Question: A student is working on a science project display for the school science fair. To best communicate why her conclusions are valid, what should be included on the display?

Choices:
- a list of authoritative sources that supports her conclusion
- instructions for viewers to repeat her procedures
- clearly illustrated diagrams of the scientific principles involved
- a complete write-up of her experimental method and data collected


Question: Which of the following describes asexual reproduction?

Choices:
- the process of meiosis in a fruit fly
- fertilization of a chicken egg
- binary fission in an amoeba
- the process of embryo development in a mouse


Question: Which scientist is known for his genetics experiments with pea plants?

Choices:
- Charles Darwin
- Gregor Mendel
- Carolus Linnaeus
- Robert Hooke


Question: On a cold, cloudy day, the local weather forecaster predicts that a high-pressure system will be moving into the area in the next 24 hours. Which weather conditions will this system most likely bring to the area?

Choices:
- stormy
- sunny
- snowy
- hot


Question: What determines if twins are identical?

Choices:
- their genes
- their behavior
- their environment
- their personalities


Question: Which of these processes is a conversion made by solar panels?

Choices:
- mechanical energy to nuclear energy
- thermal energy to chemical energy
- kinetic energy to potential energy
- radiant energy to electrical energy


Question: In fruit flies, red eyes are dominant over sepia eyes. A male with red eyes is crossed with a female with sepia eyes producing first generation offspring that all had sepia eyes. What does this indicate about the flies that were crossed?

Choices:
- Both parents are homozygous for the trait.
- Both parents are heterozygous for the trait.
- The male is heterozygous and the female is homozygous recessive for the trait.
- The male is homozygous dominant and the female is heterozygous for the trait.


Question: Acid rain caused by industrial pollution greatly reduces the number of trees in a forested region that is home to a particular species of bird. How might this decrease in the number of trees most likely affect this bird population?

Choices:
- The population will adapt to ground dwelling.
- The population will decrease due to lack of resources.
- The population will stabilize when it moves to another region.
- The population will increase as predators move out of the region.


Question: Which of these is the main function of a cell wall?

Choices:
- To make food
- To store water
- To provide support
- To make the plant green


Question: Which sentence about the periodic table of elements is true?

Choices:
- All elements in period 2 are metals.
- All elements in group 18 are metals.
- Metals are found on the left side of the periodic table.
- Metals are found on the right side of the periodic table.


Question: Salt concentration, water temperature, plankton, and the whale shark might all be used in a description of an ocean

Choices:
- climate.
- food web.
- ecosystem.
- population.


Question: Rocks can be classified many different ways, including as igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary. This classification is based on the

Choices:
- origin of the rocks.
- use of the rocks.
- size of the rocks.
- hardness of the rocks.


Question: A mountain range has hills around its edges. How are the mountains and hills alike?

Choices:
- Both have grass at the top.
- Both are at least 1000 meters tall.
- Both have liquid rock at their centers.
- Both are taller than the land around them.


Question: Human muscle cells need nutrients and oxygen during exercise. The human body is able to meet the needs of the muscle cells during exercise by increasing

Choices:
- digestion.
- excretion.
- secretion.
- circulation.


Question: Phyllis investigated what happened when she added some different substances to water. Which substance can combine with water to form a solution?

Choices:
- oil
- rocks
- soil
- sugar


Question: Fossil fuels are considered a nonrenewable resource because they

Choices:
- have turned into solid rock.
- take a long period of time to form.
- are expensive to remove from rock.
- are located deep within the Earth's crust.


Question: A student is growing some plants for an experiment. She notices small white spots on the leaves. Which tool should she use to get a better look at the spots?

Choices:
- thermometer
- hand lens
- graduated cylinder
- balance


Question: Why are seals able to live off the coast of Antarctica while frogs, snakes, and panthers are not?

Choices:
- Seals can swim.
- Seals are predators.
- Seals have fur and blubber.
- Seals are warm-blooded animals.


Question: How are the functions of a carbohydrate and a lipid similar?

Choices:
- Both are a source of energy.
- Both are replicated during meiosis.
- Both lower the activation energy of reactions.
- Both dissolve nutrients in the digestive system.


Question: Traveling in opposite directions, buses A and B are passing each other at the relative speed of 25 km/h, while a passenger on bus A walks toward the back of the bus at the speed of 5 km/h. What is the velocity of the passenger on bus A relative to bus B?

Choices:
- 20 km/h in the direction of bus A
- 20 km/h in the direction of bus B
- 30 km/h in the direction of bus A
- 30 km/h in the direction of bus B


Question: A student drops a ball. Which force causes the ball to fall to the ground?

Choices:
- electricity
- friction
- gravity
- magnetism


Question: Hydrogen is located on the left side of the periodic table in the same column as the alkali metals, but it has characteristics of a nonmetal. Which of the following is a physical property of hydrogen?

Choices:
- Hydrogen can bond to itself.
- Hydrogen makes positive ions.
- Hydrogen is a gas at room temperature.
- Hydrogen is combustible.


Question: In an experiment, a scientist named Pavlov rang a bell before he fed his dogs, which made the dogs drool. Soon the dogs would drool when they heard the bell, even if they did not receive any food. What type of response did the dogs exhibit?

Choices:
- an instinct
- an inherited trait
- a learned behavior
- a conscious behavior


Question: Which invention will best help people travel quickly to far away places?

Choices:
- car
- boat
- airplane
- skateboard


Question: What is an environmental threat posed by oil and gas acquisition and transport that is not posed by the acquisition and transport of the energy resources uranium, and wood?

Choices:
- habitat change
- vehicle pollution
- pipeline leaks
- soil compaction and loss


Question: Some plant species are more tolerant of acidic soil than others. The tolerant species are favored in areas affected by which consequence of human activity?

Choices:
- mixing of pollutants with rain
- erosion of topsoil by clearcutting
- runoff of fertilizer used in farming
- thinning of the atmospheric ozone layer


Question: Which resource has the most potential for production of renewable electric energy?

Choices:
- coal
- oil
- natural gas
- geothermal


Question: A layer of solid brittle rock comprises the outer 100 kilometers of Earth. This layer, which contains both the crust and the upper mantle, is called the

Choices:
- core.
- sediment.
- lithosphere.
- hemisphere.


Question: During its lifetime, which object is known to change in brightness, color, and temperature?

Choices:
- star
- moon
- asteroid
- planet


Question: What causes a free falling object to accelerate?

Choices:
- inertia
- gravity
- initial speed
- initial direction


Question: What is the main source of energy that drives all weather patterns?

Choices:
- the Sun
- oceans
- the Moon
- mountains


Question: What is one factor that contributes to seasons occurring in New York State?

Choices:
- the revolution of the Moon around Earth
- the tilt of Earth on its axis
- the rising and falling of ocean tides
- the distance of Earth from the Sun


Question: Which cell part is correctly paired with its function?

Choices:
- nucleus-controls cell activities
- chloroplast-outside boundary of plant cells
- cell wall-controls what goes in and out of cells
- cell membrane-where photosynthesis takes place


Question: A meeting of scientists, called a symposium, occurs every year to share recent research about the atmosphere of Earth. This symposium mainly serves which purpose in science?

Choices:
- to test research methods used by other scientists
- to develop questions about space research
- to discuss the meaning of new discoveries
- to explain gas properties to the general public


Question: A wind turbine primarily uses which type of energy?

Choices:
- nuclear
- thermal
- chemical
- mechanical


Question: A rubber band will make a sound when it is

Choices:
- vibrated.
- stretched.
- cut into pieces.
- shot across a room.


Question: What would a warm air mass over the ocean most likely cause?

Choices:
- earthquake
- snowfall
- tsunami
- rainfall


Question: The Moon is visible to observers on Earth because of

Choices:
- reflected sunlight
- absorbed light from Earth's atmosphere
- gases in the Moon's interior
- volcanic eruptions on the Moon's surface


Question: Which illness is always caused by an infection?

Choices:
- a heart attack
- a broken bone
- influenza
- cancer


Question: Jonny climbed an apple tree. How are Jonny and the apple tree similar to each other?

Choices:
- Both are made of cells.
- Both take in carbon dioxide.
- Both get nutrients directly from soil.
- Both get energy from other organisms.


Question: What are the names of the products in the chemical equation shown below? HCl + NaHCO_{3} -> NaCl + CO_{2} + H_{2}O

Choices:
- hydrochloric acid and sodium carbonate
- sodium chloride, carbon dioxide, and water
- hydrogen chloride and sodium bicarbonate
- sodium chloride, carbon monoxide, and dihydrogen oxide


Question: A ball is tossed up in the air and it comes back down. The ball comes back down because of

Choices:
- gravity
- friction
- erosion
- magnetism


Question: Timber companies can best manage the number of trees in forests by

Choices:
- converting deforested areas into malls.
- planting trees to replace what they cut down.
- adding pesticides to the soil around the trees.
- removing the tree stumps when trees are cut down.


Question: The formation of the Himalayan Mountains is one example of land features caused by compressive forces. Which action most likely led to the formation of these mountains?

Choices:
- seafloor spreading
- strike-slip faulting
- colliding plates
- hot spots


Question: What abiotic factor would most likely signal a population of birds that it is time to migrate from north to south?

Choices:
- decrease in sunlight
- change in precipitation
- increase in food source
- change in wind direction


Question: A greenhouse is used as a model of the atmosphere. Which of the following cannot be demonstrated by the model?

Choices:
- energy used to evaporate water
- changes in greenhouse gases
- light energy trapped as heat energy
- energy that builds up in the greenhouse air


Question: A light bulb manufacturer claims its light bulb is "twice as bright" per unit of electrical energy consumed as the leading light bulb. If this claim is correct, what factor must be accurately compared between the two bulbs?

Choices:
- how much each bulb weighs
- how long each bulb lasts
- how much heat each bulb releases
- how much metal each bulb contains


Question: In the 17th century, Gregor Mendel crossed pea plants with different traits and observed the results in their offspring. To which of these did Mendel contribute most directly with his work?

Choices:
- medicine
- agriculture
- science of force and motion
- science of heredity and variation


Question: How does the appearance of a constellation change during the night?

Choices:
- Its shape appears to become longer.
- Its position appears to shift relative to the horizon.
- Its brightest stars begin to appear orange.
- Its distance to the North Star decreases.


Question: The freezing and thawing action of water affects a rock by

Choices:
- transforming the rock into igneous rock.
- chemically changing the rock.
- gradually breaking down the rock into smaller pieces.
- leaving behind sedimentary particles from evaporated solutions.


