Question: A group of students is taking a hike along a stream channel. One student picks up a rock from the stream and notices that the rock is very smooth and round. Which type of weathering most likely shaped the rock?

Choices:
- abrasion
- exfoliation
- fracturing
- oxidation


Question: Which of the following is most likely to make a rock crack and crumble?

Choices:
- dew evaporating on the rock
- leaves decaying on the rock
- snow melting in a crack in the rock
- water freezing in a crack in the rock


Question: Which is the most likely reason why scientific theories change?

Choices:
- public opinions change
- retiring scientists are replaced
- more money is spent on science
- scientists make new observations


Question: A plant produces tiny plants around the edges of its leaves. When these tiny plants fall to the ground, they take root and become new plants. This process is an example of

Choices:
- sexual reproduction
- asexual reproduction
- evolution
- extinction


Question: A function of a plant's roots is to

Choices:
- protect the plant.
- absorb water and minerals.
- remove waste products.
- take in food for the plant.


Question: In order for sediments to become rock, the sediments are generally

Choices:
- mixed with organic material.
- returned to their origins.
- compacted.
- liquefied.


Question: When bedrock in Massachusetts is examined, it often appears scraped and polished. Which of the following most likely caused the bedrock to appear scraped and polished?

Choices:
- crustal deformation
- frequent earthquakes
- glacial movement
- volcanic eruptions


Question: Endothermic reactions are reactions that require more energy to start than they give off in the products. Which statement describes an endothermic reaction?

Choices:
- It gives off heat energy and is hot to the touch.
- It absorbs heat energy and is cold to the touch.
- It gives off light energy and produces visible light.
- It gives off water and is wet to the touch.


Question: Which pair of English and metric units has most nearly the same value?

Choices:
- liter and quart
- gram and ounce
- kilogram and pound
- kilometer and mile


Question: Students are studying the classifications of stars and they learned that the majority of stars are similar to the Sun. What can the students conclude knowing that most of the stars in the galaxy are like the Sun?

Choices:
- Most of the stars will become black holes.
- Most of the stars are main sequence stars.
- Most of the stars are protostars.
- Most of the stars are red giants.


Question: Mosquitoes have adapted to detect carbon dioxide using certain sensory nerves. Mosquitoes instinctually move toward greater concentrations of carbon dioxide. What is the importance of this adaptation?

Choices:
- It helps mosquitoes find food.
- It helps mosquitoes find mates.
- It helps mosquitoes find clean air.
- It helps mosquitoes find shelter.


Question: Which unit can be used to describe an object's length?

Choices:
- grams
- minutes
- liters
- meters


Question: Meteorologists categorize hurricanes based on the Saffir-Simpson scale. The scale measures the intensity and destructive potential of hurricanes. Which factor has the most significant effect on the strength of a hurricane?

Choices:
- the initial speed of a hurricane
- the direction that the hurricane rotates
- the number of hurricanes that form in a year
- the temperature of the water below the hurricane


Question: Multicellular organisms grow in size by producing more

Choices:
- cells.
- organs.
- heart muscle.
- chlorophyll.


Question: Which a molecular process found only in retroviruses?

Choices:
- reverse translation
- translation
- reverse transcription
- transcription


Question: A group of students are observing a fish tank for a school assignment. The group is to share the observations with the class. Which statement about observations is true?

Choices:
- Observations should always be recorded.
- Observations should be collected only once.
- Observations are only collected by scientists.
- Observations are always correct if used in a chart.


Question: Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO_{3}) is commonly known as baking soda. Sodium bicarbonate is a white solid that can dissolve in water. Under the proper conditions, sodium bicarbonate can release carbon dioxide (CO_{2}) gas. Which of the following is not a physical property of sodium bicarbonate?

Choices:
- It is white.
- It is a solid.
- It can dissolve in water.
- It releases carbon dioxide.


Question: To help it survive, an organism has a capsule, endospore, and pili. To which group does this organism belong?

Choices:
- bacteria
- mollusk
- insect
- reptile


Question: What advantage is gained by using radio telescopes as opposed to optical telescopes?

Choices:
- viewed images are clearer
- operation is less complex
- ability to see through clouds and dust
- ability to take up less space


Question: The process by which organisms with favorable variations reproduce at higher rates than those without such variations is

Choices:
- disruptive selection.
- natural selection.
- sexual selection.
- directional selection.


