1 Exam Choice Student Number 2019 TRIAL EXAMINATION Investigating Science General Instructions Total marks: 100 • Reading time – 5 minutes. • Working time – 3 hours. • Write using black pen. • Draw diagrams using pencil. • For questions in Section II, show all relevant working in questions involving calculations. • NESA approved calculators may be used. Section I – 20 marks (pages 3 – 11) • Attempt questions 1 – 20. • Allow about 35 minutes for this section. Section II – 80 marks (pages 12 – 26) • Attempt questions 21 – 32 • Allow about 2 hours and 25 minutes for this section.
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1
Exam Choice
Student Number
2019 TRIAL
EXAMINATION
Investigating
Science
General Instructions
Total marks: 100
• Reading time – 5 minutes.
• Working time – 3 hours.
• Write using black pen.
• Draw diagrams using pencil.
• For questions in Section II, show all relevant working in
questions involving calculations.
• NESA approved calculators may be used.
Section I – 20 marks (pages 3 – 11)
• Attempt questions 1 – 20.
• Allow about 35 minutes for this section.
Section II – 80 marks (pages 12 – 26)
• Attempt questions 21 – 32
• Allow about 2 hours and 25 minutes for this section.
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Section I – 20 marks
Attempt Questions 1-20
Allow about 35 minutes for this section
Use the multiple-choice answer sheet.
Select the alternative A, B, C or D that best answers the question. Fill in the response oval
completely.
Sample: 2 + 4 = (A) 2 (B) 6 (C) 8 (D) 9
A B C D
If you think you have made a mistake, put a cross through the incorrect answer and fill in the
new answer.
A B C D
If you change your mind and have crossed out what you consider to be the correct answer,
then indicate the correct answer by writing the word correct and drawing an arrow as
follows.
A B C D
correct
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1. Jan Baptist van Helmont performed an experiment related to tree growth.
Which of the following outlines the hypothesis he was testing?
(A) The increase in tree mass derives from the carbon dioxide drawn.
(B) The increase in tree mass derives from the water added.
(C) The increase in tree mass derives from the soil.
(D) The increase in tree mass derives from the nutrients in the soil.
2. Which of the following best describes the broad methodology used by Priestley in his
experiments with oxygen?
(A) Modelling.
(B) Simulation.
(C) Fieldwork.
(D) Primary investigation.
3. The following table outlines the rate at which energy is consumed during various
activities. One unit that is used is kilojoules per kilogram per hour.
Type of activity Energy consumption rate (kJ/kg/hr)
Reading 2.1
Quick walk 16.3
Running 31.8
A runner with a mass of 80kg runs for 15 minutes.
What would be the total amount of energy used by the runner, in kJ?
(A) 38160
(B) 169.6
(C) 636
(D) 5.96
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4. In a peer-reviewed scientific report, the purpose of the “abstract” is to:
(A) Summarise the main outcomes of the investigation.
(B) Outline the reliability and validity of the investigation.
(C) Detail the methodology used in the investigation.
(D) Detail the equipment used in the investigation
5. In an experiment, the rate at which bubbles are produced by pondweed was
examined.
Some pondweed was placed in a test tube, and the test tube was filled with water. The
test tube was then placed in a beaker of water whose water was kept at a constant
temperature of 25 degrees Celsius.
A lamp was placed at a set distance from the beaker and the amount of bubbles
produced by the pondweed per minute was tabulated. The distance of the lamp was
then varied, and new measurements taken of the amount of bubbles produced per
minute.
What type of variable is the amount of bubbles produced per minute?
(A) Independent.
(B) Controlled.
(C) Dependent.
(D) Hypothesised.
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Questions 6 and 7 relate to the following information:
An experiment was conducted to examine the relationship between the number of
seedlings planted in a given area, and the average height that those seedlings obtained
after a period of 10 days
6. As the number of seedlings in a given area increases, the average seedling height:
(A) Increases at a decreasing rate.
(B) Decreases at an increasing rate.
(C) Increases at an increasing rate.
(D) Decreases at a decreasing rate.
7. Which of the following is the independent variable in this investigation?
(A) The number of seedlings planted in a given area.
(B) The area of soil used.
(C) The average seedling height.
(D) The number of seedlings planted.