Question: Delilah put a container of water in the freezer and left it there overnight. The next morning she saw that the water in the container had changed to ice. Which of the following statements best explains why the water changed to ice?

Choices:
- The water gained energy.
- The water absorbed light.
- Mass was released from the water.
- Heat was taken away from the water.


Question: Earth's rotation (turning on its axis) causes

Choices:
- the seasons to change.
- the Moon to appear as different shapes.
- day and night.
- solar eclipses.


Question: Which of the following climates has cold winters and hot summers?

Choices:
- polar
- subtropical
- temperate
- tropical


Question: What form of energy is being used when a person pushes a wooden block across the floor?

Choices:
- mechanical
- magnetic
- sound
- electrical


Question: Which action is an example of good water management?

Choices:
- letting faucets drip
- watering the grass every day
- turning off the faucet when brushing teeth
- running the dishwasher when it is not full


Question: An Earth year is the length of time it takes for

Choices:
- Earth to rotate once on its axis
- the Moon to revolve once around Earth
- the Sun to revolve once around Earth
- Earth to revolve once around the Sun


Question: Which land form results when carbonic acid in groundwater seeps through rock and dissolves limestone?

Choices:
- valleys
- ravines
- caverns
- mountains


Question: Which part of a DNA molecule represents encoded information?

Choices:
- phosphate
- sugar
- guanine
- hydrogen bond


Question: Early scientists most likely saw a discharge of electricity for the first time when observing a

Choices:
- waterfall
- rainbow
- lightning storm
- volcano erupting


Question: In humans, the amount of sugar in blood is controlled by the release of a hormone called insulin. This process is an example of

Choices:
- depletion
- digestion
- regulation
- excretion


Question: It is necessary to add a day to the calendar every four years because

Choices:
- the axis of Earth is tilted.
- the gravitational pull of the Sun affects Earth's revolution.
- the revolution of Earth is not exactly 365 days.
- the Moon crosses the orbit of the Sun every 28 days.


Question: Which tool would be best to measure the length of a butterfly?

Choices:
- triple beam balance
- graduated cylinder
- metric ruler
- thermometer


Question: Scientists invented a liquid that removes grease and keeps the skin soft. How could this discovery most likely be used?

Choices:
- to improve dish soap
- to cure a disease
- to make clothes
- to grow plants


Question: The first step in the water cycle is evaporation. What gives water the energy to evaporate?

Choices:
- Sun
- wind
- clouds
- waves


Question: On a warm sunny afternoon, ocean water splashed onto a rock. A short time later, the rock was dry. Which statement best explains what happened to the water on the rock?

Choices:
- Heat caused the water to become a gas.
- Heat melted the water and it disappeared.
- Salt caused the water to become a gas.
- Salt melted the water and it disappeared.


Question: Which is a nonrenewable natural resource that is used to make electrical energy?

Choices:
- coal
- wind
- water
- thermal


Question: Which process initiates the passage of half of a parent's DNA to offspring?

Choices:
- meiosis
- mitosis
- fertilization
- differentiation


Question: Which resource provides the minerals plants need to grow?

Choices:
- sunlight
- water
- soil
- air


Question: At what time on a sunny day will the shadow of the school's flagpole be the shortest?

Choices:
- sunrise
- noon
- mid-afternoon
- sunset


Question: Animals get energy for growth and repair from

Choices:
- soil
- food
- water
- air


Question: A flower produces seeds that fall to the ground and grow into new plants that produce more flowers. The seeds begin to grow by the process of

Choices:
- fertilization.
- germination.
- maturation.
- pollination.


Question: A rock has most likely traveled a long distance from its place of origin if it is

Choices:
- very small.
- rounded and smooth.
- partially faded.
- rough and dense.


Question: Which of the following best explains why the tectonic plates of Earth move?

Choices:
- conduction from solar heating
- heat convection from the mantle
- global winds
- ocean currents


Question: Over a long period of time, a rocky volcanic island that previously did not support any form of life got transformed into a dense forested region. Which of these species is most likely to have been the pioneer species that initiated this transformation?

Choices:
- ferns
- grasses
- lichens
- mushrooms


Question: The formation of coal deposits occurred over millions of years. Which feature was most responsible for these deposits?

Choices:
- barren deserts
- active volcanoes
- mountains covered in trees
- swamps with dense vegetation


Question: A teacher is performing a demonstration about static electricity for his class by rubbing a balloon against a wool sweater. The balloon sticks to the wool sweater. Which particles are exchanged during the demonstration?

Choices:
- atoms
- protons
- neutrons
- electrons


Question: After a race, a newspaper lists the names of the five fastest runners. Another method that could be used to identify the five fastest runners is to make a chart that shows the

Choices:
- average of the speeds of the runners.
- total distance for each runner.
- time it took each runner to run the race.
- percentage of the runners who finished the race.


Question: A scientist plans to investigate the nervous system of sea slugs. What should the scientist do first?

Choices:
- Develop a theory about sea slugs that can be tested.
- Go to the ocean to observe the behavior of sea slugs.
- Obtain several sea slugs and conduct experiments with them.
- Review the research other scientists have done on sea slugs.


Question: Natural selection is a mechanism that acts on individuals within a population. Which is a result of the process of natural selection?

Choices:
- The reproductive rate of the population decreases.
- Genetic similarity within the population increases.
- Organisms are better adapted to their environment.
- Adverse changes to the environment become more frequent.


Question: What chemical symbol represents the element iron?

Choices:
- Fe
- I
- Ir
- Pb


Question: A push or a pull on an object is an example of

Choices:
- force.
- weight.
- energy.
- work.


Question: Which statement is a description of weather?

Choices:
- Summers in Tucson are hot and dry.
- Winters in Flagstaff are cold and snowy.
- The temperature is 55° F in Winslow today.
- The Sun will set in Yuma today at 6:45 p.m.


Question: Clouds and precipitation moved across western Massachusetts one evening. The temperature changed from 41°F to 28°F. Which of the following changes in precipitation most likely occurred on this evening?

Choices:
- sleet changing to hail
- snow changing to rain
- rain changing to sleet
- snow changing to hail


Question: The human body has an average, normal temperature of about 98.6ºF. To keep the core body temperature from becoming too high, the brain sends a signal to the body to

Choices:
- decrease sugar levels in the blood.
- increase sugar levels in the blood.
- decrease blood flow to the skin.
- increase blood flow to the skin.


Question: Why is water considered to be a renewable resource?

Choices:
- Water can be used over again.
- Water can be found all over Earth.
- Water can dissolve other substances.
- Water is needed by organisms to stay alive.


Question: What is the most prominent land feature formed by the convergence of the Indo-Australian and Eurasian plates?

Choices:
- China
- Australia
- Ural Mountains
- Himalaya Mountains


Question: To which group does an animal belong if it lays eggs and has scales and gills?

Choices:
- amphibian
- bird
- fish
- reptile


Question: What causes nighttime and daytime on Earth?

Choices:
- the Sun rotating on its axis
- Earth rotating on its axis
- Earth revolving around the Sun
- the Moon revolving around Earth


Question: Which area is coldest?

Choices:
- rainforest
- tundra
- grassland
- reef


Question: Which scientist is credited with using a telescope in the seventeenth century to discover the moons of Jupiter?

Choices:
- Galileo
- Kepler
- Einstein
- Newton


Question: Which of these is a freshwater reservoir?

Choices:
- Gulf of Mexico
- Pacific Ocean
- Atlantic tidal basin
- Antarctic polar ice


Question: In eukaryotic organisms, microtubules give cells structure, and microfilaments help the cell contract and move. Together, they combine to perform functions similar to what two human body systems?

Choices:
- the endocrine and skeletal systems
- the circulatory and respiratory systems
- the skeletal and muscular systems
- the integumentary and excretory system


Question: Which kind of rock is produced by deposition and cementation?

Choices:
- marble, a metamorphic rock
- sandstone, a sedimentary rock
- granite, an intrusive igneous rock
- pumice, an extrusive igneous rock


Question: Which characteristic is inherited rather than learned?

Choices:
- telling a story
- saluting the flag
- having blue eyes
- riding a bicycle


Question: Which biological process in mammals occurs largely due to cell division?

Choices:
- healing
- respiration
- decomposition
- photosynthesis


Question: Frame construction predominates in the New England area due to the abundance of

Choices:
- clay.
- masonry.
- wood.
- steel.


Question: Which of these properties of water helps moderate the weather of coastal areas?

Choices:
- neutral pH
- high specific heat
- dissolves many substances
- floats as a solid


Question: Birds eat non-camouflaged moths at a higher rate than they eat camouflaged moths. In which situation would birds eat the moths at the slowest rate?

Choices:
- dark moths in any environment
- light moths in any environment
- dark moths in a light environment
- light moths in a light environment


Question: During which process does a caterpillar become a butterfly?

Choices:
- fertilization
- metamorphosis
- asexual reproduction
- biological adaptation


Question: Gregor Mendel cross-pollinated red and white snapdragon flowers. What information indicates that incomplete dominance was achieved?

Choices:
- The offspring had heterozygous alleles.
- The offspring had a recessive allele.
- The offspring were pink.
- The offspring were red.


Question: What is the major function of the human excretory system?

Choices:
- eliminate waste materials
- respond to stimuli
- break down food mechanically
- absorb nutrients from food


Question: Yumiko gave some reasons why kettles and kitchen pans are often made of copper. Which reason is correct?

Choices:
- Copper is a good conductor of heat.
- Copper is easy to melt.
- Copper is difficult to shape.
- Copper dissolves in hot water.


Question: In most animals, combinations of various tissues make up functional units called

Choices:
- epithelial cells.
- organs.
- organ systems.
- populations.


Question: How do the spines of a cactus help it survive?

Choices:
- Spines help the cactus get moisture.
- Spines anchor the cactus in the ground.
- Spines protect the cactus from animals.
- Spines support the stems and branches of the cactus.


Question: Water enters a plant cell through the

Choices:
- cell wall.
- chloroplasts.
- mitochondria.
- nucleus.


Question: People are developing electric cars that would replace gasoline-burning cars. One major advantage of the electric car is that it

Choices:
- accelerates faster.
- causes less pollution.
- gives a smoother ride.
- needs no battery.


Question: Which group of organisms would all be found living in a tropical rain forest?

Choices:
- Lizards, insects, cacti, kangaroos
- Vines, palm trees, tree frogs, monkeys
- Evergreens, moose, weasels, mink
- Lichens, mosses, caribou, polar bears


Question: Which SI unit would be most appropriate for recording the length of a typical classroom?

