Question: A person produces two sound waves with a flute, one immediately after the other. Both sound waves have the same pitch, but the second one is louder. Which of the following properties is greater for the second sound wave?

Choices:
A. Frequency
B. Amplitude
C. Wavelength
D. Speed in air

Answer: B


Question: Why is the light year often used to describe distances between objects in the universe?

Choices:
A. because of the way planets reflect light
B. because of the great number of bright stars
C. because of the way objects rotate and revolve
D. because of the large distance between objects in space

Answer: D


Question: Which organisms break down dead matter and recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem?

Choices:
A. grasses and trees
B. rabbits and deer
C. lions and alligators
D. mushrooms and bacteria

Answer: D


Question: A student viewing a cell with a microscope observes a cell wall, a cell membrane, and a nucleus. The presence of these structures indicates that the student is looking at a cell from a

Choices:
1. rabbit
2. carrot
3. worm
4. fly

Answer: 2


Question: Which action results in a chemical change?

Choices:
A. apples being cut into slices
B. wood burning in a fireplace
C. wet clothes drying on a clothesline
D. snow being shoveled off of a sidewalk

Answer: B


Question: What has occurred when bubbles form in a liquid that is being heated?

Choices:
A. Oxygen is absorbed from the air.
B. Heat is radiating in the liquid.
C. The boiling point has been reached.
D. Molecular stability in the liquid is increasing.

Answer: C


Question: The breakfast that a student ate provided energy for bicycling later in the day. Which energy transformation most likely occurred?

Choices:
A. radiant to nuclear
B. chemical to nuclear
C. radiant to mechanical
D. chemical to mechanical

Answer: D


Question: In an experiment, water and salt are mixed together. What is the best way to separate the salt from the water?

Choices:
A. filter the salt
B. freeze the mixture
C. evaporate the water
D. pour the water out of the container

Answer: C


Question: A metal spoon and a wooden spoon are used to stir a pot of hot soup. After a few minutes, the metal spoon feels hotter than the wooden spoon. What explains this?

Choices:
A. Metal is always hotter than wood.
B. Metal conducts heat better than wood.
C. Metal conducts electricity better than wood.
D. Metal heats up the water better than the wood.

Answer: B


Question: Materials made of the same substance will have characteristics in common. Which property is most likely to remain constant in different samples of the same material?

Choices:
A. density
B. mass
C. shape
D. volume

Answer: A


Question: Which is Earth's largest source of drinkable water?

Choices:
A. lakes
B. rivers
C. oceans
D. aquifers

Answer: D


Question: Some classrooms have computers. The computer is most useful to the students because it helps them

Choices:
A. play games.
B. watch movies.
C. listen to music.
D. find information.

Answer: D


Question: Which of these is an example of something being recycled?

Choices:
A. Taking glass bottles to a place that makes them into new bottles
B. Using the same foil to cover food several times
C. Wrapping glasses with newspaper to put them in a moving box
D. Carrying lunch to school every day in the same plastic bag

Answer: A


Question: Which of the following is an example of a compound?

Choices:
A. copper
B. iron
C. carbon
D. water

Answer: D


Question: One rabbit runs faster than other rabbits in its population. How will the ability to run fast most likely benefit the rabbit?

Choices:
A. by keeping the rabbit warmer in the winter
B. by helping the rabbit blend with its environment
C. by allowing the rabbit to find more sources of food
D. by making it easier for the rabbit to escape from predators

Answer: D


Question: What is the BEST reason for including fruits and leafy vegetables in a healthy diet?

Choices:
A. They have a high water content.
B. They are the best source of protein.
C. They are rich in minerals and vitamins.
D. They are the best source of carbohydrates.

Answer: C


Question: In one day, a family in a car rode for 2 hours, stopped for 3 hours, and then rode for another 5 hours. During the day, the family traveled a total distance of 400 kilometers. What was their average speed for the whole trip?

Choices:
A. 10 km/h
B. 20 km/h
C. 40 km/h
D. 50 km/h

Answer: C


Question: A Raleigh man turned on his kitchen faucet and filled a glass with water. When he looked at the water, he thought that it might not be safe to drink, so he called the water company to find out. What factor did the man use to evaluate the safety of the water?

Choices:
A. pH
B. turbidity
C. nitrate concentration
D. phosphate concentration

Answer: B


Question: Which of these is the main source of the electromagnetic energy we use?

Choices:
A. battery
B. wind
C. sun
D. coal

Answer: C


Question: Which of the following is the starting point for a new scientific investigation?

Choices:
A. identifying experimental variables
B. forming a question that is the basis of a hypothesis
C. conducting repeated trials and graphing the data
D. writing out a procedure and collecting the needed equipment

Answer: B


Question: All organisms depend on the transfer of energy to survive. Which best shows the energy transfer between animals in a shoreline ecosystem?

Choices:
A. Fish -> Plants -> Birds
B. Plants -> Birds -> Fish
C. Plants -> Fish -> Birds
D. Fish -> Birds -> Plants

Answer: C


Question: Which investigation might be used to demonstrate potential energy?

Choices:
A. Roll one ball toward another, and see what happens when they collide.
B. Place a glass of water in the freezer, and see how long the water takes to become solid.
C. Compress a spring by different amounts, and see how far it can launch a ball into the air.
D. Roll a ball from the top of an inclined plane and determine the amount of time it takes to get to the bottom.

Answer: C


Question: The fossil record shows that trees have changed throughout the years. Which of the following conclusions would be best supported by the fossil record?

Choices:
A. The environment has changed.
B. Animals need leafy trees.
C. Rocks can destroy trees.
D. Trees give off oxygen.

Answer: A


Question: An agriculturalist predicts that the tomato harvest will be very good this year. Which has the greatest effect on the size of the tomato harvest?

Choices:
A. the time of day the seeds are planted
B. the amount of fruit picked after dark
C. the type of soil in which the crops are grown
D. the number of times daily that the farmer observes the crop

Answer: C


Question: A student investigates the effect of temperature on the distance a caterpillar travels in one minute. The student performs the investigation at four different times of day using one caterpillar. This experiment could be improved if the student

Choices:
A. uses more than one caterpillar.
B. performs the investigation on a wet surface.
C. uses earthworms instead of caterpillars.
D. performs the investigation at the same time on four days.

Answer: A


Question: A bright object with a long tail of glowing gases is in orbit around the Sun. This object is most likely

Choices:
1. a planet
2. a star
3. an asteroid
4. a comet

Answer: 4


Question: A hearing aid is a small device that contains an amplifier, a battery, a microphone, and a speaker. Which part of a hearing aid functions to detect sounds in the user's environment?

Choices:
A. the amplifier
B. the battery
C. the microphone
D. the speaker

Answer: C


Question: In an experiment studying phototropism, students grew bean plants in labeled cardboard milk cartons. Afterward, the plants and soil were properly discarded. Which instruction line BEST conserves the remaining resources?

Choices:
A. recycle the markers, reuse the milk cartons
B. reuse the markers, discard the milk cartons
C. discard the markers, reuse the milk cartons
D. reuse the markers, recycle the milk cartons

Answer: D


Question: How are electromagnetic waves different from other waves?

Choices:
A. They have very short wavelengths.
B. They transmit energy instead of matter.
C. They can travel through a vacuum and through matter.
D. They can change direction by reflection when they strike an object.

Answer: C


Question: The Sun releases light and heat energy that cause changes on Earth. How does the Sun's energy change water?

Choices:
A. The energy makes liquid water freeze.
B. The energy makes water vapor from liquid water.
C. The energy makes clouds release rain.
D. The energy makes water collect into puddles.

Answer: B


Question: In the 18th century, smallpox was a common and deadly disease. A country doctor, Edward Jenner, observed that patients working with cattle who contracted a mild disease called cowpox, never came down with the more serious smallpox. When Jenner obtained liquid from cowpox sores and injected it into healthy patients, they became immune to smallpox. What term best describes Jenner's treatment for smallpox?

Choices:
A. vaccination
B. gene therapy
C. chemotherapy
D. genetic engineering

Answer: A


Question: What is the name of a circuit in which the current splits at the junctions?

Choices:
A. closed circuit
B. parallel circuit
C. series circuit
D. short circuit

Answer: B


Question: A coach is standing at the finish line of a race. He is holding a stopwatch. What is the coach most likely measuring with the stopwatch?

Choices:
A. the time of day
B. the distance of the race
C. the time it took to run the race
D. the number of steps taken by the runners

Answer: C


Question: A growing community relies on a nearby lake to provide fresh water for drinking and bathing. An increase in the use of fresh water will cause the lake to become

Choices:
A. colder
B. deeper
C. larger
D. smaller

Answer: D


Question: Which of these senses lets Dora know when a skunk has been close to her house?

Choices:
A. Taste
B. Touch
C. Smell
D. Hearing

Answer: C


Question: In 2001, NASA launched a probe to investigate very low-energy radiation emitted when the universe began. What part of the electromagnetic spectrum does this probe observe and record?

Choices:
A. infrared
B. microwave
C. ultraviolet
D. visible

Answer: B


Question: What electrical charge does a proton have in an atom?

Choices:
A. +2
B. +1
C. -1
D. -2

Answer: B


Question: Work is a product of force and distance. Which of the following is an example of work?

Choices:
A. sitting at a desk
B. pushing on a wall
C. riding a bike
D. reading a book

Answer: C


Question: All of the different organisms interacting in a pond make up

Choices:
1. a community
2. a population
3. the water cycle
4. the habitat

Answer: 1


Question: If a lake is polluted, which organisms would most likely accumulate the highest concentration of contaminants?

Choices:
A. bass
B. minnows
C. aquatic plants
D. fish-eating birds

Answer: D


Question: Sand is a type of soil that is made of very tiny pieces of material. Which process most likely forms sand?

Choices:
A. the rotation of Earth
B. the growth of animals
C. the decay of large trees
D. the weathering of rocks

Answer: D


Question: What is needed to change ice into water?

Choices:
A. air
B. energy
C. stirring
D. chemicals

Answer: B


Question: Stars form from nebulae of dust and gases. Depending on its properties, a star may become a red, yellow, white, or blue star. Which property determines this star type?

Choices:
A. age
B. location
C. mass
D. shape

Answer: C


Question: Which of these is MOST likely made from only one material?

Choices:
A. A pencil
B. A bicycle
C. A paper clip
D. A pair of shoes

Answer: C


Question: 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?

Choices:
A. chemical
B. heat
C. magnetic
D. sound

Answer: B


Question: A student measured liquid with a graduated cylinder. Which of the following units could be used to record the volume of the liquid?

Choices:
A. pounds
B. meters
C. grams
D. milliliters

Answer: D


Question: Which term is an example of a life process?

Choices:
A. coloration
B. camouflage
C. migration
D. reproduction

Answer: D


Question: A student divides several cubes into two groups, based on whether or not each cube can float in later. What property is the student using to classify the cubes?

