CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY

SCIENCE 9
Unit 1 · Photosynthesis and the Carbon Cycle

COMPLETE ANSWER KEY

Topics 1.1 · 1.2 · 1.3 · 1.4 · Unit Review | 218 marks total

TOPIC 1.1 · Photosynthesis

A · Knowledge & Recall

Q1 Carbon dioxide + water → glucose + oxygen (using light energy / in chloroplasts) [2]
.

Q2 Chlorophyll [1]
.

Q3 Carbon dioxide; Water [2]

Q4 Glucose; Oxygen [2]

Q5 Chloroplast [1]
.

Q6 (i) Produces oxygen for aerobic respiration by all organisms; (ii) Produces glucose/organic compounds that [2]
. form the base of almost all food chains

Q7 The amount of light energy striking a given area per unit time [1]
.

Q8 Cyanobacteria (blue-green bacteria) [1]

B · Application

Q9 Rate of photosynthesis falls to (virtually) zero [1]; because light energy is needed to drive the reactions of [3]
. photosynthesis [1]; without light, plants cannot convert CO■ and water into glucose [1]

Q1 Grass photosynthesises, storing light energy as chemical energy in glucose [1]; the grasshopper eats grass [3]
0. and obtains this energy [1]; the lizard eats the grasshopper, so its energy ultimately came from
photosynthesis [1]
Q1 Reason 1: All food chains begin with a photosynthesising producer; without photosynthesis there would be [4]
1. no producers, so animals would starve [2]. Reason 2: Photosynthesis produces the oxygen animals need
for respiration; without it there would be no oxygen in the atmosphere [2]

Q1 (a) Oxygen [1]; produced as a product of photosynthesis in the plant's cells [1]. (b) Bubbles rising through [5]
2. water are easy to collect and count [1]. (c) No/very few bubbles produced [1]; without sunlight there is no
light energy to power photosynthesis, so no oxygen is released [1]

Q1 Photosynthesis is the main process releasing oxygen; without it oxygen would not have accumulated, [2]
3. leaving atmospheric O■ at a negligible level [2]

C · Practical / Investigative

Q1 Independent variable: distance of lamp from plant (light intensity) [1]; Dependent variable: number of oxygen [2]
4. bubbles per minute [1]

Q1 Any three from: temperature of water; species / size of plant; volume of water; CO■ concentration in water; [3]
5. lamp wattage

Q1 Repeating reduces the effect of random errors / anomalous results [1], so the mean is more representative [2]
6. of the true value and results are more reliable [1]

Q1 As light intensity increases (lamp moves closer), the rate of photosynthesis increases, so more oxygen [2]
7. bubbles are produced per minute [2]

Q1 Keep the lamp away from the water / use a heat shield or water bath [1]; water conducts electricity so if the [2]
8. lamp gets wet there is a risk of electric shock [1]

Q1 To allow the plant time to acclimatise to the new light intensity so that the rate of photosynthesis has [1]
9. stabilised before counting begins [1]

TOPIC 1.2 · More About Photosynthesis

A · Knowledge & Recall

Q1 Palisade (mesophyll) layer [1]

Q2 Tiny pores / openings mainly on the lower epidermis [1]; allow CO■ to diffuse in and O■ (and water vapour) [2]
. to diffuse out [1]

Q3 Leaves are very thin so gases diffuse only a short distance from stomata to chloroplasts [1], allowing gases [2]
. to reach photosynthesising cells quickly [1]

Q4 Magnesium [1]
.

Q5 Leaves turn yellow (chlorosis) [1]; because magnesium is needed to make chlorophyll, so without it the plant [2]
. cannot produce enough chlorophyll [1]

Q6 Nitrate ions are needed to make amino acids [1], which are then used to build proteins for growth and [2]
. enzymes [1]

Q7 The amount of crop (grain, fruit, etc.) produced per unit area of land [1] [1]
.
Q8 Iodine solution [1]; positive result = blue-black colour [1] [2]
.

