GRADE 8 CHECKPOINT SCIENCE QUIZ: MULTIPLE CHOICE: 54 marks

NAME _______________________________ DATE ________ GRADE ________

UNIT 1: Photosynthesis and the Carbon Cycle (1.1–1.4)

1. Which of the following is the pigment involved in photosynthesis?

o A. Chlorophyll
o B. Carotene
o C. Hemoglobin
o D. Keratin
2. What are the products of photosynthesis?
o A. Oxygen and glucose
o B. Carbon dioxide and water
o C. Oxygen and water
o D. Glucose and carbon dioxide
3. How is carbon dioxide returned to the atmosphere during the carbon cycle?
o A. Photosynthesis
o B. Combustion and respiration
o C. Transpiration
o D. Precipitation
4. Which human activity contributes most to climate change?
o A. Planting trees
o B. Burning fossil fuels
o C. Recycling
o D. Using solar energy

5. Which gas is required for photosynthesis?

a) Oxygen
b) Nitrogen
c) Carbon dioxide
d) Hydrogen

6. What is the role of chlorophyll in photosynthesis?

a) Absorbing water
b) Producing oxygen
c) Trapping sunlight
d) Transporting glucose

7. Which process removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere?

a) Respiration
b) Photosynthesis
c) Combustion
d) Decomposition
 8. How does carbon return to the atmosphere after being stored in plants?
a) Photosynthesis
b) Respiration
c) Transpiration
d) Diffusion

9. Which of the following is a major greenhouse gas?

a) Nitrogen
b) Oxygen
c) Carbon dioxide
d) Argon

10. Which human activity contributes most to climate change?

a) Planting trees
b) Using renewable energy
c) Burning fossil fuels
d) Recycling plastic

UNIT 2: Properties of Materials (2.1–2.4)

11. Why do elements react to form compounds?

a. A. To achieve a full outer shell arrangement of electrons
b. B. To increase their atomic mass
c. C. To lose protons
d. D. To decrease their size
12. Which type of structure does sodium chloride have?
a. A. Simple molecular
b. B. Giant covalent
c. C. Giant ionic
d. D. Metallic
13. What is the central part of an atom called?
a) Electron
b) Proton
c) Nucleus
d) Neutron
14. What determines the atomic number of an element?
a) Number of protons
b) Number of neutrons
c) Number of electrons
d) Number of isotopes
15. Elements in Group 1 of the Periodic Table are known as:
a) Halogens
b) Noble gases
c) Alkaline earth metals
d) Alkali metals
 16. Which Group 7 element is the most reactive?
a) Fluorine
b) Chlorine
c) Bromine
d) Iodine
17. What type of bond forms between two non-metal atoms?
a) Ionic
b) Metallic
c) Covalent
d) Hydrogen
18. In an ionic bond, metals tend to:
a) Lose electrons
b) Gain electrons
c) Share electrons
d) Not react

UNIT 3: Forces and Energy (3.1–3.6)

19. What is the formula for calculating density?

a. A. Mass × Volume
b. B. Mass ÷ Volume
c. C. Volume ÷ Mass
d. D. Weight ÷ Volume
20. What is the main difference between heat and temperature?
a. A. Heat is a measure of total energy; temperature measures average energy.
b. B. Temperature is a measure of energy; heat measures the degree of hotness.
c. C. Both measure the same property.
d. D. Heat measures volume, temperature measures mass.
21. How is thermal energy transferred in solids?
a. A. By convection
b. B. By conduction
c. C. By radiation
d. D. By evaporation
22. Evaporation causes cooling because:
a. A. Particles lose energy during evaporation.
b. B. High-energy particles escape, lowering the average energy of the remaining
particles.
c. C. Water absorbs heat from the surroundings.
d. D. It releases heat into the surroundings.

UNIT 4: Maintaining Life (4.1–4.4)

23. What waste product is excreted by the kidneys in humans?

o A. Carbon dioxide
o B. Urea
 o C. Glucose
o D. Oxygen

24. Which of the following helps maintain a fetus healthy during pregnancy?
a. A. A balanced diet
b. B. Avoiding harmful substances
c. C. Regular medical check-ups
d. D. All of the above
25. Water is transported in plants through the:
a) Phloem
b) Xylem
c) Stomata
d) Chloroplast
26. Which factor increases transpiration?
a) Low temperature
b) High humidity
c) High wind speed
d) Darkness

UNIT 5: Reactivity (5.1–5.5)

27. Which metal is the most reactive?

a) Copper
b) Iron
c) Potassium
d) Gold
28. In a displacement reaction, a more reactive metal:
a) Replaces a less reactive metal in a compound
b) Becomes less reactive
c) Changes into a non-metal
d) Does not react
29. Which of the following metals is most reactive?

