IJSO Internal Selection Test 2024-2025

4/7/2024 Time allowed: 2 hours

1. The total mark of this paper is 90.

2. There are 15 multiple choice questions and 6 long questions in total.
Each multiple choice question is worth 2 marks.
3. Use of a calculator with a HKEAA approved label is allowed.
4. Numerical answers must be either exact or corrected to 3 significant
figures unless specified.
5. The periodic table is given at the last page as reference.
6. Attempt all questions on separate pieces of paper provided. Clearly
state which section you are attempting and you should write down the
answers for multiple choice questions before doing long questions.
7. Long questions 2,4 and 6 are harder than questions 1,3 and 5. You
should plan how to use your time wisely.
8. All reactions are conducted under standard conditions unless
specified.
 Section A

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which of the following is a unit of force?
2 −2
A. 𝑘𝑔 𝑚 𝑠
B. 𝑁
−1
C. 𝐽 𝑠
−1
D. 𝑚 𝑎

2. A box is moving on a smooth surface without any external forces acting

on it. Which of the following statements is/are correct?
1) Its speed is constant.
2) Its displacement is constant.
3) Its acceleration is constant.

A. (1) and (2) only.

B. (1) and (3) only.
C. (2) and (3) only.
D. (1), (2) and (3)

3. According to Newton’s Third Law of Motion, which of the following are

action-reaction pairs?
A. The weight of a box acting on a table and the reaction force of the
table acting on the box.
B. The force exerted by your left and the force exerted by your right
hand when you are driving a car.
C. The force of your mass and the force of the Earth’s mass.
D. The force acting on Mars by the Earth and the force acting on Earth
by Mars.
 −1 −2
4. A ball with initial velocity of 5 𝑚 𝑠 is accelerated at 6 𝑚 𝑠 at a distance
of 12 𝑚. What is its final velocity?
−1
A. 13 𝑚 𝑠
−1
B. 42 𝑚 𝑠
−1
C. 77 𝑚 𝑠
−1
D. 169 𝑚 𝑠

−1
5. The physical quantity momentum has the SI unit of ^𝑖 = [𝑘𝑔 𝑚 𝑠 ]. In a
perfectly inelastic collision, only momentum is conserved. Given a ball of
−1
mass 2 𝑘𝑔 and speed 4 𝑚 𝑠 collides head-on perfectly inelastically with
another stationary ball of the same mass, find the sum of the momentum of
the 2 balls.
A. 0 ^i
B. 4 ^i
C. 8 ^i
D. 32 ^i
Problem 1
Jojo is a crane operator. Her daily job is to use the crane to transport heavy
objects in a construction site.

One day, when Jojo is lifting a long rod as shown, the object suddenly slides,
rotates and falls to the ground. She immediately suspects that the object was not
tied up properly with 2 ropes.
(a) Justify her suspicion using the concept of torque (moment). (2 marks)

Torque (or moment, τ), is a measure of how a force can cause an object to rotate
about an axis. Just as force is what causes an object to accelerate in linear
kinematics, torque is what causes an object to acquire angular acceleration. It is
given by the formula τ = 𝐹𝑑 𝑠𝑖𝑛 θ, where F is the force applied, d is the distance
between the point of torque measurement and where the force is applied, and θ
is the angle between the force vector (arrow) and displacement vector.
(b) Hence, explain the requirement for the location of a single force applied to
an object for the object to have no rotation. (1 mark)
(c) (i) A rod of mass 250 𝑘𝑔 is loaded onto the crane using 2 ropes. Draw the
free body diagram of the crane, indicating all forces acting on the crane
using arrows. You may assume the crane as an inclined uniform long rod.
(2 marks)
(ii) Identify angle θ. Hence, calculate the torque exerted on the crane by
the rod. Given that the length of the crane is 20 𝑚 and weight of 10 tonnes,
and θ = 45˚. Take the torque from the bottom of the crane. (3 marks)

−1
Under the action of the crane, the rod rises steadily at a rate of 2 𝑚 𝑠 .
(d) (i) What is the magnitude of the net force acting on the rod? (0.5 marks)
(ii) Hence, find the power (rate of energy transfer) of the crane. (1.5 marks)
Problem 2

Keroro and his soldiers have to escape from their enemies!

