PAPER 1 — MULTIPLE CHOICE (45 minutes)
Choose the BEST answer.
1. The periodic table arranges elements mainly according to their:
A. Mass number
B. Number of electrons
C. Atomic number
D. Melting point
2. Which symbol represents an element?
A. CO₂
B. H₂O
C. Na
D. NH₃
3. Which statement describes a compound?
A. It can be separated by physical methods.
B. It has properties different from the elements that form it.
C. It contains only one type of atom.
D. It is always a gas.
4. When iron and sulfur are heated strongly, they form:
A. A mixture
B. A compound
C. A solution
D. A suspension
5. Which mixture is homogeneous?
A. Oil and water
B. Sand and iron
C. Salt dissolved in water
D. Mud and water
6. Filtration is useful for separating:
A. Sand from water
B. Salt from seawater
C. Alcohol from water
D. Ink from water
7. Which method is BEST for separating oil from water?
A. Filtration
B. Evaporation
C. Decanting
D. Freezing
8. During decanting, the solid:
A. Dissolves in the liquid
B. Floats on the surface
C. Settles at the bottom
D. Turns into a gas
9. Metals are generally:
A. Poor conductors
B. Brittle
C. Shiny and good conductors
D. Gases at room temperature
10. Which of the following is a non-metal?
A. Magnesium
B. Oxygen
C. Copper
D. Aluminum
11. Matter is defined as anything that:
A. Has no mass
B. Flows easily
C. Has mass and occupies space
D. Is invisible
12. The particles in a solid are:
A. Spread far apart
B. Packed tightly and vibrate
C. Moving randomly
D. Not touching at all
13. The process where liquid water changes to gas is:
A. Condensation
B. Evaporation
C. Precipitation
D. Melting
14. Clouds are formed during:
A. Evaporation
B. Condensation
C. Runoff
D. Infiltration
15. Which step in the water cycle returns water to the ground?
A. Melting
B. Condensation
C. Precipitation
D. Sedimentation
16. Which of the following is a chemical change?
A. Boiling water
B. Dissolving sugar
C. Melting ice
D. Burning magnesium
17. Which mixture can be separated using a magnet?
A. Salt and water
B. Sand and water
C. Iron filings and sulfur
D. Oil and water
18. Which element is most likely to conduct electricity?
A. Sulfur
B. Carbon
C. Chlorine
D. Copper
19. What do all elements in the same group of the periodic table have in
common?
A. Same color
B. Similar chemical properties
C. Same mass
D. Same density
20. Which method would separate muddy water most effectively?
A. Evaporation
B. Filtration
C. Chromatography
D. Distillation
PAPER 2 — SHORT ANSWER AND STRUCTURED QUESTIONS (1 hour 15
minutes)
Answer ALL questions.
Question 1 — Elements, Compounds & Mixtures
(a) Define:
i. An element
ii. A compound
iii. A mixture
(b) Give two differences between a mixture and a compound.
(c) A student mixes iron filings and sulfur.
i. Describe one physical method to separate this mixture.
ii. Explain why this method works.
(d) Iron and sulfur are heated to form iron sulfide.
Explain one way to show that a chemical change has happened.
Question 2 — Methods of Separation
(a) Describe how filtration works.
Include what happens to the filtrate and residue.
(b) State one situation where decanting is better than filtration.
(c) A mixture contains sand, salt, and water.
Describe all steps needed to separate ALL three substances.
Question 3 — Metals and Non-Metals
(a) List three properties of metals.
(b) List three properties of non-metals.
(c) Explain why metals are used for electrical wires.
Question 4 — Matter
(a) Draw particle diagrams (or describe clearly) for:
i. A solid
ii. A liquid
iii. A gas
(b) Explain what happens to particles when a solid is heated until it melts.
(c) State one example each of a solid, a liquid, and a gas.
Question 5 — Water Cycle
(a) Draw and label the water cycle OR describe its four main stages.
(b) Explain what happens during:
i. Evaporation
ii. Condensation
(c) Why is the water cycle important to life on Earth?
Question 6 — Periodic Table Application (Challenge)
A student is studying two elements: Sodium (Na) and Chlorine (Cl).
(a) State the group number of any one of these elements.
(b) Predict whether each is a metal or non-metal.
(c) When sodium reacts with chlorine, they form the compound sodium
chloride.
Explain why this is a compound and not a mixture.