o A. Copper
o B. Zinc
o C. Sodium
o D. Iron

30. What is a displacement reaction?

a. A. A reaction where a less reactive metal displaces a more reactive metal.
b. B. A reaction where a more reactive metal displaces a less reactive metal.
c. C. A reaction that produces oxygen.
d. D. A reaction that forms water.
 31. Which compound is formed when hydrochloric acid reacts with sodium hydroxide?
a. A. Sodium chloride
b. B. Sodium carbonate
c. C. Sodium nitrate
d. D. Sodium sulfate

UNIT 6: Sound and Space (6.1–6.5)

32. What determines the pitch of a sound?

a. A. Amplitude
b. B. Frequency
c. C. Wavelength
d. D. Speed
33. Which of the following best describes a nebula?
a. A. A small planet
b. B. A cloud of gas and dust in space
c. C. A type of star
d. D. A comet orbiting the Sun
34. A loud sound has:
a) High amplitude
b) Low frequency
c) Short wavelength
d) Low energy
35. Cancellation of wave forms happens when
A] peak of wave 1meets trough of wave 2
B] peak of wave 1 meets peak of wave 2
C] trough of wave 1 meets trough of wave 2
D] wave 1 and wave 2 do not meet
36. Reinforcement of wave forms happens when
A] peak of wave 1meets trough of wave 2
B] peak of wave 1 meets peak of wave 2
C] wave 1 and wave 2 do not meet

UNIT 7: Genes and Inheritance (7.1–7.4)

37. Where are chromosomes found in a cell?

a) In the mitochondria
b) In the cytoplasm
c) In the nucleus
d) In the cell membrane
38. Which of the following statements is true about genes and chromosomes?
a) Genes are not made up of proteins
b) Genes are found only in animals
c) Genes and chromosomes are made of DNA that control features for inheritance.
d) Genes do not affect inheritance
 39. What is the purpose of gametes in reproduction?
a) To provide nutrients for the offspring
b) To carry genetic information from parents to offspring
c) To produce energy for the developing embryo
d) To transport oxygen in the blood
40. How many chromosomes do human gametes contain?
a) 23
b) 46
c) 92
d) 12
41. What determines the sex of a human baby?
a) The number of chromosomes in the baby
b) The type of sperm cell that fertilizes the egg
c) The mother's diet during pregnancy
d) The amount of oxygen in the womb
42. Which type of variation is caused by both genes and the environment?
a) Blood type
b) Eye color
c) Height
d) Number of fingers
43. What is natural selection?
a. A. Survival of the organisms with well adapted features
b. B. Cloning of organisms
c. C. Selective breeding by humans
d. D. Genetic modification

UNIT 8: Rates of Reaction (8.1–8.4)

44. The rate of reaction can be measured by:

a) The time taken for reactants to disappear
b) The amount of energy released
c) The size of the particles
d) The color of the solution
45. Which of the following does not affect the rate of reaction?
a) Temperature
b) Surface area
c) The colour of the reactants
d) Concentration
46. Why does a powdered form of a reactant react faster than a single large lump of the
same substance?
a) It has a smaller surface area
b) It has a larger surface area, allowing more collisions per second
c) The particles move faster
d) The particles have more energy
 47. What happens to the rate of reaction when the temperature is increased?
a) It decreases because particles move slower
b) It increases because particles move faster and collide more frequently
c) It stays the same because temperature does not affect reaction rates
d) The reaction stops completely
48. How does increasing the concentration of a solution affect the rate of reaction?
a) It slows down the reaction
b) It has no effect on the reaction rate
c) It increases the reaction rate by increasing the number of colliding particles
d) It changes the products of the reaction

UNIT 9: Electricity (9.1–9.4)

49. In a parallel circuit, how does the voltage across each branch compare?
a. A. It is the same across all branches.
b. B. It divides equally between branches.
c. C. It depends on the resistance of each branch.
d. D. It is zero across each branch.
50. What is the unit of resistance?
a. A. Volt
b. B. Ampere
c. C. Ohm
d. D. Joule
51. What happens to the total resistance in a circuit if resistors are added in series?
a. A. It decreases.
b. B. It remains the same.
c. C. It increases.
d. D. It doubles.
52. Which of the following is used to complete or open an electric circuit?
a. A. Resistor
b. B. Fuse
c. C. Switch
d. D. Battery
53. In a parallel circuit, the voltage across each branch is:
a) The same
b) Different
c) Zero
d) Doubled
54. What happens to the total resistance in a parallel circuit if more resistors are added?
a) It increases
b) It decreases
c) It stays the same
d) It becomes infinite