Science: Full Practice Paper 5
Full Practice Paper 5 is a fifth complete practice paper in the style of 13+ Common Entrance Science, again combining Biology, Chemistry and Physics questions in one timed paper so that pupils build the stamina and subject-switching needed for the real exam.
Before you start
Make sure you're comfortable with these topics first:
Method
- Note the total time and total marks available before you begin, and check whether any section is worth noticeably more marks than the others, so you can allocate your time sensibly.
- Read data tables and graphs carefully before answering any question about them, checking both axis labels and units so that a numerical answer is given in the correct unit.
- Answer questions in each subject (biology, chemistry, physics) using the vocabulary specific to that subject, since a vague general answer rarely scores full marks on an 'explain' question.
- For a calculation, always state the equation you are using first, then substitute the numbers given in the question, then work through the arithmetic step by step.
- If a question is worth several marks, write several distinct points in your answer, since each separate valid point usually earns one mark.
- Leave time at the end to check that every calculation answer has the correct unit attached, and that you have answered every lettered part of multi-part questions.
Worked example
A pupil connects a resistor to a 12 V battery in a simple series circuit. An ammeter in the circuit reads a current of 2 A. (a) Use V = I x R to calculate the resistance of the resistor. (b) The pupil then replaces the battery with a 6 V battery, keeping the same resistor. Calculate the new current in the circuit.
- Rearrange V = I x R to make resistance the subject: R = V / I.
- Substitute the values from the first circuit: R = 12 / 2 = 6 ohm.
- For the second circuit, use V = I x R again, this time to find current: I = V / R.
- Substitute the new voltage and the resistance just found, which stays the same since it is the same resistor: I = 6 / 6 = 1 A.
- Final answer: (a) resistance = 6 ohm; (b) new current = 1 A.
Practice questions
Type your answer and press Check to be marked straight away, or reveal the answer and mark yourself.
Q1State the name of the process by which light rays bend as they pass from air into glass.Show answer
Answer: Refraction.
Q2Name the gas that makes up approximately 78% of the Earth's atmosphere.Show answer
Answer: Nitrogen.
Q3Name the organ in the human body that produces insulin.Show answer
Answer: The pancreas.
Q4Write the word equation for photosynthesis.Show answer
Answer: Carbon dioxide + water -> glucose + oxygen (using light energy).
Q5A pupil measures the volume of a gas produced in a reaction every 30 seconds. State whether the volume of gas is the independent or the dependent variable.Show answer
Answer: The dependent variable (it depends on the time that has passed, which is the variable being changed).
Q6State the pH value of a neutral solution, such as pure water.Show answer
Answer: pH 7.
Q7Name the force that opposes the motion of an object moving through air.Show answer
Answer: Air resistance (drag).
Exam-style questions
Written in the style of a 13+ Common Entrance exam paper, with a full mark scheme.
A sound wave has a frequency of 400 Hz and a wavelength of 0.85 m. (a) Use wave speed = frequency x wavelength to calculate the speed of this sound wave. (b) The speed of sound in air is approximately 340 m/s. State whether your answer to (a) is consistent with the wave travelling through air, giving a reason. (c) State what would happen to the wavelength of this sound wave if its frequency increased but its speed through the same medium stayed the same.
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A pupil investigates the rate of photosynthesis in pondweed by counting the number of bubbles of gas released per minute at different distances from a lamp. Distance from lamp (cm): 10, 20, 30, 40. Bubbles per minute: 32, 18, 9, 5. (a) Name the gas being released by the pondweed. (b) Describe the pattern shown by these results. (c) Suggest an explanation for this pattern, in terms of light intensity.
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Free printable worksheet
Want more practice on paper? Download the science: full practice paper 5 worksheet pack - 18 pages of exam-style questions with a full mark scheme. One email opens every download in this browser for 14 days - no account, no card. Print it for personal and classroom use.
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