The oil used today is made from the ancient remains of tiny sea creatures called "Diatoms." When they were alive, the Diatoms converted sunlight into stored energy. Based on this information, which of the following statements is true?

Choices:
A. The Sun turned diatoms into oil after 10-20 years.
B. Diatoms are the original source of energy for oil.
C. The Sun is the original source of energy for oil.
D. Diatoms converted oil into energy.

Answer: C


Skunks spray a strong-smelling liquid to ___.

Choices:
A. get rid of wastes
B. attract prey
C. defend themselves
D. help nearby plants grow

Answer: C


Which is an example of mechanical weathering?

Choices:
A. a rockslide
B. a volcano erupting
C. an earthquake occurring
D. a rock freezing and thawing

Answer: D


Recycling newspapers is good for the environment because it

Choices:
A. increases the need for trees.
B. helps conserve resources.
C. increases the need for landfills.
D. helps remove pollutants from the air.

Answer: B


Rocks and minerals are common materials found on Earth. Which property do most rocks and minerals share?

Choices:
A. They are pure.
B. They are solid.
C. They are liquid.
D. They are magnetic.

Answer: B


Which organs belong to the lymphatic system?

Choices:
A. lungs, trachea
B. spleen, thymus
C. kidneys, bladder
D. pancreas, pituitary gland

Answer: B


The hardness, odor, and taste of an object can all be

Choices:
A. measured with a metric ruler
B. measured with a spring scale
C. observed with the senses
D. observed with a hand lens

Answer: C


A bird called a ptarmigan has feathered feet. The feathers on the feet of the ptarmigan are most helpful when this bird ___.

Choices:
A. digs up food
B. walks in deep snow
C. climbs rocky cliffs
D. runs under bushes

Answer: B


What is responsible for changing the remains of prehistoric sea animals into natural gas?

Choices:
A. time
B. water
C. gravity
D. pressure

Answer: D


Which is a basic structure found in all living organisms?

Choices:
A. cell
B. organ
C. compound
D. element

Answer: A


To calculate the relative age of rocks, geologists use the rate of radioactive decay of isotopes present in their samples. What is the term used for the original amount of the elemental isotopes being investigated?

Choices:
A. rare earth isotopes
B. son isotopes
C. daughter isotopes
D. parent isotopes

Answer: D


Choices:
A. absorbed.
B. refracted.
C. scattered.
D. reflected.

Answer: D


The central nervous system consists of two parts: the brain and the

Choices:
A. senses.
B. organs.
C. muscles.
D. spinal cord.

Answer: D


A small town is building their first water treatment plant. Their primary disinfectant is UV radiation. Which contaminant will UV radiation eliminate?

Choices:
A. bacteria
B. metals
C. sediment
D. oil

Answer: A


Which of the following must be included with magnitude to represent a vector?

Choices:
A. mass
B. direction
C. acceleration
D. volume

Answer: B


What does a fire take away from a forest that squirrels need to survive?

Choices:
A. food and soil
B. food and shelter
C. water and soil
D. water and shelter

Answer: B


Nitrogen, a nutrient found in fertilizer, helps plants increase in size. Rainwater runoff often carries fertilizer into ponds and lakes. What effect does excess nitrogen have on organisms in a pond or lake ecosystem?

Choices:
A. Algae grows rapidly.
B. Mutations occur gradually in fish.
C. Clam shells are slowly weakened.
D. Frogs adapt quickly to new food sources.

Answer: A


Which measurement is the most accurate way to describe the distance between the Sun and its nearest neighboring star?

Choices:
A. 4 light-years
B. 400 light-years
C. 4 billion kilometers
D. 400 billion kilometers

Answer: A


Which four elements make up most of the human body?

Choices:
A. oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen
B. silicon, calcium, oxygen, aluminum
C. carbon, sodium, hydrogen, oxygen
D. sulfur, phosphorous, calcium, nitrogen

Answer: A


An area is semiarid, has few trees, and is home to ground-nesting birds. This area is most likely part of which biome?

Choices:
A. tundra
B. taiga
C. grassland
D. desert

Answer: C


Which organisms make energy available to all other organisms in a food chain?

Choices:
A. producers
B. decomposers
C. consumers
D. scavengers

Answer: A


Which of these substances is correctly identified as a mineral?

Choices:
A. coal
B. quartz
C. granite
D. sandstone

Answer: B


Two objects are at rest and are 1.0 meter apart. To reduce the gravitational pull between the two objects, they should be

Choices:
A. stacked vertically.
B. placed side by side.
C. moved 0.5 meter apart.
D. moved 1.5 meters apart.

Answer: D


Soil color is closely related to its content. Which element causes soil to appear red?

Choices:
A. iron
B. silicon
C. calcium
D. magnesium

Answer: A


Which particles make up the mass of an atom?

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

Answer: A


Auroras occur where Earth's magnetosphere traps high-energy particles in which region of the atmosphere?

Choices:
A. troposphere
B. stratosphere
C. thermosphere
D. exosphere

Answer: C


An experiment was performed at sea-level. 400 mL of water was put in 4 different-shaped containers and placed on hot plates with 4 different temperature settings as shown below. Beaker - 110°C Petri dish - 95°C Erlenmeyer flask - 60°C Round bottom bowl - 45°C Which characteristic of water remained the same in each container?

Choices:
A. the shape of the water
B. the rate of evaporation
C. the boiling point of water
D. the amount of steam released per minute

Answer: C


In plants, what is responsible for passing traits from one generation to the next?

Choices:
A. chloroplasts
B. photosynthesis
C. roots
D. genes

Answer: D


Which safety measure should a student take when handling a microscope?

Choices:
A. clean the lenses with your fingers
B. keep switching the magnifications
C. carry the microscope with two hands at all times
D. make sure to put the microscope on an uneven surface

Answer: C


Which statement best describes the size of the Sun?

Choices:
A. The Sun is medium-sized compared to other stars.
B. The Sun is the largest and brightest star in the universe.
C. Most of the stars in the universe would fit inside the Sun.
D. Most of the stars in the universe are smaller than the Sun.

Answer: A


A wetland was drained to build a mall. Two years later, there were no more toads in that area. Why did the toads disappear?

Choices:
A. The toads were destroyed by the construction equipment.
B. The toads died because toads cannot breathe out of water.
C. The toads were frightened and went into the woods.
D. The toads got their food from the wetland ecosystem.

Answer: D


Technological advances are allowing scientists to develop methods for replacing abnormal human genes with healthy copies of the same genes. Which is the most likely use for this gene therapy?

Choices:
A. killing viruses
B. healing wounds
C. treatment of airborne infections
D. treatment of inherited diseases

Answer: D


Which statement about plant and animal cells is true?

Choices:
A. Both have a cell wall to give them support.
B. Both have a large vacuole to store water.
C. Both use mitochondria to produce energy.
D. Both use chloroplasts to store energy.

Answer: C


Finding fossils of warm-weather plants in the rock layers of a cold northern island suggests that

Choices:
A. the plants used to be harvested for food.
B. the island used to be located farther south.
C. the climate of the island used to be warmer.
D. the fossils used to be more resistant to cold.

Answer: C


The hereditary material in corn plants can be altered by scientists so the plants produce more corn. Which term identifies this process?

Choices:
1. environmental degradation
2. ecological succession
3. natural selection
4. genetic engineering

Answer: 4


What is the main function of red blood cells?

Choices:
A. To fight disease in the body
B. To carry oxygen to all parts of the body
C. To remove carbon monoxide from all parts of the body
D. To produce materials which cause the blood to clot.

Answer: B


Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur both on land and in water. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions most often occur

Choices:
A. near plate boundaries
B. on large pieces of land
C. in large bodies of water
D. in regions near the equator

Answer: A


An earthworm has a length of 12.8 centimeters. What is the length, in millimeters, of the earthworm?

Choices:
A. 0.128 millimeter
B. 1.28 millimeters
C. 128 millimeters
D. 1280 millimeters

Answer: C


Which material has the least resistance to the flow of electricity?

Choices:
A. rubber
B. aluminum
C. granite
D. wood

Answer: B


Which are replenished more quickly than they are used?

Choices:
A. energy resources
B. material resources
C. renewable resources
D. nonrenewable resources

Answer: C


What is the first thing a student should do before starting an experiment?

Choices:
A. read all the directions
B. find a lab partner
C. make notes about observations
D. write a report on the investigation

Answer: A


Which of the following parts of the human body is most complex?

Choices:
A. heart
B. kidney
C. white blood cell
D. central nervous system

Answer: D


The Wright Brothers' invention has had the greatest impact on

Choices:
A. transportation.
B. communication.
C. mass production.
D. space exploration.

Answer: A


Which best describes how earthworms improve soil as they eat dead plant material?

Choices:
A. They make the soil clean.
B. They keep disease out of the soil.
C. They recycle nutrients into the soil.
D. They remove extra water from the soil.

Answer: C


Use the information below to answer the question. Cotton is a plant product used to make fabric. Cotton is made of cellulose, a fiber not digestible by humans. Cellulose is composed of many sugar molecules bonded together into long chains. Each sugar molecule contains carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. When cotton fabric is washed, wrinkles often form. The clothing industry uses chemicals to manufacture some cotton fabrics that are wrinkle-free. Dyes are also added to color the cellulose fibers in cotton. How would a clothing manufacturer separate colors to determine the purity of the dyes?

Choices:
A. through filtration
B. by their boiling points
C. by their freezing points
D. through paper chromatography

Answer: D


What property of water is most important for living organisms?

Choices:
A. It is odorless.
B. It does not conduct electricity.
C. It is tasteless.
D. It is liquid at most temperatures on Earth.

Answer: D


An astronomer and a marine biologist were having lunch and discussing their current experiments. They discovered that although they investigate different areas of science, they most likely use the same

Choices:
A. scientific tools used in experiments.
B. publications for conducting research.
C. scientific method to test hypotheses.
D. locations for conducting their experiments.

Answer: C


Choices:
A. in shallow areas over short periods of time.
B. from the remains of organisms.
C. in underground reservoirs that are relatively cool.
D. by high winds and temperatures.

Answer: B


Which had the greatest impact on the way humans heat their homes?

Choices:
A. Newton's theory of gravity
B. Mendel's experiments with pea plants
C. Franklin's experiments with electricity
D. Darwin's research on the Galapagos islands

Answer: C


Use the information below to answer the question. Many people are concerned that the reduction in the number of acres of forested area on Earth will lead to a large reduction in the amount of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere. If this happens, an organism's ability to breathe would be affected. The effect would be similar to moving the organism from

Choices:
A. sea level to a mountaintop.
B. sea level to a valley below sea level.
C. a mountaintop to sea level.
D. a beach at sea level to a valley at sea level.

Answer: A


Which of these is an example of a chemical reaction?

