measuring containers.
A B C D
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Which is the best container to use to measure 15 cm3 of water?
Write the letter.
............. 1 mark
Why did you choose this container?
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................ 1 mark
maximum 6 marks
Q2. Kiran lit a candle. She placed a 100 cm3 glass jar over the candle. The candle flame went out after 2 seconds.
(a) Why did the flame go out?
......................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................... 1 mark
(b) Kiran put different sized jars over a lit candle. She measured the time it took for the flame to go out each time. She recorded her results in a table.
size of jar (cm3)
time for candle to go out (s)
100 2
250 5
500 9
1000 22
2000 37
3000 60
(i) Plot Kiran’s results on the graph paper below. The first one has been done for you.
1 mark
(ii) Draw a line of best fit.
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1 mark
(iii) What conclusion can you make from her results?
.............................................................................................................
............................................................................................................. 1 mark
(c) What should Kiran keep the same in this experiment to make it a fair test?
...................................................................................................................... 1 mark
(d) Suggest one way for Kiran to make her results more reliable.
...................................................................................................................... 1 mark
maximum 6 marks
Q4. 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)
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1 mark
(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)
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1 mark
(ii)
1 mark
maximum 5 marks
Q5. Paul had four substances:
He dissolved 1 g of each substance in 20 cm3 of distilled water. He used universal indicator to find the pH of each solution.
(a) (i) Sugar solution does not change the colour of green universal indicator.
What does this tell you about sugar solution? Tick the correct box.
It is an acid. It is an alkali.
It is neutral. It is sweet. 1 mark
(ii) Suggest the pH of citric acid.
............ 1 mark
(iii) Indigestion tablets neutralise acid in the stomach.
What does this tell you about indigestion tablets?
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............................................................................................................... 1 mark
(b) Complete the flow chart below with the names of the substances in the boxes.
3 marks
maximum 6 marks
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Q6. Some pupils investigated different materials used to make rucksacks. Here are some of the questions they asked.
(a) Which pupil asked a question that cannot be investigated? Tick the correct box.
Aysha Philip Zoe Shaun
Give a reason to your answer.
.......................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................2 marks
(b) Zara took four different rucksack materials and investigated how waterproof they were.
She poured 100 cm3 of water through each material in turn. She measured the volume of water passing through each material in 30 minutes.
(i) Give one way of making Zara’s test fair.
................................................................................................................1 mark
(ii) Look at the photograph of the investigation.
Name one measuring instrument Zara used.
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................................................................................................................1 mark
(c) The table below shows Zara’s results.
material volume of water passing through
each material (cm3)
A 11
B 5
C 20
D 15
Which material was the most waterproof? Tick the correct box.
A B C D
Explain your answer.
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................ 2 marks
maximum 6 marks
Q7. (a) Elephants keep cool by losing heat from their ears.
Predict which elephant can lose more heat from its ears.
..................................................... elephant
Give the reason for your answer.
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................ 1 mark
(b) Ben filled two identical cans with 250 cm3 of hot water. He wrapped strips of metal around them to model the elephants’ ears.
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He recorded the temperature of the water in each can every 5 minutes. The table shows his results.
time (minutes) temperature (°C)
can A can B
0 60 60
5 54 57
10 50 54
15 46 52
20 43 50
(i) Ben started with water at the same temperature in both cans. Give one other way he made his test fair.
...............................................................................................................
............................................................................................................... 1 mark
(ii) He plotted the results for can A and can B and drew lines of best fit.
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Why is it more useful to present these results in a graph rather than a table?
...............................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................1 mark
(iii) The water in can A cooled more quickly than the water in can B. Does this support your prediction in part (a)? Tick the correct box.
yes no
Explain your answer.
...............................................................................................................
...............................................................................................................1 mark
(c) Ben repeated the investigation. Instead of a thermometer he used a temperature sensor and a data logger. Give one advantage of this.
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................1 mark
Q8. Josh has a helium-filled balloon.
(a) He wants to calculate the speed of his balloon as it rises to the ceiling.
(i) What two measurements should he take to calculate the average speed of his balloon?
1 ..........................................................................................................
2 ..........................................................................................................1 mark
(ii) How can he use these measurements to calculate the speed of his balloon?
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................1 mark
(b) Josh attached different masses to his balloon. For each mass, he calculated the speed of rise of the balloon. His results are shown below.
mass (g)
speed of rise (mm/s)
0 120
10 60
20 40
30 –20
40 –70
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(i) How does the table show that the balloon went downwards?
............................................................................................................. 1 mark
(ii) Josh plotted two points on the graph as shown. Complete the graph by plotting the missing points and draw a line of best fit.
2 marks
(iii) From the graph, find the mass needed to keep the balloon floating in one place.
