ROUND 1

1. Find the speed of light in a medium with refractive index 1.2 if the speed of light in vacuum is
8 −1
3.0 ×10 m s .
ANSWER: 2.5 ×1 08 m s−1
8 −1 8 −1
v=c /n=3.0× 10 m s ÷ 1.2=2.5 ×10 m s
2. The speed of light in a medium is 0.8 times the speed of light in a second medium. Find the ratio of the
refractive index of the first medium to that of the second.
ANSWER: 1.25
n1 /n 2=v 2 / v1 =1/0.8=1.25
3. Find the refractive index of a medium in which the speed of light is 2.0 ×10 8 m s−1.
ANSWER: 1.5

n=c /v =3.0× 108 m s−1 ÷ ( 2.0 ×108 m s−1 )=1.5

4. Explain the process ‘Radioactive decay’
ANSWER: It is a spontaneous disintegration of a radioactive nucleus to give a daughter
nucleus or daughter nuclei and radiation (or nuclear particles)
5. Some radioactive nuclei decay by α–emission. What is the process equivalent to?
ANSWER: It is a loss of atomic mass units of 4 and atomic number of 2 or loss of helium
nucleus
6. By what means can a non–radioactive nucleus be made to disintegrate
ANSWER: By bombardment of the nucleus with (energetic) nuclear particles
PREAMBLE: Find the magnitude of the given vector:
7. a = -3i + 4j
ANSWER: 5 [|a| = √(9 + 16) = √25 = 5]
8. b = 8i + 15j
ANSWER: 17 [|b | = √(64 + 225) = √289 = 17]
9. c = 12i – 5j
ANSWER: 13 [|c| = √(144 + 25) = √169 = 13]
10. Which of the following organisms use lung books for respiration?
ANSWER: Spiders B. Insects C. Millipedes D. snails
11. Which of the following is NOT a function of the pedipalp in spiders?
ANSWER: A. Web spinning B. Reproduction C. Locomotion D. Feeding
12. Which of the following is a characteristic that spiders do not share with other arachnids?
 ANSWER: A. Bodies divided into two segments B. Absence of wings or antennae
C. Presence of exoskeleton D. Presence of spinnerets
PREAMBLE: The fundamental charge is approximately 1.6 ×10−19 C .
13. A conductor carries a net charge of −32 nC . How many excess electrons does it carry?
ANSWER: 2.0 ×1 011

n=Q/e=−32 ×10−9 C ÷ (−1.6 × 10−19 C per electron )=2.0 ×1011 electron

14. Find the net charge on a conductor from which 5.0 ×10 9 electrons have been removed.
ANSWER: 0.8 nC
9 −19 −10
Q=ne=5.0× 10 protons ×1.6 ×10 C per proton=8.0 ×10 C=0.8 nC
15. A conductor carries a net charge of 32 pC . Find the net charge on it when 5.0 ×107 electrons are removed
from it.
ANSWER: 40 pC
−12 7 −19 −12
Q=q+ne=32 ×10 C+5.0 × 10 protons × 1.6 ×10 C per proton=40 × 10 C=40 pC
16. Consider the half–cells Al3+/Al and Fe2+/Fe with standard electrode potentials –1.66 and –0.41 V
respectively. State which of the units Al, Fe, Al3+ and Fe2+ is the strongest reducing agent and give
your reason.
ANSWER: Strongest reducing agent Al
A cell with the equation: 2 Al + 3 Fe2+ → 2 Al3+ + 3 Fe
will have a positive emf of 1.25 V. The reverse will have negative emf and will not occur
spontaneously
17. Consider the following half–cells and their corresponding standard electrode potentials:
Sn2+/Sn - 0.14 V; Cd2+/Cd- 0.40 V.
If a primary cell were to be set up using the two half–cells, state which metal will constitute the
anode and give your reasons.
ANSWER: Cd will be the anode.
Oxidation takes place at the anode. For positive emf, - 0.40 V has to be reversed.
Hence oxidation takes place in the cadmium half-cell, ie Cd/Cd 2+,
18. Chromium in principle can reduce both iron (II) and iron (III) to the neutral metal. Use the following
standard electrode potentials to determine which reduction will be more spontaneous and give your
reason.
Fe3+/Fe - 0.04 V; Fe2+/Fe - 0.41 V; Cr3+/Cr - 0.74 V
ANSWER: Reduction of Fe3+ to Fe will be more spontaneous. Emf for (a) ˃ (b)
(a) Combining Cr/Cr3+ and Fe3+/Fe, emf = 0.74 - 0.04 = 0.70 V
 (b) Combining Cr/Cr3+ and Fe2+/Fe, emf = 0.74 - 0.41 = 0.33 V
PREAMBLE: A cuboid measures 10 cm by 6 cm by 5 cm. Find
19. the volume of the cuboid [V = 10 x 6 x 5 = 300]
3
ANSWER: 300 cm
20. the total surface area of the cuboid
ANSWER: 280 cm2
[ A = 2(10 x 6 + 10 x 5 + 6 x 5) = 2(60 + 50 + 30) = 2(140) = 280]
21. the perimeter of the cuboid
ANSWER: 84 cm
[ P = 4(10 + 6 + 5) = 4(21) = 84]
22. How does taxism differ from tropism.
ANSWER: In taxism, the whole organism is affected whereas in tropism only part of the
organism is affected.
23. What name is used to describe the physical space occupied by an organism together with its
functional role in a community?
ANSWER: Niche
24. Name the natural process that can convert atmospheric nitrogen to soil nitrogen
ANSWER: Lightning

