Science Department
Year 8 into 9
Summer Pre-reading Work
Name:__________________________________
Instructions:
 Read through the key points for each of the topics.
 Complete some of your own research to answer the quick quiz questions for
each section (tick the correct answer).
Remember to hand this booklet into your teacher when you return to school in
September.
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Record Sheet
Ask your parents to complete the page below as a record of the completion of your work.
Topic
Task Completed
Parent Signature
Date
Key Point pre-reading
Adaptation & Inheritance
Quick Quiz
Key Point pre-reading
Reactions
Quick Quiz
Key Point pre-reading
Metals & Acids
Quick Quiz
Key Point pre-reading
Energy
Quick Quiz
Key Point pre-reading
Motion & Pressure
Science Department
Quick Quiz
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Biology - Adaptation & Inheritance - Key Points

Animals compete for food, water, mates and space. Plants compete for light, water, space and
minerals.

Adaptations are characteristics that help an organism to survive and reproduce.

Predator and prey species are interdependent – a change in the population of one animal
directly affects the population of the other.

Difference in characteristics within a species are known as variation. Inherited variation comes
from characteristics inherited from our parents. Variation caused by your surroundings is
called environmental variation. Many characteristics are affected by both.

Characteristics that can only have certain values show discontinuous variation.

Characteristics that can be any value within a range show continuous variation.

You inherit characteristics from your parents in your DNA.

DNA is arranged into long strands called chromosomes. Each chromosome is divided into
sections of DNA. The sections of DNA that contain the information to produce a characteristic
are called genes.

Watson, Crick, Franklin and Wilkins worked together to produce a model of the structure of
DNA.

All living organisms have evolved from a common ancestor, through the process of natural
selection.

Fossils provide evidence for evolution.

If a species is not adapted to its environment, it will not survive. Eventually a species can
become extinct.

Gene banks store genetic samples from organisms. This may help to prevent extinction.

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Biology- Adaptation & Inheritance - Quick Quiz
1. Who produced the first X-ray pictures of DNA?
□ Crick
□ Watson
□ Franklin
2. Which of these is smallest?
□ Gene
□ Chromosome
□ Genome
3. Where are chromosomes found?
□ In the cytoplasm
□ In the nucleus
□ In the membrane
4. Which two scientists discovered the shape of DNA?
□ Franklin and Wilkins
□ Darwin and Wallace
□ Watson and Crick
5. What shape is DNA?
□ Double helix
□ X-shaped
□ Spherical
6. Which scientist did not win the Nobel prize for their work on DNA?
□ Watson
□ Franklin
□ Wilkins
7. How many chromosomes do normal body cells have?
□ 46 pairs
□ 23
□ 23 pairs
8. How many chromosomes do sperm and eggs have?
□ 46
□ 23 pairs
□ 23
9. What is the definition of a gene?
□ One copy of all our DNA
□ A section of DNA that gives a characteristic
□ A coiled-up, x-shaped section of DNA
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10. How many genes do we have?
□ 23 pairs
□ 23
□ Around 20,000
11. What occurs when a sperm meets an egg?
□ Variation
□ Fertilisation
□ Menstruation
12. Which of these features is an example of continuous variation?
□ Gender
□ Blood group
□ Weight
13. Which of these features is an example of discontinuous variation?
□ Length of forearm
□ Blood group
□ Height
14. Which of these features shows inherited variation?
□ Brown eyes
□ Having a scar
□ Pierced ears
15. Kathryn has bright blue hair. What kind of variation has caused this?
□ Inherited variation
□ Environmental variation
□ Inherited and environmental variation
16. Which of these features shows environmental variation?
□ Scars
□ Blood group
□ Eye colour
17. Which of these factors can be changed by both environmental and inherited variation?
□ Tattoos
□ Weight
□ Scars
18. What shape graph do you see for many examples of continuous variation?
□ A straight line downwards
□ A straight line upwards
□ A bell-shape
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19. Where is most variation found?
□ Between different species
□ Within one species
□ Between lions and tigers
20. What type of graph do we use for discontinuous variation?
□ A bell-shape
□ Bar chart
□ Line graph
21. Why did Darwin's ideas cause the most controversy?
□ The Church did not agree with him
□ Other scientists disagreed with him
□ He was wrong
22. What explains evolution?
□ Extinction
□ Natural selection
□ Global warming
23. Which scientist first proposed the theory of natural selection?
□ Watson
□ Darwin
□ Crick
24. What is the name for changes in organisms over long periods of time?
□ Photosynthesis
□ Respiration
□ Evolution
25. What can ultimately occur if species do not change?
□ Extinction
□ Natural selection
□ Evolution
26. Which animal is now extinct?
□ Panda
□ Dodo
□ Rhino
27. What does biodiversity mean?
□ Species at risk of extinction
□ Having as narrow a range of organisms as possible
□ Having as wide a range of organisms as possible
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28. What is a possible reason for extinction?
□ The number of habitats falls below a critical level
□ Too many resources
□ Less competition
29. Which British species is endangered?
□ White rhino
□ Red squirrels
□ Panda
30. What are seed banks?
□ Buildings in which seeds are sold
□ Buildings in which seeds are loaned
□ Buildings in which seeds are stored
Quiz Score:
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Chemistry – Reactions – Key Points

