CONTEST 36

ROUND 1

PREAMBLE: A particle of mass moving along the -axis is subject to a position-dependent

force which is given in newtons by with in meters. Find the work done by

the force when the particle undergoes the given motion.

1. From the origin to the point .

ANSWER:

2. From the point to the origin.

ANSWER:

3. From the point to the point .

ANSWER:

4. How many electrons are in the valence shell of an atom with atomic number 20?
ANSWER: 2 (20 ≡ 1s2 2s2 2p63s2 3p64s2)
5. An atom has atomic number 18. How many electrons are present in p-orbitals?
ANSWER: 12 electrons 1s2 2s2 2p63s2 3p6
6. An atom has atomic number 26. How many electrons are in neither s nor p – orbitals?
ANSWER: 6 electrons [Ar] 4s2 3d6 or [18] 4s2 3d6
7. Which of the following features distinguishes bryophytes from pteridophytes?
ANSWER: A. Absence of flower B. Alternation of generation C. Dependency on water for
reproduction D. Presence of vascular system
8. The Production of naked seeds is a distinctive feature in which of the following groups of plants?
ANSWER: A Palms B. Conifers C. Angiosperms D. Grasses
9. Which of the following cell components or organs are common to both the sporophytes and the
gametophytes of a fern?
 ANSWER: A. Rhizoids B. Roots C. Chloroplast D. Leaves
PREAMBLE: Solve the quadratic equation and leave your answer as a surd.
10. x2 + 3x – 5 = 0.
ANSWER: x = -3/2 ± √29/2 [ x = [-3 √(9 + 20)]/2 = -3/2 ± √29/2]
11. x2 – 5x + 3 = 0.
ANSWER: x = 5/2 ± √13/2 [ x = 5/2 ± √(25 – 12)/2 = 5/2 ± √13/2]
2
12. x + 7x + 11 = 0.
ANSWER: x = -7/2 ± √5/2 [ x = -7/2 ± √(49 – 44)/2 = -7/2 ± √5/2]
PREAMBLE: Isotope separation is carried out using diffusion through a porous membrane, the
enrichment ratio being given by the ratio of diffusion rates of target to effluent isotopes. Determine the
single-stage enrichment ratio for the given pair of molecules.

13. Enrichment of with - and - relative to with - and - .

ANSWER:

14. Enrichment of with - relative to with - .

ANSWER:

15. Enrichment of with - relative to with - .

ANSWER:

16. If the electrolyte in an electrolytic cell is an aqueous solution of a metal salts, what are the possible
reactions at the cathode?
ANSWER: Possible reactions are:
i) Reduction of the metal ions to neutral atoms/metals.
ii) Reduction of water molecules (or H+ ions) to hydrogen gas.
17. In the electrolysis of copper (II) tetraoxosulphate (VI) solution using copper electrodes the copper
anode is preferentially oxidized. What does this imply?
ANSWER: The oxidation of copper metal is (thermodynamically) more favourable than the
oxidation of water molecules (or OH-)
18. In the electrolysis of sodium chloride solution, using inert electrodes, what factors determine which
unit is oxidized at the anode?
ANSWER: (1) Relative concentration of OH- ions (or H2O) and Cl- ions.
(2) The relative ease of oxidation of the ions.
PREAMBLE: Complete the following by filling in the blanks.
19. In the air passages of humans, a layer of --------------- traps bacteria.
ANSWER: Mucus
20. Mucus is carried away from the lungs by the action of ----------- cells which line the air passages.
ANSWER: Ciliated
21. If bacteria get through damaged skin, they are attacked by white cells and ............. in the blood.
ANSWER: Antibodies
PREAMBLE: Find the equation of a circle in standard form given that….
22. It lies in the second quadrant and touches both the x - and y-axes and has radius 5.
ANSWER: (x + 5)2 + (y – 5)2 = 25
[Center is C (-5, 5) radius r = 5, hence (x + 5)2 + (y – 5)2 = 25]
23. It touches the x- and y-axes and has radius 10 with the center in the first quadrant.
ANSWER: (x - 10)2 + (y – 10)2 = 100
24. It has center C(- 7, -7) and radius 7.
ANSWER: (x + 7)2 + (y + 7)2 = 49
25.What is the heat capacity of an object?
ANSWER: Thermal energy (or heat) required for unit temperature change of the object.
26. Give the SI unit of heat capacity in SI base units.