Choices:
A. weight
B. density
C. conductivity
D. mass

Answer: B


Question: Use The Periodic Table of the Elements and the information below to answer the question. Magnesium metal (Mg) is grayish-white in color and reacts actively with water. Fluorine (F2) is a greenish-yellow gas at room temperature and is a member of the halogen family. These two elements react to produce magnesium fluoride (MgF2), a chemical commonly used in making windows and lenses. According to the Periodic Table of the Elements, which element is most similar to magnesium (Mg)?

Choices:
A. calcium (Ca)
B. iodine (I)
C. sodium (Na)
D. sulfur (S)

Answer: A


Question: How do word processors on computers benefit most students?

Choices:
A. It makes them understand how to write a good story.
B. It helps them gather historical information.
C. It exposes them to data that is hard to find.
D. It allows them to edit papers quickly.

Answer: D


Question: Students observed that a diamond was able to scratch a piece of talc. What does this observation best support?

Choices:
A. Diamonds have sharp edges.
B. Talc is softer than diamonds.
C. Diamonds are very valuable.
D. Talc and diamonds are both minerals.

Answer: B


Question: Which was a main force driving extensive speciation when the environment became hospitable to life after the Permian mass extinction?

Choices:
A. increase in available ecological niches
B. increase of atmospheric oxygen to present levels
C. increase in genetic diversity among surviving organisms
D. increase in interbreeding between organisms of different species

Answer: A


Question: Some types of bacteria can only live where oxygen is not present. These bacteria were well adapted to life on Earth over 2 billion years ago. Which of the following changes caused many of these bacteria to become extinct?

Choices:
A. the slow movement of tectonic plates
B. the varying temperatures of each season
C. an increase in volcanic activity under the oceans
D. an increase in the number of photosynthetic organisms

Answer: D


Question: Which two are functions of flowers?

Choices:
A. attract pollinators and make seeds
B. make seeds and store food
C. store food and take in water
D. take in water and attract pollinators

Answer: A


Question: When soil becomes saturated during rainfall, excess water begins to collect on the surface. Downslope movement of this excess water to rivers, lakes, and streams is called

Choices:
A. runoff.
B. filtration.
C. groundwater.
D. condensation.

Answer: A


Question: What type of energy is transmitted from the Sun to Earth through space?

Choices:
A. heat energy
B. kinetic energy
C. electrical energy
D. electromagnetic energy

Answer: D


Question: What is the cause of rising surface temperatures of the Pacific Ocean, drought in the western United States, and flooding on the Pacific coast of South America?

Choices:
A. the Gulf Stream
B. the jet stream
C. La Niña
D. El Niño

Answer: D


Question: Use of nuclear fuel would most likely reduce human contributions to which environmental problem?

Choices:
A. ozone thinning
B. landfill creation
C. shoreline erosion
D. greenhouse heating

Answer: D


Question: What unit of measure should Jerry use to report the volume of a liquid?

Choices:
A. degrees Celsius
B. kilograms
C. milliliters
D. centimeters

Answer: C


Question: Use the information below to answer the question. Manufacturing uses many steps to change natural resources into products. Some of these steps change natural resources into industrial materials. These steps are called primary processes. All of the following are primary processes except

Choices:
A. melting iron ore.
B. producing lumber.
C. molding plastic.
D. crushing rock into gravel.

Answer: C


Question: What part of a communication system converts binary codes in a computer into recognizable characters?

Choices:
A. decoder
B. encoder
C. receiver
D. transmitter

Answer: A


Question: Which geologic process occurs when the acid in precipitation dissolves certain types of rock?

Choices:
1. faulting
2. tilting
3. weathering
4. erupting

Answer: 3


Question: Water evaporates mostly from

Choices:
A. land.
B. snow.
C. clouds.
D. oceans.

Answer: D


Question: Robin compared the properties of some rocks. Which property did she most likely compare with a balance?

Choices:
A. density
B. mass
C. temperature
D. volume

Answer: B


Question: Because copper is a metal, it is

Choices:
1. liquid at room temperature
2. nonreactive with other substances
3. a poor conductor of electricity
4. a good conductor of heat

Answer: 4


Question: What process makes it possible for the nutrients from organic material to be added to soil?

Choices:
A. weathering
B. erosion
C. decomposition
D. succession

Answer: C


Question: Why is it not a safe practice to place a fuel depot over an aquifer?

Choices:
A. Aquifers are too high up in the mountains.
B. The weight of the depot is too great over the aquifer.
C. The fumes escaping from the fuel depot are explosive.
D. If the fuel leaks, the water in the aquifer will become contaminated.

Answer: D


Question: Look at the equation. 2H_{2} + O_{2} -> 2H_{2}O What does the equation show?

Choices:
A. heat being added to oxygen
B. helium mixing with oxygen
C. heat combining with oxygen
D. hydrogen and oxygen combining

Answer: D


Question: Which statement best describes the Law of Superposition?

Choices:
A. Each sedimentary layer of rock represents 1,000 years of Earth's age, much like the rings of a tree.
B. In undisturbed layers of sedimentary rock, the upper rock layers are older than the lower rock layers.
C. In undisturbed layers of sedimentary rock, the lowest layers contain the older rocks.
D. Rocks that form near volcanoes are older than surrounding rock.

Answer: C


Question: Which object is the best conductor of electricity?

Choices:
A. glass rod
B. wooden stick
C. plastic straw
D. metal nail

Answer: D


Question: Green plants get the energy they need to make food from

Choices:
A. water
B. air
C. soil
D. sunlight

Answer: D


Question: Which property of a mineral is most likely being tested when it is scratched with a nail?

Choices:
A. color
B. hardness
C. cleavage
D. luster

Answer: B


Question: Ricardo has an igneous rock in his rock collection. Where did this rock most likely form?

Choices:
A. in a volcano
B. on a forest floor
C. on a coral reef
D. at the bottom of a river

Answer: A


Question: Animals get energy from eating food that comes from plants. Plants survive by taking in substances that are released by animals. What substance do animals release that plants take in?

Choices:
A. carbon dioxide
B. oxygen
C. salt
D. sugar

Answer: A


Question: Which factor determines whether precipitation will be in the form of rain or snow?

Choices:
A. wind
B. humidity
C. air pressure
D. temperature

Answer: D


Question: Which of these materials transfers heat energy quickest?

Choices:
A. metal
B. glass
C. plastic
D. wood

Answer: A


Question: Electrical wires are coated with a rubber or plastic because these materials are good

Choices:
A. resistors.
B. magnets.
C. insulators.
D. conductors.

Answer: C


Question: An increase in which ecosystem factor could cause a population decline in a bird species?

Choices:
A. emigration
B. immigration
C. number of births
D. amount of food

Answer: A


Question: Twentieth-century research and development of vaccines significantly reduced the threat of

Choices:
A. polio.
B. stroke.
C. diabetes.
D. osteoporosis.

Answer: A


Question: The tendency of an element to react chemically is closely related to

Choices:
A. the number of valence electrons.
B. the ratio of protons to neutrons.
C. how tightly atoms are packed.
D. the number of neutrons in atoms.

Answer: A


Question: Modern submarines have advanced atmosphere-control systems that enable submarine crews to stay below the surface of the ocean for months at a time. Which of the following also benefits from this technology?

Choices:
A. architectural design
B. pollution control
C. fire prevention
D. space exploration

Answer: D


Question: Which pieces of equipment would be used to measure the density of a solution?

Choices:
A. a ruler and a protractor
B. a magnet and a thermometer
C. a graduated cylinder and a balance
D. an Erlenmeyer flask and a Bunsen burner

Answer: C


Question: Gasoline is a nonrenewable energy resource used in most cars and trucks. Gasoline is made from which source?

Choices:
A. oil
B. hydrogen
C. natural gas
D. water vapor

Answer: A


Question: The average temperature of Earth's surface has increased approximately 1°C in the past century. Which of the following can best explain this increase in temperature?

Choices:
A. higher levels of oxygen in the atmosphere
B. lower levels of ozone in the atmosphere
C. higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
D. lower levels of nitrogen in the atmosphere

Answer: C


Question: The Sun is the largest body in the solar system. The Sun is a ___.

Choices:
A. moon
B. planet
C. satellite
D. star

Answer: D


Question: Which activity is a good health habit?

Choices:
A. drinking alcohol
B. exercising regularly
C. sleeping only 5 hours daily
D. smoking cigarettes

Answer: B


Question: The fur of the snowshoe rabbit changes to a lighter color in the winter. This allows the rabbit to blend in with its surroundings. This change is an example of

Choices:
1. extinction
2. competition
3. biological adaptation
4. ecological succession

Answer: 3


Question: What does a plant need to make sugar through photosynthesis?

Choices:
A. soil, water, and oxygen
B. oxygen, sunlight, and soil
C. carbon dioxide, sunlight, and soil
D. sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide

Answer: D


Question: Some birds fly south in the fall and return in the spring. This is an example of

Choices:
A. migration
B. camouflage
C. hibernation
D. growth

Answer: A


Question: Which of the following is the best conductor of heat?

Choices:
A. oven mitts
B. a metal bowl
C. a wooden spoon
D. rubber soled shoes

Answer: B


Question: Some processes that shape Earth's surface are slow. Other processes are rapid. Which statement describes a rapid change?

Choices:
A. Glaciers melt and form rivers.
B. Wind weathers rocks into sand.
C. Earthquakes move land and rocks.
D. Rivers carry sediment and build deltas.

Answer: C


Question: Which characteristic best identifies a pure substance?

Choices:
A. shape
B. texture
C. melting point
D. state of matter

Answer: C


Question: Structures in the universe are grouped into large systems, each of which are made up of smaller systems. Which of the following is the largest system of which Earth is only a very small part?

Choices:
A. Jovian planets
B. Halley's comet
C. Milky Way galaxy
D. Orion's belt

Answer: C


Question: Which atomic structure has the greatest mass?

Choices:
A. electron
B. neutron
C. nucleus
D. proton

Answer: C


Question: When European settlers first came to North America, the average thickness of the top layer of soil was approximately 23 cm. Today, the average thickness of the top layer of soil is less than 15 cm. Which of the following factors has most likely had the greatest effect on erosion of the top layer of soil?

Choices:
A. farming
B. restoring wetlands
C. species reintroduction
D. excessive groundwater use

Answer: A


Question: Which of the following is closest to the percentage of the total water on earth that is freshwater?

Choices:
A. 100%
B. 90%
C. 70%
D. 3%

Answer: D


Question: Most scientists agree that an increase in the amount of greenhouse gases entering Earth's atmosphere causes

Choices:
1. a decrease in sea level
2. a decrease in average surface temperatures
3. an increase in melting of polar ice caps
4. an increase in crustal plate movement

Answer: 3


Question: Scientists determined that cabbages grown using Fertilizer A grew bigger than cabbages grown using Fertilizer B or no fertilizer at all. The scientists repeated the investigation and produced the same results. Which best explains the purpose of repeating this investigation?

Choices:
A. to ensure that the cabbages are safe for human consumption
B. to discover the scientific principle that causes the increased growth
C. to confirm that the observed differences were caused by the fertilizer
D. to determine the difference between the experimental and control groups

Answer: C


Question: When a small group of organisms colonizes a new habitat, the population may be genetically different from the parent population due to differences in allele frequencies. The process responsible for this is

Choices:
A. natural selection.
B. disruptive selection.
C. genetic drift.
D. genetic equilibrium.

