PSLE Science - Answers

The plonts olso hove long roots thot

2012 spreod out just under the soil surfoce
to obsorb more woter. Theg hove thin
Booklet A
needle-like leoves to reduce their loss
of woter to the surroundings'
1. (21
The bird in option (2) hos o long ond
pointed beok which is oble to reoch s. (1)
X is the shoot of the Uoung Plont.
the nector found ot the bose of the
flower. Thus, it is best suited for Its leoves hove not develoPed get
pol linoting this flower.
ond it connot moke its own food.
Food stored in the seed leoves is
(4)
tronsported upwords to X. The roots
2.
of the Uoung plont obsorb woter from
The tgpe of bodg covering for birds
the soil. The woter is then tronsported
ond mommols is different ond con be
upwords to X.
used to differentiote between them.
Birds hove on outer bodg covering
of feothers while mommols hove on 6. (3)
Food is digested in the mouth,
outer bodg covering of hoir. There stomoch ond smoll intestine of the
is no obvious difference in bodg digestive sgstem. Digestion of food
temperoture between birds ond is completed in the smoll intestine.
mommols. Some mommols such os
Absorption of digested food then
bots hove two legs ond wings like
occurs in the smoll intestine. The moin
birds.
function of the lorge intestine is to
(3)
obsorb woter from the undigested
3.
food.
P: cell woll
Q: cgtoplosm
R: nucleus
7. (2)
S: chloroplost
An increose in the use of
oir-conditioners increoses the omount
of fuel burnt ot power stotions, which
Both plont cells ond onimql cells produces more corbon dioxide. An
hove cgtoplosm, o nucleus ond o cell
increose in the number of vehicles
membrone. Onlg plont cells hove o
on the rood results in more corbon
cell woll ond chloroplosts.
dioxide being emitted into the oir.
(1)
Corbon dioxide is o greenhouse gos
4.
o hot thot trops heot on Eorth. Thus, these
Plonts such os cocti grow in
two octivities could hove coused the
ond drg ploce. Theg hove odoptotions
increose in the temperoture of the oir.
thot help them to obsorb more woter
from the soil ond lose less woter to
the surroundings. Swollen stems help
the plonts to store o lot of woter.

,t
PSLE Science - Answers
8. (2) 12. (2)
In set-up A, the grosshopPer hos Orgonism W feeds on orgonism V.
oir but does not hove food. In set- Thus, the introduction of
up B, the grosshopper hos food orgonism W to the hobitot would
but does not hove oir. In generol, leod to o decreose in the number of
orgonisms con survive longerwithout orgonism V storting from the Point
food thon without oil so set-uP B os shown bg option (2) in the groPh.
is the leost suitoble wog to keeP
the grosshopper. In set-uP C, the 13. (4)
grosshopper hos both oir ond food. In set-up A, the woter Plont wos
Thus, set-up C is the most suitoble exposed to light ond corried
wog to keep the grosshoPPer. out photosgnthesis. During
photosgnthesis, the woter Plont
e. (4) took in corbon dioxide ond gove
Since Aini's oim is to find out whether out oxugen. Although the Plont
oxugen is needed forthe germinotion respired ond releosed corbon dioxide,
of seeds, other thon the Presence of the omount of corbon dioxide in
oxugen, oll other voriobles should be set-up A would decreose os more
kept the some for the control. corbon dioxide would be used. In
set-ups B ond C, the woter Plonts
10. (3) were not exposed to light ond could
Process X represents fertilisotion ond not corru out photosgnthesis. Theg
process Y represents germinotion' onlg corried out respirotion. During
After fertilisotion, the ovule found in respirotion, the woter plonts took in
the f lower develops into o seed. In the oxugen ond gove out corbon dioxide.
presence of oir, woter ond wormth, In set-up C, the fish olso corried out
the seed germinotes ond develoPs respirotion ond gove out corbon
into o Uoung plont. Pollinotion is the dioxide. Thus, the omount of corbon
tronsfer of pollen groins from the dioxide in both set-ups B ond C would
onther to the stigmo of o flower. increose. However, set-uP C would
contoin more corbon dioxide thon
11. (1) set-up B.
A: stigmo
B: onther 14. (1)
C: petol P mokes its own food ond does
D: sepol not produce seeds, thus it is o non-
flowering plont. A rose Plont hos
When the stigmo wos removed, bright-coloured flowers while gross
pollinotion ond fertilisotion of the does not, thus question Q is 'Does it
flower could not toke ploce. Thus, hove bright-coloured flowers?'' A rose
the ovules in the flower could not plont is pollinoted with the help of
develop into seeds. insects while gross is pollinoted with
the help of wind.

