Scientific Enquiry
Each subtopic includes About section, revision page link, 10 preview questions, and practice CTAs.
Ideas and evidence in science
SubtopicIdeas and evidence in science under Scientific Enquiry for Grade 4 IGCSE.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
What does it mean to 'interpret' a graph?
A.To draw more lines on it
B.To explain what the information in the graph shows
C.To color it in
D.To throw it away
- 2.
Which of these is a way to share scientific evidence with others?
A.Keeping it a secret
B.Deleting the data
C.Creating a poster or presentation
D.Throwing away the results
- 3.
If you are testing how fast ice melts in different rooms, what is the most important piece of evidence to collect?
A.The size of the room
B.The time it takes for the ice to turn to water
C.The color of the ice
D.The name of the room
- 4.
Why do scientists use diagrams in their work?
A.To make the page look busy
B.To show clearly how parts of an object or process connect
C.Because they cannot write well
D.To hide information
- 5.
What happens in the 'Reflect' stage of an enquiry after looking at the evidence?
A.The scientist cleans up the lab.
B.The scientist thinks about what the evidence means and if the test was fair.
C.The scientist starts a completely unrelated hobby.
D.The scientist forgets all the data.
- 6.
If a scientific idea has been tested many times by many people and the evidence is always the same, what do we call it?
A.A guess
B.A secret
C.An accepted scientific theory or law
D.A prediction
- 7.
A scientist is studying how birds build nests. Which of these is a way to gather evidence without disturbing the birds?
A.Taking the nest away to look at it in a lab.
B.Watching the birds from a distance using binoculars and taking notes.
C.Shouting at the birds to see where they go.
D.Painting the birds different colors.
- 8.
A student is investigating if 'Saltwater freezes slower than fresh water.' They find that fresh water freezes at and saltwater at . What is the evidence here?
A.The student's idea that salt changes water
B.The freezing temperatures recorded for both types of water
C.The freezer being set to a very cold temperature
D.The salt that was used in the experiment
- 9.
An idea states: 'Plants need sunlight to make food.' If a plant is kept in a dark cupboard and it turns yellow and dies, how does this provide evidence for the idea?
A.It proves that cupboards are dangerous for plants
B.It supports the idea because the plant failed to thrive without light
C.It proves that plants prefer to be outside in the garden
D.It does not provide evidence because the plant died
- 10.
Which of these is a scientific reason to repeat an investigation?
A.To make sure you get the result you want
B.To spend more time in the science lab
C.To ensure the evidence is consistent and not just a one-time accident
D.To use up the rest of the materials before they expire
Download the worksheet for Scientific Enquiry - Ideas and evidence in science to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.
Planning and conducting fair tests
SubtopicPlanning and conducting fair tests under Scientific Enquiry for Grade 4 IGCSE.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
What should you do with your equipment after you finish your experiment?
A.Leave it on the table
B.Clean it and put it away safely
C.Give it to a friend
D.Throw it in the bin
- 2.
Which of these is the best way to show how many students in a class have different eye colors?
A.A bar chart
B.A thermometer
C.A ruler
D.A map
- 3.
If you change the temperature of the water AND the amount of sugar at the same time, is it a fair test?
A.Yes, because more change is better
B.No, because you won't know which one caused the change
C.Yes, as long as you use a spoon
D.No, because sugar is sweet
- 4.
Why do we label our samples in an investigation?
A.To make them look colorful
B.To know which sample is which
C.To practice our handwriting
D.To make the test take longer
- 5.
What is the very first thing a scientist usually does when they want to start a new enquiry?
A.Write a conclusion
B.Draw a bar chart
C.Observe something and ask a question
D.Clean up the equipment
- 6.
In an experiment to see how high a ball bounces on different floors (carpet, wood, tile), which of these should be a controlled variable?
A.The height from which the ball is dropped
B.The type of floor
C.The height of the bounce
D.The sound the ball makes
- 7.
To see which sponge absorbs the most water, a student dips four different sponges into a bowl of water for 10 seconds. What is the independent variable?
A.The volume of water absorbed
B.The type of sponge
C.The time the sponge is in the water
D.The size of the bowl
- 8.
A student is testing which brand of battery makes a bulb shine the longest. Which of the following should be recorded on the y-axis of a graph representing the results?
A.The brand of battery
B.The time the bulb stayed lit
C.The brightness of the bulb
D.The number of wires used
- 9.
An investigation tests how the type of soil affects the growth of bean plants. If the scientist forgets to water the plants in 'Soil A' but waters the plants in 'Soil B', the test is:
A.Fair, because the soil is different anyway.
