S1 F irst Term Exam

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Set C S1 Science First Term Exam
Units 1–3 Set C

S1 Science
First Term Examination
Units 1–3

Name: ___________________________ ( ) Class: _________ Date: _____________

Total marks: 100 marks

Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes Score: / 100
Answer ALL questions.

Part A True or false (10 marks; 1 mark each)

Write ‘T’ for a true statement and ‘F’ for a false statement.

1. Air and water are renewable resources. 

2. Classifying involves observing and recording natural phenomena in order to find
a pattern. 
3. We can put out a fire when removing any condition in the fire triangle. 
4. The collar of the Bunsen burner is used to control the size of the air hole. 
5. The water cycle involves evaporation and condensation. 
6. Water can dissolve everything so it is called a universal solvent. 
7. Ultraviolet light can remove the insoluble impurities in water. 
E 8. The water treatment process in Hong Kong does not involve sedimentation. 
9. Seedless plants cannot reproduce as they cannot produce seeds. 
10. Setting up fishing ban period helps conserve the marine living things. 

Part B Multiple-choice (30 marks; 2 marks each)

Choose the correct answer for each question.

1. Which of the following branches of science is the study of the properties,

composition, structure and reactions of matter?
A. Biology
B. Chemistry
C. Geology
D. Physics 
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S1 Science First Term Exam
Units 1–3 Set C

Directions: Questions 2 and 3 refer to the following description.

A bottle of chemical has a hazard warning symbol as shown below.

2. The hazard warning symbol warns us that this chemical is

A. explosive.
B. corrosive.
C. toxic.
D. harmful. 

3. Which of the following safety precautions should be followed when we handle

this chemical?
(1) Store in a well ventilated room.
(2) Wear safety googles and protective gloves when handling the chemical.
(3) Avoid shock, which may cause the chemical to explode.
A. (1) and (2) only
B. (1) and (3) only
C. (2) and (3) only
D. (1), (2) and (3) 

4. Which of the following apparatus is NOT necessary when we mix two solutions
in the laboratory?
A. Dropper
B. Glass rod
C. Tongs
D. Test tube 

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S1 Science First Term Exam
Units 1–3 Set C

5. The photo below shows a pen.

What is the length of the ball pen?

A. 14.4 cm
B. 14.5 cm
C. 14.6 cm
D. 14.7 cm 

6. Anna is drinking a cup of hot tea in a cold winter day. Her glasses fog up quickly.

Which of the following statements best explains the above phenomenon?

A. The water vapour in air condenses on the surface of the glasses.
B. The temperature of the hot tea is much higher than the temperature of the
surroundings.
C. The water vapour from the hot tea condenses on the surface of the glasses.
D. The water from the hot tea vaporizes on the surface of the glasses. 

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S1 Science First Term Exam
Units 1–3 Set C

7. An unknown substance is a liquid at room temperature. Its boiling point is lower

than that of pure water. Which of the substances in the table below could the
unknown substance be?
Substance Melting point (°C) Boiling point (°C)
P 1064 2808
Q −39 357
R −210 −196
S −64 61
A. Substance P
B. Substance Q
C. Substance R
D. Substance S 

8. Andy carries out an experiment to study the changes of states of substance H. It

is a solid at room temperature. The graph below shows its temperature change
against time when it is heated.
Temperature (°C)

25
Time (min)
2 5 6 8
Which of the following statements about substance H is/are correct?
(1) It is a liquid at t = 5 min.
(2) It undergoes melting from t = 0 to t = 2 min.
(3) It undergoes boiling from t = 5 min to t = 6 min.
A. (1) only
B. (2) only
C. (1) and (3) only
D. (2) and (3) only 

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 S1 Science First Term Exam
Units 1–3 Set C

E 9. Which of the following parameters change with temperature?

(1) Solubility of a substance
(2) Rate of dissolving
(3) Rate of evaporation
A. (1) and (2) only
B. (1) and (3) only
C. (2) and (3) only
D. (1), (2) and (3) 

10. Which of the following methods are

used to sterilize the water in
swimming pools?
(1) Adding ozone
(2) Adding chlorine
(3) Using ultraviolet light
A. (1) and (2) only
B. (1) and (3) only
C. (2) and (3) only
D. (1), (2) and (3) 

11. The photo below shows a kind of microorganism.

Which of the following statements about this kind of microorganism is

INCORRECT?
A. It is known as mould.
B. It can be removed by filtration.
C. It is commonly found growing on food.
D. It can only be seen with a microscope. 

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S1 Science First Term Exam
Units 1–3 Set C

Directions: Questions 12 and 13 refer to the following description.

The photos below show a mudskipper and a frog respectively.