,rl
 PSLE Science - Answers
1s. (21
boiling woter ond the woter would
For leof P, its upper surfoce wos cooted cool down.
with oil. For leof e, its lower surfoce The wooden lid would prevent worm
wos cooted with oil. Since the groph oir obove the boiling woter from
shows thot leof p lost less woteithon leoving. Thus, it would slow the
leof Q, more stomoto ore found on boiling woter from cooling down
the upper surfoces thon the lower insteod of speeding it up.
surfoces of the leoves of this plont.
20. (3)
16. (4)
In option (3), when bulbs B ond D ore
When the bolloon wos ploced in blown, two bulbs (A ond F) would still
the refrigerotor, the moteriol of the be lit.
bolloon lost heot to the surrounding In option (1), when bulb A is blown,
oir. The oir inside the bolloon in no bulbs would be lit.
turn lost heot to the moteriol of the In option (2), when bulb C is blown,
bolloon. As o result, the oir inside the four bulbs (A, D, E ond F) would still
bolloon controcted ond the bolloon be lit.
become smoller. In option (4), when bulbs E ond F ore
blown, no bulbs would be lit.
17. (4)
The higher the position of the boll, 21. (1)
the greoter the omount of potentiol The melting point of ice is 0"C.
energu it possesses. Thus, the potentiol During the first 10 minutes, the ice
energu of the boll increoses from p melted ond the temperoture of the
to Q. When the boll dropped from ice remoined constont ot 0.C. During
Q to B the potentiol energg of the the next 10 minutes, further heoting
boll is converted into kinetk energu. coused the temperoture of woter to
Thus, the kinetic energu of the boit increose to 100"C, the boiling point
increoses from e to p. of woter. During boiling of woter; the
temperoture of the woter remoined
18. (1)
constont ot 100.C for 10 minutes.
Unlike poles of mognets ottroct eoch During the lost 10 minutes, the
other. Like poles of mognets repel Bunsen burner wos turned off ond the
eoch other. Poles Au C ond E ore like temperoture of the woter decreosed.
poles. Poles B, D ond F ore like poles.
Option (1) is not possible becouse pole 22. (3)
A is ploced next to pole E ond pole B Since Mei Ling repeoted her
is ploced next to pole F. experiment with different volues
of x, she wonted to investigote how
19. (3)
the temperoture recorded is offected
Metol is o good conductor of heot. bg the distonce between the lomp
Thus, the metolspoon would quicklg
ond the cordboord,
conduct heot owog from the boiling
woter ond the woter would cool 23' (2)
down. In option (2), the woter vopour in the
The top woter in the wet cloth would surrounding oir lost heot to the cold
goin heot from the beoker of boiling ice-woter. It condensed on the outer
woter ond evoporote. Thus, it would surfoce of the steel cup which wos in
olso conduct heot owog from the contoct with the ice-woter.

