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Sample questions drawn from previous years

Sample year 11 questions

In a computing context, what is a virus?

  1. A program that causes random illness of computer software
  2. A program that can replicate itself
  3. A program that disables internet-related software
  4. A program that infects a computer with a cold

Who is the Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of New Zealand?

  1. Sir Peter Blake
  2. Sir Peter Dunne
  3. Sir Peter Gluckman
  4. Sir Peter Dearden

Brushtail possums are considered a pest in New Zealand.Why?

  1. They are carriers of bovine tuberculosis
  2. They damage native trees
  3. They feed on the eggs of native birds
  4. All of the above

Sample year 12 questions :

A radioactive element X decays with a half-life of 10,000 years. If a sample of X initially weighs 4 g, what will be its mass after 60 000 years?

  1. 4g
  2. 1g
  3. 1/16 g
  4. 1/8g

Chemical reactions in cells are catalysed by enzymes.Which of the following statements about enzymes is FALSE?

  1. All enzymes require cofactors for activity
  2. All enzymes are built from amino acids
  3. Enzymatic reactions are sensitive to pH and temperature
  4. Reaction rates are affected by both the concentrations of substrates 
and enzymes

A geological map shows the contacts between different rock layers.The contacts parallel the topographic contours of the land surface. Does this mean the contacts are:

  1. horizontal
  2. vertical
  3. angular
  4. steeply inclined

Sample year 13 questions

Darwin predicted that bipedalism preceded brain expansion and this is supported by the fossil record of the Australopithecines. Which of the following statements regarding the Australopithecines is FALSE?

  1. The Australopithecines were bipedal
  2. The Australopithecines' brains were similar in size to that of a 
chimpanzee
  3. The Australopithecines were the first pre-humans to make stone 
tools
  4. The canines of Australopithecines were reduced and non-protruding

Astronauts in orbit about earth are often said to be weightless. If an astronaut has a mass of 100 kg on earth, the gravitational force is 980 N.What (approximately) is the gravitational force on the astronaut when in orbit 300 km above earth's surface (in N)? 


  1. 0

  2. 50
  3. 80
  4. 890

The specific heat capacity of H2(g) is 14.3 J K-1 mol-1.Which of the following is correct?

  1. Heating 1 mole of H2(g) by 10 K requires 14.3 J of energy
  2. Heating 1 g of H2(g) by 0.5 K requires 14.3 J of energy
  3. Heating 1 g of H2(g) by 1 K requires 14.3 J of energy
  4. Heating 2 moles of H2(g) by 1 K requires 14.3 J of energy
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