May/ June 2014

1 Which feature of a bird is the only one that helps to define it as a living organism?

A It can fly.
B It has a hard, horny beak or bill.
C It is able to reproduce.
D The female lays eggs.

2 What causes oxygen to diffuse into the blood from an alveolus in the lungs?

A The oxygen concentration in the alveolus is higher than in the atmosphere.

B The oxygen concentration in the alveolus is lower than in the blood.
C The oxygen concentration in the atmosphere is higher than the carbon dioxide concentration.
D The oxygen concentration in the blood is lower than in the alveolus.

3 What are enzymes made of?

A carbohydrate
B fat
C fibre
D protein

4 The diagram shows part of the digestive system.

Where does egestion occur?

C
B

© UCLES 2014 0653/12/M/J/14

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5 The diagram shows four human teeth.

Which tooth is a molar?

A B C D

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7 In which physical state is water when it is absorbed and when it is lost by a plant?

absorbed lost

A liquid liquid
B liquid vapour
C vapour liquid
D vapour vapour

8 Which row gives the correct information about aerobic respiration?

nutrient molecules
produces water releases energy
broken down

A


key
B


= information correct
C

 = information incorrect
D 

9 Which statement is proved correct by breathing through the apparatus shown in the diagram?

mouth piece

air in air out

limewater

A Expired air contains less carbon dioxide than inspired air.

B Expired air contains more carbon dioxide than inspired air.
C Inspired air contains less oxygen than expired air.
D Inspired air contains more oxygen than expired air.

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14 A mixture contains two liquids.

One liquid has a boiling point of 120 °C and the other boils at 160 °C.

They are separated by fractional distillation.

water

P heat Q heat R
heat

Which apparatus is used to separate the two liquids?

A P and Q B P only C Q only D R only

15 The diagram represents an atom.

e
key
p proton
p p p p e
n n n n neutron
n n e
e electron

e nucleus

What is the nucleon number of this atom?

A 2 B 4 C 9 D 13

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16 The diagrams represent different substances.

P Q R S T

Which row correctly identifies the type of substance?

an element a compound a mixture

A P R Q
B Q S P
C S Q R
D T P S

17 Sodium is in Group I of the Periodic Table.

What happens to an atom of sodium when it reacts?

A It gains one electron, forming Na–.

B It gains one electron, forming Na+.
C It loses one electron, forming Na–.
D It loses one electron, forming Na+.

18 A molecule of phosphoric acid contains three hydrogen atoms, one phosphorus atom and four
oxygen atoms.

What is the formula of this molecule?

A H3PO4 B H3(PO)4 C 3HPO4 D 3HP4O

19 The formula for iron(III) sulfate is Fe2(SO4)3.

What is the total number of atoms in this formula?

A 3 B 7 C 17 D 26

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23 Which two reagents form a white precipitate when they are mixed?

A barium chloride and hydrochloric acid

B barium chloride and nitric acid
C silver nitrate and hydrochloric acid
D silver nitrate and nitric acid

24 A piece of metal is added to water.

metal

water

Which metal produces the most violent reaction?

A copper
B magnesium
C potassium
D zinc

25 Steel and sulfur are tested using the circuit shown.

substance being tested

In which tests does the lamp light?

steel sulfur

A

key
B

= lamp lights
C 
= lamp does not light
D  

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26 Which row gives the percentage by volume of the gases in the air?

highest lowest
percentage percentage

A nitrogen oxygen other gases

B nitrogen other gases oxygen
C oxygen nitrogen other gases
D oxygen other gases nitrogen

27 Which statement describes a hydrocarbon?

A a compound that burns to form carbon dioxide and hydrogen

B a compound that contains carbon and hydrogen only
C a compound that only contains ionic bonds
D a compound that reacts easily with metals

28 The speed / time graph for a bus journey is shown.

speed

Q
U
P R T V
S W
0
0 time

During which labelled periods was the bus stationary?

A P, R, T and V
B Q, S, U and W
C Q and U only
D S and W only

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29 A glass tank contains some water.

water S

T
P
R
U

Only the length PQ and the width QU of the tank are known.

Which other distance must be known to calculate the volume of the water?

A RT B ST C SU D TU

30 A worker on a building site lifts a heavy concrete block onto a lorry.

He then lifts a lighter block the same distance in the same time.

Which row about the work done and the power exerted is correct?

work done in lifting the blocks power exerted by worker

A less for the lighter block less for the lighter block
B less for the lighter block the same for both blocks
C more for the lighter block more for the lighter block
D the same for both blocks more for the lighter block

31 The diagram shows how the arrangement of the atoms in a substance changes during a change
of state.

Which change of state is shown?

A gas to liquid
B liquid to gas
C liquid to solid
D solid to liquid

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37 A boy on an island is 500 m from some cliffs.

500 m
cliffs

island

He shouts and he hears an echo from the cliffs.

Sound travels at 340 m / s through the air.

What is the time interval between when the boy shouts and when he hears the echo?

