Secondary

2 Topics
Chapter 9 Commonly
Tested Question with
answers
Popular Exam Questions
Popular Exam Questions
Popular Exam Questions
Chapter 10 Commonly
Tested Question with
answers

Conduction
Answering Techniques and
Popular Exam Question

Convection
 Popular Exam Question
and Model Answer
Convection

The air near air-conditioner is cooled, contracts, and

becomes denser and sinks. Warmer air is less dense and rises to
get cooled in return. This forms a convection current to cool
down the room.

The curtain traps air, which is a poor conductor of heat.This

reduces heat transfer through conduction.

Explain how sea breeze is formed [3]

Explain how land breeze is formed [3]

Answering Techniques and
Popular Exam Question

Radiation
 Answering Definition
Questions

What is conduction?

Conduction is a process of heat transfer in a medium

from the hot to cold regions, through the collisions
of particles.

What is convection?

Convection is a process of heat transfer in a medium

from one region to another, through the movement
of heated particles.

What is radiation?

Radiation is a process where heat energy is transferred

through a vacuum or air in the form of electromagnetic
waves.
Popular Exam Question
and Model Answer
Application of
Thermo-Flask
 CHAPTER 11: CHEMICAL CHANGES
Commonly Tested Concepts and Questions
Physical Changes Chemical Changes
No new substances formed New substances formed
Properties of products are the same as Properties of products are different from
the reactants that of the reactants
Reversible process Irreversible process

CHEMICAL REACTIONS
Chemical equations involve rearrangement of atoms.
No atom is created or destroyed. Hence, mass is conserved.

reactants products Word equation:

sulfur + oxygen ⟶ sulfur dioxide

Chemical equation:
S + O2 ⟶ SO2
sulfur oxygen sulfur dioxide

Chemical changes involving HEAT

Combination: Two or more substances combine to form a new substance.

heat
iron + sulfur ⟶ iron(II) sulfide

*Combustion: Reaction of a substance with oxygen in air when the substance is heated.
heat
carbon + oxygen ⟶ carbon dioxide

*Thermal decomposition: A substance broken down into simpler substances by heating.

heat
calcium carbonate ⟶ calcium oxide and carbon dioxide

Note: Heat is compulsory for reactions marked with *

11
Chemical changes involving MIXING

Acid + Metals ⟶ Salt + Hydrogen gas

 hydrochloric acid + magnesium ⟶ magnesium chloride and hydrogen gas

Acid + Alkali ⟶ Salt + Water [Neutralisation]

 sulfuric acid + sodium hydroxide ⟶ sodium sulfate and water

Chemical changes involving LIGHT

Photosynthesis: process in which green plants make food in the presence of light.
light
water + carbon dioxide ⟶ glucose + oxygen

A camera uses light to decompose silver bromide into silver on the photography film to
produce images.
light
silver bromide ⟶ silver + bromine

Chemical changes involving ELECTRICITY

Electrolysis: Process whereby electricity is used to decompose a substance into simpler

substances.
electricity
water ⟶ oxygen + hydrogen

Electroplating – coating objects with a metal

Oxidation

Chemical reaction where oxygen is added to a substance.

The substance that reacted with oxygen is said to be oxidised.

Rusting of iron ⟹ iron + oxygen ⟶ iron(III) oxide

Cellular Respiration ⟹ glucose + oxygen ⟶ water and carbon dioxide

12
 ACIDS & ALKALIS
Properties Acids Alkalis
Taste/texture Sour taste Soapy texture, bitter taste
Electrical Able to conduct electricity Able to conduct electricity
conductivity
Corrosivity Corrosive (concentrated) Corrosive (concentrated)
Litmus test Turns blue litmus paper red Turns red litmus paper blue
Ion present H+ (hydrogen ion) OH- (hydroxide ion)

Chemical Acid + metal  salt + hydrogen gas

Equation
*Note: unreactive metals (eg. copper, silver, gold and platinum) do not react with
dilute acids
Observations Effervescence of a colourless and odourless gas will be observed. (main
observation)
Temperature increases.
Metal decreases in size (if in excess) or completely dissolves in the acid (if a
soluble salt is formed).

