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Natural Science and Technology Question Paper for term 2
Grade 6 out of 100
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Natural Science & Technology
Grade 6 — Term 2 Examination
Total: 100 marks
Time: 2 hours
Instructions
- Answer all questions.
- Write neatly. Show all workings where required.
- Use diagrams where helpful. Label diagrams clearly.
- Marks for each question are shown in brackets.
Section A — Multiple choice (10 × 1 = 10 marks)
Write the letter of the correct answer next to each question number.
1. Which of these is a mixture?
A. Water only
B. Table salt (sodium chloride) only
C. Sand and iron filings mixed together
D. Pure oxygen
2. What is a solution?
A. A solid made of many different parts
B. A mixture in which one substance dissolves evenly in another
C. A substance that cannot be separated
D. A mixture in which all parts remain visible
3. Which separation method would you use to separate iron filings from sand?
A. Filtration
B. Magnetism
C. Evaporation
D. Distillation
4. Which property is most important when choosing a material for a saucepan?
A. Absorbent
B. Thermal conductor (good at conducting heat)
C. Transparent
D. Flexible
5. Which of the following is a liquid?
A. Oxygen
B. Ice
C. Water
D. Glass
6. Which device makes a continuous path for electricity when it is closed?
A. Bulb
B. Cell (battery)
C. Switch
D. Resistor
7. Which material is most likely to allow light to pass through clearly?
A. Opaque metal sheet
B. Transparent glass
C. Translucent paper with thick ink
D. Opaque wood
8. Why does sugar dissolve faster in warm water than in cold water?
A. Warm water has more gravity
B. Warm water turns sugar into gas
C. The particles in warm water move faster and mix with sugar more quickly
D. Cold water reacts chemically with sugar
9. When salt water is heated until the water evaporates, what remains?
A. Pure water
B. Salt crystals
C. Oil
D. Glass
10. Which pair are examples of physical changes?
A. Burning wood and rusting iron
B. Dissolving sugar in water and melting ice
C. Cooking an egg and digesting food
D. Rusting iron and sour milk
Section B — Short answer (6 × 5 = 30 marks)
11. (5)
a) Define the term “mixture.” (2)
b) Give two everyday examples of mixtures (different from each other). (2)
c) State one reason why we might want to separate a mixture. (1)
12. (5)
Explain how sieving and filtration are different. Give one example of each method being used. (5)
13. (5)
a) What is meant by the terms “transparent,” “translucent,” and “opaque”? Give one example of a material for each term. (4)
b) Why would you choose opaque material rather than transparent material to make curtains for a classroom? (1)
14. (5)
A jar contains a mixture of rock salt (sodium chloride) and sand. Describe a simple method to separate the salt from the sand and explain the science behind each step. (5)
15. (5)
a) Draw the symbols and a simple diagram for a circuit that contains: one cell (battery), one bulb, one switch and connecting wires. Label the parts. (3)
b) Explain what happens when the switch is closed. (2)
16. (5)
Explain three properties you would look for in a material to make a raincoat. For each property give one reason why it is important. (3 × 1 = 3) — plus one extra mark for an overall good example (total 5).
Section C — Long answer / Extended response (4 × 10 = 40 marks)
17. (10)
Describe an investigation to find out which of three liquids (water, cooking oil, and lemon juice) will mix (form a solution) with food colouring the fastest. Include:
- A clear aim
- A list of materials
- Step-by-step method (fair test: what you keep the same and what you change)
- What you would measure or observe
- A short statement of what results you expect and why
18. (10)
a) Explain the differences between a physical change and a chemical change. Give two examples of each. (6)
b) A block of ice melts into water and then refreezes into ice overnight. Is this a physical or chemical change? Explain your answer. (2)
c) Name one sign that a chemical change has taken place in an experiment. (1)
d) Give one example in everyday life of a chemical change and explain why it is chemical. (1)
19. (10)
A teacher gives pupils three materials and asks them to decide which is best to make a kitchen countertop: material A (a good thermal conductor and hard), material B (a poor thermal conductor and very soft), material C (a poor conductor, very hard, and resistant to scratches).
