Cadet College Entry Test General Science Syllabus

Which enzyme in saliva begins the digestion of starch, and into what does it break it down?

Salivary amylase (ptyalin), which breaks starch down into maltose/sugars.

What is the function of bile in digestion, and where is it produced?

Bile emulsifies fats (breaks large fat droplets into smaller ones); it is produced by the liver and stored in the gall bladder.

Name the parts of the human alimentary canal in order.

Mouth, oesophagus (food pipe), stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, and anus.

What acid is found in the stomach and what are its two main jobs?

Hydrochloric acid (HCl); it kills harmful bacteria and provides the acidic medium needed for the enzyme pepsin to digest protein.

What is the main function of the respiratory system?

To take in oxygen and remove carbon dioxide through the process of breathing and gas exchange.

In which structures of the lungs does gas exchange occur?

In the tiny air sacs called alveoli.

What is the difference between breathing and respiration?

Breathing is the physical movement of air in and out of the lungs; respiration is the chemical release of energy from glucose inside cells.

Which muscular sheet separates the chest from the abdomen and helps in breathing?

The diaphragm.

Write the word equation for aerobic respiration.

Glucose + Oxygen to Carbon dioxide + Water + Energy.

What is the function of the human circulatory system?

To transport oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, hormones, and wastes throughout the body via blood.

How many chambers does the human heart have, and what are they?

Four chambers: two upper atria (auricles) and two lower ventricles.

What are the three main types of blood vessels and their functions?

Arteries carry blood away from the heart, veins carry blood back to the heart, and capillaries allow exchange of materials between blood and tissues.

Which type of blood cell carries oxygen and what pigment does it contain?

Red blood cells (erythrocytes), which contain the pigment haemoglobin.

What is the main function of white blood cells?

To defend the body against disease by fighting infection and germs.

What is the main function of the nervous system?

To control and coordinate body activities by sending and receiving electrical messages (nerve impulses).

What are the two main parts of the human nervous system?

The central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system (the nerves).

What is the basic structural and functional unit of the nervous system?

The nerve cell, or neuron.

Which part of the brain controls balance and coordination of muscles?

The cerebellum.

What is a reflex action? Give an example.

A rapid, automatic, involuntary response to a stimulus, e.g. quickly pulling your hand away from a hot object.

Define photosynthesis.

The process by which green plants make their own food (glucose) using carbon dioxide and water in the presence of sunlight and chlorophyll, releasing oxygen.

Write the word equation for photosynthesis.

Carbon dioxide + Water to (sunlight + chlorophyll) Glucose + Oxygen.

What are the raw materials and products of photosynthesis?

Raw materials: carbon dioxide and water; Products: glucose and oxygen.

What are the main functions of the roots of a plant?

To anchor the plant in the soil and to absorb water and mineral salts.

What is the function of the leaf in a plant?

It is the main site of photosynthesis and gas exchange (and transpiration).

Through which tiny pores in leaves do gases enter and leave the plant?

The stomata.

What is the function of xylem and phloem in a plant?

Xylem transports water and minerals from roots to leaves; phloem transports food (sugars) from leaves to other parts.

Name the male and female reproductive parts of a flower.

Male part: the stamen (anther and filament); female part: the carpel/pistil (stigma, style, and ovary).

Define pollination.

The transfer of pollen grains from the anther (male part) to the stigma (female part) of a flower.

What is the difference between self-pollination and cross-pollination?

Self-pollination is pollen transfer within the same flower or plant; cross-pollination is pollen transfer between flowers of different plants of the same species.

What are the three states of matter and how do their particles differ in arrangement?

Solids (particles tightly packed in a fixed pattern), liquids (particles close but able to move/slide), and gases (particles far apart and moving freely). Solids have fixed shape and volume; liquids have fixed volume but no fixed shape; gases have neither.

What is the difference between an element, a compound, and a mixture?

An element is made of one type of atom; a compound is two or more elements chemically combined in a fixed ratio; a mixture is two or more substances physically mixed and easily separated.