Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) Science Syllabus

Science syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Science in Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Physics

   4 topics

   • Forces and motion
     • Speed, distance and time
     • Mass, weight and gravity
     • Friction and balanced forces
   • Energy and work
     • Forms and transfer of energy
     • Conservation of energy
   • Electricity and magnetism
     • Simple circuits, current and voltage
     • Series and parallel circuits
     • Magnets and electromagnets
   • Heat, light and sound
     • Conduction, convection and radiation
     • Reflection and refraction of light
     • Sound waves and vibration
2. 2

   Chemistry

   4 topics

   • States and properties of matter
     • Solids, liquids and gases
     • Melting, boiling and the particle model
   • Elements, compounds and mixtures
     • Atoms and molecules
     • Separating mixtures
   • Chemical reactions
     • Acids, bases and neutralisation
     • Oxidation and burning
   • Common materials and their uses
     • Metals and the reactivity series
     • Fuels and combustion
3. 3

   Biology

   4 topics

   • Cells and living processes
     • Plant and animal cells
     • Characteristics of living things
   • The human body
     • Digestion and nutrition
     • Circulation and breathing
     • The skeleton and movement
   • Plants and photosynthesis
     • Plant structure
     • Making food and respiration
   • Reproduction and growth
     • Reproduction in plants
     • Human reproduction
4. 4

   Ecology and the Environment

   3 topics

   • Habitats and adaptation
     • Living things in their surroundings
   • Food chains and food webs
     • Producers, consumers and decomposers
   • Pollution and conservation
     • Human impact on the environment
5. 5

   Scientific Method and Practical Work

   3 topics

   • Planning an investigation
     • Fair tests and variables
     • Making predictions
   • Measuring and recording
     • Using laboratory apparatus
     • Tables and results
   • Drawing conclusions
     • Interpreting results
     • Laboratory safety

Science flashcards for Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE)

23 of 59 cards from the Science deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is the equation linking force, mass and acceleration (Newton's second law)?

   $F = m \times a$, where $F$ is force in newtons (N), $m$ is mass in kilograms (kg) and $a$ is acceleration in $\text{m/s}^{2}$.

2. How do you calculate the resultant of two forces acting in opposite directions along a line?

   Subtract the smaller force from the larger: resultant $=$ larger force $-$ smaller force, acting in the direction of the larger force. If the forces are equal and opposite, the resultant is $0\,\text{N}$ (balanced).

3. Define speed and give its equation.

   Speed is the distance travelled per unit time. $\text{speed} = \frac{\text{distance}}{\text{time}}$, measured in $\text{m/s}$.

4. What is the difference between speed and velocity?

   Speed is a scalar (magnitude only). Velocity is a vector: it is speed in a stated direction, so it has both magnitude and direction.

5. State the equation for the weight of an object on Earth.

   $W = m \times g$, where $W$ is weight in newtons, $m$ is mass in kg and $g$ is gravitational field strength, about $9.8\,\text{N/kg}$ on Earth.

6. What is the equation for work done by a force?

   $W = F \times d$, where $W$ is work done in joules (J), $F$ is force in newtons and $d$ is distance moved in the direction of the force in metres.

7. State the principle of conservation of energy.

   Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred from one store to another or dissipated. The total energy in a closed system stays constant.

8. Give the equation for gravitational potential energy.

   $E_{p} = m \times g \times h$, where $m$ is mass in kg, $g \approx 9.8\,\text{N/kg}$ and $h$ is height in metres. The unit is the joule (J).

9. Give the equation for kinetic energy.

   $E_{k} = \frac{1}{2} m v^{2}$, where $m$ is mass in kg and $v$ is speed in $\text{m/s}$. The unit is the joule (J).

10. What is power and how is it calculated?

    Power is the rate of energy transfer (work done per unit time). $P = \frac{E}{t}$, measured in watts (W), where $1\,\text{W} = 1\,\text{J/s}$.

11. List the main renewable and non-renewable energy resources.

    Renewable: solar, wind, hydroelectric, tidal, wave, geothermal, biomass. Non-renewable: coal, oil, natural gas (fossil fuels) and nuclear fuel.

12. What is the equation linking voltage, current and resistance (Ohm's law)?

    $V = I \times R$, where $V$ is potential difference in volts (V), $I$ is current in amperes (A) and $R$ is resistance in ohms ($\Omega$).

13. How do current and voltage behave in a series circuit?

    Current is the same everywhere in the series circuit. The total voltage of the supply is shared (split) between the components.

14. How do current and voltage behave in a parallel circuit?

    The voltage across each branch is the same (equal to the supply). The total current is the sum of the currents in the separate branches.

15. What is the equation for electrical charge in terms of current and time?

    $Q = I \times t$, where $Q$ is charge in coulombs (C), $I$ is current in amperes and $t$ is time in seconds.

16. What are the rules for magnetic poles?

    Like poles repel (N–N or S–S) and unlike poles attract (N–S). A magnetic field runs from the north pole to the south pole outside the magnet.

17. Name three magnetic materials.

    Iron, nickel and cobalt (and steel). These are attracted to magnets and can be magnetised.

18. How can you make an electromagnet stronger?

    Increase the current, add more turns of wire (more coils), and use a soft iron core inside the coil.

19. Give the equation for the energy needed to raise temperature (specific heat capacity).

    $Q = m \times c \times \Delta\theta$, where $Q$ is energy in joules, $m$ is mass in kg, $c$ is specific heat capacity in $\text{J/kg}\,^{\circ}\text{C}$ and $\Delta\theta$ is the temperature change.

20. Name the three methods of heat (thermal energy) transfer and the medium each needs.

    Conduction (mainly in solids, through particle collisions), convection (in fluids — liquids and gases — via density currents) and radiation (infrared, needs no medium and travels through a vacuum).

21. State the law of reflection of light.

    The angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection ($i = r$), both measured from the normal (the line perpendicular to the surface).

22. What is refraction of light?

    Refraction is the change in direction (bending) of light as it passes between media of different optical density, caused by a change in its speed. Light bends towards the normal entering a denser medium and away from it leaving.

23. How do sound waves and the speed of sound compare in solids, liquids and gases?

    Sound is a longitudinal wave needing a medium. It travels fastest in solids, slower in liquids and slowest in gases, because particles are closer together in solids. It cannot travel through a vacuum.

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