t
 PSLE Science - Answers
24. (3) 2s. (1)
Friction is o force octing between For on orrongement to be possible,
s u rfo ces in contoct ond olwogs the totol moss of the weights hung
opposes movement. In Figure 1, W on X should not exceed 3 kg, the totol
is stotionorg on Xy, so t6ere is no moss of the weights hung on y should
friction octing on W not exceed 5 kg ond the totol moss
of the weights hung on Z should not
2s. (3) exceed 7 kg.
The grovitotionql force (grovitg) In option (1), the totol moss of the
octing on the roller cooster cor is weights hung on Z is (3 + j + 3
constont from A to D. Thus, the =)
7 kg. The totol moss of the weights
grovitotionol force octing on it ot hung on Y is (l + 3 =) 4 kg. The moss
B is the some qs the grovitotionol of the weight hung on X is 3 kg. Thus,
force octing on it ot A. Howeven the oll the strings would not breok ond
omount of grovitotionol potentiol this orrongement would be possible.
energg possessed bg the roller In options (2) ond (3), X would breok.
cooster cor ot B is greoter thon thot In option (4), y would breok.
ot A becouse B is ot o higher position
thon A. 30. (4)
26. (2)
For the bulb to light up, o closed
circuit must be formed. Since the bulb
From the groph, Justin took 3 units of lit up when X ond y were connected
time to wolk from p to e ond 6 units to pins A ond B, the two pins must
of time to wolk from e to R. Thus, he be connected. In oddition, since
wolked ot o foster speed between p the bulb lit up when X ond y were
ond Q thon between e ond R. connected to pins B ond C, the two
pins must olso be connected. pin D
27. (2) wos not connected to the other three
The bulbs in circuits e ond S ore eoch pins, thus the bulb did not light up
supplied with electricol energg from whenever it wos connected to pin fl.
two botteries. The bulbs in iircuits
P ond R ore eoch supplied with Booklet B
electricol energu from one botterg
onlg. Thus, the bulbs in circuits e onJ 31. (o) Mong eggs ore loid so thot ot
S ore brightlg lit while the bulbs in leost some of the eggs will not
circuits P ond R ore dimlg lit. be eoten bg predotors ond will
hotch into todpoles ond grow
28. (4) into odults.
Since the brightness of bulb X - Some onimols feed on the eggs
remoined the some in both of frogs. Bg loging mong eggs,
experiments, Shufen connected even if some of the eggs ore
bulb Y in porollel with bulb X. Thus, eoten, the rest of the eggs will
there ore two poths for the current still hotch into todpoles. When
to flow. Eoch bulb con be switched on the todpoles grow into odult
or off individuollg ond when one bulb frogs, theg will reproduce ond
' blows, the other bulb con still be lit. log mong eggs, thus ensuring
the survivol of frogs.

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 PSLE Science - Answers
(b) Advontoge i: If there is on 33. (o) Insect G is ottrocted to the smell
unfovouroble chonge to the of flower F becouse the strong
surroundings of the goung, ot rotting meot smell misleods it
leost the odults will still survive into thinking thot the flower is
ond continue to reproduce. / If rotting meot ond con be o food
there is on unfovouroble chonge source for its lorvoe when it logs
to the surroundings of the eggs on the flower.
odults, ot leost the goung will still
survive, grow ond reproduce.
- The lorvo of insect G feeds on
rotting meot. Thus, to ensure
Advontoge 2: There is less o food supplg for its Uoung,
competition for food ond living insect G tends to log its eggs on
spoce between the goung ond rotting meot. When the lorvoe
the odults, thus ensuring better hotch from the eggs, theg con
survivol of the species. feed directlg on the rotting
- Living in different surroundings meot ond will not stqrve.
reduces the risk of the whole (b) Insect G helps to pollinote
populotion of frogs ond their flower F when the pollen groins
Uoung being killed when there from onother flower stuck on
is o sudden, unfovouroble its bodg drop onto the stigmo
chonge to the surroundings. of flower F.
This ensures thot ot leost some
frogs or todpoles will survive.
- For flower E the mole ond
femole ports ore found on
Living in different surroundings different flowers. Thus, it is
prevents overcrowding ond reliont on externol ogents such
competition for food between os insect G for pollinotion.
the goung ond the odults. When insect G visits o mole
flower, some of the pollen
32. (o) Process X is photosgnthesis. groins mog get stuck on its
- During photosgnthesis, plonts bodg. When insect G then
toke in corbon dioxide ond visits o femole flower, some
woter in the presence of light of the pollen groins stuck on
to produce food ond oxugen. its bodg mog drop onto the
Plonts help to remove corbon stigmo of the femole flower
dioxide from the oir oround us. ond pollinote it.
(b) Burning of trees odds corbon
dioxide into the oir. The loss 34. When the temperoture of the woter
of trees meons thot fewer increosed, the omount of oxggen
trees ore ovoiloble to corru out dissolved in the woter decreoied.
photosgnthesis. This results in less Thus, in orderto get enough oxugen
corbon dioxide being removed for respirotion, the breothing rote
from the oir. Corbon dioxide is o of the fish increosed to toke in more
greenhouse gos thot trops heot. oxugen.
As o result, the surrounding Living things respond to chonges
temperoture will rise ond this con in their environment. The fish
leod to globol worming. require oxugen to corru out
- Both burning ond loss of trees respirotion. When less oxggen is
result in on increose in the ovoiloble in the woter, the fish
omount of corbon dioxide breothe in foster to get more
present in the oir. oxggen.

