SJS MEGA TRIALS, 2025

CONTEST 2

ROUND ONE
FUNDAMENTALS

PREAMBLE: Give the meaning of the given scientific epithet;

1. Flaccidus Ans: weak
2. Coronatus Ans: crowned
3. Perennis Ans: perennial
4. Esculentus Ans: tasty

PREAMBLE: Bacteria can be classified based on arrangement. Provide the term that
describes the following bacterial arrangements;

1. In clumps Ans: staphylo

2. In pairs Ans: diplo
3. In chains Ans: strepto
4. In fours Ans: tetrad

PREAMBLE: A circle has radius R and the distance from the centre of the circle to a chord
PQ is of length L. Find the |PQ| given that
1. R = 17 cm and L = 8 cm Ans: |PQ| = 30 cm
2. R = 25 cm and L = 15 cm Ans: |PQ| = 40 cm
3. R = 34 cm and L = 30 cm Ans: |PQ| = 32 cm
4. R = 39cm and L = 36 cm Ans: |PQ|= 30 cm

1. How many 4-digit even numbers can be formed from the digits 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 without
repetition of digits? Ans: 144 numbers (4 x 4 x 3 x 3)

2. How many 4-digit even numbers can be formed from the digits 0, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9 if a
digit could be used more that once? Ans: 540 numbers (5 x 6 x6 x 3)

3. How many 4 – digits numbers less than 6000 can be formed from the digits 1, 2, 4, 6,
8, 9 if there is no repetition of digits? Ans: 180 numbers (3 x 5 x 4 x 3)

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 4. How many 4 – digits numbers between 3000 and 6000 can be formed from the digits
1, 2,3,4,5,6,7 if the repetition of digits is not allowed?
Ans: 360 numbers (3 x 6 x 5 x 4)

PREAMBLE: How many electrons are involved in a balanced equation of the following half
reactions
1. Cr2O7– + SO32− → SO42− + Cr2+ Ans: 2 electrons
2. MnO4– + I− → I2 + Mn2+ Ans: 5 electrons
3. IO3- → I2 Ans: 10 electrons
4. As→ As3+ Ans: 3 electrons

QUESTION TO ALL SCHOOLS: Name one, only one, greenhouse gas

Suggested Answers;
i. Water vapor (H₂O)
ii. Sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆)
iii. Carbon dioxide (CO₂)
iv. Methane (CH₄)
v. Nitrous oxide (N₂O)

PREAMBLE: Find the power factor of a series AC circuit with the given values of
resistance 𝑅𝑅 and reactance 𝑋𝑋. You may leave your answer as a fraction.

1. 𝑅𝑅 = 81 𝛺𝛺 and 𝑋𝑋 = 360 𝛺𝛺. Ans: 𝟗𝟗/𝟒𝟒𝟒𝟒 𝛺𝛺

2. 𝑅𝑅 = 189 𝛺𝛺 and 𝑋𝑋 = 180 𝛺𝛺. Ans: 𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐/𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐 𝛺𝛺

3. 𝑅𝑅 = 144 𝛺𝛺 and 𝑋𝑋 = 130 𝛺𝛺. Ans: −𝟕𝟕𝟕𝟕/𝟗𝟗𝟗𝟗 𝛺𝛺

4. 𝑅𝑅 = 87 𝛺𝛺 and 𝑋𝑋 = 416 𝛺𝛺. Ans: 𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖/𝟒𝟒𝟒𝟒𝟒𝟒 𝛺𝛺

1. A 89 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 object moving at 12 𝑚𝑚 𝑠𝑠 −1 collides head-on with and becomes attached to a

stationary 46 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 object. Find the speed of the objects after the collision.
Ans: 𝟕𝟕. 𝟗𝟗 𝒎𝒎 𝒔𝒔−𝟏𝟏

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2. A 96 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 object collides head-on with and becomes attached to a stationary 44 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘
object and the two objects take off at 27 𝑚𝑚 𝑠𝑠 −1 after the collision. Find the speed of
the incoming object. Ans: 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑 𝒎𝒎 𝒔𝒔−𝟏𝟏

3. A 8.1 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 object collides head-on with and becomes attached to a stationary 1.5𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘
object and the two objects take off at 15 𝑚𝑚 𝑠𝑠 −1 after the collision. Find the speed of
the incoming object. Ans: 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏 𝒎𝒎 𝒔𝒔−𝟏𝟏

4. A 14 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 object collides head-on with and becomes attached to a stationary 42 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘
object and the two objects take off at 17𝑚𝑚 𝑠𝑠 −1 after the collision. Find the speed of
the incoming object. Ans: 𝟔𝟔𝟔𝟔 𝒎𝒎 𝒔𝒔−𝟏𝟏

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 ROUND TWO

SPEEDRACE

1. What is the de-Broglie wavelength of an electron with a kinetic energy of 45ev?

Ans: 1.8 × 10−10 𝑚𝑚 accepts

2. What is the root-mean-square speed for an ideal gas of molar mass 19.0 ×
10−3 𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 −1 at 107℃ . Ans: 19 x 10-3 kgmol-1

