Question: Corals are small marine organisms that live in groups and make hard outer skeletons to protect their bodies. Over time, these outer skeletons can build up to make large coral reefs. Which of the following statements best describes one way the formation of a coral reef changes the ocean ecosystem?

Choices:
A. It makes the ocean water saltier.
B. It causes ocean waves to become stronger.
C. It creates a habitat for some ocean animals.
D. It removes sand from the ocean floor.

It creates a habitat for some ocean animals.


Question: A magnet and a metal paper clip have the strongest magnetic attraction when the distance between them is

Choices:
A. 4 centimeters
B. 8 centimeters
C. 12 centimeters
D. 16 centimeters

local Hugging Face dataset card: ai2_arc/README.md


Question: High average daily temperature and heavy annual precipitation are found in a

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


Question: Computers have devices called heat sinks designed to lower the temperature of a computer by scattering produced heat into the surrounding area. Which type of energy is kept away from a computer by a heat sink?

Choices:
A. electrical
B. thermal
C. chemical
D. nuclear


Question: In the first step of making some ceramic cups, the following manufacturing process is used. Liquid clay is poured into a mold, allowed to solidify, then removed from the mold. What is the name of this manufacturing process?

Choices:
A. refining
B. milling
C. casting
D. finishing


Question: The first telescopes were invented hundreds of years ago. Which was discovered as a result of this invention?

Choices:
A. the parts of a plant that perform photosynthesis
B. the deep-sea trenches in the ocean
C. the bacteria that causes disease
D. the moons of Jupiter


Question: Which of these best demonstrates the characteristics of science?

Choices:
A. Two students remove rocks from a garden and then plant flowers.
B. One student thinks about rocks and writes down his opinion.
C. Two students study a rock and then compare their observations.
D. One student lifts a rock and skips it across a stream.

Two students study a rock and then compare their observations.


Question: Which type of tissue functions to move the bones?

Choices:
A. brain
B. skin
C. blood
D. muscle


Question: What process in the atmosphere protects people from the ultraviolet rays in sunlight?

Choices:
A. Carbon dioxide blocks ultraviolet light.
B. Ozone absorbs ultraviolet light.
C. Nitrogen reflects ultraviolet light.
D. Water vapor scatters ultraviolet light.


Question: Which statement best describes a bacterial cell?

Choices:
A. It is a complete organism.
B. It is part of a larger organism.
C. It contains more than one cell.
D. It contains different kinds of cells.


Question: Visible light in the electromagnetic spectrum

Choices:
A. makes up more than 75 percent of the spectrum.
B. is a narrow band within the spectrum.
C. makes up 50 percent of the spectrum.
D. is a broad band within the spectrum.


Question: Which of the following is the best example of a part of the propulsion system of a tractor?

Choices:
A. steering wheel
B. front headlight
C. hood
D. engine


Question: A homeowner wants to use a renewable source of energy to heat the home. Which of these would be the best to use?

Choices:
A. oil
B. gas
C. solar
D. coal


Question: How do sprouting plants exhibit positive gravitropism?

Choices:
A. The roots move horizontally.
B. The stems curl around supports.
C. The leaves face toward the Sun.
D. The roots turn downward.


Question: A student picked up a small rock using a magnet. The rock probably contained

Choices:
A. aluminum.
B. diamond.
C. iron.
D. quartz.


Question: Grasses, shrubs, and trees are called producers because they make

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


Question: How does the buying and selling of a popular species of rainforest animal as pets have a negative effect on the rainforest ecosystem?

Choices:
A. There is a probability of genetic variability.
B. It could lead to the potential extinction of those animals.
C. The rate of photosynthesis may decrease.
D. The number of symbiotic relationships increases.

It could lead to the potential extinction of those animals.


Question: Plants that can live in sandy soils most likely have the ability to withstand

Choices:
A. dry conditions.
B. fires.
C. cold temperatures.
D. salt.


Question: Which characteristic of an element determines its placement in the periodic table?