Choices:
A. storing milk by putting it into the freezer
B. milk turning sour when left in a warm place
C. mixing milk into a glass with chocolate powder
D. allowing milk to evaporate, leaving behind powdered milk

Answer: B


Which of these tools is best for recording observations outdoors?

Choices:
A. a ruler
B. a graph
C. a notebook
D. a calculator

Answer: C


Students are investigating the physical properties of three solid mixtures by placing each solid mixture in liquid water. What physical property are the students testing?

Choices:
A. solubility
B. conductivity
C. boiling point
D. melting point

Answer: A


What remains in the same location in the sky of the Northern Hemisphere each night?

Choices:
A. the Sun
B. the Little Dipper
C. the North Star
D. the Moon

Answer: C


Which feature makes up most of the surface of Earth?

Choices:
A. hot gases
B. dry land
C. craters
D. water

Answer: D


Which of these situations would most likely be a result of climate change?

Choices:
A. weaker storms, causing less shoreline erosion
B. shorter days, causing longer hibernation periods
C. shrinking glaciers, causing sea levels to rise
D. increased radioactivity, causing damage to cells

Answer: C


A student performs an investigation using anti-bacterial hand soap. The student washes only his left hand with anti-bacterial soap, but cultures swabs from both hands. The cultures from both hands were incubated at room temperature for 48 hours before being examined. Which best explains the purpose of using soap on only the left hand?

Choices:
A. to act as a controlled variable for the investigation
B. to act as the dependent variable for the investigation
C. to provide another testable variable for the investigation
D. to serve as the independent variable for the investigation

Answer: D


Raquel fed a litter of five kittens an all-meat diet for two weeks and found that they gained an average of 15 ounces. She concluded that eating meat is the best way to help kittens grow. What should Raquel have done to make this a better experiment?

Choices:
A. tested five kittens on a non-meat diet also
B. weighed the kittens in grams
C. used only one kitten
D. tested dogs as well as cats

Answer: A


In the 1600s a scientist named Anton van Leeuwenhoek worked toward improving microscopes and created his own lenses. With his microscopes, Leeuwenhoek discovered bacteria and muscle fibers. Which type of job benefited most from these discoveries?

Choices:
A. glass making
B. astronomy
C. medicine
D. teaching

Answer: C


One advantage of a hand lens over a microscope is that the hand lens

Choices:
A. is easier to carry on field investigations.
B. is less likely to be infected by bacteria.
C. makes very tiny objects appear larger.
D. produces a more accurate image.

Answer: A


Raising livestock, such as sheep and cattle, results in the production of large amounts of methane gas (CH4). Methane has the same effect in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO2). As more livestock are raised to provide food for humans, what is the most likely effect of the increase in methane?

Choices:
A. acid rain
B. ozone thinning
C. water pollution
D. global warming

Answer: D


Which is most directly responsible for building up a river delta?

Choices:
A. erosion
B. leaching
C. subsidence
D. deposition

Answer: D


What explains how day and night occur in different parts of Earth?

Choices:
A. Earth rotates on its axis.
B. Earth revolves around the Sun.
C. The Sun rotates on its axis.
D. The Sun revolves around the galaxy.

Answer: A


The human body is made up of different levels of organization. A tissue is a group of cells that work together to perform a specific function. Which would be an example of a tissue in the human body?

Choices:
A. stomach
B. platelets
C. muscle
D. hair

Answer: C


In the rock cycle, sedimentary rock forms when rock is

Choices:
A. crystallized into natural glass.
B. exposed to great temperature.
C. melted into liquid magma.
D. broken down by weathering.

Answer: D


Heating and cooling water change the state of matter of water. What happens when a block of ice is heated to 10° Celsius?

Choices:
A. It melts to form liquid water.
B. It condenses to form liquid water.
C. It freezes to become heavier ice.
D. It evaporates to become a vapor (gas).

Answer: A


Which situation is the best example of an inherited trait?

Choices:
A. a boy playing with a ball
B. a bird building a nest
C. a horse pulling a wagon
D. a dog sitting on command

Answer: B


Physical features help animals survive. Which statement best describes physical adaptations that occur through natural selection in changing environments?

Choices:
A. They result in population decline.
B. They are all observable in the fossil record.
C. They occur slowly over long periods of time.
D. They are more likely to be observed in plants.

Answer: C


The amount of which greenhouse gas in the air will increase the most if large forests are cut down to be used for building materials without planting new trees in their place?

Choices:
1. ozone
2. methane
3. water vapor
4. carbon dioxide

Answer: 4


A carpenter rubs sandpaper on a wooden bench to make the bench smoother. The sandpaper will get warm as it is rubbed on the bench. As a result of the friction between the sandpaper and the bench, thermal energy is converted to

Choices:
A. chemical energy that is stored by the sandpaper.
B. radiant energy that is transferred to the bench.
C. potential energy that is stored by the wood.
D. heat energy that is transferred to the air.

Answer: D


What is the green pigment that allows plants to change the Sun's energy into chemical energy?

Choices:
A. glucose
B. chlorophyll
C. mitochondria
D. photosynthesis

Answer: B


Which scientist hypothesized that the environment can affect the characteristics of a species?

Choices:
A. Darwin
B. Einstein
C. Mendel
D. Newton

Answer: A


Which statement describes the reason why an ice cube melts when set out in a warm room?

Choices:
A. Heat from the room is absorbed by the ice cube.
B. The ice cube molecules move more slowly.
C. One side of the ice cube is colder than the other.
D. Heat from the ice cube moves into the air.

Answer: A


Two characteristics of the Nevada climate are low humidity and abundant sunshine. This combination of characteristics most likely results in

Choices:
A. low altitude fog.
B. rapid evaporation.
C. high elevation snowfall.
D. frequent thunderstorms.

Answer: B


Choices:
A. heat, water, and soil
B. sunlight, soil, and heat
C. sunlight, air, and food
D. food, water, and air

Answer: D


Which best explains why population growth can result in water shortages and rationing in certain areas?

Choices:
A. Aquifers recharge slowly.
B. Lake water is reserved for recreation.
C. Increasing biomass decreases evaporation rates.
D. Tall buildings impede the development of rain clouds.

Answer: A


Professor Walden studies genetics at a local university. She believes that she has discovered information that contradicts a widely accepted theory. As a scientist and leader in the study of genetics, which action should she take?

Choices:
A. Announce to the world that her theory is better than the old theory.
B. Call the news media and tell them about her new theory.
C. Challenge the old theory with scientific evidence.
D. Request that the old theory be banned.

Answer: C


Canadian physician Sir William Osler once said, "In Science the credit goes to the man who convinces the world, not to the man to whom the idea first occurred." How does this quote apply to scientific knowledge?

Choices:
A. Famous scientists have the best ideas.
B. Ideas must be communicated to the public
C. In order to be important, ideas must be believable.
D. The results are less important than the ideas in an experiment.

Answer: B


Which event or principle cannot have its validity directly tested by laboratory experiment?

Choices:
A. the Big Bang Theory
B. the Conservation of Energy
C. the Periodicity of Element Properties
D. the Acceleration of Objects due to Gravity

Answer: A


How do the circulatory system and the respiratory system depend on one another?

Choices:
A. Oxygen collected by the respiratory system is carried throughout the body by the circulatory system.
B. Solid wastes collected by the circulatory system are carried throughout the body by the respiratory system.
C. Nutrients collected by the respiratory system are carried throughout the body by the circulatory system.
D. Carbon dioxide collected by the circulatory system is carried throughout the body by the respiratory system.

Answer: A


Oxygen and iron combine chemically to form rust. Rust is classified as which of the following?

Choices:
A. an atom
B. a compound
C. an element
D. a mixture

Answer: B


A student made observations of four rock samples. Which of these observations most likely describes a sedimentary rock?

Choices:
A. Sample 1 has bands of light and dark crystals.
B. Sample 2 has pink, gray, and white crystals grown together.
C. Sample 3 is made up of one huge, pale pink crystal.
D. Sample 4 is made up of layers of sand grains cemented together.

Answer: D


In 1931, Barbara McClintock discovered that genes could change position on a chromosome. In corn plants, if a certain gene was moved next to the gene that controls kernel color, the kernels in an ear of corn were various colors. Which statement best supports McClintock's discovery?

Choices:
A. Genes control inherited traits in organisms.
B. Corn plants can reproduce in laboratory environments.
C. Chromosomes can move around in the nucleus of a cell.
D. Genes are able to disappear and reappear in later generations.

Answer: A


Herbivores obtain most of their energy by

Choices:
1. consuming animals
2. consuming plants
3. producing sugar
4. absorbing sunlight

Answer: 2


Which factor has the greatest effect on a community's stores of freshwater?

Choices:
A. the location of the nearest ocean
B. the average annual rainfall
C. the location of the nearest mountain
D. the average winter temperature

Answer: B


A researcher's plan is to place five fish in separate tanks, give them the same amount of food each day, and keep the temperature the same. One fish will be exposed to artificial light for 24 hours each day, while the others will have light for 22 hours and then no light for 2 hours each day. Which is the control for this experiment?

Choices:
A. the separate tanks
B. the amount of food
C. the fish deprived of light
D. the fish exposed to light for 24 hours

Answer: D


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

Choices:
A. The motion of the molecules stops.
B. The motion of the molecules increases.
C. The motion of the molecules decreases.
D. The motion of the molecules is at a constant rate.

Answer: B


A shift in climate changes a forested area with little annual snowfall to an area with snowfall most of the year. Natural selection would most likely favor a rabbit with which adaptation?

Choices:
A. dark coat color
B. increased body fat
C. large ears to release body heat
D. more powerful legs for burrowing

Answer: B


When humans move into an area, they sometimes plant grasses, flowers, or trees that are not native to the area. The non-native species sometimes choke out the native species. Which organism would most likely be harmed by a loss of native plants in the area?

Choices:
A. the fungi that break down dead plants
B. the beetles that eat a variety of grass roots
C. the mosquitoes that hide under plant leaves
D. the caterpillars that eat only one type of plant

Answer: D


Choices:
A. driving large cars
B. building more factories
C. burning wood in the fireplace
D. using solar energy to produce electricity

Answer: D


Which tool should be used to measure the stem length of a plant?

Choices:
A. a balance
B. a metric ruler
C. a graduated cylinder
D. a thermometer

Answer: B


In which of these organs does most absorption of nutrients take place?

Choices:
A. liver
B. stomach
C. small intestine
D. large intestine

Answer: C


Proper use and care of a microscope includes

Choices:
A. carrying it with both hands.
B. reflecting sunlight to the stage.
C. removing the objectives after you are done.
D. adjusting the coarse focus under high power.

Answer: A


Choices:
1. cells
2. atoms
3. molecules
4. compounds

Answer: 2


Which physical change would most likely help an animal survive during the winter?