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8. A student investigated the effect of angle of a solar panel on the amount of energy
produced by the solar panels. Some of the data produced is shown in the table below:
The student decided to plot energy generated as a function of tilt angle.
Which of the following graphing strategies would best display this relationship?
(A) Develop a pie chart.
(B) A scatter graph of average energy produced per tilt angle
(C) A column graph of energy produced in December per tilt angle.
(D) A bar graph of tilt angle per month.
9. X-ray diffraction was a crucial development in the discovery of the structure of DNA
This is because:
(A) X-rays were needed to be able to break down cells.
(B) Diffraction patterns provided evidence of the shape of the DNA molecule.
(C) Diffraction was critical in the assembly process of DNA
(D) DNA releases X-rays, which were then diffracted to reveal DNA’s structure.
Month
Tilt angle (⸰)
25 35 45 55
Energy Produced (J)
August 450 510 470 430
October 605 625 610 595
December 710 725 690 650
February 630 655 645 590
April 390 430 420 400
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10. A simplified setup of an experiment being used to investigate the relationship between
temperature and rate of reaction is shown below. The product of the reaction is a gas.
Which of the following is NOT a threat to the validity of the experiment?
(A) Friction in the syringe mechanism.
(B) Reaction producing heat.
(C) Lack of numbers on the syringe mechanism.
(D) Lack of a means of measuring the temperature of the flask.
11. The image below demonstrates a phenomenon utilised in various technologies
This phenomenon is critical to a technology utilised in which discovery?
(A) The development of radiotherapy.
(B) Earthquake resistance in buildings.
(C) The Higgs Boson.
(D) The moons around Jupiter.
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12. Examine the graphs below:
What is the most likely causal link?
(A) A chemical in ice cream attracts sharks.
(B) More people eat ice cream and swim in the ocean when the weather is warm.
(C) Most ice cream sales are in coastal locations.
(D) Swimmers are more likely to eat ice cream than non-swimmers.
13. Why are Newton’s Laws of Motion considered laws and not theories
(A) Newton’s Laws are descriptions, not explanations.
(B) Newton’s Laws have been shown to be correct in all scenarios.
(C) Newton’s Laws are self-evident.
(D) Newton’s Laws have more evidence to support them than a theory does.
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14. Which of the following is a key feature of double-blind trials?
(A) The participants are unaware of which sample group they are in.
(B) Both the participants and researchers are unaware of the sample groups.
(C) Two sets of unseen variables are examined.
(D) No placebos are used.
15. It has often been reported in the media that particular types of artificial sweeteners
have been linked to increases in incidence of cancer.
To test this, a scientist set up an experiment. In the experiment, 25 mice were given a
mixture of sweetener and water over a period of 4 weeks. Another 25 mice were given
water only. The mice were otherwise fed and housed identically.
What is the purpose of giving the 25 mice water only?
(A) To contrast the effect of the independent variable.
(B) To contrast the effect of the dependent variable.
(C) To increase the sample size.
(D) To produce a population unaffected by cancer.
16. A major issue developing in academic circles is the “publish or perish” culture. This
refers to:
(A) Too many academics involved in teaching rather than publishing papers.
(B) Publishing companies not receiving enough academic papers.
(C) The need to promote more academics.
(D) Academics needing to continually publish to ensure they retain funding and
tenure.
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17. This question relates to the excerpt shown below:
As editors of the BMJ, Heart, Thorax and BMJ Open, we have decided that
the journals will no longer consider for publication any study that is partly
or wholly funded by the tobacco industry. Our new policy is consistent with
those of other journals including PLoS Medicine, PLoS One, PLoS
Biology; Journal of Health Psychology; journals published by the
American Thoracic Society; and the BMJ's own Tobacco Control.
Critics may argue—as many did when journals stopped publishing
cigarette advertisements—that publishing such research does not constitute
endorsing its findings and that, as long as funding sources are fully
disclosed, readers can consider that information and make up their own
minds about the quality of the work. Peer review should prevail, goes this
line of thinking: it's not the editor's job to make these kinds of judgments.
However, this view ignores the growing body of evidence that biases and
research misconduct are often impossible to detect, and that the source of
funding can influence the outcomes of studies in invisible ways.