Choices:
A. size
B. mass
C. number of neutrons
D. number of protons


Question: Approximately what percentage of the electromagnetic spectrum is visible light?

Choices:
A. more than 75%
B. 25%
C. less than 10%
D. 50%


Question: Two boxes, A and B, both contain the same number of nitrogen gas molecules. The gas molecules in box A have twice the average speed of the molecules in box B. Which of the following best describes the nitrogen gas in box A?

Choices:
A. The nitrogen gas in box A has a greater mass than the nitrogen gas in box B.
B. The nitrogen gas in box A has a greater specific gravity than the nitrogen gas in box B.
C. The nitrogen gas in box A has a greater temperature than the nitrogen gas in box B.
D. The nitrogen gas in box A has a greater density than the nitrogen gas in box B.

The nitrogen gas in box A has a greater temperature than the nitrogen gas in box B.


Question: People use many tools to help measure changes. Which person is measuring a change?

Choices:
A. A friend watches a television show.
B. A scientist gives a weather report.
C. A sports player scores a goal.
D. A nurse checks the temperature of a patient.

A nurse checks the temperature of a patient.


Question: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infects the cells that coordinate the human immune response. When these cells are killed or compromised, the body cannot effectively protect itself from infection. Which cells does HIV infect?

Choices:
A. cytotoxic T cells
B. helper T cells
C. regulatory T cells
D. natural killer T cells


Question: Which trait can children inherit from their parents?

Choices:
A. favorite color
B. brown eyes
C. long hair
D. broken arm


Question: Which tool would be best for students to use to observe and measure plant cells?

Choices:
A. hand lens
B. triple-beam balance
C. microscope
D. metric ruler


Question: For a plant to stay alive indoors, where does it need to be placed?

Choices:
A. In a dry area
B. On a plant stand
C. Near a sunny place
D. In a dark room


Question: Which type of adaptation allows an animal to deceive its predator?

Choices:
A. protective coloration
B. leathery skin
C. scent glands
D. large size


Question: Which occurs as a result of the rotation of Earth about its own axis?

Choices:
A. seasons of the year
B. the water cycle
C. global climate changes
D. sunrises and sunsets


Question: Theresa studied different forms of energy. Which is the best way of expressing the amount of mechanical energy exerted by a force?

Choices:
A. kilocalories
B. kilowatts
C. foot-pounds per second
D. newton-meters


Question: The water cycle includes which processes?

Choices:
A. precipitation, perspiration, mitosis
B. metamorphosis, evaporation, respiration
C. evaporation, condensation, precipitation
D. fixation, decomposition, respiration


Question: Which plant is grown for food?

Choices:
A. Orchid
B. Cotton
C. Tobacco
D. Rice


Question: Which cell function is most directly dependent on the cytoskeleton?

Choices:
A. response of the cell to external pathogens
B. storage of energy in stable long-term forms
C. direction of cellular activity
D. transport of material inside the cell


Question: When birds fly south for the winter, they are exhibiting

Choices:
A. instinctive behavior.
B. courtship.
C. learned behavior.
D. mimicry.


Question: When a plane flies, it travels through air that contains gases, liquids, and solids. This area is best described as the

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


Question: How would the woodpecker population in a forest area most likely be affected if a housing development is built in that area?

Choices:
A. They would experience a decrease in competition.
B. They would experience a decrease in available food.
C. They would change the color of their feathers.
D. They would produce more offspring.

They would experience a decrease in available food.


Question: Where is water most likely to be brackish?

Choices:
A. lake
B. river
C. sea
D. estuary


Question: The amount of elements heavier than hydrogen is constantly increasing in the universe. Which best identifies the bodies in which this change is taking place?

Choices:
A. solar systems
B. stars
C. planets
D. galaxies


Question: The discovery of a fossilized animal with teeth, a long bony tail, and feathered wings helped to establish which evolutionary sequence?

Choices:
A. reptiles to birds
B. aquatic organisms to land-based organisms
C. rodents to bats
D. invertebrates to flying organisms


Question: What does the mechanical energy of a system include?

