Physics test question drops clanger on basics

By STUART DYE

Puzzled students were left scratching their heads after an NCEA slip-up meant they faced an unanswerable question.

A physics paper, part of the level one science exam, asked students to name two vertical forces acting on a ball, hit straight up in the air, at its highest point.

But at its highest point, the ball only has one force acting on it - gravity.

"The other force I assume examiners wanted, friction, is only acting when the ball is rising and not at the peak," said Paul Keestra, a science teacher at Sacred Heart College in Glendowie, Auckland.

The bungle was made worse when a second part to the question asked students to explain whether the forces were balanced or unbalanced at the highest point.

Mr Keestra said one pupil had approached him at the end of the exam, concerned that he didn't understand the question.

The brighter students would realise there was a mistake, but be unable to decide how to answer the question, he said.

"It penalises them because they will have wasted time trying to work it out."

It was a "basic scientific error" which he had spotted straight away, despite not being a physicist. The NZ Qualification Authority's proof-reading process was "obviously seriously remiss", Mr Keestra said.

About 40,000 students sat the level one science exam on Wednesday afternoon.

NZQA insisted last night none of them would be disadvantaged by the mistake.

"There's clearly been an error and we are disappointed by that," said Andrew Kear, NZQA spokesman.

"But there are processes to ensure any disadvantage [students] suffer is compensated for."

Mr Kear said there were rigorous measures in place to check exam papers before students sat them. "This has slipped through and we're sorry for that. Mistakes are not common but they do happen."

Today's timetable

Morning: Geography level one and three, Latin/Chinese level two, Physics scholarship.

Afternoon: Latin/Chinese level one and three, Geography level two, History scholarship.