PRE-BOARD III EXAM (2024-25)

GRADE X – SCIENCE (086)

Maximum Marks: 80 Time: 3 hours
General Instructions:

• All questions would be compulsory. An internal choice of about 15% has been provided.
• Section A would have 16 simple/complex MCQs and 04 Assertion-Reasoning type questions
carrying 1 mark each.
• Section B would have 6 Short Answer (SA) type questions carrying 02 marks each
• Section C would have 7 Short Answer (SA) type questions carrying 03 marks each.
• Section D would have 3 Long Answer (LA) type questions carrying 05 marks each.
• Section E would have 3 source-based/case-based/passage-based/integrated units of
assessment (04 marks each) with sub-parts of the values of 1/2/3 marks.

SECTION – A

Questions 1 to 16 are multiple-choice questions. Only one of the choices is correct. Select and write
the proper choice and answer to these questions.

1. Equal volumes of hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide solutions of the same concentration are
mixed and the pH of the solution is checked with a pH paper. What would be the colour obtained?
(a) Red (c) Yellowish green
(b) Yellow (d) Blue

2. When sodium bicarbonate reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid, the gas evolved is:
(a) Hydrogen; it gives a pop sound with a burning match stick
(b) Hydrogen; it turns lime water milky
(c) Carbon dioxide; it turns lime water milky
(d) Carbon dioxide; it blows off a burning match stick with a pop sound

3. Which of the following is a necessary condition for all chemical reactions to take place?
(a) The reactants should be in the same state
(b) Energy should be supplied to the reactants
(c) The reactants should be at the same temperature
(d) There should be physical contact between the reactants

P.T.O
4. A compound with which of the following functional groups is most likely to cause the decomposition
of baking soda to produce carbon dioxide?

(a) P (b) Q (c) R (d) S

5. Which of the following is a characteristic of metals?

(a) They have one to three valence electrons
(b) They have four to eight valence electrons
(c) They are brittle
(d) They are capable of forming anions easily

6. In the given transverse section of the leaf, identify the layer of cells where maximum photosynthesis
occurs.

(a) I, II (b) II, III (c) III, IV (d) I, IV

7. Which of the statements are false?

(i) Sudden action in response to something in the environment is called reflex action.
(ii) Sensory neurons carry signals from the spinal cord to the muscles.
(iii) Motor neurons carry signals from receptors to the spinal cord.
(iv) The pathway through which signals are transmitted from a receptor to a muscle or a gland
is called a reflex arc.

(a) (i) and (ii)

(b) (i) and (iv)
(c) (ii) and (iii)
(d) (i), (ii), and (iii)
8. Consider the following three flowers: X, Y, and Z. Which flower (s) would develop into a fruit?

Flower X Flower Y Flower Z

(a) Only X (b) Only Z (c) Z and Y (d) Y and Z

9. A cross between a pea plant with white flowers (vv) and a pea plant with violet flowers (VV) resulted
in F2 – progeny. What is the ratio of violet (VV) and white (vv) flowers?
(a) 1 : 1 (c) 3 : 1
(b) 2 : 1 (d) 1 : 3

10. Select the mismatched pair in the following:

(a) Biomagnification – Accumulation of toxic chemicals at the successive trophic levels of a food
chain.
(b) Ecosystem – Biotic components of the environment.
(c) Aquarium – A man-made ecosystem.
(d) Parasites – Organisms that obtain food from other living organisms.

11. Plastic insulation surrounds a wire having a diameter d and length l as shown below. A decrease in
the resistance of the wire would be produced by an increase in the:

(a) Length l of the wire

(b) Diameter d of the wire
(c) Temperature of the wire
(d) Thickness of the plastic insulation

P.T.O
12. Which of the following magnets has the strongest magnetic field?

13. A prism ABC (with BC as base) is placed in different orientations. A narrow beam of white light is
incident on the prism as shown in the figure below. In which of the following cases, after dispersion,
the third colour from the top corresponds to the colour of the sky?