B · Application

Q9 CO■ is used up by photosynthesising cells, so its concentration inside the leaf is lower than in surrounding [3]
. air [1]; this creates a concentration gradient [1]; CO■ diffuses from high concentration (air) through stomata
to low concentration (leaf) [1]

Q1 Some oxygen is used by the leaf's own cells for respiration [1]; the remainder diffuses out through stomata [2]
0. into the surrounding air [1]

Q1 (a) Without Mg the plant cannot make chlorophyll [1]; leaves lack green pigment so appear yellow [1]. (b) [5]
1. Less chlorophyll → less photosynthesis → less glucose for energy and growth [1]; plant grows poorly [1]. (c)
Add a Mg-containing fertiliser to the soil / spray with magnesium sulfate solution [1]

Q1 Nitrate ions are absorbed by roots [1]; used to make amino acids and proteins [1]; more protein = more [3]
2. enzymes and cell growth → larger wheat plant → higher grain yield [1]

Q1 Plants make protein by absorbing nitrate from soil and combining it with glucose to form amino acids / [2]
3. proteins [1]; humans obtain protein by eating food and digesting it [1]

Q1 (a) Green parts test positive [1]; only green cells contain chloroplasts and can photosynthesise to make [5]
4. starch [1]. (b) The green colour of chlorophyll masks the colour change of iodine, making the result
impossible to see [1]. (c) Boiling breaks down cell membranes/walls [1], making cells permeable so iodine
solution can enter and reach the starch [1]

Q1 Both deficiencies cause yellowing (chlorosis) of the leaves [1]; nitrate is also needed (to make proteins [2]
5. involved in chlorophyll production), so both result in reduced chlorophyll [1]

C · Practical / Investigative

Q1 Lower surface [1]; stomata [1] [2]

Q1 Bubbles contain air / oxygen (and other dissolved gases) [1]; gas is less soluble in warm water, so it comes [2]
7. out of solution as bubbles [1]

Q1 Warm water has lower gas solubility than cold water [1]; gases dissolved in the leaf's air spaces are [2]
8. released as the water warms, forming bubbles [1]

Q1 The yield obtained with no fertiliser (read from graph at x = 0; exact value depends on graph scale – accept [1]
9. student's correct reading) [1]

Q2 As fertiliser increases from 0 to 80 kg/ha, grain yield increases steeply / at a fast rate [2] [2]
0.

Q2 Beyond ~60 kg/ha the increase in yield becomes very small [1]; the cost of extra fertiliser is not recovered [2]
1. by the small yield gain, so it is uneconomical [1]

Q2 Magnesium [1]; needed to make chlorophyll so the plant can photosynthesise [1] (accept phosphorus / [2]
2. potassium with a correct reason)

Q2 Different soils already contain different amounts of nitrate [1]; a naturally rich soil shows less response to [2]
3. added fertiliser; a poor soil shows a greater response [1]
TOPIC 1.3 · The Carbon Cycle

A · Knowledge & Recall

Q1 C [1]
.

Q2 Carbohydrates; Proteins; Lipids (accept DNA / nucleic acids) [3]

Q3 Glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water (+ energy) [2]

Q4 An organism that feeds on and breaks down dead organic matter [1]; e.g. bacteria / fungi [1] [2]
.

Q5 Combustion (burning) [1]

Q6 Carbon atoms must be bonded to other atoms to form molecules [1]; organisms are built from complex [2]
. organic molecules in which carbon is always combined with other elements [1]

Q7 Any two from: absence of oxygen (anaerobic conditions); high pressure; rapid burial; low temperature; [2]
. acidic conditions preventing decay

Q8 Coal; Oil (petroleum); Natural gas [3]

B · Application

Q9 CO■ removed from air by plants via photosynthesis → converted to glucose [1]; rabbit eats grass – feeding [3]
. – taking in carbon compounds [1]; carbon atoms become part of the rabbit's own organic molecules [1]

Q1 (a) During aerobic respiration organisms break down glucose; CO■ is produced as waste and released into [4]
0. the air [2]. (b) Decomposers feed on dead organic matter and break it down by respiration [1], releasing
CO■ into the atmosphere [1]

Q1 Yes [1]; carbon atoms pass from one organism to the next in the same direction as energy — when a rabbit [3]
1. eats grass it takes in carbon compounds, and when a fox eats the rabbit it takes in those compounds [2]

Q1 Carbohydrates (e.g. glucose / glycogen); Proteins; Lipids (fats) (accept DNA) [3]
2.