,t
 - Answers
PSLE Science

35. (o) Benefit 1: Plont A could corrg 36. (o) Compore set.up A with set-up
out photosgnthesis ond provide C ond compore set-up B with
oxugen which onimol D could use set-up D.
for respirotion. - Since Ai Leng wonted to know
Benefit 2: Plont A could provide if the position of o leof would
shelter ond protection for onimol offect its temperoture, onlg the
D. position of the leoves should
-All plonts corrU out be different; the tgpe of leoves
photosgnthesis ond produce should be the some.
oxugen in the presence of Iight. She should compore the greg
The oxggen con be used bg the Ieof in the flot position (A) with
plonts ond other orgonisms for the greg leof in the verticol
respirotion. position (C).
Toke note thot plont A does She should olso compore the
not provide onimol D with white leof in the flot position
food os the food web shows (B) with the white leof in the
thot onimol D feeds on ting verticol position (D).
orgonisms ond not plont A. (b) Advontoge 1: When the leoves tilt
(b) Effect on plont A ond reoson: upwords ond ore in the verticol
The populotion of plont A would position, the plont is less exposed
decreose. Animol C feeds on to the sun ond will be oble to
onimol B. Thus, o decreose in the survive the high temperoture.
number of onimol C would leod Advontoge 2: When the leoves tilt
to on increose in the number of upwords, their top surfoce oreo
onimol B. Since onimol B feeds on exposed to the Sun is reduced.
plont A, more of plont A would This reduces the omount of
be eoten. heqt thqt the plont obsorbs ond
Effect on onimol D ond reoson: reduces their woter loss through
The populotion of onimol D tronspirotion.
would increose. The decreose - At noon, the Sun is directlg
in the populotion of onimol C overheod the plont ond it is
would couse on increose in the verg hot.
populotion of onimol B. Since To prevent being scorched
onimol E feeds on onimol B ond ond to reduce woter loss, the
the number of onimol E remoined plont chonges the position of
the some, onimol E would eot its leoves.
more of onimol B ond fewer of (c) White leoves obsorb less heot
onimol D. from the Sun, so theg con survive
- When the number of predotors better ot the upper port compored
decreoses, the number of preg to the greg leoves.
i ncreoses. - When the greg leof in set-up A
When the number of predotors is compored with the white leof
increoses, the number of preg in set-up B ond when the greg
decreoses. leof in set-up C is compored
with the white leof in set-up
D, it is observed thot the white
leoves hod lower temperotures
thon the greg leoves.
Greg is o better obsorber of
heot thon white.
6

n
 37 t'ffi[?jm - .. pSLE
Science _ Answers
(c)
.orartiEE
DFrldrr-^.J
p,ill
^- j
1,1.*:",l osedion
o,s
"
.' *-;ij;
L did not.
ilffil: fl,',:r":f.,r,"ot
l,^:oy:", lJrti.;;,il:
#ji:ii"T',?:".:?;".t:T't:
the,woter plonts
i:[:"###ffi?:"'ff.;n*:i
_ A poor c"o1-aYc'tor
which ore of heot
reduces
(b) Reo
,urroun,u,llot l?:t to
,^ln:,?rgn,hesising.
right the
for";j"[ir3'lisr,t
photosgnthesis
.orro
:-"^1"9light
green white
could not be used
Photosfnt;;;;'" for
;u,,_,"i1$I;i;3;:F
- ].l1",bubbtes of oir given 39. (o) He should u
Og the woter plonts
-"-1,.
s,ections K ond in
the woter plonts
,ra ,ri.*, ,f,ri ;1*r;::;*F;tx:^,s,:.#
ground,
v suc
o u, pt o,oiii;:#:'-"'olI9in g
ny.r,"j,,.ilY3,?'l,-li,",::, it co n

