CONTEST8

ROUND 1

PREAMBLE: If α, β are the roots of the given quadratic equation, evaluate α2 + β2

1. x2 + 3x + 1 = 0
ANSWER: 7 [ α + β = -3, αβ = 1, α2 + β2 = (α + β)2 -2αβ = 9 - 2(1) = 7]
2. x2 – 3x – 5 = 0
ANSWER: 19 [ α + β = 3, αβ = -5, α2 + β2 = 9 -2(- 5) = 9 + 10 = 19]
3. x2 + 5x + 7 = 0
ANSWER: 11 [ α + β = -5, αβ = 7, α2 + β2 = 25 -2(7) = 25 – 14 = 11]
4. Give one function each of cork cells in plants.
ANSWERS:
a. It acts as a water proof covering to check excessive evaporation.
b. It protects the plants against parasites.
c. It acts as bad conductor of heat.
5. What is the magnitude of the average gravitational field strength on the surface of the earth?
ANSWER:

Accept a reasonable approximation.

6. What is the magnitude of the average gravitational field strength above the surface of

the earth?
ANSWER:

Accept a reasonable approximation.

7. What is the magnitude of the average gravitational field strength one earth radius above the
surface of the earth?
ANSWER:

Accept a reasonable approximation, say ..

At one earth radius above the surface, distance to the centre is . The

PREAMBLE: Pick the odd one out and give your reason.
8. Aluminum, silicon, sodium

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 ANSWER: Silicon. It is metalloid/semi–metal, the others are metals.
9. Sodium, cesium, strontium
ANSWER: Strontium. A member of Group 2. The rest belong to Group 1.
10. Astatine, iodine, krypton
ANSWER: Krypton. A member of Group O. The others belong to Group
11. After a 12% price reduction, a car sold for GHc17,600. Find the original price of the
car.
ANSWER: GHc20,000
[88x/100 = 17,600, x = (100)(17600)/88 = 100(200) = 20, 000]
12. After being reduced by three-fifths of its original price, a radio sold for GHc 426.
Find the original price of the radio.
ANSWER: GHc 1065 [(2/5)x = 426, x = 5(426)/2 = 5(213) = 1065]
13. After being reduced by two-sevenths of its original price, a tape-recorder sold for
GHc 235. Find price before the reduction.
ANSWER: GHc 329 [ (5/7)x = 235, x = 7(235)/5 = 7(47) = 329]
PREAMBLE: Explain the following:
14. Thigmotropisim
ANSWER: Growth movement of certain parts of plants in response to touch.
15. Geotropism
ANSWER: Growth movement of plants in response to the direction of
gravity.
16. Nastic movement
ANSWER: Movement of parts of plants in response to diffuse or
non-directional stimulus.

PREAMBLE: A object is projected in an easterly direction at an angle of

above the horizontal with a speed of . Air resistance is negligible; is
approximately and is . Take upward and east directions as positive.
17. Find the vertical and horizontal components of its initial velocity.
ANSWER: vertical and horizontal

18. Find the vertical and horizontal components of its velocity at the highest point of its
trajectory.
ANSWER: vertical and horizontal
19. Find the vertical and horizontal components of its velocity when it returns to the launch
height.

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 ANSWER: vertical and horizontal

20. Whose law states that for a given amount of gas at a fixed temperature the pressure
times the volume equals a constant.
ANSWER: Boyle’s Law.
21. Whose law states that equal volumes of any two gases at the same temperature and
pressure contain the same number of molecules.
ANSWER: Avogadro’s Law
22. In 1808, Gay Lussac published results of some experiments on reactions of gases.
State his observations or conclusion based on his experimental results.
ANSWER: When gases react the volumes of reactant and product
gases at a given pressure and temperature are in ratios of small
whole numbers.
PREAMBLE: Find the amplitude of the trigonometric function
23. y = sinx + cosx
ANSWER: √2 [ R = √(12 + 12) = √2 ]
24. y = 3sinx – 4cosx
ANSWER: 5 [ R = √(32 + (-4)2) = √25 = 5]
25. y = -5sinx
ANSWER: 5 [ R = √(-5)2 = √25 = 5 ]
26. What name is given to the process by which soil is formed?
ANSWER: Weathering
27. What name is given to soil water that adheres so closely to the soil that it can hardly
be absorbed by roots of plants?
ANSWER: Hygroscopic water
28. Name the type of soil that is formed by the action of decomposers.
ANSWER: Humus
PREAMBLE: Convert to SI base units.
29.
ANSWER:
30.

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 ANSWER:
31.
ANSWER:

32. When a mole of methane is burnt, 890 kJ of heat is given off at STP. If the standard
enthalpies of formation of CO2 and liquid water are – 393kJmol-1 and – 286kJmol-1
respectively, what is the standard enthalpy of formation of methane?
ANSWER: CH4 + 2O2 → CO2 + 2H2O
∆H reaction = -890 = - 393 + 2(-286) - ∆H f(CH4)
∆Hf(methane) = 890 + (-393 – 572) = 890 – 965
= - 75kJmol-1
33. When a mole of nitrogen gas reacts with excess hydrogen gas to give ammonia gas at
STP, 91.8kJ of heat is evolved. Calculate the enthalpy change when 4.25g of
ammonia gas are formed at STP and give your answer to one place of decimal.
N = 14.0, H = 1.0.
ANSWER: N2 + 3H2 → 2NH3 ΔH = - 91.8kJ.
17g of NH3 ≡ 1mol; 2mole NH3 ≡ -91.8kJ
4.25g of NH3 ≡ 0.25mol NH3
Enthalpy change for 0.25 mol NH3 = -0.25*91.8/2 = -11.5kJ
34. Calculate the enthalpy of formation of SO3 gas given that the enthalpy of formation of
SO2 (g) is -297kJ and the enthalpy change for the decomposition of SO3 gas to SO2 gas
and a mole of oxygen, is + 198kJ.
ANSWER: 2SO3 → 2SO2 + O2 +198

+198 = -2*297 - 2∆H f(SO3)

2∆H f(SO3) = -198 – 594 = -792

∆H f(SO3) = -396kJ.