Q1 Burning fossil fuels releases carbon locked underground for millions of years, adding extra CO■ to the [3]
3. atmosphere [1]; burning wood releases CO■, but a growing tree absorbs an equal amount over its lifetime,
so there is no net long-term increase [1]; fossil fuels represent carbon removed from the cycle millions of
years ago, so burning them causes a permanent net addition [1]

Q1 Fossil fuels took millions of years to form [1]; they are consumed far faster than they can be replaced, so [2]
4. stocks will eventually run out and cannot be renewed on a human timescale [1]

Q1 The combustion arrow (burning of fossil fuels) would be absent [1]; there would be no arrow returning [2]
5. carbon from the fossil fuel store to the atmosphere [1]

C · Diagram-Based Questions
Q1 The arrow labelled photosynthesis (CO■ in air → carbon compounds in plants) [1]
6.

Q1 Respiration; Decomposition; Combustion [3]

Q1 CO■ concentration in the atmosphere would gradually decrease [1]; photosynthesis still removes CO■ and [2]
8. respiration / decomposition still return some, but the large additional input from burning fossil fuels is gone,
so the net amount falls [1]

Q1 Fossil fuels are a store of carbon compounds and carbon moves into and out of them — they are part of the [2]
9. cycle [1]; water and sunlight do not store or transfer carbon atoms, so they are not part of the carbon cycle
[1]

Q2 The plant photosynthesises in the light, absorbing CO■ from the water [1]; this reduces CO■ concentration [3]
0. in the solution [1]; hydrogencarbonate indicator turns purple when CO■ falls (solution becomes more
alkaline), indicating less CO■ in the water [1]

TOPIC 1.4 · Climate Change

A · Knowledge & Recall

Q1 Carbon dioxide; Methane (accept water vapour / nitrous oxide) [2]

Q2 The average weather conditions of a region over a long period of time (typically 30+ years) [1]
.

Q3 Sun's radiation passes through the atmosphere and warms Earth's surface [1]; Earth re-emits this energy as [3]
. infrared (heat) radiation [1]; greenhouse gases absorb this infrared radiation and re-emit it in all directions,
including back towards Earth, trapping heat [1]

Q4 An event in which a very large proportion of species die out in a geologically short time [1]; e.g. extinction of [2]
. the dinosaurs ~66 million years ago / Permian extinction [1]

Q5 Meteoroid: a small rocky / metallic body in space [1]; Meteor: a meteoroid that enters Earth's atmosphere [3]
. and burns up ('shooting star') [1]; Meteorite: a meteoroid / meteor that survives and lands on Earth's surface
[1]

Q6 Approximately 66 million years ago [1]

Q7 A period when the entire (or most of the) surface of the Earth was covered in ice [1]; approximately 700 [2]
. million years ago [1]

Q8 Approximately 3 mm per year [1]

B · Application

Q9 Increased CO■ enhances the greenhouse effect [1]; more infrared radiation is absorbed and re-emitted [3]
. back to Earth's surface [1]; Earth's mean surface temperature rises [1]

Q1 Any three points worth 4 marks: Huge dust/debris clouds blocked sunlight, preventing photosynthesis, so [4]
0. plants died [1]; without plants, herbivores had no food [1]; temperatures dropped dramatically (impact
winter) [1]; wildfires destroyed habitats [1]; acid rain damaged ecosystems [1]
Q1 3 mm × 80 = 240 mm (24 cm) [1]; working shown [1] [2]
1.

Q1 Reason 1: Rising temperatures melt glaciers and ice caps, adding meltwater to the oceans [2]. Reason 2: [4]
2. As water warms it expands (thermal expansion), increasing volume and raising sea level [2]

Q1 Earth's mean temperature shows an overall increase from 1910 to 2016 [1]; the rate of increase has been [2]
3. especially rapid from around the 1980s onwards [1]

Q1 Unpredictable rainfall means farmers cannot reliably plan when to plant or irrigate crops [1]; droughts [3]
4. reduce crop yields or cause crop failure [1]; flooding can destroy crops and waterlog soil, also reducing
yields → food shortages [1]

Q1 Burning fossil fuels releases CO■ locked away for millions of years [1]; this raises atmospheric CO■, [3]
5. enhancing the greenhouse effect [1]; more heat is trapped, raising Earth's mean temperature (global
warming = climate change) [1]

C · Evaluation & Higher-Order Thinking

Q1 Tropical storms occur naturally, making it hard to separate the effect of climate change from natural [2]
6. variability [1]; historical records of storm frequency/intensity are incomplete, making a statistically significant
trend difficult to establish [1]