........... g 1 mark
maximum 6 marks
Q9. The diagram below shows the Hubble telescope in orbit around the Earth.
not to scale
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(a) Which force keeps the telescope in orbit around the Earth? Tick the correct box.
air resistance friction
gravity magnetism 1 mark
(b) The Hubble telescope is a satellite used for looking at planets and stars.
Give one other use of satellites.
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................ 1 mark
(c) Fill each of the gaps in the following sentences with a different word from the box below.
absorbs produces reflects
You can see the Sun because it .............................................. light.
You can see a satellite because it ........................................... light. 1 mark
(d) The bar chart shows the size of five planets compared to the size of Earth.
The planet Uranus is four times the size of Earth. On the chart above, draw a bar for the planet Uranus.
1 mark
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(e) (i) Arrange the following in order of size, starting with the smallest.
Sun Hubble telescope Earth
....................................... ...................................... ...................................... smallest largest
1 mark
(ii) Some stars are bigger than the Sun but they look smaller. Why do they look smaller than the Sun? Tick the correct box.
1 mark
maximum 6 marks Q10. Jack and Aneesa dropped a steel ball into trays of damp sand. They measured the depth of the craters made by the steel ball.
Their results are shown in the table below.
height the ball was dropped from (cm)
depth of crater (cm)
Jack’s results Aneesa’s
results
10 1.1 1.2 0.8
20 1.4 1.5 1.4
30 1.6 1.6 1.5
40 1.8 1.7 1.8
50 2.0 2.1 2.1
(a) Use information in the table to answer the questions below.
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(i) What was the independent variable that Jack and Aneesa changed in their investigation?
............................................................................................................. 1 mark
(ii) Why was Jack’s investigation better than Aneesa’s?
............................................................................................................. 1 mark
(b) Look at the results in the table. What is the relationship between the height the ball was dropped from and the depth of the crater?
......................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................... 1 mark
(c) Aneesa said that they made sure the investigation was fair.
Suggest two variables they must have kept the same to make their investigation fair.
1 ...................................................................................................................
2 ................................................................................................................... 2 marks
(d) (i) Jack removed the steel ball using his fingers. Then he measured the depth of the crater. Aneesa said he should use a magnet instead of his fingers.
Explain why using a magnet to remove the ball would improve the investigation.
.............................................................................................................
............................................................................................................. 1 mark
(ii) Jack said that the ball could be dropped using an electromagnet instead of dropping it by hand.
Explain why this would improve the investigation.
.............................................................................................................
............................................................................................................. 1 mark
maximum 7 marks
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ANSWERS M1. (a) (i)
if all four lines are correct, award two marks if two or three lines are correct, award one mark if more than one line is drawn from any box, do not credit that line
(ii)
if all four lines are correct, award two marks if two or three lines are correct, award one mark if more than one line is drawn from any box, do not credit that line
(b) • C 1 (L4)
any one from:
• A and D start at 25 and B does not have a mark at 15
accept ‘it has a mark for 15’ do not award a mark if C has not been selected or identified in either part of item (b)
• there are not enough marks on A, B or D or the others
accept ‘you don’t have to estimate the measurement’ ‘it is easy to read’ is insufficient ‘more measurements on it’ is insufficient
• precise
accept ‘the measurement is reliable’
‘it measures in cm3’ is insufficient
• C has the finest or most accurate scale
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accept ‘it is accurate’
• it is accurate at 15 cm3
accept ‘it is the most exact’ accept ‘it goes up in ones’ accept ‘it has the smallest units in it’ accept ‘there are more lines on the scale’
1 (L4) [6]
M2. (a) any one from
• not enough oxygen can get to the candle
accept ‘all the oxygen has been used up’
responses referring to ‘air’ are insufficient
• there is not enough oxygen
accept ‘no (more) oxygen’ accept ‘O2 runs out’
‘the candle needs oxygen’ is insufficient
accept ‘carbon dioxide extinguishes the candle’