a) Which material would you recommend and why? (3)
b) For the two materials you did not choose, give one reason each why they are less suitable. (2)
c) Suggest two other important properties a countertop material should have and explain why. (2)
d) Sometimes a material is coated to improve its surface. Give one example of coating and explain how it helps the countertop. (2)
20. (10)
Chromatography is a technique used to separate colours in ink.
a) Briefly explain how paper chromatography separates the colours in ink. (4)
b) If you place a dot of black ink on a strip of filter paper and allow water to move up the paper, you observe blue and yellow bands above the original dot. What does this tell you about the black ink? (2)
c) Suggest an everyday use of chromatography outside of the classroom or lab. (1)
d) Name one safety or practical precaution to take when doing chromatography with young pupils. (1)
e) Draw a simple labelled diagram showing the initial setup for paper chromatography (filter paper, solvent, ink spot). (2)
Section D — Experimental skills and data handling (2 tasks) (20 marks)
Task 1 — Separating a mixture (10)
You are given a dry mixture containing iron filings, sand, and salt (sodium chloride).
a) Write the sequence of steps you would use to separate and collect each component. Number the steps. (6)
b) For each step, give a short reason why it works (6 marks total across steps). (4)
Task 2 — Interpreting results from a simple experiment (10)
A pupil tested three fabrics (X, Y, Z) by pouring small equal amounts of water onto each fabric and observing how long the water took to pass through (to the other side) and whether the water spread out.
- Fabric X: Water passed through quickly; water spread out a little.
- Fabric Y: Water did not pass through; water beaded on the surface.
- Fabric Z: Water passed through slowly; water spread out a lot.
a) Which fabric is most absorbent? Explain. (2)
b) Which fabric would be best for an umbrella? Explain. (2)
c) Which fabric would be best for a towel? Explain. (2)
d) Suggest one simple test (that you would record a time for) to compare absorbency in future experiments and explain how you would keep it fair. (4)
--- End of paper ---
Answer guide / Marking memo (brief)
Section A (10 marks)
1 C, 2 B, 3 B, 4 B, 5 C, 6 C, 7 B, 8 C, 9 B, 10 B. (1 mark each)
Section B (30 marks)
11. a) Mixture: two or more substances combined but not chemically joined; each keeps its own properties. (2)
b) Examples: cereal in milk; salt and sand; air (any two). (1 mark each)
c) To recover a useful substance, to remove impurities, or to recycle. (1)
12. Sieving uses a mesh to separate large particles from small ones (example: separating flour from lumps or stones from gravel). Filtration uses filter paper or a porous material to separate solids suspended in liquids (example: coffee filter, separating sand from water). (5)
13. Transparent: lets light pass through clearly (e.g., clear glass). Translucent: lets some light through but not detailed shapes (e.g., frosted glass, tracing paper). Opaque: does not let light through (e.g., metal sheet). (4)
b) Curtains: opaque to block light for better darkness/privacy. (1)
14. Steps: (1) Add water to the mixture and stir to dissolve salt. (2) Filter the mixture to remove sand; sand stays on filter paper. (3) Evaporate or heat the filtrate (salt solution) to remove water leaving salt crystals. Science: salt is soluble, sand is insoluble; filtration separates insoluble solids; evaporation removes solvent leaving dissolved solids. (5)
15. a) Diagram: cell symbol, wires, bulb symbol, switch symbol; labelled. (3)
b) When switch closed, circuit is complete so current flows from cell through bulb causing bulb to light. (2)
16. Possible properties: waterproof/water-repellent (keeps wearer dry), lightweight (comfortable), durable/tear-resistant (lasts long), flexible (easy to move), breathable (prevents overheating). Give reasons. (5)
Section C (40 marks)
