SOUTH AFRICAN NATURAL SCIENCE OLYMPIAD

1ST ROUND REVISION

HELD UNDER THE AUSPICES OF
NATIONAL SCIENCE OLYMPIAD

Cucurbita pepo

NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE NINE

DATE : MARCH 2016 DURATION : 1 hour

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
1. This paper consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 6 pages.
2. Write your NAME, GRADE and NAME OF SCHOOL at the top of the separate answer sheet
provided.
3. For each question/statement FOUR (4) possible answers are given. Only ONE is correct.
Select the correct answer and place a CROSS (X) over the letter only of the correct answer
in your answer sheet.
4. Ensure that your cross is in line with the question number you are working with. No credit will
be given if there is more than one cross for a particular question.
5. If a cross is placed in a wrong block then shade the incorrect block. Thereafter, place a cross
in the correct block.
6. Only the answer sheet must be submitted to the teacher at the end of the examination. The
question booklet must be retained by you.
7. Use a blue or black pen only.

HINT : First select and mark the answers in the question booklet. When
you are satisfied, then transfer your choices to your answer sheet to reduce errors and
corrections.
 Page 2
Question 1 and 2 are based on the diagram below which
represents a food web.

1. At which point would you

expect to find the greatest
biomass?

A. S
B. W
C. Z
D. Y

2. At which part of the web would you find the most energy?
A. Z B. V
C. S D. X

3. A man pushes a 10Kg boulder up a hill 10m high. At the top of the
hill its potential energy is 980 J. How much of work was required to
push the boulder up the hill?
A. 98 000 J B. 980 J
C. 100 J D. 9 800 J

Questions 4 and 5 are based on the table below.

4. An indicator is a chemical used to test the pH of acids and bases.

Solutions have been tested with indicators and the results are
indicated in the table below.

pH 1→2→3→4→5→6→7→8→9→10→11→12→13→14

Methyl red red │ yellow

Methyl yellow red │ yellow
Phenolphalein colourless │ red
Thymophthalein colourless │ red

A solution with a pH of 5 will be coloured...

A. red with both methyl red and methyl yellow
B. yellow with both methyl red and methyl yellow
C. red with methyl red and yellow with methyl yellow
D. yellow with methyl red and red with methyl yellow
 Page 3
5. A solution of unknown pH is yellow with both methyl red
and methyl yellow and colourless with both phenolphalein and
thymophthalein. What is the ph of the unknown solution?

A. in the range of 4-8 B. in the range of 7-10

C. in the range of 4-10 D. It cannot be determined

6. Leo wants to grow plants in pots. He decides to test the

effectiveness of slow-releasing fertilizer with different types of
potting soils. He sets up the 6 pots with identical seedlings as
indicated in the diagram below.

The effectiveness of the fertilizer would be best tested by comparing the

growth in pot....
A. i and ii B. i and iv
C. i and v D. i and vi

7. A rod is positively charged by rubbing a glass rod with a silk cloth.

During this process....

A. electrons are transferred from the glass rod to the silk cloth
B. electrons are transferred from the silk cloth to the glass rod
C protons are transferred from the glass rod to the silk cloth
D. protons are transferred from the silk cloth to the glass rod
 Page 4
8. Water (H2O) is not found in the periodic table because water
is...
A. an atom B. a liquid
C. a mixture D. a compound

Question 9 and 10 are based on the

investigation below.
The diagram below shows a ball hung on
a string to create a pendulum. The
pendulum’s period and angle of release
are shown. The period is the length of
time in seconds, for one complete swing
of the pendulum.

Three different investigations to determine

the period of a swinging pendulum are
described below.

In investigation 1, the pendulum was

released at different angles. The length of
string and mass of the ball were the same
for each angle.

In investigation 2,
different lengths of string
were used. The angle of
release and the mass of the
ball were the same for each
length.

In investigation 3, balls of
different masses were used. The
angle of the release and the length
of string were the same for each
mass.
The tables above show the A B
results of the investigations.

9. Which graph A, B, C or D
represents the relationship
shown by the data in
investigation 1.

C D
 Page 5
10. The most likely length of the string in investigation 3 is......
A. 7 cm B. 20 cm
C. 29 cm D. 10 cm

11. Sipho made some electrical circuits using identical lamps and
batteries. Assist Sipho
to determine which
circuit has the smallest
current and which
circuit has the brightest
lamps respectively.

A. A and D
B. B and D
C. A and B
D. C and D

12. The diagram below shows the steps necessary to produce the
energy needed to run a hair dryer.

Decide where
each of the
following
energy change
occurs.

i Electrical energy is changed to heat energy

ii Kinetic energy is changed to electrical energy
iii Chemical energy is changed to heat energy

A. D, C, A B. D, C, B
C. C, D, B D. B, C, D
 Page 6
13. In which diagram is the Earth correctly labelled?

A. 1 B. 2 C. 3 D. 4

14. Michaela is conducting an experiment to test friction. Her setup is

shown below.

If she wants to test friction between different types of materials,

what should she change in the setup above?
A. Replace the mass with a different size mass
B. Replace the string with a different length string
C. Replace the spring balance with a different kind of scale
D. Replace the wooden block with a different kind of block
 Page 7
15. The picture below shows a ringing bell inside a vacuum jar.

As the air is pumped out of

the jar, the sound level of the
ringing bell will decrease
until it can no longer be
heard. This happens because
air must be present in the jar
for..

A. sound to be transferred
B. electricity to flow through
the wires
C. the rubber to seal the jar
D. the bell clanger to vibrate
 Page 8
SOUTH AFRICAN NATURAL SCIENCE OLYMPIADS

GENERAL INFORMATION FOR 2015 FINAL ROUND

PARTICIPATION

1. These SA Olympiads are organised by National Science

Olympiad.

2. It caters for Natural (Grades 4-9), Life and Physical Sciences

(Grades 10 & 11) AND costs only R20 to participate.

3. The Final round of the Olympiads for this year will be held on 02
August 2016.

4. Learners should not be deprived of this opportunity to participate.

All learners are entitled to enter.

5. All learners who participate in the final round only will receive
certificates of participation at least. Other awards are given at a
special awards day held to honour, not only the learners that excel,
but also the schools and educators that help make that possible.
6. The Olympiads are guaranteed to improve the thinking skills of the
learners.
7. Participation in the Olympiads helps those who intend applying for
bursaries for further study.

8. For further information and entry forms for the 2016 Olympiad, you
may contact :-
Robin: Tel : 011-3182027
Cell: 0832677055 (main)
robin@scienceolympiad.co.za
www.scienceolympiad.co.za

IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION:
NB: All learners from Grade 9 & 10 who are still 15 and below on the 31st December
2016 (born in 2001 and after) are eligible for selection to represent South Africa in
the International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO), from 2 to 11 December 2016 in
Bali (Indonesia).