Physical changes are reversible. They include changes of state and dissolving.

Chemical reactions are not reversible.

Ina chemical reaction, atoms are re-arranged to make new substances.

In a chemical reaction, the total mass of reactants is equal to the total mass of products. This is
conservation of mass.

In a chemical reaction, the starting substances are called reactants. The substances that are
made in the reaction are called products.

Word equations represent reactions simply. They show reactants on the left and products on
the right. The arrow means reacts to make.

In a balanced symbol equation, chemical formulae represent the reactants and products. The
equation shows how atoms are re-arranged. It gives the relative amounts of reactants and
products.

Chemical reactions can make useful products and transfer energy.

In oxidation reactions, substances join with oxygen to form oxides.

Oxidation reactions include burning and resting. Burning is also called combustion.

In a thermal decomposition reaction, a compound breaks down when it is heated. The
products are simpler compounds, and elements.

Exothermic changes transfer energy to the surroundings.

Endothermic changes transfer energy from the surroundings.

A hazard is a possible source of danger.

A risks is the chance of damage or injury from a hazard.
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Chemistry – Reactions – Quick Quiz
1. When methane burns in oxygen, carbon dioxide and water are made. Which is a reactant?
□ Oxygen
□ Carbon dioxide
□ Water
2. Copper oxide and carbon dioxide are made when copper carbonate is heated strongly. Which
is a product?
□ Heat
□ Copper carbonate
□ Copper oxide
3. What name is given to the force that holds atoms together in a compound?
□ Chemical bond
□ Gravity
□ Electrostatic attraction
4. What is another name for combustion?
□ Reduction
□ Burning
□ Displacement
5. Combustion reactions always release energy. What word can be used to describe them?
□ Endothermic
□ Exothermic
□ Reversible
6. Which of these is found in the fire triangle and is therefore essential for combustion?
□ Oxygen
□ Water
□ Carbon dioxide
7. What is a hydrocarbon?
□ A compound that contains carbon and hydrogen
□ A compound made from carbon and hydrogen only
□ A compound that has been obtained from crude oil
8. What is produced when a hydrocarbon fuel burns in a very good supply of oxygen?
□ Carbon monoxide and water
□ Carbon and water
□ Carbon dioxide and water
9. Which type of combustion releases the most energy?
□ Complete combustion
□ Incomplete combustion
□ Thermal decomposition
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10. What name is given to a substance that speeds up a reaction without being used up or
chemically changed?
□ Reducing agent
□ Catalyst
□ Oxidising agent
Quiz Score:
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Chemistry – Metals & Acids – Key Points

The reactivity series lists metals in order of how vigorously they react. The most reactive
metals are at the top. The table summarises some reactions.
Metal
potassium
sodium
lithium
calcium
magnesium
zinc
iron
lead
copper
silver
gold
Reaction with dilute
acid
Explode.
Products are metal
salts and hydrogen.
React, making
bubbles.
Products are metals
salts and hydrogen.
Do not react.
Reaction on heating
in air
Burn vigorously.
Products are metal
oxides.
Do not burn. Form
oxide layer on
surface.
Reaction with water
React vigorously.
Products are a metal
hydroxide and
hydrogen.
React with steam.
Products are
hydrogen and a metal
oxide.
Do not react.
Do not react.