17. Aim: To find which liquid allows food colouring to spread/dissolve fastest. Materials: food colouring, small beakers/cups, water, cooking oil, lemon juice, stopwatch, stirring rod, thermometer (optional). Method: Use equal volumes of each liquid in identical containers; add identical drops of same food colouring at same temperature; start stopwatch; do not stir (or standardize stirring); observe time for colour to disappear or spread evenly; record times and compare. Keep same volume, same drop size, same temperature. Expectation: food colouring will dissolve fastest in water (polar) than oil (non-polar) because food colouring is usually water-soluble; lemon juice (acidic water) similar to water but may behave slightly differently. (marks for completeness & fair test)
18. a) Physical change: no new substance formed; change in state or shape (examples: melting ice, tearing paper). Chemical change: new substances formed with different properties (examples: rusting iron, burning wood). (6)
b) Melting and refreezing ice is a physical change because the substance (water) remains chemically the same. (2)
c) One sign: gas produced (bubbles), colour change, temperature change, formation of a precipitate. (1)
d) Example: burning candle (wax + oxygen → new gases and ash) — chemical because new substances form and cannot be returned by simple physical means. (1)
19. a) Recommend material C: poor conductor (won’t transfer heat from hot pans easily), very hard and scratch-resistant (durable). (3)
b) Material A: good thermal conductor — not good because it will get hot and could burn hands or damage surface; Material B: very soft — not durable and will scratch/dent. (2)
c) Other properties: stain resistance (keeps surface clean), heat resistance (withstands hot pans). Explain reasons. (2)
d) Example: laminate coating or sealant — helps protect surface from stains and scratches and makes cleaning easier. (2)
20. a) Paper chromatography: ink spot is placed on paper; the end of paper sits in solvent. Solvent moves up by capillary action, carrying components of the ink at different rates depending on how soluble/attracted they are to the paper; this separates colours into bands. (4)
b) The black ink is a mixture of blue and yellow dyes (it separates into blue and yellow). (2)
c) Everyday use: testing dyes in forensic work, checking food colourings, testing plant pigments. (1)
d) Precaution: use small amounts of solvent, work in a well-ventilated area, and avoid open flames; wear gloves if using chemicals. (1)
e) Diagram: strip of paper with dot near bottom, container with shallow solvent, showing solvent level below dot and arrow showing solvent rise. (2)
Section D (20 marks)
Task 1 (10)
Sample sequence and reasons (marks split as indicated):
1. Use a magnet over the dry mixture to remove iron filings. (Step + reason: iron is magnetic; magnet attracts it.) (2 + 1)
2. Add water to remaining sand and salt, stir to dissolve salt. (Step + reason: salt is soluble in water; sand is not.) (1 + 1)
3. Filter the mixture to collect sand on filter paper and collect salt solution (filtrate). (1 + 1)
4. Evaporate the water from the filtrate (leave to evaporate or gently heat) to obtain salt crystals. (1 + 1)
Total: 10 (marks distributed for correct sequence and correct reasons)
Task 2 (10)
a) Most absorbent: Fabric Z because water passed through (so it absorbs) and spread out a lot — shows it soaks and holds water. (2)
b) Best for umbrella: Fabric Y because water did not pass through and beaded on surface — water-repellent. (2)
c) Best for towel: Fabric Z because it soaks up and spreads water — absorbs well. (2)
d) Simple test: Pour a fixed small volume (e.g., 10 ml) of water on the centre of each fabric and use a stopwatch to record the time until the water appears on the underside or until the top surface is dry; keep same volume, same area, same fabric tension, same temperature for a fair test. (4)
Notes for teachers/markers
- Accept equivalent answers that show correct understanding.
- Award partial credit where appropriate for method steps, clear reasoning, and correct safety precautions.
- For drawing/sketch items, accept neat, correctly labelled simple diagrams.
If you would like this paper adjusted to match a specific curriculum (e.g., CAPS, NGSS, or a local syllabus), a shorter/longer duration, or with an answer sheet formatted separately for printing, tell me which and I will adapt it.
