Physical Science
Technology and Engineering
Earth and Space
Life Science
Mystery
100
Chris left a glass of water on a windowsill. When he looked at the glass a few days later, some of the water had evaporated. Which of the following best describes what happened to the particles of water that evaporated?
A. They became larger in size.
B. They spread out into the air.
C. They were absorbed by the glass.
D. They passed through the glass into the air.
B. They spread out into the air
100
Which of the following statements best describes a complex machine?
A. It is designed to move with a motor.
B. It is constructed from machine-made parts.
C. It is made of more than one simple machine.
D. It is built from more than one type of material.
C. It is made of more than one simple machine.
100
A student observed a rock made up of many small particles of sand arranged in light-colored layers and dark-colored layers. Which of the following statements describes how this type of rock most likely formed?
A. Clay was crushed and frozen under a glacier.
B. Lava from a volcano cooled quickly in water.
C. River sediments were slowly compacted and cemented together.
D. Mineral deposits hardened into solid rock in underground caves.
C. River sediments were slowly compacted and cemented together.
100
Which of the following best explains why many species of birds in New England fly south for the winter months?
A. to find a place to hibernate
B. to move away from strong sunlight
C. to find an environment with
more food
D. to move away from crowded
environments
C. to find an environment with more food
100
Which of the following organisms would most likely get its food energy only from consumers?
A. deer
B. grass
C. hawk
D. mushroom
C. hawk
200
Jose has two bar magnets. He pushes the ends of the two magnets together and then he lets go. The magnets move quickly apart. Which of the following statements best explains why this happens?
A. The north poles of the two magnets are facing each other.
B. One magnet is a north pole and one magnet is a south pole.
C. The ends of magnets repel each other but the centers attract.
D. One magnet is storing energy and one magnet is releasing energy.
A. The north poles of the two magnets are facing each other.
200
Andrea has a wooden board that is 3 m long, as shown below.
Which of the following pairs of tools would be best for Andrea to use to cut the board into three pieces of equal length?
A. a saw and an ax
B. an ax and a hammer
C. a tape measure and a saw
D. a hammer and a tape measure
C. A tape measure and a saw
200
Approximately how long does Earth take to complete its orbit around the Sun?
A. one day
B. one month
C. one year
D. one century
C. one year
200
Some types of trees are able to survive the heat of a forest fire. Which of the following characteristics would best help a tree survive a fire?
A. large leaves
B. shallow roots
C. thick bark
D. thin trunks
C. thick bark
200
Which of the following is most likely a learned behavior?
A. using a fork to eat
B. jumping at a loud noise
C. squinting in a bright light
D. sneezing when smelling a flower
A. using a fork to eat
300
Francis plugged a toaster into an electric outlet. He put a piece of bread in the toaster and turned the toaster on. While the toaster was on, it changed the electrical energy from the outlet into other forms of energy. Which form of energy toasted the bread?
A. chemical
B. heat
C. magnetic
D. sound
B. Heat
300
The picture below shows tongs
The tongs work as which of the following simple machines?
A. inclined plane
B. lever
C. pulley
D. wedge
B. lever
300
Which of the following is most likely to
make a rock crack and crumble?
A. dew evaporating on the rock
B. leaves decaying on the rock
C. snow melting in a crack in the rock
D. water freezing in a crack in the rock
D. water freezing in a crack in the rock
300
All the ponds in an area dried up during a drought. The population of which of the following animals that live in the area is most affected by the drought?
A. deer
B. frog
C. hawk
D. squirrel
B. frog
300
Which of the following best describes a mineral?
A. a solid natural material with a crystal structure
B. a material that was once living but has decayed
C. a liquid chemical used to make soil more fertile
D. a nutrient produced by plants that other organisms need
A. a solid natural material with a crystal structure
400
Which of the following metals will be attracted to a magnet?
A. copper
B. gold
C. iron
D. silver
Iron
400
Rachel purchased a kit for making a skateboard ramp. Which of the following is most important to have for putting the ramp together?
A. a picture showing the colors of different ramp parts
B. a diagram showing some ways to use the ramp
C. a list of prices for other available kits
D. a set of instructions for the kit materials
D. a set of instructions for the kit materials
400
During most of the year, the air over Boston, Massachusetts, contains a high amount of moisture. Which of the following best explains why there is a high amount of moisture in the air?
A. Boston is close to an ocean.
B. Boston is at a low elevation.
C. Boston is near many mountains.
D. Boston is far north of the equator.
A. Boston is close to an ocean.
400
Which of the following characteristics will best prevent a tree from being blown over by high winds during a storm?
A. deep roots
B. long branches
C. thick bark
D. wide leaves
A. deep roots
400
Which of the following data would be most useful for describing the climate of a specific area?
A. average weekly wind speeds for 1 month
B. daily relative humidity levels for 18 months
C. total annual precipitation amounts for 2 years
D. average high and low monthly temperatures for 20 years
D. average high and low monthly temperatures for 20 years
500
A student hears the sound of a bell. Which of the following carries the sound of the bell to the student?
A. electrical currents
B. magnetic signals
C. radio waves
D. vibrating air
D. Vibrating Air
500
Lyle is planning to buy a microwave oven. He will put it in his kitchen in the space labeled in the diagram below.
In order to be sure he can put the microwave oven in the space in the kitchen, which of the following questions should Lyle ask before buying the microwave oven?
A. Is the microwave oven powered by electricity?
B. Does the microwave oven have an automatic timer?
C. What are the measurements of the microwave oven?
D. How many power levels does the microwave oven have?
C. What are the measurements of the microwave oven?
500
Which of the following statements best explains why stars appear to move across Earth’s sky each night?
A. Earth rotates on its axis.
B. The stars orbit each other.
C. Earth revolves around the Sun.
D. The stars rotate with the Moon.
A. Earth rotates on its axis.
500
Which of the following characteristics is a lion least likely to pass on to its offspring?
A. colors of its fur
B. length of its tail
C. scars on its leg
D. size of its body
C. scars on its leg
500
An area received six inches of snow during the winter. Before the snow can continue through the water cycle as ground water or runoff, it must first
A. condense.
B. evaporate.
C. freeze.
D. melt.
D. melt.