More reactive metals displace less reactive metals from compounds.

Zinc, and metals below it in the reactivity series are extracted by heating their oxides with
carbon.

Ceramic materials include pottery and brick. They are hard and brittle, with high melting
points.

Polymers have long molecules. There are hundreds of polymers. Each has unique properties
that make it suitable for particular purposes.

A composite material is a mixture of materials. It has properties that are a combination of the
properties of the materials in the mixture.
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Chemistry – Metals & Acids – Quick Quiz
1. Which of these three metals is the most reactive: potassium, iron or gold?
□ Potassium
□ Iron
□ Gold
2. Which of these three metals is the least reactive: iron, copper or platinum?
□ Iron
□ Copper
□ Platinum
3. Which gas is produced when magnesium reacts with hydrochloric acid?
□ Carbon dioxide
□ Oxygen
□ Hydrogen
4. What is the test for hydrogen?
□ A burning splint goes out
□ A burning splint burns more brightly
□ A burning splint makes a squeaky pop sound
5. What are the products when calcium reacts with nitric acid?
□ Calcium chloride and hydrogen
□ Calcium oxide and carbon dioxide
□ Calcium nitrate and hydrogen
6. What are the products when magnesium reacts with sulfuric acid?
□ Magnesium sulfate and hydrogen
□ Magnesium nitrate and hydrogen
□ Magnesium sulfate and water
7. What type of reaction involves a more reactive metal pushing a less reactive metal out of a
compound?
□ Oxidation
□ Combustion
□ Displacement
8. What happens when zinc is added to a solution of copper sulfate?
□ Nothing happens
□ The zinc displaces the copper
□ The mixture catches on fire
9. What happens when copper is added to a solution of magnesium chloride?
□ Chlorine is produced
□ Nothing happens
□ The copper displaces the magnesium.
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10. What are the products when zinc is added to lead nitrate solution?
□ Zinc nitrate solution and lead
□ There is no reaction
□ Hydrogen and zinc nitrate
11. How are ceramic materials made?
□ By heating and cooling a substance
□ By adding many small molecules together
□ Using electricity
12. Which of the following is a typical use for a ceramic?
□ Car
□ Bathroom sink
□ Clothing
13. What type of material is a house brick?
□ Polymer
□ Ceramic
□ Composite
14. What type of material is reinforced concrete?
□ Polymer
□ Ceramic
□ Composite
15. Which of the following properties applies to most ceramics?
□ Lightweight
□ Brittle
□ Flexible
16. What name is given to a very long molecule made from smaller repeating units?
□ Polymer
□ Ceramic
□ Composite
17. Which of the following is a polymer?
□ Nylon
□ Zinc
□ Sulfur
18. Why is poly(ethene) used for plastic bags?
□ It is strong and flexible
□ It is a good conductor of heat
□ It is a bad conductor of electricity
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19. Why is disposing of polymers difficult?
□ They are poisonous
□ They do not biodegrade easily
□ They are very heavy
20. Why is reinforced concrete a good building material?
□ It is waterproof
□ It is strong and flexible
□ It is very lightweight
Quiz Score:
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Physics – Energy – Key Points

There is energy in the chemical stores associated with food and fuel. Energy is measured in
joules. You need different amounts of energy for different activities.

Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be transferred between stores. This the law
of conservation of energy. Light, sound and electricity are ways of transferring energy between
stores.

Temperature is measured using a thermometer. The temperature doesn’t depend on the
amount of material, but the amount of energy in the thermal store does.

