Q1.

On a clear night, a camera was set up on a fixed stand pointing at the Pole Star. The
camera shutter was opened and kept open for a number of hours. The diagram shows the
paths of a number of stars appearing in the photograph.

(a) (i) In the photograph, most of the stars appear as curved lines instead of dots.
Why do the stars appear as curved lines?

............................................................................................................

............................................................................................................
1 mark

(ii) The Pole Star appears as a bright dot in the middle, not as a curved line.
Why does the Pole Star appear as a dot?

............................................................................................................

............................................................................................................
1 mark

(b) Study the diagram carefully. For how long was the camera shutter kept open?

.............................. hours
1 mark
Maximum 3 marks

Q2.
(a) Satellites orbiting the Earth appear as points of light in the night sky. They look
similar to stars. An astronomer sees a point of light in the night sky.

(i) How can she tell that the point of light is a satellite in a low orbit and not a
star?

............................................................................................................

............................................................................................................
1 mark

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 (ii) She looks through a telescope and sees another point of light which is a
satellite in a geostationary orbit. How can she tell that this satellite is in a
geostationary orbit?

............................................................................................................

............................................................................................................
1 mark

(b) The Hubble Space Telescope is a telescope used to observe the planets and stars.
It is in a satellite orbiting close to the Earth.

(i) Give one reason why a telescope in orbit gives clear pictures.

............................................................................................................

............................................................................................................
1 mark

(ii) Give one disadvantage of an astronomical telescope in orbit round the Earth.

............................................................................................................

............................................................................................................
1 mark

(c) In 1994, astronauts visited The Hubble Space Telescope to repair it. Astronauts
have to train themselves to move objects in a controlled way in space.

Name a pair of antagonistic muscles which has to be controlled.

......................................................................................................................
1 mark
Maximum 5 marks

Q3.
Our solar system consists of planets orbiting the Sun. Some of these planets have moons.

(a) Complete the four statements by drawing lines to join the boxes.

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 4 marks

(b) Give the name of the star in our solar system.

.....................................................................................................................
1 mark
Maximum 5 marks

Q4.
A writer of science fiction likes to make her stories as realistic as possible. In her latest
book there is a group of space travellers who discover a star in a distant part of the
galaxy. The travellers are excited to find a planet very similar to Earth orbiting this star.
They call the planet Delta.

The table compares data about Delta and the Earth. Most of the figures are relative.

Delta Earth

the planet’s distance from its sun 1.5 1

mass of the planet 1.5 1

average density of the planet 1 1

time of rotation of the planet on its axis 0.85 1

speed of the planet in its orbit 0.82 1

inclination of the axis of rotation of the 0° 23°

planet to the axis of the orbit
acceleration of an object in free fall 11 m/s2 10 m/s
close to the surface of the planet

(a) In her story, how should the writer compare conditions on Delta with those on
Earth? Tick the correct box in each case.

greater less same

length of year

length of day

radius of the planet

3 marks

(b) One of the space travellers lands on planet Delta. With her space suit, she has

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 a mass of 100 kg.

What is her weight on planet Delta? Give the unit.

......................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................
1 mark

(c) The inclination of the axis of rotation to the axis of orbit is different for Delta
and Earth. In the story, the travellers spend a year on Delta. Describe two
differences between Delta and Earth that the travellers would find, apart from
their weight.

1. ..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................
1 mark

2. ..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................
1 mark
Maximum 6 marks

Q5.
Stars such as the Sun are formed from vast and diffuse clouds of gas and dust. The
clouds contract to form stars as gravity pulls the gas and dust together.

(a) As a cloud contracts, it becomes hotter. Explain why, in terms of the movement of
gas molecules in the cloud.

......................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................
2 marks

(b) In the later stages of collapse, the contraction of the cloud is slowed down by a
number of factors. Suggest one factor which would slow down the contraction of

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 the cloud.

......................................................................................................................
1 mark

(c) What are the main processes by which energy is transferred into space from the
hot centre of the collapsed cloud? State where these processes occur.

......................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................
2 marks

(d) Before nuclear fusion begins, the contracting cloud is very much more difficult to
observe than stars which are the same distance away.

Explain why the cloud is difficult to observe.

......................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................
1 mark

(e) What is the most abundant chemical element in the cloud?

......................................................................................................................
1 mark

(f) Eventually the temperature at the centre of the cloud becomes high enough for
nuclear fusion to begin. What happens during nuclear fusion?

......................................................................................................................
1 mark
Maximum 8 marks

Q6.
Some scientists were studying the universe and made a discovery about a star.

The star was 4.3 light years away. A planet the same size as the Earth was orbiting the
star.

(a) Draw a ring around the correct answer to complete the sentence.

The scientists knew how far away the star was by measuring the change in

light waves.

frequency of the seismic waves.

sound waves.
(1)

(b) There were oceans on the planet orbiting the star.

Living organisms need water to survive.

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 (i) The temperature on the planet was suitable for organisms, like those on Earth,
to survive.

Suggest the temperature range of the planet.

Tick ( ) the correct temperature range.