(a) (i) (b) (ii) (c) (iii) (d) (iv)

14. An object is placed at a distance of 20 cm in front of a concave mirror of focal length 10 cm. The
image produced is:
(a) Real, inverted and diminished
(b) Real, inverted and enlarged
(c) Real, inverted and same size
(d) Virtual, erect and enlarged

15. A food chain will be more advantageous in terms of energy if it has ______ trophic levels.
(a) 2 (b) 3 (c) 4 (d) 5

16. Consider the following statements about ozone.

(i) Ozone is a poisonous gas.
(ii) Ozone shields the earth’s surface from infrared radiations of the sun.
(iii) Ozone is a product of UV radiations acting on an oxygen molecule.
(iv) At the lower level of the earth is where ozone performs its most essential function.

(a) (i) and (ii) (b) (i) and (iii) (c) (ii) and (iii) (d) (ii) and (iv)
Directions (Questions 17 – 20) – Q.17 to Q.20 consist of two statements, Assertion (A) and Reason (R).
Answer these questions by selecting the appropriate option from the choices given below that most
accurately describes their relation:

(a) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
(b) Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false
(d) (A) is false but (R) is true

17. Assertion (A) – A piece of zinc metal gets a reddish-brown coating when kept in copper sulphate
solution for some time.
Reason (R) – Copper is a more reactive metal than zinc.

18. Assertion (A) – A geneticist crossed a pea plant having violet flowers with a pea plant having white
flowers. He got all white flowers in the first generation.
Reason (R) – The gene containing the white colour is not passed onto the next generation.

19. Assertion (A) – A stationary charged particle placed in a magnetic field experiences a force.
Reason (R) – A stationary charged particle does not produce a magnetic field.

20. Assertion (A) – Vasectomy is a method of birth control.

Reason (R) – In vasectomy, a small part of the oviduct is cut or tied properly.

SECTION – B

21. A substance X which is an oxide of a group 2 element, is used intensively in the cement industry.
The element is present in bones too. On treatment with water, it forms a solution which turns red
litmus to blue. Identify X and also write the chemical reactions involved.

22. In the process of digestion of food in human beings, two protein-digesting enzymes are secreted.
Name the enzymes along with the glands that secrete them.

23. (a) What is a reflex arc?

(b) Why is adrenaline known as the emergency hormone?
OR
Why is the flow of signals in a synapse from axonal end of one neuron to dendritic end of another
neuron but not the reverse?

24. If you want to see an enlarged image of your face, what type of mirror will you use? Where will you
place your face?

P.T.O
25. Draw a circuit diagram using a battery of two cells, two resistors of 3Ω each connected in series, a
plug key and rheostat.
OR
Two unequal resistors are connected in parallel. If you are not provided with any other with any
other parameters (e.g. numerical values of l and R), what can be said about the voltage drop across
the two resistors?

26. Why are crop fields known as artificial ecosystems?

SECTION – C

27. A student was given Mg, Zn, Fe, and Cu metals. He puts each of them in dil. HCl contained in different
test tubes. Identify which of them:
(a) Will not displace H2 from dil. HCl.
(b) Will give H2 with 5% HNO3.
(c) Will be displaced from its salt solution by all other metals?

28. Tina finds a paper covered with a white substance in a chemistry lab. She keeps the paper near the
window of the lab and comes back to pick it up after five hours to take it home. She noticed that
the white substance had turned grey.
(a) What could be the substance on the paper that Tina found most likely be?
(b) The substance changed from white to grey. Write the chemical equation for this reaction.
(c) State one application of this substance seen in daily life.
OR
Decomposition reactions require energy either in the form of heat or light or electricity for breaking
down the reactants. Write one equation each for decomposition reactions where energy is supplied
in the form of heat, light, and electricity.

29. (a) Why is the existence of decomposers necessary in the biosphere?

(b) In the following food chain, vertical arrows indicate the energy lost to the environment and
horizontal arrows indicate the energy transferred to the next trophic level. Which one of the three
vertical arrows (A, C, and E) and which one of the horizontal arrows (B and D) will represent more
energy transfer?
30. Observe the given diagram

(a) How does ‘A’ reach Part ‘B’?

(b) State the importance of Part ‘C’
(c) What happens to the part marked ‘D’ after fertilization is over?

OR

Name the parts A, B, and C in the given figure and state one function of each.

31. Three resistors in a circuit are attached as shown below. The resistance of F and G are 10 Ω and 5 Ω
respectively. The resistance of E is unknown. These resistors are connected to a battery with
potential difference 6 V.

(a) What is the term used to describe such an arrangement of resistors?

