GradeNinjaRevision guides › Year 9 Science

Year 9 Science revision questions

Year 9 is the awkward bridge year: still Key Stage 3 in school life, but already starting GCSE habits. This page gives free Year 9 Science practice from GradeNinja's own bank - 79 auto-marked questions across 1 Year 9 topic set.

What Year 9 revision should do

The aim is not to cram GCSE papers early. It is to make the first GCSE topics feel normal: short retrieval practice, clear corrections, and enough repetition that classwork sticks before Year 10 gets busy.

Use these as ten-minute checks after a lesson or before homework. If you miss one, read the explanation, then come back tomorrow and answer it cold.

How GradeNinja pitches it

Year 9 questions are pulled from late Key Stage 3 and foundation GCSE bridge material. They should feel harder than Year 8, but they are not meant to be full Year 11 exam questions.

Year 9 (Starting GCSE) - Practice Mix80 questions

Best way to use this page

Answer first, then reveal. The useful bit is the retrieval attempt, not reading the answer. If a topic keeps going wrong, paste the homework or Google Classroom text into GradeNinja's Classroom import tool and turn it into a focused pack.

Year 9 Science practice questions

Real questions from GradeNinja's own bank, with the answer and the explanation the app gives. Tap to reveal.

Question 1 · Year 9 (Starting GCSE) - Practice Mix
Which element has the atomic number 6?
  1. Nitrogen
  2. Oxygen
  3. Carbon
  4. Boron
Show the answer

Carbon

Carbon has atomic number 6, meaning it has 6 protons in its nucleus. It is the basis of all organic chemistry.

Question 2 · Year 9 (Starting GCSE) - Practice Mix
What is oxidation?
  1. Loss of oxygen
  2. Gain of oxygen (or loss of electrons)
  3. Loss of electrons only
  4. Gain of hydrogen
Show the answer

Gain of oxygen (or loss of electrons)

Oxidation is defined as the gain of oxygen or the loss of electrons in a chemical reaction. This process often involves the increase in oxidation state of an element. Key to remember is that oxidation is associated with electron loss.

Question 3 · Year 9 (Starting GCSE) - Practice Mix
What are the main stores of energy?
  1. Kinetic, thermal, chemical, gravitational potential, elastic potential, nuclear, electromagnetic
  2. Heat, light, sound, kinetic
  3. Electrical, mechanical, chemical, radiation
  4. Movement, heat, fuel, battery
Show the answer

Kinetic, thermal, chemical, gravitational potential, elastic potential, nuclear, electromagnetic

The main stores of energy include kinetic, thermal, chemical, gravitational potential, elastic potential, nuclear, and electromagnetic energy. Each type of energy has unique characteristics and applications in various physical processes. Remember, energy can exist in different forms, each with its own significance.

Question 4 · Year 9 (Starting GCSE) - Practice Mix
Which part of a flower produces pollen?
  1. Anther
  2. Stigma
  3. Ovary
  4. Petal
Show the answer

Anther

The anther is the part of the stamen that produces pollen grains, which are the male gametes.

Question 5 · Year 9 (Starting GCSE) - Practice Mix
What is the word equation for aerobic respiration?
  1. Glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water (+ energy)
  2. Glucose → lactic acid (+ energy)
  3. Carbon dioxide + water → glucose + oxygen
  4. Glucose + carbon dioxide → oxygen + water
Show the answer

Glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water (+ energy)

Aerobic respiration uses oxygen to fully break down glucose, releasing carbon dioxide, water, and a large amount of energy.

Question 6 · Year 9 (Starting GCSE) - Practice Mix
Which type of rock is formed when magma or lava cools and solidifies?
  1. Igneous
  2. Sedimentary
  3. Metamorphic
  4. Fossil
Show the answer

Igneous

Igneous rock forms when magma (underground) or lava (at the surface) cools and solidifies. The word igneous comes from the Latin for fire.

Question 7 · Year 9 (Starting GCSE) - Practice Mix
Which organ system is responsible for support, movement and protection of internal organs?
  1. Skeletal system
  2. Muscular system
  3. Nervous system
  4. Circulatory system
Show the answer

Skeletal system

The skeletal system provides support, enables movement, and protects organs such as the brain (skull), heart and lungs (ribcage).