-150 to -50 °c

0 to 70 °c

150 to 200 °c

(1)

(ii) Give the reason why you chose this answer.

...............................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................
(1)

(c) The scientists found oxygen in the atmosphere of the planet.

Why does oxygen in the atmosphere suggest there is life on the planet?

Tick ( ) one reason.

Because animals produce oxygen by respiration.

Because plants produce oxygen by respiration.

Because plants produce oxygen by photosynthesis.

(1)

(d) The scientists used the Hubble Space Telescope to study a distant star.

The Hubble Space Telescope orbits the Earth.

Images from the Hubble Space Telescope are clearer than the images from a
telescope on Earth. Why?

Tick ( ) the two correct answers.

The Hubble Space Telescope is always closer to the star.

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There is no atmospheric distortion.

There is no light pollution.

There is less gravity in space.

(2)
(Total 6 marks)

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Mark schemes

Q1.
(a) (i) because the Earth was rotating or spinning
accept ‘the Earth was moving’
do not accept ‘the stars move’
or ‘the camera turned’
1 (L7)

(ii) any one from

• it is on or close to the earth’s axis

• it is above the North Pole

accept ‘above the point of rotation’
accept ‘it is due North or North of the Earth’
do not accept ‘above the earth’
1 (L7)

(b) 6
accept ‘5’ or ‘7’
1 (L7)
[3]

Q2.
(a) (i) it moves across the pattern of stars or the sky
accept ‘she can see it moving’ or ‘it appears to move’
or ‘it moves quickly’
do not accept ‘it moves’
1

(ii) it remains above a fixed point on the Earth’s surface

or it does not appear to move across the sky
accept ‘it stays in the same place in the sky’
or ‘it can always be seen’
do not accept ‘it does not move’
1

(b) (i) no atmosphere or air pollution to distort the image

accept ‘no clouds’ or ‘no light pollution’
1

(ii) any one from

• difficult or expensive to get to for repairs or adjustments

• pictures have to be sent back to the Earth

• expensive to make or launch

1

(c) any one from

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 • biceps and triceps

• quadriceps femoris and biceps femoris

both muscles are required for the mark
accept ‘quads and biceps’
1
[5]

Q3.
(a)

award a mark for each correct line

if more than four lines are drawn deduct
one mark for each extra line
4

(b) the Sun

1
[5]

Q4.

(a) greater less same

length of year √
1

length of day √
1

radius of the planet √

1
if more than one box is ticked in any row
award no mark for that row

(b) 1100 N
accept ‘100 × 11 N’
1

(c) any two from

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 • no winter and summer seasons or no seasonal variation
accept ‘temperature the same all year’ or ‘no seasons’

• days and nights always the same length

• Sun always directly above equator

accept ‘Sun always follows the same path across the sky’
2
[6]

Q5.
(a) any two from

• molecules move faster as they fall inwards or PE is transformed into KE

• collisions between the molecules make their motion random

or KE is transformed into thermal energy

• higher speed and random motion means higher temperature

accept ‘collisions produce heat’
2

(b) any one from

• the pressure of the hot gas at the centre

• the angular momentum or rotation or spin of the cloud

accept ‘collisions between gas molecules’
accept ‘radiation pressure’
1

(c) radiation or convection through the cloud

1

radiation from the cloud into space

1
accept ‘radiation and convection’ for one mark

(d) any one from

• it is not bright enough

• there is not enough radiation

• not enough energy is transferred

• radiation is absorbed by dust

1

(e) hydrogen
1

(f) smaller nuclei join to make bigger nuclei

accept ‘nuclei join together’
or ‘hydrogen nuclei join to make helium’
do not accept ‘hydrogen burns’

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 1
[8]

Q6.
(a) light wavse
1

(b) (i) 0 to 70°c

1

(ii) water isn’t frozen or is liquid or water hasn’t evaporated or is not too hot
and not too cold.
‘just like Earth’ is insufficient
1

(c) because plants produce oxygen by photosynthesis

1

(d) there is no atmospheric distortion

1

there is no light pollution

1
[6]

Page 11 of 12
Examiner reports

Q1.
Questions on The Earth and beyond tested a wider range of pupils’ knowledge than in
previous years. Pupils’ answers showed most had some fundamental knowledge about
this part of the programme of study. However, few were able explain the apparent motion
of the stars in terms of the Earth’s movement.

The 1996 tests provided limited evidence about pupils’ ability to carry out calculations and
to use appropriate units in science. Only two questions required them to do so, and
neither question was answered well. As in 1995, few were able to calculate pressure from
the information given and most were unable to give the correct unit. This question
required interpretation of a time lapse photograph and inferred as one quarter of a star’s
path was seen that the shutter must have been open for 6 hours. About one third of pupils
taking the Levels 5-7 tier did this successfully.

Q2.
No specific comment made.

Q3.
Few pupils taking the tier 3-6 paper were able to reason logically from their knowledge of
the Solar System and identify the correct answers in part (a). In contrast, most pupils
taking the tier 5-7 paper gained all 4 marks. Most pupils in both tiers were able to correctly
name the Sun as the star in our Solar System.

Q4.
No specific comment made

Q5.
No specific comment made

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