Planets
Maria created a table to show some common characteristics of the planets in our Solar System.
The table stated:
Common Characteristics of Planets
are nearly round
?
rotate on an axis
Which characteristic should Maria enter for the question mark?
A. made mostly of gas
B. have a rocky surface
C. revolve around a star
D. is a satellite of another planet
C. revolve around a star
Which BEST shows a chemical change occurred?
A. Change in shape
B. Formation of a new substance
C. Change in size
D. Change in state
B. Formation of a new substance
A student observes a light fixture hanging from a long chain that is attached to the ceiling. The student claims that there are balanced forces acting on the light fixture. Which of the following statements best supports the student’s claim?
A The light fixture pulls on the chain.
B The light fixture is attracted to gravity.
C The light fixture remains in one position.
D The light fixture is connected to the ceiling.
E The student is swinging from the light fixture.
C. The light fixture remains in one position.
What kind of weather would be expected if cirrus clouds are in the sky?
A. Cirrus clouds form when it is going to turn cold.
B. Cirrus clouds appear just before storms form.
C. Cirrus clouds mean fair weather is coming.
D. Cirrus clouds come before strong winds.
C. Cirrus clouds mean fair weather is coming.
Mr. Gonzalez adds 10 grams (g) of salt to a jar of water and 10 g of sand to another jar of water. He places a lid on each jar and shakes each jar for 10 seconds.
Then, he allows the jars to sit on a table for five minutes. What should Mr. Gonzalez expect to observe after five minutes?
A. Both the salt and the sand dissolved in the water.
B. Both the salt and the sand settled to the bottom of the jar.
C. The salt settled to the bottom of the jar, and the sand dissolved in the water.
D. The salt dissolved in the water, and the sand settled to the bottom of the jar.
D. The salt dissolved in the water, and the sand settled to the bottom of the jar.
The diagram shows a model of the Solar System. Each planet is represented by a different type of fruit to show their relative sizes. (see picture)
Which fruit in this model best represents Earth?
A. Watermelon
B. Apple
C. Pear
D. Orange
C. Pear
Dr. Kurtz baked a tray of cookies in the oven. He observed the cookie dough before and after baking and noticed the dough had changed.
Which of the following best supports the conclusion that a chemical change occurred, rather than a physical change?
A. The cookies changed in color and odor as they baked.
B. The cookies melted in the oven and hardened after cooling.
C. The cookies expanded and changed in size as they heated.
D. The cookies became firmer after they cooled on the counter.
A. The cookies changed in color and odor as they baked.
A student is shopping with her father and observes that it is harder to push the shopping cart as more items are placed into the cart. Which of the following statements gives the most likely reason for her observation?
A. As more items are loaded into the cart, the air resistance increases.
B. As more items are loaded into the cart, the balanced force increases.
C. As more items are placed into the cart, the mass of the load increases.
D. As more items are placed into the cart, the height of the load increases
E. The student put her father in the cart
C. As more items are placed into the cart, the mass of the load increases.
Oceans are an essential part of the water cycle and are connected to all bodies of water on Earth. Which two processes remove and return water to the oceans?
A. humidity and precipitation
B. humidity and condensation
C. evaporation and precipitation
D. evaporation and condensation
C. evaporation and precipitation
Students were investigating which situation would dissolve sugar in water the fastest. Which situation would most likely produce the fastest results?
A. water at 32 °F, and students stir mixture
B. water at 104 °F, and students do not stir mixture
C. water at 104 °F, and students stir mixture
D. water at 120 °F, and students do not stir mixture
C. water at 104 °F, and students stir mixture
Part A: Which planets are considered the inner planets?
A. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
B. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
C. Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune
D. Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus
Which planets are considered the outer planets?
A. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
B. Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn
C. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
D. Venus, Earth, Uranus, Neptune
Part A: B. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
Part B: C. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
Ms. Lowman is investigating changes in materials. Which of the following describes an example of a material undergoing a chemical change to become a completely new material with different characteristics?
A. Iron turns to rust when it is exposed to oxygen.
B. Ice cubes melt into liquid at high temperatures.
C. Boiling water turns into water vapor, which is a gas.
D. Water vapor becomes liquid at a very low temperature.
A. Iron turns to rust when it is exposed to oxygen.
A clock displays time with numbers that light up, as shown below.
Which type of energy transformation causes the numbers to appear as shown?
A heat to light
B sound to light
C electrical to light
D mechanical to light
C electrical to light
The Sun shining on the surface of a lake heats up the air just above the water.
Which of the following best explains what will happen as the air temperature increases?
