Practice Of Science
Life Science
Physical Science
Earth Science
Space Science
Matter
100
Gabby wondered how different liquids would affect the growth of sunflowers. To design an investigation, she planted three sunflower plants of the same size in the same type of pot. She placed all three pots next to each other where they would receive full sun. Once a day, each pot received a different liquid.
Pot A - 200 mL of coffee
Pot B - 200 mL of soda
Pot C - 200 mL of fruit juice
At the end of each week, she measured and graphed the growth of each plant. After four weeks, she analyzed her data to determine how each liquid affected the development of the sunflowers. What kind of scientific investigation did Gabby carry out?
A. Experimental
B. Comparative
C. Observation
Experimental
100
Gopher tortoises create their homes by digging holes in well-drained sandy soils throughout the southeast region of the United States. Sometimes, a Florida pine snake will use the empty hole to shelter from weather or fire. Which of the following demonstrates the same symbiotic relationship as the tortoise and the snake?
A. Tapeworms live in the digestive system and eat partially digested food, which eventually harms the host.
B. A Pseudoscorpion is a tiny scorpion with no stinger that moves from place to place by hitching a ride on much larger insects.
C. The goby fish lives in a tunnel in the sand with the blind shrimp. When a predator is near, the goby fish will touch the shrimp to warn it.
D. Moths lay eggs in the seedpods of the yucca plant. The moth larvae hatch and feed on some but not all the seeds, and the moth acts as a pollinator for the plant.
B. A Pseudoscorpion is a tiny scorpion with no stinger that moves from place to place by hitching a ride on much larger insects.
100
While visiting the park, you notice a dog chasing squirrels around a tree. As the dog runs around the tree, what distance would the greatest gravitational force between the dog and the tree be?
A. 0.5 meters
B. 1.0 meters
C. 1.5 meters
D. 2.0 meters
A. 0.5 meters
100
A forest fire was caused by a lightning strike in Split Oak Forest. Which of the following statements is a possible interaction of two spheres after the forest fire was put out?
A. The birds in the forest will have more nesting sites in trees.
B. The river will provide more water for the local plant and animal life.
C. The air will contain more water vapor, increasing the amount of rainfall.
D. The loss of plant life causes the land to become more exposed to erosion.
D. The loss of plant life causes the land to become more exposed to erosion.
100
Which of the following options describes the hierarchical relationship between astronomical bodies?
A. A nebula contains billions of stars, galaxies, and planets.
B. The Universe contains millions of stars and planets orbiting a galaxy.
C. A galaxy contains billions of solar systems, nebulae, planets, and billions of stars.
D. A solar system that includes a planet in the center with stars, moons, and asteroids orbiting it.
C. A galaxy contains billions of solar systems, nebulae, planets, and billions of stars.
100
How do the particles of wood compare to the particles of water?
A. The particles in the water and the wood both vibrate and move slowly.
B. The particles in the water vibrate and are tightly packed, and the particles in the wood slide past each other.
C. The particles in the wood vibrate and are tightly packed, and the particles in water slide past each other.
D. The particles in the wood are close together with no regular arrangement, and the particles in the water are well separated with a regular arrangement.
C. The particles in the wood vibrate and are tightly packed, and the particles in water slide past each other.
200
For one week, students in Dr. Phil's class recorded how much time they spent exercising. Each student measured their resting heart rate at the end of the week. The data is recorded in the graph below.
What conclusion can be made?
A. Heart rate remains unchanged regardless of how many hours of exercise.
B. Increasing the hours exercised will lower the students' heart rate.
C. Students who exercise more hours a week have a higher resting heart rate.
D. Decreasing the number of hours exercised will lower the students' heart rate.
B. Increasing the hours exercised will lower the students' heart rate.
200
The pedigree below shows a two-generation family.
Based on the information shown in the pedigree, what is the probability of individual II-1 being heterozygous?
A. 25%
B. 50%
C. 75%
D. 100%
B. 50%
200
A student collected the following data on three moving objects.
What conclusion can be drawn from the graph?
