Skills Builder Workbook 7 Answers

All sample answers to the Cambridge Secondary 1 Checkpoint-style questions have been written by
the authors of this work.

Unit 1  Plants and humans as organisms

1.1  Labelling a diagram of a plant

1
flower

leaf

stem

soil

roots

1.2  Functions of human organs

1 The brain coordinates actions

of different parts of the body.

The lungs absorb

oxygen from the air.

The heart pumps blood

around the body.

The stomach helps to

digest food.

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2 The answer depends on the choice made by the student.

1.3  The skeleton and forces

1 Nor, 28 newtons
2 Force in N
Right hand Left hand
thumb 27 25
first finger 28 25
second finger 22 19
third finger 21 16
little finger 19 17

1.4  Muscles experiment

1 Time in minutes Number of times clothes peg was opened and closed
Right hand Left hand
1 84 83
2 85 84
3 83 71
4 76 69
5 73 52
Note: Right hand and left hand can be in either column.

2 The muscles in Elsa’s left hand tire more quickly than the muscles in her right hand.

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Unit 2 Cells and organisms

2.2 Micro-organisms experiment

1
5

1 4

6
2

2 the length of time he leaves the lid off, the type of jelly in the dish
3 There are more micro-organisms in the air in Classroom 203 than in Classroom 204.

2.2 Bread dough experiment

1 Variable Change Keep the same

the type of flour 4
the mass of flour 4
the mass of sugar 4
the volume of water 4
the temperature 4

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2 and 3 Mass of sugar in g Volume of dough at Volume of dough Increase in volume

start in cm3 after one hour in cm3 of dough in cm3
0 10.0 10.6 0.6
0.5 9.9 14.5 4.6
1.0 10.1 18.3 8.2
1.5 10.2 33.7 23.5
2.0 10.0 48.6 38.6

4 Bread dough rises more if you add more sugar.

2.3  Drawing and labelling a plant cell

1 For example:
use a ruler to draw the label lines
make sure the lines touch the part that he is labelling
2

2.4  Comparing plant cells and animal cells

1 Animal cells Plant cells
have a cell membrane have a cell membrane
do not have a cell wall have a cell wall
have a nucleus have a nucleus
have cytoplasm have cytoplasm
never have chloroplasts sometimes have chloroplasts

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Unit 3  Living things in their environment

3.1  Adaptations of tigers

1 stripes for camouflage

eyes at front of head to

focus clearly on prey

sharp, cutting teeth to

kill prey’

sharp claws for catching

and holding prey

2 There should also be one other label describing another adaptation of the tiger.

3.2  Drawing a food chain

1 A green circle should be drawn around ‘clover plants’ or ‘clover’.

2 Porcupines, mink and great horned owls should be underlined in blue.
3 clover
4 porcupines, mink and great horned owls
5 clover ➔ porcupine ➔ mink ➔ great horned owl

3.3  Water pollution

1 C
2 6
3 A
4 C, because it has the smallest number of water boatmen

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3.4  Air pollution

160
1

140

120
PM pollution in micrograms per m3

100

80

60

40

20

0
Delhi Karachi Dhaka Beijing Colombo Jakarta Singapore
city

2 Check the ticks against the bar chart that the student has drawn.
3 2.8 times
4 Delhi

3.5  Conserving southern white rhinos

1 2800 rhinos
2 Look for a vertical line running up from 2005 on the x-axis, and a horizontal line drawn from
where this vertical intercepts the graph line. These lines should be drawn accurately, using a
pencil and ruler.
The answer is 14 000 rhinos.
3 Look for a horizontal line running across from 17 200 on the y-axis, and a vertical line drawn
from where this horizontal intercepts the graph line. These lines should be drawn accurately,
using a pencil and ruler.
The answer is 2009.

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Unit 4  Variation and classification

4.1  Recording variation

1 Flower colour Yellow White Red Orange

tally
number of plants 6 3 4 7

2 20
3 8

6
Number of plants

0
yellow white red orange
Colour of flowers

Check that bars are drawn carefully using a ruler; that they are accurately plotted; that they do
not touch; that they are not shaded.
4 variation

4.2  Using a frequency diagram

1 9
2 3
3 11
4 12

4.3  Constructing a frequency diagram

1 20
2 Total number of flowers = 73
So, mean = 73 ÷ 20 = 3.65
Accept 3.65, 3.7, or 4

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3 Number of flowers on a plant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Number of plants 2 3 4 5 4 1 1

4 6

4
Number of plants

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Number of flowers

5 4
6 4
7 Leaves make food for the plant, by photosynthesis.
8 Flowers help with reproduction.