Choices:
A. only the potential energy
B. only the kinetic energy
C. the sum of the potential and kinetic energy
D. the difference of the potential and kinetic energy

the sum of the potential and kinetic energy


Question: On a class field trip, Zach took a walk through the woods using his senses. Zach made observations on the different sights, smells, and sounds in the woods. What system transferred the observations from his senses to his brain?

Choices:
A. circulatory system
B. digestive system
C. respiratory system
D. nervous system


Question: Louis was investigating physical and chemical changes in matter. Which of these changes that Louis found involves a chemical change in matter?

Choices:
A. grinding of rock
B. melting of ice
C. rusting of iron
D. evaporation of water


Question: A ball is thrown up into the air. Which force causes the ball to fall to the ground?

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


Question: An octopus releases black ink into the water when feeling threatened. What does this most likely help an octopus do?

Choices:
A. hunt for food
B. find shelter
C. escape enemies
D. swim faster


Question: Which method would be best for scientists to use to determine the absolute age of a Precambrian igneous rock?

Choices:
A. law of original horizontality
B. index fossils
C. law of superposition
D. radiometric dating


Question: A mouse's rate of carbon dioxide output increased. Which of the following most likely happened?

Choices:
A. The mouse started running.
B. The mouse detected an odor.
C. The mouse ate some food.
D. The mouse went to sleep.


Question: Deer are plants-eaters. A winter storm kills many of the plants deer eat. The storm will most likely result in the deer

Choices:
A. becoming thin.
B. feeding on meat.
C. traveling in a herd.
D. shedding a lot of fur.


Question: Students measured the elevation changes in a large park near their school. Which of the following would be the best way to report their findings?

Choices:
A. color-coded chart
B. topographic map
C. line graph
D. spreadsheet data table


Question: Which of the following is the best example of a wave?

Choices:
A. a string vibrating on a guitar
B. a grasshopper jumping up and down occasionally
C. a stone rolling downhill
D. a vehicle traveling on a bumpy road


Question: Louisa needs to demonstrate a solution to her class. Which is the best example of a solution?

Choices:
A. mixing salt and pepper
B. stirring salt into water
C. melting an ice cube
D. melting butter


Question: Which action would most likely reduce air pollution caused by cars?

Choices:
A. drive a longer route
B. purchase a larger car
C. use smaller tires
D. take fewer car trips


Question: How is a telephone able to transmit sound?

Choices:
A. It converts vibrations to electrical signals.
B. It magnifies a person's voice.
C. It carries the sounds through wires.
D. It conducts vibrations from speaker to receiver.

It converts vibrations to electrical signals.


Question: Which cellular structure in an animal cell helps maintain homeostasis by controlling the transportation of substances into and out of the cell?

Choices:
A. cell membrane
B. cell wall
C. vacuole
D. mitochondrion


Question: Which of the following was invented by Benjamin Franklin?

Choices:
A. telephone
B. telescope lens
C. camera
D. bifocal lens


Question: The engine of an automobile is part of which type of system?

Choices:
A. guidance
B. control
C. structure
D. propulsion


Question: Which event most likely takes place as the result of crustal movement along transform boundaries?

Choices:
A. trenches
B. earthquakes
C. mountain building
D. volcanic activity


Question: The function of a plant's roots is to take in

Choices:
A. light and air
B. nutrients and soil
C. nutrients and water
D. light and water


Question: The theory of plate tectonics provides the current explanation for the way in which

Choices:
A. stars change.
B. tides are produced.
C. rocks are formed.
D. continents move.


Question: An organism eats grass and is preyed upon by a carnivore. Which categories describe this organism?

Choices:
A. producer and consumer
B. consumer and herbivore
C. decomposer and producer
D. herbivore and decomposer


Question: Which substance is necessary for burning to take place?

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


Question: Moths undergo complete metamorphosis. Which stages does a moth's life cycle include?