Test for gas (if Place a lighted splint into a test tube containing the gas. If the lighted splint
any) extinguishes with a “pop” sound, the gas is hydrogen.

Chemical Acid + carbonate  salt + carbon dioxide + water

Equation
Observations Effervescence of a colourless and odourless gas will be observed. (main
observation)

Test for gas (if Bubble the gas produced through aqueous calcium hydroxide (limewater). If a
any) white precipitate forms, the gas produced is carbon dioxide.

Chemical Acid + base  salt + water

Equation
Observations Temperature increases.

Test for gas (if -

any)

13
pH SCALE

The pH of a solution is a quantitative measure of the concentration of H+ ions in solution.

The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14.

Universal Indicator
pH scale 0–2 3–4 4–6 7 8 – 11 12 – 14
Colour of universal Red Orange Yellow Pale Green- Violet
indicator green blue

Litmus Indicator
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Litmus Indicator Blue litmus paper - Red litmus paper
turns red turns blue

14
Chapter 12 Commonly
Tested Question with
answers
Chapter 12 Commonly
Tested Question with
answers
Answering Techniques of
Popular Exam Question

1.Producers always occupy the first trophic level

in any food chain because only they can make
their own food through photosynthesis from
solar energy.

2. Relationships include prey-predator,mutualism and

parasitism. These are relationships that affect the
balance in the biotic environment.
3. Decomposers like fungi and bacteria do not return
energy to environment while return nutrients to the
environment.

4. Abiotic factors refer to physical factors like

light, temperature, water, air, pH level, minerals
and salinity levels.

5. Word equation for photosynthesis: Carbon

Dioxide+Water→Oxygen+Glucose

5. The energy is lost as heat during respiration

to the environment and some energy is lost
through waste materials excreted.
6. At each trophic level, about 90% of energy is
lost to the environment and only 10% of energy is
passed on. Hence, there is insufficient energy
among animals with too many trophic levels.
Answering Trend and
Definition Questions

Format for describe population question:

Impact= increase or decrease,
Explanation for why increase or decrease

Parasitism
- Parasitism is a relationship between two
organisms in which one (the parasite)
benefits at the expense of the other (the
host).
- A parasite normally does some harm to
its host.

b) Mutualism
- Relationship between two organisms in
which both organisms benefit from each
other.

c) Predator-prey relationship
- An animal that lives by killing and eating
other animals is called a predator.
- An animal that is killed and eaten by
another animal is called a prey.
Chapter 13 Equations to
Remember
Chapter 14 Popular
Exam questions

It breaks down large, insoluble food molecules

into small soluble molecules. This allows the
nutrients to be absorbed into the blood stream.

The large intestine is responsible for the

absorption of water and mineral salts from
undigested food before it passes out as faeces.

If the large intestine is removed

patient may get dehydrated easily.

Question: Explain the role of bile in the human

digestive system and how it helps digest fats
faster.

Answer: Bile helps with emulsification of fats

which is the breaking down of large fat droplets
into small fat droplets. This increases the
surface area to volume ratio for the faster
digestion of fats by lipase.
CHAPTER 15: TRANSPORT SYSTEM IN LIVING THINGS
Commonly Tested Concepts and Questions
DIFFUSION AND OSMOSIS

Diffusion Osmosis

Net movement of water molecules from a

Net movement of particles from a region
region of higher water potential to a
of higher concentration to a region of
region of lower water potential through a
lower concentration.
partially permeable membrane.

Does not require energy. They are passive processes.

For any substance. For water molecules only.

Does not require partially permeable

Require a partially permeable membrane.
membrane.

VISKING TUBING EXPERIMENT

 starch molecules are too large and cannot pass through the membrane.

 iodine molecules are smaller and can diffuse into the Visking tubing.

 starch solution will turn blue-black.

25
ANSWERING TECHNIQUES

Diffusion
1. _____________ has a higher concentration of _____________ than _____________.
_____________ particles diffused from the _____________ to the _____________ down
(describe cell)
a concentration gradient. This causes the cell to __________________.
2. Since _________ has the same concentration of __________ as _________, there was no
concentration gradient and no net movement of __________ molecules by diffusion.