ANSWER:

27. What is the specific heat capacity of a substance?

ANSWER: The thermal energy required for unit change in temperature of unit mass of the substance.
28. What mass of magnesium tetraoxosulphate (VI) heptahydrate.is needed to prepare a 250 cm 3
solution of 0.12 moldm-3 concentration? Give your answer to two places of decimal.
Mg = 24.0,S = 32.0,O = 16.0,H = 1.0
ANSWER: MgSO4.7H2O = 24 + 32 + 64 + 7*18= 120 + 126= 246
1 dm3 solution of 0.12 moldm-3 will require 246*0.12 = 29.52
 Therefore, 250 cm3 solution of 0.12 moldm-3 will require 29.52/4 = 7.38 g
29. If a solution is 0.10 moldm-3 with respect to Cu2+ ions, what mass of CuSO4.5H2O must be added to
500 cm3 to raise the concentration of the Cu2+ ions to 0.16 mldm-3. Give your answer to two places of
decimal.
Cu = 64.0,S = 32.0,O = 16.0,H = 1.0
ANSWER: CuSO4.5H2O = 64 + 32 + 64 + 5*18= 250
3
1 dm of solution would require additional 0.06 mol. of salt
Therefore, 500 cm3 would require 0.03 mol = 0.03*250 = 7.50 g
30. One dm3 of 0.20 moldm-3 solution of cadmium (II) trioxonitrate (V) salt is allowed to evaporate to
dryness. If in the process the salt forms tetrahydrate crystals, what mass of the hydrated salt will be
obtained? Give your answer to 1 place of decimal.
Cd = 112.0, O = 16.0,N = 14.0,H = 1.0
Ans: Cd (NO3)2.4H2O = 112 + 2*(14 + 48) + 4*18 = 308
Hence, 1 dm3 of 0.20 moldm-3 solution will give 0.2*308 = 61.6 g
PREAMBLE: Provide the names of the excretory organs in the following organisms that perform a
function similar to the vertebrate kidney.
31.Flatworms.
ANSWER: Flame cells
32. Annelids.
ANSWER: Nephridium
33. Insects.
ANSWER: Malpighian tubule
PREAMBLE: Define the following.
34.An angle
ANSWER: A figure formed by two rays with a common endpoint.
35.A straight angle.
ANGLE: An angle with a measure of 180°.
36.A Reflex angle.
ANSWER: An angle with measure between 180°and 360°.
 ROUND 2 - SPEED ROUND

1. Find the next term in the sequence 1, 4, 9, 16, . . .

ANSWER: 25
2. Find the measures of two complementary angles whose measures are in the ratio 2 : 3.
ANSWER: 36°, 54°
[2x + 3x = 90, 5x = 90, x = 18, 2x = 36 and 3x = 54]
3. Find: antilog10 4.
ANSWER: 10,000 [ 104 = 10,000]

4. Find the position and the nature of the image formed by a focal length converging lens of an object

placed from the lens.

ANSWER: Virtual image from the lens

5. What are the active materials in a polysilicon solar cell?

ANSWER: P and n type polycrystalline silicon

6. What is the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation of frequency ?

ANSWER:

7. Name one isomeric compound of phenylmethanol which is a derivative of benzene.

ANSWER: 2- or 3- or 4- methylphenol (do not accept hydroxytoluene)
8. Name a pentanol which is likely to exhibit optical isomerism.
ANSWER: 2-Pentanol
9. Name the major product formed when 1–pentene reacts with HBr gas.
ANSWER: 2–Bromopentane
10. If a toxin, such as a bacterial toxin, destroys ribosomes in an organism, what cellular activity will be
affected first?
 ANSWER: Protein synthesis
11. Arrange the following in the acceptable order for a water purification plant.
Chlorination plant, Coarse screen, Settling tank, Slow sand filter and Water tower.
ANSWER: Coarse screen, Settling tank, Slow sand filter, Chlorination plant, Water tower.
12. Assume that W represents a dominant allele, and w the corresponding recessive allele. Use the alleles
to show a test cross.
ANSWER: Ww x ww (ie Ww cross ww)

PROBLEM OF THE DAY

A curve is defined by the implicit equation

x2 + xy + y2 = 1

a) Find an expression for (dy/dx).

b) Evaluate (dy/dx) at the point A(1, -1) on the curve.
c) Find the equation of the tangent to the curve at the point A(1, -1).
d) Find the equation of the normal to the curve at the point A(1, -1).