A. Object 3 is moving the fastest.
B. Object 2 changed speed after 30 seconds.
C. Object 1 is traveling twice as fast as Object 2.
D. Objects 1 and 2 are moving at the same constant speed.
C. Object 1 is traveling twice as fast as Object 2.
200
A sea breeze forms during the day, and a land breeze forms at night.
Which statement explains why wind direction changes from day to night?
A. The land quickly heats up during the day and stays warm at night.
B. The water quickly heats up during the day and stays warm at night.
C. The land quickly heats up during the day and the water stays warmer at night.
D. The water quickly heats up during the day and the land stays warmer at night.
C. The land quickly heats up during the day and the water stays warmer at night.
200
Jada, Kevin and Joshua are placing cards on a chart that shows the approximate size of Earth,the Milky Way, the Moon, the Sun and an asteroid. Their teacher put the Earth card in the correct place.
Which point on the chart best represents the approximate size of an asteroid?
Which point on the chart best represents the approximate size of an asteroid?
A. point 1
B. point 2
C. point 3
D. point 4
A. point 1
200
Which statement describes the location and charge of the electrons in an atom?
A. The electrons are inside the nucleus and have no charge.
B. The electrons are outside the nucleus and have no charge.
C. The electrons are inside the nucleus and have a negative charge.
D. The electrons are outside the nucleus and have a negative charge.
D. The electrons are outside the nucleus and have a negative charge
300
Mr. Brown asked four students why scientific investigations should be replicated. Below are their answers.
Which student response explains why scientific investigations should be replicated?
A. Xavier
B. Mia
C. Jessica
D. Shannon
D. Shannon
300
Joseph created the Punnett square below.
Which of the following correctly states the offspring probabilities?
Which of the following correctly states the offspring probabilities?
A. 100% heterozygous
B. 50% heterozygous, 50% homozygous dominant
C. 50% heterozygous, 50% homozygous recessive
D. 75% homozygous dominant, 25% homozygous recessive
C. 50% heterozygous, 50% homozygous recessive
300
Logan is pushing a cart with 75 N of force. If Gabriella wants to help Logan demonstrate balanced forces, what should she do?
A. Pull with a force of 75 N in the same direction as Logan.
B. Pull with a force of 150 N in the same direction as Logan.
C. Push with a force of 75 N in the opposite direction of Logan.
D. Push with a force of 150 N in the opposite direction of Logan.
.C. Push with a force of 75 N in the opposite direction of Logan.
300
George was texting his friend Sally about the temperature where he lived. George stated, "In July, the temperature here is always warm." What was he describing in his text?
A. Climate because it is weather over a long period of time.
B. Climate because it is the temperature at a particular time and place.
C. Weather because it is determined by the temperature and precipitation over time.
D. Weather because it is the condition of Earth’s atmosphere at a particular time and place.
A. Climate because it is weather over a long period of time.
300
The table below compiles information about four newly discovered stars and their apparent magnitude and absolute brightness.
Based on the data, which star would be the dimmest if all four stars were the same distance from Earth?
A. A
B. B
C. C
D. D
D. D
300
Ashley wants to compare the solubility of three materials: salt, sand, and flour. She fills three beakers with 500 mL of water each and adds the same amount of each solute to each beaker. The picture below shows the particles left after mixing.
Based on Ashley’s observations, what statement can she make about the solubility of the three materials?
A. Salt is the least soluble.
B. Sand is the least soluble.
C. Flour is the most soluble.
D. Sand is the most soluble.
B. Sand is the least soluble.
400
Best Friends Animal Society conducted an investigation to see where people get their pets.
The graph below shows the data that was collected.
What conclusion can be drawn from the graph above?
A. Cats are taken in as strays less than dogs are.
B. Dogs are acquired more from a litter or as strays than cats.
C. Dogs are adopted from shelters and rescues more than cats are.
D. Cats are purchased from breeders and pet stores less than dogs are.
D. Cats are purchased from breeders and pet stores less than dogs are.
400
What statement correctly identifies how body systems interact to maintain homeostasis?