Choices:
A. tail gets longer
B. fur gets thicker
C. feathers are shed
D. whiskers get shorter

Answer: B


Which of these steps in the rock cycle occurs ONLY in the formation of metamorphic rock?

Choices:
A. erosion
B. compaction
C. cementation
D. recrystallization

Answer: D


A tulip growing in a pot is placed at the center of a table. Which of these nearby objects will the tulip grow toward?

Choices:
A. a sunny window
B. an electric heater
C. a large bowl of water
D. a fan blowing gently

Answer: A


Common soaps are often basic. Which of these is a property of a chemical base?

Choices:
A. sour taste
B. pH equal to 6
C. turns litmus paper blue
D. forms bubbles with limestone

Answer: C


As temperatures increase, which process is responsible for increasing the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere?

Choices:
A. ionization
B. evaporation
C. respiration
D. condensation

Answer: B


Why do some animals hibernate in the winter?

Choices:
A. to find food for their young
B. to adapt to environmental changes
C. to attract a mate
D. to avoid predators

Answer: B


Which wind-water interaction is responsible for cycling nutrient-rich waters from the ocean floor to the sea surface?

Choices:
A. upwelling
B. storm surge
C. downwelling
D. surface currents

Answer: A


If a cell is exposed to a chemical that inhibits the production of spindle fibers as the cell is preparing for mitosis, what would most likely happen?

Choices:
A. The cell would continue with mitotic division.
B. The cell would undergo meiotic division.
C. The cell would break open.
D. The cell would not divide.

Answer: D


Norma's flashlight was not working. She replaced the old batteries with new ones, and the flashlight turned on. Why did the flashlight work after she replaced the batteries?

Choices:
A. because the batteries conduct the electricity
B. because the batteries supply the energy
C. because the batteries produce light
D. because the batteries produce heat

Answer: B


The sun provides heat and light to Earth. The sun is best described as

Choices:
A. a planet close to Earth
B. the closest star to Earth
C. a planet that reflects light
D. the center of the universe

Answer: B


A large piece of ice is placed on the sidewalk on a warm day. What will happen to the ice?

Choices:
A. It will melt to form liquid water.
B. It will melt to form water vapor.
C. It will freeze to form liquid water.
D. It will not change at all.

Answer: A


Ducks live near ponds and lakes. The shape of a duck's foot helps it swim and walk on muddy ground. Which factor is most important in determining the shape of a baby duck's foot?

Choices:
A. the shape of the parent ducks' feet
B. the temperature of the pond water
C. the amount of mud in the bottom of the pond
D. the amount of rain that fell before the duck was born

Answer: A


The Moon revolves around the Earth because of a non-contact force. What force of Earth keeps the Moon in orbit?

Choices:
A. electrical force
B. magnetic force
C. centripetal force
D. gravitational force

Answer: D


Which motion causes the pattern of day and night on Earth?

Choices:
A. Earth rotates on its axis
B. Earth orbits around the sun
C. the moon rotates on its axis
D. the moon orbits around Earth

Answer: A


What causes ocean water to evaporate in the water cycle?

Choices:
A. energy from the Sun
B. energy from ocean waves
C. energy from Earth's rotation
D. energy from Earth's moon

Answer: A


Some cells, such as human nerve and muscle cells, contain many more mitochondria than do other cells, such as skin cells. Why do some cells have more mitochondria than others?

Choices:
A. The cells use more energy.
B. The cells store more nutrients.
C. The cells degrade more proteins.
D. The cells divide more frequently.

Answer: A


A student finds that an unidentified mineral sample can scratch gypsum but is unable to scratch quartz. The student has made an observation about which property of the sample?

Choices:
A. luster
B. hardness
C. density
D. reactivity

Answer: B


Which process is the best example of weathering?

Choices:
A. A cloud releases freezing rain.
B. A tree root breaks apart a rock.
C. Dry weather results in a small harvest.
D. Sediments flow into a bay.

Answer: B


What is the major source of energy for food chains?

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

Answer: C


Elias investigates whether soaking beans in water before planting affects how the beans grow. Which beans would most likely be the control group?

Choices:
A. the beans that were soaked the least amount of time
B. the beans that were not soaked in water
C. the beans that had the greatest mass
D. the beans that grew the tallest

Answer: B


What type of galaxy most likely can be described as a large, flat disk surrounded by arms of stars and dust?

Choices:
A. elliptical
B. irregular
C. ring
D. spiral

Answer: D


Which is true of a car that is accelerating along a horizontal roadway?

Choices:
A. Its kinetic energy is increasing
B. Its kinetic energy is decreasing.
C. Its potential energy is increasing.
D. Its potential energy is decreasing.

Answer: A


A hypothesis that is successfully tested many times may become a

Choices:
A. conclusion.
B. theory.
C. constant.
D. law.

Answer: B


Which of the following do plants need to make their own food?

Choices:
A. Flowers
B. Bacteria
C. Sunlight
D. Oxygen

Answer: C


What is the result of the rapid shifting in Earth's surface?

Choices:
A. a tornado
B. an earthquake
C. a volcano
D. an avalanche

Answer: B


Ned learned that light is a source of energy. Which can only result from light energy?

Choices:
A. an ice cube melting
B. a rainbow forming
C. water evaporating
D. thunder booming

Answer: B


At which location are oceans the deepest?

Choices:
A. Mid-ocean ridge
B. Abyssal plain
C. Ocean trench
D. Volcanic island

Answer: C


Kendra's mom is purchasing a car, but cannot decide what color to get. Kendra advises her mom that a car with a black exterior will be uncomfortable in the summer. This observation is correct because dark objects, as compared to lighter colored objects,

Choices:
A. reduce heat transfer.
B. are generally more dense.
C. absorb more of the Sun's energy.
D. reflect sunlight more efficiently.

Answer: C


Heart cells have fibers that slide up and down and cause contractions. Which types of specialized cells can contract?

Choices:
A. bone cells
B. nerve cells
C. muscle cells
D. white blood cells

Answer: C


Choices:
A. how hurricanes formed long ago
B. how the solar system was formed
C. the cause of strong earthquakes
D. how Earth's environments have changed

Answer: D


If a string on a musical instrument like a guitar is made tighter, the sound produced by that string will always be

Choices:
A. lower pitched.
B. higher pitched.
C. louder.
D. quieter.

Answer: B


Iron oxide, also known as rust, is formed when iron chemically combines with oxygen. Which term best describes iron oxide?

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

Answer: D


Which is a trait that a child can inherit from its parents?

Choices:
A. eye color
B. a broken leg
C. length of hair
D. language skills

Answer: A


Some dairy farmers want their cows to produce greater amounts of milk than average cows. Which process will help the dairy farmers develop cows with this trait?

Choices:
A. selective breeding
B. behavioral modification
C. ecological succession
D. geographical isolation

Answer: A


Which tool will best help scientists understand relationships between oceans and climate changes?

Choices:
A. a computer model
B. a weather balloon
C. a rain gauge
D. radar

Answer: A


A student mixes a spoonful of sand into a beaker of water. Which two methods can be used to separate the sand from the water?

Choices:
A. filtration and evaporation
B. settling and chromatography
C. chromatography and filtration
D. settling and magnetic attraction

Answer: A


A warm-blooded organism that nurses its young would be called

Choices:
A. a bird.
B. an insect.
C. a mammal.
D. a reptile.

Answer: C


Elements on the Periodic Table of the Elements are classified into categories such as

Choices:
1. rocks and minerals
2. molecules and atoms
3. mixtures and compounds
4. metals and nonmetals

Answer: 4


In a genetics investigation, students used two red straws to represent male parent DNA. They used two green straws to represent female parent DNA. The offspring in this activity are best represented by

Choices:
A. either one red straw or one green straw.
B. two green straws.
C. two red straws.
D. one red straw and one green straw.

Answer: D


The process of cellular respiration occurs in

Choices:
A. both plant and animal cells.
B. plant cells only.
C. animal cells only.
D. neither plant nor animal cells.

Answer: A


Ana rolled her wagon down the ramp to reach the playground. There, she and her sister played on the seesaw. Which set of simple machines has Ana used?

Choices:
A. Lever, pulley, and wedge
B. Pulley, inclined plane, and screw
C. Wedge, wheel and axle, and screw
D. Wheel and axle, inclined plane, and lever

Answer: D


Which of these features, formed east of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, is due to moist air rising along the western slope of the mountain range?

Choices:
A. desert
B. grassland
C. rain forest
D. temperate forest

Answer: A


Human activity most likely contributes to which of the following changes on Earth?

Choices:
A. an increase in the length of a day
B. a decrease in the number of volcanic eruptions
C. a decrease in the magnitude of large earthquakes
D. an increase in the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide

Answer: D


A student is reading the nutritional information on a box of cereal. It says that a single serving contains 215 calories. Which type of energy is being measured by this unit?

Choices:
A. kinetic
B. chemical
C. electrical
D. mechanical

Answer: B


Crustal plates that pull apart from one another most likely form

Choices:
A. volcanic island arcs.
B. strike-slip faults.
C. oceanic trenches.
D. rift zones.

Answer: D


A change in the position of an object as time changes best describes

Choices:
A. direction.
B. waves.
C. motion.
D. frequency.

Answer: C


What two organ systems are involved in the transfer of oxygen to the cells from outside the body?

Choices:
A. skeletal and digestive
B. skeletal and respiratory
C. circulatory and digestive
D. circulatory and respiratory

Answer: D


Sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) are two reactive and dangerous elements. Chlorine is a halogen gas that can cause respiratory damage and sodium is an alkali metal that reacts violently with water. What happens to the properties of sodium and chlorine when they react to form sodium chloride (NaCl), common table salt?

Choices:
A. The properties of both sodium and chlorine change.
B. The properties of both sodium and chlorine remain the same.
C. The properties of sodium are different but chlorine remains a dangerous gas.
D. The properties of sodium remain the same but the properties of chlorine change.

Answer: A


Which list includes only examples of matter that can take the shape of a container?

Choices:
A. oil, air, and rock
B. water, air, and milk
C. sand, ice, and wood
D. nail, stick, and paper

Answer: B


Choices:
A. coal
B. sunlight
C. water
D. wood

Answer: A


Which of the following is most necessary for life to develop on another planet?

Choices:
A. liquid water
B. rocky surfaces
C. warm soil
D. atmospheric oxygen

Answer: A


Plants that are different from each another may have similar structures. Which structure do all plants have in common?

Choices:
A. flowers
B. fruit
C. roots
D. trunks

Answer: C


Choices:
A. frog
B. mushroom
C. grass
D. lizard

Answer: C


Some machines have been designed to perform complicated tasks which result from a demand for

Choices:
A. minimizing illness from disease.
B. minimizing the need for manual labor.
C. maximizing the price of consumer goods.
D. maximizing the use of non-renewable resources.

Answer: B


Scientists are developing new satellite technology to help predict the weather. How will developing this technology most likely benefit people?