Choices:
A. nymph, egg, and larva
B. nymph, larva, and pupa
C. egg, larva, and pupa
D. egg, nymph, and pupa


Question: In humans, a V-shaped hairline is dominant over a straight hairline. If one parent is homozygous for a V-shaped hairline ( HH ) while the other parent is homozygous for a straight hairline ( hh ), what is the probability that the offspring of these parents will have a straight hairline?

Choices:
A. 100%
B. 75%
C. 0%
D. 50%


Question: Where would electrons most likely be located in an atom?

Choices:
A. with the quarks
B. near the protons
C. outside the nucleus
D. with the neutrons


Question: Spring tides occur during which lunar phases?

Choices:
A. when the moon is waning
B. when the moon is waxing
C. first quarter and last quarter
D. full moon and new moon


Question: A magnet can generate an electric current in a wire if the magnet is close enough to the wire and if the magnet is also

Choices:
A. at rest.
B. strong.
C. in motion.
D. weak.


Question: Which of the following symbiotic relationships is considered parasitic?

Choices:
A. pilotfish swimming under sharks
B. ticks feeding on a dog
C. bees transporting pollen from flowers
D. birds eating the insects from the back of a hippopotamus


Question: What will most likely affect your adult height?

Choices:
A. Your hair color
B. The height of your parents
C. The height of your brothers and sisters
D. Your weight


Question: The winter solstice occurs on either December 21 or 22, depending on the year. Which of the following statements best explains why the time of the year the winter solstice occurs has the least amount of daylight in Massachusetts?

Choices:
A. Earth's rotational speed on its axis is greatest on the winter solstice.
B. Earth is farthest away from the Sun on the winter solstice.
C. Earth is traveling around the Sun with the greatest speed on the winter solstice.
D. Earth's Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun on the winter solstice.

Earth's Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun on the winter solstice.


Question: Maryland has many renewable and nonrenewable natural resources. Which group contains only renewable resources found in Maryland?

Choices:
A. fish, coal, wind
B. trees, water, fish
C. oil, water, trees
D. wind, oil, coal


Question: Which part makes a plant cell different from an animal cell?

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


Question: Which of the following has a warmer average surface temperature than Earth?

Choices:
A. Pluto
B. Venus
C. Mars
D. Moon


Question: Sound waves are not able to travel through

Choices:
A. a vacuum
B. a cloud
C. water
D. metal


Question: Scientists study fossils to learn about extinct plants and animals. Which of these is the best example of a fossil?

Choices:
A. a leaf in a mudpuddle
B. a seashell under water
C. a bone on top of a sand pile
D. a footprint in a rock


Question: When an egg and sperm form an embryo, the offspring that is formed will have genetic traits that are

Choices:
A. passed on from two parents.
B. learned from siblings.
C. created by the environment.
D. inherited from only one parent.


Question: Turgor pressure in the cells of plant roots is strong enough to eventually crack the rocks in which they grow. What machine redirects force this way?

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


Question: Daphnee is going to build a model of the solar system for her science project. She decides that a meter (m) will represent one astronomical unit (AU) in her model. Based on this scale, how far away from the Sun would she need to place Earth?

Choices:
A. four meters
B. three meters
C. one meter
D. two meters


Question: A lizard in a desert sits on a warm rock. Where does the heat energy in the rock come from?

Choices:
A. deep within Earth
B. the decay of plant materials
C. the Sun
D. the lizard's skin


Question: What is the major cause of ocean waves?

Choices:
A. Moon's gravity
B. salinity
C. Earth's rotation
D. wind


Question: What type of graph would be best for recording plant growth over a one-week period?

Choices:
A. histogram
B. pie chart
C. scatterplot
D. line graph


Question: A scientist compares ancient animal tracks to modern animal tracks. Which conclusion is the scientist most likely to reach?

Choices:
A. Most ancient animals and most modern animals hunt animals for food.
B. Some ancient animals and some modern animals walk on four legs.
C. All animals can walk.
D. The same animals that lived long ago also live today.

Some ancient animals and some modern animals walk on four legs.


Question: A group of citizens want to have a statue built out of marble. They want to place it in a climate that has a slow rate of chemical weathering. In which type of climate would it be best to place the statue for the slowest rate of chemical weathering?