Unfortunately, their hands are tied up in a wheeled cart. Luckily, Kururu, who likes
curry and is good at physics, realises that they could pull on a rope they have set
up earlier to escape.

(a) Briefly explain the working principle of Keroro’s idea. Assume the rope
remains taut at all times. (1 mark)

(b) Keroro and his friends can exert a total average force of up to 450 N to the
rope. After pulling, they found themselves 40 m from the enemy’s castle.
Given that the total mass of Keroro, his soldiers and the cart is 250 kg, and
−1
that their final speed is 12 𝑚 𝑠 , find the work done from the rope to the
cart. (2 marks)

(c) Find the kinetic energy of the cart, Keroro and his soldiers. (1 mark)

(d) (i) Derive, from your answer in part (b), the kinetic energy of the cart,
Keroro and his soldiers. (1 mark)

(ii) Hence, compare and explain the values you have obtained for part (c)
and part (d) (i). (3 marks)

(e) The cart also contains a large bag of gun powder, which is leaking out of
the cart at a constant rate from the start. Explain, in terms of the motion of
the cart, whether this favours Keroro for their escape or not. (2 marks)

End of Section A
 Section B

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which of the following does NOT react to give a white precipitate?
A. Silver nitrate and magnesium chloride
B. Calcium chloride and sulphuric acid
C. Calcium hydroxide and excess carbon dioxide
D. Lead (II) ethanoate and ammonia solution

2. Which of the following is a definition of oxidation of an atom?

1) Loss of electron
2) Gain of electron
3) Loss of oxygen atom
4) Gain of oxygen atom

A. (1) and (3) only

B. (1) and (4) only
C. (2) and (3) only
D. (2) and (4) only

3. What is the observation if an iron plate is put into copper (II) sulphate solution?
A. Solution colour becomes yellow
B. The iron plate turns brown
C. A brown powder is left behind
D. A blue precipitate appears

4. What is the name of this compound?

A. Chloroformaldehyde
B. Chloroethanoic acid
C. Chloroform
D. Chloroacetone
5. What is the role of ethanol (𝐶2𝐻5𝑂𝐻) in the organic reaction shown below?

A. Reactant
B. Product
C. Catalyst
D. Byproduct
Problem 3

(a) State the difference between thermodynamics and kinetics. [2]

It is given that the Gibbs free energy change of the reaction determines
whether the reaction is thermodynamically favoured.
ΔG = ΔH – TΔS
Where ΔG is Gibbs free energy change, T is the temperature in K, ΔH is
the enthalpy change and ΔS is the entropy change. (change in enthalpy
refers to the change in internal energy of a particular system + change in
work done by surroundings while change in entropy refers to the measure
of the change in the number of microstates, or in other words, the change
in ‘disorder’ of the system)
In equilibrium reactions, if ΔG < 0, the reaction will be thermodynamically
favoured and is spontaneous, and vice versa. When the system reaches
dynamic equilibrium, in which rate of reactant formation = rate of product
formation, Q (reaction quotient) = equilibrium constant (Keq)

(b) With the aid of the equation, explain why ice is more likely to form than
water at lower temperatures. (Hint: How will the enthalpy and entropy
change when water becomes ice?) [4]

(c) It is also known that ΔG = ΔG° + RTlnQ, where ΔG° is the standard Gibbs
free energy change, R is the ideal gas constant, T is the temperature in K
and Q is the reaction quotient. State the value of Q when ΔG = ΔG°. [1]

(d) It is known that in the reaction N2 (g) + 3H2(g) ⇌ 2NH3(g), ΔG° = +106.5 kJ, R
= 8.314 J/mol K and T = 1000K. Calculate the equilibrium constant and
hence state whether reactants or products are present in larger amounts
when the reaction reaches dynamic equilibrium. Assume work done by the
surroundings on the system is negligible. (Hint: What will ΔG become when
the reaction is neither thermodynamically favoured nor unfavoured?) [3]
Problem 4

The Friedel-Crafts reactions is a type of organic chemical substitution reaction that adds
substituent functional groups to a benzene molecule (𝐶6𝐻6), using alkyl halides or acyl
halides with aluminium (III) chloride as the catalyst.

