Perhaps the birds
passed the flu to
human.
Scientists tried to find out if
the patients and the birds
got the same virus.
Why did many
people get flu after
contact with birds?
Observation
Making
hypothesis
Both birds and
patients got the
same virus.
Recording data
and analysing
Activity 1(e)
Carrying out
experiment
Bird flu was
passed from birds
to humans.
Drawing
conclusion
QUICK PRACTICE 1.2
The following are steps in a scientific
investigation. Arrange them in the
correct order.
(a) Carry out experiments
(b) Record and analyse
(c) Make observations
(d) Make a hypothesis
(e) Draw a conclusion
(c)
(d)
(a)
(b)
(e)
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Activity 1 (f)
Laboratory
1. How many laboratories are there in your
school?
There are four.
2. What are their names? (You can check
them out at their entrances.)
They are Physics Lab., Biology Lab.,
Chemistry Lab. and Integrated Science Lab.
3. Where is your science laboratory(located
on which floor)?
It is on the 4th floor.
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4. Write down three main differences between
a science laboratory and a normal
classroom.
Science laboratory:
Normal classroom:
smaller
bigger
no laboratory
with laboratory
equipment
equipment
e.g. gas tap, sink
with benches
no benches
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Activity 1 (h)
Functions of apparatus
Look at the photos in Fig.1.9 carefully. Try to
guess the functions of the following
apparatus.
Apparatus
Function
dropper
to transfer a small amount of liquid
reagent bottle
conical flask,
beaker
to store solutions/liquids
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to hold solutions/liquids
Apparatus
Function
spatula
to transfer a small amount of
powder
glass rod
to stir liquids
Bunsen burner
to heat things
heat-proof mat
to protect the bench
safety spectacles to protect your eyes
tongs
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to pick up and hold hot objects
Apparatus
Function
measuring
cylinder
to measure the volume of liquids
gas jar
to hold gases
test tube
to hold a small amount of liquid
test tube holder
to hold a
heating
test tube rack
to hold test tubes
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test tube
during
Put a red circle around each potential
danger. Discuss why it is dangerous and
suggest necessary precautions in each case.
A
C
B
G
E
H
F
D
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I
A-I should not enter the laboratory
unless the teacher is present.
A should tie up her long hair and turn
off the gas tap.
B should not use a thermometer to
stir the liquid.
C should not touch the switch with
a wet hand.
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D should not hold the test tube with a
bare hand when heating. She should
clean up the bench and keep paper
away from the Bunsen burner.
E should not smell the chemical
directly. He should fan the gas gently
to his nose.
F should not throw solid waste into
the sink.
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G should not point the mouth of a
test tube with hot liquid towards
another student.
H should not pour solutions into the
beaker from a high position, and he
should wear safety goggles.
I should clean up the bench and
report the breakage to the teacher
immediately. Also, she should not
touch the wire gauze when it is hot.
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QUICK PRACTICE 1.3
Apparatus
A
B
C
E
D
G
Name
A
reagent bottle
B
beaker
C
glass rod
F D
tripod
E
heat-proof mat
F
dropper
G
wire gauze
Function
to support wire gauze
to protect the bench
to hold liquids
to store solutions
to transfer a small
amount of liquid
to protect the beaker
in heating
to stir liquids
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XPERIMENT 1.1
Using a Bunsen burner
Materials and apparatus
Bunsen burner 1
matches
1 box
heat-proof mat 1
safety spectacles 1
test tube
1
test tube holder
1
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2.(a) Observe the flame of the Bunsen burner.
What is the colour and shape of the
flame?
The flame is yellowin colour and
irregular (regular / irregular) in shape.
The Bunsen flame you now observe is
called the yellow flame (luminous flame
or quiet flame).
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Draw the flame in the diagram on the right
and colour it with a coloured pencil.
yellow
the air hole
is closed
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2.(b) Open the air hole slowly.
The colour of the flame changes
from yellow to blue .
The shape of the flame becomes
regular .
The Bunsen burner
becomes noisier
(quieter / noisier).
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blue
the air hole
is open
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XPERIMENT 1.2
Demonstration
Investigating the Bunsen flame
Materials and apparatus
tongs
1
Bunsen burner 1
glass tube 1
heat-proof mat 1
splint
1
wire gauze
1
pin
1
matches
1 box
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(b) Turn on the gas tap and light the Bunsen
burner. What happens to the match?
It does not light up.
This shows that the inner cone of the
Bunsen flame is not very hot (very hot /
not very hot).
inner cone
match
pin
chimney
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2. (a) Light the Bunsen burner. Open the air
hole to produce a blue flame.