Choices:
A. It will show people that storms can be prevented.
B. It will show people that science is interesting.
C. It will help warn people about dangerous storms.
D. It will help people drive in the rain.

Answer: C


Which statement about gravity is written as a law?

Choices:
A. The reason gravity works is because masses bend time and space.
B. The effect of gravity on plants might be reduced if certain minerals are added to the soil.
C. The force of gravity between two objects depends upon their masses and the distance between them.
D. The experiments being done on gravity today are better than what were done in the past and a full understanding is only a few years away.

Answer: C


What does the brain monitor to control the rate of breathing during normal activities?

Choices:
A. the level of carbon dioxide in the blood
B. the level of carbon dioxide in the cells
C. the level of carbon dioxide in the lungs
D. the level of carbon dioxide in the air

Answer: A


A researcher is measuring changes in the density of the upper atmosphere over time. Which units should be used for the density measurements?

Choices:
A. kg/s
B. m^3/s
C. L/m^3
D. kg/m^3

Answer: D


Which function requires the muscular, skeletal, and nervous systems to work together?

Choices:
A. movement of appendages
B. completion of blood circulation
C. absorption of nutrients
D. regulation of hormones

Answer: A


Michael Faraday showed how electric current in a wire produces

Choices:
A. molecules
B. chemicals
C. a vibration
D. a magnetic field

Answer: D


Mrs. Moyers teaches her students about different energy sources. Which example comes from a renewable source of energy?

Choices:
A. water heated by solar panels
B. food cooked over natural gas
C. electricity produced from coal
D. an engine powered by gasoline

Answer: A


What is at the center of our solar system?

Choices:
A. a medium planet with an atmosphere.
B. a star composed of carbon and nitrogen.
C. a black hole that was once a star.
D. a star composed of hydrogen and helium.

Answer: D


Which device directly converts chemical energy into electrical energy?

Choices:
1. solar-powered calculator
2. wood-burning stove
3. battery-powered flashlight
4. wind-powered sailboat

Answer: 3


Some students have gathered a collection of rock samples from the school yard to study. They scraped the rocks against a piece of quartz from the school lab. Which property of minerals are the students investigating?

Choices:
A. texture
B. hardness
C. color
D. streak

Answer: B


Choices:
A. producers
B. omnivores
C. herbivores
D. scavengers

Answer: C


Which of the following is a characteristic of the "steady state theory" of the universe?

Choices:
A. The universe is constantly growing and changing.
B. A great explosion caused the origin of the universe.
C. The nature of the universe has always been the same.
D. Light moving from the center of the universe appears red.

Answer: C


A sunspot appears as a dark spot on the sun that is cooler than the surrounding area. On which region of the sun do sunspots occur?

Choices:
A. chromosphere
B. core
C. corona
D. photosphere

Answer: D


The Great Miami Aquifer is a large underground water supply that lies under much of southwest Ohio. The water level of the aquifer could be reduced over time by too much

Choices:
A. rainfall.
B. pollution.
C. irrigation.
D. evaporation.

Answer: C


What kind of energy conversion occurs after a candle is lit?

Choices:
A. friction to electrical energy
B. light energy to heat energy
C. mass to kinetic energy
D. chemical energy to light energy

Answer: D


What is one way the body reacts to cold weather?

Choices:
A. sneezing
B. swallowing
C. shivering
D. sweating

Answer: C


Running to escape danger is an action that requires the nervous system to coordinate the interaction of which two body systems?

Choices:
1. digestive and endocrine
2. muscular and skeletal
3. reproductive and excretory
4. circulatory and digestive

Answer: 2


Choices:
A. Earth's rotation on its axis
B. the Sun's revolution around Earth
C. Earth's revolution around the Sun
D. the Sun's rotation on its axis

Answer: A


Which is the best explanation of why the Moon revolves around Earth?

Choices:
A. The Moon has a thinner atmosphere than Earth.
B. The Moon is too large to move away from Earth.
C. The Moon is attracted by the gravity of Earth.
D. The Moon has a smaller gravitational force than Earth.

Answer: C


Which observation provides evidence of the existence of planets orbiting other stars?

Choices:
A. periodic dimming of the stars
B. periodic X-ray bursts from the stars
C. rapid location changes of the stars
D. regular spectrum changes from the stars

Answer: A


Mutations that occur in sex cells can be passed from parent to offspring during

Choices:
A. cloning.
B. budding.
C. binary fission.
D. sexual reproduction.

Answer: D


Which type of ecosystem has the greatest variation in temperature from its top to its bottom?

Choices:
A. lake
B. pond
C. ocean
D. estuary

Answer: C


What two factors determine the location of an electron around the nucleus of the atom?

Choices:
A. speed and direction of the electron
B. size of the electron and the neutron
C. direction and strength of the electron
D. energy and the attraction of the nucleus

Answer: D


The removal of waste from Florida's East Bay and Pensacola Bay is intended to speed the bay ecosystem's natural tendency to do which of the following?

Choices:
A. adapt to a changed landscape
B. undergo ecosystem progression
C. return to its pre-pollution conditions
D. produce organisms that can survive changed conditions

Answer: C


Matter is defined as anything that takes up space and has

Choices:
A. mass
B. texture
C. odor
D. color

Answer: A


Which is the order of the planets from closest to the Sun to farthest from the Sun?

Choices:
A. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
B. Mars, Mercury, Earth, Venus
C. Earth, Venus, Mercury, Mars
D. Venus, Earth, Mars, Mercury

Answer: A


In living things, large and complex molecules are broken down into small and simple molecules. What is this process called?

Choices:
A. excretion
B. absorption
C. digestion
D. circulation

Answer: C


Meadow voles are small mouse-like animals that eat plants and insects. Their niche in an ecosystem is a

Choices:
A. omnivore.
B. herbivore.
C. producer.
D. scavenger.

Answer: A


A dietary supplement manufacturer developed a new calcium supplement that appears to increase the bone density in middle-aged women. When tested in a small clinical trial, the supplement was shown to cause a 15% increase in bone density in 8 out of 10 women. Before the supplement is offered to the general public, which step should the manufacturer take next?

Choices:
A. add a variety of vitamins to the supplement
B. test the supplement on mice in the laboratory
C. develop packaging that is attractive to women
D. test the supplement on a larger sample of women

Answer: D


The European starling entered North America in the late 1800s. It proved very successful and was able to spread throughout the United States by 1955. The survival and rapid reproduction of starlings most likely limited the population size of which organisms within its habitats?

Choices:
A. its decomposers
B. its competitors
C. its mutualists
D. its predators

Answer: B


Choices:
A. mass
B. volume
C. speed
D. force

Answer: A


Which of the following statements best describes the process of natural selection in a population?

Choices:
A. All individuals develop traits to match changes to their environment.
B. All individuals learn to adapt to specific changes that occur slowly in their environment.
C. Some individuals respond to their environment by mutating to make themselves more likely to survive.
D. Some individuals have genetic differences that make them more likely to survive and reproduce in their environment.

Answer: D


A researcher is working on a family genetics project. She wants to trace a particular trait back through several generations of her ancestors. Which type of display will best help the researcher organize the information?

Choices:
A. flow chart
B. cycle diagram
C. pedigree chart
D. Punnett square

Answer: C


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

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

Answer: D


Between 40 and 50 million years ago, the landmass on the Indian plate collided with the landmass on the Eurasian plate. What formed when these landmasses collided?

Choices:
A. the Grand Canyon
B. the Great Plains
C. the Himalayan Mountains
D. the Mariana Trench

Answer: C


Hawaii is composed mainly of volcanoes with gentle slopes and large surface areas. Which characteristics best describe the lava these volcanoes have released?

Choices:
A. relatively fluid and low viscosity
B. highly viscous and relatively cool
C. mix of hot gas and rock shards
D. mainly water vapor and large boulders

Answer: A


Mrs. Henderson's class has five small covered boxes. One contains perfume; another contains dried onions. There is also a box of pine needles, a box of lemon pieces, and a box with a paper towel wetted with vanilla flavoring. Which should they do to get the best information about what is in each box?

Choices:
A. Shake the boxes.
B. Smell the boxes.
C. Listen to the boxes.
D. Weigh the boxes.

Answer: B


Which of these best describes the relationship between Earth's layers?

Choices:
A. The hottest layers are closest to the core.
B. The more liquid layers are closest to the crust.
C. The lightest layers are closest to the core.
D. The more metallic layers are closest to the crust.

Answer: A


A neutral atom is best described as having

Choices:
A. more protons than neutrons.
B. more electrons than protons.
C. an equal number of protons and neutrons.
D. an equal number of protons and electrons.

Answer: D


Which statement best describes a learned characteristic in a dog?

Choices:
A. A dog scratches at a door to go outside.
B. A dog has floppy ears.
C. A dog pants to cool itself on a hot day.
D. A dog has a dark coat.

Answer: A


In the Northern Hemisphere, June 21st has more hours of sunlight than any other day. However, June 21st has the fewest hours of sunlight in the Southern Hemisphere. Which best explains why the Northern Hemisphere receives more daylight than the Southern Hemisphere on the same day?

Choices:
A. Earth rotates on its axis
B. Earth is tilted on its axis
C. The Sun moves closer to the Northern Hemisphere
D. The Sun releases more energy to the Northern Hemisphere

Answer: B


Which of these shows the correct order needed for a solar eclipse to happen?

Choices:
A. Sun, Earth, Moon
B. Sun, Moon, Earth
C. Moon, Sun, Earth
D. Moon, Earth, Sun

Answer: B


A greenhouse is an example of a closed system. Which two types of energy are exchanged in this system?

Choices:
A. radiant energy for nuclear energy
B. radiant energy for thermal energy
C. thermal energy for nuclear energy
D. nuclear energy for chemical energy

Answer: B


Which of the following has changed over the last 200 years primarily due to human activity?

Choices:
A. Earth's magnetic field
B. the frequency of earthquakes
C. Earth's tectonic plate activity
D. the composition of the atmosphere

Answer: D


What physical property is characteristic of all of the elements in the group located in the rightmost column of the periodic table?

Choices:
A. very high melting point
B. gas state at room temperature
C. good conductor of electric current
D. extremely brittle solid at room temperature

Answer: B


Which difference between land and water contributes most directly to global climate change resulting from tectonic movement?

Choices:
A. mean material densities
B. magnetic material content
C. heat absorption and retention properties
D. rate of radioactivity-related heat release

Answer: C


How does the Sun most affect the water cycle?

Choices:
A. The Sun causes the ocean water to evaporate.
B. The Sun creates water droplets in the clouds.
C. The Sun forces water to drain back into the ocean.
D. The Sun makes the clouds produce precipitation.

Answer: A


Many sports stadiums use grass, but some use fake grass called artificial turf. Artificial turf is made of fibers that look like real grass. In which way is this technology most likely beneficial?