Choices:
- gram
- kilogram
- meter
- kilometer


Question: If two objects are two meters apart, which of these changes will increase the gravitational force between the two objects?

Choices:
- decreasing the mass of one object
- decreasing the mass of both objects
- moving the objects to one meter apart
- moving the objects to three meters apart


Question: Which of these cell structures converts nutrients to energy for cell functions?

Choices:
- cell membrane
- chloroplasts
- mitochondria
- endoplasmic reticulum


Question: Cumulonimbus clouds often form along cold fronts. Which type of weather is most likely to occur along a cold front?

Choices:
- moderate temperature with mild breezes
- storms with hurricane winds
- rain with possible severe thunderstorms
- high temperatures with low winds


Question: An eagle is a bird that reproduces by laying its eggs in a dry nest. Which animal lays its eggs in a place most similar to the eagle?

Choices:
- amphibian
- fish
- mammal
- reptile


Question: The chemical formula for water is H_{2}O. What does the formula show about each element in the compound?

Choices:
- the number of valence electrons
- the charge of the compound
- the mass of protons in each atom
- the number of atoms of each element


Question: How far from Earth is an object that is 10 light years from Earth?

Choices:
- 10,000 km
- 10,000,000 km
- the distance light can travel in 10 years
- ten times the distance from Earth to the Sun


Question: The oceans most influence global climate by

Choices:
- releasing heat to the atmosphere.
- cooling bordering land masses.
- providing continuous onshore winds.
- removing water vapor from the atmosphere.


Question: A science class investigated the percentage of corn kernels that pop in bags of different brands of popcorn. Fifteen students tested three brands of popcorn each and reported their results to the class. Why did the teacher most likely have so many students report the results?

Choices:
- for more accurate results
- for more student participation
- to help simplify the procedure
- to help explain the hypothesis


Question: The smallest part of an element that retains the properties of the element is the

Choices:
- proton.
- nucleus.
- electron.
- atom.


Question: What is the composition of the nucleus of an atom?

Choices:
- ions and electrons
- electrons and protons
- protons and neutrons
- neutrons and electrons


Question: Which of these would best be shown as a 3-D model?

Choices:
- color spectrum
- magnetic field
- skeletal system
- water cycle


Question: A root emerges from a seed because of the force of

Choices:
- water against the seed coat.
- air pushing on the seed.
- gravity on the seed.
- soil pressing on the seed.


Question: Which of these is the BEST reason to study weather?

Choices:
- To be prepared for storms
- To learn how fossils are formed
- To see changing phases of the Moon
- To find ways for animals to live longer


Question: A recycling plant manager needs to melt 1500 kg of scrap copper to sell to a wire manufacturer. The copper is at 15°C and its melting point is 1083°C. The copper has a specific heat of 385 J/kg x K. How much heat is required to raise the temperature of the copper to its melting point?

Choices:
- 6.2 x 10^8 J
- 6.3 x 10^8 J
- 7.7 x 10^8 J
- 7.9 x 10^8 J


Question: A decomposer is an organism that

Choices:
- preys on other animals
- eats only plants
- recycles nutrients
- uses sunlight to make food


Question: Which type of scientist would study the relationship between simple machines and energy?

Choices:
- chemist
- biologist
- physicist
- geologist


Question: The seeds of an oak come from the ___.

Choices:
- fruit
- leaf
- root
- stem


Question: A manufacturer wants to produce a container for food storage that does not break easily and is airtight, inexpensive, and microwave-safe. Which of the following is the best material to use to make the container?

Choices:
- glass
- metal
- paper
- plastic


Question: When carbon and oxygen combine chemically, the mass of the product is

Choices:
- greater than the mass of the carbon plus the mass of the oxygen
- equal to the mass of the carbon plus the mass of the oxygen
- equal to the mass of the carbon
- less than the mass of the carbon


Question: Juvenile diabetes is a disease caused by the body's inability to create insulin. The body's white blood cells attack the pancreatic cells that produce insulin. This type of disease is known as

Choices:
- a cardiovascular disease.
- an infectious disease.
- a digestive system disease.
- an autoimmune disease.


Question: Which of these describes a property of all matter?

Choices:
- All matter gives off light.
- All matter is attracted by magnets.
- All matter is made of atoms.
- All matter dissolves in water.


Question: Which of the following is a characteristic of all chemical changes?

Choices:
- A different state of matter is produced.
- Some mass is converted to energy.
- Some form of light is given off.
- A new material is formed.


Question: What is the complementary base of adenine in DNA?

Choices:
- cytosine
- thymine
- guanine
- uracil


Question: What is the density of a 64-g iron cube that displaces 8 mL of water?

Choices:
- 512 g/mL
- 32 g/mL
- 8 g/mL
- 4 g/mL


Question: What keeps Mars in orbit around the Sun?

Choices:
- friction
- gravity
- magnetism
- solar power


Question: Which material is primarily a mixture of weathered rock and organic matter?

Choices:
- minerals
- soil
- ocean water
- seashells


Question: How do plants most commonly break large rocks into smaller pieces?

Choices:
- Plant leaves insulate surrounding rocks from extreme temperatures.
- Plant roots grow into cracks in rocks.
- Seeds from plants fall onto rocks and release acidic compounds.
- Stems of plants surround and squeeze rocks.


Question: Which statement best describes the climate of Nevada?

Choices:
- Temperature at night dropped behind a cold front.
- Wind increased during the day.
- Humidity is low throughout every summer.
- Air pressure increased gradually all week.


Question: What is the primary function of skin cells?

Choices:
- to deliver messages to the brain
- to generate movement of muscles
- to provide a physical barrier to the body
- to produce carbohydrates for energy


Question: Some plants grow only in specific places in the world. Some cacti, for example, grow only in deserts. Which of the following is most important in determining where a plant can grow and survive?

Choices:
- animals
- climate
- tides
- wind


Question: A geologist found fossils of horse bones in different rock layers of a canyon. The fossils in the lower levels show shorter bones than those in the upper-level fossils. Which conclusion is based on the geologist's observations?

Choices:
- Horse's reproduce using two parents.
- Horse's became larger over time.
- Smaller Horse's went extinct, and then larger Horse's formed.
- Smaller Horse's are better suited to the environment than larger Horse's.


Question: Which of the following is a reason life in the outermost planets is less likely than life on planets nearer the Sun?

Choices:
- They have too little mass.
- They have too much mass.
- Their surfaces are extremely hot.
- Their surfaces are extremely cold.


Question: Which statement best explains how periods on the periodic table are organized?

Choices:
- increasing atomic number from left to right
- increasing number of neutrons from left to right
- decreasing number of electrons from left to right
- decreasing atomic mass number from left to right


Question: Nonrenewable sources of energy have limited supplies. Researchers are developing devices that will make renewable energy more available. Which is a source of renewable energy?

Choices:
- coal
- gasoline
- oil
- wind


Question: Which of these living things in a grassland ecosystem depend on the presence of a variety of bacteria and other microorganisms in the soil?

Choices:
- worms only
- green plants only
- plants and animals only
- all the organisms in the ecosystem


Question: An ecosystem is a community of organisms interacting with their physical environment. Why are decomposers an important part of ecosystems?

Choices:
- They break down dead organisms to return nutrients to the soil.
- They produce their own food for survival.
- They play a role in preventing weathering and erosion.
- They provide most of the energy to consumers.


Question: Which term identifies a group of cells that work together to perform a similar function?

Choices:
- molecule
- organ
- organism
- tissue


Question: Which of these statements is not considered part of the Big Bang Theory?

Choices:
- The universe is expanding.
- The universe never changes.
- The universe began in a hot, dense state.
- The universe began at a single point and time.


Question: Cells in the body use oxygen (O2) for cellular respiration. Which is the result of cellular respiration?

Choices:
- ATP is produced and carbon dioxide (CO2) is released.
- ATP is consumed and carbon dioxide (CO2) is released.
- ATP is produced and carbon dioxide (CO2) is absorbed.
- ATP is consumed and carbon dioxide (CO2) is absorbed.


Question: Which geologic process is absent from the Gulf Coast states?

Choices:
- beach development
- subduction zones
- weathering
- erosion


Question: The human body gets the energy it needs for growth and repair directly from

Choices:
- soil
- food
- sunlight
- water


Question: In what type of rock would a geologist most likely find evidence of ancient life?

Choices:
- sedimentary
- foliated
- metamorphic
- volcanic


Question: During the Apollo 14 moon landing, astronauts played golf on the moon. Which of the following would be less on the moon than on Earth?

Choices:
- The mass of the golf ball
- The weight of the golf ball
- The mass and size of the golf ball
- The weight and size of the golf ball


Question: Evaporation, condensation, and precipitation are all processes which occur in the

Choices:
- water cycle.
- energy cycle.
- carbon cycle.
- nitrogen cycle.


Question: Directions Read the information about wind erosion then answer the question. Wind can cause erosion that changes the surface of the Earth. Wind erosion can have negative effects on the environment by removing soil and polluting the air during dust storms. Walter wanted to find out if faster wind speeds increased the amount of wind erosion. Which instrument should he use to measure wind speed?

Choices:
- anemometer
- barometer
- rain gauge
- thermometer


Question: Where does oxygen-rich blood go after leaving the lungs?

Choices:
- the brain.
- the heart.
- the kidney.
- the stomach.


Question: Chemical pesticides are sometimes sprayed on crops to kill insects that eat the crops. People have different viewpoints about the use of pesticides on crops. What might be a concern about using pesticides on the crops?

Choices:
- Will the food ripen?
- Will the food stay fresh?
- Will the food harm humans?
- Will the food harm bugs in the home?


Question: The number of fish in a lake suddenly increases. How will the increase most likely affect the lake?

Choices:
- There will be less water in the lake.
- More plants will grow in the lake.
- More frogs will live in the lake.
- There will be fewer insects in the lake.


Question: Which statement correctly describes a relationship between two human body systems?

Choices:
- The digestive system absorbs nutrients which are transported by the nervous system.
- The digestive system absorbs nutrients which are transported by the circulatory system.
- The circulatory system exchanges gases which are transported by the nervous system.
- The circulatory system exchanges gases which are transported by the digestive system.


Question: Which statement best explains Earth's day and night cycle?

Choices:
- Earth rotates once each day on its axis.
- Earth revolves around the Sun each year.
- The Sun is closest to Earth during the day.
- The tilt of Earth changes throughout the year.


Question: What is the first thing a student should do if an accident happens during a science experiment?