(b) Hold a splint with a pair of tongs. Put it
into the Bunsen flame about 0.5 cm
above the chimney for two seconds.
(If the splint burns, you can try again
and shorten the time to one second.)
splint
0.5 cm
chimney
Activity 1(e)
tongs
2. (c) Remove the splint from the Bunsen
flame and observe it carefully. Draw
what you see.
What does this tell us about the hotness
of the inner cone?
The temperature of the inner
cone is not very high.
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(b)Now we want to find out which part of the
Bunsen flame is the hottest.
Put the wire gauze at different positions.
wire
gauze
C
A
B
At which position does the wire gauze
glow first? It is B.
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3. (c) Mark the hottest part of the Bunsen flame
on the diagram with an ‘X’.
X
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4.(a) Hold a glass tube with a pair of tongs.
Put one end of the tube into the inner
cone of the Bunsen flame.
(b) Light the other end
with a burning splint.
Does it burn? Yes, it does
This shows that the inner cone contains
unburnt (burnt / unburnt) gas.
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XPERIMENT 1.3
Using a dropper to transfer solution
Materials and apparatus
test tubes
2
dropper
1
test tube rack 1
coloured liquid
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What will happen if you squeeze the rubber
bulb too much?
The coloured liquid will be sucked into the
rubber bulb .
What will happen if you hold the
dropper upside down? Should we
use the dropper like this? Why?
The liquid will go into the rubber bulb and
it may be contaminated by other chemicals
left behind in the bulb.
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XPERIMENT 1.4
Mixing solution
Materials and apparatus
test tubes
9
beaker (100cm3)
test tube rack 1
different solutions
dropper
1
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1
1. Your teacher will give you eight bottles of
solutions labelled A to H. Note the colour of
each solution. Write down your
observations in the table below.
Solution
Colour
Solution
Colour
A
B
C
D
colourless
E
F
G
H
clear yellow
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colourless
clear blue
colourless
colourless
colourless
clear green
(c) Mix well by shaking the tube.
Caution
If you spill any solution on your hands,
wash them immediately in running water.
Observe carefully what happens. Write
down your observations.
The colour of the mixed solution is
yellow .
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Colour of
Solutions
Is it clear Any solids
the
mixed
or cloudy? formed?
solution
Any
bubbles
formed?
yellow clear
brown cloudy
white /
clear
light blue
blue cloudy
orange clear
white
clear
blue cloudy
no
no
no
no
no
no
no
A+B
B+C
A+C
C+D
E+G
A+H
C+F
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yes
yes
yes
yes
no
yes
yes
4. You can also mix the solutions by pouring
them directly out of the bottles into the test
tubes.
Compared with this, what are the
advantages of using a dropper?
It is easier to control the amount
of solution transferred, and the
solution is less likely to spill.
Caution
Wash your hands after the experiment.
Activity 1(e)
QUICK PRACTICE 1.4
1. The following are the steps for lighting a
Bunsen burner. Arrange them in the
correct order.
(a) Make sure that the rubber tubing is
properly connected to the gas tap.
(b) Light a match.
(c) Close the air hole.
(d) Hold the burning match just above the top
of the chimney and turn on the gas tap.
(e) Put the Bunsen burner on a heat-proof mat.
(e)
or (c)
(a)
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(c)
(e)
(b)
(b)
(d)
(d)
Activity 1 (j)
Choosing the unit for measuring
lengths
What units would you use to represent the
length of the following things?
mm
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cm
m
Activity 1 (k)
Correct way of measuring
lengths
Three students are measuring the length of a
pencil. Who is in the proper position to read
the scale? It is B.
7.5 cm
7 cm
8 cm
B
A
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C
XPERIMENT 1.6
Using a thermometer to measure
temperatures
Materials and apparatus
thermometer
1
ice
beaker (250 cm3) 1
hot water
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1. Measure the room temperature
with a thermometer.
The room temperature is
Caution
ºC.
Mercury is poisonous. When you are using
a mercury thermometer, extra care needs
to be taken. If you accidentally break a
thermometer, do not touch the mercury or
try to pick up the pieces of broken glass.
Inform your teacher immediately.
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2. What is the temperature of tap water?
Caution
Do not stir water with a
thermometer. You may
break the thermometer.
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3. Your teacher will give you some hot water.
What is the temperature of the hot water?
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4. Your teacher will give you some ice water.
What is the temperature of the ice water?
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5. Hold the bulb of the thermometer in your
hand for one minute.
What temperature does it show?