Unit 5  States of matter

5.1  Sorting solids, liquids and gases

1 Solids Liquids
flour milk
butter beaten eggs
sugar water
powdered sugar food colouring

2 Solids Liquids Gases

flour milk flame
butter beaten eggs butane gas burner
sugar water air
powdered sugar food colouring
glass lemonade
candle gasoline
cake water
football
cooking pan
The table should be neatly extended by using ruler and pencil. The ‘Gases’ column should be
about the same width and have the heading as shown.

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5.2  Heating water

1 A two-column table with column headings Time in minutes and Temperature in °C, and
sufficient rows for at least 11 readings. Do not penalise if students have drawn more rows than
needed.
2 After 4 minutes the temperature is 54 °C.
At the start the temperature is 22 °C.
After 3 minutes the temperature is 46 °C.
After 1 minute the temperature is 30 °C.
After 5 minutes the temperature is 62 °C.
After 2 minutes the temperature is 38 °C.
3 Time in minutes Temperature in °C
0 22
1 30
2 38
3 46
4 54
5 62
The results in the table MUST be in order.

5.3  Plotting a graph

1 70

60

50
Temperature in oC

40

30

20

10

0
0 1 2 3 4 5
Time in minutes

2 see graph in question 1

3 The graph shows that the longer the water is heated, the higher the temperature / The temperature
goes up in a regular pattern / The line goes upwards in a straight line. As long as the student gives
the idea of a relationship between time for heating and an increase in temperature, give them credit.

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5.4  Particles in a solid

1 The particles are arranged in a The particles are not

4
regular pattern. arranged in a pattern.

The particles can move The particles are in

4
to different places. fixed positions.

The particles can vibrate. 4 The particles stay still.

The particles do not The particles are

4
touch each other. touching one another.

2 When a solid is heated, heat When a solid is heated,

energy is transferred to 4 heat energy is transferred
the particles. from the particles.

The heat energy makes the The heat energy makes

4 the particles vibrate less.
particles vibrate more.

Vibrating particles take up Vibrating particles take

up more space. 4
less space.

The solid shrinks. The solid expands. 4

Unit 6  Material properties

6.1  Metal properties and uses

1 a building bridges or making a hammer

b making jewellery
c electrical wiring

6.2  Temperature scale

1 Check students have correctly marked:

at –30 °C on the scale
B
at 0 °C on the scale
C
2 Check students have correctly marked:
at 10 °C on the scale
D
3 Check students have correctly marked:
at –10 °C on the scale
E
4 –70 °C

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5 Check students have correctly marked:

at –70 °C on the scale
F
6 –20 °C
7 Check students have correctly marked:
at –20 °C on the scale
G

6.3  Metal or non-metal?

1 Nor’s answer Correct? Correct answer if

Nor is wrong
silver metal 4
oxygen non-metal 4
helium non-metal 4
carbon metal non-metal
copper metal 4
nitrogen non-metal 4
sulfur metal non-metal
iron metal 4

2 5
3 3
4 3
5 5
6 Bar chart of metals and non-metals
5

1 metals non-metals

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6.4  Different materials

1 Material Tally
paper
plastic
metal
fibres
glass

2 6

4
Number of items

0
paper plastic metal fibres glass

The bar chart should be drawn in pencil using a ruler. The bars should be spaced as shown and
the tops should be completed.

6.5  Choosing the correct word

1 The following words should be shown circled:

a transparent
b does not react
c waterproof
d recycled
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Unit 7  Material changes

7.3  Acid or alkali?

1 and 2 Acid Alkali

Lemon juice has a sharp tangy taste. Sodium hydroxide
Hydrochloric acid turns litmus paper red. pH 9
A yellow colour with Universal Indicator Toothpaste
solution
Vinegar A purple colour with Universal Indicator
solution

7.2  Finding mistakes in a table

1 Liquid Colour with Universal pH

Indicator solution
lemon juice yellow 4 weakly alkaline
weakly acid
soap solution blue/green 8 weakly alkaline
water green 5 neutral
7
hydrochloric acid blue 2 strongly acid
red
sodium hydroxide blue/purple 11 strongly alkaline

7.3 Measuring

1 A 25 cm3
36 cm3
B
12 cm3
C
47 cm3
D
2 Check that students have drawn the level of the liquid at these volumes:
20 cm3
A
35 cm3
B
15 cm3
C
5 cm3
D
The lines should be slightly curved, with the bottom of the curve at the level of the scale mark
for these volumes.