A 500 s B 2 × 500 s C 340 s D 2 × 340 s

340 340 500 500

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Page 2 Mark Scheme Syllabus Paper
IGCSE – May/June 2014 0653 12

Question Question
Key Key
Number Number
1 C 21 D
2 D 22 B
3 D 23 C
4 B 24 C
5 C 25 B

6 A 26 A
7 B 27 B
8 A 28 D
9 B 29 D
10 A 30 A

11 B 31 B
12 B 32 D
13 C 33 A
14 D 34 A
15 C 35 C

16 C 36 A
17 D 37 B
18 A 38 B
19 C 39 B
20 A 40 C

© Cambridge International Examinations 2014

 May/ June 2013
2

1 The plant cell in the diagram has a width of 30 mm when it is magnified by a microscope
(magnification shown in brackets).

(×1000)

What is the actual width of the cell?

A 0.003 mm B 0.03 mm C 0.3 mm D 30 mm

2 The diagram shows a leaf in sunlight and some of the substances that diffuse into and out of it.

water vapour
carbon oxygen
dioxide

Which of the following has a higher concentration outside the leaf than inside the leaf?

A carbon dioxide only

B carbon dioxide and oxygen
C oxygen and water vapour
D water vapour only

© UCLES 2013 0653/12/O/N/13

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3 The diagram shows how the activity of an enzyme changes with temperature.

enzyme activity
/ arbitrary units

X temperature / °C

This enzyme works in the human body.

What is the most likely value of temperature X?

A 10 °C B 40 °C C 70 °C D 100 °C

4 What must be present for photosynthesis to occur?

chlorophyll light oxygen water

A



key
B



= is necessary
C 

  = not necessary
D   

5 The diagram shows a section through a human tooth.

Which part is made of the hardest material?

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19 The positions of elements P, Q, R, S and T in the Periodic Table are shown.

The letters are not the symbols for the elements.

I II III IV V VI VII 0

P Q R S
T

Which element forms an ionic compound with element P?

A Q B R C S D T

20 In the diagrams below, and represent different atoms.

Which diagram represents molecules of a single compound?

A B C D

21 Molecules of W, X and Y are shown.

W X Y

What are W, X and Y?

W X Y

A hydrogen chloride nitrogen water

B hydrogen chloride water nitrogen
C nitrogen hydrogen chloride water
D water nitrogen hydrogen chloride

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26 The diagram shows a molecule of a compound of silicon and hydrogen.

H H

H Si Si H

H H

What is the molecular formula of this compound?

A SiH3 B SiH4 C Si2H6 D Si6H2

17 In which test-tube does rusting occur most quickly?

A B C D

distilled air
water

tap water

steel nail iron nail steel nail iron nail

28 The speed / time graph for a car journey is shown.

speed 2

3
1 4

0
0 time

During which two parts of the journey is the car moving at constant speed?

A 1 and 3 B 1 and 5 C 2 and 4 D 3 and 5

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29 The diagram shows two cubes of different sizes made from the same substance.

2.0 cm
1.0 cm
1.0 cm 2.0 cm
1.0 cm 2.0 cm

cube X cube Y

Cube X has a density of 1.2 g / cm3.

What is the density of cube Y?

A 1.2 g / cm3 B 2.4 g / cm3 C 4.8 g / cm3 D 9.6 g / cm3

© UCLES 2013 0653/12/O/N/13

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30 Weight lifting involves a number of different stages.

In which stage is no work being done on the weights?

A B

The weights are lifted The weights are raised

from the floor to the chest. as the lifter stands up.

C D

The weights are lifted The weights are held

above the head. stationary above the head.

31 A drop of liquid falls on a student’s skin and evaporates quickly.

What is the effect on the skin and the reason for this effect?

A The skin cools because the most energetic molecules escape from the liquid.
B The skin cools because the most energetic molecules remain in the liquid.
C The skin warms because the most energetic molecules escape from the liquid.
D The skin warms because the most energetic molecules remain in the liquid.

© UCLES 2013 0653/12/O/N/13 [Turn over

33 The diagrams show four identical pieces of ice that are heated in test-tubes of water. All four
burners provide heat at the same rate.

In which test-tube does the ice take the longest time to melt?

A B

ice
water water

ice wrapped
in lead wire

C D

ice
water
water
ice wrapped
in lead wire

© UCLES 2013 0653/12/O/N/13

Page 2 Mark Scheme Syllabus Paper
IGCSE – October/November 2013 0653 12

Question Question
Key Key
Number Number
1 B 21 A
2 A 22 A
3 B 23 B
4 B 24 C
5 A 25 D

6 D 26 C
7 C 27 D
8 A 28 C
9 D 29 A
10 B 30 D

11 C 31 A
12 A 32 B
13 B 33 B
14 C 34 B
15 B 35 A

16 C 36 A
17 D 37 D
18 C 38 C
19 B 39 D
20 D 40 B

© Cambridge International Examinations 2013