- Godlee F, Malone R, Timmis A, et al Journal policy on research
funded by the tobacco industry Thorax 2013;68:1090-1091.
Which of the following summarises the main concerns that publishers such as the
ones cited above have about publishing articles that have tobacco industry funding?
(A) Tobacco funding may encourage alternate journals to develop, increasing
competition.
(B) Such funding may mean that articles favourable to tobacco companies might
evade peer review.
(C) Such funding may mean that universities find it harder to compete.
(D) Such funding may encourage biases that influence the research.
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18. Priestley performed several experiments in relation to oxygen. In particular, one
experiment sought to examine the role of oxygen in sustaining life.
Why would such an experiment in particular be subject to increased regulation if
performed today?
(A) Use of mercury would be subject to chemical controls.
(B) Use of animals needs to adhere to ethical guidelines.
(C) Use of oxygen needs to be controlled according to industry guidelines.
(D) Use of flammable equipment requires experimental controls.
19. The Hawthorne effect is otherwise known as the:
(A) Mozart effect.
(B) Experimenter effect.
(C) Validity effect.
(D) Observer effect.
20. A student wishes to show the relationship between the country of origin and the
prevalence per capita of a particular disease in that country
Which presentation method would be most appropriate to illustrate their findings for
this relationship?
(A) Pie chart.
(B) Scatter graph.
(C) Column graph.
(D) Venn diagram.
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2019 TRIAL
EXAMINATION
Investigating
Science
Section II
Answer Booklet
80 marks
Attempt Questions 21 – 32
Allow about 2 hours and 25 minutes for this part
Instructions • Answer the questions in the spaces provided. These spaces
provide guidance for the expected length of response.
• Show all relevant working in questions involving calculations.
• Extra writing space is provided at the back of this booklet. If
you use this space, clearly indicate which questions you are
answering.
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Question 21 (10 marks)
A Year 12 student was challenged by a member of the cross-country team that
runners were able to return to a regular heart rate faster than non-runners after
exercise.
The student decided to set up an experiment to test the claim. She gathered three
runners and three non-runners and measured their heart rate before, during and
after exercise.
The data that the student gathered was averaged and shown in the table below:
Exercise Phase
Resting Exercise After Exercise
Time
(minutes) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Runners
(beats/min) 55 70 80 90 80 65 60
Non-runners
(beats/min) 60 80 100 110 100 90 80
(a) Write a suitable hypothesis for the investigation.
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Question 21 continues on page 14.
Marks
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Question 21 (continued)
(b) Use the grid below to graph heart rate as a function of time for the runners
and the non-runners.
(c) Outline two variables that need to be controlled to help ensure validity.
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(d) State, with reasons, whether a conclusion can be drawn from the results of
the investigation.
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5
2
2
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Question 22 (8 marks)
In around 240 BC, Eratosthenes performed an investigation to calculate the
circumference of the Earth.
(a) Outline two assumptions that were made in this investigation.
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(b) Justify the method used in the investigation.
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(c) Digital technologies have improved the means by which scientists can gather
accurate data.
Outline, using an example, how a digital technology could have improved the
method used by Eratosthenes.
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2
4
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Question 23 (10 marks)
The science and data underpinning the theory that humans are contributing to
changing climate and rising global temperatures is subject to intense scrutiny by
sections of the media.
The following is an infographic that was published by the Mail on Sunday, a
British newspaper. The y-axis shows changes in average global air temperature.
Source and image credit: Mail on Sunday
The newspaper’s underlying conclusion in the article was that, on the basis of the
data in the graph, there is no evidence of climate change.
(a) According to the modelled data, what was the UPPER estimate for the rise in
temperature predicted in the year 2010 with a 95% certainty?
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(b) Outline what is represented by the darker shaded area of the graph.
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Question 23 continues on page 17.
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Question 23 (continued)
(c) The following are excerpts explaining how global temperature data is
gathered and its underlying significance
To get a complete picture of Earth’s temperature, scientists
combine measurements from the air above land and the ocean
surface collected by ships, buoys and sometimes satellites, too.
The temperature at each land and ocean station is compared
daily to what is ‘normal’ for that location and time, typically
the long-term average over a 30-year period. The differences
are called ‘anomalies’ and they help scientists evaluate how
temperature is changing over time.