Question: Competition is most likely to occur between which two organisms?

Choices:
- deer and butterflies
- owls and bacteria
- goldfish and rabbits
- grass and strawberry plants


Question: Some animals, such as squirrels, may bury acorns. Which of the following is most likely to happen to the acorns after they have been buried?

Choices:
- The acorns will be carried away by the wind.
- The acorns will attach to another organism.
- The acorns will have a chance to sprout.
- The acorns will turn into fossils.


Question: Why are most fossils found in sedimentary rocks?

Choices:
- Sedimentary rocks are not very old.
- Organisms live only in areas with sedimentary rock.
- Organisms can be preserved in sedimentary rock.
- Sedimentary rocks are found only at the surface of the ground.


Question: Which model is used by scientists to determine the properties of elements?

Choices:
- a Punnett square
- the Periodic Table
- a pedigree chart
- the rock cycle


Question: Life is more likely to be found on a planet whose atmosphere contains abundant

Choices:
- neon.
- oxygen.
- hydrogen.
- sulfur dioxide.


Question: Approximately how long does Earth take to complete its orbit around the Sun?

Choices:
- one day
- one month
- one year
- one century


Question: A student describes a substance as lacking a definite shape. The description also states that the particles of matter are close to each other but still able to flow past each other. Which type of substance is the student most likely describing?

Choices:
- solid
- liquid
- mixture
- compound


Question: Electron transport in mitochondria results in a chemiosmotic gradient of which particle across the mitochondrial membrane?

Choices:
- ADP
- ATP
- protons
- neutrons


Question: At science conventions, scientists present their research, and members of the audience can discuss or ask questions about the research. The main value of these science conventions is that they allow scientists to

Choices:
- see new places.
- find money for projects.
- practice public speaking.
- exchange their ideas.


Question: When a boy stands in a field in the sunlight, he usually is able to see his

Choices:
- weight
- temperature
- reflection
- shadow


Question: In the human body, which system functions primarily to defend the body against disease?

Choices:
- digestive
- immune
- nervous
- respiratory


Question: The moon goes through phases as it revolves around Earth. During which phase of the moon would it be possible for a solar eclipse to occur?

Choices:
- new moon
- full moon
- waning
- waxing


Question: Which of these is the most common result of greenhouse gases altering the atmosphere of Earth?

Choices:
- an increase in the air temperature
- a decrease in the air density
- an increase in the intensity of visible light
- a decrease in the thickness of the ozone layer


Question: A student was taking notes while the teacher was discussing cells. Which of these is a statement that the teacher most likely made?

Choices:
- Most cells have the same shape.
- The shape of a cell depends upon its function.
- Cells that carry information are round and disk-shaped.
- Blood cells that move through the body are long and thread-like.


Question: What goal does taxonomy accomplish?

Choices:
- explains the differences between living organisms
- classifies living organisms into groups
- predicts the types of undiscovered organisms
- establishes relationships of organisms with their habitats


Question: The fusion reaction that fuels the Sun converts hydrogen into

Choices:
- carbon.
- iron.
- neon.
- helium.


Question: The main function of hormones in the human body is to

Choices:
- identify and destroy microbes
- regulate body functions
- transport blood to cells
- store energy


Question: Which gas, when condensed into its liquid state in the atmosphere, forms clouds?

Choices:
- methane
- nitrogen
- water vapor
- carbon dioxide


Question: Fertilizers added by farmers to the soil contain high amounts of nitrates. How do fertilizers affect the nitrogen cycle?

Choices:
- More nitrates are available for plants to absorb.
- More nitrates are available for animals to eat.
- More nitrogen gas is released into the atmosphere.
- More nitrogen is converted by bacteria into nitrates.


Question: A scientist is comparing two body cells of a multicellular organism. Which of the following is most likely identical?

Choices:
- shape of cell walls
- number of mitochondria
- shape of cell membranes
- number of chromosomes


Question: Organisms that consume wastes to obtain the nutrients they need to survive are classified as

Choices:
- decomposers
- herbivores
- predators
- producers


Question: In the 1600s, Galileo Galilei studied the moons of Jupiter. What did Galileo do to make better observations?

