Scientific Investigation
Which tool is used to measure temperature?
A. Balance
B. Thermometer
C. Ruler
D. Graduated cylinder
B. Thermometer
What are the three common states of matter?
A. Solid, liquid, and gas
B. Heat, light, and sound
C. Mass, volume, and density
D. Atom, molecule, and element
A. Solid, liquid, and gas
What force pulls objects toward Earth?
A. Magnetism
B. Electricity
C. Friction
D. Gravity
D. Gravity
What is Earth’s main source of energy?
A. The Moon
B. The oceans
C. The Sun
D. The soil
C. The Sun
What is Earth’s outermost solid layer called?
A. Mantle
B. Core
C. Crust
D. Atmosphere
C. Crust
Which instrument measures air temperature?
A. Barometer
B. Rain gauge
C. Thermometer
D. Anemometer
C. Thermometer
What star is located at the center of our solar system?
A. Polaris
B. Sirius
C. The Sun
D. Alpha Centauri
C. The Sun
What is the smallest basic unit of life?
A. Organ
B. Tissue
C. Cell
D. Organ system
C. Cell
What is an organism that makes its own food called?
A. Consumer
B. Producer
C. Decomposer
D. Predator
B. Producer
Which organ pumps blood throughout the body?
A. Brain
B. Lungs
C. Heart
D. Stomach
C. Heart
What is an educated prediction that can be tested called?
A. Conclusion
B. Observation
C. Hypothesis
D. Measurement
C. Hypothesis
What change of state occurs when liquid water becomes ice?
A. Melting
B. Evaporation
C. Condensation
D. Freezing
D. Freezing
What force slows an object when two surfaces rub against each other?
A. Gravity
B. Friction
C. Magnetism
D. Inertia
B. Friction
What type of energy does a moving object have?
A. Potential energy
B. Kinetic energy
C. Chemical energy
D. Nuclear energy
B. Kinetic energy
What is magma called after it reaches Earth’s surface?
A. Lava
B. Sediment
C. Mineral
D. Soil
A. Lava
What process occurs when water vapor cools and becomes liquid water?
A. Evaporation
B. Condensation
C. Freezing
D. Melting
B. Condensation
Which planet is commonly called the Red Planet?
A. Venus
B. Mars
C. Jupiter
D. Mercury
B. Mars
What process do plants use to make food using sunlight?
A. Respiration
B. Digestion
C. Photosynthesis
D. Decomposition
C. Photosynthesis
What is an animal that eats only plants called?
A. Carnivore
B. Omnivore
C. Herbivore
D. Decomposer
C. Herbivore
Which organs allow oxygen to enter the bloodstream?
A. Kidneys
B. Lungs
C. Muscles
D. Bones
B. Lungs
Which variable is deliberately changed during an experiment?
A. Controlled variable
B. Independent variable
C. Dependent variable
D. Constant
B. Independent variable
Cutting a piece of paper is an example of what kind of change?
A. Chemical change
B. Physical change
C. Nuclear change
D. Temperature change
B. Physical change
What type of simple machine is a ramp?
A. Pulley
B. Lever
C. Inclined plane
D. Wheel and axle
C. Inclined plane
What type of energy is stored because of an object’s position?
A. Potential energy
B. Sound energy
C. Light energy
D. Kinetic energy
A. Potential energy
Which type of rock forms when layers of sediment are compacted and cemented together?
A. Igneous rock
B. Metamorphic rock
C. Sedimentary rock
D. Magma rock
C. Sedimentary rock
What is the difference between weather and climate?
A. Weather is long-term, while climate changes every hour
B. Weather occurs outdoors, while climate occurs indoors
C. Weather is short-term, while climate describes long-term patterns
D. Weather and climate mean exactly the same thing
C. Weather is short-term, while climate describes long-term patterns
Which movement of Earth causes day and night?
A. Revolution
B. Rotation
C. Tilting
D. Orbiting the Moon
B. Rotation
Which part of a cell contains genetic material and helps control the cell?
A. Cell membrane
B. Nucleus
C. Cytoplasm
D. Cell wall
B. Nucleus
Which organisms break down dead plants and animals?
A. Producers
B. Predators
C. Decomposers
D. Herbivores
C. Decomposers
What is one major function of the skeletal system?