When a hot object is in contact with a colder one, energy is transferred from the hot object to
the colder one. Energy will be transferred, and the temperature difference will decrease, until
the objects are in equilibrium.

Energy is transferred by conduction in solids and by convection in liquids and gases.

Energy is transferred by radiation, which does not need a medium to travel through. All objects
emit radiation. Infrared radiation can be detected by your skin or a thermal imaging camera. If
the energy transferred to an object is less than the energy transferred from it, the object will
cool down.

Fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas are formed over millions of years and are non-renewable.
They can be used to drive a generator in a thermal power station. Wind, wave and solar
sources are examples of renewable energy resources.

Power = energy/time, and electrical power = potential difference x current. You can work out
the energy transferred by appliances in your home using the unit of kilowatt hours.

You calculate work by multiplying force by a distance. Simple machines like levers and gears
can make it easier to do work but you do not get more energy out than you put in.
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Physics – Energy – Quick Quiz
1. What is another name for burning?
□ Combustion
□ Respiration
□ Thermal decomposition
2. What is the correct unit for energy?
□ Calorie
□ Joule
□ Gram
3. Which of these foods has the most energy per 100 grams?
□ Apple
□ Omelette
□ Bread
4. Around how many kJ of energy does an adult need per day?
□ 8400
□ 4800
□ 840
5. What is the term that means the rate at which energy is used?
□ Speed
□ Power
□ Joule
6. What are the units of power?
□ Newtons
□ Watts
□ Joules
7. How can energy be released from food?
□ Combustion and respiration
□ Combustion only
□ Respiration only
8. How many watts are in a kilowatt?
□ 10
□ 100
□ 1000
9. Which of these electric items uses the most power?
□ Clock
□ Drill
□ Oven
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10. What units do electrical suppliers use for energy?
□ kWh
□ kWmin
□ Joule
11. Which of the following is a non-renewable energy resource?
□ Wind power
□ Biomass
□ Natural gas
12. Where did the energy stored in fossil fuels originally come from?
□ Plants
□ Sunlight
□ Animals
13. What is an advantage of wind power?
□ It doesn't work unless there is wind
□ It uses large wind turbines
□ It is a renewable energy resource
14. Which of the following is a good way to reduce the use of fossil fuels?
□ Leaving the lights on when we leave a room
□ Leaving the TV on standby all night
□ Walking instead of going in a car
15. Which of these is a fossil fuel?
□ Biomass
□ Coal
□ Nuclear
16. When talking about fuels what does finite mean?
□ Will run out
□ Won't run out
□ May run out
17. What is an explanation for global warming?
□ Greenhouse effect
□ Respiration
□ Combustion
18. What gas causes acid rain?
□ Carbon monoxide
□ Sulphur dioxide
□ Carbon dioxide
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19. What is a disadvantage of nuclear fuels?
□ They produce heat
□ They don't produce carbon dioxide
□ Disposing of waste
20. What is a disadvantage of geothermal energy?
□ It can only be used in certain places
□ It produces carbon dioxide
□ It is a non-renewable energy resource
21. An object at rest on top of a shelf is likely to have:
□ No energy
□ Gravitational potential energy
□ Hydroelectric power
22. Batteries are stores of:
□ Chemical energy
□ Electrical energy
□ Light energy
23. Energy is usefully transferred from a personal audio player as:
□ Kinetic energy
□ Thermal energy
□ Sound energy
24. Which is likely to contain the most thermal energy?
□ A red hot horseshoe
□ A spark from a firework
□ An ice cube
25. Which is likely to have the highest temperature?
□ A red hot horseshoe
□ A spark from a firework
□ An ice cube
26. Which type of energy transfer requires particles?
□ Conduction
□ Temperature
□ Radiation
27. Thermal energy is transferred by conduction from:
□ The hot end to the cold end
□ The cold end to the hot end
□ The Sun to the Earth
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28. Which type of energy transfer can occur though a vacuum?
□ Conduction
□ Radiation
□ Convection
29. What type of energy is stored in a windup toy?
□ Elastic potential
□ Gravitational potential energy
□ Heat
30. What type of diagram shows the efficiency of energy transfer?
□ Flow
□ Arrow
□ Sankey
Quiz Score:
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Physics – Motion & Pressure – Key Points

Speed = distance/time, measured in metres per second (m/s). Average speed is the total
distance travelled/total time taken.

