Mark Schemes

9J

Quick Quiz
Question

Answer

Marks

Matching End of Unit Test marks

to NC levels
Level

Topic

9Ja

9Jb

9Jc

9Jd

Marks Cumulative
available
total
1

Suggested
threshold for
achieving level

Insufficient marks to
demonstrate level

14

12

19

19

23

23

25

25

9
J

End of Unit Test marks

Question Level Answer
1

a gravity

1 mark

b arrow drawn pointing towards centre of Earth

1 mark

c because gravity pulls everything towards the centre of the

Earth

1 mark accept equivalent

explanations

a arrows drawn on moon and spacecraft, pointing towards

each other;

1 mark both arrows must

be drawn to get the mark

7
6
7

Mark scheme

1 mark

both arrows equal size

b They would both increase;

1 mark
1 mark award the two
marks if the answer states that
the forces would be double
or be twice as big as it is
implicit in this answer that the
forces have increased

to double their size

c The force decreases with distance.

1 mark

a Io

1 mark

b bigger masses produce stronger gravitational forces/have

the greatest gravity

1 mark accept equivalent

explanations

c 900 1.43

1 mark

= 1287 N

1 mark

a There is no air in space to slow it down.

1 mark

b gravity or the pull of the Earth

1 mark

any two from: it is easier to phone people in other countries;

we get TV programmes via satellites; we can use satellites to
help us to navigate when driving/navigation/GPS; weather
forecasting is more accurate; it has provided information
about planets/outer space; spying

2 marks 1 for each point.

Accept any other sensible
examples.

The planets all move around the Sun in elliptical orbits.

1 mark

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Mark Schemes (continued)

9J

End of Unit Test marks (continued)

Question Level Answer

Mark scheme

2 marks 1 mark for each

point; accept equivalent
answers

9
J

any two of the following: Jupiters moons/moons of other

planets do not orbit the Earth;
the Moon/Earth has mountains on it so is not a perfect
sphere;
planets (e.g. Mars) show retrograde motion and so cannot
be moving in a simple circle;
predictions made using these ideas do not match
observations;
new stars (novae) had been seen from time to time.

a any two from: can take pictures/gather data for large areas
of the planet; less complicated to put into orbit than to
land; so less likely to crash or be damaged on landing

2 marks 1 mark for each

point

b any two from: can take close-up photos; can take samples
for chemical analysis; can experiment on samples

2 marks 1 mark for each

point

there is less pollution higher in the atmosphere/there is

less atmosphere the higher up you get; the pictures will be
clearer/less distorted

2 marks 1 mark for each

point

Answers to Quick Check activities

Quick
Check

Answers

9Ja

1 Sequences: A, C, H or E, E or H, F, B, D, G.
2 A, C the Earths gravity is pulling on the spacecraft. H, E, F, B the Moons gravity is pulling on the
spacecraft. More able pupils may point out that the craft shown in H and B are being kept in orbit by
the Moons gravity. D, G the Earths gravity is pulling on the spacecraft.
3 and 4 Weight = 800 N: on the Earth, as this is the weight an 80 kg mass would have on Earth.
Weight = 770 N: in orbit around the Earth, as the weight is a little less than the weight on the surface
of the Earth because the astronaut is further from the centre of the Earth.
Weight = 0 N: Part way between the Earth and the Moon, because there is a point where the Earths
gravity is cancelled out by the Moons gravity.
Weight = 133 N: on the Moon, because the Moons gravity is about 1/6 of the Earths gravity.
Weight = 100 N: in orbit around the Moon, as the weight is a little less than the weight on the surface
of the Moon, because the astronaut is further from the Moon.
Pupils should add brief descriptions of weightlessness, etc.

9Jb

1 Level 3 2 Answers should cover the points given in the level descriptions.

9Jc

Possible answers include:

1 What is the force that pulls us downwards? / What is the force that keeps the planets in their orbits?
2 Which is the only other place in the Solar System that humans have visited? / Where was the first
space probe sent? / Which is the only other body from which we have rock samples?
3 Why is the gravity stronger on Earth than it is on the Moon? / Why does the Sun attract the Earth
with more force than it does the Moon?
4 Why is the force of gravity between the Sun and the Earth bigger than the force between the Sun
and Neptune? / Why is it more difficult to investigate Neptune than to investigate Mars?
5 Why do we get more detailed photos of other planets from space probes than from Earth-based
telescopes? / Why do we send space probes to other planets instead of just observing from Earth?
6 Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum can we see?
7 Why do scientists need to investigate gamma rays and X-rays from space using telescopes in orbit?
8 Give one difference between radio telescopes and telescopes for detecting visible light.

9Jd

A true; B true B does explain A. C false Copernicus suggested that the Earth goes around the Sun;
D true D does not explain corrected C. E false people have only been to the Moon; F true F does
explain corrected E. G true; H true H does not explain G.

Exploring Science

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