Answer: C


Question: When conducting a scientific experiment in the field, you are expected to

Choices:
A. completely clear the area.
B. leave the area as you found it.
C. take anything you may need later.
D. destroy specimens once you have observed them.

Answer: B


Question: Which two behaviors best demonstrate stewardship?

Choices:
A. reducing consumption, recycling wastes
B. increasing consumption, discarding wastes
C. reducing consumption, discarding wastes
D. increasing consumption, recycling wastes

Answer: A


Question: Beakers and graduated cylinders are designed to measure

Choices:
A. mass.
B. density.
C. volume.
D. viscosity.

Answer: C


Question: Iron oxides, such as rust, form when iron metal reacts with oxygen in the air. What are the chemical symbols for the two elements found in iron oxide?

Choices:
A. I and O
B. Ir and O
C. Fe and O
D. Pb and O

Answer: C


Question: Scientists often use mathematical models and computer simulations to study systems. What is the main advantage of using these techniques for studying the spread of infectious diseases?

Choices:
A. to reduce the amount of work for all involved
B. to reduce the cost of conducting experiments on people
C. to obtain results quickly in a short period of time
D. to perform experiments that would be irresponsible using human subjects

Answer: D


Question: Which of these actions causes wind?

Choices:
A. rotation of Earth on its axis
B. movement of air from water to land
C. uneven heating of Earth's surface
D. air passing Earth as it revolves around the Sun

Answer: C


Question: A company wants to make a game that uses a magnet that sticks to a board. Which material should it use for the board?

Choices:
A. cardboard
B. glass
C. steel
D. wood

Answer: C


Question: Which sequence has the states of matter listed from least to greatest kinetic energy?

Choices:
A. solid -> gas -> liquid
B. gas -> liquid -> solid
C. liquid -> solid -> gas
D. solid -> liquid -> gas

Answer: D


Question: A student is given a mixture of gravel and sand and instructed to separate them. Which tool should the student use to best complete this task?

Choices:
A. a scale and weights
B. a magnet
C. a sieve
D. a battery and wire

Answer: C


Question: A container is filled with 100 mL of water and placed in a freezer. The water in the container freezes at 0°C. A second container filled with 90 mL of water is placed in a second freezer. At what temperature does this second container of water freeze?

Choices:
A. -10°C
B. -1°C
C. 0°C
D. 10°C

Answer: C


Question: What gas in the air do we need to breathe in order to live?

Choices:
A. nitrogen
B. oxygen
C. carbon dioxide
D. hydrogen
E. water vapor

Answer: B


Question: A city is experiencing heavy smog formed by motor vehicle exhaust. Which of these weather conditions contributes most to the formation of smog?

Choices:
A. dry line
B. cold front
C. tropical cyclone
D. temperature inversion

Answer: D


Question: Ocean currents, like the Gulf Stream, affect world climate by

Choices:
A. spreading plant and animal life over a wider area.
B. ensuring ocean density is not the same globally.
C. carrying sediment from rivers and inland basins.
D. transferring heat to and from various regions.

Answer: D


Question: Jagged mountains would most likely become rounded hills through which process?

Choices:
A. erosion
B. deposition
C. volcanic activity
D. chemical change

Answer: A


Question: While performing an experiment involving four different clear liquids, a student forgets to label the test tubes. What should the student do?

Choices:
A. try to identify the liquids by smell
B. ask another student to identify the liquids
C. ask the teacher how to dispose of the liquids
D. continue the experiment with the unidentified liquids

Answer: C


Question: During the light reactions of photosynthesis, energy is stored in the compounds ATP and NADPH. A second set of reactions uses this stored energy to produce vital compounds such as glucose. This second set of reactions involves a biochemical pathway called

Choices:
A. the Calvin cycle.
B. carbon fixation.
C. respiration.
D. transpiration.

Answer: A


Question: What is the relationship between an ecosystem and a community?

Choices:
A. A community is a very large ecosystem.
B. An ecosystem is a very large community.
C. An ecosystem includes a community and abiotic factors.
D. A community includes an ecosystem and abiotic factors.

Answer: C


Question: Two species of garter snake in the genus Thamnophis originated from a single ancestor. These two species live in the same geographic area, however, one lives in arid land and the other lives in water.Which of the following best identifies the cause of speciation between these two garter snakes?

Choices:
A. mechanical isolation
B. behavioral isolation
C. habitat isolation
D. allopatric isolation

Answer: C


Question: A metal spoon, a wooden spoon, and a plastic spoon are placed in hot water. After 15 seconds, which spoon will feel hottest?

Choices:
A. The metal spoon
B. The wooden spoon
C. The plastic spoon
D. The three spoons will feel the same.

Answer: A


Question: The bacterium Brucella abortus causes fever in humans. Biologists studying this bacterium found that when exposed to light, the bacterium becomes more virulent. How can this change in virulence most likely be described?

Choices:
A. as a behavioral adaptation
B. as a survival disadvantage
C. as a response to a stimulus
D. as an acquired characteristic

Answer: C


Question: When iron combines with oxygen in a moist environment, rust forms because of a

Choices:
A. chemical reaction.
B. physical reaction.
C. change in density.
D. change in temperature.

Answer: A


Question: A student counts ants in an ant colony every day at the same time. The student writes the date of observation in one column in a notebook and the number of ants counted on each date in a second column. Which best describes how the student arranged the information?

Choices:
A. pie chart
B. data table
C. bar graph
D. scatterplot

Answer: B


Question: Which human body systems work together to send messages?

Choices:
A. muscular and skeletal
B. nervous and endocrine
C. excretory and digestive
D. circulatory and respiratory

Answer: B


Question: In order for a material to be effective for cooking, it must have which physical property?

Choices:
A. low melting point
B. high electric charge
C. high reactivity with water
D. low thermal expansion

Answer: D


Question: Which sequence shows the life cycle of some insects?

Choices:
A. adult -> pupa -> larva -> egg
B. egg -> pupa -> larva -> adult
C. larva -> pupa -> egg -> adult
D. egg -> larva -> pupa -> adult

Answer: D


Question: A scientist studied a species of fish. She found that when a certain nutrient was added to the diet of the fish just after hatching, the fish gained an average of 3 kilograms in the first year. What additional information is needed to determine whether the nutrient is affecting the growth of the fish?

Choices:
A. how much adult fish gained on average when the same nutrient was added to their diet
B. how much newly hatched fish in this species gain in the first year without the nutrient in their diet
C. how much of the nutrient is available for the fish species in their natural surroundings
D. how much other species of fish gain in the first year when the nutrient is added to their diet

Answer: B


Question: Humans interpret seeing, hearing, tasting, and smelling in the

Choices:
A. brain
B. spinal cord
C. receptors
D. skin

Answer: A


Question: Dan knows the Earth is tilted 23.5° on its axis. Which is caused because of this tilt?

Choices:
A. day can become night
B. different seasons occur
C. low tide can become high tide
D. the change in phases of the Moon

Answer: B


Question: Gel electrophoresis is a technology which allows researchers to reliably separate and sort DNA fragments. This technology is most useful for which application?

Choices:
A. selective breeding
B. medical gene repair
C. genetic engineering
D. cell metabolism analysis

Answer: C


Question: Some sea grasses grow near a group of palm trees on a sandy shore. Which best describes the role of both the palm trees and sea grasses?

Choices:
A. They get energy from living organisms.
B. They turn decaying matter into nutrients.
C. They provide food for other organisms.
D. They absorb oxygen from the environment.

Answer: C


Question: Students collect pond water in their beakers. Which is the best unit of measurement for the volume of water they collect?

Choices:
A. Grams
B. Meters
C. Milliliters
D. Centimeters

Answer: C


Question: When tectonic plates move, they can form different landforms. Which is least likely to be associated with the tectonic plate movement that forms volcanoes?

Choices:
A. hot spot
B. rift valley
C. subduction zone
D. transform boundary

Answer: D


Question: The thin layer of rock on Earth's surface is the

Choices:
1. atmosphere
2. hemisphere
3. hydrosphere
4. lithosphere

Answer: 4


Question: Which type of radiation provides astronomers with the most useful information about high-energy events such as stars colliding?

Choices:
A. gamma radiation
B. infrared radiation
C. radio waves
D. visible light

Answer: A


Question: All of the following are renewable resources except

Choices:
A. minerals.
B. trees.
C. wind.
D. water.

Answer: A


Question: What is the most important property architects must consider when selecting materials for the walls, ceilings, and floors for a new concert hall?

Choices:
A. thermal properties
B. chemical properties
C. electrical properties
D. acoustical properties

Answer: D


Question: Eduardo saw some cats living in an alley. Which of these does a cat need to survive?

Choices:
A. grass to sleep in
B. large trees to climb
C. predators to chase it
D. small animals to eat

Answer: D


Question: A puddle of water on a concrete driveway will disappear after a few hours during a sunny day. Where does the water go as it disappears?

Choices:
A. It goes into the air.
B. Animals drink it.
C. It soaks into the concrete.
D. It becomes a different substance.

Answer: A


Question: Science students investigated the cause of the different phases of the moon. The model that would best demonstrate the cause of the phases of the moon would include representations of

Choices:
A. the moon and Earth
B. the moon and the sun
C. the moon, the sun, and Earth
D. the moon, the sun, and Venus

Answer: C


Question: Electrical energy is best described as

Choices:
A. coming from the Sun.
B. attracting objects.
C. moving negative charges.
D. developing radiation.

Answer: C


Question: A car and a truck are traveling at the same rate of speed. The vehicles approach a stop sign. Which statement best explains why the car stops in a shorter distance than the truck?

Choices:
A. The car has a larger mass requiring less force to stop.
B. The car has a smaller mass requiring more force to stop.
C. The truck has a smaller mass requiring less force to stop.
D. The truck has a larger mass requiring more force to stop.

Answer: D


Question: After a rain, a puddle of water remains on a sidewalk. After a day of sunshine, the puddle is gone. Which process is most responsible for the disappearance of the puddle?

Choices:
A. precipitation
B. transpiration
C. evaporation
D. condensation

Answer: C


Question: After which event will primary succession most likely occur?

Choices:
A. thunderstorm
B. crop harvest
C. volcanic eruption
D. urban development

Answer: C


Question: An object moves through space with balanced forces acting on it. Which statement best describes the speed and direction of the object as long as the forces acting on it remain balanced?

Choices:
A. The speed and direction of the object will both change.
B. The speed and direction of the object will remain constant.
C. The speed will change, but the direction will remain constant.
D. The speed will remain constant, but the direction will change.

Answer: B


Question: About how long does it take Earth to make a complete revolution around the Sun?

Choices:
A. 1 year
B. 1 week
C. 1 day
D. 1 hour

Answer: A


Question: Scientists found trilobite and brachiopod index fossils in cliffs a great distance apart from each other. What can scientists infer about the rocks in which these fossils were found?

Choices:
A. the age of the rock
B. the slope of the rock
C. the density of the rock
D. the weathering of the rock

Answer: A


Question: Which of the following is a function of the digestive system of the human body?

