Earth and Space
Some buildings and homes are heated by energy produced from an alternative to fossil fuels. Which of these is an example of a building or home heated using an alternative energy source?
A. A home heated by energy generated by a hydroelectric dam
B. A building that has emergency electric generators that run on gasoline
C. A home heated by energy produced from a coal power plant in a city
D. A building that has furnaces powered by natural gas
A. A home heated by energy generated by a hydroelectric dam
A student observing birds in a park records some ways that birds interact with living and nonliving parts of their environment. All the following observations are ways that a bird interacts with nonliving parts of its environment except —
A. reacting to morning sunlight by singing
B. drinking and taking a bath in a puddle of water
C. responding to cold temperatures by fluffing its feathers
D. feeding insects to its chicks
D. feeding insects to its chicks
Two wires carrying electricity can create a spark if they come too close together. This spark can start a fire. Wires carrying electricity are usually covered with plastic to keep them from starting a fire. Why does the plastic keep the electricity from starting a fire?
A. Plastic is a good insulator.
B. Plastic can melt when heated.
C. Plastic is softer than wire.
D. Plastic conducts electricity.
A. Plastic is a good insulator.
A toy oven uses a lightbulb to bake small cakes. What types of energy does the toy oven use to bake the cakes?
A. Electrical and thermal
B. Mechanical and electrical
C. Thermal and mechanical
D. Light and sound
A. Electrical and thermal
Imagine an athlete hitting a ball with a tennis racquet.
What is the athlete demonstrating in the picture?
A. Doing work by pushing the ball and changing its motion and position.
B. Changing the position but not the motion of the ball.
C. Doing work by pulling the racquet and changing the ball's position but not its motion.
D. Changing the position and motion of the ball without doing any work.
A. Doing work by pushing the ball and changing its motion and position.
Which list contains only processes that must occur in order for fossil fuels to form?
A. Formation of faults, burial, glacier formation
B. Organism growth, burial, volcanic eruptions
C. Organism growth, burial, compaction
D. Erosion, burial, earthquakes
C. Organism growth, burial, compaction
The shells of sea turtles are flatter than the shells of land turtles.
Sea turtles are also different from land turtles because sea turtles cannot pull their head or limbs into their shell to protect themselves from predators. Instead, the head, shell shape, and flippers of sea turtles help them escape from predators mainly by allowing them to —
A. dig deep holes for their eggs
B. swim and dive easily
C. blend into their surroundings
D. hold their breath for several minutes
B. swim and dive easily
A student combined powdered paint with water to make a small amount of a blue liquid paint mixture. The student left the paint mixture in an open container. Several days later the student found the container and observed that changes had occurred. What most likely happened to the mixture?
A. The container was empty after the mixture evaporated into the air.
B. The paint evaporated, leaving only clear water in the container.
C. The water evaporated, leaving only a dry blue solid in the container.
D. The liquid paint mixture was lighter in color after some water evaporated.
C. The water evaporated, leaving only a dry blue solid in the container.
Which object requires only mechanical energy to perform its main function?
A. Hammer
B. Fan
C. Thermometer
D. Iron
A. Hammer
Below is a list of the characteristics of four types of animals.
*Muskrat: small mammal; body that is about 32 cm long; long, scaly tail; back feet that are partially webbed
*Mallard: Migratory bird; flat, webbed feet; males and females have different colored feathers
*Mink: Small mammal; about 61 cm long; thick fur; eats small mammals, birds, and fish
*Western Grebe:Migratory bird; black and white feathers; hunts by diving and spearing fish
What features do the ecosystems in which these animals live most likely have in common?
A. Dry, rocky mountains
B. Forests of pine trees
C. Tall, spiny cacti
D. Lakes and rivers
The size and shape of a delta can change over time.
The size and shape of this delta over time are NOT likely to be changed by —
A. the number and height of tides along the shore
B. the amount and size of sediments carried by the river and streams
C. the amount of hunting and fishing in the delta
D. the number and size of waves from the ocean that reach the shore
C. the amount of hunting and fishing in the delta
Tropical climates have warm temperatures and abundant sunlight all year. What must be available for plants in these climates to make their own food throughout the year?
A. Bacteria
B. Birds
C. Shade
D. Water
D. Water
A student is asked to design a sleeve for a cup that will insulate thermal energy and not feel hot to the touch when the cup is filled with hot liquid.
The student has four materials to choose from. Which of these materials is least useful as an insulator?
A. Cardboard
B. Aluminum
C. Rubber
D. Plastic
B. Aluminum
Some students are feeding a crab in an aquarium. They use tongs to place the food directly in front of the crab.
The students look through the side of the aquarium. They notice that the image of the tongs appears to break as the tongs enter the water.
Which property of light are the students observing in this situation?