Choices:
A. It uses less water.
B. It produces more heat.
C. It releases less moisture.
D. It absorbs more carbon dioxide.

Answer: A


The western coast of the United States has been increasing in size for millions of years. Which process has added material to the western coast of the United States?

Choices:
A. deposition at transform boundaries
B. accretion at convergent boundaries
C. landslides at divergent boundaries
D. meteorite impact at convergent boundaries

Answer: B


Which of the following structures enables fish to remain at a certain depth without expending energy through swimming?

Choices:
A. swim bladder
B. lateral line
C. dorsal fin
D. gill slits

Answer: A


Before strip mining for coal, the topsoil in the area is removed and stored. After mining operations are completed, the land is leveled and topsoil is replaced. The purpose of replacing topsoil is

Choices:
A. to prevent wind from weathering and eroding surface coal.
B. to prevent radioactive elements from polluting water sources.
C. to provide an environment for new coal formation.
D. to restore the area to a natural condition.

Answer: D


Which event is the best example of competition between species in a pond environment?

Choices:
1. dragonflies landing on lily pads
2. frogs and toads eating flies
3. lizards and snakes lying in the sun
4. hawks eating mice

Answer: 2


What is the most likely effect of a drought on a population of frogs that live in a shallow swamp?

Choices:
A. only younger frogs will survive
B. the number of predators will increase
C. decrease in frog population as water evaporates
D. increase in frog population as more land is exposed

Answer: C


The following waste materials are buried in a landfill. Which will break down most quickly?

Choices:
A. steel
B. plastic
C. glass
D. paper

Answer: D


What is the source of genetic information of offspring produced by sexual reproduction?

Choices:
A. the father only
B. the mother only
C. the mother and the father
D. neither the mother nor the father

Answer: C


Why do multicellular organisms need transport systems?

Choices:
A. Most have cells that are not able to exchange gases with the outside environment.
B. Most have cells that are unable to grow and survive in their environment.
C. Most have cells that need food from sources outside their environment.
D. Most have cells that require more energy to survive than single-celled organisms.

Answer: A


Scientists frequently monitor levels of microorganisms at beaches in the summer time. High temperatures, pollution, runoff, and illegal dumping all affect water quality. What do these scientific efforts illustrate?

Choices:
A. Pollution can be eliminated through water testing.
B. High temperatures increase runoff from agricultural fields.
C. Water testing identifies origination of illegal dumping.
D. Monitoring water quality is important to public health.

Answer: D


Machines are often full of moving parts that rub against each other. In machines, a lubricant such as oil is often applied to these moving parts. Why is this oil necessary?

Choices:
A. to enhance the effectiveness of friction
B. to increase the efficiency of the machine
C. to provide an additional source of energy
D. to produce more thermal energy on the machine

Answer: B


The manufacturing process used to permanently put parts together is called

Choices:
A. cutting.
B. shaping.
C. finishing.
D. assembling.

Answer: D


Solids, liquids, and gases are all different states of which of the following?

Choices:
A. mass
B. matter
C. weight
D. volume

Answer: B


Animals respond to environmental stimuli obtained through their sensory organs. How does the body convert information from the environment to an internal response?

Choices:
A. increased cellular temperature
B. selective membrane transport
C. chemical signaling
D. osmotic pressure

Answer: C


Which is a primary energy source used by power plants to generate electricity?

Choices:
A. coal
B. wood
C. gasoline
D. batteries

Answer: A


Perry studies the ways in which animals are adapted for survival. Which is a behavioral adaptation that helps the organism to survive?

Choices:
A. the long neck on a giraffe
B. the webbed feet on a duck
C. a bear hibernating in winter
D. a flower attracting a honeybee

Answer: C


A helium-filled balloon is released into the atmosphere. As the balloon rises, which would most likely increase and cause the balloon to burst?

Choices:
A. the mass of the helium
B. the density of the helium
C. the volume of the helium
D. the temperature of the helium

Answer: C


Which of the following is composed of many cells?

Choices:
A. virus
B. bacterium
C. paramecium
D. plant

Answer: D


As a result of human activity, many lakes in Florida have increased levels of nutrients that support algal growth. These algae grow very rapidly, then die and decompose. What impact does this overgrowth of algae most likely have on the lake ecosystem?

Choices:
A. The number of fish species increases.
B. The volume of lake water increases.
C. The buildup of bottom sediments decreases.
D. The amount of dissolved oxygen decreases.

Answer: D


The color of which animal allows it to blend into its environment?

Choices:
A. penguin
B. squirrel
C. cardinal
D. polar bear

Answer: D


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. a decrease in the amount of available oxygen
B. an increase in the amount of sunlight
C. a decrease in the pH of the soil
D. an increase in the nutrients

Answer: C


Choices:
A. an organism
B. a decomposer
C. a star
D. a planet

Answer: C


Which material is attracted to a magnet?

Choices:
A. iron
B. wood
C. plastic
D. ice

Answer: A


What are the building blocks of all matter?

Choices:
A. atoms
B. forces
C. cells
D. vacuoles

Answer: A


Mrs. Henry's class studied the arrangement of planets in the solar system. Which planets are closest to each other?

Choices:
A. Mars and Earth
B. Saturn and Jupiter
C. Mercury and Venus
D. Uranus and Neptune

Answer: C


The primary role of the endocrine system is to

Choices:
1. produce hormones that regulate body functions
2. form chemicals that destroy microbes
3. break down food to release nutrients
4. supply red blood cells to carry oxygen

Answer: 1


Choices:
A. There is no life in any of its parts.
B. It stops breathing.
C. Its temperature is higher than when it is active.
D. It is absorbing energy for use when it is active.
E. It is using less energy than when it is active.

Answer: E


The invention of the microscope was important to the advancement of science. Many other discoveries were only possible with the help of the microscope. The microscope was used to make which discovery?

Choices:
A. Matter is made of elements.
B. Plants can make their own food.
C. Some organisms have only one cell.
D. White light can be broken into colors.

Answer: C


A galaxy is best described as a cluster of

Choices:
A. hundreds of stars.
B. thousands of stars.
C. millions of stars.
D. billions of stars.

Answer: D


A student in science class finds an unlabeled bottle containing a liquid. For safety purposes the student should

Choices:
A. tell the teacher about the bottle and liquid.
B. pour the liquid down the drain.
C. compare the liquid to other liquids.
D. find the mass of the bottle and liquid.

Answer: A


A scientist discovered a way to turn plant material into fuel. This more cleanly burning fuel can be used in cars. How do people most likely benefit from turning plant material into fuel?

Choices:
A. Cars are safer to drive.
B. Farmers grow more plants.
C. The amount of air pollution is reduced.
D. The number of cars around the world increases.

Answer: C


Sunlight is able to penetrate the top several meters of marine water, where most plant and animal life exists. Which of these systems are interacting in this description?

Choices:
A. solar energy and ocean systems
B. solar energy and weather systems
C. weather systems and ocean systems
D. solar energy, ocean systems, and weather systems

Answer: A


Choices:
A. both parents
B. its mother, only
C. its father, only

Answer: A


Fossil fuels were made from specific kinds of ancient organisms. The fossilized remains of tiny ocean organisms formed

Choices:
A. only coal.
B. only natural gas.
C. oil and coal.
D. oil and natural gas.

Answer: D


In the water cycle, where does water go after reaching the ocean?

Choices:
A. The water flows into a river.
B. The water falls from the clouds.
C. The water sinks to the ocean floor.
D. The water changes into water vapor.

Answer: D


Mountain bike tires have large, knob-like treads. These tires are useful on steep slopes because they

Choices:
A. increase friction.
B. carry heavy weights.
C. increase the stopping distance.
D. prevent braking of the bicycle.

Answer: A


A student plans to write a report about a type of bird that includes only facts. Which statement should the student leave out of the report?

Choices:
A. These birds are blue.
B. These birds are beautiful.
C. Most of these birds are 13 cm tall.
D. Most of these birds are about 10 grams.

Answer: B


Over a long time, oil can form when layers of sediment push down on decomposing

Choices:
A. trees.
B. animals.
C. fungi.
D. algae.

Answer: D


A biological community is made up of all the

Choices:
1. populations living in an area
2. natural resources present in an area
3. members of a species on Earth
4. environments on Earth

Answer: 1


Which temperature and moisture conditions describe an air mass that originates over the Atlantic Ocean near the equator?

Choices:
1. warm and dry
2. warm and humid
3. cool and dry
4. cool and humid

Answer: 2


The parts of plants that make seeds are the

Choices:
A. roots.
B. stems.
C. flowers.
D. leaves.

Answer: C


Choices:
A. uranium
B. sea water
C. sand and gravel
D. dead plants and animals

Answer: D


Over time, iron becomes rust when it combines with water and oxygen. Which type of change must occur for rust to form?

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

Answer: A


When a bottle of strong perfume is opened at the front of a classroom, the smell gradually spreads throughout the entire room. Which process explains this occurrence?

Choices:
A. osmosis
B. diffusion
C. cell activity
D. cell transport

Answer: B


A student is trying to model an ocean environment. What is the most important factor the student should add to the aquarium in order to make sure that the model is accurate?

Choices:
A. starfish
B. seaweed
C. salt water
D. coral reef

Answer: C


Students measured how long it took for an ice cube to melt. Which measurement best represents how long it took for the ice cube to melt?

Choices:
A. 20° Celsius
B. 40 grams
C. 60 milliliters
D. 80 seconds

Answer: D


Rocks are classified as sedimentary, metamorphic, or igneous on the basis of the

Choices:
1. age of the rocks
2. way the rocks were formed
3. types of fossils the rocks contain
4. number of minerals found in the rocks

Answer: 2


Which basic units of matter have the same properties as an element?

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

Answer: C


Some jet airplanes fly in a layer of the atmosphere where temperature generally increases with altitude. What is this layer of the atmosphere?

Choices:
A. mesosphere
B. stratosphere
C. thermosphere
D. troposphere

Answer: B


One unique characteristic of water is that its specific heat

Choices:
A. can only be measured in calories.
B. is lower than other common substances.
C. is higher than other common substances.
D. requires little energy for a big temperature change.

Answer: C


An earthquake occurs in western Nevada. What most likely causes the earthquake?

Choices:
A. stress due to the movement of Earth's crustal plates
B. gravitational variation due to the Moon's orbit around Earth
C. temperature variation due to Earth's orbit around the Sun
D. rotational imbalance due to changes in the location of Earth's poles

Answer: A


A scientist puts more food than a lab rat can eat in each of 100 cages containing lab rats. She surveys the mass of food each rat eats in one day. To determine the difference between the largest and smallest masses of food eaten, she should find her data's

Choices:
A. mean.
B. range.
C. mode.
D. median.

Answer: B


Which of these is defined as "the passage of genetic instructions from one generation to the next?"