A. After eating a meal, the circulatory system breaks down the food into usable nutrients that the excretory system can deliver throughout the body.
B. To maintain body temperature, the respiratory system carries heat throughout the body. The nervous system controls the production of sweat in the excretory system, which cools the body.
C. In order to heal an infected cut, the respiratory system will produce antibodies that will be transported to the area by the circulatory system. The circulatory system will then
transport any waste to the kidney for extraction.
D. While running, the musculoskeletal system requires more oxygen, so the respiratory system increases breathing rate. The circulatory system then responds by increasing heart rate to deliver more oxygenated blood to the musculoskeletal system.
D. While running, the musculoskeletal system requires more oxygen, so the respiratory system increases breathing rate. The circulatory system then responds by increasing heart rate to deliver more oxygenated blood to the musculoskeletal system.
400
A student is watching a basketball game on television and observes the ball's motion as if falling through the hoop. Which best describes the ball's energy as it falls through the hoop?
A. The total energy in the system increases.
B. The total energy in the system decreases.
C. The potential energy decreases as the kinetic energy increases.
D. The kinetic energy decreases as the potential energy increases.
C. The potential energy decreases as the kinetic energy increases.
400
While visiting a cave within a national park, Ava notices that some of the rock formations have deep grooves and are less detailed than others. The park ranger explains that the rock formations outside the cave entrance are more weathered than those deeper inside.
Which statement best explains why the rock formations outside the cave entrance are more weathered?
A. Physical weathering by the wind has blown sand against the formations, wearing them down.
B. Chemical weathering by animals moving through the cave has broken pieces off of the formations.
C. Slightly acidic rainwater has dissolved the rock formations over time through the process of chemical weathering.
D. Tree roots have grown into cracks in the formations, causing them to break apart through the process of physical weathering.
C. Slightly acidic rainwater has dissolved the rock formations over time through the process of chemical weathering.
400
Throughout history, different solar system models have been used to describe where the sun and planets are in relation to each other. Which statement below best compares the heliocentric model to the geocentric model?
A. The heliocentric model has the Sun at the center of the solar system, while the geocentric model does not.
B. The geocentric model has the Sun at the center of the solar system, while the heliocentric model does not.
C. The heliocentric model has the elliptical orbits of the solar system, while the geocentric model shows circular orbits.
D. The geocentric model shows the solar system's elliptical orbits, while the heliocentric model shows circular orbits.
A. The heliocentric model has the Sun at the center of the solar system, while the geocentric model does not.
400
Ethan is heating a substance and observes that it turns from a brown solid to a black powder. He then measures the properties of each and finds they are different. Which option below best summarizes Ethan's observation?
A. The brown solid changed color and size when he added heat, so he observed a physical change.
B. The brown solid became a new substance when he added heat, so he observed a physical change.
C. The brown solid became a new substance when he added heat, so he observed a chemical change.
D. The brown solid changed color when he added heat, so he observed matter being destroyed by a chemical change.
C. The brown solid became a new substance when he added heat, so he observed a chemical change.
500
A team of biology students conducted an investigation to test how four different solutions affect the volume of a raw chicken egg. Four identical raw chicken eggs were placed into four individual containers. Each container had a different solution. After 24 hours, the volume of each egg was measured and recorded. What is the test variable (independent variable) in this investigation?
A. type of egg used
B. mass of the egg used
C. final volume of the eggs
D. type of solution in the container
D. type of solution in the container
500
B. Organism A would be in Kingdom Plantae, while Organism B would be in Kingdom Fungi.
500
A student tosses a ball and watches as it falls back to Earth.
Which statement below best describes the energy of the ball based on this model?
A. The ball is transforming potential energy into kinetic energy as it moves from X to Y.
B. The ball is transforming kinetic energy into potential energy as it moves from X to Y.
C. The ball is transforming kinetic energy into potential energy as it moves from Y to Z.
D. The ball is transforming potential energy into kinetic energy as it moves from W to X.
A. The ball is transforming potential energy into kinetic energy as it moves from X to Y.
500
Two students are discussing the processes that form the different rocks near mountains and lakes. Which choice below compares the formation of rocks at these locations?