‘it suffocates’ is insufficient
accept ‘there is too much carbon dioxide’ 1 (L5)
(b) (i) • all five points plotted correctly
accept points plotted within ± 1 small square 1 (L5)
(ii) • an appropriate line of best fit for the plotted points
accept a line or curve consistent with the points plotted
1 (L5)
(iii) • the bigger the jar the longer the candle takes to go out
accept the converse accept ‘there is a positive correlation between the size of the jar and the time the candle stays lit’
‘burning needs oxygen’ is insufficient ‘it takes the candle a longer time to go out in a big jar’ is insufficient
accept ‘the bigger the jar or the greater the volume of the oxygen or air, the longer the flame stays alight’
‘a bigger jar contains more air or oxygen’ is insufficient (c) any one from
• type of candle
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accept ‘candle’
do not accept ‘time the candle takes to go out’
• the surface the jar is on
• shape of jar
do not accept ‘volume or size of jar’
(d) • repeat the experiment or measurements
accept ‘take more measurements’
do not accept ‘make the test fair’
accept ‘take more accurate measurements’ accept ‘use more jars (between 1000 cm3 and 3000 cm3)’ (L5)
M4. (a) (i) • no magnetic force
if more than one box is ticked, award no mark ignore added poles
(ii) • attract
if more than one box is ticked, award no mark ignore added poles
1 (L3)
(iii) • attract
if more than one box is ticked, award no mark ignore added poles
1 (L3)
(b) (i)
• N
S
S
all three poles are required for the mark
(ii)
• N
S
N
all three poles are required for the mark
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M5. (a) (i) • It is neutral
if more than one box is ticked, award no mark
(ii) • any number less than 7
(iii) any one from
• they are alkaline or an alkali
accept ‘a soluble base’ accept ‘it has a pH above 7’
specific pH values such as ‘its pH is 8.5’ are insufficient
• they react with the acid
(b) •
accept ‘copper sulfate’ accept ‘the sulphate’ for ‘copper sulphate’
•
accept ‘acid’ for ‘citric acid’
• •
accept ‘tablet’ for ‘indigestion tablet’
if all four answers are correct, award three marks if two or three answers are correct, award two marks if one answer is correct, award one mark
3 (L5) [6]
M6. (a) • Zoe
if more than one box is ticked, award no mark 1 (L3)
any one from
• best needs to be defined
accept ‘best needs to be described’ accept ‘you do not know what best means’
• best is not observable or measurable
• best is subjective
accept ‘it is not doable’
accept ‘best is an opinion or judgement’
accept ‘best is not clear’ 1 (L3)
(b) (i) any one from
• use the same area of material each time
• use the same volume of water
accept ‘same amount of material’ accept ‘same size of rucksack’ accept ‘same amount of water’
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accept ‘same liquid’ accept ‘same timing’ accept ‘allow the water to drip through the material for the same length of time’ accept ‘keep the temperature the same’
do not accept ‘do it more than once’ 1 (L3)
(ii) any one from
• measuring cylinder
• stopclock or stopwatch
accept ‘measuring beaker’
accept ‘clock’ or ‘timer’ or ‘watch’
do not accept ‘cylinder’ or ‘measuring tube’ or ‘measuring jug’
1 (L3)
(c) • B
if more than one box is ticked, award no mark 1 (L4)
• the smallest volume of water passes through the material
accept ‘only 5 cm3 passed through’
accept ‘less water passed through’
accept ‘not as much water gets through’
answers must include or imply a comparison
‘5 cm3 passed through’ is insufficient
‘not much water gets through’ is insufficient 1 (L4)
[6]
M7. (a) • African its ears have a larger surface area
accept ‘larger surface area’ accept ‘larger ears’
both the answer and the correct explanation are required for the mark ‘they have large ears’ is insufficient
1 (L5)
(b) (i) any one from
• he used identical cans
accept ‘the cans were made of the same metal’ accept ‘the cans were the same size or shape’ accept ‘he used the same metal for the strips’
‘he used metal for the strips’ is insufficient
• he used the same amount of water
‘he took the temperature every 5 minutes for both’ is insufficient
accept ‘he kept them in the same place’ 1 (L5)
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(ii) any one from
• the pattern or relationship can be seen more easily or more quickly
accept ‘the pattern or relationship is clearer’
‘the pattern or the way the temperature changes can be seen’ is insufficient
accept ‘the temperature change is clearer’
‘it is clearer’ is insufficient
accept ‘the pattern can be seen straight away’
‘to see them better’ is insufficient
accept ‘you can compare them more easily’
• anomalous results can be seen more quickly or easily
accept ‘you can make predictions more easily or more quickly’
do not accept ‘a graph is more accurate’ 1 (L6)
(iii) • yes the greater the surface area of metal the greater the heat loss or the lower the temperature
if more than one box is ticked, award no mark both the answer ‘yes’ and the correct explanation are required for the mark
accept ‘the bigger strips cause the greatest heat loss’ accept ‘metal A represents big ears’
