THE QUESTIONNAIRE

The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

Investigating meanings of everyday words used in Physics Context

This questionnaire has questions which are to find your ideas about some words use in School Science. It is not a test, so you need not worry about your answers as being right or wrong. Your responses will be kept confidential and anonymous. Attempt all the questions. After finishing drop this questionnaire immediately into the collection envelope.

Read each question carefully and think about the underlined word. Put a CIRCLE round the letter (A, B, C or D) as your answer to what you think represents the nearest meaning of the

underlined word.

1. The sample was weighed at midday on ten consecutive days, This means it was weighed

A. the first and tenth day B. Every tenth day C. Every day for ten days D. Ten times every day

2. The thermos flask is a useful device for keeping hot liquids. This means it is A. A luxury

B An appliance C. A method D. An opportunity

3. The electrician fits the water heater in the most efficient position. This means she fits

it in

A. the easiest position B. the commonest position C. the best position

D. the least likely position

4. Metals produce a characteristic sound when they are struck. This means that metals produce

A. A nice sound

B. A sound like any other C. A strong sound

D. A bad sound

5. The beam balance is a very sensitive instrument. This means that it A. can be used to measure very small things

B. can only be used by sensitive people C. it is hard to understand how it works D. gets spoilt very easily

6. The teacher felt that the learners’ interpretation of experiment was valid. This means the teacher felt it was

A. worthless B. not correct C. brief D. sound

7. The car’s movement was linear. This means the car A. kept stopping and starting

B. moved in a straight line C. was dangerous

D. swerved from side to side

8. The results of three experiments were consistent. This means the results were A. variable

B. adequate C. the same D. adjusted

9. Your science teacher said that she was going to evacuate the flask. This means the teacher will

A. empty the flask B. close the flask C. clean the flask D. cools it in a vacuum

10. The students were able to estimate the volume of water in the container. This means A. they made a careful guess of the volume

B. measured the volume carefully

C. poured out some water from the container D. filled the container from the tap

11. People are asked to switch off light whenever they leave a room in order to conserve energy.

This means people are asked

A. to use energy carefully to make it last B. to make light brighter on switching on again C. to avoid risk of fire

D. not to make use of light at all

12. The teacher referred to the motion of the solid particles suspended in the water as

random.

This means that the motion A. was very fast

B. was starting and stopping C. had no order at all

D. occurred every ten seconds.

13. The speed limit for the vehicles was 40km/h. This means that vehicles could travel A. at exactly 40km/h

B. between 45 and 35km/h C. at an average speed of 40km/h D. at no more than 40km/h

14. Some students were studying the fundamental laws of Physics. This means they were studying the

A. Old laws of Physics

B. Most important laws of Physics

C. Modern and newly discovered laws of Physics D. Most easily explained laws of Physics

15. The experiment was designed to prove that the brass rod would contract as the temperature fell. This means the rod would

A. change colour B. become harder C. become shorter D. become longer

16. The car engine generates heat through the burning of petrol. This means it A. Loses heat

B. Gains heat C. Produces heat D. does not need heat

17. When the stone is lowered into a beaker, it displaces some water. This means it A. absorbs some of the water

B. pushes away some water C. gets bigger

D. simply falls through the water to the bottom of the beaker

18. The pupil knows the function of the electric motor. This means she knows A. how the electric motor is made up

B. what is wrong with the electric motor C. what influences the electric motor D. what the electric motor does

19. After studying various conditions that may affect the time taken for a stone to fall from a fixed height, the pupil concluded that the effect of air resistance was negligible. This means that the pupil felt that air resistance

A. was the only factor operating B. was most important factor

C. needs not to be taken into account D. was the first factor to operate

20. By convention, electric current flows from the positive terminal to the negative terminal of a battery. This means that this direction of flow

A. has been accepted as an agreed practice

B. was developed as electricity was discovered a long time ago C. has been arrived at but is still not accepted by everybody D. is a result of a Physics formula

21. Working through many exercises improved the pupil’s concept of Newton’s Second Law of motion. This means the pupil’s

A. issue improved B. design improved C. idea improved D. method improved.

22. If you were asked to classify a collection of metal containers, this means you must A. clean them

B. count them

C. put them in similar groups D. paint them neatly

23. When the sample is heated for too long, it disintegrates. This means that it A. disappears

B. changes colour

C. break up into smaller pieces D. dries out rapidly

24 The learner knew the source of the sound. This means the learner knew A. Its loudness

B. Where it went to C. Its pitch

D. Where it came from

25. The student marked the adjacent crests of the wave. This means that the crests were A. Next to each other

B. Opposite each other C. As far apart as possible D. Identical in every way

2. QUESTIONNAIRE ANSWER SHEET