Choices:
A. carrying oxygen to the lungs
B. sending signals from the brain to the spinal cord
C. breaking down food into nutrients
D. providing support for the body

Answer: C


Question: A person must lift a heavy load of bricks to the top of a building. Which simple machine is best used for this task?

Choices:
A. a wedge
B. a pulley
C. an inclined plane
D. a wheel and axle

Answer: B


Question: Which form of energy is required for a television set to work?

Choices:
A. electrical
B. heat
C. light
D. solar

Answer: A


Question: The water cycle is important for recycling the water on Earth. Which of these is the source of most of the water vapor in Earth's atmosphere?

Choices:
A. river flooding
B. glacier melting
C. ocean evaporation
D. plant transpiration

Answer: C


Question: The molecule ATP is composed of elements commonly found in organic molecules. Which of the following is one of these elements?

Choices:
A. aluminum
B. calcium
C. phosphorus
D. tin

Answer: C


Question: Which energy transformation occurs when a person hits a drum with a drumstick?

Choices:
A. electrical to light
B. sound to electrical
C. light to mechanical
D. mechanical to sound

Answer: D


Question: Which best describes the energy conversion by a household toaster?

Choices:
A. electrical to heat
B. heat to chemical
C. electrical to chemical
D. heat to mechanical

Answer: A


Question: In late fall, a rabbit's fur grows thicker. This adaptation occurs to

Choices:
A. keep the rabbit's body warm
B. keep the rabbit safe from predators
C. help the rabbit find a mate
D. help the rabbit find green plants

Answer: A


Question: Many birds avoid eating the viceroy butterfly because it looks like the monarch butterfly. Monarch butterflies contain a substance that makes the birds sick when monarchs are eaten. The development of the pattern of the viceroy butterfly to look like the monarch butterfly is an example of

Choices:
A. camouflage.
B. coloration.
C. diversity.
D. mimicry.

Answer: D


Question: Which difference between water and ice results in ice floating on cold water?

Choices:
A. heat
B. shape
C. density
D. volume

Answer: C


Question: When buying a sunscreen, which is the best question to keep in mind while reading the label for maximum effectiveness?

Choices:
A. What is the cost per ounce?
B. Who is the manufacturer?
C. Is the product waterproof?
D. How much protection does it provide?

Answer: D


Question: Which of the following is a description of an organism's development?

Choices:
A. A sunflower grows toward the Sun.
B. A Venus's-flytrap plant closes its leaves around a fly.
C. An egg hatches, grows into a tadpole and then into a frog.
D. A lizard loses its tail and grows a new one.

Answer: C


Question: Soil that drains slowly most likely has a high amount of

Choices:
A. ash.
B. sand.
C. clay.
D. peat.

Answer: C


Question: Bile salts play a crucial role in gastrointestinal homeostasis and digestion. Which phrase is the best description of the gastrointestinal function of bile salts?

Choices:
A. digestion and absorption of proteins in the liver
B. digestion and absorption of fats in the small intestine
C. digestion and absorption of carbohydrates in the liver
D. digestion and absorption of cholesterol in the large intestine

Answer: B


Question: Which type of energy is transferred by vibrational waves?

Choices:
1. nuclear
2. light
3. chemical
4. sound

Answer: 4


Question: The process of gene regulation directly impacts

Choices:
A. how much DNA is stored.
B. how much DNA is replicated.
C. which mRNA is produced.
D. which tRNA is produced.

Answer: C


Question: What is the most important thing a cylinder, a measuring cup, and a beaker all have in common?

Choices:
A. They all hold liquids.
B. They can all be made of glass.
C. They can all be marked in milliliters.
D. They can all be used to measure the volume of a liquid.

Answer: D


Question: Scientists have shown that clearing the forest in the Amazon for farming is causing the extinction of native species. Which is the most direct cause of extinction from clear-cutting of land?

Choices:
A. pollution
B. habitat loss
C. climate change
D. use of fertilizers

Answer: B


Question: James read that plants benefit animals by changing the atmosphere. How do plants most likely change the atmosphere in a way that is beneficial for animals?

Choices:
A. Plants release oxygen.
B. Plants absorb sunlight.
C. Plants produce heat energy.
D. Plants make carbon dioxide.

Answer: A


Question: What model is used to show the pattern of traits that are passed from one generation to the next in a family?

Choices:
1. pedigree chart
2. dichotomous key
3. energy pyramid
4. line graph

Answer: 1


Question: Tiny droplets of water seen floating in the air can give scientists a clue about the weather. What are groups of these droplets called?

Choices:
A. hail
B. rain
C. a front
D. a cloud

Answer: D


Question: When taken to a new habitat, non-native plants often threaten native plants of the new habitat. Why do non-native plants threaten native plants?

Choices:
A. Non-native plants are able to mutate rapidly.
B. Non-native plants cause native animals to relocate.
C. Non-native plants are able to be used for medicine.
D. Non-native plants compete with native plants for resources.

Answer: D


Question: Which technology enables doctors to monitor the function of the heart?

Choices:
A. dialysis machine
B. electrocardiogram
C. electroencephalogram
D. automatic external defibrillator

Answer: B


Question: Which substance contributes most to the greenhouse effect?

Choices:
A. wood smoke
B. nitrous oxides
C. carbon dioxide
D. nuclear radiation

Answer: C


Question: A large amount of oil was spilled in a lake environment. Within a few weeks, the number of plants and animals living in the area where the oil was spilled will most likely

Choices:
A. decrease
B. increase
C. remain the same

Answer: A


Question: Which explains the relationship between hours of sunlight and seasons?

Choices:
A. the rotation of Earth on its axis
B. the tilt of Earth's axis relative to the sun
C. the location of Earth's orbit in the solar system
D. the motion of the moon as it travels around Earth

Answer: B


Question: The temperature of the stratosphere increases with altitude because of the presence of

Choices:
A. nitrogen.
B. water vapor.
C. ozone.
D. carbon monoxide.

Answer: C


Question: Which structure refers to a group of specialized cells that all perform the same function?

Choices:
A. virus
B. tissue
C. organ
D. nucleus

Answer: B


Question: Which event occurs only twice each year?

Choices:
A. lunar eclipse
B. full moon
C. equinox
D. low tide

Answer: C


Question: What would be the phenotype of a cross between a homozygous dominant tall plant and a homozygous recessive short plant?

Choices:
A. 100% tall
B. 100% short
C. 25% short, 75% tall
D. 50% short, 50% tall

Answer: A


Question: Joey is making breakfast and pours a glass of milk over a bowl of dry cereal. Which best describes what Joey made for breakfast?

Choices:
A. element
B. compound
C. mixture
D. solution

Answer: C


Question: Scientists determined that specific agents produce specific diseases, and many are transmitted by sneezing. What must the droplets contain for a disease to be transmitted by sneezing?

Choices:
A. the disease-causing particles
B. cells exposed to the disease
C. toxins released by diseased cells
D. disease-specific antibodies

Answer: A


Question: Which of the following organisms would most likely get its food energy only from consumers?

Choices:
A. deer
B. grass
C. hawk
D. mushroom

Answer: C


Question: Coal is a fossil fuel that is formed from

Choices:
A. water eroding the land.
B. meteors hitting Earth.
C. repeated volcanic eruptions.
D. the decay of organic material.

Answer: D


Question: What do birds, bats and butterflies have in common?

Choices:
A. feathers
B. hair
C. internal skeleton
D. wings

Answer: D


Question: Changes at the molecular level can turn proto-oncogenes into oncogenes. These changes cause unregulated cell division. Which disease is caused by this transformation?

Choices:
A. diabetes
B. leukemia
C. pneumonia
D. hemophilia

Answer: B


Question: Which characteristic of sound makes it possible for bats to fly in the dark without hitting any objects?

Choices:
A. refraction
B. reflection
C. conduction
D. amplification

Answer: B


Question: Students went on a class field trip to Natural Bridge Caverns. They noticed rock formations in the cave called stalactites. Which of these processes caused the stalactites to form?

Choices:
A. heat
B. pressure
C. freezing
D. deposition

Answer: D


Question: A switch that can open or close an electric circuit can be used to

Choices:
A. increase the amount of current.
B. reverse the current's direction.
C. stop the current.
D. accelerate the current.

Answer: C


Question: Jesus learned that a space probe named Voyager 1 was launched from Earth in 1977. It will take Voyager 1 more than 500 years to travel 1 light year. What is a light year used to measure in space?

Choices:
A. distance
B. energy
C. force
D. time

Answer: A


Question: Scientists think that the rise in global temperature during the last one hundred years is due to an increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Which question would best help scientists assess the claim that humans are responsible for the rising global temperature?

Choices:
A. What is the mechanism by which carbon dioxide heats Earth?
B. What is the source of most of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?
C. What is the source of the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?
D. What is the increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

Answer: C


Question: Which structure controls what enters both plant cells and animal cells?

Choices:
A. nucleus
B. cell wall
C. chloroplast
D. cell membrane

Answer: D


Question: Appearance, texture, and density are classified as

Choices:
A. physical properties.
B. chemical properties.
C. magnetic properties.
D. thermal properties.

Answer: A


Question: A student compares a plant cell to an animal cell. Which structure will the student find ONLY in the plant cell?

Choices:
A. chloroplast
B. nucleus
C. mitochondrion
D. cytoplasm

Answer: A


Question: One hot summer, a grassland experienced a drought. Which most likely happened in the ecosystem during this time?

Choices:
A. The competition for food among primary consumers increased.
B. Nutrients cycled through the system at a faster rate.
C. Less solar radiation was able to enter the system.
D. Secondary consumers became extinct.

Answer: A


Question: The need for farmland in Brazil has led to the cutting of the rain forests in the Amazon. Cutting trees in the Amazon rain forest might have a global effect by

Choices:
A. decreasing the amount of fresh water
B. increasing the number of animal species
C. decreasing the average yearly temperatures
D. increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere

Answer: D


Question: Which two body systems maintain the level of glucose in the blood?

Choices:
A. nervous and respiratory systems
B. digestive and endocrine systems
C. muscular and immune systems
D. skeletal and cardiac systems

Answer: B


Question: A student writes in a laboratory notebook: I placed a piece of iron in a beaker of water and the iron sank to the bottom of the beaker. What the student wrote in the laboratory notebook is an example of a(n)

Choices:
1. observation
2. prediction
3. inference
4. hypothesis

Answer: 1


Question: Which series correctly represents the levels of organization in an organism?

Choices:
A. cells -> organs -> organ system -> tissue
B. cells -> tissue -> organs -> organ system
C. tissue -> cells -> organ system -> organs
D. tissue -> organ system -> cells -> organs

Answer: B


Question: Which is a function of a seed?

Choices:
A. forming fruit
B. making pollen
C. storing food for a new plant
D. taking in water from the ground

Answer: C


Question: Which process below uses carbon dioxide and the sun's radiant energy to produce chemical energy?

Choices:
A. Evaporation
B. Photosynthesis
C. Respiration
D. Decomposition

Answer: B


Question: A serotinous cone is a seed enclosure that requires intense heat to open. When would a population of trees most benefit from having serotinous cones?