B.Unfair, because there is more than one independent variable.
C.Reliable, as long as the plants in Soil B grow well.
D.Scientific, because it tests two things at once.
- 10.
When testing the speed of a toy car, a student uses a stopwatch. They do three trials and get: , , and . What do these results suggest about the experiment?
A.The experiment is unreliable and should be restarted.
B.The experiment is consistent and the results are likely reliable.
C.The car is getting slower each time.
D.The stopwatch is broken because the numbers are not the same.
Download the worksheet for Scientific Enquiry - Planning and conducting fair tests to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.
Making observations and measurements
SubtopicMaking observations and measurements under Scientific Enquiry for Grade 4 IGCSE.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
When comparing the lengths of two caterpillars, which tool is most appropriate?
A.A beaker
B.A ruler
C.A thermometer
D.A weighing scale
- 2.
What is the purpose of a rain gauge?
A.To measure how fast the wind blows
B.To measure how much rain falls
C.To measure the temperature of the rain
D.To measure the color of the clouds
- 3.
Which safety equipment should you wear to protect your eyes while observing a chemical reaction?
A.Sunglasses
B.Goggles
C.A hat
D.A mask
- 4.
Which of these is a quantitative observation (one involving numbers)?
A.The sky is dark blue
B.The rock feels heavy
C.There are apples in the basket
D.The juice tastes sweet
- 5.
What should you do if your measurement seems very different from everyone else's in the class?
A.Copy your neighbor's result
B.Check your equipment and repeat the measurement
C.Ignore it and write down what you expected to see
D.Assume everyone else is wrong
- 6.
A student records that a rock 'is heavy and looks like it has shiny crystals'. What kind of observation is this?
A.Quantitative
B.Qualitative
C.Numerical
D.Statistical
- 7.
If you wanted to measure exactly of a liquid for a medicine dose, which tool is best?
A.A large kitchen bowl
B.A measuring syringe
C.A bucket
D.A beaker
- 8.
Why is it important to use a standardized unit like 'centimeters' instead of 'hand-spans' when making scientific measurements?
A.Hand-spans are too difficult to count.
B.Centimeters are the same for everyone, but hand sizes vary.
C.Hand-spans only work for measuring small objects.
D.Centimeters are older and more traditional.
- 9.
A student wants to know if a heavy ball falls faster than a light ball. They drop them from a balcony. What is the most important thing to 'measure' to ensure the test is fair?
A.The volume of the balls.
B.The release height, to ensure both start from the exact same point.
C.The temperature of the air.
D.The color of the balls.
- 10.
If you use a protractor to measure the angle of a slope, and the reading is between and degrees, exactly on the fourth small mark after , what is the angle?
A.B.C.D.
Download the worksheet for Scientific Enquiry - Making observations and measurements to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.
Recording data using tables and bar charts
SubtopicRecording data using tables and bar charts under Scientific Enquiry for Grade 4 IGCSE.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
Which of these is the most organized way to show the favorite colors of 20 students?
A.A list of names
B.A bar chart
C.A drawing of a rainbow
D.A paragraph of text
- 2.
When comparing two tables of data, what should you look at to understand the difference?
A.The color of the ink
B.The headings and the numbers in the rows
C.The size of the paper
D.The font style
- 3.
What is the purpose of the horizontal lines often drawn across a bar chart from the y-axis?
A.To decorate the chart
B.To help you read the height of the bars accurately
C.To show where to stop coloring
D.To separate the bars
- 4.
If a bar chart showing 'Rainfall' has a scale of , and the bar for June reaches , what was the rainfall in June?
A.5 units
B.10 units
C.15 units
D.20 units
- 5.
What does a zero () in a frequency table represent?
A.The experiment was not done
B.No items were found or measured for that category
C.The measurement was too small to see
D.The data is missing
- 6.
If you are comparing the number of boys and girls in four different classes, which would be the best way to record this data?
A.Four separate tables
B.A single table with columns for 'Class', 'Number of Boys', and 'Number of Girls'
C.A drawing of every student
D.A list of just the boys' names
- 7.
A table shows: Small Ball (), Medium Ball (), Large Ball (). What is the relationship between the size of the ball and the distance it rolled?
A.The larger the ball, the shorter the distance
B.The larger the ball, the further it rolled
C.The size of the ball made no difference
D.The medium ball rolled the furthest
- 8.
A scientist is comparing the number of bacteria in different temperatures. At there are colonies, at there are colonies, and at there are colonies. What is the mathematical pattern in this data table?
A.The number of colonies increases by each time.