Choices:
- report to the teacher
- clean the laboratory station
- locate the nearest exit
- put on safety goggles


Question: Which of the following helps keep the Moon in its orbit?

Choices:
- friction
- gravity
- longitude
- latitude


Question: Which process allows green plants to control the amount of water stored in their leaves?

Choices:
- photosynthesis
- condensation
- respiration
- transpiration


Question: What is a job of white blood cells?

Choices:
- transport oxygen
- remove waste
- fight disease
- enable reproduction


Question: Which is an example of kinetic energy?

Choices:
- a book sitting on a shelf
- a ball rolling down a hill
- a runner about to start a race
- a window getting hot from the sun


Question: A new mutation that occurs in which type of cell can be passed on to offspring?

Choices:
- blood cell
- nerve cell
- brain cell
- egg cell


Question: When too much salt is detected in the bloodstream, the brain secretes a hormone that helps the body retain water by reducing the amount of urine produced. This is an example of

Choices:
- a feedback loop.
- an acquired trait.
- a balanced ecosystem.
- a symbiotic relationship.


Question: Which of these is a safe practice in a laboratory investigation when working with chemicals?

Choices:
- pouring unused chemicals down the sink
- mixing leftover chemicals in one container
- wearing safety goggles when working with chemicals
- returning unused chemicals to the original container


Question: Which change in the environment would have a negative effect on the survival of a species in an ecosystem?

Choices:
- increase in the population of prey
- introduction of a competing species
- decrease in the population of predators
- increase in genetic diversity of the species


Question: An element is identified by

Choices:
- its number of protons.
- the atomic mass.
- the type of charge.
- its number of isotopes.


Question: Which of these dissolve in water?

Choices:
- Sand grains
- Sugar cubes
- Plastic straws
- Wooden spoons


Question: What is the main function of a plant stem?

Choices:
- to collect pollen from other plants to make seeds
- to absorb water and plant nutrients from the soil
- to carry food and water to the rest of the plant
- to make food for the plant


Question: Naturally occurring variations within a species are mainly the result of mutations and

Choices:
- sexual reproduction
- dynamic equilibrium
- metabolism
- camouflage


Question: As a sample of water turns to ice,

Choices:
- new molecules are formed.
- the mass of the sample is increased.
- the arrangement of the molecules changes.
- energy is absorbed by the molecules.


Question: An ice cube is placed in a pan. The pan is placed over an open flame. Which change will most likely happen over time?

Choices:
- The ice changes to a liquid and back to a solid.
- The ice changes to a liquid then to a gas.
- The ice changes to a gas and back to a solid.
- The ice changes to a gas then to a liquid.


Question: Byron is investigating how temperature affects mold growth on bread. Before starting his procedure, Byron states in his journal that he thinks wet bread placed in the refrigerator will grow the most mold. Which term best describes Byron's statement?

Choices:
- conclusion
- result
- hypothesis
- variable


Question: The telephone was invented in Boston by

Choices:
- Alexander Graham Bell.
- Samuel F. B. Morse.
- Henry Ford.
- Thomas Alva Edison.


Question: Which characteristic can an amoeba change that a paramecium cannot change?

Choices:
- sex
- shape
- color
- position


Question: A metal spoon was left in a pot of boiling soup. The cook burned a finger by touching the spoon. Why did the finger get burned?

Choices:
- The metal spoon chemically reacted with the cook's hand.
- The metal spoon conducted electricity to the cook's hand.
- The metal spoon conducted heat to the cook's hand.
- The metal spoon insulated the cook's hand.


Question: Light rays are focused by the lens of a camera through the process of

Choices:
- reflection.
- refraction.
- dispersion.
- diffraction.


Question: Which of these provides the best evidence that the distribution of Earth's oceans has changed over time?

Choices:
- hot spots on ocean floors
- seismic activity along plate boundaries
- sediment buildup on continental slope
- marine fossils found on land masses


Question: Which change would have the greatest negative impact on the survival of an owl species?

Choices:
- an increase in primary consumer population
- an decrease in acid rain
- an decrease in size of habitat
- an increase in producers


Question: Which organ removes cell waste from the blood?

Choices:
- the large intestine
- the small intestine
- the kidney
- the heart


Question: According to the Big Bang Theory, how is the universe changing?

Choices:
- It is contracting.
- It is expanding.
- Only the rim is expanding.
- Only the center is contracting.


Question: Light enters the human eye through the

Choices:
- retina.
- pupil.
- iris.
- lens.


Question: The stages in the life cycle of an organism are shown below. birth -> growth -> development -> reproduction -> death In which life cycle stage will a new organism be made?

Choices:
- growth
- development
- reproduction
- death


Question: Baby chicks peck their way out of their shells when they hatch. This activity is an example of which of the following types of behavior?

Choices:
- instinctive
- learned
- planned
- social


Question: Which conclusion can be made about earthworms because they do not have an internal skeleton?

Choices:
- They are invertebrates.
- They have radial symmetry.
- They are made of one segment.
- They have an open circulatory system.


Question: The smallest unit of a plant that can perform all of the processes of life is the

Choices:
- leaf.
- cell.
- tissue.
- root.


Question: Soda water is a liquid that has bubbles of carbon dioxide in it. Which term best describes soda water?

Choices:
- a mixture
- a molecule
- an element
- a compound


Question: All stars start forming in the same manner. Some follow the life cycle of the Sun, while others turn into neutron stars or black holes. Which property determines the fate of a star as it develops?

Choices:
- mass
- location
- luminosity
- temperature


Question: If a neutral atom loses an electron, what is formed?

Choices:
- A gas
- An ion
- An acid
- A molecule


Question: A student mixed baking soda with vinegar and observed that the reaction was endothermic. When is a reaction endothermic?

Choices:
- when it is reversible
- when it can be repeated
- when it requires heat to make it happen
- when energy is released by the process


Question: What is the primary energy source that drives all weather events, including precipitation, hurricanes, and tornados?

Choices:
- the Sun
- the Moon
- Earth's gravity
- Earth's rotation


Question: Which system absorbs and carries food from the digestive system to the rest of the body?

Choices:
- nervous system
- muscular system
- circulatory system
- respiratory system


Question: Why do planets stay in orbit around the Sun?

Choices:
- attraction of gravity
- effect of inertia
- frictional force
- rotational force


Question: Earth rotates on its north-south axis. Which statement best describes one complete rotation?

Choices:
- It takes six months and causes summer and winter seasons.
- It takes 24 hours and causes night and day.
- It takes 29 days, which represents one cycle of the Moon's phases.
- It takes 365 days, which represents one Earth year.


Question: A rock sample will most likely contain

Choices:
- plants.
- minerals.
- water.
- wood.


Question: A jet plane is moving at a constant velocity on a flat surface. Which forces act against the forward motion of the plane?

Choices:
- gravity and engine thrust
- engine thrust and friction
- friction and air resistance
- air resistance and gravity


Question: Atmospheric greenhouse gases help heat the atmosphere by

Choices:
- increasing the amount of solar radiation reaching Earth.
- storing energy produced by human activity.
- absorbing infrared radiation released by Earth.
- increasing the average density of air.


Question: Scurvy is a disease that sailors often got on long voyages. It was discovered that scurvy could be prevented by eating oranges and lemons. This suggests that scurvy is a disease caused by

Choices:
- exposure to sea air
- a nutritional deficiency
- a microorganism
- lack of exercise


Question: Runoff from farms that use fertilizers is entering a small lake. This will most directly affect the lake by causing

Choices:
- the lake to dry up.
- algae to grow in the lake.
- the lake to become deeper.
- water in the lake to become solid.


Question: Why is protein an important part of a healthy diet?

Choices:
- It is needed to change glucose to energy.
- It is needed to store nutrients.
- It is needed to repair tissue.
- It is needed to produce water.


Question: An atom will always have

Choices:
- a single, negatively-charged nucleus.
- equal numbers of protons and electrons.
- "shared" electrons from another atom.
- a stable number of charged neutrons.


Question: Students on two different school campuses are comparing the growth rate of grass three weeks after fertilizer has been applied. The same fertilizer and the same amount of water are used on both campuses. Which additional variable is most important to control when the results of the two investigations are compared?

Choices:
- type of grass used
- amount of trees in the area
- the weather conditions of the day
- the time of day the measurements are taken


Question: A caterpillar changing into a butterfly is an example of

Choices:
- instinct.
- duplication.
- reproduction.
- metamorphosis.


Question: Some immune cells are actively involved in ingesting, destroying, and presenting invading microbial antigens on their surface to stimulate other cells to produce antibodies. Which of these cells is responsible for initiating such an immune response?

Choices:
- mast cells
- phagocytes
- B-lymphocytes
- T-lymphocytes


Question: A single prokaryotic cell can divide several times in an hour. Few eukaryotic cells can divide as quickly. Which of the following statements best explains this difference?

Choices:
- Eukaryotic cells are smaller than prokaryotic cells.
- Eukaryotic cells have less DNA than prokaryotic cells.
- Eukaryotic cells have more cell walls than prokaryotic cells.
- Eukaryotic cells are more structurally complex than prokaryotic cells.


Question: Which biological process determines the probability that particular alleles will be found in any given gamete?

Choices:
- mutation
- meiosis
- cell cycle
- protein synthesis


Question: When a person speaks into a telephone, sound energy is changed mostly into which form of energy?

Choices:
- heat
- light
- electrical
- chemical


Question: In the human body, what part of the central nervous system connects with other nerves outside of the central nervous system?

Choices:
- dendrite
- cerebrum
- cerebellum
- spinal cord


Question: Photovoltaic cells capture photons of sunlight and transform them directly into electricity. Many of Earth's other energy resources are simply transformed solar energy. Which two energy resources store energy that did not begin as solar energy?

Choices:
- oil and coal
- wind and wood
- nuclear and geothermal
- hydropower and natural gas


Question: What determines how long the Moon takes to complete one cycle of phases?

Choices:
- the period of rotation of the Moon around its axis
- the period of revolution of the Moon around Earth
- the period of rotation of Earth around its axis
- the period of revolution of Earth around the Sun


Question: Oxygen reacts with iron to produce rust and with hydrogen to produce water. Which statement describes both reactions?

Choices:
- A different mixture is formed in each case.
- A different solution is formed in each case.
- Both a change of state and of elements is involved.
- New molecules are formed but the same elements exist.


Question: What is the primary job of red blood cells?