Osmosis

1. _____________ has a higher water potential than the _____________. Water molecules
move from _____________ to the _____________ through a partially permeable
(describe cell)
membrane by osmosis. This causes the cell to ___________________.
2. Since _____________ has the same water potential as _____________, there was no
water potential gradient and hence, no net movement of water molecules by osmosis.

Describing cells

Animal cell Plant cell

swell and burst become turgid

substance enter cell

plasmolysed
shrink and become
(cell membrane pulls away from
crenated
cell wall and the large central
vacuole shrink/is smaller)
substance leave cell
solution
from
surrounding

26
TRANSPORTATION IN PLANTS

Phloem tube (outside)

transport food (sucrose) from leaves to other
parts of the plant.

Xylem tube (inside)

transport water and mineral salts from
roots to other parts of the plant.

Note

 Water enters the root hair cells by osmosis.

 Minerals salts enter root hair cells by diffusion (and active transport).

 During photosynthesis, oxygen diffuses out while carbon dioxide diffuses in through
the stomata of the leaves.

TRANSPORTATION IN HUMANS

The transport system allows substances to be transported quickly in the human body.
Oxygen and digested food can reach cells while waste substances can be removed from cells.
This ensures that the cells would not be starved of oxygen or poisoned by their own waste
products.

Components in blood Function

Red blood cells transport oxygen from lungs to other parts of the body

White blood cells protection against diseases and fight infection

Platelet clot the blood to minimise blood loss

main component in blood that serves as a medium for

Plasma
transportation (all except oxygen)

27
 Artery Vein Capillary

Muscular wall Muscular wall

One-cell thick

Diagram

Lumen Lumen

Muscular wall Thick and elastic Thin One-cell thick

Lumen Small Large Very small

Allow exchange of
substances.
Artery VeIN Oxygen and digested food
Function diffuse into the cell.
carry blood Away carry blood INto
Carbon dioxide and waste
from the heart. the heart.
products diffuse out of
the cell.

28
DIFFUSION IN THE HUMAN CIRCULATORY SYSTEM

Blood carries nutrients (like: glucose, glycerol, fatty acids and amino acids) from the
digestive system to body cells.

The concentration of each of these is higher in blood plasma compared to the cytoplasm of
body cells. Hence, nutrients move from the blood plasma to the cytoplasm of body cells via
diffusion.

Q R S

Carbon dioxide Oxygen Glucose and Nutrients

During respiration, exchange of

gases occurs in the human lungs
by diffusion.

The gas exchange involves carbon

dioxide and oxygen.

Blood entering the blood vessel has a higher concentration of carbon dioxide and a
X
lower concentration of oxygen.

Carbon dioxide diffuses from the bloodstream into the lung’s alveolus.
Y
Oxygen diffuses from lungs’ alveolus into the bloodstream, then into red blood cells.

Blood leaving the blood vessel has a higher concentration of oxygen and a lower
Z
concentration of carbon dioxide, compared to the lungs’ alveolus.

29
 Chapter 16 Popular
Questions

Question: Label and draw a line to

indicate organs that responsible for
the production of sex cells in man
and woman.

Question: What’s the function of X

Question: Patient S has a condition that

causes abnormal growth in structure Y
that causes structure Y to be blocked.
Explain how this can affect her ability to
become pregnant.
Chapter 16 Popular
Questions and
Definition questions

Heredity is the process in which genetic information is passed

down from one generation to the next generation .

Fertilisation is the fusion of the nucleus in the sperm with the

nucleus in an ovum to form a zygote.

Question: Explain why human body cells have twice the

number of chromosomes compared to sex cells.

Answer: During fertilisation, the 23 chromosomes from the

male sex cell, sperm , and the 23 chromosomes from the
female sex cell, ovum fuse to form a zygote containing 46
chromosomes.

Question: What is the significance of the middle piece?

Answer: The middle piece contains mitochondria to release

energy from respiration for sperm to swim.

Sex glands release nutrients for the sperm cells to survive and swim.

Sperm duct is a long tube that transports semen from the coiled tube to the
urethra.
Urethra is a tube which carries semen from the testes through the penis
to the body. It also transport urine from the bladder to penis.