ROUND 2 - SPEED ROUND

1. Find the length of a simple pendulum whose angular frequency is 1 rad /s .

ANSWER: 10 m
2 2 2
l=g /ω =10 m/s ÷ ( 1 rad / s ) =10 m
2. State the conditions under which Newton’s Third Law applies to the collision between two bodies.
ANSWER: It always applies
3. At what point in the path of a particle executing simple harmonic motion is the acceleration of the
particle zero?
ANSWER: Equilibrium point
4. How many edges has a tetrahedron?
ANSWER: 6
5. Evaluate tan240°.
ANSWER: √3
[tan 240 = tan(180 + 60) = tan60 = √3]
 6. Find the next prime after 163.
ANSWER: 167
[164, 165, 166, 167]
7. Name the tissue in plants where the root hairs originate.
ANSWER: Epidermis / piliferous layer
8. What is the basic difference between white blood cells and red blood cells in terms of their
function?
ANSWER: White cells ingest bacteria or make antibodies. Red cells carry oxygen
9. What is the function of lymph nodes?
ANSWER: Lymph nodes contain white blood cells which ingest bacteria and prevent
them from reaching the circulation
10. What colour is produced on adding potassium thiocyanate (KSCN) solution to iron (III) solution.
ANSWER: (Blood) red solution
11. Give the oxidation state of chlorine in the molecule HClO4
ANSWER: +7
12. What is the colour of the precipitate produced when potassium hexacyanoferrate (III) is added to
iron (II) solution?
ANSWER: Dark blue precipitate

TRUE OR FALSE

1. In a Period of the Main Group elements the first ionization energy generally increases from left to right.
ANSWER: True
2. In Group 7 or 17 of the Periodic Table the acid strength of their hydrides increases down the Group.
 ANSWER: True (H – X bond strength decreases down the Group)
3. The bonding between beryllium atoms in a piece of solid beryllium is covalent.
ANSWER: False It is metallic bond
4. The acceleration of an object moving in a circle with constant speed is constant and is
proportional to the square of the speed.
ANSWER: False
5. When the magnitude of the acceleration of an object moving in a circle is not
constant, the speed of the object varies.
ANSWER: True
6. The magnitude of the acceleration required to maintain an object in a circular path is
inversely proportional to the radius of the circle.
ANSWER: True
7. The quadratic equation x2 - 4 = 0 has identical roots.
ANSWER: False

8. The quadratic equation x2 – 5x + 6 = 0 has two positive roots.

ANSWER: True

9. The quadratic equation x2 + 1 = 0 has no real roots.

ANSWER: True
10. All tapeworms spend the adult phase of their lives as parasites in the gut of a vertebrate animal.
ANSWER: True
11. Tapeworms are parasitic roundworms.
ANSWER: False
12. Tapeworms do not possess digestive tract.
ANSWER: True
13. In water HNO3 is a stronger acid than HCl.
ANSWER: False They both ionize completely in water
14. Ethanoic acid and propanoic acid will have the same standard enthalpy of neutralization.
ANSWER: False
15. HCl and HBr are likely to have the same standard enthalpy of neutralization.
ANSWER: True
16. For two surfaces in contact, the limiting static friction force is independent of the
 normal force on each of the surfaces.
ANSWER: False
17. For two surfaces in contact, the static friction force is greatest just before the onset of
relative motion.
ANSWER: True
18. The coefficient of kinetic friction equals the limiting coefficient of static friction.
ANSWER: False
19. The transformation in the plane given by (x, y) →(-x, y) is a reflection in the x-axis.
ANSWER: False
20. The transformation in the plane given by (x, y) →(-x,-y) is a reflection in the origin.
ANSWER: True
21. The transformation in the plane given by (x, y) →(y, x) is a reflection in the line.
y = x.
ANSWER: True
22. Fleshy fruits are adapted to wind dispersal.
ANSWER: False
23. Dry fruits are adapted for dispersal by mammals.
ANSWER: False
24. Fleshy fruits have soft and pulpy pericarp at maturity and the endocarp hardens.
ANSWER: True

RIDDLES
Riddle 1
1 I have an external point of view.
2 I am associated with polygons even though I am outside the polygon.
3 I am a supplement to the interior angle of a polygon.
4 For a triangle, I am the sum of the interior opposite angles.
5 For a square I am a right kind of angle.
6 For any polygon, the sum of my siblings is four right angles.
Who am I?
ANSWER: Exterior Angle
Riddle 2

1. I am an organic compound.
2. My molecules on paper appear as a regular polygon.
3. In real practice my molecules have a puckered structure.
4. All my carbon atoms try to maintain the tetrahedral angle.
5. I have chair and boat conformations.
6. If I am a hydrocarbon of six carbons then.
Who am I?
ANSWER: Cyclohexane

Riddle 3
1. I consist of a complicated system of membranous channels.
2. My membranes are usually interconnected with one another to form a
complex network.
3. I connect the plasma membrane with the nuclear membrane.
4. Depending on the presence or absence of ribosomes on my surface, I might
me rough or smooth.
5. My rough members are the sites for protein synthesis while my smooth
members are the site for the synthesis of lipids and steroids.
WHO AM I?
ANSWER: Endoplasmic (reticulum)

Riddle 4

1. I am a type of electromagnetic radiation.

2. I am capable of ejecting electrons from atoms.
3. I am produced when energetic charged particles are decelerated.
4. I am also produced when inner shell electrons in an atom make
transitions to lower levels.
Who am I? ANSWER: X-ray