Choices:
- transport oxygen
- remove waste
- fight disease
- allow reproduction


Question: What kingdom contains organisms that are multicellular, have no chlorophyll, and absorb nutrients from decaying tissue?

Choices:
- Fungi
- Plantae
- Protista
- Animalia


Question: A salvage yard contains a mixture of iron, glass, aluminum, and plastic. Which property of iron does the salvage yard take advantage of when separating the iron from the rest of the materials?

Choices:
- magnetic
- electrical
- ductility
- malleability


Question: While a sailor was out fishing, he got lost at sea. Which object would help him direct the boat back to shore?

Choices:
- Rope
- Magnetic compass
- Blanket
- Measuring tape


Question: Water is a very important part of the physical weathering of rock. Which of these properties of water is most important in causing some of the physical weathering of rock?

Choices:
- Water is a liquid at room temperature.
- Water can contain different minerals.
- Water expands when it freezes.
- Water dissolves many chemicals.


Question: A student uses a telescope to view stars at night. The student notices some of the stars are different colors. The color of a star is determined most by its

Choices:
- size.
- distance from Earth.
- mass.
- temperature.


Question: Which function is performed at similarly structured sites in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?

Choices:
- protein synthesis
- packaging and transport of proteins
- storage of genetic material
- release of energy from storage forms


Question: Which material is the best natural resource to use for making water-resistant shoes?

Choices:
- cotton
- leather
- plastic
- wool


Question: When hunting by humans causes a species to become extinct, this may produce damaging effects throughout the ecosystem of the extinct species. What is the cause of this damage?

Choices:
- alteration of a food web
- degradation of a habitat
- modification of a climate
- reversal of a flow of energy


Question: Sarah's class is learning about mixtures and solutions. Her teacher writes four statements on the board. Which statement best describes a mixture?

Choices:
- Both substances mix evenly.
- Both substances can evaporate.
- One substance dissolves into another.
- One substance can be separated from the other.


Question: Which of the following best explains why the Sun appears to move across the sky every day?

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


Question: The theory of spontaneous generation was eventually disproved scientifically by

Choices:
- arguments in philosophy.
- chemical analysis of material.
- examining models of the process.
- conducting a controlled experiment.


Question: Discarded electronic devices, such as outdated computers and cell phones, contain materials that can be toxic to the environment. Which statement best explains why humans continue to use these technologies?

Choices:
- Electronics have become less expensive over time.
- Some areas have recycling programs for electronics.
- Industries that produce electronics help the economy.
- Humans value the benefits of these devices over their cost.


Question: A student crumples up a sheet of paper. Which property of the paper has changed?

Choices:
- color
- mass
- state
- shape


Question: When a plant dies, it often decomposes and becomes part of the soil. This process is one step in which cycle?

Choices:
- lunar
- water
- carbon
- energy


Question: Which would best aid a scientist in discovering how Earth may have changed over time?

Choices:
- finding the nest of a bald eagle
- tracking the footprints of a wolf
- analyzing the pollination of a sunflower
- discovering a fossil of a seashell in a wooded area


Question: Kendall studied the ways in which human body systems work together. He compared the respiratory and circulatory systems. In which way are these two systems similar to each other?

Choices:
- They both bring oxygen to the body.
- They both send messages to the body.
- They both digest nutrients for the body.
- They both pump blood through the body.


Question: A difference between the oceanic crust and the continental crust is that the oceanic crust is

Choices:
- composed chiefly of sedimentary rocks.
- more dense than the continental crust.
- older than the continental crust.
- continually being created.


Question: Which of these elements is found in the greatest amount in organisms?

Choices:
- carbon
- iron
- lead
- neon


Question: After mining removes layers of rock from a hillside, new plants begin to grow in the cracks of the bare rock. The plants beginning to grow are an example of which natural process?

Choices:
- secondary succession in an existing ecosystem
- new species developing in an ecosystem
- species competition in a community
- primary succession in a new habitat


Question: Improvements in farming technology would most likely

Choices:
- increase the amount of food produced.
- change global climate conditions.
- promote unhealthy dietary choices.
- decrease the amount of daily exercise.


Question: In a container, a mixture of water and salt is stirred so that the salt dissolves completely. Sand is added to this solution and allowed to settle to the bottom of the container. If the container is placed on a heat source and the liquid evaporates completely, what will be left in the container?

Choices:
- Nothing will remain in the container.
- Only salt will remain in the container.
- Only sand will remain in the container.
- Salt and sand will both remain in the container.


Question: Which of the following is formed immediately after fertilization?

Choices:
- egg
- sperm
- zygote
- embryo


Question: Which of the following helped lead to the invention of personal computers?

Choices:
- Internet
- keyboard
- wireless transmitter
- integrated circuit


Question: Blood absorbs oxygen in the

Choices:
- heart.
- lungs.
- stomach.
- muscles.


Question: A student adds sugar, spices, and salt to a bowl of peanuts and stirs them together. What has the student made?

Choices:
- a compound
- a substance
- a mixture
- a solution


Question: Over time, non-volcanic mountains can form due to the interaction of plate boundaries. Which interaction is most likely associated with the formation of non-volcanic mountains?

Choices:
- oceanic plates colliding with oceanic plates
- oceanic plates separating from oceanic plates
- continental plates colliding with continental plates
- continental plates separating from continental plates


Question: Most stars in the Milky Way are like the Sun. The Sun will eventually become a red giant. After the red giant stage, what determines whether a star will become a white dwarf or a supernova?

Choices:
- the mass of the star
- the diameter of the star
- the brightness of the star
- the type of gas in the star


Question: How should researchers share their findings with other scientists to validate their study of the effectiveness of a new medication?

Choices:
- e-mail the research results to local newspapers
- publish the research results in a scientific journal
- publish the results in brochures for doctors
- discuss the research results on the Internet


Question: Gaseous sulfur dioxide is a compound that combines with water in the atmosphere to form acid rain. What is the primary source of sulfur dioxide?

Choices:
- volcanic emissions
- combustion of fossil fuels
- destruction of tropical forests
- mining and mineral extraction


Question: The motion of Earth is responsible for several celestial events. Which of the following events is caused by Earth revolving around the sun?

Choices:
- the days in a year
- the hours in a day
- the changes in the atmosphere of Earth
- the position of the constellations in space


Question: What takes place as a light wave enters a denser medium?

Choices:
- it is reflected
- it is absorbed
- it is refracted
- it is compressed


Question: Deforestation in the rainforest can lead to localized extinctions of populations of some organisms. Once an area is deforested, which is most likely to decrease and result in organisms' extinctions?

Choices:
- the amount of annual rainfall
- competition between consumers
- the energy available to producers
- diversity of the resources in the habitat


Question: Which of the following causes a ship’s iron anchor to sink to the ocean floor when it is released overboard?

Choices:
- chemical forces
- gravity
- magnetism
- nuclear forces


Question: In clear weather, a bright light can be seen for a long distance. In conditions of heavy fog, the visibility is greatly reduced. Which of the following explains the reduced visibility?

Choices:
- Light is refracted by water vapor in the air.
- Light is scattered by water droplets in the air.
- Light is absorbed by water vapor near the ground.
- Light is reflected by water droplets on the ground.


Question: When the pesticide DDT was first used, it killed nearly every mosquito it touched. Within a few years, however, many mosquitoes became resistant to DDT and survived. What enabled this to happen?

Choices:
- meiosis
- migration
- immune responses
- gene mutations


Question: When air is heated, it will most likely

Choices:
- expand and fall.
- expand and rise.
- condense and fall.
- condense and rise.


Question: The wheels and gears of a machine are greased in order to decrease

Choices:
- potential energy
- efficiency
- output
- friction


Question: A student learns that one year on Mercury is about 88 Earth days. This means it takes 88 Earth days for Mercury to

Choices:
- travel in orbit around its moon.
- complete one rotation on its axis.
- switch orbits with the nearest planet.
- make one complete orbit around the Sun.


Question: Two processes are involved in the formation of a sand dune. Which two processes best describe how a sand dune forms?

Choices:
- wind erosion then deposition
- plate movement then deposition
- wind erosion then water erosion
- water erosion then plate movement


Question: When a student uses the equation, mass multiplied by change in temperature multiplied by specific heat, what is being calculated? q = m \times C \times \Delta T

Choices:
- a phase change
- stored energy
- heat convection
- heat gain or heat loss


Question: Which rock is most likely to contain fossil seashells?

Choices:
- basalt
- gneiss
- granite
- limestone


Question: Which occurs as a result of Earth's tilt on its rotating axis?

Choices:
- movement of the tides
- prevalent or trade winds
- seasonal changes in the climate
- light and dark changes of day and night


Question: Planets remain in orbit around the Sun because of

Choices:
- gravity.
- friction.
- solar energy.
- centrifugal force.


Question: Which cells help to destroy pathogens such as bacteria that enter the human body?

Choices:
- red blood cells
- liver cells
- white blood cells
- brain cells


Question: Eye color in human beings is an

Choices:
- instinct.
- acquired trait.
- inherited trait.
- environmentally influenced trait.


Question: If a species is no longer able to reproduce, it will

Choices:
- adapt to its environment
- become immune to disease
- become extinct
- increase its population


Question: Which of these is hottest?

Choices:
- The Earth
- Mars
- The Moon
- The Sun


Question: In large industrial cities, the emissions from fossil fuels cause the atmosphere to change. Which process allows the atmosphere to change?

Choices:
- increased inorganic matter in soil
- increased use of fertilizers on crops
- increased buildup of greenhouse gases
- increased rainfall rates near power plants


Question: Which is the most likely response of a human to an increase in temperature?

Choices:
- increasing the amount of perspiration
- increasing waste elimination from the bladder
- a reduction in the desire for liquids
- a contraction in blood vessels in the skin


Question: An organism's traits are largely determined by the genetic makeup of its parents. A mutation in which kinds of cells in a parent could cause a new trait to appear in the parent's offspring?

Choices:
- sperm or egg
- egg or nerve
- nerve or muscle
- muscle or sperm


Question: Electricity to play your radio can be made using renewable or nonrenewable resources. Which of the following resources are renewable?

Choices:
- wind and oil
- wind and sunlight
- natural gas and oil
- natural gas and coal


Question: The action of turning off the water while brushing teeth is an example of

Choices:
- recycling.
- adaptation.
- conservation.
- resourcefulness.


Question: Which objects are the most useful for collecting data on the speed of a toy car?