Choices:
A. after a drought
B. after a heat wave
C. after a forest fire
D. after a tornado

Answer: C


Question: A lumber company plants new trees where a forest once stood. This is an example of

Choices:
A. conserving resources.
B. consuming resources.
C. recycling resources.
D. replacing resources.

Answer: D


Question: Some pea plants always have peas with smooth skin. Other pea plants always have peas with wrinkled skin. How can a student best predict which kind of pea will grow from a seed that is planted?

Choices:
A. by checking the amount of water in the soil
B. by checking how often the pea plant receives sunlight
C. by checking how much space the plant will have to grow
D. by checking the type of peas growing on the parent plants

Answer: D


Question: How do plants affect their environment?

Choices:
A. Plants clean the soil.
B. Plants make sunlight brighter.
C. Plants make food used by other organisms.
D. Plants create water

Answer: C


Question: Which is an example of a physical property of an object?

Choices:
A. The object bends without breaking.
B. The object bubbles when put into an acid.
C. The object burns when touched by a flame.
D. The object gives off sparks when put into water.

Answer: A


Question: What happens when a warm object is put inside a cooler object?

Choices:
A. The warm object loses energy and the cool object gains energy so that both objects stay at different temperatures.
B. The warm object gains energy and the cool object loses energy so that both objects stay at different temperatures.
C. The warm object loses energy and the cool object gains energy until both objects are the same temperature.
D. The warm object gains energy and the cool object loses energy until both objects are the same temperature.

Answer: C


Question: Newborn white-tailed deer have hundreds of spots on their coats which gradually disappear at three to four months of age. The spots on their coats make the newborns blend in with the environment through

Choices:
A. mimicry.
B. migration.
C. hibernation.
D. camouflage.

Answer: D


Question: What is the smallest particle of an element that still exhibits all the properties of that element?

Choices:
A. an electron
B. an atom
C. a molecule
D. a proton

Answer: B


Question: A population of tree-climbing lizard lives on one bank of a large river. The other bank of the river is a treeless prairie. During a flood, 40 lizards were transferred to the prairie side of the river. After 200 generations, this transferred population of lizard lost the ability to climb.Which mechanism is most likely responsible for this loss of function within the transferred population?

Choices:
A. gene flow
B. natural selection
C. genetic drift
D. mutation

Answer: C


Question: When a cup of water at room temperature is put in a freezer, the water's state of matter will change from

Choices:
A. liquid to gas
B. gas to liquid
C. liquid to solid
D. solid to liquid

Answer: C


Question: The weight of an object can change because of the force that acts on that object. Which force causes the weight of an object to change?

Choices:
A. gravitational
B. electrical
C. magnetic
D. friction

Answer: A


Question: Use the information below to answer the question. The human body is composed of different systems made of specialized cells, tissues, and organs. Each of these structures has a specific function that aids in the survival of the human species. What is the primary function of the excretory system?

Choices:
A. to digest food
B. to help in defense
C. to eliminate waste
D. to enable movement

Answer: C


Question: What is the MAJOR cause of acid rain?

Choices:
A. smelting ore
B. evaporation of polluted water
C. jet airplane exhaust high in the sky
D. sulfur combining with water vapor in the atmosphere

Answer: D


Question: In 1921, Earl Dickson invented a bandage after he noticed his wife was unable to easily cover cuts on her hands. He covered the bandage with a chemical that sealed it so air would not enter the cut. How did solving this problem benefit others medically?

Choices:
A. People relied on bandages more than doctors.
B. The bandages cured cuts that were infected.
C. The bandages helped keep cuts clean.
D. People cut themselves less often.

Answer: C


Question: Which is a factor that most likely would affect the climate in a particular area?

Choices:
A. amount of lightning
B. distance from an ocean
C. number of earthquakes
D. shape of the shoreline

Answer: B


Question: Pond ecosystems depend on the water cycle to ensure the survival of the animals that live in or near the pond. If a drought reduces the water level, which population of animals would be most affected?

Choices:
A. duck
B. fish
C. mouse
D. snake

Answer: B


Question: Some plants rely on hummingbirds for pollination. If a deadly disease infected the hummingbird population, what would most likely happen to the plants?

Choices:
A. They would die within hours.
B. They would become endangered.
C. They would need to migrate.
D. They would grow at a slower rate.

Answer: B


Question: When salt is added to ice, the ice begins to melt because the salt

Choices:
A. raises the freezing point.
B. lowers the freezing point.
C. raises the boiling point.
D. lowers the boiling point.

Answer: B


Question: Leaf cells are one type of tree cell. Which process occurs in a growing leaf cell?

Choices:
A. evolution
B. adaptation
C. sugar production
D. sexual reproduction

Answer: C


Question: Which diagram correctly shows the flow of energy in a food chain?

Choices:
A. Decomposer -> Consumer -> Producer
B. Producer -> Consumer -> Decomposer
C. Consumer -> Producer -> Decomposer
D. Producer -> Decomposer -> Consumer

Answer: B


Question: Which form of energy is produced when paper is burned?

Choices:
A. heat
B. magnetic
C. electrical
D. chemical

Answer: A


Question: A group of cells performing the same function in the body is called

Choices:
A. a tissue.
B. an organelle.
C. an organism.
D. a system.

Answer: A


Question: Which material is a good conductor of heat?

Choices:
A. plastic
B. rubber
C. glass
D. copper

Answer: D


Question: All living organisms have certain needs in order to stay alive. Which is most necessary for both plants and animals?

Choices:
A. food
B. water
C. chlorophyll
D. carbon dioxide

Answer: B


Question: Plant leaves have tiny pores. These pores help plants release water from their tissues into the

Choices:
A. lithosphere.
B. biosphere.
C. hydrosphere.
D. atmosphere.

Answer: D


Question: How can washing your hands help keep you from getting sick?

Choices:
A. It washes away germs.
B. It makes your hands look nice.
C. It keeps your skin from drying out.
D. It makes your hands warmer.

Answer: A


Question: Which part of a plant makes sugar from carbon dioxide?

Choices:
A. stem
B. leaf
C. root
D. flower

Answer: B


Question: One method of heat distribution is a baseboard forced hot water system. A baseboard system carries hot water through a pipe that passes through many small, flat plates called fins. What is the purpose of these fins?

Choices:
A. to dissipate the heat of the hot water flowing through the pipe
B. to prevent the baseboard from coming in contact with hot surfaces
C. to replace the heated air leaving the system with cold air
D. to prevent dust and other particles from entering the baseboard

Answer: A


Question: Aerogels are compounds formed by the drying of certain gels. Although the aerogel hardens into a solid material, the particles in the gel are much farther apart than those of most solids and particles are held together by strong bridges of covalently bonded atoms. Which of the following is a likely property of aerogels?

Choices:
A. very low density
B. high electrical conductivity
C. very low melting point
D. very flexible

Answer: A


Question: What renewable energy source used to make electricity is thought to be always available?

Choices:
A. oil
B. coal
C. wind
D. nuclear

Answer: C


Question: When heat flows from a hot spot to a cooler spot, entropy increases. When heat is forced to flow from a cool spot to a warmer spot, entropy decreases. Marta is looking for something in her house that causes a decrease in entropy. Which of these should she choose?

Choices:
A. an ice cube melting
B. the refrigerator
C. an egg frying
D. the toaster

Answer: B


Question: Which of the following is influenced by both genetics and behavior?

Choices:
A. eye color
B. hair texture
C. blood type
D. body weight

Answer: D


Question: Which of the following natural disasters is likely to cause the most widespread damage in a coastal ecosystem?

Choices:
A. a landslide
B. a tornado
C. a tsunami
D. an earthquake

Answer: C


Question: One function of the circulatory system is to carry cellular nutrients to the body. Which part of the circulatory system is responsible for exchanging nutrients and wastes?

Choices:
A. arteries
B. capillaries
C. heart
D. veins

Answer: B


Question: How does sedimentary rock form?

Choices:
A. sediments cool
B. sediments melt
C. sediments separate
D. sediments compress

Answer: D


Question: Which of the following best explains why electrical wires are usually covered with plastic or rubber?

Choices:
A. to insulate the electrical wire
B. to keep the electrical wire warm
C. to make the electrical wire stronger
D. to make the electrical wire more flexible

Answer: A


Question: The Moon revolves around Earth about once every

Choices:
A. day.
B. year.
C. week.
D. month.

Answer: D


Question: Calcium is a mineral that helps make your bones and teeth strong. Which of these foods is the best source of calcium?

Choices:
A. candy
B. rice
C. cheese
D. meat

Answer: C


Question: According to the endosymbiotic theory, the outer membrane of the chloroplast originated from which organelle?

Choices:
A. the lysosome of an engulfed prokaryotic cell
B. the chloroplast of an engulfed prokaryotic cell
C. the cell membrane of an eukaryotic host cell
D. the chloroplast of an eukaryotic host cell

Answer: C


Question: Students performing a scientific investigation are most likely trying to

Choices:
A. produce a new theory.
B. disprove a hypothesis.
C. reject a conclusion.
D. answer a question.

Answer: D


Question: Which statement describes a function of bones in mammals such as dogs and horses?

Choices:
A. Bones provide protection for organs in the body.
B. Bones send messages to the brain to move the muscles.
C. Bones carry oxygen-rich blood throughout the body.
D. Bones connect the brain and the spinal cord.

Answer: A


Question: To a person standing motionless on the Earth's surface on a day with no wind, in which direction would the rain appear to fall?

Choices:
A. vertically
B. diagonally
C. horizontally
D. circularly

Answer: A


Question: Which two things interact most in the water cycle?

Choices:
A. oceans and the Moon
B. oceans and the Sun
C. lakes and the Moon
D. lakes and the Sun

Answer: B


Question: Some animals have advantages and disadvantages because they are different. Which of the following has a disadvantage compared to other animals in its population?

Choices:
A. a polar bear that has dark-colored fur
B. a deer with long legs
C. a rabbit that can run fast
D. a hummingbird with a long beak

Answer: A


Question: Which is a characteristic of both plants and animals?

Choices:
A. life cycles
B. learned behaviors
C. produce their own food
D. reproduce using seeds

Answer: A


Question: What is the main difference between planets and moons in our solar system?

Choices:
A. All planets can support life; moons cannot.
B. All planets have atmospheres; moons do not.
C. All planets orbit the Sun; all moons orbit planets.
D. All planets are larger than all moons.

Answer: C


Question: Which is a response of the autonomic nervous system that helps maintain equilibrium in the body?

Choices:
A. shivering in cold temperatures
B. eating due to appetite
C. slapping at biting insects
D. pulling away from hot objects

Answer: A


Question: Maria Mitchell discovered a comet in 1847 that was later named after her. Maria Mitchell's discovery contributed to which branch of science?

Choices:
A. biology
B. chemistry
C. geology
D. astronomy

Answer: D


Question: When a lightbulb is lit, electrical energy is changed into light energy and

Choices:
A. chemical energy
B. magnetic energy
C. heat energy
D. mechanical energy

Answer: C


Question: Water moves directly from a lake to the air by which of the following processes?

