ABSTRACT
In 1992 a national evaluation of Swedish compulsory school students’ knowledge and understanding of science was carried out in grade 9 (15 years of age). One of the areas investigated was gases and their properties, which was probed by five tasks. Two of these were as follows. (Percentage of students for each alternative in parenthesis, n=3103, random national sample. Gases and their properties are dealt with in grade 7.)
John draws air into a plastic syringe and seals the opening with a rubber stopper as shown in the picture. No air can now get into or out of the syringe. The distance from the bottom of the syringe to the piston is 10 cm (see picture). John holds the rubber stopper against a wall (see picture) and tries to push the piston into the syringe. What will happen? Mark one alternative!