Choices:
- microscope, computer, ruler
- thermometer, calculator, magnet
- stopwatch, calculator, meter stick
- camera, digital recorder, safety goggles


Question: Some microorganisms cause human disease. Other microorganisms are used in making cheese, yogurt, and bread. Based on this information, the relationship between humans and microorganisms can be

Choices:
- beneficial, only
- harmful, only
- beneficial or harmful


Question: Which of these objects is visible because it reflects light toward the eye?

Choices:
- burning candle
- flashlight bulb
- glowing campfire log
- shiny metallic balloon


Question: Which dog trait is a learned behavior?

Choices:
- blinking its eyes
- scratching an itch
- panting to cool off
- jumping to catch a ball


Question: When an atom has a neutral charge, which particles within the atom have equal numbers?

Choices:
- electrons and neutrons
- protons and electrons
- neutrons and protons
- ions and neutrons


Question: A paper bag is ripped into pieces. Which of these BEST describes the pieces of the bag?

Choices:
- Stronger than the whole bag
- Thicker than the whole bag
- Smaller than the whole bag
- Darker than the whole bag


Question: A lizard most likely would be protected from its enemies if it has which characteristic?

Choices:
- claws to catch prey
- a long tail to climb trees
- eyes that can see far distances
- skin color that matches its habitat


Question: Copper is used in house wiring because it is

Choices:
- magnetic.
- an insulator.
- an electrical conductor.
- hard to bend into new shapes.


Question: Which process causes light to bend and form a rainbow?

Choices:
- frequency
- resonance
- refraction
- reflection


Question: Sugar is composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Sugar is an example of which of the following?

Choices:
- an atom
- a compound
- an electron
- a mixture


Question: The tendency of a stationary object to resist being put into motion is known as

Choices:
- acceleration.
- inertia.
- weight.
- velocity.


Question: One way that students can help conserve natural resources at school is by

Choices:
- recycling aluminum cans.
- emptying waste baskets.
- wearing warmer clothes.
- eating all of their lunch.


Question: The Grand Canyon is an example of

Choices:
- erosion.
- deposition.
- an earthquake.
- volcanic activity.


Question: Humans cannot survive without clean, fresh water. Reservoirs of liquid water vary, but all water spends time as a gas in the atmosphere. What is the source of most of the water in the atmosphere?

Choices:
- lakes
- oceans
- rivers
- glaciers


Question: When a frying pan is placed on an electric stove top, heat energy is transferred from the burner to the pan by

Choices:
- convection.
- radiation.
- conduction.
- insulation.


Question: What happens when water flows over a rock for a long period of time?

Choices:
- erosion
- flooding
- breakage
- evaporation


Question: During winter, the white fur of an arctic fox blends in with the snow. This adaptation is called

Choices:
- hibernation
- migration
- camouflage
- movement


Question: How has the invention of the personal computer helped people the most?

Choices:
- by replacing paper
- by reducing pollution
- by improving transportation
- by increasing communication


Question: Humans depend on which natural resource from the environment?

Choices:
- water
- houses
- electricity
- roads


Question: The danger posed to fish in an aquarium by an overpopulation of bacteria caused by an algal bloom is most likely a

Choices:
- decrease in water temperature.
- reduction in oxygen levels.
- decrease in food supply.
- removal of minerals.


Question: Natural processes shape the surface of Earth. Most canyons are formed by ___.

Choices:
- ice
- plants
- steady winds
- moving water


Question: What is the best way for a student to describe the results of an experiment?

Choices:
- in a diagram
- in an oral report
- in a written report
- in a photo essay


Question: Which of the following is a living component of a desert in California?

Choices:
- low rainfall
- hot temperature
- polar bear
- horned lizard


Question: Scientists wonder how the Egyptian pyramids were built. They think that the huge blocks of stone may have been put into place by pushing them up a sloping pathway. The pathway is which type of simple machine?

Choices:
- lever
- pulley
- inclined plane
- wheel and axle


Question: Magnesium strips are long, thin strips that are gray and shiny. Which action will lead to a chemical change of magnesium strips?

Choices:
- putting them in the freezer
- burning them with a candle
- cutting them into small pieces
- mixing them with pieces of copper


Question: Which involves the greatest variety of cell types?

Choices:
- a tissue
- an organ
- an organ system
- an organism


Question: Snapping a rubber band most likely produces which type of energy?

Choices:
- heat
- light
- sound
- electrical


Question: People can help keep a forest a good place for birds to live by

Choices:
- dumping garbage in a small part of the forest
- building a road through the middle of the forest
- burning dead trees to make smoke in the air
- preventing too many trees from being cut down


Question: Randall is picking lettuce from his garden for dinner. His mother told him to leave some leaves on each plant. Why is it important to leave some leaves on the plant?

Choices:
- Leaves help the plant make food.
- Leaves help the plant absorb water.
- Leaves help the plant stand upright.
- Leaves help the plant make seeds.


Question: A negatively-charged ion has

Choices:
- a heavier nucleus.
- a greater atomic mass.
- more electrons than protons.
- more electrons than neutrons.


Question: Which statement explains what will most likely happen to the hydrosphere in an area where air temperatures increase?

Choices:
- Earthquake intensity will decrease.
- Mountain formation will decrease.
- Rock weathering will increase.
- Evaporation will increase.


Question: Which energy source is considered nonrenewable?

Choices:
- oil
- moving water
- sunlight
- biomass


Question: When buried sediments are subjected to pressure, the mineral grains are squeezed together. What is the result of this action?

Choices:
- volcanoes
- earthquakes
- new rock is formed
- layers rise to the surface


Question: What is the primary source of energy for organisms from a beach ecosystem?

Choices:
- sand
- oxygen
- the Sun
- the ocean


Question: Before rock can become soil, it must undergo certain processes. One process in the formation of soil involves plants. How can plants chemically change rocks into soil?

Choices:
- They weather rocks with acid.
- They strip the rocks of minerals.
- They break rocks into small pieces.
- They increase the density of the rocks.


Question: Which is the best way a science student can help to maintain laboratory equipment?

Choices:
- perform investigations using only new materials
- throw away glass items after investigations are complete
- clean up all materials and workspaces after investigations
- eat in the laboratory only after investigations are complete


Question: Which of the following statements best explains why stars appear to move across Earth's sky each night?

Choices:
- Earth rotates on its axis.
- The stars orbit each other.
- Earth revolves around the Sun.
- The stars rotate with the Moon.


Question: Researchers are developing new types of crop plants with desirable characteristics such as disease resistance and drought tolerance. Crossing plants so that the next generation will express desirable traits is best described as

Choices:
- selective breeding.
- natural selection.
- genetic engineering.
- gene sequencing.


Question: In May 2007, wildfires burned more than 350 square miles of habitat in Florida and Georgia. Intense fires like this one can temporarily remove nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in area soil. What most likely happens in the burned areas until organic decay replenishes the lost nutrients?

Choices:
- Consumers take on the ecological role of producers.
- Only secondary consumers obtain the resources they need.
- The carrying capacity of the soil for plant growth is reduced.
- The remaining organisms in the area become more territorial.


Question: Helen is preparing a presentation about objects in the solar system. She includes facts about the order of the planets and their distances from the Sun. Which statement could she include in an accurate presentation?

Choices:
- Mars is closer to the Sun than Earth.
- Neptune is one light-year from the Sun.
- Jupiter is farther from the Sun than Uranus.
- Earth is one astronomical unit from the Sun.


Question: Farmers in the 1800s used axes to clear trees from farmland. Now, farmers use chainsaws to clear the trees. How do chainsaws most likely help farmers?

Choices:
- Farmers can cut different types of trees.
- Farmers can remove more trees in less time.
- Farmers can replant more trees in the fields.
- Farmers can produce more products from the trees.


Question: What can a moving magnet in a coil of copper wire cause?

Choices:
- an electric current
- friction on wheels
- an increase in gravity
- a decrease in heat


Question: A researcher determines a cell has a flexible cell wall composed of peptidoglycan. This observation narrows possible classifications of the cell to which taxonomic group?

Choices:
- archaea
- bacteria
- fungi
- plants


Question: A student conducts an investigation using mold spores. In one part of the investigation, he needs to closely examine a spore sample. Which piece of equipment does the student need to use to keep mold spores from entering his respiratory system?

Choices:
- breathing mask
- safety goggles
- rubber gloves
- lead smock


Question: Vultures are scavengers that most likely help ecosystems by quickly consuming dead organisms and

Choices:
- speeding up the process of decay.
- taking nonliving matter from the environment.
- slowing the spread of disease.
- helping to distribute seeds.


Question: What is the process called when an acid and a base combine to produce water and salt?

Choices:
- neutralization
- dilution
- titration
- physical reaction


Question: Amylase is a chemical that decomposes starch into maltose and dextrin. Which best describes the role of amylase in the human body?

Choices:
- as an inhibitor of insulin production
- as an enzyme that aids in digestion
- as a catalyst for protein synthesis
- as a receptor of fatty acid chains


Question: Sound waves can pass through all of these except

Choices:
- air.
- steel.
- water.
- a vacuum.


Question: Why is it important to repeat an experiment several times?

Choices:
- to use up all the materials
- to give all the students the chance to participate
- to collect more data to fit the hypothesis
- to determine if the results are similar


Question: Which force causes a marble to sink to the bottom of a glass of water?

Choices:
- gravity
- friction
- magnetism
- electricity


Question: A mosquito is a type of flying insect that lays eggs in puddles or small pools of water. When larvae develop from eggs, the larvae come to the surface to get air through special breathing tubes. After one to two weeks, the larvae become pupae and then turn into adults. How would a dry summer affect a mosquito population?

Choices:
- The mosquito larvae would take longer to become pupae.
- The adult mosquitoes would have fewer places to lay eggs.
- The adult mosquitoes would get fluids by feeding more often.
- The mosquito larvae would use their breathing tubes to live on land.


Question: NASA's Kepler Mission has collected information about main-sequence stars with characteristics similar to the Sun. What is the most common color of these stars?

Choices:
- blue
- white
- red
- yellow


Question: A fever is a response to a disease-causing agent infecting the body. Raising one's body temperature changes the shape of enzymes in the agent so it cannot reproduce. Which statement best describes a fever?

Choices:
- A fever is an internal response to an external stimulus.
- A fever is an internal response to an internal stimulus.
- A fever is an external response to an external stimulus.
- A fever is an external response to an internal stimulus.


Question: Two people are pushing a car. One person is pushing with a force of 450 N and the other person is pushing with a force of 300 N. What information is needed to determine the net force applied to the car by the people?