Choices:
- invented the microscope
- wrote a book about the planets
- created a model of the solar system
- made improvements to the telescope


Question: Which of these provides the best evidence that Earth's crust is divided into tectonic plates?

Choices:
- the distribution of water on Earth's surface
- the distribution of biomes on Earth's surface
- the distribution of rock types on Earth's surface
- the distribution of earthquakes on Earth's surface


Question: What causes the soil in a flood plain to be generally rich in nutrients?

Choices:
- constantly flowing water
- many fish in the river
- new soil deposited by the river
- warm water from an ocean


Question: Which characteristic is common to all reptile species?

Choices:
- endothermic (warm-blooded)
- slimy skin
- ectothermic (cold-blooded)
- hairy skin


Question: Scientists working for a company are testing a new medicine that they think will help heal damaged tissue. In which part of the company are the scientists working?

Choices:
- distribution
- mass marketing
- public relations
- research


Question: Most of Earth's surface is covered by

Choices:
- sand
- trees
- water
- mountains


Question: The chemical equation below shows reactants and products. 6CO_{2} + 12H_{2}O + light + enzymes -> C_{6}H_{12}O_{6} + 6O_{2} + 6H_{2}O Which statement is best supported by analyzing this equation?

Choices:
- CO_{2} is made from the chemical reaction.
- No new compounds are made from this reaction.
- O_{2}, oxygen gas, is needed to make the reaction start.
- The atoms rearrange in the chemical reaction so that C_{6}H_{12}O_{6}, glucose, is made.


Question: In a desert environment, cactus wrens often build their nests in cholla cacti to avoid predators. This behavior does not hurt the cacti. Which type of relationship do cactus wrens and cholla cacti demonstrate?

Choices:
- competitive
- commensalism
- mutualism
- parasitism


Question: The Davis Mountains in West Texas used to be taller than they are now. Which of the following conditions most likely caused the mountains to become shorter over time?

Choices:
- Heat and pressure
- Soil deposition
- Rain and wind
- River formation


Question: Photosynthesis is the process that converts carbon dioxide and water into

Choices:
- carbon and oxygen.
- sugar and hydrogen.
- sugar and oxygen.
- nitrogen and carbon.


Question: Which statement best describes the organization of the Periodic Table of the Elements?

Choices:
- All gases are grouped together.
- Gases easily form compounds with other elements.
- Elements within a group have similar properties.
- Elements within a period have the same number of electrons.


Question: Signs in many stores and restaurants warn that microwaves are in use. What is the main reason for this warning?

Choices:
- Some people do not like food cooked in microwave ovens.
- Microwaves sometimes affect people's sense of sight.
- Microwaves sometimes cause hair or teeth to fall out.
- Some people have pacemakers that may be affected by microwaves.


Question: A scientist studies the remains of two extinct animals to learn more about how they lived. She determines that one animal was a carnivore and the other was an herbivore. Which of the following did the scientist most likely compare to make this conclusion?

Choices:
- the number of bones in the animals
- the size of the animals
- the body covering of the animals
- the skull of the animals


Question: Human actions can change the rate at which soil erodes. Which of the following would most likely slow the rate of soil erosion?

Choices:
- applying nitrogen-rich fertilizers
- keeping grasses trimmed short
- building houses on stilts
- planting trees along cliffs


Question: Which ability is the most useful for making observations?

Choices:
- senses
- memory
- creativity
- imagination


Question: Sterling silver is a combination of silver and copper. Which of the following is also a combination of two or more metals?

Choices:
- aluminum.
- lead.
- gold.
- brass.


Question: The cows in a rancher's herd of cattle have been selectively bred to produce milk. Which of the following will cause the next generation of cows to receive the trait for producing large quantities of milk?

Choices:
- nutrients in the cows' food
- essential minerals in the cows' water
- electrical impulses in the cows' brains
- information in the cows' chromosomes


Question: What is the correct explanation for why we have day and night on Earth?

Choices:
- The Sun orbits around the Earth.
- Earth orbits around the Sun.
- Earth turns on its axis.
- The Sun turns on its axis.


Question: The body maintains equilibrium through a series of messages called a feedback mechanism. What organ releases hormones that maintain balanced glucose levels?

Choices:
- liver
- blood
- fat cells
- pancreas


Question: Environmental organizations have asked businesses to take action to reduce waste. Which of the following changes could a business make in order to become more “environmentally friendly”?