A. Light can be refracted and separated into different colors as it moves from air to a different medium.
B. Light is refracted as it moves from one medium to another medium.
C. Light travels in a straight line and can be reflected off the surface of water.
D. Light is absorbed by water and reflected off glass.
B. Light is refracted as it moves from one medium to another medium.
A group of students is performing an investigation to measure how much liquid water is produced from a 10 L sample of snow. What must occur in order for the students to perform this investigation?
A. The sample must be kept in a freezer.
B. The temperature of the sample must change.
C. The investigation must be performed outside.
D. The physical state of the sample must remain the same.
B. The temperature of the sample must change.
A student builds a model of the solar system that includes a sphere representing Earth. The sphere turns in a full circle on its axis.
By using a model of Earth that spins on its axis, the student can best demonstrate —
A. the cycle of the four seasons
B. the aging of a star
C. the passing of a year
D. the cycle of day and night
D. the cycle of day and night
Some traits of living organisms are inherited, while some behaviors must be learned. Which statement related to inherited traits or learned behaviors is not correct?
A. The ability of a figure skater to spin on ice is related to both inherited traits and learned behaviors.
B. The ability of lions to use camouflage to hide in grassy fields is an inherited trait only.
C. The number and type of legs a cricket has is an inherited trait only.
D. The behavior of a dog guiding a blind person on a walk through a neighborhood is an inherited trait only.
D. The behavior of a dog guiding a blind person on a walk through a neighborhood is an inherited trait only.
Some ways to separate mixtures are listed below.
1. Boil the mixture to evaporate the water.
2. Pass a magnet over the mixture.
3. Pour the mixture through a paper filter.
4. Use tweezers.
A student is given a beaker containing gravel and water. Which of these ways could the student NOT use to separate the gravel from the water?
1, 2, 3, or 4?
2
A student conducts an investigation by shining a flashlight toward a flat mirror. The student changes the angle of the mirror and observes the path of the reflected light.
As the mirror changes direction, the light reaching the mirror can reach the ceiling because the light —
A. travels in straight lines and reflects from the surface of the mirror
B.refracts in the glass of the mirror and is spread out all over the room
C. enters the mirror and changes direction when it is refracted by the back of the mirror
D. travels through air and does not change its direction in air
A. travels in straight lines and reflects from the surface of the mirror
A student records the following information about a planet.
*Its largest moon is named Titan.
*It is made up mostly of gases.
*It is surrounded by rings.
*It is the sixth planet from the sun.
Which planet is the student studying?
A. Saturn
B. Uranus
C. Jupiter
D. Mars
A. Saturn
Erosion is one of the processes involved in the formation of sedimentary rock. Which of these best describes the process of erosion?
A. Rocks are broken into smaller pieces that remain in the same location.
B. Pressure compacts layers of sediment and turns them into rock.
C. Pieces of rock or soil are carried from one place to another.
D. Sediment grains fall to the bottom of a lake to form sedimentary layers.
C. Pieces of rock or soil are carried from one place to another.
What would most likely happen to the carbon dioxide–oxygen cycle if Earth’s large forests were all cut down?
A. There would be more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere because fewer plants would be using it to produce their own food.
B. The remaining plants would stop producing carbon dioxide, and animals would use less oxygen.
C. The remaining plants would produce more oxygen, and animals would produce less carbon dioxide.
D. There would be more oxygen in the atmosphere because fewer plants would be using it to produce their own food.
A. There would be more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere because fewer plants would be using it to produce their own food.
For an investigation a teacher dropped a bolt into a container of maple syrup and asked students to remove it without touching the syrup. The students first tried to use a strong magnet to remove the bolt, but it remained on the bottom of the container. They finally poured the syrup into another container to get the bolt out.
Which of these best describes some of the bolt's physical properties?
A. The bolt is magnetic and has the same density as the maple syrup.
B. The bolt is nonmagnetic and more dense than the maple syrup.
C. The bolt is nonmagnetic and less dense than the maple syrup.
D. The bolt is magnetic and less dense than the maple syrup.
B. The bolt is nonmagnetic and more dense than the maple syrup.
A family was vacationing in the mountains in a cabin that had no electrical power. They needed boiling water in order to prepare dried soup mix.
With no electrical energy available, which method would most likely provide enough thermal energy to quickly heat the water to boiling?
A. Using a microwave oven to heat water in a glass jar for 3 minutes
B. Shaking the water in a closed, insulated plastic bottle for 3 minutes
C. Shining a battery-powered flashlight on a metal container of water for 10 minutes
D. Placing a metal pot of water over glowing charcoal in an outdoor grill for 10 minutes.
D. Placing a metal pot of water over glowing charcoal in an outdoor grill for 10 minutes.
A student builds a model of the solar system that includes a sphere representing Earth. The sphere turns in a full circle on its axis.
By using a model of Earth that spins on its axis, the student can best demonstrate —
A. the cycle of the four seasons
B. the aging of a star
C. the passing of a year
D. the cycle of day and night
D. The cycle of day and night