Choices:
- the direction of the road
- the direction of the forces
- the weight of the two people
- the weight of the automobile


Question: A student proposes the rate of increase in a plant's mass will be proportional to the length of light exposure per day when all other variables are constant. How should this proposal be classified?

Choices:
- as a hypothesis
- as a conclusion
- as a theory
- as a statement


Question: Approximately how many times will Earth rotate during one revolution around the Sun?

Choices:
- 1
- 28
- 365
- 1440


Question: A shiny aluminum screen can be placed on the windshield of a parked car. This screen helps to keep the car cool because it

Choices:
- reflects the sunlight
- absorbs heat
- causes evaporation
- conducts electricity


Question: Which property of an object can be described as smooth?

Choices:
- color
- odor
- size
- texture


Question: During photosynthesis, plants absorb light energy from the Sun and convert it into chemical energy in the form of glucose. Which compounds combine in the presence of sunlight to form glucose?

Choices:
- carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen (H2)
- oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2)
- carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O)
- oxygen (O2) and water (H2O)


Question: A researcher is viewing a cell that has cell walls. To best narrow down the taxonomic group from which the cell belongs, which question should a researcher ask?

Choices:
- What is the composition of the cell walls?
- Is a cell membrane also present?
- Can any substances pass through the cell walls?
- Do the cell walls help the cell to survive?


Question: Which of the following best explains what will occur when a population grows larger than the carrying capacity of its environment?

Choices:
- The emigration rate will decrease.
- The competition rate will decrease.
- The birth rate will increase.
- The death rate will increase.


Question: Oceans have many layers of sediments. These layers become compacted when they are buried under other layers of sediments. Which is most likely to happen to the deepest layers?

Choices:
- They will be squeezed out onto deltas.
- They will recrystallize into new rock.
- They will become part of Earth's outer core.
- They will melt in magma chambers.


Question: The first microscopes were built in the 1600s. Microscopes have improved since then, but still perform the same job. How do microscopes most help scientists?

Choices:
- They make small objects easier to see.
- They make distant objects appear closer.
- They reduce the glare from shiny objects.
- The improve the brightness of dim objects.


Question: What do plants take from the air that helps them make food?

Choices:
- oxygen
- nitrogen
- carbon dioxide
- hydrogen peroxide


Question: When a person sees something, what carries the message from the eyes to the brain?

Choices:
- arteries
- glands
- muscles
- nerves
- veins


Question: Which of the following is an abiotic factor that can influence the quantity of fish a pond can support?

Choices:
- availability of plants
- concentration of bacteria
- quality of water
- number of consumers


Question: The islands in the mid-Pacific Ocean region were formed by

Choices:
- land subsidence.
- deposition from currents.
- wind and water erosion.
- volcanic activity.


Question: Which term identifies a single unit of hereditary information?

Choices:
- egg cell
- sperm cell
- nucleus
- gene


Question: A mother hen clucks loudly when danger is near and her chicks quickly gather around her. Which sense helps the chicks receive this warning about danger from their mother?

Choices:
- smell
- taste
- sight
- sound


Question: Newly hatched turtles are easy prey for other animals. What is an important ability turtles have for better survival of their offspring?

Choices:
- to fight off predators
- to produce a toxin that makes them taste bad
- to lay hundreds of eggs so a few will survive
- to dig a hole and hide from predators


Question: Mr. Mendoza's class studied different body systems. What is an important function of the circulatory system?

Choices:
- providing structural support to muscles
- carrying oxygen to cells
- getting energy from food
- sending messages to the brain


Question: Which example shows a new substance being formed?

Choices:
- a candle burning
- a shoelace being tied
- a pipe being cut in half
- a block of ice melting


Question: What do all mammals have in common that distinguishes them from birds?

Choices:
- eyes
- fur
- a brain
- a heart


Question: Grooves running down the sides of a riverbank are most likely caused by

Choices:
- wind.
- rocks.
- leaves.
- rainwater.


Question: Which of the following best describes a mineral?

Choices:
- a solid natural material with a crystal structure
- a material that was once living but has decayed
- a liquid chemical used to make soil more fertile
- a nutrient produced by plants that other organisms need


Question: Plankton are tiny ocean organisms. The role of one type of plankton is to use the energy from the Sun to produce food that other animals eat. Which organism has the same role in the ocean as this type of plankton?

Choices:
- seaweed
- turtle
- dolphin
- crab


Question: How many times does the Moon rotate on its axis during a lunar month?

Choices:
- one
- two
- three
- four


Question: Changes to abiotic factors in an environment can impact biotic factors. Which statement is the BEST example of this situation?

Choices:
- Heavy rainfall increases soil erosion.
- Melting glaciers cause sea levels to rise.
- Cold temperatures cause rocks to weather.
- Drought conditions increase competition among consumers.


Question: There are several different types of rock. Each type of rock is formed under different conditions. How are sedimentary rocks, such as shale and sandstone, formed?

Choices:
- Particles are heated by the Sun.
- Particles are melted together by magma.
- Particles are compressed into layers.
- Particles are changed into liquids.


Question: Which disease is correctly paired with the cause of the disease?

Choices:
- athlete's foot - fungi
- malaria - viruses
- influenza - bacteria
- pneumonia - protists


Question: Unequal distribution of the hormone auxin in plants helps to regulate the direction of plant growth. Which of the following is accomplished by plants in regulating the distribution of auxin?

Choices:
- pollination of flowers
- transportation of nutrients
- discouraging predation
- responding to the environment


Question: Ten people became sick with the flu after attending a school dance. What is the scenario that could best explain how the people got sick?

Choices:
- contact with environmental sources
- contact with an infected animal
- contact with a contaminated object
- contact with an infected person


Question: One way to protect against food poisoning is to

Choices:
- cook food to proper temperatures.
- combine different types of food.
- store food in glass containers.
- defrost meat slowly on the counter.


Question: Which statement is a MAJOR mistake in the experimental design?

Choices:
- A control group was not used.
- The same type of pot and soil was used.
- Each plant received the same amount of water.
- Too much data will be collected in three weeks.


Question: Which effect do rapidly cooling temperatures have on the water cycle?

Choices:
- Water droplets evaporate into vapor.
- Water vapor condenses into droplets.
- Condensation evaporates into precipitation.
- Precipitation condenses into water droplets.


Question: A researcher found shark fossils on top of a mountain. This evidence suggests which of the following about this region?

Choices:
- It was once below a waterfall.
- It was once part of a riverbed.
- It was once covered by an ocean.
- It was once near a freshwater lake.


Question: A student is measuring the distance a car travels down a ramp using yards. Which measurement is most similar in length when using the metric system of measurement?

Choices:
- centimeter
- kilometer
- millimeter
- meter


Question: A marble is dropped in a glass of water. Which force pulls the marble to the bottom of the glass?

Choices:
- electricity
- friction
- gravity
- magnetism


Question: Which scientist formulated rules that describe the observable relationships of plant traits to the traits of the ancestor plants?

Choices:
- Linus Pauling
- Gregor Mendel
- James Watson
- Albert Einstein


Question: The invention of the telescope allowed which of the following to take place?

Choices:
- the discovery of cells
- the identification of weather patterns
- detailed observation of planets
- communication between distant cities


Question: Which instrument should a student use to measure exactly 10 milliliters (mL) of water?

Choices:
- graduated cylinder
- pan balance
- ruler
- thermometer


Question: A gas is heated and its temperature increases. What happens to the gas molecules?

Choices:
- They get bigger.
- They move faster.
- They move slower.
- They increase in number.


Question: Which tool is used to measure the diameter of a dime?

Choices:
- ruler
- beaker
- balance
- compass


Question: A rainforest area is experiencing a severe drought. As a consequence, the insect population has decreased. What will the insect-eating birds most likely do as a result of the drought?

Choices:
- stop searching for food until it begins to rain
- begin reproducing to increase population
- move to a new area to find food
- start the process of hibernation


Question: Which unit is used to indicate the amount of energy in food?

Choices:
- ounce
- degree
- calorie
- gram


Question: Wire was looped several times around an iron nail, and the wire's ends were connected to a battery. For which of these will this device most likely be used?

Choices:
- to produce a heat source
- to demonstrate frictional forces
- to create a magnetic field
- to generate a sound wave


Question: Dust and ash entering the atmosphere as a result of volcanic eruptions can affect Earth's

Choices:
- tidal activity
- orbital shape
- weather and climate
- rotation and revolution


Question: During which chemical process is energy absorbed?

Choices:
- iron nails rusting
- candles burning
- vegetables rotting
- plants photosynthesizing


Question: When two nuclei are combined into one nucleus, there is a slight change in mass and the release of a large amount of energy. What is this process called?

Choices:
- conversion
- reaction
- fission
- fusion


Question: The sound, light, and heat that a firecracker produces are originally stored as which type of energy?

Choices:
- nuclear energy
- chemical energy
- electrical energy
- mechanical energy


Question: Vehicle exhaust contains a form of pollution called particulate matter. Technologies are being developed to reduce the amount of particulate matter in exhaust. A vehicle that produces less particulate matter would have the greatest impact on which aspect of human health?

Choices:
- heart health
- respiratory health
- the rate of birth defects
- weight and physical fitness


Question: Janet learns that Earth is tilted. Due to its tilt, some areas on the surface of Earth experience darkness for an entire day. Which plant process is affected most during this darkness?

Choices:
- root growth
- reproduction
- photosynthesis
- water absorption


Question: What types of cells are found only in organisms that reproduce sexually?

Choices:
- blood cells
- neurons
- skin cells
- gametes


Question: Several dinosaur bones are discovered buried in volcanic ash. The type of dinosaur can best be identified by

Choices:
- knowing the location where the fossils were found.
- establishing an inventory of bones collected.
- comparing to characteristics of known dinosaurs.
- knowing the absolute age of the fossils.


Question: Stretching is considered an important step before engaging in sports. In an investigation to see whether stretching before physical exertion reduces sports injuries, who would the control group most likely be?

Choices:
- athletes who stretch before working out
- non-athletes who stretch before working out
- athletes who do not stretch before working out
- non-athletes who do not stretch before working out


Question: In the first half of this century, which technology allowed people, for the first time, to work IN the city but live OUTSIDE the city?

Choices:
- airplanes
- automobiles
- telephones
- television


Question: Most sedimentary rock is made from sediments of other rock. Which of these processes would the sediments most likely go through to form sedimentary rock?

Choices:
- compaction and cementation
- folding and recrystallization
- melting and solidifying
- heating and pressure


Question: Rocks and Earth and on the Moon are made of similar materials. What does this observation most likely suggest?

