Name _____________________________
CHEMISTRY
Teacher ___________________________
Question 1 (2 marks)
Complete the table of so that it displays the correct information for the following atoms/ions:
Name
Symbol/Formula
Number of
Protons
Number of
electrons
Metal or NonMetal?
Fluorine
F
9
9
non-metal
Potassium
K
19
19
metal
O or O2
8
8
non-metal
12
10
metal
½ mark for this
column
½ mark for this
column
½ mark for this
column
Oxygen
Magnesium ion
Marks allocated
Mg2+
(Mg+2 was
accepted)
½ mark for this
column
Markers: Comments:
When I looked at this I had to work out a way to allocate 2 marks fairly to the information. I decided
to mark them as columns as each column showed a particular skill. Any error in the column meant
you couldn’t get the mark for that column.

Column 1 – you could get all the symbols from the Periodic table you were issued so the
main one I was looking at was the magnesium ion – you had to work out that it was in group
2 so it will lose TWO electrons to have a 2+ charge

Column 2 – checks if you know that the atomic number on the Periodic Table tells you the
number of protons in an atom of that element.

Column 3 – all the numbers should match the number of protons in column 2 EXCEPT the
magnesium ion. If you had the wrong charge on the magnesium ion in the first column you
would have lost the ½ mark there but if your logic for the number of electrons was correct
(even for the incorrect ion) then you could still get the ½ mark here if you didn’t write 10.
Page 1
Question 2 (2 marks)
Complete the table to demonstrate your understanding of naming chemical compounds.
Compound Name
i
sodium hydroxide
Compound Formula
NaOH – NOT NaHO
ii
magnesium carbonate
MgCO3
iii
sulfur trioxide
SO3
iv
barium chloride NOT barium dichloride
BaCl2
Markers Comments:
Each of these answers was worth a ½ mark. It had to be completely correct to get the ½ mark.
Common mistakes included:




putting brackets around groups when they were needed
using the prefix “di” in the ionic barium chloride compound – you only use prefixes in covalent
compounds that are formed between two non-metals.
Trying to work out the valency to write sulfur trioxide – it is written down EXACTLY how its
name tells you – this is the rule for covalent compounds.
writing the hydroxide group as HO not OH
Question 3 (3 marks)
a) Magnesium combusts in air (oxygen) to produce magnesium oxide. Write a chemical
equation for this reaction. (1 mark)
2Mg +O2  2MgO
Markers Comments:
This was marked as either 1 or zero. It had to be completely correct to get the mark – this is how it is
done in the HSC examinations.
Common mistakes included:



not knowing oxygen exists as a diatomic molecule i.e. O2
not being able to balance the equation or forgetting to balance the equation
Not being able to work out the formula for magnesium oxide
Question 3 continued over the page.
Page 2
b) Ben carefully cleaned a piece of magnesium ribbon and placed it in a crucible. He then
accurately weighed the crucible and magnesium together. After heating it on a tripod above a
hot Bunsen flame, he observed a bright light being emitted as it burnt. When it cooled back
down he carefully reweighed the crucible and its contents and he expected that the mass
would remain the same because of the Law of Conservation of Mass. However, he was
surprised to find that the mass of the crucible and its contents had in fact increased.
Explain why the total mass actually increased in mass when compared to the initial mass.
(2 marks)
Markers Comments:
This question was marked holistically with a mark of 2, 1 or 0 allocated. To get 2 marks you had to make an
excellent link between the fact that oxygen is going to be reacted with the magnesium and this means you are
forming a compound that has a greater mass than the mass of the original magnesium. The best answers stated
that the mass of the oxygen gas was not accounted for in the initial weighing and in fact this scenario still
obey the Law of Conservation of Mass.
Question 4 (3 marks)
Consider the seven following elements;
potassium, copper, zinc, sulfur,
carbon,
chlorine,
oxygen
Identify TWO different compounds that could be made from these elements, so that these
compounds will have TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF BONDING.
Because of their different bonding, the two compounds will have very different physical properties.
Complete the answer space below to demonstrate the depth of your understanding. (½ mark each)
Compound 1 Examples of Covalent compounds could have included:
Formula
CO2, CCl4, SO3, SO2 etc…
Type of Bonding - Covalent
One physical property - poor electrical conductivity, poor thermal conductivity (accepted poor/low
conductivity even though this does not have the specifics), gas (where appropriate etc.)
Compound 2 Examples of Ionic Compounds could have included:
Formula
KCl, K2O, CuO, CuS, ZnCl2, ZnO etc.
Type of Bonding - ionic
One physical property
etc.
high melting/boiling point, conducts electricity when molten or aqueous,
Page 3
Name _____________________________
BIOLOGY
Teacher ___________________________
Question 1 (6 marks)
Eye colour is controlled by 2 alleles. The allele “B" produces brown eyes. The allele “b" produces
blue eyes.
a) Complete the punnet square below to show a cross between a homozygous blue-eyed woman
and a homozygous brown-eyed man. (2 marks)
Correct genotypes of parents
1 mark
Correctly filled punnet square
1 mark
b) List the possible phenotype(s) of their offspring? (1 mark)
Brown eyes
1 mark
c) Explain (using correct terminology) why all of the children had the phenotype shown above.
(1 mark)
Because the brown eye allele is dominant (½) and masks/overrides/
hides the expression of (½) the recessive trait/blue eyes.
1 mark
Markers comments:
The verb is explain – cause and effect. It was not enough to simply identify brown eyes as dominant.
You needed to explain what the effect of it was.
d) If another man AND woman were heterozygous for brown eyes, what would the genotypic
ratios of their offspring be? Show both the genotypes and their ratios in your answer. ( 2
marks)
Genotypes listed clearly: BB:Bb:bb
1 mark
Genotypic ratio clearly shown.
Genotypic ratios (BB) 1 : (Bb) 2 : (bb) 1
1 mark
Markers comments:
Just doing a Punnett square is not sufficient for this mark. That was assessed in part 1. Students
needed to be able to identify the genotypes that result from the cross. (BB, Bb, and bb)
Page 4
Please note that a ratio is not a percentage. Many students lost marks because they listed percentages
instead of ratios. Marks were also lost when students gave phenotypic ratios instead of genotypic
ratios or could not show they knew the difference and listed both without indicating which was the
genotypic ratio.
Please note that genotypes are the letters/ description (i.e. homozygous dominant, heterozygous,
homozygous recessive) and phenotypes are the physical expression of the genes i.e. brown or blue)
Use the following diagram to answer Question 2.
Question 2 (4 marks)
a) Which molecules are represented by Box
Proteins/polypeptides
b) Name the two processes that must occur for
B
?(1 mark)
1 mark
A
to produce
B
Transcription
. (2 marks)
1 mark
Translation
1 mark
c) For one of the processes identified above, outline what occurs in this process. Make sure to
identify which process you are referring to. (1 mark)
i.
PROCESS: Must be transcription or translation that was identified in part b).
Transcription: needed to make reference to the copying of bases to 1 mark
create MRNA strand
Or
Translation: mRNA and tRNA used to create a chain of amino
acids/polypeptide chain/protein
(½ mark deducted if the student
listed transcription and outlined
translation and vice versa)
Page 5
Name _____________________________
PHYSICS
Teacher ___________________________
INSTRUCTIONS:
You are expected to show ALL working for answers involving
calculations.
Physics Equations:
Average speed = distance/time
F = ma
Question 1 (4 marks)
During the month of “Movember”, Mr Smith’s moustache grows,
on average, at a rate of 1.25 mm per day.
a)
Calculate the length of hairs (in metres) in Mr Smith’s
moustache at the end of November, i.e. 30 days. (2 marks)
v = u + at
v2 = u2 + 2ar
r = ut + ½ at2
Length = rate x time
Note - sometimes “s” is used
Rate = 1.25mm -> 0.00125m
in place of “r” in these
Time = 30 days
formulas.
1 mark: for the formula/working
l = 0.00125 x 30
= 0.0375m
1 mark: correct answer
Comments:
Majority of students answered correctly. Common error changing units incorrectly
b) A student was overheard making the following statement:
“The length of Mr Smith’s moustache would be a scalar quantity”.
Define the term “scalar quantity” and provide ONE other example of a scalar quantity. (2 marks)
A scalar quantity has a magnitude and units, but no direction associated with it.
Examples: Speed, Mass, Temperature, Area etc.
1 Mark: Definition. Must contain magnitude and units. No direction and magnitude also given
1 Mark: Correct example
Comments:
Majority answered correctly. Common error in definition discussing linear relationships or failing to
mention magnitude, units or lack of direction.
Question 2 (3 marks)
A skydiver is travelling at a constant velocity of 9.2 m/s until her parachute opens, where she then
slows down to a constant 2.5 m/s over a 3.0 second period.
Calculate the acceleration of the skydiver after the parachute opens.
V = u + at
𝑎=
𝑣−𝑢
𝑡
a = -2.23 ms-2 (repeater)
accepted answers
Page 6
𝑎=
𝑎=
2.5−9.2
3
−6.7
3
The skydiver is decelerating at a = -2.23 ms-2 (repeater)
The skydiver is accelerating at a = 2.23 ms-2 (repeater) upwards ↑
1 Mark: Correct equation, 1 Mark: Substitution and Calculation,
½ Mark: Correct answer, ½ Mark: Direction/deceleration
Comments:
Most students got 2-2.5 out of 3. Most marks lost from not mentioning deceleration or direction of
the acceleration.
Question 3 (3 marks)
A Year 10 athlete is preparing for the State titles. The graph below shows their motion during sprint
training.
a) What is acceleration of the student out of the blocks? (2 marks)
v = 14 ms-1
v = u + at
u = 0 ms-1
𝑎=
𝑣−𝑢
𝑡
t = 8 seconds
𝑎=
14−0
8
a=?
a = 1.75ms-2
1 Mark: Correct equation and substitution
1 Mark: Correct answer a = 1.75ms-2 (MUST BE ms-2, m/s/s OR ms-1/s) ( -1/2 mark if no units).
Comments:
Students answered well. Common error was incorrect units or using the wrong equation v2 = u2 +
2ar.
b) Describe how you would be able to use the graph to verify that the athlete travelled 119
metres during the sprint. (1 mark)
To verify the total distance of the runner, find the area underneath the line.
1 Mark: Correct description. Must mention area under the graph.
No half mark on this question, no need to show a calculation.
Comments:
About half answered correctly. No mention of area underneath the line. Most wrong answers mentioned
calculating the average distances of each interval and adding them together
Page 7
EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL
SCIENCE
Name _____________________________
Teacher ___________________________
Question 1 (7 marks)
A student conducted an investigation to model the radioactive half-life of uranium. She used 200
wooden cubes representing individual uranium atoms, each with one face marked with a dot. The
cubes were thoroughly mixed then carefully tipped out on a table. The cubes that landed with the dot
facing up were counted and then removed. These cubes represented a ‘decayed’ atom of uranium.
The number of uranium atoms remaining was calculated. This process was repeated every two
minutes. The student then repeated the whole process 10 times. The final data is shown in the table
below:
Time
(minutes)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Average Number of ‘Decayed’
Atoms of Uranium in Each Trial
0
73
41
30
26
14
4
6
2
2
1
Average Total Number of
Uranium Atoms Remaining
200
127
86
56
31
17
13
7
5
3
2
(a) Graph the data to show how the model demonstrates the effect of time on the number of uranium
atoms remaining. (5 marks)
Page 8
Marking Criteria:









Criteria
Correct heading “The effect of time on the number uranium of
remaining atoms”
Curve of best fit drawn correctly
Axes labels with units
Points plotted correctly (including use of an ‘X’)
Suitable scale/increments for axes
Any FOUR of the above
Any THREE of the above
Any TWO of the above
Any ONE of the above
Marks
5
4
3
2
1
Sample Answer:
Marker’s Comments:
Overall, this question was answered quite well by most students. Common mistakes were plotting
the wrong data, and switching around the axes.
If axes were around the wrong way, 1 mark was lost.
No half marks were given.
Page 9
Question 1 (continued)
(b) The student repeated the whole process 10 times. Does this ensure the data collected was
reliable? Justify your answer. (2 marks)
Marking Criteria:



Criteria
Statement that reliability is not ensured
Statement that data must be similar/consistent each time the
experiment is repeated in order for the data to be reliable
Any ONE of the above
Marks
2
1
Sample Answer:
No, this does not ensure that the data is reliable. For data reliability to be achieved, the data must be
consistent/similar upon each repetition.
Marker’s Comments:
This question was completed with mixed success. Only about 40% of students achieved two marks.
Mentioning repeating the experiment did not achieve students any marks; however, demonstrating
that consistency of results/data in reliability gained students 1 mark.
Question 2 (3 marks)
Alfred Wegener proposed the theory of Continental Drift.
Outline this theory and describe how TWO pieces of evidence support his theory.
Marking Criteria:
Criteria
 A detailed outline of Wegner’s theory of continental drift
 Describe TWO pieces of evidence supporting his theory
 A detailed outline of Wegner’s theory of continental drift
 Describe ONE piece of evidence supporting his theory
OR
 Outline of TWO pieces of evidence supporting his theory
 A detailed outline of Wegner’s theory of continental drift
OR
 Outline of ONE piece of evidence supporting his theory
Marks
3
2
1
Sample Answer:
Page 10
Alfred Wegener proposed that all continents were once connected in a single, large landmass called
Pangaea, which broke apart 250mya and drifted slowly to their current locations.
TWO pieces of evidence which supported his theory (any two of the below are fine);
Fossil clues; some fossils of the same species have been found on separate continents that once fitted
together such as Africa and South America. E.g. Glossopteris plant fossil
Continents fit together like a jigsaw: the coastlines of the continents that are now separated seem to
fit together like a jigsaw.
Climate clues:- evidence of ancient coral reefs have been found in places currently too cold in
climate…also glacial scrapings or markings on different continents that were once joined together.
Rock Clues: similar rock strata found on separate continents that once joined together.
ALSO accepted (for Bio students)
Divergent evolution; Species with similar common ancestor found on different continents such as
the ratite flightless birds.
Marker’s Comments:
Most students performed well in this question. Some students did not outline Wegner’s theory and
only provided two pieces of evidence.
Some students confused the theory of Continental Drift with the Plate Tectonic Theory, and thus did
not achieve the mark for the ‘outline’ part of their response. The same applied if students used
palaeomagnetism and spreading zones (mid-ocean ridges) as evidence. These are both pieces of
evidence supporting Plate Tectonic theory, not Continental Drift Theory.
Page 11