11 mark
State the type of engineering that turns raw materials into products such as fuels, plastics and medicines.
S3 Engineering Science · Contexts and Energy
Practice Test A
Answer everything, then mark it in one go.
30marks
30 minsuggested
13questions
Have a pen, your jotter and a calculator beside you. 30 marks in 30 minutes — about a minute a mark, like the real test.
Nothing is timed and nothing is sent anywhere — your answers stay on this device, so you can close the tab and come back.
Data booklet and calculator
You may use a calculator and the N4/N5 Engineering Science data booklet, as in the real test. Open the data booklet (PDF).
Write your answers in the boxes — a few words or a sentence is enough. Do any working and the energy diagram in your jotter. When you finish, the page marks the two calculations and you mark the rest against the mark scheme.
Section 1
10 marksShort answers — one mark each.
21 mark
Describe one task an electrical engineer might carry out.
31 mark
An engineer tests a new product and finds a fault. State the next stage in the design process.
41 mark
A large supermarket opens on the edge of a town. State one negative effect it could have on the economy of the town centre.
51 mark
Name the form of energy stored in food.
61 mark
A radio is plugged into the mains. State its input energy and its useful output energy.
71 mark
An electric fire gives out heat and light. State which of these is its useful output energy.
81 mark
State one benefit to the user of buying a more efficient appliance.
91 mark
State one way that using less electricity helps the environment.
101 mark
A team is about to build a model bridge. State one reason the team should agree a plan before it starts building.
Section 2
20 marksLonger answers. Where a question says explain, say what happens and why.
118 marks
An energy company plans to put underwater turbines in a fast tidal channel between two Orkney islands. The moving sea water turns the turbines, and a cable under the sea carries the electricity to the islands.
(a) Describe one task a civil engineer would carry out on this scheme.1
(b) The turbines are tested in a test tank before they are put into the sea. Explain why.1
(c) Describe one positive effect the scheme could have on the people living on the islands.1
(d) Describe one positive economic effect the scheme could have on Orkney.1
(e) Describe one positive and one negative effect of the scheme on the environment.2
(f) Name a real renewable energy project in Scotland, and describe one effect it has had.2
128 marks
An electric drill is used to build the turbine frames.
(a) In your jotter, draw an energy transfer diagram for the electric drill. Show the input energy, the useful output energy and one form of wasted energy.2
Draw this in your jotter. When you have finished, reveal the mark scheme and compare your drawing with the model answer.
(b) One tidal turbine takes in 8000 J of kinetic energy from the water and gives out 5200 J of electrical energy. Calculate its percentage efficiency.2
(c) The drill transfers 27 000 J of energy in 45 s. Calculate its power.2
(d) Explain why engineers want the tidal turbine to be as efficient as possible.1
(e) Explain why making electricity from the tide is better for the environment than burning gas in a power station.1
134 marks
A team's marble run is shown below. The marble rolls down two slopes, but it stops on the long flat section and never reaches the cup.
(a) Name the form of energy the marble has at the start, before it is let go.1
(b) Describe the energy change as the marble rolls down the first slope.1
(c) Explain why the marble stops on the flat section. Use the words kinetic energy and friction in your answer.1
(d) One team member suggests a fix. Describe how a good team would decide whether to use it.1
Your result
0out of 30
0%percentage
—indicative band
Bands are indicative only — they are a guide to where you are, not a grade.
Sources & credits: questions written for this site for S3 Engineering Science Test 1 revision. The N4/N5 Engineering Science Data Booklet is linked, not reproduced — © Qualifications Scotland (SQA). Diagrams drawn for this site. © R Stewart Physics, Electronics and Engineering · R Stewart - September 2026.