Scientific & Engineering Practices
Scientific & Engineering Practices 100 — What is the name for a testable prediction that you can investigate in an experiment?
Scientific & Engineering Practices 100 — Hypothesis. the intended variable, use appropriate tools.
100 — What is the smallest unit of an element that still retains the properties of that element?
Properties of Matter 100 — Atom.
Force & Motion 100 — What is Newton’s Second Law of Motion in words (relating force, mass, acceleration)?
Force & Motion 100 — Net force on an object equals mass times acceleration; acceleration is produced when a net force acts on a mass (F = ma).
In a transverse wave, what three characteristics describe the wave’s shape and size?
Amplitude, frequency, wavelength.
Name the three main galaxy types and state which galaxy contains our solar system.
Spiral, elliptical, irregular; our solar system is in the Milky Way (a spiral galaxy).
200 — When designing an investigation, name two safety practices or pieces of safety equipment students should use in the lab.
200 — Examples: safety goggles, lab apron, closed-toe shoes, tie back long hair; follow teacher instructions; know location of eye wash and fire extinguisher.
200 — Name one observable sign that a chemical change may have occurred (give an example).
200 — Examples: gas production (bubbles), color change, temperature change, precipitate formation; e.g., fizzing when vinegar and baking soda react.
200 — If a 2 kg cart accelerates at 3 m/s23 m/s2, what is the net force on the cart? (Show calculation.)
200 — Calculation: F=ma=2 kg×3 m/s2=6 N.F=ma=2 kg×3 m/s2=6 N.
How are wavelength and frequency related when wave speed is constant? (Describe qualitatively.)
If speed is constant, wavelength and frequency are inversely related: higher frequency → shorter wavelength.
Describe one way plate tectonics can change Earth’s surface (give an example).
Plate tectonics can form mountains, cause earthquakes, create ocean basins; example: mountain building at convergent boundaries.
300 — You collect temperature data every minute for 10 minutes and then compute the average. Which process standard step describes organizing data this way?
300 — Constructing tables/graphs and using means — organizing and analyzing data (8.1E, 8.1F, 8.2).
300 — Explain, using the idea of atoms, why mass is conserved during a chemical reaction in a closed system.
300 — Atoms are neither created nor destroyed in a closed system; chemical reactions rearrange atoms into new substances so total mass remains the same.
300 — Describe one real-world system where Newton’s three laws act together (briefly explain how each law is involved).
300 — Example: Car crash with seatbelts — Law 1: passenger continues forward unless stopped; Law 2: acceleration depends on net force and mass during collision; Law 3: forces between passenger and seatbelt are equal and opposite.
Identify the region of the electromagnetic spectrum that carries energy used to warm Earth’s surface and name one other use of electromagnetic waves listed in the standards.
Infrared and visible light help warm Earth; example other use: fiber optics (communication) or ultraviolet sterilization (application listed in SEs not included).
Explain how interactions between the Sun, hydrosphere, and atmosphere influence local weather (give one specific example).
Example: Sun provides energy that warms oceans (hydrosphere), which evaporate and form clouds (atmosphere), affecting local precipitation and temperature patterns.
400 — A class measures the heights of sunflowers each week to see growth patterns. Which recurring theme describes using repeated observations to find patterns and connections across disciplines?
400 — Pattern recognition / recurring themes (8.5).
400 — Classify the following as element, compound, homogeneous mixture, or heterogeneous mixture: salt water, iron, sugar dissolved in water, salad.
400 — salt water — homogeneous mixture; iron — element (or metal element); sugar dissolved in water — homogeneous mixture (solution); salad — heterogeneous mixture.
400 — A student draws a distance-time graph that is a horizontal line at distance = 5 m. What does this say about the object’s motion?
400 — Horizontal line at distance = 5 m means object is at rest (no change in distance over time).
A wave has amplitude 2 units. If the energy transported by the wave depends on the square of amplitude, by what factor does energy change when amplitude doubles? (Show explanation.)
Energy ∝ amplitude^2. If amplitude doubles (from A to 2A), energy multiplies by (2A)2/A2=4(2A)2/A2=4 — energy increases by factor of 4.
Describe one natural event and one human activity that can influence global climate, and name one piece of scientific evidence used to support climate-change explanations.
Natural: volcanic eruptions release aerosols that can cool or warm climate; Human: greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels. Evidence: ice core records, temperature data, CO2 measurements.
500 — Describe one way to evaluate an experimental design for reliability and one way to assess its validity.
500 — Reliability: repeat trials, check precision/consistency of measurements; Validity: control variables, ensure experiment tests only
500 — Given the chemical equation for photosynthesis, identify how the atoms are rearranged and explain why mass is conserved: 6CO2+6H2O→C6H12O6+6O26CO2+6H2O→C6H12O6+6O2
500 — Photosynthesis balances: 6 carbon dioxide and 12 hydrogen atoms on left become 6-carbon glucose and 12 hydrogen in glucose; count atoms of C, H, O on both sides to show conservation (teacher should check detailed atom counts).
500 — Explain the difference between speed and velocity and give an example of each.
500 — Speed is scalar (magnitude of motion), e.g., 10 m/s; velocity is vector (speed with direction), e.g., 10 m/s east.
Compare conduction, convection, and radiation by giving a classroom example of each.
Conduction: heat transfer through direct contact (metal spoon in hot water); Convection: heat transfer by fluid movement (hot air rising from a heater); Radiation: transfer through electromagnetic waves (warmth from sunlight).
Using the carbon cycle idea, explain how increased burning of fossil fuels can affect atmospheric CO2 and global climate.
Burning fossil fuels adds CO2 to atmosphere, increasing greenhouse gas concentration; this traps more heat and can alter climate — linked via carbon cycle processes (photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, combustion).