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7.4  Testing soils

1 The correct order is:

1. add water
2. shake
3. filter
4. test with Universal Indicator

7.5  Indigestion investigation

1 The second column should be headed ‘Number of spatulas of powder used to neutralise
acid’, or words to that effect.
2 Sam’s test: ‘not fair’. Less acid (25 cm3) is used with powder B than with powders
A and C (50 cm3).
Nor’s test: ‘not fair’. A different acid (sulfuric acid) is used with powder A from that used
with B and C (hydrochloric acid).
Elsa’s test: ‘not fair’. No Universal Indicator solution is used with powder C.

Unit 8  The Earth

8.1  Comparing different soils

1 a sandy
b sandy
c clay
2 Students should have circled the words in bold:
When it rains the sandy soil will drain more quickly. This is because there are large air spaces
between the sand particles. The water moves past the sand particles more quickly.

8.2  Investigating soil drainage

1 the type or sample of soil

2 The following should be underlined:
volume of soil  volume of water added  time allowed for draining
3 The following should be underlined:
stop clock  a second measuring cylinder

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8.3   How igneous rocks are formed

1 a melts
b crust
c hot and liquid
d lava
e molten

8.4  True or false?

1 a false
b true
c false
d true
e true

8.5  Comparing rocks

Give credit for drawing the table correctly with a ruler and pencil; give credit for heading the
columns correctly. Entries may be in any order.

Igneous Sedimentary
granite contains fossils
lava porous
volcano formed in the sea
formed from magma sandstone
crystals grains
molten rock limestone
has layers

8.6  Investigating rocks

1 If a rock is porous, after soaking in water the mass will increase.

2 A, B and D
3 11 g
4 C
5 It does not matter because they are looking at the difference in mass after soaking in water.

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8.7  Chemical weathering

1 The results must be in order, and all time converted to days.

pH of acid Time for the mass to halve in days
1 3
2 7
3 10
4 12
5 14
6 17

2 Give credit for the use of a pencil; axes the correct way round; appropriate scale and points
plotted accurately.

18

16

14

12
Time in days

10

0
1 2 3 4 5 6
pH

3 There should be a simple statement such as: ‘The stronger the acid / lower the pH, the faster the
rock dissolves.’ Give credit for mentioning specific pH and times.

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8.8 Inside the Earth

1
crust

mantle

outer core

inner core

Give credit for: using a ruler and pencil; labelling lines are straight; labelling lines touch the
relevant item; keeping writing horizontal.
2 a inner core and outer core
b crust
c mantle and outer core
d inner core
e mantle

Unit 9 Forces and motion

9.1 Forces in pictures

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9.2 Weight arrows

1 and 2

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9.3 Friction arrows

1 and 2

push

friction

The friction arrow must be shown at the floor.

3

9.4 Investigating friction

1 All boxes should be ticked except ‘number of weights on the block’.

9.5 The effect of air resistance

weight
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3
air motion
resistance

Unit 10 Energy
10.1 Investigating energy

1 to make it a fair test

2 50

40
temperature rise in °C

30

20

10

0
bread cookie cornflakes pastry wafer
type of food

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10.2  Energy types

1 – electrical
– heat

– light

– gravitational potential

– movement

– sound – chemical

2 chemical
3 gravitational potential
4 movement
5 sound

10.3  Energy transfers

1 The TV works using electrical energy.

It transfers this energy usefully as light energy so we can see the picture, and sound energy so
we can hear it.
The television gets warm. This means some of the energy is transferred as heat energy.

10.4  Energy arrows

1 a heat
the arrow is thicker / wider (for heat than for light)
b
c it is transferred as light energy

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Unit 11  The Earth and beyond

11.1  The Sun in the daytime

1 in the east
 he student should have written W on the right of their diagram, M in the top middle
2 to 4 T
circle and L in the circle on the right.

11.2  What causes day and night?

1 one day
2 The right-hand half of the Earth should be shaded.
3 M should be written anywhere on an imaginary line running from the dot that is the north-pole
to the 9 o’clock position on the Earth.
4 The place X is just about to have sunrise.

11.3  Objects in the sky

1 Students should have drawn:

a straight line from Sun to planet
a straight line from planet to Amal
an arrowhead on at least one line away from Sun / towards Amal
2 the Sun is the closest star to Earth
3 telescope
4 Amal should never look directly at the Sun with any type of equipment because it could
damage his eyes / he could go blind.
5 Sirius (a star) and Sun

11.4  What is the Solar System?

1 both have same number of planets; both have Moon orbiting the earth; other 5 planets
(besides Earth) are in the same order from inner to outer positions; Saturn is farthest from
Earth in both / Uranus / Neptune / Pluto missing
2 they had not been discovered / scientists did not know about them / people did not have the
technology to see them / they were too far away (to see) / they were not bright enough (to see)
Do not accept: they were too small / they did not exist

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