(a) (i) Define the term “catalyst”. (1 mark)

(ii) Consider the type of chemical compound aluminium (III) chloride belongs,
state the structure of aluminium (III) chloride crystals. (1 mark)

(b) (i) State the 2 ions that a hydrogen atom can form. (1 mark)
(ii) Oxidation number of an atom is a theoretical charge of the atom if it would
have existed as an ion. Given that a stable hydrogen atom has an oxidation
number of +1, find the oxidation number of the 2 possible hydrogen and state the
more stable hydrogen ions. (1 mark)
(iii) Hence, given that a good leaving group can form a stable anion, explain why
it is generally considered difficult to add functional groups to benzene. (2 marks)
(iv) State the only INORGANIC product when benzene reacts with
bromobenzene in the presence of aluminium (III) chloride catalyst. (1 mark)

It is given that carboxylic acids and alcohols react to give esters.

General skeletal formula of an ester

(c) Hence, suggest a synthetic route to convert benzene to benzyl benzoate. Only
the skeletal formula of the reagents are required. (3 marks)

Skeletal formula of benzyl benzoate

End of Section B
 Section C
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of the following about insulin is false?
A. It is a polypeptide
B. It promotes synthesis of glycogen
C. It inhibits protein catabolism
D. It inhibits ketogenesis

2. Which of the following best describes why females have a lower chance of
having colour blindness than males?
A. Male sex hormones influence the activity of photoreceptors
B. Females have a protective mechanism in prenatal stage which
prevents degeneration of photoreceptors
C. Colour blindness is a sex-linked genetic disease
D. There is a higher chance for males to secrete insufficient hormones
to regulate the growth of photoreceptors

3. Which of the following is not a way in which antibodies fight antigens?

A. Marking pathogens for destruction
B. Clumping pathogens into insoluble complexes
C. Neutralising pathogens
D. Releasing fatal amount of electricity

4. Why is carbon monoxide harmful to the human body?

A. It binds to haemoglobin more tightly than oxygen does
B. It generates large pressure as it is a gas in nature
C. It kills white blood cells
D. It degrades cells

5. What substances are chemically digested by the stomach?

A. Starch
B. Proteins
C. Lipids
D. Bile
Problem 5

Proteins of different charges can be isolated by electrophoresis for further

analysis

Setup of electrophoresis

It is known that the mechanism of electrophoresis is similar to ion migration,

where charged ions are attracted to charged electrodes. The proteins are initially
placed in the wells as shown above.

(a) Describe the mechanism of electrophoresis. [2]

(b) Other than the charge of proteins, state 2 factors which will affect the rate
of movement of the proteins. [2]

It is known that the setup used is a native-PAGE electrophoresis, in which

proteins are analysed in their native states and the gel is neutral.

(c) Someone suggests that the proteins cannot be accurately isolated and
compared due to the presence of more than 1 independent variable.
Suggest a setup that can eliminate the difference in charges between
protein molecules. Briefly describe the results with explanation. [4]

(d) Suggest 2 uses of proteins in the human body. [2]

Problem 6

The following graph shows typical enzyme kinetics:

The
Graph 1

The following equation demonstrates the relationship between the rate of

reaction and substrate concentration:

(a) Express KM in terms of [S] when the rate of reaction reaches Vmax/2 [1]
Lineweaver-Burk plots are used to determine the effect of inhibitors on enzymes.

Graph 2: Lineweaver-Burk Plot of Enzyme X

(b) With reference to the equation above and the axis of graph 2, determine
the x-intercept and y-intercept of graph 2. [2]

It is known that enzymes have many types of inhibition. For example:

Competitive inhibition occurs when the inhibitors fight for the active site of the
enzyme with the substrate.
Uncompetitive inhibition occurs when the enzymes bind the enzyme-substrate
complexes, hence preventing the release of the products from the enzymes.
Noncompetitive inhibition occurs when the inhibitor binds to the allosteric site,
altering the conformation of the active site of the enzyme and denaturing it.
(c) With reference to the information above, sketch and label the graph you
will expect if the competitive, uncompetitive and noncompetitive inhibition
occurs independently on graph 2. (Hint: You need to determine how each
type of inhibitor impacts Vmax and KM) [6]

(d) Coenzymes aid enzymes in performing their catalytic activity. Suggest 1

type of coenzymes. (Hint: they are usually small organic molecules, think
of a substance which you intake daily as a supplement!) [1]

End of Section C
End of paper