(b) What is the resistance of E, if 0.3 A current flows through it?
(c) What is the total current flowing in the circuit?
 OR

You are given three resistors each of 3 ohm and you are asked to get all possible values of
resistance when you connect them in different combinations. How many values of resistance can
you get?

32. The refractive index of water with respect to air is 1.33 and that of diamond is 2.42.
(i) In which medium does the diamond move fast? Water or Diamond? Mathematically prove
your answer and justify.
(ii) What is the refractive index of diamond with respect to water?

33. (a) Why is chemical communication better than electric impulses in humans?
(c) A boy runs on seeing a stray dog. His breathing rate becomes very fast and blood pressure also
increases. Name the hormone found to be high in his blood and the gland that produces it.
What are the effects caused by this hormone?

SECTION – D

34. (a) State the role of pancreas in the digestion of food.

(b) Why is the separation of the right side and left side of the heart useful in helping birds and
mammals?
(c) Using a schematic flowchart, show the breakdown of glucose by various pathways.

35. (a) An organic compound A on heating with concentrated H2SO4 forms a compound B which on
addition of hydrogen in the presence of Ni forms a compound C. One molecule of compound C, on
combustion forms two molecules of CO2 and three molecules H2O. Identify the compounds named
A, B, and C and write the chemical equations of the reactions involved.
(b) Identify and name the functional groups present in the following compounds. Also, write the
IUPAC name of each compound.

OR
(a) Draw the structural formulae of three isomers of the fifth member of homologous series of
carbo compounds represented by the general formula CnH2n + 2.

(b) Give reason why carbon forms covalent compounds. Also, state the reason to explain why
covalent compounds are bad conductors of electricity and have low melting and boiling points.
36. (a) Write the advantages of connecting electrical appliances in parallel and disadvantages of
connecting them in series in a household circuit.
(b) An electric geyser rated at 1500 W, 250 V is connected to a 250 V line mains. Calculate:
(i) The electric current drawn by it.
(ii) Energy consumed by it in 50 h.
(iii) Cost of energy consumed, if each unit costs ₹ 6.

SECTION – E

Questions 37 to 39 are case-based/data-based questions.

37. The endocrine system regulates the body’s processes by releasing chemical messengers (hormones)
into the bloodstream. Hormones are potent chemical regulators. They are produced in minute
quantities yet can have a large effect on metabolism.

The endocrine system comprises of endocrine cells (organised in to endocrine glands), and the
hormones they produce. Unlike exocrine glands (e.g. sweat and salivary glands), endocrine glands
are ductless glands, secreting hormones directly in to the bloodstream rather than secreting them
through a duct tube.

Some organs (e.g. the pancreas) have both endocrine and exocrine regions, but these are
structurally and functionally distinct. The basis of hormonal control and the role of negative
feedback mechanisms in regulating hormonal levels are described below.

(i) Why is the speed of hormonal responses slower? (1)

(ii) What is common in both insulin and glucagon? (1)
(iii) Among endocrine and exocrine glands, which glands possess ducts? (1)
(iv) “Hormones affect only specific target cells”. Explain. (1)
38. Absolute refractive indices of materials A, B, C, and D are given in the following table:

(i) What is the meaning of the statement – “The absolute refractive index of water is 1.33”?
(ii) How is absolute refractive index related to speed?
(iii) In which of the materials in the table above does light travel faster?
(iv) The speed of light in air is 3 x 108 ms-1 and that in medium A is 1.5 x 108 ms-1. What is the
refractive index of A?

39. Most dirt is oily in nature and as you know, oil does not dissolve in water. The molecules of soap are
sodium or potassium salts of long-chain carboxylic acids. The ionic-end of soap interacts with water
while the carbon chain interacts with oil. The soap molecules, thus form structures called micelles,
where one end of the molecules is towards the oil droplet while the ionic-end faces outside. This
forms an emulsion in water. The soap micelle thus helps in pulling out the dirt in water and we can
wash our clothes clean.

(i) What do you mean by ‘hydrophobic end’? (1)

(ii) Draw the structure of a micelle. (1)
(iii) What is scum? (1)
(iv) What is hard water? Which is a better choice to remove its hardness, soap or detergent?
Justify. (0.25 + 0.25 + 0.5)

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