Choices:
A. growth
B. heredity
C. development
D. reproduction

Answer: B


What is the primary source of stored thermal energy in oceans?

Choices:
A. sunlight
B. plankton
C. volcanoes
D. hurricanes

Answer: A


Two empty metal cans, one black and one white, were placed outside on a hot day. Both cans were the same size and were left in the Sun for 3 hours. Compared to the white can, the black can would most likely be

Choices:
A. cooler, because it absorbs less sunlight
B. cooler, because it absorbs more sunlight
C. warmer, because it absorbs less sunlight
D. warmer, because it absorbs more sunlight

Answer: D


Oil and gas are two sources of energy used in America. Which is the main reason oil and gas may be replaced with other sources of energy in the future?

Choices:
A. Oil and gas produce very little power.
B. Oil and gas work in too few machines.
C. Oil and gas are limited in their supplies.
D. Oil and gas are too costly to remove from the ground.

Answer: C


Which of these are parts of the geologic process that changes metamorphic rock into sedimentary rock?

Choices:
A. volcanic eruption and lava flow
B. igneous intrusion and solidification
C. faulting and displacement
D. erosion and deposition

Answer: D


In a forest, a brown-colored bird sits on a tree branch. How does the bird's brown color most likely help it survive in the forest?

Choices:
A. attracts insects for food
B. warns predators of its defense
C. hides it from predators
D. allows it to stay warm

Answer: C


Rock layers with sand-sized particles were most likely deposited by

Choices:
A. wind.
B. water.
C. glaciers.
D. landslides.

Answer: A


The living systems of plants and animals are constantly taking in water to continue the processes of life. What eventually happens to most of that water?

Choices:
A. It is converted into hydrogen and oxygen.
B. It is returned to the environment.
C. It is broken down by bacterial decay.
D. It is permanently combined with other compounds.

Answer: B


MOST of the volcanoes that make up the "Ring of Fire" were formed near

Choices:
A. hot spots.
B. subduction zones.
C. divergent boundaries.
D. normal faults.

Answer: B


Which is not considered an instrument to be used to determine weather?

Choices:
A. a barometer
B. a thermometer
C. an anemometer
D. a millimeter

Answer: D


Which natural process is responsible for the formation of the Mississippi Delta?

Choices:
A. snow
B. drought
C. deposition
D. weathering

Answer: C


Neon (Ne), argon (Ar), and krypton (Kr) are in the same column on the Periodic Table of the Elements. What characteristic do these elements have in common?

Choices:
A. atomic mass
B. negative electrical charge
C. number of neutrons
D. full valence electron shells

Answer: D


Screech owls nest in holes in trees. They eat mice and crickets. Where would a screech owl most likely live?

Choices:
A. a beach
B. a forest
C. a desert
D. a rainforest

Answer: B


Carlos was playing on a slide on a sunny summer day. Which property of the slide tells Carlos how much energy the slide absorbed from the Sun?

Choices:
A. the mass
B. the color
C. the height
D. the temperature

Answer: D


Which equation summarizes the process of respiration?

Choices:
A. water + carbon dioxide + energy -> sugar + oxygen
B. oxygen + sugar -> carbon dioxide + water + energy
C. carbon dioxide + oxygen + water -> sugar + energy
D. sugar + carbon dioxide + energy -> oxygen + water

Answer: B


When a baker bakes bread, he prepares the dough by mixing 2 cups of flour with 1 cup of water. The water needs to be 85°F. Which tools are best for the baker to measure both the volume and temperature of the water?

Choices:
A. a balance and a ruler
B. a balance and a thermometer
C. a measuring cup and a balance
D. a measuring cup and a thermometer

Answer: D


What form of energy makes a compass needle point north?

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

Answer: D


Which process in the water cycle is directly caused by the heat from the Sun?

Choices:
A. evaporation
B. runoff
C. cloud formation
D. stream flow

Answer: A


Which tool is used to observe the cell wall of a leaf?

Choices:
A. ruler
B. camera
C. hand lens
D. microscope

Answer: D


Which material best conducts electricity?

Choices:
A. wool coat
B. copper pipe
C. plastic straw
D. wooden stick

Answer: B


In 1922 N. L. Bowen developed the concept of magmatic evolution which is also known as Bowen's Reaction Series. Applying the Bowen's Series principles, what mineral forms and crystallizes first in the region of highest temperature and pressure?

Choices:
A. olivine
B. pyroxene
C. amphibole
D. quartz

Answer: A


A cyclist travels 3 km north in 25 minutes. What does this information describe?

Choices:
A. mass
B. force
C. motion
D. gravity

Answer: C


Which of these occurs when the North Pole is tilted toward the Sun and the United States has the most daylight hours of the year?

Choices:
A. summer solstice
B. winter solstice
C. spring equinox
D. fall equinox

Answer: A


A ball rolls across the floor and slows down to a stop. Which force caused the ball to slow down?

Choices:
A. friction
B. gravity
C. magnetic
D. inertia

Answer: A


Which energy source might involve burning wood or producing gasohol?

Choices:
A. biomass
B. wind turbine
C. nuclear fission
D. hydroelectric power

Answer: A


A marine iguana is an animal that lives on the shoreline of warm islands. Its tail is long and thick. Which of these is improved by the shape of its tail?

Choices:
A. swimming in the ocean
B. blending in with rocks
C. absorbing nutrients
D. finding food inland

Answer: A


Leslie's science teacher told her she must take a flexible approach to solving problems. What did Leslie's teacher most likely mean?

Choices:
A. Leslie should not follow the experimental instructions exactly.
B. Leslie should only write down lab results that seem to be correct.
C. Leslie should accept all scientific theories even if they have been proven wrong.
D. Leslie should be willing to consider many possible causes for her observations.

Answer: D


What would happen if a magnet was placed in the center of a plastic bowl containing a mixture of iron filings and sand?

Choices:
A. The sand will be repelled by the magnet.
B. The iron filings will be attracted to the magnet.
C. The sand will be attracted to the magnet.
D. The iron filings will be repelled by the magnet.

Answer: B


Which property of an object is identified using the sense of smell?

Choices:
A. color
B. odor
C. temperature
D. weight

Answer: B


Hector's class is counting the number of ducks in a pond. Hector counts a different number than the rest of the class. Which of the following actions should Hector most likely perform?

Choices:
A. keep the result
B. change the number he counted
C. think that the class results are wrong
D. remove his number from the class result

Answer: A


Which property of sugar remains after sugar is dissolved in water?

Choices:
A. color
B. taste
C. shape
D. texture

Answer: B


Which substance is composed of only one type of atom?

Choices:
A. water
B. gold
C. salt
D. sugar

Answer: B


Over a two-week period, several students complain of feeling sick. Their symptoms include a cough, fever, and a sore throat. What describes the most likely cause of these symptoms?

Choices:
A. exposure to hot weather
B. decrease in physical exercise
C. consumption of bad food
D. infection by a virus

Answer: D


The Appalachian Mountains, which extend from Canada to Alabama, were much taller in the past than they are today. Which of the following two processes are most responsible for the decrease in the height of the Appalachian Mountains?

Choices:
A. weathering and erosion
B. sedimentation and flooding
C. volcanic eruptions and landslides
D. tectonic collisions and earthquakes

Answer: A


Which organisms break down and recycle dead plants and animals?

Choices:
A. predators
B. prey
C. decomposers
D. producers

Answer: C


Which is not a significant reason why people are living longer today than 100 years ago?

Choices:
A. development of sugar substitutes
B. development of medicines
C. better health care
D. better nutrition

Answer: A


Joann repeatedly overfed the fish in the pond behind her house. The nitrates from the excess food contributed to an overgrowth of algae. To correct the problem, Joann added more plants to the pond. How will adding more plants help?

Choices:
A. The plants make the pond look beautiful.
B. The plants will camouflage the green algae.
C. The plants will compete with algae for nutrients.
D. The plants will provide all the food for the fish.

Answer: C


The engineering team that is designing a scientific research station on the Arctic permafrost has to provide the station with energy for cooking, heating, and lighting. Considering the fragile environment and other conditions there, the best choice is probably to

Choices:
A. build a wind turbine.
B. have fuel trucked in.
C. have a pipeline built.
D. build a solar collector.

Answer: A


A student walks to school each morning in Maine. It is dark outside when he begins walking. As the days pass, the student notices the mornings are becoming brighter. The Sun is rising earlier each day. He also notices that there is more daylight after school. The Sun is setting later in the day. Which change of seasons is occurring?

Choices:
A. winter to spring
B. summer to fall
C. spring to winter
D. fall to winter

Answer: A


Where did organisms live when they first appeared on Earth?

Choices:
A. in the water
B. in the air
C. on the land
D. under the ground

Answer: A


Which of the following will always produce a magnetic force on a nearby iron nail?

Choices:
A. a long piece of copper wire
B. a large static electric charge
C. an electric current
D. an electric field

Answer: C


Which of these items is designed to produce heat from electricity?

Choices:
A. a toaster
B. a camera
C. a blender
D. a television

Answer: A


A student records the temperature in the schoolyard every day for a month. Which is the best way to present the temperature data so each day can be compared?

Choices:
A. summary paragraph
B. labeled diagram
C. pie chart
D. bar graph

Answer: D


At approximately which time of day is the Sun at the highest point in the sky to an observer in New York State?

Choices:
A. 6 a.m.
B. noon
C. 6 p.m.
D. midnight

Answer: B


When one form of energy is converted into other forms of energy, the total amount of energy

Choices:
A. varies throughout the conversion.
B. increases because some energy is created.
C. remains constant throughout the conversion.
D. decreases because some energy is destroyed.

Answer: C


To study the effect of heat on plant growth, Andy divided ten identical seedlings into groups. She placed one group on a windowsill in the sun and the other group in a dark closet on the cool (north) side of the house. Think about the characteristics of a properly designed scientific experiment. What is wrong with the above experiment?

Choices:
A. The temperature difference between the two groups was not great enough.
B. The amount of light was different for the two groups.
C. One group of seedlings got less water than the other.
D. Nothing is wrong with the experiment.

Answer: B


Which of these groups would be most concerned with technological developments in insect control?

Choices:
A. paleontologists
B. archaeologists
C. agriculturists
D. meteorologists

Answer: C


A model of Earth would be different from a model of the Moon because the Moon model would be

Choices:
A. shinier
B. heavier
C. smaller
D. rougher

Answer: C


A student sees a bird at a feeder. The student identifies the bird as a sparrow. Which organ system did the student use to identify the bird?

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

Answer: C


Which tool is the best to use when studying small organisms not visible to the eye?

Choices:
A. telescope
B. hand lens
C. microscope
D. magnifying glass

Answer: C


Which would most likely cause a decrease in the number of woodpeckers in an ecosystem?

