BECE 1997 Integrated Science Past Questions and Answers

Paper 1: Objectives

1. Digested food is absorbed into the blood stream through the
   1. A. duodenum
   2. B. large intestines
   3. C. rectum
   4. D. small intestines
   5. E. stomach
   Answer: D
2. Which of the following is a parasite?
   1. A. Fruitfly
   2. B. Housefly
   3. C. Mosquito
   4. D. Tick
   5. E. Tsetse fly
   Answer: D
3. Soil acidity can be reduced by adding
   1. A. acid solution
   2. B. ammonium sulphate
   3. C. fertilizer
   4. D. lime
   5. E. rotten leaves
   Answer: D
4. The planet earth is located in a galaxy known as
   1. A. constellation
   2. B. meteorites
   3. C. milky way
   4. D. satellite
   5. E. super nova
   Answer: C
5. The most productive soil in agriculture is
   1. A. clayey soil
   2. B. loamy soil
   3. C. sandy soil
   4. D. humus
   5. E. silt
   Answer: B
6. A chemical that can be used to test for the presence of protein in food substances is
   1. A. Benedict’s solution
   2. B. Fehling’s solution
   3. C. Eosin solution
   4. D. Iodine solution
   5. E. Million’s reagent
   Answer: E
7. According to the principle of conservation of energy, ‘energy can
   1. A. be created and destroyed
   2. B. be created but not destroyed
   3. C. be destroyed but not created
   4. D. be reduced but not increased
   5. E. neither be created nor destroyed
   Answer: E
8. The purpose of vaccination is to
   1. A. replace poisoned tissues
   2. B. kill disease-producing organisms in the body
   3. C. increase the activity of white blood cells
   4. D. induce the production of antibodies
   5. E. cure the disease
   Answer: D
9. Which of the following planets may be seen as a bright star in early mornings or evenings?
   1. A. Jupiter
   2. B. Mars
   3. C. Saturn
   4. D. Uranus
   5. E. Venus
   Answer: E
10. Which of the following gives the correct order by which blood circulates continuously through the circulatory system?
    1. A. Heart → veins → organs → arteries → heart
    2. B. Heart → arteries → organs → veins → heart
    3. C. Heart → arteries → veins → organs → heart
    4. D. Heart → organs → arteries → veins → heart
    5. E. Heart → veins → arteries → organs → heart
    Answer: B

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11. The weight of an object is the
    1. A. force with which the sun pulls it
    2. B. force with which the moon pulls it
    3. C. force of the object when gravity is not acting on it
    4. D. force with which gravity acts on it
    5. E. mass of the object
12. The process of fusion of sperm and ovum is known as
    1. A. fertilization
    2. B. menstruation
    3. C. pollination
    4. D. reproduction
    5. E. lactation
13. How much work is done when a kerosene tin is pushed with a force of 20 N through a distance of 2 m?
    1. A. 0.01 J
    2. B. 0.10 J
    3. C. 10.0 J
    4. D. 20.0 J
    5. E. 40.0 J
14. Which of the following form part of the alimentary canal?
    