12. Which of the following statements about the body features of these two animals
is/are correct?
(1) They have scales.
(2) Their body temperature changes with the surroundings.
(3) They reproduce by laying eggs.
A. (1) only
B. (2) only
C. (1) and (3) only
D. (2) and (3) only 

13. In which of the following habitats are these two animals likely to be found?
A. Tropical rainforest
B. Freshwater pond
C. Wetland
D. Ocean 

14. Which of the following statements about pollutants are correct?

(1) They are one of the causes of the reduction in biodiversity.
(2) They include exhaust gases, sewage and pesticides.
(3) They are produced by human activities.
A. (1) and (2) only
B. (1) and (3) only
C. (2) and (3) only
D. (1), (2) and (3) 

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S1 Science First Term Exam
Units 1–3 Set C

15. Which of the following plants does NOT reproduce by producing seeds?
A. B.

C. D.

Part C Fill in the blanks (14 marks; 1 mark each)

Fill in each blank with no more than two words. Write your answers in the boxes provided.

1. Non-renewable resources are those that cannot be (a) in a short time once
they are used up. Fossil fuels and (b) are examples.

2. Besides thermometers, we can measure temperature with a (c) connected

to a (d) .

3. When the air hole is open, the Bunsen flame produced is called (e) . It is
blue in colour and (f) in shape.

Answers (For Questions 1 to 3):

(a) (b)

(c) (d)

(e) (f)

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 S1 Science First Term Exam
Units 1–3 Set C

E 4. The rate of evaporation decreases as the humidity becomes (g) on rainy

days.

5. The photo below shows a (h) which is commonly used as a filter in the
laboratory.

6. Adding (i) to water can help prevent tooth decay.

E 7. In the water treatment process in Hong Kong, (j) is added to the water
which makes the insoluble impurities in water stick together.

8. During (k) , living things use (l) in air to break down food to provide
energy.

9. When animals and plants die, some (m) in the soil will break down their
dead bodies and turn these into (n) .

Answers (For Questions 4 to 9):

(g) (h)

(i) (j)

(k) (l)

(m) (n)

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S1 Science First Term Exam
Units 1–3 Set C

Part D Questions (46 marks)

1. COVID-19 has widely spread around the world. During the outbreak, many
people often use alcohol-based handrubs to sanitize their hands. The photo below
shows a bottle of alcohol-based handrub.

(a) State the potential danger of using alcohol-based handrubs. (1 mark)

(b) State ONE safety precaution when using the handrub. (1 mark)

(c) If you accidentally splash handrub into the eyes, what should you do?
(1 mark)

(d) Some alcohol-based handrubs are found to contain methanol which is toxic.
Draw the hazard warning symbol that should be found on the bottle
containing methanol. State ONE safety precaution when handling methanol.
(2 marks)

Hazard warning symbol Safety precaution

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S1 Science First Term Exam
Units 1–3 Set C

2. Nora wants to measure the volume of a bouncy rubber ball. She puts four
identical rubber balls into a measuring cylinder containing water. The diagrams
below show the initial and final volumes of water.

Initial volume of water Final volume of water

____________ (cm3) ____________ (cm3)

(a) Complete the blanks above. (2 marks)

(b) What is the volume of one bouncy rubber ball? (2 marks)

(c) Suggest an improvement so that Nora can obtain a more reliable result.
(1 mark)

(d) Nora wants to measure the volume of a large irregular object. However, it
cannot be put into the measuring cylinder. What instrument can she use?
(1 mark)

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 S1 Science First Term Exam
Units 1–3 Set C

3. The photos below show an infrared thermometer (紅外線温度計) and a mercury

thermometer. Without direct contact, infrared thermometer can measure the body
temperature of a person by detecting the strength of the thermal radiation (熱幅
射) he emits. The process requires just a few seconds.

(a) State TWO advantages of using infrared thermometer to measure body

temperature. (2 marks)

(b) State TWO disadvantages of using mercury thermometer to measure body

temperature. (2 marks)

E 4. Kenneth wants to investigate how temperature affects the rate of dissolving of

coarse salt (粗鹽) in water.

(a) State the solute and the solvent used in the experiment. (2 marks)
Solute: ______________________ Solvent: ______________________

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S1 Science First Term Exam
Units 1–3 Set C

(b) Complete the variable table below. For the controlled variables, state TWO
of them. (4 marks)

Independent variable Dependent variable Controlled variables

(c) The table below shows the results obtained from the experiment. Using the
data, plot a graph to show how the rate of dissolving of coarse salt in water
changes with temperature. Give the graph a title. (5 marks)

Temperature (°C) Time taken for all coarse salt to dissolve (s)
25 100
35 70
45 56
55 44
65 34

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S1 Science First Term Exam
Units 1–3 Set C

(d) What conclusion can Kenneth draw from the results? (1 mark)

(e) Using the graph plotted, estimate the time taken for the coarse salt to
dissolve completely in water at 75°C. (1 mark)

(f) If fine table salt (幼鹽) is used instead of coarse salt in the experiment, will
the rate of dissolving increase or decrease? Briefly explain your answer.
(2 marks)