A. Mountains push weathered rocks underneath tectonic plates to form sedimentary rocks inside the mantle. Rivers erode igneous rocks over time to form metamorphic rock.
B. Sedimentary rock is formed from the heat and pressure in between tectonic plates to form mountains. Rivers deliver weathered rock to lake beds and form igneous rock over long periods of time.
C. Metamorphic rock is formed by heat and pressure of tectonic plates is then pushed up to form mountains. Rivers deliver weathered rocks into lake beds forming sedimentary rock as more layers are added.
D. Igneous rock is formed by volcanoes releasing magma from the mantle, the rock cools and piles up forming a mountain. Rivers direct water to cool magma underground forming metamorphic rock under lake beds.
C. Metamorphic rock is formed by heat and pressure of tectonic plates is then pushed up to form mountains. Rivers deliver weathered rocks into lake beds forming sedimentary rock as more layers are added.
500
Use the image below to answer the following question.
Which statement describes what events will occur?
A. A Neap Tide will occur during a New Moon or Full Moon because the gravitational attraction between the Sun and Moon on the water is the weakest.
B. A Spring Tide will occur during a New Moon or Full Moon because the gravitational attraction between the Sun and Moon on the water is the strongest.
C. A Neap Tide will occur during the First or Third Quarter Moon because the gravitational attraction between the Sun and Moon on the water is the strongest.
D. A Spring Tide will occur during the First or Third Quarter Moon because the gravitational attraction between the Sun and Moon on the water is the weakest.
B. A Spring Tide will occur during a New Moon or Full Moon because the gravitational attraction between the Sun and Moon on the water is the strongest.
500
Kayla combines a black liquid and a clear liquid. She observes that the two liquids do not mix. Kayla allows the mixture to settle for 30 minutes.
Which of the statements below best describes the properties of the two liquids?
A. The clear liquid is less dense than the black liquid.
B. The clear liquid is more dense than the black liquid.
C. The volume of the clear liquid is less than the black liquid.
D. The volume of the clear liquid is greater than the black liquid.
A. The clear liquid is less dense than the black liquid.
600
Daniel and Alex are both scientists. Daniel is investigating different fuel sources for cars in the future. He conducts three trials and then shows Alex his results from each trial. Alex is confused about Daniel’s results, so he decides to conduct the investigation for himself. Which scientific process did each scientist use?
A. Alex and Daniel used each other's data to compare their results.
B. Alex and Daniel used the same hypothesis to compare their results.
C. Daniel used repetition in his experiment, while Alex used replication.
D. Daniel used replication in his experiment, while Alex used repetition.
C. Daniel used repetition in his experiment, while Alex used replication.
600
Which of the following correctly describes the difference between mitosis and meiosis?
A. Mitosis produces two genetically identical cells and meiosis produces two genetically different cells.
B. Mitosis produces two genetically different cells and meiosis produces two genetically identical cells.
C. Mitosis produces four genetically different cells and meiosis produces two genetically identical cells.
D. Mitosis produces two genetically identical cells and meiosis produces four genetically different cells.
D. Mitosis produces two genetically identical cells and meiosis produces four genetically different cells.
600
Examine the following image.
Which statement describes how visible light interacts with the leaf?
A. Red light is absorbed while all other colors are refracted.
B. Red light is reflected while all other colors are absorbed.
C. Red light is refracted while all other colors are absorbed.
D. Red light is absorbed while all other colors are reflected.
B. Red light is reflected while all other colors are absorbed.
600
Heat generated by the core is passed to the mantle by conduction. Which option below best describes how the flow of heat through the mantle affects the movement of the Earth's tectonic plates?
A. Heated material in the mantle rises towards the crust through convection, which causes plate motion.
B. Heat conducted from the Earth's mantle moves tectonic plates due to the gravitational pull from the Earth's core.
C. Heat is transferred from the mantle to the crust by radiation, which then causes the plates to move on the surface.
D. Heated material in the mantle rises to the surface by radiation, which causes the crust to harden and move the plates.