Choices:
- Both the Moon and Earth split off from the Sun.
- Life must have existed on the Moon at one time.
- The Moon was probably formed from material from Earth.
- The whole solar system is made up of the same kinds of rocks.


Question: In any ecosystem, organisms interact with biotic and abiotic parts of the environment. As a result of all of the interactions, the matter within the system is

Choices:
- produced when plants grow.
- recycled when organisms die.
- lost when animals and plants die.
- formed when new animals are born.


Question: Data indicate that chemical pollutants contaminate 53% of the waterways that empty into the Chesapeake Bay. These chemical pollutants are found in the tissues of animals living in the bay. Which group of people who live away from the bay might be most affected by these chemical pollutants?

Choices:
- people who walk near the bay
- people who read books about the bay
- people who consume fish from the bay
- people who own boats docked in the bay


Question: Which behavior can help animals establish a territory?

Choices:
- A caribou herd migrates seasonally.
- A scent trail leads ants to a food source.
- A wolf pack howls to warn other wolves to stay away.
- A honeybee society divides the work between its members.


Question: Arteries and veins are two important parts of the circulatory system. What is the relationship between arteries and veins?

Choices:
- They work together to exchange gases.
- They work together to transport nutrients.
- They work independently to remove wastes.
- They work independently to relay messages.


Question: Which function is a role of a feedback system?

Choices:
- stimulation of appetite
- identification of gender
- determination of blood type
- regulation of growth in the skeletal system


Question: Which technique will researchers studying the inheritance patterns of various disorders most likely use?

Choices:
- cladogram
- DNA fingerprinting
- gel electrophoresis
- chromosomal analysis


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

Choices:
- bass
- minnows
- aquatic plants
- fish-eating birds


Question: Which of these can only be found in a plant cell?

Choices:
- a nucleus
- a vacuole
- a chloroplast
- a mitochondrion


Question: The Milky Way Galaxy is visible as a bright region in the night sky. Modern telescopic observation has made it possible to discover that the brightness of the Milky Way Galaxy is due primarily to which structure?

Choices:
- clouds of hot gas
- large numbers of stars
- high energy compounds
- extremely reflective ice particles


Question: More sulfur dioxide is being added to the atmosphere. How will this most likely affect the hydrosphere?

Choices:
- There will be a decrease in sea level.
- The acidity of the ocean will increase.
- There will be an increase in fresh water.
- The temperature of the oceans will decline.


Question: Plants transform energy when they make their own food. Which type of energy is used by plants for making food?

Choices:
- electrical
- heat
- light
- mechanical


Question: Dominic placed a caterpillar in a container with different kinds of leaves. Which information should he record to find out what food this caterpillar eats?

Choices:
- the type of leaves the caterpillar has eaten
- the amount of time for all the leaves to be eaten
- the number of leaves that were put in the container
- the number of minutes the caterpillar spends eating


Question: Which class of elements best conducts electricity?

Choices:
- metals
- nonmetals
- semimetals
- noble (inert) gases


Question: What are the products in the chemical reaction below? NaOH + HCl -> NaCl + H_{2}O

Choices:
- sodium hydroxide and hydrogen chloride
- sodium chloride and water
- sodium, chlorine, hydrogen, and oxygen
- sodium, chlorine, and water


Question: Termites eat wood but cannot digest it. Protozoans live in the termites' stomachs and use enzymes to break down the wood. The digested wood provides nutrition for both the termites and the protozoans. What type of relationship is this?

Choices:
- mutualism
- parasitism
- predation
- commensalism


Question: In the Adirondack forests of New York, some trees have died. The change in the forest is thought to be related to air pollution and rain. Which abiotic factor most likely has been changed as a result of the pollution and rain which resulted in the death of the trees?

Choices:
- a decrease in the amount of available oxygen
- an increase in the amount of sunlight
- a decrease in the pH of the soil
- an increase in soil nutrients


Question: The first step in the construction of a building typically involves

Choices:
- clearing the land.
- setting the foundation.
- servicing the structure.
- installing utilities.


Question: What biological concept was Mendel studying when he crossed pea plants many times over many generations?

Choices:
- imbalance in ecosystems
- predator-prey relationships
- dominant and recessive traits
- male and female genetic differences


Question: The following represents a number displayed on a calculator. 1.454545 E3. Which of the following shows how a student should record this number in a laboratory report?

Choices:
- (1.45)^3
- 1 5/11
- 1.45 x 10^3
- 1.45 x 3


Question: In which process is nitrogen from the air put into a form that plants can use?

Choices:
- nitrification
- denitrification
- nitrogen saturation
- nitrogen fixation


Question: The surface of the Moon is covered with craters. Most of these craters were formed by

Choices:
- eruptions of active volcanoes
- the impacts of many meteoroids
- shifting rock on the Moon's surface ("moonquakes")
- tidal forces caused by the Earth and Sun


Question: Which event would most likely occur if the number of nitrogen fixing bacteria were reduced within an ecosystem?

Choices:
- plants would have more nitrates to take up
- plants and animals would decompose faster
- high levels of ammonia would accumulate in the soil
- the level of nitrogen gas in the atmosphere would increase


Question: Census data show that the human population doubled from 2.65 billion in 1953 to 5.3 billion in 1990. If it continues to double at this rate, the human population could reach 10 billion by the year 2020. Which best explains how this rate of human growth can harm the environment on which humans depend?

Choices:
- by gradually making up more available energy
- by using resources faster than they can be replaced
- by changing how matter cycles through an ecosystem
- by increasing the variety of ecosystems that are supported


Question: Bats find their prey at night using one of their senses to detect echoes. What does the bat send out to find prey?

Choices:
- odors
- light
- sound
- electricity


Question: Which two objects produce their own light?

Choices:
- candle and moon
- moon and mirror
- sun and candle
- mirror and sun


Question: Which example describes an organism taking in nutrients?

Choices:
- a dog burying a bone
- a girl eating an apple
- an insect crawling on a leaf
- a boy planting tomatoes in a garden


Question: In eukaryotic organisms, interaction between which organelles is most important for cell shape, tensile strength, and communication between cells?

Choices:
- cytoskeleton and cell membrane
- cytoplasm and Golgi apparatus
- nucleus and endoplasmic reticulum
- ribosome and central vacuole


Question: A radio station broadcasting across a large area is experiencing thunderstorms. How will the radio waves from the station be affected?

Choices:
- wavelength will be increased
- amplitude will be unchanged
- frequency will be distorted
- speed will be decreased


Question: An electrical circuit can be used to break down water into hydrogen and oxygen. In this process, electrical energy produces

Choices:
- kinetic energy.
- physical changes.
- chemical changes.
- potential energy.


Question: Which method could be used to separate a solution of table salt and water?

Choices:
- mixing
- settling
- filtration
- evaporation


Question: Which is an example of light being reflected?

Choices:
- taking a picture
- using a magnifying glass
- looking into a mirror
- using eyeglasses


Question: What is the MAJOR role of the Sun in the water cycle?

Choices:
- It causes evaporation.
- It allows plants to grow.
- It provides heat for organisms.
- It transmits light.


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

Choices:
- dissolving table salt in water
- hammering aluminum into thin sheets
- melting gold to make jewelry
- burning wood to produce ashes


Question: A city has a temperature of 75 °F, with partly cloudy skies. Weather forecasters are predicting that the air pressure and temperature will drop during the day. Which type of weather is most likely for this area in the late afternoon?

Choices:
- rainy.
- sunny.
- snowing.
- hailing.


Question: In Maryland, most bears have thick, dark fur. Which statement best explains how dark fur helps bears survive in the forests of Maryland?

Choices:
- Dark fur is lightweight.
- Dark fur scares enemies.
- Dark fur helps bears hide.
- Dark fur keeps bears cool.


Question: Nicole was studying different ecosystems. She compared the number of plants living in a forest to those in a desert. Which factor best explains why more plants may survive in a forest?

Choices:
- There is more rain in the forest.
- There is more oxygen in the forest.
- There is more sunlight in the forest.
- There is more competition in the forest.


Question: A short plant with a thick, fleshy stem, extensive roots, and a short blooming period would most likely be found in which of the following environments?

Choices:
- prairie
- desert
- coniferous forest
- deciduous forest


Question: What happens when oil is placed in water?

Choices:
- Some oil sinks below the surface.
- Oil droplets form in the water.
- The oil and water mix together.
- The oil floats on top of the water.


Question: A decomposer is an organism that

Choices:
- hunts and eats animals
- migrates for the winter
- breaks down dead plants and animals
- uses water and sunlight to make food


Question: Which of the following correctly orders part of a fish's respiratory system from the least complex to most complex?

Choices:
- cells -> gills -> tissues
- cells -> tissues -> gills
- gills -> tissues -> cells
- tissues -> gills -> cells


Question: Most birds sit on their eggs until they hatch. Which of these is the most important reason why birds sit on their eggs?

Choices:
- to keep the eggs inside the nest
- to keep the eggs warm
- to protect the eggs from the wind
- to protect the eggs from the rain


Question: A lab technician places a colony of bacterial cells in a nutrient-rich growth medium. Which event is the technician most likely to observe with a microscope?

Choices:
- cell division
- cellular respiration
- heat production
- food storage


Question: When sound waves with large amplitude are compared to sound waves with small amplitude, which of the following is true?

Choices:
- Sound waves with large amplitudes have less energy and sound quieter.
- Sound waves with large amplitudes have more energy and sound louder.
- Sound waves with large amplitudes have the same energy and sound quieter.
- Sound waves with large amplitudes have the same energy and sound louder.


Question: Vinegar and water are placed in a container and stirred. What is formed when they are mixed?

Choices:
- gas
- solid
- solution
- compound


Question: Which of the following best describes the climate of an area?

Choices:
- the high temperature and wind speed for six months
- the high temperature and wind speed each day for one year
- the temperature and precipitation every hour for one day
- the average temperature and total precipitation each month for ten years


Question: Salt and pepper are placed together in a container. When the container is shaken, the salt and pepper become a

Choices:
- liquid.
- mixture.
- solution.
- suspension.


Question: All natural resources on Earth are either renewable or nonrenewable. Whether a resource is renewable or nonrenewable depends on how fast or slow the resource is replaced. If the resource is used faster than it is replaced, then the resource will, in time, disappear. Which statement describes the use of a renewable natural resource?

Choices:
- A home burns natural gas for heat.
- A city burns coal to generate electricity.
- A farmer plants different types of crops to protect the soil.
- A construction crew builds a road from rock, sand, and gravel.