5. Tiffany wants to purify some muddy pond water by filtration. She uses the
apparatus below. Draw a vertical section diagram for the experimental set-up.
(4 marks)

stand filter funnel funnel holder filter paper beaker

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S1 Science First Term Exam
Units 1–3 Set C

6. Snow leopard is usually found in cold high mountains.

(a) Which group of vertebrates does snow leopard belong to? From the photo
above, suggest ONE reason to support your answer. (2 marks)

(b) Complete the table below to show how snow leopards adapt to live in cold
high mountains. (5 marks)

Feature Function

thick layer of fat under skin

for running in cold high mountains

fur colour and spotted pattern

for catching prey

for finding prey easier

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S1 Science First Term Exam
Units 1–3 Set C

(c) The diagram below shows the feeding relationship between snow leopards
and some other living things.

eaten by eaten by

grass snow hare snow leopard

If the number of snow hares decreases, how will the numbers of grass and
snow leopards be affected? (2 marks)

(d) Snow leopards are used to be an endangered species. But since 2017, it has
been downgraded from ‘endangered’ to ‘vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List
of Threatened Species.
(i) What are endangered species? (1 mark)

(ii) Suggest TWO possible reasons why snow leopards are still a
‘vulnerable’ species. (2 marks)

-END-

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Set C S1 Science First Term Exam
Units 1–3 Set C

ANSWERS
First term Examination
Units 1–3

Part A True or false (10 marks; 1 mark each)

1. T 2. F 3. T 4. T 5. T
6. F 7. F 8. F 9. F 10. T

Part B Multiple-choice (30 marks; 2 marks each)

1. B 2. B 3. A 4. C 5. B
6. C 7. D 8. A 9. D 10. A
11. B 12. D 13. C 14. D 15. C

Part C Fill in the blanks (14 marks; 1 mark each)

(a) replenished (b) metal ores

(c) temperature sensor* (d) data-logger*

(e) non-luminous flame (f) regular

(g) higher (h) filter column

(i) fluoride (j) alum

(k) respiration (l) oxygen

(m) microorganisms (n) nutrients

(The answers with * can be interchanged.)

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S1 Science First Term Exam
Units 1–3 Set C

Part D Questions (46 marks)

1. (a) Flammable (1m)

(b) Keep away from heat and flame. (1m)
(c) Wash your eyes with water for a few minutes. (1m)
(d)
Hazard warning symbol Safety precaution
 Avoid breathing in the vapour of
methanol.
 Wear safety goggles and protective
gloves when handling methanol.
 Wash your hands thoroughly after
handling methanol.
(1m) (Any one) (1m)

2. (a) Initial volume of water: 56 cm3 (1m)

Final volume of water: 84 cm3 (1m)
(b) Volume of one bouncy rubber ball = (84 – 56) cm3 / 4 (1m)
= 7 cm3 (1m)
(c) Make repeated measurements and calculate the average results. (1m)
(d) Displacement can (1m)

3. (a) It can measure the body temperature of a person without contact, (1m)
and in a very short time. (1m)
(Or any other reasonable answers)
(b) It takes a few minutes to measure the body temperature of a person. (1m)
Mercury is toxic and so measuring body temperature with a mercury
thermometer has potential dangers. (1m)
(Or any other reasonable answers)

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S1 Science First Term Exam
Units 1–3 Set C

4. (a) Solute: coarse salt (1m)

Solvent: water (1m)
(b)
Independent variable Dependent variable Controlled variables
temperature of water time taken for all  volume of water
(1m) coarse salt to dissolve  mass of coarse salt
in water (1m)  rate of stirring
(Any two) (1m×2)

(c) The change in rate of dissolving of coarse salt against time

Time (s)

100

80

60

40

20

0 Temperature (°C)
20 40 60 80 100
Correct axes (2m)
Correct graph (2m)
Suitable title (1m)
(d) The higher the temperature of water, the shorter the time taken for the
coarse salt to dissolve completely in water / the higher the rate of dissolving
of coarse salt in water. (1m)
(e) 26 s (± 2 s) (1m)
(f) The rate of dissolving will increase (1m)
because the surface area of the fine table salt is larger than that of the coarse
salt. (1m)

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S1 Science First Term Exam
Units 1–3 Set C

5.

filter paper
funnel holder
filter funnel
stand

beaker

Correct diagram (2m)

Correct labels (2m)

6. (a) It is a mammal (1m)

because it has hair. (1m)
(b)
Feature Function
thick layer of fat under skin for keeping warm (1m)

strong legs and big feet (1m) for running in cold high mountains

fur colour and spotted pattern for camouflage to hide in mountains (1m)

sharp claws and teeth (1m) for catching prey

good eyesight (1m) for finding prey easier

(c) The number of grass will increase, (1m)

while the number of snow leopards will decrease. (1m)
(d) (i) Endangered species are the kinds of living things that are in danger of
becoming extinct. (1m)
(ii) They are being overhunted for their skin to make carpets. (1m)
Their habitats are being destroyed. (1m)
(Or any other reasonable answers)

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