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XPERIMENT 1.9
Using a measuring cylinder to
measure volumes
Materials and apparatus
measuring cylinder (100 cm3)
1
empty cans of similar containers
several
displacement can
1
plasticine block
1
stone
1
thread
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(b) The correct reading is taken from the
bottom of the meniscus. Also, make sure
that your eyes are at the same level as
the bottom of the meniscus.
(c) The volume of tap water in the above
measuring cylinder is 79 cm3.
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Type of
container
Labelled
volume
(cm3)
Measured
volume
(cm3)
Is the measured volume equal to the labelled
volume? If not, can you explain why?
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II.Measuring the volumes of irregular
solids
1 (a) Pour tap water into a measuring
cylinder until it is about half full.
The volume of water in the measuring
cylinder is
cm3.
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The new reading is
cm3.
The volume of the plasticine block is
cm3.
The volume of a solid is equal to
the volume of water it displaces.
If the plasticine block is divided into two
smaller pieces, do you think its volume will
change?
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The reading is
cm3.
The volume of the plasticine blocks is
cm3.
Does the volume of the plasticine block
change? No, it doesn’t
What can you conclude after this step?
The volume of a solid does not
change even when it is divided
into many pieces.
Activity 1(e)
3. Some irregular-shaped objects are too large
to fit into a measuring cylinder. Their
volumes can be measured by a
displacement can.
(a)Tie a large stone with a thread.
(b) Fill the displacement can with water until
a small amount runs out of the spout.
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(d) Slowly lower the stone into the
displacement can. Measure the volume of
water that flows out of the can into the
measuring cylinder.
displacement
Volume of the stone
can
= volume of water
spout
collected by the
measuring
measuring
cylinder
cylinder
3
=
cm .
stone
Activity 1(e)
QUICK PRACTICE 1.5
1. Complete the table below.
Instrument
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Name of the What does it
Units of
instrument
measure? measurement
stop-watch
time
second
measuring
cylinder
volume
cm3
QUICK PRACTICE 1.5
1. Complete the table below.
Instrument
Name of the
instrument
What does it
Units of
measure? measurement
thermometer temperature
balance
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weight
oC
kg
QUICK PRACTICE 1.5
2. State the instrument you will use to
measure the following. Also, state the
unit in each case.
Measurement
Instrument
Unit
Temperature of
tap water
Time required to
boil a beaker of
water
The weight of a
10-cent coin
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thermometer
oC
stop-watch
s/min
electronic balance/
balance
g
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Are the experiments fair?
Three students carry out an experiment to
find out which brand of battery, A or B, has a
longer life. They use the batteries to power
torches until the batteries run out.
Brand A battery
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Brand B battery
Anthony’s experiment
Leo’s experiment
new batteries
Eric’s experiment
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old batteries
Are the student’s experiment fair?
Anthony’s experiment is unfair (fair / unfair)
because the bulbs of the two torches are
.
different
Leo’s experiment is unfair (fair / unfair)
because new and old batteries are used
.
Eric’s experiment is fair
(fair / unfair)
because all the batteries are new and the
bulbs are the same
Activity 1(e)
.
Activity 1 (p)
Goose down jacket and silk jacket
A goose down
jacket is better at
keeping us warm.
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No! A silk jacket
is better.
In winter, we often wear a goose down jacket
or silk jacket. Do you know which of them is
better at keeping us warm? Let us design a
fair test to find out.
1. What is your hypothesis?
Goose down jacket is better at keeping
us warm because it prevents heat loss
better than a silk jacket.
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3. How are you going to carry out the
experiment? Draw a diagram to show your
experimental set-up.
same volume
of water
goose
down
jacket
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silk
jacket
4. What measurements will you make?
I will measure the changes in the
temperature of water in the bottles.
5. How can you make sure that your test is
fair?
I will fill the bottles with the same
(the same / different) amount of hot
water.
I will measure the changes in water
temperature at the same (the same /
different) time.
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6. How will you draw your conclusion?
The jacket that covers the bottle with
a smaller drop in water temperature is
better
(better / poorer) at keeping
us warm.
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QUICK PRACTICE 1.6
1. Draw a vertical section diagram of each
of the following:
a watch
glass on a
conical flask
a test tube
beaker
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QUICK PRACTICE 1.6
2. Samuel carries out a fair test as shown
below to compare the heat energy
produced by a yellow flame and a blue
flame.
thermometers
water
yellow
flame
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blue
flame
QUICK PRACTICE 1.6
Complete the variable table below.
Controlled
Independent
Dependent
variables
variables
variables
• amount of water • yellow flame or • the rise in water
• temperature of blue flame
temperature
water at the
beginning
• time of heating
the water
• size of the
beakers
• size of the flame
Activity 1(e)