Choices:
- Purchase only recycled paper and paper products.
- When making photocopies, print on only one side of the paper.
- Purchase wood products manufactured only in other countries.
- When packing boxes, use Styrofoam™ filler instead of old newspapers.


Question: The sound heard when a piano key is hit is caused by

Choices:
- vibration.
- refraction.
- momentum.
- acceleration.


Question: Wolves kill many elk every year and often attack old, sick, and injured members of a herd. Which of the following best describes the role of the wolves in the wolf-elk relationship?

Choices:
- competitor
- host
- parasite
- predator


Question: Which of the following is produced when sugar is digested in an animal cell?

Choices:
- carbon dioxide.
- chlorophyll.
- oxygen.
- sunlight.


Question: Which of these groups contains single-celled organisms?

Choices:
- birds
- plants
- fungus
- animals


Question: Students studying rocks notice that in a particular location there are many igneous rocks that are very similar. This observation best supports which statement?

Choices:
- A nearby volcano is tall.
- A nearby volcano is inactive.
- A nearby volcano is about to erupt.
- A nearby volcano had once been active.


Question: Shale is a sedimentary rock that can be metamorphosed into slate by

Choices:
- cementation.
- chemical weathering.
- sedimentation.
- increased pressure.


Question: Plants need iron to grow. What parts of plants take in iron?

Choices:
- roots
- flowers
- stems
- leaves


Question: Which of the following is the best observation of the refraction of light?

Choices:
- Looking at oneself in a mirror
- Looking at a shadow of an object
- Viewing an object through an open window
- Viewing an object partially in water


Question: A group of students investigated the effect of water temperature on the gill movements of goldfish. The students tested water temperatures from 20°C to 10°C at 2-degree intervals. The data showed that as water temperature decreased, the average number of gill movements per minute by the goldfish also decreased. Which type of display is BEST used to show this relationship?

Choices:
- a bar graph
- a pie chart
- a line graph
- a tally chart


Question: The directions for making a protein

Choices:
- result in DNA.
- are carried by DNA.
- result in amino acids.
- are carried by amino acids.


Question: Denise was driving east over a hill in the afternoon, shortly after a rain shower. Suddenly the sun broke through the clouds, and she saw a rainbow ahead of her. Which of the following made the rainbow possible?

Choices:
- Sunlight can be separated into all the colors of the rainbow.
- Water reflects sunlight like a mirror to make it look colored.
- Overhead black clouds reflect in puddles to cause a mirage.
- Air pollution causes the sky to look colored under these conditions.


Question: Rhea is a moon of Saturn. Which of these facts about Rhea best indicates that it does not have a water cycle in which water changes state?

Choices:
- Its radius is 765 km.
- Its density is about 1.3 kg/m3.
- Its period of rotation is about 4.5 Earth days.
- Its temperature is between -174°C and -220°C.


Question: Which two factors determine the gravitational attraction between two objects?

Choices:
- time and temperature
- shape and orbital speed
- color and hardness
- mass and distance apart


Question: When a red bull (RR) is bred with a white cow (WW), a roan calf (RW) is sometimes produced. If a roan bull (RW) is bred with a roan cow (RW), what is the most likely outcome of the offspring?

Choices:
- 1 red, 1 white, and 2 roan
- 0 red, 1 white, and 3 roan
- 2 red, 2 white, and 0 roan
- 0 red, 0 white, and 4 roan


Question: Which adaptive feature most helps a baby jaguar survive the first few weeks of life?

Choices:
- the ability to roar
- the ability to hunt
- a diet of land mammals
- being born during spring months


Question: Frank needs to move a box by sliding it across the floor. Which two factors will most strongly affect how hard Frank needs to push the box?

Choices:
- The density of the box material and the hardness of the floor
- The thickness of the box material and the hardness of the floor
- The total mass of the box and the friction between the box and the floor
- The total height of the box and the distance between his hands and the floor


Question: An ocean, a forest, and a grassy meadow are each examples of a complete ecosystem. Complete ecosystems contain only

Choices:
- animals.
- rocks and water.
- living and nonliving things.
- populations of plants and animals.


Question: The Great Basin in Nevada is characterized by uplifted, tilted blocks forming mountain ranges and downthrown blocks forming basins. What rock type is MOST likely to form in the basins?