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 PROBLEM OF THE DAY
The cost C of printing a book is jointly proportional to the number P of
pages in the book and the number N of books printed.
i) Write an equation expressing the joint variation
ii) Find the constant of proportionality if the printing cost of 5000 copies
of a 400 page book is GHc50,000.
iii) Hence find the cost of printing 15,000 copies of a 600 page book

SOLUTION:

I) C = kNP (2 MARKS)
ii) 50,000 = k(5000)(400) (2 MARKS)
k = 1/40 (2 MARKS)
iii) C = (1/40)(15000)(600)
= 9,000,000/40
= 225,000 (3 MARKS)
The cost of printing the books is GHc225,000 (1 MARK)

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ROUND 3 – True or False

1. A salt whose solution gives no observable change with dilute H2SO4 but whose
solid reacts with hot concentrated H2SO4 to give a brown vapour could be a bromide
or a trioxonitrate (V).
ANSWER: True.
(Brown NO2vapour from NO3- or brown Br2vapour from Br -)
2. A solid which on adding hot concentrated H2SO4 gives off a gas that decolourises
acidified KMnO4 solution could be a sulphide.
ANSWER: True H2S
3. A solution which when on adding AgNO3 solution drop wise, followed by dilute
HNO3 gives a yellow precipitate may contain chloride ion.
ANSWER: False May contain Br – or I-
4. When a plant cell loses water it becomes turgid.
ANSWER: False
5. When an animal cell is placed in water, water enters the cell by diffusion.
ANSWER: False
6. When a red blood cell is placed in a concentrated salt solution, the cell loses water
by osmosis.
ANSWER: True
7. The electromotive force of a battery comprising three identical cells in series
equals three times the electromotive force of one of the cells.
ANSWER: True
8. The electromotive force of a battery comprising two identical cells in parallel
equals half the electromotive force of one of the cells.

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 ANSWER: False
9. The internal resistance of a battery comprising two identical cells in parallel
equals half the internal resistance of one of the cells.
ANSWER: True
10. The in-center of a triangle is the point of intersection of the three perpendicular
bisectors of the sides.
ANSWER: False
11. The centroid of a triangle is the point of intersection of the three medians.
ANSWER: True
12. The ortho-center of a triangle is the point of intersection of the three altitudes.
ANSWER: True
13. Electrolysis of concentrated NaCl solution using carbon electrodes will discharge
chloride at the anode.
ANSWER: True
14. Electrolysis of dilute H2SO4 using platinum electrodes will discharge oxygen gas
at the anode.
ANSWER: True
15. In the electrolysis of dilute CuSO4 solution, using platinum electrodes, the
concentration of H2SO4 increases with time.
ANSWER: True
16. Fungi are a large group of prokaryotic organisms.
ANSWER: False
17. Fungi cannot produce their own food.
ANSWER: True
18. Fungi are mostly saprophytes but some are parasites.
ANSWER: True
19. The critical angle is the smallest angle of incidence at which total internal
reflection occurs.
ANSWER: True
20. Total internal reflection can occur when light is incident from a medium with
low refractive index into a medium with high refractive index.

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 ANSWER: False
21. At the critical angle for light passing from glass to air, the sine of the angle of
incidence equals the reciprocal of the refractive index of glass.
ANSWER: True
22. log(xy)2 = 2logx + logy
ANSWER: FALSE
23. log(x2y-2) = 2logx – 2logy
ANSWER: TRUE
24. log(x2/y3) = 2logx – 3logy
ANSWER: TRUE

ROUND 4 – Riddles
Riddle #1
1. I am a process in geometry.
2. With me, there is no need for a protractor.
3. All you need are compasses and rulers.
4. I am in the bisection business so far as angles and segments are concerned.
5. I am what contractors do.
Who am I?

ANSWER: CONSTRUCTION

Riddle #2
1. My name in Greek means self-feeding.
2. I am an organism that produces complex organic compounds from simple substances
present in my surroundings.
3. I can use light as an energy source, or utilize electron donors as a source of energy.
4. I am the producer in a food chain.
5. My examples include green plants, algae and certain bacteria.

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 Who am I?
ANSWER: Autotroph

Riddle #3
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

Riddle #4
1. I am a solid metal with a difference.
2. I am not just one metal element but a solid solution of two metal elements.
3. My colour, which is normally a shade of yellow, depends on the proportions of the
two metals.
4. One of my constituent elements has the atomic number of 29 and atomic mass of 63.5
5. My other element, a blue-white metal has the atomic number of 30 and atomic mass
of 65.4
6. I am used in making all kinds of household items and musical instruments.
Who am I?

ANSWER: Brass