Choices:
A. draining a spring-fed pond
B. plowing and planting meadows
C. destroying all dead trees and stumps
D. building a road around a small forest

Answer: C


Which is not a characteristic common to organisms?

Choices:
A. requires energy
B. reproduction
C. rigidity
D. presence of DNA

Answer: C


Which calculation is used to determine acceleration?

Choices:
A. divide change in velocity by change in time
B. multiply average velocity by change in time
C. divide average velocity by mass
D. multiply change in velocity by distance traveled

Answer: A


Dogs have some learned behaviors. Which is most likely a learned behavior in a dog?

Choices:
A. sniffing to find food
B. panting when it feels hot
C. chasing a squirrel up a tree
D. barking when it wants to go outside

Answer: D


Some wasp species lay their eggs inside living caterpillars. As the eggs mature, they use the caterpillar as a food resource. Eventually, the wasp larvae hatch out of the caterpillar. This type of relationship is best described as

Choices:
A. predator-prey.
B. parasitic.
C. mutualistic.
D. commensalistic.

Answer: B


Which is the best action to help protect water resources in Virginia?

Choices:
A. Dispose of pet waste in a stream.
B. Rinse spilled gasoline with a hose.
C. Organize a river cleanup program.
D. Put hazardous waste in with house trash.

Answer: C


Choices:
A. faster than its revolution.
B. slower than its revolution.
C. half as fast as its revolution.
D. about the same as its revolution.

Answer: D


Which process involves choosing certain organisms to reproduce with one another in order to pass on specific, desirable traits to their offspring?

Choices:
1. selective breeding
2. asexual reproduction
3. resource acquisition
4. natural selection

Answer: 1


During which process are nuclei duplicated?

Choices:
A. mitosis
B. respiration
C. photosynthesis
D. fertilization

Answer: A


In a turtle race, each turtle walks one a 3-meter track. If the turtles walk one at a time, how can you tell which turtle was fastest?

Choices:
A. The turtle that started first is fastest.
B. The turtle that finished first is fastest.
C. The turtle that took the shortest time is fastest.
D. The turtle that took the longest time is fastest.

Answer: C


Choices:
A. frog
B. worm
C. oak tree
D. grasshopper

Answer: B


Parents with freckles often have children with freckles. This occurs because

Choices:
A. freckles develop from light.
B. certain foods cause freckles.
C. certain habits cause freckles.
D. freckles are an inherited trait.

Answer: D


Two fossils of the same species were found on two different continents. The continents are separated by the Atlantic Ocean. Scientists dated the fossils to be 2 million years old. Which is the least likely explanation for these findings?

Choices:
A. A great land bridge once connected the continents.
B. The remains were carried by ocean currents.
C. A single landmass once existed with both continents.
D. The animals swam across the ocean.

Answer: B


Students visited a garden to observe hummingbirds. They wanted to find out if hummingbirds were more likely to visit colored flowers or white flowers. Which should the students do first for this investigation?

Choices:
A. conclude that hummingbirds prefer white flowers
B. write a report about the kinds of flowers in the garden
C. observe hummingbirds at flowers and record the flower color
D. research the number of different hummingbirds that live in the garden

Answer: C


What is the name of the author who proposed natural selection as the mechanism of evolution?

Choices:
A. Mendel
B. Darwin
C. Lamarck
D. Hardy-Weinberg

Answer: B


Which pair of terms describes the usual location for fertilization and the first stages of development in human reproduction?

Choices:
1. external fertilization and external development
2. external fertilization and internal development
3. internal fertilization and external development
4. internal fertilization and internal development

Answer: 4


In the rock cycle an igneous rock forms from

Choices:
A. cooling temperatures
B. high pressure and heat
C. weathering and erosion
D. compacted plant remains

Answer: A


Mars is an inner planet and Jupiter is an outer planet. Which best describes the relationship between the two planets?

Choices:
A. They are made of the same materials.
B. They orbit the Sun in opposite directions.
C. They have the same orbital periods around the Sun.
D. They are located on opposite sides of the asteroid belt.

Answer: D


In order for electricity from a battery to power a light bulb, the wire has to provide the electricity a path to do what?

Choices:
A. flow through the entire closed circuit
B. charge the air molecules near the circuit
C. jump from one battery terminal to the other
D. change the chemical properties of the wire

Answer: A


Many cities encourage people to recycle. The items that can be recycled are placed in a special container and picked up each week from people's homes. How does recycling most likely help the environment?

Choices:
A. Recycling reduces littering.
B. Recycling makes products last longer.
C. Recycling puts less trash in the city landfill.
D. Recycling increases the amount of dust in the air.

Answer: C


Choices:
A. releases heat and is endothermic.
B. releases heat and is exothermic.
C. absorbs heat and is endothermic.
D. absorbs heat and is exothermic.

Answer: B


Scientists have discovered that there has been a reduction in the butterfly population in an ecosystem. After much research, they have identified that the carrying capacity for butterflies has been decreased. If the scientists want to increase the butterfly population, which action should they recommend?

Choices:
A. removing primary producers
B. spraying of insecticides
C. increasing runoff
D. planting flowers

Answer: D


Which do meteorologists use to measure the amount of precipitation that falls during a storm?

Choices:
A. Anemometer
B. Barometer
C. Rain gauge
D. Weather vane

Answer: C


Which terms are both used to describe the weather?

Choices:
A. gravity and wind direction
B. precipitation and runoff
C. groundwater and erosion
D. air temperature and wind speed

Answer: D


Which of these has been controlled in an attempt to reduce the depletion of ozone in Earth's atmosphere?

Choices:
A. methods of filtering gasoline
B. use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
C. methods of radioactive waste storage
D. use of mercury (Hg) compounds

Answer: B


Today's limestone caverns were once solid rock. Acidic rainwater seeping through the rock over hundreds of years dissolved part of the rock, forming caverns. This is an example of

Choices:
A. erosion.
B. deposition.
C. physical weathering.
D. chemical weathering.

Answer: D


Which of the following contains most of the water on Earth?

Choices:
A. the oceans
B. watersheds
C. the atmosphere
D. ice and aquifers

Answer: A


Which substance do all living things require to survive?

Choices:
1. blood
2. water
3. carbon dioxide
4. organic soil

Answer: 2


A student plans to measure the thermal expansion of a strip of metal as it is heated from 0ºC to 50ºC. Which piece of equipment should he use to measure the expansion?

Choices:
A. a ruler
B. a balance
C. a compass
D. a protractor

Answer: A


Which of these was used by Alfred Wegener as evidence that Earth's continental landmasses had drifted apart over time?

Choices:
A. the age of the continents
B. the shape of the continents
C. the thickness of the continents
D. the composition of the continents

Answer: B


The driver of a car at a railroad crossing hears a change in pitch of the train whistle as the train passes by. This change in pitch is most likely due to

Choices:
A. the Doppler effect.
B. the Compton effect.
C. a change in medium.
D. a change in speed.

Answer: A


Choices:
A. Large mice will eat more food than smaller mice.
B. One flower was measured to be 13 centimeters tall.
C. On a dark night, a student counted hundreds of stars.
D. People should be careful to protect endangered animals.

Answer: A


Which would be considered an inexhaustible resource?

Choices:
A. oil
B. topsoil
C. sunlight
D. aluminum

Answer: C


Which factor causes surface ocean currents?

Choices:
A. the Sun
B. the wind
C. the Moon
D. hurricanes

Answer: B


Marta has a radio in her room. It requires electricity in order to play. Which of the following is necessary in order for electricity to move from the source to the radio?

Choices:
A. a circuit
B. a magnet
C. a light bulb
D. an insulator

Answer: A


Having dry, hot weather for a long time can cause a

Choices:
A. drought
B. thunderstorm
C. tornado
D. flood

Answer: A


What is the primary function of white blood cells in humans?

Choices:
A. carry oxygen
B. fight disease
C. grow tissues
D. remove waste

Answer: B


Which trait most likely helps an animal survive in a very cold environment?

Choices:
A. long ears
B. large eyes
C. thick fur
D. sharp claws

Answer: C


Which is most likely a genetic adaptation of desert plants to survive the hot, dry climate conditions?

Choices:
A. thin bark
B. waxy leaves
C. leaves that remain all year
D. flowers that bloom all year

Answer: B


Charles Darwin made a number of observations and inferences during his travels. He studied island finches during a long period of time. Which statement is an inference?

Choices:
A. Individual birds have different colored feathers.
B. Island finches have a large number of offspring.
C. Individual birds of an island finch species have many differences.
D. Island finches share a common ancestry with mainland finch species.

Answer: D


A student mixes salt and water in a beaker to form a solution. What properties of the substances would allow the student to then separate the components?

Choices:
A. densities
B. particle sizes
C. boiling points
D. electrical conductivity

Answer: C


In a lab investigation, students had to identify different mineral specimens. Which property is the most reliable for identifying one mineral from another?

Choices:
A. texture
B. hardness
C. crystal shape
D. surface color

Answer: B


Which of these revolves around a planet?

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

Answer: D


A scientist wants to collect several bird eggs on an island. She needs a case that will protect the eggs she collects. Which of the following cases would best protect the eggs?

Choices:
A. a hard metal case with flexible foam lining
B. a flexible metal case with smooth plastic lining
C. a strong wooden case with lightweight plastic lining
D. a lightweight wooden case with strong aluminum lining

Answer: A


Which process is a cause of variation in a species?

Choices:
1. metamorphosis
2. cellular respiration
3. sexual reproduction
4. regulation

Answer: 3


The leaves of a tree change color in the fall. This is an example of a tree

Choices:
A. completing its life cycle
B. preparing for migration
C. responding to its environment
D. beginning hibernation

Answer: C


A dog growls when a predator gets close. Growling is an example of which animal behavior?

Choices:
A. migration
B. hibernation
C. communication
D. germination

Answer: C


In what respect are protons and electrons always equal?

Choices:
A. mass number
B. kinetic energy
C. sign of charge
D. magnitude of charge

Answer: D


How does the Sun help move water from the ocean through the water cycle?

Choices:
A. by causing surface water to evaporate
B. by adding particles to the water
C. by increasing the amount of water
D. by blowing water toward land

Answer: A


What would a model of the Sun, Earth, and Moon best help students visualize?

Choices:
A. the phases of the Moon
B. the effects of gravitation
C. the effects of volcanic eruptions
D. the consequences of earthquakes

Answer: A


How are bacterial cells and human cells alike?

Choices:
A. They allow oxygen through the cell wall.
B. They allow carbon dioxide through the cell wall.
C. They allow nutrients through the cell membrane.
D. They allow nutrients through the nuclear membrane.

Answer: C


The Moon's surface is visible to an observer on Earth because the Moon

Choices:
1. reflects sunlight
2. absorbs light from Earth
3. produces its own light
4. transmits sunlight

Answer: 1


Why do trees like oaks and walnuts depend upon squirrels?