    I. Colon
    
    II. Gullet
    
    III. Liver
    
    IV. Pancreas
    1. A. I and II only
    2. B. I and IV only
    3. C. II and III only
    4. D. II and IV only
    5. E. I, II and III only
15. An example of a simple lever whose effort is at its centre is
    1. A. a bottle opener
    2. B. the beam balance
    3. C. a pair of forceps
    4. D. a pair of scissors
    5. E. wheelbarrow
16. Which of the following leaves are sensitive to touch?
    1. A. Cassava leaves
    2. B. Mimosa leaves
    3. C. Orange leaves
    4. D. Palm leaves
    5. E. Tomato leaves
17. Which of the following properties is / are common to both liquids and gases?
    1. A. Fixed shape
    2. B. Fixed shape and fixed volume
    3. C. Fixed size
    4. D. No definite shape
    5. E. No definite shape and no definite volume
18. Which of the following plants has suckers?
    1. A. Onion
    2. B. Orange
    3. C. Plantain
    4. D. Sweet Potato
    5. E. Yam
19. Which of the following activities of man causes both air and water pollution?
    1. A. Afforestation
    2. B. Construction of houses
    3. C. Construction of roads
    4. D. Deforestation
    5. E. Industrialization
20. The number of hydrogen atoms present in two molecules of water is
    1. A. 1
    2. B. 2
    3. C. 3
    4. D. 4
    5. E. 5
21. Decay is an important biological process because it brings about the
    1. A. formation of nutrients in living organisms
    2. B. manufacture of cells of living organisms
    3. C. production of oxygen by plants
    4. D. release of nutrients from dead organisms
    5. E. release of waste substances from bacteria
22. The darkest part of a shadow formed during an eclipse is called
    1. A. annular eclipse
    2. B. lunar eclipse
    3. C. penumbra
    4. D. solar eclipse
    5. E. umbra
23. Which of the following particles can be found in the nucleus of an atom?
    1. A. Electrons and protons
    2. B. Electrons and shells
    3. C. Neutrons and electrons
    4. D. Neutrons and protons
    5. E. Shells and neutrons
24. Which of the following substances is used to purify water for town supply?
    1. A. Alcohol
    2. B. Carbon dioxide
    3. C. Chlorine
    4. D. Nitrogen
    5. E. Sulphur
25. The shedding of leaves by plants during the dry season protects them against
    1. A. bush fire
    2. B. cold weather
    3. C. plant-eating animals
    4. D. heat loss
    5. E. water loss
26. The volume of water in a container rises when a piece of stone is put into the container. The change in the volume of water is equal to the
    1. A. mass of the container
    2. B. mass of the stone
    3. C. density of the stone
    4. D. density of the water
    5. E. volume of the stone
27. Which of the following carry deoxygenated blood in the body?
    1. A. Arteries
    2. B. Red blood cells
    3. C. Valves
    4. D. Veins
    5. E. White blood cells
28. Which of the following forces will cause an object to move in a circular path?
    1. A. Centripetal force
    2. B. Gravitational force
    3. C. Inertial force
    4. D. Reaction force
    5. E. Tensional force
29. The paired fins in fishes are used for
    1. A. protection and diving
    2. B. diving and balancing
    3. C. balancing and control
    4. D. steering and diving
    5. E. balancing and steering
30. In which of the following is urine produced?
    1. A. Bladder
    2. B. Kidney
    3. C. Liver
    4. D. Penis and vagina
    5. E. uterus
31. Photosynthesis occurs only in green plants because they
    1. A. absorb water
    2. B. are found in the tropics
    3. C. are very active
    4. D. contain chlorophyll
    5. E. take in carbon dioxide
32. The food we eat undergoes slow oxidation in our bodies to produce heat. In this process
    1. A. chemical energy is converted to heat energy
    2. B. electrical energy is converted to heat energy
    3. C. kinetic energy is converted to heat energy
    4. D. mechanical energy is converted to heat energy
    5. E. potential energy is converted to heat energy
33. Which of the following planets is nearest to the earth?
    1. A. Jupiter
    2. B. Mercury
    3. C. Pluto
    4. D. Saturn
    5. E. Venus
34. Which of the following organs help to improve soil fertility?
    1. A. Earthworms
    2. B. Guinea worms
    3. C. Hookworms
    4. D. Roundworms
    5. E. Threadworms
35. A stone released from a catapult was able to kill a bird because
    1. A. the stone had a lot of energy
    2. B. the stone was sharp
    3. C. there was tension in the stone
    4. D. the rubber of the catapult was strong
    5. E. the stone was big
36. Which of the following is a plant parasite?
    1. A. Capsid
    2. B. Caterpillar
    3. C. Dodder
    4. D. Louse
    5. E. Nematode
37. By the end of digestion, lean meat is turned into
    1. A. amino acids
    2. B. fatty acids
    3. C. glycerol
    4. D. glucose
    5. E. sugar
38. In which of the following electrical appliances is electrical energy mainly converted to heat energy?
    1. A. Cooker
    2. B. Fan
    3. C. Refrigerator
    4. D. Tape recorder
    5. E. Television set
39. The energy for lighting a torchlight bulb comes from the
    1. A. bulb
    2. B. cell
    3. C. filament
    4. D. glass
    5. E. switch
40. The largest component of sweat is
    1. A. glucose
    2. B. oil
    3. C. salt
    4. D. urea
    5. E. water

Paper 2: Theory

1. (a) Define the term osmosis
   
   (b) State two examples of everyday observations which can be explained in terms of capillary action.
   
   (c) (i) Name the three processes by which heat can be transferred.
   
   (ii) Name three appliances which use thermostat.
   
   (d) (i) What is a saturated solution?
   
   (ii) State whether each of the following is a solution, suspension or a colloid: Clay in water, Sugar in water, Ammonia in water, Powdered chalk in water, Potassium permanganate in water, Soap in water
2. (a) Copy the table below and write the usual host of each of the parasites given in the spaces provided.
   
   | Parasite | Host |
   
   |--------------|--------------|
   
   | Plasmodium | |
   
   | Capsids | |
   
   | Tapeworm | |
   
   | Dodder | |
   
   (b) (i) Name three classes of food
   
   (ii) For each of the following food substances, give the major class of food to which it belongs: Starch, milk, margarine, sugar
   
   (c) Write the chemical formula for each of the following compounds:
   
   (i) calcium hydroxide
   
   (ii) zinc chloride
   
   (iii) sodium nitrate
   
   (iv) calcium carbonate
   
   (v) potassium sulphate
   
   (d) (i) Define the term viscosity
   
   (ii) Describe an experiment you performed to compare the viscosities of two liquids A and B.
3. (a) (i) Define the terms humidity and wind
   
   (ii) Name the instruments used to measure humidity and the speed of wind
   
   (b) (i) What is a galaxy?
   
   (ii) Give one example of a galaxy.
   
   (c) State three methods by which food can be preserved.
   
   (d) Explain why it is better to wear white clothes than black clothes on a sunny day.
   
   (e) Write down the names of the new substances formed when the following substances are allowed to react:
   
   (i) Sodium hydroxide and dilute sulphuric acid
   
   (ii) Calcium carbonate and dilute hydrochloric acid
   
   (iii) Ammonia and dilute sulphuric acid
4. (a) Define the following terms and give an example of each:
   
   (i) Herbivore
   
   (ii) Carnivore
   
   (iii) Omnivore
   
   (b) Two dry cells connected in parallel are in turn connected in series with a bulb and switch. Draw a circuit diagram to illustrate this arrangement.
   
   (c) List four garden tools
   
   (d) What property of water causes mosquito larvae to float on it?
   
   (e) Describe an experiment you performed to show that some part of air is used in burning.

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