You can show what is happening to the position of an object on a distance-time graph. The
slope of the distance-time graph is the speed.

Gas pressure is due to the collisions of gas molecules with the sides of the container or object.
If the gas is hotter, or compressed into a smaller volume, or if there are more gas molecules in
the same space, there will be more collisions and the pressure will be greater.

Atmospheric pressure is due to the collisions of air molecules with objects. Atmospheric
pressure decrease with height because there are fewer air molecules higher up.

Liquids are incompressible. The pressure at a particular depth in a liquid depends on the
weight of water above it. Pressure increases with depth.

Pressure = force/area, measured in N/m2 or N/cm2. The pressure tells you how the force is
spread out over an area.

The turning effect of a force is called a moment. You calculate a moment by multiplying the
force by the distance from a pivot.

If the clockwise moments acting on an object equal the anticlockwise moments the object will
be in equilibrium. This is how see-saws balance.

The centre of gravity is the point at which all the weight of the object appears to act.

The weight of an object acting through the centre of mass can produce a turning force.
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Physics – Motion & Pressure – Quick Quiz
1. What is the correct equation for calculating speed?
□ Distance multiplied by time
□ Time divided by distance
□ Distance divided by time
2. What are the correct units for speed?
□ Miles per hour
□ Metres per second
□ Kilometres per hour
3. What is the correct equation for calculating time?
□ Distance subtracted from speed
□ Distance multiplied by speed
□ Distance divided by speed
4. What is the correct equation for calculating distance?
□ Speed multiplied by time
□ Speed divided by time
□ Time divided by speed
5. What does a horizontal line in a distance-time graph show?
□ Fast moving
□ Slow moving
□ Stationary
6. What does a steep line in a distance-time graph show?
□ Stationary
□ Slow moving
□ Fast moving
7. What does a gently sloping line in a distance-time graph show?
□ Slow moving
□ Fast moving
□ Stationary
8. What goes on the x-axis in a distance-time graph?
□ Distance
□ Time
□ Speed
9. How do you calculate the relative speed of objects moving in the same direction?
□ Fastest speed minus slowest speed
□ Slowest speed minus fastest speed
□ Slowest speed multiplied by fastest speed
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10. How do you calculate the relative speed of objects moving in the opposite direction?
□ Add both speeds together
□ Fastest speed minus slowest speed
□ Multiply both speeds together
11. What is the pressure exerted by a man standing on one leg?
□ Half of the pressure he exerts when standing on two legs
□ The same pressure as he exerts when standing on two legs
□ Twice the pressure he exerts when standing on two legs
12. The weight of a 100 N laser printer is spread over 0.5m2. What is the pressure it exerts?
□ 50 N/m2
□ 200 N/m2
□ 500 N/m2
13. What are the correct units of pressure?
□ Newtons per square metre
□ Coulombs
□ Newtons
14. How do you calculate pressure?
□ Area divided by force
□ Force divided by area
□ Force added to area
15. What are the correct units of force?
□ Newtons per square metre
□ Pascals
□ Newtons
16. Which example increases pressure?
□ A drawing pin
□ Snowshoes
□ A long lever
17. Which example reduces pressure on the ground the most?
□ Wearing high heels
□ Wearing skis
□ Lying down flat
18. Where is there greatest pressure?
□ At the bottom of the ocean
□ In the middle of the ocean
□ At the surface of the ocean
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19. A force of 4 N acts on a lever 2 m from the pivot. What is the moment?
□ 8 Nm
□ 6 Nm
□ 2 Nm
20. One way to increase the turning force on a spanner is to:
□ Use a shorter spanner
□ Use a longer pivot
□ Use a longer spanner
Quiz Score:
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