A. Producing sunlight
B. Pumping blood
C. Supporting and protecting the body
D. Digesting food
C. Supporting and protecting the body
Why should scientists repeat an experiment several times?
A. To make the experiment longer
B. To change the original hypothesis
C. To make the results more reliable
D. To guarantee the hypothesis is correct
C. To make the results more reliable
What generally happens to particles when matter is heated?
A. They stop moving
B. They become smaller
C. They move faster
D. They disappear
C. They move faster
What happens to an object when the forces acting on it are balanced?
A. Its motion does not change
B. It always speeds up
C. It always moves backward
D. It loses all its mass
A. Its motion does not change
What energy transformation occurs inside a toaster?
A. Thermal energy changes into electrical energy
B. Electrical energy changes into thermal energy
C. Sound energy changes into light energy
D. Chemical energy changes into nuclear energy
B. Electrical energy changes into thermal energy
What is the difference between weathering and erosion?
A. Weathering moves rock, while erosion melts it
B. Weathering breaks rock down, while erosion moves it
C. Weathering creates lava, while erosion creates magma
D. Weathering occurs underground, while erosion only occurs in space
B. Weathering breaks rock down, while erosion moves it
Which instrument is used to measure air pressure?
A. Thermometer
B. Barometer
C. Wind vane
D. Rain gauge
B. Barometer
Why does the Moon appear to have different phases?
A. Earth’s shadow always covers part of the Moon
B. The Moon changes its actual shape
C. We see different portions of its sunlit half
D. Clouds cover different parts of the Moon
C. We see different portions of its sunlit half
Which structure is found in plant cells but not animal cells?
A. Nucleus
B. Cell membrane
C. Cytoplasm
D. Cell wall
D. Cell wall
What do arrows in a food chain usually show?
A. The direction organisms travel
B. The direction energy moves
C. The size of each organism
D. The number of organisms in an ecosystem
B. The direction energy moves
In which organ are most nutrients absorbed into the bloodstream?
A. Stomach
B. Large intestine
C. Small intestine
D. Esophagus
C. Small intestine
What is the purpose of a control group in an experiment?
A. To provide a group for comparison
B. To receive every experimental change
C. To record all measurements
D. To prove the experiment is correct
A. To provide a group for comparison
Which scientific law states that matter cannot be created or destroyed during an ordinary chemical reaction?
A. Law of gravity
B. Law of conservation of matter
C. Law of motion
D. Law of reflection
B. Law of conservation of matter
A toy car travels 20 meters in 5 seconds. What is its average speed?
A. 2 meters per second
B. 4 meters per second
C. 5 meters per second
D. 10 meters per second
B. 4 meters per second
Which statement about energy is correct?
A. Energy can be created from nothing
B. Energy disappears after it is used
C. Energy can only be transferred or transformed
D. Energy can be destroyed completely
C. Energy can only be transferred or transformed
Why do many earthquakes and volcanoes occur near tectonic plate boundaries?
A. The plates interact and move against one another
B. The Sun heats the plates
C. Ocean tides pull the plates upward
D. Earth’s atmosphere pushes the plates downward
A. The plates interact and move against one another
Why do clouds often form when warm air rises?
A. The air cools and water vapor condenses
B. The air becomes heavier and falls
C. The oxygen in the air freezes
D. Sunlight turns the air into water
A. The air cools and water vapor condenses
What is the main cause of Earth’s seasons?
A. Earth moves much closer to the Sun in summer
B. The Sun changes temperature throughout the year
C. Earth’s axis is tilted as Earth revolves around the Sun
D. The Moon blocks some sunlight during winter
C. Earth’s axis is tilted as Earth revolves around the Sun
Which list shows the levels of organization from smallest to largest?
A. Cell, tissue, organ, organ system, organism
B. Organism, organ system, organ, tissue, cell
C. Tissue, cell, organism, organ, organ system
D. Cell, organ, tissue, organism, organ system
A. Cell, tissue, organ, organ system, organism
What is the difference between a population and a community?
A. A population includes one species, while a community includes many populations
B. A community includes one species, while a population includes all species
C. A population is always larger than a community
D. There is no difference between them
A. A population includes one species, while a community includes many populations
Which two body systems work together when you quickly pull your hand away from something hot?
A. Digestive and respiratory systems
B. Nervous and muscular systems
C. Skeletal and digestive systems
D. Circulatory and reproductive systems
B. Nervous and muscular systems