A. The number of waves on the surface of the lake will decrease.
B. The warmer air will rise as the cold air sinks and takes its place.
C. The cooler air will rise as the warm air sinks and takes its place.
D. The movement of air will decrease above the lake as the warm air rises.
B. The warmer air will rise as the cold air sinks and takes its place.
Warm air rises!
Cold air sinks!
Which form of sugar will dissolve first when they are both placed in water at the same time? (see picture)
A. The block will dissolve first because it has less surface area.
B. The sheet will dissolve first because it has more surface area.
C. The sheet will dissolve first because it has less mass than the block.
D. The sheet and the block have the same mass, so they will take the same amount of time to dissolve.
B. The sheet will dissolve first because it has more surface area.
Why are inner planets usually warmer than outer planets?
A. They are bigger
B. They are closer to the Sun
C. They have more moons
D. They spin faster
B. They are closer to the Sun
Ms. McNeill’s class is preparing for a science fair. One group is investigating changes in matter using three different materials: ice cubes, sugar, and wood chips.
They set up three stations:
Station 1: Ice cubes are placed in a warm container. After 20 minutes, the ice becomes liquid water.
Station 2: Sugar is stirred into warm water. The sugar disappears, but the water tastes sweet.
Station 3: Wood chips are placed in a metal container and heated over a flame. The wood turns black, produces smoke, and leaves behind a powdery substance.
Which statement BEST describes what is happening at each station?
A. All three stations show physical changes because all materials are affected by heat or water.
B. Station 1 and Station 2 show chemical changes because the substances change form, while Station 3 shows a physical change.
C. Station 1 shows a physical change, Station 2 shows a physical change (dissolving), and Station 3 shows a chemical change because a new substance is formed.
D. Station 1 shows a chemical change, Station 2 shows a chemical change, and Station 3 shows a physical change because nothing is lost.
C. Station 1 shows a physical change, Station 2 shows a physical change (dissolving), and Station 3 shows a chemical change because a new substance is formed.
Lilly moves a cart up a hill and stops, as shown. Which of the following descriptions best explains why the cart is NOT moving? (see picture)
A. Lilly applies a force so that the forces are balanced.
B. Lilly applies a force that changes the direction of the forces.
C. Lilly applies a force that is less than the forces pulling on the cart.
D. Lilly applies a force that decreases the other forces pulling on the cart.
A. Lilly applies a force so that the forces are balanced.
Mrs. Garrison is learning about clouds and the weather they relate to. Which type of cloud can result in thunderstorms?
A. Cirrus
B. Stratus
C. Cumulus
D. Cumulonimbus
D. Cumulonimbus
Which material would be the easiest to separate using the sieve? (see picture)
A. salt
B. sugar
C. rocks
D. shampoo
C. rocks
A newly discovered planet is very large, has many moons, is made mostly of gas, and is located far from the Sun.
Which type of planet is it MOST likely?
A. Inner planet
B. Terrestrial planet
C. Outer planet
D. Dwarf planet
C. Outer planet
A student claims that melting ice and burning wood are both physical changes because both involve heat.
Which statement BEST evaluates the claim?
A. The claim is correct because both use heat
B. The claim is incorrect because burning forms a new substance
C. The claim is correct because all changes with heat are physical
D. The claim is incorrect because melting creates a new substance
B. The claim is incorrect because burning forms a new substance
A group of students is testing how different forces affect the motion of a toy car. They run three trials on the same ramp:
Trial 1: The car is released from the top of a smooth ramp and rolls a long distance.
Trial 2: The same car is released from the same height, but sand is added to the ramp to make it rough. The car rolls a shorter distance.
Trial 3: The ramp is kept smooth, but a second car (heavier than the first) is released from the same height. It travels about the same distance as the first car in Trial 1.
Which statement BEST explains the results of all three trials?
A. Heavier objects always travel farther than lighter objects because they have more energy.
B. The force of gravity changes in each trial, causing different distances traveled.
C. Friction affects how far an object moves, but mass does not greatly change motion when the ramp is the same.
D. Objects only move farther when they are pushed instead of released from rest.
C. Friction affects how far an object moves, but mass does not greatly change motion when the ramp is the same.
Dr. J is learning about the effects of air pressure on the weather. What effect does high pressure usually have on the weather?
Clear dry skies
"Happy" Weather
Low pressure means bad weather
Mr. Zedd mixes cooking oil and vinegar in a beaker. He records his observations and his inferences about the mixture. Which of the following statements is an observation about this mixture rather than an inference?
A. The liquids form two separate layers.
B. The cooking oil will never completely mix with vinegar.
C. The cooking oil floats because it has less mass than the vinegar.
D. The liquids will take the shape of any container into which they are poured.
E. Mr. Zedd should not drink the cooking oil and vinegar.
A. The liquids form two separate layers.