accept ‘the can with bigger strips cooled more quickly’ accept answers that relate the size or surface of the strips to the size or surface of the ears
do not accept ‘can B was a better insulator’
accept ‘no’ and a relevant supporting explanation only if ‘Indian elephant’ is given as an answer to part (a). An example would be ‘no, as I thought smaller ears would cool quicker’
1 (L5)
(c) any one from
• it reduces error
accept ‘it is more accurate’ accept ‘less human error’ or ‘is more reliable’ accept ‘it is more precise’
• readings are continuous
accept ‘it takes more readings’
• it can draw a graph
accept ‘you can leave it to take results’
‘you can leave it’ is insufficient
accept ‘it would record the results for him’
M8. (a) (i) • distance from the (top of the) balloon to the ceiling
accept ‘distance’ or ‘height to ceiling or roof’
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and time for the balloon to rise to the ceiling or roof
accept ‘time’
both answers are required for the mark the answers can be in either order ‘height (of ceiling)’ is insufficient as this implies the distance from the floor ‘how high it goes’ is insufficient ‘metres’ is insufficient ‘seconds’ is insufficient
1 (L7)
(ii) • divide the distance by the time
accept ‘ ’ or ‘ ’
‘how many metres it travelled per minute or second’ is insufficient
accept ‘ ’ if height is given in part (i)
‘m/s’ is insufficient
accept ‘distance over time’
‘ ’ is insufficient 1 (L7)
(b) (i) any one from
• the negative numbers
• the –20 and/or the –70 1 (L7)
(ii) • all three points plotted correctly as shown below
accept points plotted within ± ½ small square of the correct answer
1 (L6)
• an appropriate line of best fit as shown above
accept a line of best fit consistent with the plotted points 1 (L7)
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(iii) • 26 g
accept the x axis intercept ± 1 small square from the line of best fit drawn
1 (L7) M9. (a) • gravity
if more than one box is ticked, award no mark
(b) any one from
• telecommunications
accept ‘communication’
• television or TV
• telephones
accept ‘phone’ or ‘fax’
• radio
• weather
• military or spy observations
• land use observations
• GPS
accept ‘navigation’
• internet
• monitoring or taking pictures of the Earth
‘looking at or taking pictures of planets or stars or galaxies’ is insufficient as it is given in the question
1 (L4)
(c) • produces reflects
answers must be in the correct order both answers are required for the mark
1 (L4)
(d) • a bar drawn to 4 1 (L4)
(e) (i) • Hubble telescope Earth Sun
accept ‘Hubble’ or ‘telescope’ for Hubble telescope
answers must be in the correct order all three answers are required for the mark
1 (L3)
(ii) • They are further away than the Sun
if more than one box is ticked, award no mark 1 (L3)
[6]
M10. (a) (i) • the height the ball was dropped from
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accept ‘height’
do not accept ‘depth’
accept ‘height in cm’
‘cm’ is insufficient 1 (L5)
(ii) any one from
• he repeated it
accept ‘he got more results’ accept ‘he did it twice’
‘it was a fair test’ is insufficient
• he could get an average
accept ‘he would notice odd results’
• it was more reliable
accept ‘more accurate’ 1 (L5)
(b) • the greater the height, the deeper the crater
accept the converse accept ‘there is a positive correlation (between the variables)’ accept ‘bigger’ for ‘deeper’ only when it refers to the crater size
a comparative answer is required for the mark ‘when the ball was dropped from a high height, a larger crater formed’ is insufficient ‘the bigger, the deeper’ is insufficient as ‘bigger’ is ambiguous
1 (L5)
(c) any two from
• (use the same) ball
accept ‘the size or mass or weight or volume or material of the ball’
do not accept ‘density of ball’
• depth of sand
accept ‘same amount of sand’ or ‘the (same) sand’
• the conditions of the sand
accept ‘how damp the sand was’ or ‘the type of sand’ accept ‘how flat the sand surface is’
‘the sand tray’ is insufficient
• where or how the depth is measured
accept ‘keep the ruler in the same position’ ‘use the same ruler’ is insufficient
• the way the ball is released
accept ‘release the ball with the same force’ ‘same person’ is insufficient
2 (L5)
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(d) (i) • there is less disturbance to the sand
accept ‘he might push the ball further in’ accept ‘your finger could push it further in, but the magnet lifts it’
‘it would be more accurate’ is insufficient
accept ‘it lifts the ball out cleanly’
‘it lifts the ball out’ is insufficient 1 (L5)
(ii) any one from
• less chance of human error
accept ‘the ball would fall the same way each time’ do not accept ‘there is less chance of something going wrong’
• the electromagnet would drop it cleanly
accept ‘the ball would not be dropped differently’
‘it lands in the same place’ is insufficient
accept ‘it drops at the same angle’
‘it is easier to adjust height’ is insufficient
accept ‘the ball would be released from the same height each time’
• the height would be more accurate
‘it is more accurate’ is insufficient ‘so it is a fair test’ is insufficient
accept ‘they could push the ball (slightly) if they use their hands’
do not accept ‘he can change the force of the electromagnet’ ‘it stays steady’ is insufficient
1 (L6) [7]