Q1 Activities increasing CO■: combustion of fossil fuels; respiration; decomposition. Activities decreasing CO■: [6]
7. photosynthesis. Action 1: Reduce burning of fossil fuels (switch to renewables) – reduces CO■ entering
atmosphere [1]; difficult because it requires huge investment, international agreement, and changes to
energy infrastructure [1]. Action 2: Plant more trees (afforestation) – increases photosynthesis and removes
more CO■ [1]; difficult because it requires vast land, competes with agriculture/housing, and trees take
decades to grow [1]. (Award up to 2 marks per action: 1 for the action + reason; 1 for the difficulty) [6]

Q1 (a) Size / mass of the asteroid; probability that its orbit will intersect Earth's (how close it comes) [2]. (b) A [4]
8. larger asteroid carries far more kinetic energy and would cause far greater destruction on impact [1]; even if
currently further away, its orbit may still intersect Earth's in future, making it a greater long-term threat [1]

Q1 Past event (e.g. ice age): caused by natural factors such as changes in Earth's orbit (Milankovitch cycles) / [4]
9. volcanic activity reducing solar radiation [1]; temperatures fell globally over thousands of years [1]. Current
warming: primarily caused by human activities – burning fossil fuels and deforestation – increasing
atmospheric CO■ and enhancing the greenhouse effect [1]; temperatures are rising at an unprecedented
rate over just decades [1]

Q2 Evidence: A thin layer of iridium (rare on Earth but common in asteroids) is found worldwide in rock strata [4]
0. dating to 66 mya [1]; the Chicxulub crater in Mexico of the correct age has been identified [1]; shocked
quartz and glass spherules (signs of extreme pressure/heat) found in the same worldwide rock layer [1]; the
fossil record shows a sudden global mass extinction at exactly 66 mya, consistent with a catastrophic event
[1]

UNIT REVIEW · Mixed Questions Across All Topics

Mixed Practice

Q1 (a) Carbon dioxide (b) Oxygen (c) Soil (d) Chlorophyll (e) Stomata [5]
.
Q2 CO■ in the atmosphere is absorbed by plants through photosynthesis and converted into glucose [1]; [6]
. humans eat plants (or animals that ate plants) – feeding – taking in carbon compounds [1]; inside the human
body, respiration breaks down glucose, releasing CO■ back into the air [1]; when humans die,
decomposers (bacteria/fungi) break down organic compounds, releasing CO■ through their own respiration
[1]; carbon may also return via excretion of waste products broken down by decomposers [1]; overall,
carbon cycles continuously between the atmosphere and living organisms [1]

Q3 Photosynthesis: reactants = CO■ + water [1]; products = glucose + oxygen [1]; energy is stored as chemical [5]
. energy in glucose [1]. Respiration: reactants = glucose + oxygen [1]; products = CO■ + water [1]; chemical
energy in glucose is released for use by the cell [1]. (Award up to 5 marks for correct comparison across all
three aspects)

Q4 (a) i) D – fossil fuels; ii) B – carbon compounds in plants; iii) A – CO■ in air; iv) C – carbon compounds in [6]
. animals [3]. (b) Photosynthesis [1]. (c) Respiration [1]. (d) Decomposition / death and decomposition [1]

Q5 (a) Nitrate provides nitrogen needed to make amino acids and proteins [1]; more protein = more cell growth [6]
. and enzyme production, so Plant A grows larger [1]. (b) Nitrate is needed (indirectly) to synthesise proteins
involved in making chlorophyll [1]; Plant A has more chlorophyll so its leaves are darker green [1]. (c) Yes
[1]; Plant A has more chlorophyll so it absorbs more light energy, and its larger leaf area allows a higher rate
of photosynthesis [1]

Q6 Burning fossil fuels releases CO■ stored underground for millions of years, raising atmospheric CO■ [1]; [6]
. this strengthens the greenhouse effect – more infrared radiation is trapped and re-emitted towards Earth [1];
Earth's mean temperature rises (global warming) [1]; predicted impacts: (i) rising sea levels due to melting
ice and thermal expansion of oceans, threatening low-lying land [1]; (ii) more extreme weather events
(droughts, floods, storms) [1]; (iii) unpredictable rainfall disrupting agriculture and food production [1]

Cambridge Lower Secondary Science 9 · Unit 1 Answer Key | Based on Mary Jones, Diane Fellowes-Freeman & Michael Smyth (Cambridge University
Press, 2021) | Total: 218 marks