Choices:
- metamorphic
- sedimentary
- intrusive igneous
- extrusive igneous


Question: As the human population increases, more fossil fuels are being used. The burning of fossil fuels produces greenhouse gases. How might humans reduce greenhouse gases?

Choices:
- Buy cars that use gasoline.
- Build power plants that use coal.
- Use renewable resources to generate power.
- Use nonrenewable resources to generate power.


Question: Which situation would most likely cause an object to travel in a circular motion?

Choices:
- one force acting on the object in the opposite direction of the motion
- two forces acting on the object in the same direction as the motion
- one force acting on the object perpendicular to the direction of the motion
- two forces acting on the object in different directions to the motion


Question: Which of the following does not give an example of how sparrows use resources in their environment to survive?

Choices:
- Sparrows breathe air.
- Sparrows drink water.
- Sparrows use the sun for food.
- Sparrows use plants for shelter.


Question: Henry and Emily are building a tree house. Which tool should be used to measure the height of the door?

Choices:
- hammer
- meter stick
- balance
- stopwatch


Question: Windy, cloudy, rainy, and cold are words that help describe

Choices:
- evaporation
- deposition
- matter
- weather


Question: All these statements concerning galaxies are accurate except

Choices:
- They contain millions of stars.
- Most can be seen without a telescope.
- They are millions of light-years apart.
- Space contains several billion galaxies.


Question: Hydrogen gas and oxygen gas combine to form water. Which would be a more concise way of expressing what happens in this chemical reaction?

Choices:
- write a chemical formula
- write a chemical equation
- describe the rearrangement of the atoms
- describe the procedure for creating this change


Question: What safety equipment should be taken on all field trips?

Choices:
- gloves
- fire extinguisher
- first-aid kit
- goggles


Question: The surface gravity of Pluto is the weakest of the nine planets because Pluto

Choices:
- has the lowest temperature.
- has the smallest mass.
- rotates the slowest.
- is farthest from the Sun.


Question: If a class wants to measure the speed of a bicycle during an outdoor lab exercise, which two devices would be most useful?

Choices:
- stopwatch and camera
- binoculars and tape measure
- binoculars and camera
- stopwatch and tape measure


Question: When sunlight shines on a plant, its leaves

Choices:
- make food.
- absorb water.
- produce seeds.
- take in oxygen.


Question: Toads lay their eggs in ponds. Tadpoles hatch from the eggs and eat the plants floating in the pond. Which resource is most important for toads to survive?

Choices:
- grass
- rocks
- trees
- water


Question: Which structure surrounds and protects an animal cell?

Choices:
- Nucleus
- Vacuole
- Cytoplasm
- Cell membrane


Question: A ball is thrown straight up. Which statement best describes the motion of the ball while the ball is at the maximum height?

Choices:
- The speed and acceleration are constant.
- The velocity is zero, and the acceleration is constant.
- The speed and acceleration are changing.
- The velocity is zero, and the acceleration is changing.


Question: Which organ is most responsible for oxygen entering the blood stream?

Choices:
- nose
- trachea
- bronchi
- lungs


Question: Why is a healthy diet important?

Choices:
- It maintains a constant body temperature.
- It prevents damage to internal organs.
- It makes oxygen for all the cells in the body.
- It supplies the body’s needs for growth and energy.


Question: In the human body, the breaking down of food into simple substances occurs in the

Choices:
- digestive system.
- excretory system.
- circulatory system.
- respiratory system.


Question: Which of the following processes is an important part of star formation?

Choices:
- nuclear fusion
- nuclear fission
- molecular fusion
- molecular fission


Question: Carlos puts a new battery into a radio. What does the battery supply to the radio that makes it turn on?

Choices:
- friction
- electricity
- a sound wave
- a magnetic field


Question: What may form as a direct result of a star collapsing?

Choices:
- constellation
- galaxy
- protostar
- supernova


Question: A shoe manufacturer randomly selects 10% of the production from each shift. Each of these shoes is checked to ensure that it is correctly made. What is this process called?

Choices:
- quality control
- product distribution
- production selection
- research and development


Question: Some materials are electrical conductors. Which material best conducts electricity?

Choices:
- copper
- plastic
- rubber
- wood


Question: Angela wants to report daily weather conditions. In which unit should Angela record the air temperature?