3. What is the expression for the frequency of a physical pendulum which consists of a
sphere of radius r and mass m, that is pivoted at a distance 3𝑟𝑟/5 away from the center
of mass of the sphere. Ans: 𝑓𝑓 = (1/2𝜋𝜋) × �15𝑔𝑔/19𝑟𝑟

1. Determine the molar mass of Valium whose formula is C16H13ClN2O. (Cl = 35.50; O
= 16.00; N = 14.00; C = 12.00; H = 1.000) Ans: 284.5 g/mol
2. Calculate, in per second, the decay constant of a first order reaction with a half-life of
5 days Ans: 1.60×10−6 s−1
3. An element has two isotopes with masses 182 u and 192 u, with abundances 60% and
40%, respectively. What is its average atomic mass? Ans:186 u

1. Given that 𝑎𝑎 ∗ 𝑏𝑏 = 𝑎𝑎 − 𝑏𝑏√5. Evaluate (3 ∗ 2) ∗ 2 Ans: 3 - 4√𝟓𝟓

2. Find a if f(𝑥𝑥 − 𝑎𝑎) = 2x + 5 and f (6) = 21 Ans: a = 2
𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏
3. If a =12, b = 13, c = 5 are the sides of a triangle. Find cosc Ans: 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏

1. Name the hormone that stimulates HCl secretion in the stomach Ans: Gastrin.
2. When a population has a gene with 6 alleles circulating, how many possible
𝑛𝑛 (𝑛𝑛+1)
genotypes are there? Ans: 21 ( 2
)

3. What term describes the maximum capacity of an individual or population to

reproduce under optimal environmental conditions? Ans: biotic potential

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 ROUND THREE

TRUE OR FALSE

1. 25 ≡ 3 (mod 11) True

2. 37 ≡ -5 (mod 7) True
3. 53 ≡ 7 (mod 13) False
4. 65 ≡ -25 (mod 15) True

1. For a reflection in the x-axis, (x, y) → (x, - y) True

2. For a reflection in the line y = x, (x, y) → (y, -x) False
3. For a reflection in the origin, (x, y) → (-y, -x) False
4. For a reflection in the y-axis, (x, y) → (-x, y) True

1. The potential energy of the molecules of a gas determines the temperature of the gas
False

2. The size distribution of the molecules of a gas determines the temperature of the gas.
False

3. The speed distribution of the molecules of a gas determines the temperature of a gas
True

4. The temperature of a gas is related to the translational kinetic energy of the molecules
of the gas. True

PREAMBLE: An object on a horizontal surface is pushed by a force directed at an angle Ɵ

below the horizontal:

1. The magnitude of the vertical component of the force is determined solely by the
magnitude of the force. False

2. The magnitude of the horizontal component of the force is determined solely by the
magnitude of the force. False

3. The magnitude of the vertical component of the force is determined solely by the
magnitude of the force and the weight of the force. False

4. The magnitude of the vertical component of the force is determined by the magnitude
of the force, the weight of the object, the normal force on the object and the angle 𝜃𝜃
False

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1. The crown of a tooth is embedded in the jawbone. False (the root is embedded).
2. Rabbits have continuously growing incisors due to open roots. True.
3. Molars typically have one root in humans. False (they have 2–3 roots).
4. Carnivores like dogs lack canines. False (they have long, pointed canines).

1. Amoeba can form cysts to survive harsh conditions. True

2. The pseudopodia of Amoeba are temporary structures. True
3. Amoeba uses cilia for movement. False (Uses pseudopodia; cilia are
absent.)
4. Amoeba’s food vacuole fuses with lysosomes for digestion. True

1. Methyne is the simplest alkyne False

2. Methanol is the simplest alkenone False
3. Ethene is the simplest alkene True
4. Ethanal is the simplest alkanal False

1. A solution is a heterogenous mixture of two or more substances False

2. In a solution, it is possible to visually distinguish between solute and solvent False
3. A solution will have the combined boiling points of its two components False
4. A solution is composed of two phases. False

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 ROUND FOUR

RIDDLES

1. I may be a structure or an opening

2. In Greek, my name literally means “mouth”
3. In anatomy, I am an abdominal opening that diverts waste from the body
4. In botany, I am a tiny pore or opening in the epidermis of a plant
5. I regulate gas exchange between the plant and environment.
Who am I? STOMA

1. My discovery sparked a feud between Sweden and Spain in the 18th century.
2. I’m rarely found free in nature, often hiding in minerals with a blue tint.
3. Despite my heavy nature, I’m crucial in fine, precision tools and filaments.
4. I am an element whose symbol is derived not from my common name, but from the
German word Wolfram.
5. With the highest melting point of all metals, I’m the backbone of incandescent bulbs
and aerospace tech. Who am I? TUNGSTEN

1. I am an angle type
2. I am between half a circle and a complete circle
3. I am not acute, obtuse or right
4. I appear as though the angle has been turned in reverse
5. If geometry kids know my name well
Who am I? REFLEX ANGLE

1. If all pretentions are removed, I am just a beam of light

2. Delivering continuous wave output at mega watt power level is what I am built for
3. I often produce infrared beam in cutting and defence
4. My examples include deuterium fluoride, hydrogen fluoride and many more
5. I obtain my energy from chemical reaction
6. If I was invented by Jerome Kasper and George Pimental
Who am I? CHEMICAL LASER