A. Heated material in the mantle rises towards the crust through convection, which causes plate motion.
600
Use the image of the Earth and Sun below to answer the following question.
Which season is occurring in each hemisphere at Point C?
A. The Northern Hemisphere is fall and the Southern Hemisphere is spring.
B. The Northern Hemisphere is spring and the Southern Hemisphere is fall.
C. The Northern Hemisphere is winter and the Southern Hemisphere is summer.
D. The Northern Hemisphere is summer and the Southern Hemisphere is winter.
A. The Northern Hemisphere is fall and the Southern Hemisphere is spring.
600
The image below contains a list of common household cleaners and their pH levels.
The more basic a solution is, the better it performs as a cleaning agent. Which of the following would make the best cleaning agent and why?
A. Vinegar would be the best cleaner because it has a pH of 3.
B. Tile Cleaner would be the best cleaner because it has a pH of 12.
C. Soap would be the best cleaner because it has a pH greater than 7.
D. Toilet Bowl Cleaner would be the best cleaner because it has a pH of 2.
B. Tile Cleaner would be the best cleaner because it has a pH of 12.
700
Below is a graph of the data collected by a physicist while investigating the relationship between the distance between objects and gravity.
Which conclusion is supported by the data the physicist collected?
A. The force of gravity decreases the closer two objects are.
B. The force of gravity increases the further apart two objects are.
C. The force of gravity decreases the further apart two objects are.
D. The force of gravity stays the same even when the distance changes.
C. The force of gravity decreases the further apart two objects are.
700
Below is a debate between students after examining a fossil.
What steps would a student most likely take following this debate to determine a scientific
conclusion?
A. Compare the dinosaur fossil to dinosaur bones discovered by students at a museum.
B. Share their findings in order to compare them with accepted findings from the scientific community.
C. Pick a scientist who studies fossils to decide which student came up with the best hypothesis about the fossil.
D. Read a paper published by a professor at a university and base all further decisions on the evidence found in that paper.
B. Share their findings in order to compare them with accepted findings from the scientific community.
700
Which list below shows the correct order of the electromagnetic spectrum from shortest to longest wavelength?
A. radio waves, microwaves, x-ray waves
B. microwaves, radio waves, ultraviolet waves
C. x-ray waves, visible Light waves, microwaves
D. visible Light waves, ultraviolet waves, microwaves
C. x-ray waves, visible Light waves, microwaves
700
Use the following rock cycle model to answer the following question.
Which of the following events must occur at point 6 in order to transform sedimentary rock into igneous rock?
A. Shifting tectonic plates push the sedimentary rock toward the poles, where it freezes and hardens into igneous rock.
B. Extreme winds and storms weather the sedimentary rock into particles, which collect in
rivers and are compacted into igneous rock.
C. Rising oceans erode mountains of sedimentary rock into particles, which sink and get compacted into layers that form igneous rock.
D. Tectonic plates push against each other, driving sedimentary rock under Earth's surface, where it melts into magma and turns into igneous rock as it cools.
D. Tectonic plates push against each other, driving sedimentary rock under Earth's surface, where it melts into magma and turns into igneous rock as it cools.
700
Predict what you would see if you looked to the sky when the Earth, Moon, and Sun were in the following alignment.
A. Full Moon
B. Solar Eclipse
C. Lunar Eclipse
D. 1st Quarter Moon
B. Solar Eclipse
700
Soda water is formed by mixing carbon dioxide (CO2) with distilled water (H2O). How would you classify soda water and distilled water?
A. Soda water and distilled water are both heterogeneous mixtures.
B. Soda water is a homogeneous mixture and distilled water is a pure substance.
C. Soda water is a pure substance while distilled water is a homogeneous mixture.
D. Soda water and distilled water contain hydrogen and oxygen, therefore they are both pure substances.
B. Soda water is a homogeneous mixture and distilled water is a pure substance.