Question 8 · Year 9 (Starting GCSE) - Practice Mix
What is the unit of electrical current?
  1. Volt
  2. Ohm
  3. Ampere
  4. Watt
Show the answer

Ampere

Electrical current is measured in amperes (amps, A), using an ammeter connected in series in the circuit.

Question 9 · Year 9 (Starting GCSE) - Practice Mix
Iron is added to copper sulfate solution. What do you observe?
  1. Nothing happens
  2. Iron dissolves and copper is deposited
  3. Copper dissolves and iron is deposited
  4. Both metals dissolve
Show the answer

Iron dissolves and copper is deposited

Iron is more reactive than copper, so it displaces copper from the solution. Iron dissolves and a coating of copper metal forms on the iron.

Question 10 · Year 9 (Starting GCSE) - Practice Mix
How many chambers does the human heart have?
  1. Four
  2. Two
  3. Three
  4. Six
Show the answer

Four

The heart has four chambers: the right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, and left ventricle.

Question 11 · Year 9 (Starting GCSE) - Practice Mix
Anaerobic respiration in human muscle cells produces which waste product?
  1. Carbon dioxide
  2. Ethanol
  3. Lactic acid
  4. Water
Show the answer

Lactic acid

When muscles work very hard without enough oxygen, anaerobic respiration produces lactic acid, causing the burning sensation in tired muscles.

Question 12 · Year 9 (Starting GCSE) - Practice Mix
Which part of an animal cell controls what enters and leaves the cell?
  1. Nucleus
  2. Cell membrane
  3. Cytoplasm
  4. Mitochondria
Show the answer

Cell membrane

The cell membrane is a partially permeable barrier that controls the movement of substances into and out of the cell.

Question 13 · Year 9 (Starting GCSE) - Practice Mix
What is the reactivity series?
  1. A list of metals ordered from most reactive to least reactive
  2. A list of all elements in order of atomic number
  3. A list showing how metals conduct electricity
  4. A list of metals in alphabetical order
Show the answer

A list of metals ordered from most reactive to least reactive

The reactivity series ranks metals from most reactive (e.g. potassium) to least reactive (e.g. gold). It helps predict how vigorously a metal reacts and whether displacement reactions will occur.

Question 14 · Year 9 (Starting GCSE) - Practice Mix
Which metal is at the TOP of the reactivity series (most reactive)?
  1. Gold
  2. Iron
  3. Potassium
  4. Copper
Show the answer

Potassium

Potassium is one of the most reactive metals, reacting violently with cold water. Gold sits near the bottom of the reactivity series.

Question 15 · Year 9 (Starting GCSE) - Practice Mix
Which subatomic particle has a positive charge?
  1. Proton
  2. Neutron
  3. Electron
  4. Nucleus
Show the answer

Proton

Protons carry a positive charge. Neutrons have no charge, and electrons are negatively charged.

Question 16 · Year 9 (Starting GCSE) - Practice Mix
What is the correct order of the layers of the Earth from the outside inward?
  1. Core → mantle → crust
  2. Crust → mantle → core
  3. Mantle → crust → core
  4. Crust → core → mantle
Show the answer

Crust → mantle → core

The Earth's layers from outside to centre are: crust (thin outer layer), mantle (thick semi-molten rock), outer core (liquid iron/nickel), and inner core (solid iron/nickel).

Free to sign up

55,718 questions across 28 subjects, XP, boss battles and friend challenges. No card needed.

Start revising free →

Common questions

Are these Year 9 Science questions GCSE level?

They are bridge questions: harder than early Key Stage 3, but not pitched as full Year 11 GCSE exam papers. The point is to prepare the habits and core knowledge early.

Can I use Google Classroom homework with GradeNinja?

Yes. Use Classroom import in the app: paste the Google Classroom post, homework email or assignment brief and it turns the topics into practice questions and flashcards.

How often should a Year 9 revise Science?

Short and often. Ten minutes after a lesson or a few times a week is more useful than one long session before a test.

Is GradeNinja free for Year 9?

Yes, signing up is free. GradeNinja has Year 9 bridge content plus the wider question bank across 28 subjects.

More guides: All revision guidesThe GCSE planBuild a timetable