Primary 6 Science syllabus: topics and practice questions
These are the topics and skills of Primary 6 Science in the MOE syllabus, with 77 original practice questions. Each topic below has a sample question: try it, then open the worked answer.
Energy
Energy forms and uses
20 practice questions
Photosynthesis, respiration, and how plants and animals get energy
Forms of energy (kinetic, potential, light, electrical, heat, sound) and the Sun as our main source
Energy conversion in everyday objects
Sample question
Daniel put two identical potted plants into two identical sealed glass containers, P and Q. Container P was placed in sunlight and container Q in a dark room. He measured the amount of carbon dioxide in each container at the start and after 6 hours.
Which statement best explains his results?
A In P, the plant only photosynthesised; in Q, the plant only respired.
B In P, the plant took in more carbon dioxide for photosynthesis than it gave out in respiration; in Q, the plant could only respire, so it gave out carbon dioxide.
C In P, the plant only respired; in Q, the plant only photosynthesised.
D Both plants photosynthesised, but the plant in Q photosynthesised faster.
Show the answer and working
Answer: (B) In P, the plant took in more carbon dioxide for photosynthesis than it gave out in respiration; in Q, the plant could only respire, so it gave out carbon dioxide.
How: In P, carbon dioxide fell from 400 to 250 units: the plant took in carbon dioxide for photosynthesis faster than respiration gave it out. In Q, there was no light, so no photosynthesis; respiration gave out carbon dioxide and it rose to 520 units.
Why: Photosynthesis takes in carbon dioxide and needs light. Respiration gives out carbon dioxide and goes on all the time. In light, photosynthesis is usually faster than respiration, so carbon dioxide decreases.
Interactions
Forces
19 practice questions
Forces as pushes and pulls, and what they do
Frictional force and motion
Gravitational force and weight; elastic spring force
Sample question
Look at Wei Jie's results again.
How much further did the block slide on glass than on carpet?
Show the answer and working
Answer: 95 cm
How: Glass: 120 cm. Carpet: 25 cm. 120 − 25 = 95 cm.
Why: The smoother glass exerted less friction than the carpet, so the block slid 95 cm further on it.
Environment
26 practice questions
What organisms need to survive; organism, population and community; habitats
Food chains and food webs: producers, consumers, decomposers, predators and prey
Structural and behavioural adaptations
How people affect the environment, for better and for worse
Sample question
Study the pond food web.
The algae and the water plant make their own food using light energy. What is their role in the food web?
Show the answer and working
Answer: producer
How: Organisms that make their own food are producers.
Why: Producers (plants and algae) make food by photosynthesis, using light energy from the Sun. All the energy in the food web enters through them.
Science practices
Investigating
12 practice questions
Plan fair tests and choose controls
Analyse data and evaluate conclusions
Sample question
Ben wants to find out if a plant needs carbon dioxide to make food. He sets up four identical plants as shown.
Which two set-ups should he compare?
A P and Q
B P and R
C Q and R
D R and S
Show the answer and working
Answer: (B) P and R
How: P and R have the same light and water; only carbon dioxide is different. Any difference in food made is due to carbon dioxide.
Why: In a fair test, only the variable being investigated is changed; all other variables are kept the same.
Practise all 77 Primary 6 questions
With an account, practice adapts to your child: hints one step at a time, feedback on the mistake behind a wrong answer, review of older topics and a Primary 6 mock paper.