Choices:
A. condensation
B. evaporation
C. precipitation
D. sedimentation

Answer: B


Question: In the late 1700s, Antoine Lavoisier performed a series of experiments to find out what happened when a substance burned. In each experiment, he observed that the weight of a container and its contents was the same at the end of the experiment as it had been in the beginning. These observations led him to propose the law of

Choices:
A. combustion.
B. fixed proportions.
C. conservation of mass.
D. conservation of energy.

Answer: C


Question: A student has a mineral sample. He wonders if the sample is the mineral mica. He knows the cleavage pattern of mica is a smooth, flat sheet. The student can best find out the cleavage pattern of the sample by

Choices:
A. shining a light on the mineral.
B. soaking the mineral in water.
C. rubbing a penny against the mineral.
D. breaking off a piece of the mineral.

Answer: D


Question: A full Moon is observed in Buffalo, New York, on June 1. Approximately when will the next full Moon be observed in Buffalo?

Choices:
1. June 7
2. June 15
3. July 1
4. July 7

Answer: 3


Question: A computer model of an insect population takes into account the following parameters: * available food resources * annual temperature variation * timing of insect reproductive cycles Which additional parameter would most significantly improve the model's accuracy when predicting the insect population size?

Choices:
A. decomposers recycling dead insects
B. annual variation in oxygen availability
C. activities of predators preying on insects
D. variation in barometric pressure

Answer: C


Question: Many insects go through metamorphosis. Which series shows the stages of complete metamorphosis correctly?

Choices:
A. egg, nymph, pupa, adult
B. egg, larva, nymph, adult
C. egg, nymph 1, nymph 2, adult
D. egg, larva, pupa, adult

Answer: D


Question: Which of these describes rotation?

Choices:
A. Mercury goes around the Sun every 88 days.
B. The Moon goes around Earth every 28 days.
C. Earth orbits the Sun about every 365 days.
D. Earth makes one turn on its axis every 24 hours.

Answer: D


Question: Sam looks into a fish pond and points at a goldfish. Sam's grandfather looks where Sam is pointing and tells Sam that the fish is actually in a different location. Which property of light explains why Sam's grandfather is correct?

Choices:
A. reflection
B. refraction
C. diffraction
D. absorption

Answer: B


Question: People sitting around a campfire are able to feel the heat from the fire. How are the people able to feel the heat from the fire without touching the fire?

Choices:
A. The heat from the fire travels through the ground and heats the ground around the people.
B. The heat from the fire is conducted through air molecules to the people.
C. The heat from the fire rises in the air and then settles around the people.
D. The heat from the fire radiates from the fire to the people.

Answer: D


Question: In which case does a physical change occur?

Choices:
A. Ice melts into water.
B. Bread burns in a toaster.
C. A cake bakes in an oven.
D. Two chemicals form a new substance.

Answer: A


Question: Which energy source could involve a dam?

Choices:
A. biomass
B. solar power
C. geothermal energy
D. hydroelectric power

Answer: D


Question: Which cellular structure do organisms in the kingdoms Eubacteria, Archaebacteria, and Protista have in common?

Choices:
A. a nucleus
B. a cell membrane
C. a circular chromosome
D. a mitochondrion

Answer: B


Question: Sheri went on a field trip with her class and saw a stream with floating garbage. How could this pollution affect humans?

Choices:
A. There may not be enough drinking water.
B. There may not be enough water in the water cycle.
C. There may not be enough oxygen for humans to breathe.

Answer: A


Question: Which information would probably be most helpful to someone trying to identify a mineral sample?

Choices:
1. location and mass of the sample
2. shape and texture of the sample
3. hardness and streak of the sample
4. color and size of the sample

Answer: 3


Question: Which of these is most likely an effect of releasing carbon dioxide pollution into the atmosphere?

Choices:
A. a reduction in the ozone layer
B. a reduction in photosynthesis
C. an increase in radioactive wastes
D. an increase in the greenhouse effect

Answer: D


Question: Plastic conducts very little thermal energy or electricity. Because of this property, plastic would most likely be used to cover

Choices:
A. metal.
B. wood.
C. solids.
D. liquids.

Answer: A


Question: Which unit of measurement do astronomers use when measuring the distance between two stars found in the Milky Way?

Choices:
A. meter
B. light-year
C. kilometer
D. astronomical unit

Answer: B


Question: The human body is made up of several systems. The mouth, esophagus, and stomach are all parts of which system?

Choices:
A. circulatory
B. digestive
C. nervous
D. skeletal

Answer: B


Question: Which term describes the path the Moon travels around Earth?

Choices:
A. rotation
B. day
C. orbit
D. phase

Answer: C


Question: Which best describes an exothermic reaction?

Choices:
A. a physical change occurs
B. equal amounts of products are produced
C. energy is required
D. energy is released

Answer: D


Question: During freezing, melting, and boiling, water changes from one state to another state. Heat needs to be supplied for which of these to take place?

Choices:
A. boiling only
B. melting only
C. melting and freezing but not boiling
D. melting and boiling but not freezing

Answer: D


Question: Which of the following is a first-level consumer?

Choices:
A. wolf
B. hawk
C. carrot
D. rabbit

Answer: D


Question: A force of 5 N is required to increase the speed of a box from a rate of 1.0 m/s to 3.0 m/s within 5 s along a level surface. What change would most likely require additional force to produce the same results?

Choices:
A. reduce the mass of the box
B. increase the mass of the box
C. make the surfaces of the box smooth
D. make the surface of the floor smooth

Answer: B


Question: What is the MAJOR reason Earth has seasons?

Choices:
A. Earth has a moon
B. Earth has a tilted axis
C. Earth has a magnetic field
D. Earth has an elliptical orbit

Answer: B


Question: In a particular habitat, Animal X has two sources of food. One source is found in the water and the other source is found on land. If the main predator of Animal X is found only on land, what is the most likely structural adaptation that will be selected for in the population of Animal X?

Choices:
A. development of claws
B. increase in leg strength
C. increase in visual acuity
D. development of webbed feet

Answer: D


Question: A teacher uses an instrument that records decibel levels. What is the teacher measuring?

Choices:
A. noise levels
B. intensity of light
C. relative humidity
D. types of thermal energy

Answer: A


Question: Which best explains how nutrients get into soil?

Choices:
A. through exposure to air
B. by absorbing sunlight
C. through decaying matter
D. by rocks eroding

Answer: C


Question: Lichens grow on rocks and produce an acid that reacts with part of the rock, forming soil. Which best describes the action of lichens on the rocks?

Choices:
A. erosion
B. fertilizer
C. chemical weathering
D. mechanical weathering

Answer: C


Question: Why do the Sun and Moon appear to move across the sky?

Choices:
A. The rotation of the solar system makes the Sun and Moon seem to move.
B. The rotation of Earth makes the Sun and Moon seem to move.
C. The Sun and Moon revolve around Earth.
D. Earth revolves around the Sun and the Moon.

Answer: B


Question: Which human activity would have the greatest positive impact on the water quality of a stream?

Choices:
A. releasing warm water into the stream
B. driving cars through the stream
C. reducing use of fertilizers near the stream
D. increasing use of chemicals near the stream

Answer: C


Question: A student pours water into a cup and places the cup in a freezer. After many hours, the water will change from

Choices:
A. solid to gas
B. solid to liquid
C. liquid to solid
D. liquid to gas

Answer: C


Question: Which gas is given off by a plant during photosynthesis?

Choices:
A. oxygen
B. nitrogen
C. hydrogen
D. carbon dioxide

Answer: A


Question: Which of the following processes makes it possible for plants to use energy from sunlight to produce their own food?

Choices:
A. metamorphosis
B. photosynthesis
C. pollination
D. reproduction

Answer: B


Question: Which protist has starch granules in its cytoplasm?

Choices:
A. amoeba
B. euglena
C. paramecium
D. volvox

Answer: B


Question: Which resource is more available due to improvements in deep-sea drilling technology?

Choices:
A. crude oil
B. fresh water
C. thermal energy
D. salt reserves

Answer: A


Question: Tooth decay is an infection that causes deterioration of the protective enamel on teeth, resulting in damage. Tooth decay is most likely caused by

Choices:
A. bacteria.
B. acidic food.
C. allergies.
D. genetic defects.

Answer: A


Question: Which structure do a rabbit cell and a bacillus cell have in common?

Choices:
A. mitochondrion
B. capsule
C. nucleus
D. DNA

Answer: D


Question: Which of these is necessary for life on Earth?

Choices:
A. water
B. trees
C. wind
D. soil

Answer: A


Question: During a collision, a seat belt slows the speed of a crash dummy. What is the direction of the net force exerted by the seat belt compared to the direction of the crash dummy's motion?

Choices:
A. in the same direction
B. in a vertical direction
C. in a downward direction
D. in the opposite direction

Answer: D


Question: By inserting a gene into crop plants, scientists have developed plants that are resistant to insects. If an insect eats the plant, the insect dies. Which practice is unnecessary with this new plant variety?

Choices:
A. eroding the land by tilling
B. overproducing food crops
C. removing weeds from crops
D. spraying plants with pesticides

Answer: D


Question: As wood in a campfire burns, it releases heat and becomes ash. What kind of change occurs in the wood when it burns and releases heat?

Choices:
A. nuclear
B. magnetic
C. chemical
D. mechanical

Answer: C


Question: Which statement is an inference?

Choices:
1. A thermometer shows that the air temperature is 56°F.
2. A mineral sample of galena produced a gray-black streak when tested.
3. Based on previous data, ten hurricanes may occur in the year 2013.
4. A weather vane indicates the wind is coming from the west.

Answer: 3


Question: Which process moves water from the oceans to the atmosphere?

Choices:
A. condensation
B. transpiration
C. evaporation
D. precipitation

Answer: C


Question: At concentrations of 0.1-1 µg/ml colchicine, a natural plant product, can cause the mitotic arrest of dividing cells at metaphase through disrupting the spindle apparatus. Colchicine interferes with which of these cell functions during cell division?

Choices:
A. microtubule organization of spindle fibers
B. DNA synthesis of spindle protein
C. membrane transport of spindle fibers
D. RNA synthesis of spindle protein

Answer: A


Question: Most species of ducks have webbed feet. The webbed feet are an example of

Choices:
A. behavioral trait.
B. a learned trait.
C. an inherited trait.
D. an instinctive trait.

Answer: C


Question: On which date does North America usually experience the longest period of daylight?

Choices:
1. March 21
2. June 21
3. September 21
4. December 21

Answer: 2


Question: What causes an object to fall to the ground when you let it drop from your hand?

Choices:
A. magnetism
B. gravity
C. air resistance
D. the push from your hand

Answer: B


Question: The phases of the Moon are caused by the

Choices:
A. tilt of the Earth.
B. tilt of the Moon.
C. revolution of the Earth around the Sun.
D. revolution of the Moon around the Earth.

Answer: D


Question: One system of the human body works along with the skeletal system by assisting movement and maintaining posture. Which system is being described?