Choices:
- degrees Celsius
- centimeters
- milliliters
- grams


Question: Which organisms use the energy from the remains of dead animals and recycle the nutrients back into the environment?

Choices:
- producers
- herbivores
- omnivores
- decomposers


Question: Which is the first step in a design process?

Choices:
- Revise the solution.
- Describe the problem.
- Test the possible solutions.
- Identify possible solutions.


Question: What type of chemical reaction occurs when the body breaks down fats and sugars that supply it with energy?

Choices:
- endothermic
- exothermic
- electrical
- physical


Question: Intense heat and pressure in Earth's crust can change sandstone into quartzite. During this metamorphosis, many properties of these rocks change. Which property of these rocks will most likely remain the same?

Choices:
- mass
- volume
- crystal structure
- particle shape


Question: How do decomposers obtain their food?

Choices:
- hunting and killing prey for food
- changing carbon dioxide and water into food
- absorbing food from dead organisms
- producing food from oxygen and sunlight


Question: A ball on a cart is moving at a rate of 2 m/s. The cart suddenly stops and the ball continues to travel in the same direction at the same speed. This is an example of the

Choices:
- law of gravity.
- first law of motion.
- second law of motion.
- third law of motion.


Question: Why is it important to have a large sample size in an investigation?

Choices:
- to be able to compare results
- to increase the validity of the data
- to form the best conclusion
- to ensure the procedure is followed


Question: Burt used a spoon to stir soup that was cooking on his stove. Which spoon will stay the coolest while he stirs?

Choices:
- an iron spoon
- an aluminum spoon
- a wooden spoon
- a silver spoon


Question: Which is a distinction between an epidemic and a pandemic?

Choices:
- the symptoms of the disease
- the geographical area affected
- the species of organisms infected
- the season in which the disease spreads


Question: When two bumper cars collide, some of the kinetic energy of the cars is transformed. Which form of energy is most likely formed as a result of this collision?

Choices:
- electrical
- electromagnetic
- magnetic
- sound


Question: Which statement describes all matter?

Choices:
- All matter contains carbon.
- All matter contains oxygen.
- All matter is made up of cells.
- All matter is made up of atoms.


Question: Carbon dioxide is removed from Earth's atmosphere by

Choices:
- animal respiration.
- decaying organisms.
- plant photosynthesis.
- burning fossil fuels.


Question: A water company uses lab tests on the water supply before sending the water through pipes to people's homes. How do these lab tests help people?

Choices:
- by adding minerals and nutrients to the water
- by checking the water to make sure it is safe to drink
- by filtering chemicals and organisms out of the water
- by stopping harmful substances from entering the water


Question: What safety rule is most important for students to follow when working with acids and bases?

Choices:
- wear nose plugs
- put on safety goggles
- put away all lab supplies
- wear heavy cloth gloves


Question: A person in a dark room looking through a window can clearly see a person outside in the daylight. But a person outside cannot see the person inside. Why does this happen?

Choices:
- There is not enough light being reflected off the person in the room.
- Light rays cannot pass through a window twice.
- Outside light does not pass through windows.
- Sunlight is not as intense as other sources of light.


Question: Many processes on Earth occur at or near tectonic plate boundaries. Which geological events are most common along tectonic plate boundaries?

Choices:
- erosion and deposition
- hurricanes and tornadoes
- earthquakes and volcanoes
- tidal waves and sedimentation


Question: Two pool (billiard) balls collide, causing each to move in a different direction. Eventually, both come to a stop. The most important factor in causing them to stop is

Choices:
- balance.
- friction.
- gravity.
- size.


Question: Which of these provides the best evidence that the environment of Earth has changed over millions of years?

Choices:
- active migration of sand dunes
- polished appearance of rock surfaces
- marine fossils found in mountains
- bones of animals found on the ground


Question: Which physical characteristic do some organisms have that helps them survive in the Arctic?

Choices:
- growing tall to hide in trees
- changing fur color to hide from predators
- developing large paws to protect themselves from the wind
- producing shallow root systems to protect themselves from the cold air


Question: Which of the following occurs during photosynthesis?

Choices:
- CO2 is used to produce water.
- CO2 is absorbed by mitochondria.
- CO2 and H2O are converted to carbohydrates.
- CO2 and H2O are combined into carbonic acid.