Grade 6 — Term 2 Examination
Total: 100 marks
Time: 2 hours
Instructions
- Answer all questions.
- Write neatly. Show all workings where required.
- Use diagrams where helpful. Label diagrams clearly.
- Marks for each question are shown in brackets.
Section A — Multiple choice (10 × 1 = 10 marks)
Write the letter of the correct answer next to each question number.
1. Which of these is a mixture?
A. Water only
B. Table salt (sodium chloride) only
C. Sand and iron filings mixed together
D. Pure oxygen
2. What is a solution?
A. A solid made of many different parts
B. A mixture in which one substance dissolves evenly in another
C. A substance that cannot be separated
D. A mixture in which all parts remain visible
3. Which separation method would you use to separate iron filings from sand?
A. Filtration
B. Magnetism
C. Evaporation
D. Distillation
4. Which property is most important when choosing a material for a saucepan?
A. Absorbent
B. Thermal conductor (good at conducting heat)
C. Transparent
D. Flexible
5. Which of the following is a liquid?
A. Oxygen
B. Ice
C. Water
D. Glass
6. Which device makes a continuous path for electricity when it is closed?
A. Bulb
B. Cell (battery)
C. Switch
D. Resistor
7. Which material is most likely to allow light to pass through clearly?
A. Opaque metal sheet
B. Transparent glass
C. Translucent paper with thick ink
D. Opaque wood
8. Why does sugar dissolve faster in warm water than in cold water?
A. Warm water has more gravity
B. Warm water turns sugar into gas
C. The particles in warm water move faster and mix with sugar more quickly
D. Cold water reacts chemically with sugar
9. When salt water is heated until the water evaporates, what remains?
A. Pure water
B. Salt crystals
C. Oil
D. Glass
10. Which pair are examples of physical changes?
A. Burning wood and rusting iron
B. Dissolving sugar in water and melting ice
C. Cooking an egg and digesting food
D. Rusting iron and sour milk
Section B — Short answer (6 × 5 = 30 marks)
11. (5)
a) Define the term “mixture.” (2)
b) Give two everyday examples of mixtures (different from each other). (2)
c) State one reason why we might want to separate a mixture. (1)
12. (5)
Explain how sieving and filtration are different. Give one example of each method being used. (5)
13. (5)
a) What is meant by the terms “transparent,” “translucent,” and “opaque”? Give one example of a material for each term. (4)
b) Why would you choose opaque material rather than transparent material to make curtains for a classroom? (1)
14. (5)
A jar contains a mixture of rock salt (sodium chloride) and sand. Describe a simple method to separate the salt from the sand and explain the science behind each step. (5)
15. (5)
a) Draw the symbols and a simple diagram for a circuit that contains: one cell (battery), one bulb, one switch and connecting wires. Label the parts. (3)
b) Explain what happens when the switch is closed. (2)
16. (5)
Explain three properties you would look for in a material to make a raincoat. For each property give one reason why it is important. (3 × 1 = 3) — plus one extra mark for an overall good example (total 5).
Section C — Long answer / Extended response (4 × 10 = 40 marks)
17. (10)
Describe an investigation to find out which of three liquids (water, cooking oil, and lemon juice) will mix (form a solution) with food colouring the fastest. Include:
- A clear aim
- A list of materials
- Step-by-step method (fair test: what you keep the same and what you change)
- What you would measure or observe
- A short statement of what results you expect and why
18. (10)
a) Explain the differences between a physical change and a chemical change. Give two examples of each. (6)
b) A block of ice melts into water and then refreezes into ice overnight. Is this a physical or chemical change? Explain your answer. (2)
c) Name one sign that a chemical change has taken place in an experiment. (1)
d) Give one example in everyday life of a chemical change and explain why it is chemical. (1)
19. (10)
A teacher gives pupils three materials and asks them to decide which is best to make a kitchen countertop: material A (a good thermal conductor and hard), material B (a poor thermal conductor and very soft), material C (a poor conductor, very hard, and resistant to scratches).