B.The number of colonies doubles each time.
C.The number of colonies quadruples () each time.
D.The number of colonies stays the same.
- 9.
A student records the volume of water left in a cup every day for a week. Day 1: ml, Day 2: ml, Day 3: ml. If they put this into a bar chart, what would the x-axis label be?
A.Volume (ml)
B.Day of the week
C.Amount of evaporation
D.Temperature
- 10.
In a bar chart, the 'independent variable' (the thing you change) is usually placed on which axis?
A.The vertical y-axis
B.The horizontal x-axis
C.The z-axis
D.In the legend/key
Download the worksheet for Scientific Enquiry - Recording data using tables and bar charts to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.
Drawing conclusions from experimental results
SubtopicDrawing conclusions from experimental results under Scientific Enquiry for Grade 4 IGCSE.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
A child notices that their bike moves faster down a steep hill than a flat road. What can be concluded?
A.Gravity pulls things faster down steeper slopes.
B.The flat road is faster.
C.Hills make bikes stop.
D.Bikes only work on flat roads.
- 2.
A sound was recorded at 40 decibels behind a wooden door and 10 decibels behind a thick foam door. What is the conclusion?
A.Wood is a better sound insulator than foam.
B.Foam is a better sound insulator than wood.
C.Both materials are the same.
D.Sound cannot travel through foam.
- 3.
A student uses a stopwatch to see how long it takes for a sugar cube to dissolve in cold water (2 minutes) and warm water (30 seconds). What is the conclusion?
A.Sugar dissolves faster in warm water.
B.Sugar dissolves faster in cold water.
C.Temperature makes no difference.
D.Sugar does not dissolve in water.
- 4.
If a plant's roots grow towards a source of water in a tray, what can you conclude about the roots?
A.Roots grow away from water.
B.Roots grow towards water to help the plant survive.
C.Roots grow in random directions.
D.Roots do not need water.
- 5.
A scientist noticed that polar bears have thick layers of fat (blubber) and thick fur. These bears live in the freezing Arctic. What is the best conclusion?
A.The fat helps the bears swim faster.
B.Fur and blubber are adaptations that help the bear stay warm in cold climates.
C.Polar bears would be healthier in a tropical jungle.
D.The fur is only for camouflage in the snow.
- 6.
Two identical cars were released from the top of two different ramps. Ramp A was very steep, and Ramp B was almost flat. The car from Ramp A traveled , while the car from Ramp B traveled . What can be concluded?
A.The height or steepness of a ramp affects the distance a car travels.
B.Ramp B was made of a smoother material.
C.The cars were not the same weight.
D.Flat ramps are better for racing.
- 7.
A student tested whether seeds need air to grow. Jar A had seeds with moist cotton and a lid with holes. Jar B had seeds submerged in water with a layer of oil on top to block air. The seeds in Jar A sprouted, but the seeds in Jar B did not. What is the conclusion?
A.Seeds need oil to grow.
B.Seeds need air (oxygen) to germinate.
C.Too much water is the only reason seeds die.
D.Lids must always have holes for plants to sprout.
- 8.
A student tests three different batteries in the same flashlight and measures how long the light stays bright.
Battery A: 5 hours Battery B: 8 hours Battery C: 2 hours
All batteries were the same size and brand new. What is the most scientific conclusion?
A.Battery B has the highest capacity (stored energy) of the three tested.
B.Battery C is the best because it saves energy by turning off early.
C.Flashlights work better in the dark.
D.The size of a battery does not determine how much energy it holds.
- 9.
An investigation measured the distance a person could hear a whistle through different materials.
Air: 100 meters Water: 400 meters Solid steel pipe: 1500 meters
What can be concluded about the speed/efficiency of sound travel?
A.Sound travels most efficiently through gases like air.
B.Sound travels further and better through solids and liquids than through air.
C.You cannot hear sound at all through a steel pipe.
D.Sound waves are destroyed by water.
- 10.
A group of students measured the heart rate of a runner at different times after a race.
0 mins after: 160 bpm 2 mins after: 120 bpm 4 mins after: 90 bpm 6 mins after: 75 bpm 8 mins after: 72 bpm 10 mins after: 72 bpm
What can be concluded about the runner's recovery?
A.The runner's heart rate will continue to drop until it reaches zero.
B.The runner's heart rate returns to a steady resting state after about 8 minutes.
C.The runner was not exercising hard enough because the heart rate dropped.
D.The heart rate drops by exactly 40 bpm every two minutes.
Download the worksheet for Scientific Enquiry - Drawing conclusions from experimental results to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.