SOLUTION:

a) x2 + xy + y2 = 1
Differentiate implicitly

2x + y + x(dy/dx) + 2y(dy/dx) = 0 (2 MARKS)

(dy/dx)(x + 2y) = -(2x + y)

(dy/dx) = -(2x + y)/(x + 2y) (2 MARKS)

b) At the point A(1, -1) (dy/dx) = -(2 – 1)/(1 – 2)

= - 1/-1 = 1 (2 MARKS)

c) Equation of tangent at A(1, -1) is given by

 (y + 1) = 1(x – 1), y = x – 2 (2 MARKS)

d) Equation of normal at A(1, -1) is given by

(y + 1) = -1(x – 1), y = -x (2 MARKS)

ROUND 4

TRUE OR FALSE

1. If two lines are perpendicular to the same plane, then they are parallel.
ANSWER: True
2. If two lines are parallel to the same plane, then they are perpendicular.
ANSWER: False
3. One and only one line can be drawn through two different points.
ANSWER: True
4. Anaerobic respiration uses oxygen to release energy from food.
ANSWER: False
5. Aerobic respiration converts food to carbon dioxide and water.
ANSWER: True
6. Anaerobic respiration releases energy from food without using oxygen.
ANSWER: True
7. Thermoplastics are plastics that soften and melt on heating and solidify again on cooling.
ANSWER: True
8. Thermoplastics soften when heated because the polymer chains break up into smaller units during the
heating.
ANSWER: False The inter–chain forces are easily broken during heating.
9. Plasticizers are added to plastics to modify them.
ANSWER: True They make the plastic materials flexible (or resilient and easy to handle).
10. A pipe open at both ends supports a fundamental note with wavelength twice the length of the pipe.
ANSWER: False
11. The first overtone for a pipe closed at one end has a wavelength equal to the length of the pipe.
ANSWER: False
12. A pipe closed at one end supports a vibrating column of air with no displacement of the air at the
closed end.
ANSWER: True
13. If a/b = c/d, then a/c = b/d.
ANSWER: True
14. If a/b = c/d, then a/d = c/b.
ANSWER: False
15. If a/b= c/d, then b/a = d/c.
ANSWER: True
16. The probability that two genes will be separated by crossing-over is related to the phenotype that they
control.
ANSWER: False
17. The probability that two genes will be separated by crossing-over is related to how far the two genes
are from the centromere.
ANSWER: False
18. The probability that two genes will be separated by crossing-over is related to the distance between
the two genes on the chromosome.
ANSWER: True
19. The bond energy of the carbon–carbon double bond is about twice that of the carbon – carbon single
bond.
ANSWER: False
20. Hydrofluoric acid is more acidic than hydrobromic acid.
ANSWER: False H – Br bond is weaker than H – F bond. HBr dissociates more easily
21. The enthalpy change for the reaction:
Ca2+ (aq) + CO32-( aq) → CaCO3 (s), may be regarded as the enthalpy of formation for solid
CaCO3.
ANSWER: False Enthalpy of formation is the heat change (∆H) when a compound is
formed from its constituent elements.
22. Because the average of a sinewave is zero, both the average current and the average potential
difference across an ideal resistor carrying a sinusoidal current are zero.
ANSWER: True
23. The average power dissipated by an ideal resistor carrying a sinusoidal current is zero because the
 average potential difference is zero.
ANSWER: False
24. The rms power dissipated by an ideal resistor carrying an alternating current equals the product of rms
current and rms potential difference across the resistor.
ANSWER: True

ROUND 5
RIDDLES
RIDDLE 1
1. I am an inorganic substance, sparingly soluble in water.
2. I have a cation derived from a very important metal, which is present in a lot of substances,
animate and inanimate.
3. I belong to the Lowry–Bronsted kingdom.
4. My production from an oxide of my metal is usually accompanied by evolution of large amounts
of heat.
5. In my raw form I am used in neutralizing acidic soils.
6. My nick–name suggests I am a modified citrus fruit but I am not.
Who am I?

ANSWER: Slaked lime or calcium hydroxide or Ca(OH)2

RIDDLE 2

1. In nutrition I am a breakfast cereal manufactured by Kellogg's Canada.

2. In computer science I am a one-dimensional array.
3. In molecular biology I am a vehicle used to transfer genetic material to a target cell.
 4. I am also used to refer to any agent that carries and transmits an infectious pathogen into another
living organism.
5. In Physics I am used to represent physical quantities that have both magnitude and direction
Who am I?

ANSWER: Vector

RIDDLE 3

1. I am a point in space.
2. I am not fixed in space as a casual observation would suggest,
3. Because orbital precession causes long-period periodic changes in my location.
4. My name reminds one of a fermented beverage made from pears.
5. But I am always the closest to the Sun;
6. Earth only passes through me once a year.
Who am I?

ANSWER: Perihelion

RIDDLE 4
1. I am a number.
2. I am a natural number.
3. I and my siblings are the building blocks for factorization of integers.
4. I have only two divisors, myself and the multiplicative identity.
5. Numbers of my type are normally odd with one notable exception.
6. You can say I am in the prime of my life.
Who am I?

ANSWER: Prime Number