Question: A common characteristic of all living things is that they

Choices:
- breathe air.
- walk upright.
- are made of cells.
- use sunlight for growth.


Question: In the solar system, moons orbit planets. Which of these do planets orbit?

Choices:
- the Sun
- Halley's comet
- the asteroid belt
- a black hole


Question: Visible light is which type of wave?

Choices:
- seismic
- mechanical
- longitudinal
- electromagnetic


Question: In some national parks, controlled fires are maintained by firefighters. Which of these is one of the major reasons for using controlled burns to maintain certain ecosystems?

Choices:
- to give nonnative plants a chance to colonize the region
- to prevent the spread of pests that cause damage to plants
- to replace matured plants with saplings of the same species
- to rid the forest floor of accumulated deadwood and brush


Question: Which of the following actions is most likely part of a test to find the hardness of a mineral sample?

Choices:
- heating the sample on a hot plate
- scratching the sample with a nail
- hitting the sample with a hammer
- shining a bright light on the sample


Question: In Costa Rica a small tree, the acacia, provides shelter and food for ants. The ants protect the acacia by removing other insects and vines that might harm it. Which term best describes the relationship between the acacia and the ants?

Choices:
- competition
- mutualism
- parasitism
- predation


Question: A car skids along the road and smoke appears to be coming from under the tires. The heat that produces the smoke is caused by

Choices:
- magnetism
- sound
- light
- friction


Question: A glacier sometimes leaves behind large chunks of ice. What is left in the ground when these chunks of ice melt?

Choices:
- a valley
- a kettle
- a crater
- a sinkhole


Question: A student uses a high-efficiency gasoline lawnmower to cut grass. The term "high efficiency" is used to indicate that the lawnmower

Choices:
- cuts better than other lawnmowers.
- is easier to use than other lawnmowers.
- uses less energy than other lawnmowers.
- requires more fuel than other lawnmowers.


Question: Which example would result in new cells that are most different from the parent cells?

Choices:
- yeast cells splitting into new cells
- bacteria cells dividing into new cells
- skin cells dividing to produce more skin cells
- sperm and egg cells uniting to produce fertilized egg cells


Question: A dog gets the energy it needs to run from ___.

Choices:
- the air
- the Sun
- food
- water


Question: Certain flowers will open for twelve hours and then close. Which stimulus do the flowers respond to when they open and then when they close for that time period?

Choices:
- light levels
- moon phases
- seasonal temperatures
- carbon dioxide levels


Question: Smoking harms the body in many ways. It is most harmful to which organ?

Choices:
- lung
- kidney
- liver
- stomach


Question: In 1609, Galileo Galilei used lenses to construct the first telescope. His telescope allowed him to observe many objects in space. His invention of the telescope and the data he gathered directly contributed to the understanding that

Choices:
- Earth is the center of the universe.
- the planets revolve around the Sun.
- all stars eventually explode.
- the universe has many galaxies.


Question: The energy obtained from food is measured in units called

Choices:
- watts
- Calories
- degrees
- pounds


Question: Which part of the body works closely with the digestive system to transport nutrients to the cells?

Choices:
- lungs
- blood
- kidneys
- esophagus


Question: An example of a learned behavior is

Choices:
- driving a car
- having blue eyes
- shivering in the cold
- breathing air


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:
- I and O
- Ir and O
- Fe and O
- Pb and O


Question: When water evaporates from Earth's surface into the atmosphere, its molecules enter the gas state. What change in this gas causes molecules to condense into the small water droplets that form clouds?

Choices:
- The mass is reduced.
- The volume is increased.
- The temperature is reduced.
- The pressure is increased.


Question: Which process directly adds carbon into the atmosphere?

Choices:
- increasing plant populations
- decreasing animal populations
- burning fossil fuels
- forming sedimentary rock


Question: Scientists think that dolphins and whales may have evolved from a common ancestor. What evidence supports this hypothesis?

Choices:
- They swim the same way.
- They eat the same food.
- They live in the same area of the ocean.
- They have similar anatomies.


Question: A particular organism is able to survive in an environment due to a thick layer of fat beneath its skin. In which situation would the layer of fat most likely be a survival advantage?

Choices:
- swimming in arctic waters
- eating large amounts of fish
- being preyed upon by other animals
- living in an environment with high temperatures