a) Which material would you recommend and why? (3)
b) For the two materials you did not choose, give one reason each why they are less suitable. (2)
c) Suggest two other important properties a countertop material should have and explain why. (2)
d) Sometimes a material is coated to improve its surface. Give one example of coating and explain how it helps the countertop. (2)
20. (10)
Chromatography is a technique used to separate colours in ink.
a) Briefly explain how paper chromatography separates the colours in ink. (4)
b) If you place a dot of black ink on a strip of filter paper and allow water to move up the paper, you observe blue and yellow bands above the original dot. What does this tell you about the black ink? (2)
c) Suggest an everyday use of chromatography outside of the classroom or lab. (1)
d) Name one safety or practical precaution to take when doing chromatography with young pupils. (1)
e) Draw a simple labelled diagram showing the initial setup for paper chromatography (filter paper, solvent, ink spot). (2)
Section D — Experimental skills and data handling (2 tasks) (20 marks)
Task 1 — Separating a mixture (10)
You are given a dry mixture containing iron filings, sand, and salt (sodium chloride).
a) Write the sequence of steps you would use to separate and collect each component. Number the steps. (6)
b) For each step, give a short reason why it works (6 marks total across steps). (4)
Task 2 — Interpreting results from a simple experiment (10)
A pupil tested three fabrics (X, Y, Z) by pouring small equal amounts of water onto each fabric and observing how long the water took to pass through (to the other side) and whether the water spread out.
- Fabric X: Water passed through quickly; water spread out a little.
- Fabric Y: Water did not pass through; water beaded on the surface.
- Fabric Z: Water passed through slowly; water spread out a lot.
a) Which fabric is most absorbent? Explain. (2)
b) Which fabric would be best for an umbrella? Explain. (2)
c) Which fabric would be best for a towel? Explain. (2)
d) Suggest one simple test (that you would record a time for) to compare absorbency in future experiments and explain how you would keep it fair. (4)
--- End of paper ---
Answer guide / Marking memo (brief)
Section A (10 marks)
1 C, 2 B, 3 B, 4 B, 5 C, 6 C, 7 B, 8 C, 9 B, 10 B. (1 mark each)
Section B (30 marks)
11. a) Mixture: two or more substances combined but not chemically joined; each keeps its own properties. (2)
b) Examples: cereal in milk; salt and sand; air (any two). (1 mark each)
c) To recover a useful substance, to remove impurities, or to recycle. (1)
12. Sieving uses a mesh to separate large particles from small ones (example: separating flour from lumps or stones from gravel). Filtration uses filter paper or a porous material to separate solids suspended in liquids (example: coffee filter, separating sand from water). (5)
13. Transparent: lets light pass through clearly (e.g., clear glass). Translucent: lets some light through but not detailed shapes (e.g., frosted glass, tracing paper). Opaque: does not let light through (e.g., metal sheet). (4)
b) Curtains: opaque to block light for better darkness/privacy. (1)
14. Steps: (1) Add water to the mixture and stir to dissolve salt. (2) Filter the mixture to remove sand; sand stays on filter paper. (3) Evaporate or heat the filtrate (salt solution) to remove water leaving salt crystals. Science: salt is soluble, sand is insoluble; filtration separates insoluble solids; evaporation removes solvent leaving dissolved solids. (5)
15. a) Diagram: cell symbol, wires, bulb symbol, switch symbol; labelled. (3)
b) When switch closed, circuit is complete so current flows from cell through bulb causing bulb to light. (2)
16. Possible properties: waterproof/water-repellent (keeps wearer dry), lightweight (comfortable), durable/tear-resistant (lasts long), flexible (easy to move), breathable (prevents overheating). Give reasons. (5)
Section C (40 marks)