A ‘positive’ anomaly means the temperature is warmer than the
long-term average, a ‘negative’ anomaly means it’s cooler.
Explainer: How do scientists measure global temperature? Retrieved from https://www.carbonbrief.org/explainer-how-do-scien tists-measure-global-temperature
The global temperature record represents an average over the
entire surface of the planet. The temperatures we experience
locally and in short periods can fluctuate significantly due to
predictable cyclical events (night and day, summer and winter)
and hard-to-predict wind and precipitation patterns. But the
global temperature mainly depends on how much energy the
planet receives from the Sun and how much it radiates back
into space—quantities that change very little. The amount of
energy radiated by the Earth depends significantly on the
chemical composition of the atmosphere, particularly the
amount of heat-trapping greenhouse gases.
World of change: Global temperatures. https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/world-of-change/DecadalTemp
With reference to both the graph on the previous page and the excerpts
above, critically evaluate the underlying conclusion drawn by the Mail on
Sunday.
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Continue your answer on page 18.
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Question 24 (6 marks)
During the course of your studies, you investigated ethical issues related to an
area of current scientific research.
(a) State an area of current scientific research in which ethical consideration are
weighed.
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(b) Assess the ethical issues associated with the area of scientific research that
you nominated in (a).
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Question 25 (3 marks)
Outline how the discovery of microwaves varied from a traditional scientific
process.
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Question 26 (5 marks)
Genetic engineering involves the use of technology to change the genetic makeup
of cells.
Assess the impact of the discovery of the structure of DNA on the development
of these technologies.
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3
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Question 27 (7 marks)
The following quote is from the Better Health website, a state government body.
Homeopathy (or homoeopathy) is a 200-year-old form of
alternative medicine that claims to stimulate a healing
response and strengthen the body’s ability to heal itself. Those
who practise it claim that it is a holistic system of medicine
based on the theory of treating ‘like with like’. It claims to
stimulate the body’s own healing response to disease, using
specially prepared, highly diluted preparations.
The effectiveness of homeopathic preparations is disputed
within medical science. Scientists question how a highly diluted
substance could retain any biological effect. Homeopathy. Retrieved from https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/homeopathy
Design a placebo-controlled, double-blind experiment to determine the
effectiveness of homeopathic treatments in improving the rate of recovery from
an illness such as the cold. (In answering the question, assume all appropriate
ethical approvals and risk assessments have been conducted and approved.)
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Question 28 (4 marks)
An area of infrastructure development which often causes intersections between
environmental and social impact is the development of dams.
With reference to a case study related to damming that you have studied, describe
how it has impacted the public image of science.
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Question 29 (6 marks)
The space programmes run by various countries are often criticised by some of
their citizens as an inappropriate and worthless use of taxpayer funds that could
be better directed to other domestic priorities.
Evaluate the claim that space programmes provide no tangible social benefit.
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Question 30 (7 marks)
Doppler is credited with the discovery of the relationship between the relative
velocities of a wave source/receiver, and the frequency change of the wave. This
is most often understood as the underlying mechanism behind the change in
frequency of a vehicle when it approaches compared to when it moves away.
(a) Outline the types of data gathered by Doppler in his discovery of this effect.
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(b) Explain how one area of science has built on this discovery.
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(c) Outline how a named technology would have improved the method used by
Doppler in his original discovery.
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Question 31 (7 marks)
A 2013 article in the magazine Scientific American had as its central thesis the
disconnect between the uses of words in science and by the general public.
(a) Outline how one such word may be used differently in a scientific context
compared to its popular media usage.
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(b) One of the scientists interviewed by the magazine promoted the idea that
scientists should stop using these terms, stating:
“I don’t think at this point it’s worth saving these words”
Assess this strategy in relation to media reporting of scientific events.
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Question 32 (7 marks)
In the course of your studies, you have examined the publishing of scientific
papers and the threats to the process and public perception of science.
With reference to a specific example of a fraudulent scientific “investigation”,
evaluate the feasibility of science to continue as a self-correcting discipline.
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Section II extra writing space.
If you use this space indicate clearly which question you are answering.
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Section II extra writing space.
If you use this space indicate clearly which question you are answering.