Choices:
A. to control population size
B. to pollinate their flowers
C. to remove dead wood
D. to aid in seed distribution

Answer: D


When an atom gains an electron, the atom will

Choices:
A. lose a proton.
B. reduce its mass.
C. become radioactive.
D. have a negative charge.

Answer: D


Choices:
A. a single-celled organism.
B. multiple organisms.
C. an inorganic substance.
D. a group of cells.

Answer: A


Choices:
A. absorb food.
B. defend itself.
C. attract a mate.
D. protect its young.

Answer: B


Rivers and streams can carry sediments long distances before they are deposited. What is formed when sediments are deposited at the mouth of a river?

Choices:
A. a levee
B. a gully
C. a delta
D. a rift

Answer: C


Steel is used for cables in suspension bridges because of its capacity for

Choices:
A. tension.
B. torsion.
C. compression.
D. contraction.

Answer: A


In which layer of the atmosphere does most of Earth's weather occur?

Choices:
A. the exosphere, which is the outermost layer
B. the troposphere, which is the lowest layer
C. the thermosphere, which has the highest temperature
D. the stratosphere, which contains a sub-layer of ozone

Answer: B


When light is reflected off an object and enters the eye, it falls on the

Choices:
A. lens.
B. pupil.
C. retina.
D. cornea.

Answer: C


The skin, lungs, and kidneys work together to

Choices:
A. help eliminate body wastes.
B. help blood circulate.
C. aid in digestion.
D. aid in respiration.

Answer: A


Which type of matter can be separated by physical means?

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

Answer: D


Which plant part is described correctly?

Choices:
A. Stems make seeds.
B. Roots absorb nutrients.
C. Leaves absorb water.
D. Flowers make food.

Answer: B


Which process causes sand grains to stick together to form sandstone?

Choices:
A. abrasion
B. cementation
C. combustion
D. erosion

Answer: B


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

Answer: C


A student placed a rock in a graduated cylinder containing water, causing the water level in the cylinder to increase by 20 mL. This increase represents the rock's

Choices:
1. mass
2. volume
3. solubility
4. temperature

Answer: 2


Researchers are investigating whether dinosaurs were endothermic like birds. Which evidence from the fossil record could be effectively compared with modern day evidence to support this hypothesis?

Choices:
A. similarities in bone structure
B. seasonal shifts in food supply
C. consumption of the same plant species
D. tree rings indicating the return of a similar climate

Answer: A


A student pushes a box to slide it across the floor. Which statement explains why the box begins to move?

Choices:
A. The weight of the box is greater than the force of friction.
B. The weight of the box is less than the force of friction.
C. The applied force is greater than the force of friction.
D. The applied force is less than the force of friction.

Answer: C


Which article might appear in a scientific magazine?

Choices:
A. "The Religions of South America"
B. "The Money Systems of South America"
C. "The Flora and Fauna of South America"
D. "The Political Systems of South America"

Answer: C


A train travels at a rate of 13 meters per second (m/s). Over the next 60 seconds, the speed of the train increases to speed to 22 m/s. What is the average rate of acceleration of the train?

Choices:
A. 0.15 m/s^2
B. 0.21 m/s^2
C. 0.36 m/s^2
D. 0.58 m/s^2

Answer: A


Which trait is common in gases that contribute to Earth's greenhouse effect?

Choices:
A. the ability to trap heat
B. a tendency to lose electrons
C. a tendency to exist as diatomic molecules
D. the ability to bond with multiple other elements

Answer: A


George is studying erosion. He learns how rocks break apart over time. Which of these most likely forms when a rock weathers and breaks into small pieces?

Choices:
A. fossils
B. crystals
C. minerals
D. sediments

Answer: D


As wave frequency is increased, wave energy

Choices:
A. stays constant.
B. is unaffected.
C. increases.
D. decreases.

Answer: C


A student is pouring equal amounts of water, maple syrup, and cooking oil into a glass beaker and looking at how the layers settle. Which property of the liquids is the student most likely comparing?

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

Answer: A


Betsy tries to attract a variety of birds to her backyard. She puts up a bird feeder that contains sunflower seeds and corn. Which term best describes the contents of the bird feeder?

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

Answer: A


Which best describes construction technology?

Choices:
A. exchanging information electronically
B. changing raw materials into goods
C. building and finishing a structure
D. converting and transmitting energy

Answer: C


What eventually happens to a species when the environment changes and the organisms do not adapt?

Choices:
1. classification
2. development
3. extinction
4. regulation

Answer: 3


Similar types of cells form tissues. What is the next level of complexity formed from the grouping of tissues?

Choices:
A. organs
B. organelles
C. organisms
D. organ systems

Answer: A


Which form of energy is produced when a rubber band vibrates?

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

Answer: 4


Which discovery was necessary before radio could be invented?

Choices:
A. reflection
B. radiation
C. electricity
D. gravity

Answer: C


Which statement would most likely be included in a news report about an approaching hurricane?

Choices:
1. Open the windows to equalize air pressure.
2. Install snow tires and check the antifreeze in the car radiator.
3. Evacuate low-lying areas near the coast.
4. Expect wind speed to decrease for the next several hours.

Answer: 3


The energy produced by a burner on a gas stove is primarily

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

Answer: B


Students compare two different rocks. The rocks are both bright and spotted. Which property are the students most likely observing?

Choices:
A. layers
B. textures
C. colors
D. ages

Answer: C


Which of the following makes up the smallest region in the electromagnetic spectrum?

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

Answer: C


In a northern state, a room used for growing plants is not allowing enough light to enter for healthy plant growth. Adding windows in walls facing which direction would best solve this problem?

Choices:
A. north
B. south
C. east
D. west

Answer: B


A student finds a bottle that is labeled with a long chemical name. What is the best way for the student to learn more about the chemical properties of this substance?

Choices:
A. shake the container vigorously
B. smell a very small amount of it
C. look up the name in a science book
D. test a small amount to see if it feels slippery

Answer: C


The length of a year on Earth is a little over 365 days. The length of a year on a planet is best described as the time it takes for which to occur?

Choices:
A. the planet to revolve once around the Sun
B. the seasons to complete a full cycle
C. the planet to rotate once on its axis
D. the Sun to rotate once on its axis

Answer: A


The human body has different levels of organization. In the structural organization of the central nervous system, which is an organ?

Choices:
A. brain
B. grey matter
C. nerve
D. neuron

Answer: A


Increased human populations can lead to the depletion of locally available resources within communities. Compared to other communities, which of these locally available resources is most likely to be depleted in desert communities?

Choices:
A. mineral
B. oxygen
C. gasoline
D. water

Answer: D


A hot pack is a product that releases heat when chemicals inside of it interact. What is taking place inside an active hot pack?

Choices:
A. electric current
B. a net loss of mass
C. thermal insulation
D. an exothermic reaction

Answer: D


Respiration is a process during which energy is released from glucose. This energy is used for processes such as growth of the body. Which type of energy does respiration release?

Choices:
A. chemical
B. kinetic
C. potential
D. thermal

Answer: A


An organism that breaks down dead plants and animals, returning matter back into the soil, is called a

Choices:
A. herbivore.
B. producer.
C. competitor.
D. decomposer.

Answer: D


Choices:
A. skin cell
B. nerve cell
C. red blood cell
D. egg cell

Answer: D


Which population would be harmed first by a long period of drought?

Choices:
A. seaweed in an ocean
B. fish in a lake
C. plants in a pond
D. fish in a bay

Answer: C


The house cat was believed to be tamed in ancient Egypt. In 2004, the remains of an eight-month old cat buried with its owner were discovered on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. The date of burial, however, came before Egyptian civilization. Which best explains the importance of the discovery?

Choices:
A. Wildcats are not related to house cats.
B. Cats were domesticated earlier than originally thought.
C. Wildcats were not domesticated.
D. The period of Egyptian civilization was older than originally thought.

Answer: B


Which activity requires the use of safety goggles to protect the eyes?

Choices:
A. collecting rain water
B. measuring air temperature
C. classifying flowers
D. pouring vinegar

Answer: D


The most common source of nonrenewable resources used to generate electricity in the state of Nevada is

Choices:
A. oil.
B. coal.
C. geothermal.
D. hydroelectric.

Answer: B


Choices:
A. the distance light travels in one year.
B. the of time it takes light to travel from Earth to the Sun.
C. the amount of light required on Earth in one year.
D. the distance between two sources of light.

Answer: A


All animals need air to survive. An insect gets air through tiny holes on the sides of its body. A whale breathes through a blow hole. What body part do fish use to breathe?

Choices:
A. gills
B. skin
C. nose
D. mouth

Answer: A


Which of the following tools would be most useful in determining the length and width of a school cafeteria?

Choices:
A. scale
B. centimeter ruler
C. tape measure
D. thermometer

Answer: C


The extensive branching of neurons helps them to perform which function?

Choices:
A. maintain structural stability
B. stockpile chemical energy
C. communicate with other neurons
D. secrete hormones

Answer: C


Which of the following are narrow belts of strong winds found in the upper troposphere?

Choices:
A. doldrums
B. westerlies
C. trade winds
D. jet streams

Answer: D


A hiker wants to know if air is warmer in a forest than in the nearby farm field. Which activity would best help the hiker find out which area is warmer?

Choices:
A. reading a book about farm fields
B. making a weather prediction for the forests
C. measuring the wind speed at both locations
D. recording the temperatures at both locations

Answer: D


Recently the telephone company announced the implementation of a new telephone area code for Massachusetts. What technological changes are responsible for the need for a new area code?

Choices:
A. the increased size of the telephone book
B. the increase in use of modems, fax machines, and cellular phones
C. the increase in use of speed dialing and call waiting
D. the increased demand for telephone repairs and installation

Answer: B


Which of the following is a benefit of using radiation as a medical treatment?

Choices:
A. It kills cancer cells.
B. It produces healthy cells.
C. It improves immune system function.
D. It prevents many forms of illness in patients.

Answer: A


Which of these statements best describes temperature as elevation in the atmosphere increases?

Choices:
A. Temperature remains constant with elevation in the thermosphere.
B. Temperature remains constant with elevation in the mesosphere.
C. Temperature generally decreases with elevation in the stratosphere.
D. Temperature generally decreases with elevation in the troposphere.

Answer: D


The transfer of heat in the atmosphere by winds that circulate between the equator and the poles is an example of

Choices:
A. radiation.
B. insulation.
C. convection.
D. conduction.

Answer: C


Which is most responsible for the uneven heating of the air in the atmosphere?

Choices:
A. radiation
B. convection
C. conduction
D. condensation

Answer: B


Three gases found in Earth's atmosphere are carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and oxygen. What is their order of abundance from greatest to least?

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

Answer: A


Copper, silver, and nickel are all classified as

Choices:
A. noble gases.
B. transition metals.
C. halogens.
D. nonmetals.

Answer: B