17. Aim: To find which liquid allows food colouring to spread/dissolve fastest. Materials: food colouring, small beakers/cups, water, cooking oil, lemon juice, stopwatch, stirring rod, thermometer (optional). Method: Use equal volumes of each liquid in identical containers; add identical drops of same food colouring at same temperature; start stopwatch; do not stir (or standardize stirring); observe time for colour to disappear or spread evenly; record times and compare. Keep same volume, same drop size, same temperature. Expectation: food colouring will dissolve fastest in water (polar) than oil (non-polar) because food colouring is usually water-soluble; lemon juice (acidic water) similar to water but may behave slightly differently. (marks for completeness & fair test)
18. a) Physical change: no new substance formed; change in state or shape (examples: melting ice, tearing paper). Chemical change: new substances formed with different properties (examples: rusting iron, burning wood). (6)
b) Melting and refreezing ice is a physical change because the substance (water) remains chemically the same. (2)
c) One sign: gas produced (bubbles), colour change, temperature change, formation of a precipitate. (1)
d) Example: burning candle (wax + oxygen → new gases and ash) — chemical because new substances form and cannot be returned by simple physical means. (1)
19. a) Recommend material C: poor conductor (won’t transfer heat from hot pans easily), very hard and scratch-resistant (durable). (3)
b) Material A: good thermal conductor — not good because it will get hot and could burn hands or damage surface; Material B: very soft — not durable and will scratch/dent. (2)
c) Other properties: stain resistance (keeps surface clean), heat resistance (withstands hot pans). Explain reasons. (2)
d) Example: laminate coating or sealant — helps protect surface from stains and scratches and makes cleaning easier. (2)
20. a) Paper chromatography: ink spot is placed on paper; the end of paper sits in solvent. Solvent moves up by capillary action, carrying components of the ink at different rates depending on how soluble/attracted they are to the paper; this separates colours into bands. (4)
b) The black ink is a mixture of blue and yellow dyes (it separates into blue and yellow). (2)
c) Everyday use: testing dyes in forensic work, checking food colourings, testing plant pigments. (1)
d) Precaution: use small amounts of solvent, work in a well-ventilated area, and avoid open flames; wear gloves if using chemicals. (1)
e) Diagram: strip of paper with dot near bottom, container with shallow solvent, showing solvent level below dot and arrow showing solvent rise. (2)
Section D (20 marks)
Task 1 (10)
Sample sequence and reasons (marks split as indicated):
1. Use a magnet over the dry mixture to remove iron filings. (Step + reason: iron is magnetic; magnet attracts it.) (2 + 1)
2. Add water to remaining sand and salt, stir to dissolve salt. (Step + reason: salt is soluble in water; sand is not.) (1 + 1)
3. Filter the mixture to collect sand on filter paper and collect salt solution (filtrate). (1 + 1)
4. Evaporate the water from the filtrate (leave to evaporate or gently heat) to obtain salt crystals. (1 + 1)
Total: 10 (marks distributed for correct sequence and correct reasons)
Task 2 (10)
a) Most absorbent: Fabric Z because water passed through (so it absorbs) and spread out a lot — shows it soaks and holds water. (2)
b) Best for umbrella: Fabric Y because water did not pass through and beaded on surface — water-repellent. (2)
c) Best for towel: Fabric Z because it soaks up and spreads water — absorbs well. (2)
d) Simple test: Pour a fixed small volume (e.g., 10 ml) of water on the centre of each fabric and use a stopwatch to record the time until the water appears on the underside or until the top surface is dry; keep same volume, same area, same fabric tension, same temperature for a fair test. (4)
Notes for teachers/markers
- Accept equivalent answers that show correct understanding.
- Award partial credit where appropriate for method steps, clear reasoning, and correct safety precautions.
- For drawing/sketch items, accept neat, correctly labelled simple diagrams.
If you would like this paper adjusted to match a specific curriculum (e.g., CAPS, NGSS, or a local syllabus), a shorter/longer duration, or with an answer sheet formatted separately for printing, tell me which and I will adapt it.
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