Choices:
A. respiratory
B. circulatory
C. muscular
D. digestive

Answer: C


Question: The discovery of penicillin helped in the

Choices:
A. treatment of infections.
B. healing of bones.
C. discovery of viruses.
D. search for diseases.

Answer: A


Question: When the environment changes more quickly than a species can adapt, the species may become

Choices:
1. extinct
2. dominant
3. diverse
4. overpopulated

Answer: 1


Question: A student hears on the radio that the outside temperature is 32°C. What type of weather will the student most likely expect when she steps outside?

Choices:
A. cool, rainy fall weather
B. cold, snowy winter weather
C. hot, sunny summer weather
D. spring weather with flowers blooming

Answer: C


Question: Which parts of an atom are reactive during a chemical process?

Choices:
A. electrons
B. protons
C. neutrons
D. molecules

Answer: A


Question: What is one way people are helping the environment?

Choices:
A. They are planting trees to replace the ones that are cut.
B. They are building more roads so more people can see natural areas.
C. They are building more dumps to hold the trash we create.
D. They are using their cars more to get to places faster.

Answer: A


Question: What is the function of hollow bones in birds?

Choices:
A. to streamline birds for efficient flight
B. to reduce the weight of birds for flight
C. to store oxygen for high-altitude flight
D. to make bones strong enough for flight

Answer: B


Question: A screwdriver is used to pry the lid off a paint can. The resistance arm is 0.5 centimeters. The effort arm is 20 centimeters. What is the mechanical advantage of the screwdriver?

Choices:
A. 0.025
B. 10
C. 19.5
D. 40

Answer: D


Question: Food provides calories needed by the body for energy. However, the body must use energy between meals when food is not consumed. What is the most likely response of the body when more energy is used than the calories consumed provide?

Choices:
A. to increase blood flow to the limbs for energy production
B. to release energy from lipids stored throughout the body
C. to transform stored proteins into carbohydrates for energy
D. to contract muscles to create heat energy for the body

Answer: B


Question: The climate of an area would be expected to have the least fluctuations in temperatures where the

Choices:
A. atmospheric nitrogen is low.
B. vegetation is sparse.
C. days are longest.
D. humidity is high.

Answer: D


Question: Why would animals most likely have to leave an area during a drought?

Choices:
A. to find mates
B. to find shelter
C. to escape predators
D. to find water and food

Answer: D


Question: Secondary pollutants are produced in the environment by chemical reactions involving primary or emitted chemicals. Which of the following is a secondary pollutant?

Choices:
A. carbon monoxide (CO)
B. nitrogen oxide (NO)
C. methane (CH_{4})
D. ozone (O_{3})

Answer: D


Question: The human brain is an organ that is made up of many tissues. This information can be used to determine that the brain is

Choices:
A. unicellular.
B. multicellular.
C. part of a bacterial colony.
D. able to function independently.

Answer: B


Question: A bicyclist rides on a flat road and then stops pedaling but does not apply the brakes. The bicycle stops because of ___.

Choices:
A. balance
B. friction
C. attraction
D. magnetism

Answer: B


Question: One student rubs a balloon against his hair several times. Another student passes a comb through her hair several times. The students place the comb near the balloon and observe that the comb repels the balloon. Which is the most likely reason the comb is able to repel the balloon?

Choices:
A. The balloon has a positive charge and the comb is neutral.
B. The balloon and the comb have the same electrical charge.
C. The balloon has a negative charge and the comb is neutral.
D. The balloon and the comb have opposite electrical charges.

Answer: B


Question: How is weather related to climate?

Choices:
A. Climate is the long-term average of a region's weather.
B. Climate describes the weather of a large area.
C. Weather is the long-term average of a region's climate.
D. Weather describes the climate of a large area.

Answer: A


Question: Katie has a mixture of iron filings and sand. She wants to separate them. How can she do this?

Choices:
A. Shake the mixture, and the iron filings will rise to the surface.
B. Add water to the mixture, and the sand will dissolve in the water.
C. Put the mixture through a sieve, and the sand will remain in the sieve.
D. Pass a magnet over the mixture, and the magnet will attract the iron fillings.

Answer: D


Question: Which process is common to most living things?

Choices:
A. flying
B. talking
C. seeing
D. reproducing

Answer: D


Question: The angle of a ramp is changed several times during an experiment. Which tool is needed to measure the different angles?

Choices:
A. compass
B. protractor
C. meter stick
D. spring scale

Answer: B


Question: All of these are examples of observation and measurement except

Choices:
A. charting where birds fly.
B. attracting birds with birdseed.
C. counting the number of birds that fly by.
D. illustrating the different birds that fly by.

Answer: B


Question: The piping plover is a bird that builds its nest on sand dunes along the Atlantic Ocean. Which of these actions most likely damages the nests of the piping plover?

Choices:
A. people fishing from a boat
B. children playing in the ocean waves
C. children digging holes along the sand dunes
D. people walking on a sidewalk along the sand dunes

Answer: C


Question: Which is an effect that cities have on the weather?

Choices:
A. Small numbers of plants cause rain to fall more often.
B. Large numbers of houses cause the wind to be stronger.
C. Small areas of open water cause fog to be more common.
D. Large areas of pavement cause the temperature to be hotter.

Answer: D


Question: A "shooting star" is

Choices:
A. a comet.
B. a meteor.
C. an asteroid.
D. a small star.

Answer: B


Question: Which type of organism converts wastes and dead materials into nutrients that can be used by plants?

Choices:
1. carnivore
2. herbivore
3. decomposer
4. producer

Answer: 3


Question: Biochemical reactions that require high temperatures to proceed are able to take place at body temperature within the cells of living organisms. Which factor is mainly responsible for allowing biochemical reactions to proceed at body temperature?

Choices:
A. The cellular enzymes act as catalysts.
B. The small size of cells keeps reactants together.
C. The pH of the cytoplasm increases reaction rate.
D. The reactants are present in small quantities in the cell.

Answer: A


Question: Which statement best compares gravity on the Moon to gravity on Earth?

Choices:
A. Gravity on the Moon is greater because it is closer to the Sun.
B. Gravity on the Moon is less because it is smaller than the Earth.
C. Gravity on the Moon is less because it has less atmosphere than the Earth.
D. Gravity on the Moon is greater because it has less mass than the Earth.

Answer: B


Question: An enclosed 20 mL metal cylinder was filled with a gas sample at room temperature. The sample then was transferred to an empty 40 mL enclosed container, also at room temperature. After being transferred, the volume of the gas was

Choices:
A. 10 mL.
B. 20 mL.
C. 30 mL.
D. 40 mL.

Answer: D


Question: Melting, boiling, and freezing are examples of

Choices:
A. physical changes.
B. chemical changes.
C. magnetic changes.
D. electrical changes.

Answer: A


Question: There is a shadow under a tree. Which form of energy must be present for the shadow to occur?

Choices:
A. heat
B. light
C. sound
D. mechanical

Answer: B


Question: Seismometers measure quick changes that happen in the crust of our planet. Which of the following is a seismometer used to measure?

Choices:
A. earthquake
B. erosion
C. flooding
D. weathering

Answer: A


Question: In some lakes, excessive blooms of algae appear when human activity causes degradation of water quality resulting in conditions more favorable for algae growth. Which human activity primarily causes this problem?

Choices:
A. mining
B. farming
C. transportation
D. manufacturing

Answer: B


Question: Drake has started a garden. What can Drake do to enrich the soil so that his plants will grow better?

Choices:
A. remove earthworms
B. add more water to the soil
C. increase the amount of pesticide he uses
D. mix decomposed plant matter into the soil

Answer: D


Question: Which of these objects will rust?

Choices:
A. wood chips
B. plastic straws
C. iron nails
D. glass beads

Answer: C


Question: Which color baseball cap would absorb the most light on a sunny day?

Choices:
A. pink
B. black
C. white
D. yellow

Answer: B


Question: Which body systems are most involved in the response when someone stubs his or her toe?

Choices:
A. nervous and muscle
B. muscle and endocrine
C. nervous and digestive
D. reproductive and circulatory

Answer: A


Question: Which part of a sound wave measures loudness?

Choices:
A. wavelength
B. magnitude
C. amplitude
D. frequency

Answer: C


Question: Neurons respond to stimuli and transmit impulses to coordinate body functions. Which of these indicates the rapid change in the membrane potential when a neuron is stimulated?

Choices:
A. action potential
B. resting potential
C. refractory period
D. threshold period

Answer: A


Question: Materials that let electrons flow very easily from one atom to another

Choices:
A. are called insulators.
B. are called conductors.
C. are called non-metals.
D. are called resistors.

Answer: B


Question: Which is the most important safety measure to follow when using an acid in a classroom laboratory?

Choices:
A. wearing protective clothing and goggles
B. keeping the window open
C. closing the door to the hall
D. using bright fluorescent lights

Answer: A


Question: In a deep valley on Earth, a person shouting will hear an echo as the sound is reflected back off the surrounding mountains. In a similar valley on the Moon, no echo will be heard. This is because

Choices:
A. the gravitational pull on the Moon is too low
B. the temperature on the Moon is too low
C. there is no air on the Moon for the sound to travel through
D. the mountains on the Moon cannot reflect sound

Answer: C


Question: The motion of a car accelerating in a straight line differs from the motion of a car moving in a straight line at a constant speed. Which change best describes acceleration of a car?

Choices:
A. a change in the direction of the car
B. a change in the distance the car travels
C. the change in velocity divided by the time for that change
D. the change in the time for the car to travel a distance

Answer: C


Question: During which time of day are the highest temperatures most often recorded?

Choices:
A. sunset
B. afternoon
C. sunrise
D. night

Answer: B


Question: When butterfly eggs hatch, the young are called ___.

Choices:
A. worms
B. cocoons
C. caterpillars
D. little butterflies

Answer: C


Question: Louis Pasteur's work in the nineteenth century on pasteurization greatly improved

Choices:
A. the quality of food.
B. the prediction of weather.
C. the availability of medication.
D. the effectiveness of vaccinations.

Answer: A


Question: An earthworm was placed on top of a thick layer of moist topsoil in a pan. The pan was placed in a room with the lights on. How did the earthworm most likely respond to these conditions?

Choices:
A. by burrowing under the soil
B. by crawling around in the pan
C. by staying where it was placed
D. by trying to crawl out of the pan

Answer: A


Question: What is the liquid layer of Earth that lies beneath the mantle?

Choices:
A. inner core
B. outer core
C. mesosphere
D. asthenosphere

Answer: B


Question: Many natural resources are found in Maryland and the surrounding area. Some of these natural resources are renewable and some are nonrenewable. People use both kinds of resources in daily activities. Using natural resources often produces waste products. Burning fossil fuels, such as oil, coal, and gasoline produces pollution. Which type of pollution is most often produced by burning fossil fuels?

Choices:
A. air pollution
B. land pollution
C. noise pollution
D. water pollution

Answer: A


Question: When a bird sings, it is most likely singing in order to

Choices:
A. frighten away other types of birds
B. mark the bird's territory against the same type of bird
C. attract insects
D. wake up other animals

Answer: B


Question: Coal is used for generating about 53% of the electrical energy in the United States. Which of these environmental issues is directly contributed to by the burning of coal?