- Ih" fonger,r.," iir" *ken

r,:j: ffilii::nff",#,,I
(c)
the modeli for

f,,_*, li;:m*#ini
nerr conclusion
wos correct.
.., Ili HTI'iJ1;:'#ff"',"[li:
^,
oeroplones the model
ot::Ynth
- l?_ lh" . obsence of - some' locotion'
The lo.oti^T" qt
the
woter which the
woter in the three
l]::.,r should exPerimenton.
sections corried out
contoin the would 1''o'"''Ilt such os
::T" omount of aissotve,j Presence of1::t"ft thot the
oxugen. offect .1'," ..-Ylld would
so it should
38. (o) As the time in-creoses,
be kept."r#l?
te m pe rotu re the 40. (o) Metot is
of the woter
heot. good conductor of
o
decreoses.
- Il:, the groph, it con -
observed thot be
the temperotule, f:A,o:* "conductor of heot,
-"oiir',il}
of the woter in br *"j1^::l r,,"ot rp ,i"

ln* (b)
Ir:l,l:: l*ud"ot
jkr *h "I"ffi
;ifi
r,
il:
,;"rl
. (b) -,#i11;f,T"3;!*
.11-"__,"rpuroture of the
.r' Tf"
The" H
high
heotirig *.""*irirll,
temperril;. r,
woter
o smoiler extent ,,,,
ffiiT:l_,o with wire merts,
Iff,r;T 'p; il#;T:Yi': ,y1""?:l:;;ii,I,
l5':r:::, y, i#.;; ffi
- I* woter in set_up ll 1 ^",!.-,.k .r r" "i' *=,"' i'Xl?
"T;
n f,o, j
temperoture thon o !:":1,"_1. o";' ;;;ilil ffJ
r

.1191".. the i :::."y,

work.
rrus, *rL i;;;;il;:;
Ii"",t::i *1{t *5 ;
Yr',';: - Electric current
r*+r**:rit,:..;r*i+ii flow in. o cfosedwill onlg
circuit.
thon the rrt
*",". L"r"i_"r[;;
the heotins
:?::,,b:.mode wire
.Tyit , of o metot
Yl? hish meltins point
:.:_lh:, it does not mett
ntgh temperoture. ot
7

t
PSLE Science - Answers
41. (o) He should hong the four mognets (b) The fons would help to blow the
ot the some height obove the cool oir further owog to oreos
ground ond compore the number thot were not receiving the
of steel pins ottrocted to the mist, thus helping to cool the
mognets. surrounding oir more effectivelg.
- When the four mognets were - The fons would help to circulote
hung ot the some height obove ond spreod the cool oir to o
the ground, the mognet thot lorger oreo.
ottrocted the most number
of steel pins would be the 43. (o) Moteriol Q should be used
strongest. to moke the sofetg vest.
(b) Observotion 'l: Mognet X could Moteriol Q is oble to reflect light
ottroct more steel pins thon the furthest.
mognet A ot the some height - It is dork ot night, thus o highlg
obove the ground. reflective moteriol should be
Observotion 2: Mognet B moves used to moke sofetg vests for
closer to/further/owog from it, people to weor becouse theg
swinging to the lefUright. con be spotted eosilg ond
- The stronger the mognetic eorlier bg other people (drivers,
force of o mognet, the greoter motorists, cgclists etc.).
the number of steel pins it (b) This suggestion would moke the
could ottroct. results of Zoinol's experiment
If the pole ot the top of mognet more occurote becouse the light
B wos different from the pole sensor is not dependent on
ot the bottom of mognet A, humon judgment ond not prone
mognet B would be ottrocted to humon errors.
to mognet A. If theg were - The light sensor is o device
the some, mognet B would be used to meosure the intensitg
repelled. of light. It is less biosed thon
humon judgment.
42. (o) The sgstem releoses mist which
evoporotes into the surrounding 44. (o)
oir. Heot from the surrounding
oir is obsorbed bg the ting woter Energg ot A: Energu ot B: Energu ot C:

droplets when theg evoporote.

Thus, the surrounding oir is
cooled ond the temperoture of
the surrounding oir is lowered. - The woter in A possesses
- During evoporotion, woter grovitotionol potentiol energg
obsorbs heot from the due to its roised height. When
surroundings ond chonges it flows down to the turbine,
into woter vopour. Since heot the grovitotionol potentiol
is obsorbed bg the woter, energu is converted into kinetic
evoporotion produces o cooling energu ond enobles the woter
effect. to turn the blodes in the
turbine.

,t
 PSLE Science - Answers
(b) Advontoge: The hgdro-electric
power stotions will produce more
electricolenergu when the height
of the woter obove the turbine
is verg lorge.
Explonotion: The lorger height
of the woter meons thot it
will more grovitotionol
possess
potential energu which will be
converted into more kinetic
energU. This con then be
converted into more electricol
energu bg the generotor.
- The higher the woter is
obove the ground, the more
grovitotionol potentiol energg
it possesses.