Choices:
A. beach erosion
B. ozone depletion
C. overfishing
D. air pollution

Answer: D


Question: Which term correctly describes all of the following materials? salt water, vinegar, bronze, air, beach sand

Choices:
A. compounds
B. mixtures
C. solutions
D. elements

Answer: B


Question: Isle Royale is a large island in Lake Superior. During the 1800s, most of the trees were removed, and the wolves and moose that lived on the island died. In the early 1900s, moose were reintroduced to the island. By 1925, the moose population on Isle Royale rose to about 2,000 individuals. Which best explains how the moose population grew so rapidly?

Choices:
A. The death rate was greater than the birth rate.
B. There was unlimited food for the moose to eat.
C. The birth rate was constant and few moose died.
D. There were no predators to control the population.

Answer: D


Question: Which is a characteristic Earth and the Moon have in common?

Choices:
A. seas
B. craters
C. thunderstorms
D. atmosphere

Answer: B


Question: As Bobby entered a dark room, he pushed the switch on the wall to turn on the light. What makes the light turn on when Bobby pushes the switch?

Choices:
A. electricity
B. friction
C. gravity
D. magnetism

Answer: A


Question: Which human organ system eliminates liquid and gaseous wastes from the body?

Choices:
1. circulatory
2. endocrine
3. excretory
4. reproductive

Answer: 3


Question: When visiting the beach, Felicity observed that a breeze blew in from the ocean during the day and out toward the ocean at night. Which factor is most responsible for the direction of land and sea breezes in coastal regions?

Choices:
A. the revolution of Earth around the Sun
B. the uneven heating between the land and water
C. the gravitational pull of Earth on the atmosphere
D. the daily rise and fall of tides in a regular pattern

Answer: B


Question: Which pathway do most nutrients take after a person takes a bite of food?

Choices:
1. digestive system -> circulatory system -> body cells
2. circulatory system -> body cells -> digestive system
3. digestive system -> body cells -> circulatory system
4. circulatory system -> digestive system -> body cells

Answer: 1


Question: Sound reaches our ears because sound makes air particles

Choices:
A. heat up.
B. cool down.
C. slow down.
D. vibrate.

Answer: D


Question: Which event is an example of conduction?

Choices:
A. Sunlight travels from the Sun to warm Earth.
B. Boiling water in a pot warms a spoon inside the pot.
C. A fire in a fireplace warms the air in a room.
D. Cold water is heated in a microwave oven.

Answer: B


Question: Which type of energy is transferred from one object to another by simple machines?

Choices:
1. mechanical
2. chemical
3. nuclear
4. electrical

Answer: 1


Question: Which statement best describes how energy transfer within Earth's atmosphere can affect a weather condition?

Choices:
A. During radiation, objects directly transfer heat to each other which affects the air temperature.
B. During radiation, electromagnetic waves transfer heat and light energy which affects the air temperature.
C. During convection, objects directly transfer heat to each other which affects the amount of precipitation.
D. During convection, electromagnetic waves transfer heat and light energy which affects the amount of precipitation.

Answer: B


Question: What is the smallest part of a gold ring that is still gold?

Choices:
A. an atom
B. an electron
C. a molecule
D. a compound

Answer: A


Question: Which tool should a carpenter use to measure the length of a wooden board?

Choices:
A. balance
B. meter stick
C. thermometer
D. graduated cylinder

Answer: B


Question: If an ecosystem's balance is disturbed by a volcanic eruption, what will most likely occur?

Choices:
1. The ecosystem will not change from its original state.
2. The ecosystem will eventually become balanced again.
3. The consumers in the ecosystem will begin to consume carbon dioxide.
4. The consumers in the ecosystem will begin to produce more oxygen.

Answer: 2


Question: One example of a trait passed from a parent plant to its offspring is ___.

Choices:
A. the amount of water in the plant's environment
B. the amount of sunlight shining on the plant
C. the color of the flowers on the plant
D. the nutrients in the soil where the plant grows

Answer: C


Question: Many organisms have structures for protection and survival. Which structure is most similar to tree bark?

Choices:
A. bird beak
B. bear claws
C. human skin
D. snake fangs

Answer: C


Question: The human respiratory system is responsible for removing

Choices:
1. fat from cells
2. carbon dioxide from blood
3. hormones from glands
4. nutrients from food

Answer: 2


Question: Humans are protected from some infections by specialized cells which produce chemicals that

Choices:
1. destroy microbes
2. recycle nutrients
3. allow locomotion
4. coordinate movement

Answer: 1


Question: Which two forms of energy could best be used to increase the temperature of a sheet of copper?

Choices:
A. heat and light
B. heat and sound
C. light and magnetism
D. electricity and sound

Answer: A


Question: Which gas is the most abundant in Earth's atmosphere?

Choices:
A. oxygen
B. nitrogen
C. water vapor
D. carbon dioxide

Answer: B


Question: Which best explains why stars seen in the night sky are less bright than the Sun?

Choices:
A. Other stars are farther from Earth than the Sun.
B. Other stars are facing away from Earth.
C. Other stars are smaller than the Sun.
D. Other stars are producing less light.

Answer: A


Question: A scientist observed that the loss of plants near a stream resulted in more soil being washed downstream. How will the excess soil that travels downstream reduce biodiversity?

Choices:
A. It will destroy the fish habitat.
B. It will provide nutrients to algae.
C. It will change the water temperature.
D. It will introduce an invasive species.

Answer: A


Question: When Earth's shadow falls on the Moon, the shadow causes a

Choices:
1. high tide
2. low tide
3. lunar eclipse
4. Moon phase

Answer: 3


Question: A class conducts an experiment to determine the best color to paint a solar water heater that they plan to build. For their experimental test, the students have four identical cans. They paint one black, one green, one red, and one white. Each can is filled with 500 mL of 22°C water, and is allowed to sit in the sun for two hours. Which color can will have the greatest increase in water temperature?

Choices:
A. black
B. green
C. red
D. white

Answer: A


Question: Which of these properties of water has the greatest effect on the water cycle?

Choices:
A. neutral pH
B. freezing and boiling points
C. dissolves many substances
D. forms six-sided crystals

Answer: B


Question: What causes day and night on Earth?

Choices:
A. tilting of Earth's axis
B. rotation of Earth on its axis
C. movement of Earth around the sun
D. movement of the sun around Earth

Answer: B


Question: Which process is an example of a physical change?

Choices:
1. wood burning
2. iron rusting
3. ice melting
4. milk souring

Answer: 3


Question: The water cycle requires energy. The main source of energy for the water cycle is

Choices:
A. wind
B. gravity
C. the sun
D. the moon

Answer: C


Question: Which of these is the fundamental unit of life?

Choices:
A. system
B. organ
C. tissue
D. cell

Answer: D


Question: Which would be the most important to consider when selecting material for the walls and ceiling of a concert hall?

Choices:
A. chemical properties
B. mechanical properties
C. thermal properties
D. acoustical properties

Answer: D


Question: When microorganisms deplete the oxygen in soil through respiration, the soil becomes

Choices:
A. humus.
B. anaerobic.
C. compost.
D. aerobic.

Answer: B


Question: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the agency responsible for the space program in the United States. What was the goal of NASA's Apollo program?

Choices:
A. to search for life on planets other than Earth
B. to land on a planet in another solar system
C. to determine the composition the Sun
D. to send a human to land on the Moon

Answer: D


Question: A lack of control in the muscular system is most likely related to a problem in what other organ system?

Choices:
A. nervous
B. immune
C. excretory
D. digestive

Answer: A


Question: The Russian thistle, commonly known as the tumbleweed, is a big, round plant with many branches and short, stiff leaves. This plant spreads a large number of seeds when it breaks off from its stalk. The thistle is most likely found in what kind of environment?

Choices:
A. swamp
B. prairie
C. forest
D. tundra

Answer: B


Question: Scientists find dinosaur fossils in the bottom rock layers of a cliff and mammal fossils in the middle rock layer of the cliff. Which could best be concluded from this evidence?

Choices:
A. Dinosaurs ate plants.
B. Dinosaurs were eaten by the mammals.
C. Dinosaurs lived on Earth before the mammals.
D. Dinosaurs and mammals lived at the same time.

Answer: C


Question: Joyce put 200 milliliters of water in a beaker, put a thermometer in it, and heated it until it started to boil. She recorded a temperature of 100°C when it started to boil. She repeated the process with 400 milliliters of water. What would be the temperature when the second sample started to boil?

Choices:
A. twice as high as the first sample's
B. slightly higher than the first sample's
C. half as high as the first sample's
D. the same as the first sample's

Answer: D


Question: A student wrote the following claim on a homework assignment: "Eukaryotic cells need more lipids than prokaryotic cells." Which statement below provides the BEST support for her claim?

Choices:
A. Eukaryotic cells have a nucleus.
B. Eukaryotic cells make up multicellular organisms.
C. Eukaryotic cells contain membrane-bound organelles.
D. Eukaryotic cells perform cellular respiration.

Answer: C


Question: A black bear eats many different things, including grasses, roots, and berries. It also eats insects, fish, and other small animals. Which of these BEST describes a black bear?

Choices:
A. Omnivore
B. Carnivore
C. Herbivore
D. Producer

Answer: A


Question: A student finds a beaker with a chip in the rim. What should he do with the beaker?

Choices:
A. use it and then dispose of it
B. use it and then return it to where he got it
C. dispose of the beaker and get a new one
D. put it back where he found it and get a new one

Answer: C


Question: The sum of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom is called the

Choices:
A. valence.
B. mass number.
C. chemical property.
D. electrical charge.

Answer: B


Question: In which of the following are nutrients directly absorbed from the bloodstream?

Choices:
A. cell
B. organ
C. organisms
D. tissue

Answer: A


Question: Making aluminum cans from recycled materials instead of raw materials is a wise choice because it

Choices:
A. saves time.
B. saves trees.
C. creates energy.
D. reduces pollution.

Answer: D


Question: What happens to climate and weather over a summer?

Choices:
A. Weather varies more than climate.
B. Climate varies more than weather.
C. Climate varies, but weather stays the same.
D. Weather and climate vary to the same degree.

Answer: A


Question: A thermometer shows that the outside air temperature is colder than the temperature at which water turns to ice. However, ice on the sidewalk melts. What probably caused this?

Choices:
A. The air heating the sidewalk
B. The sidewalk reflecting sunlight into the air
C. The wind causing the ice on the sidewalk to melt
D. The sunlight making the sidewalk warmer than the air

Answer: D


Question: Which trait gives owls an advantage when hunting at night?

Choices:
A. large eyes
B. broad wings
C. straight beak
D. smooth feathers

Answer: A


Question: Wood is considered a renewable resource because

Choices:
A. oxygen is released by trees.
B. trees can be replanted.
C. there are many varieties of trees.
D. trees are used for many purposes.

Answer: B


Question: Which event is an example of a chemical change?

Choices:
A. fog rising off a river
B. wood burning in a fireplace
C. ice cream melting in the sunshine
D. grinding peppercorn into pepper flakes

Answer: B