Choices:
A. hot and humid
B. hot and dry
C. cold and dry
D. cold and humid


Question: According to scientists, donkeys and horses share a common ancestor. Which evidence shows that the two organisms are related?

Choices:
A. Both run fast.
B. They have the same diet.
C. Both are tall.
D. They have the same bones in their limbs.

They have the same bones in their limbs.


Question: Which relationship is mutualistic?

Choices:
A. a deer that eats one kind of plant, which allows another kind of plant to grow in its place
B. an insect that lives and feeds on the body of an alligator
C. a bird that migrates to follow the movements of the butterflies that it eats
D. an ant that lives on a plant and defends the plant from other insects

an ant that lives on a plant and defends the plant from other insects


Question: In humans, B is the allele for brown eyes and b is the allele for blue eyes. Two brothers both have brown eyes, but one of them has both the B and b alleles while the other only has B alleles. Which statement is true about the brothers?

Choices:
A. They have different phenotypes and genotypes.
B. They have the same genotype and phenotype.
C. They have the same phenotype but different genotypes.
D. They have the same genotype but different phenotypes.

They have the same phenotype but different genotypes.


Question: Which of the following is broken down in the body to release energy?

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


Question: Which property is thought to characterize objects in the Oort Cloud?

Choices:
A. They regularly replenish water on Earth.
B. They are composed mostly of ice.
C. They are composed mostly of iron.
D. They regularly revolve near the Sun.


Question: Sound travels as a

Choices:
A. wave without a medium.
B. pattern of up and down vibrations.
C. series of compressions only.
D. pattern of compressions and rarefactions.

pattern of compressions and rarefactions.


Question: Astronomers have been studying objects that are very bright and appear to be very far away. They have since concluded that these objects are distant galaxies with giant black holes at their center known as

Choices:
A. quasars.
B. binary stars.
C. pulsars.
D. supernovas.


Question: Which unit of measurement should be used to describe the  mass of an apple?

Choices:
A. gram
B. liter
C. meter
D. minute


Question: Scientists have created trains that use magnets to make the trains float above the tracks as they travel. These trains float because

Choices:
A. the like poles repel
B. the train has a low density
C. the track is waxed
D. a chemical change occurs


Question: One role of a producer in a food chain is to provide

Choices:
A. shelter for animals
B. sunlight for plants
C. nutrients for animals
D. water for plants


Question: Tectonic motion caused tension between plates in Earth's crust. A sudden release of this energy occurred. Based on this information, which event happened?

Choices:
A. earthquake
B. volcanic eruption
C. meteoroid impact
D. subsidence


Question: The teacher heats a pot of water. Once the water reaches 100°C, which point has the water reached?

Choices:
A. melting
B. freezing
C. boiling
D. evaporating


Question: What is the major cause of seasonal changes?

Choices:
A. changing patterns in wind and ocean currents
B. tilt of the Earth's axis
C. cycles in the amount of energy released by the Sun
D. Earth changing its distance from the Sun


Question: In 1989, the unusually low snowpack in portions of the Sierra Nevada Mountains led to a widespread emergence of Edith's checkerspot butterflies in April. In these regions, flowers do not appear until May. What was the most likely result of the early emergence of these butterflies?

Choices:
A. Most butterflies did not survive.
B. Most butterflies reproduced earlier.
C. Most butterflies adapted to the new environment.
D. Most butterflies switched to other food sources.


Question: Which scientist developed the mathematical models used to describe the changes in the motion of objects as well as the forces that cause the change in motion?

Choices:
A. Ptolemy
B. Dalton
C. Newton
D. Aristotle


Question: Which natural event would take the longest time to happen?

Choices:
A. a pond evaporating
B. a cloud forming
C. a mountain forming
D. a river flooding its banks


Question: Which property of a substance indicates whether the substance is a liquid or a solid at room temperature?

Choices:
A. solubility
B. flexibility
C. melting point
D. electrical conductivity


Question: Which organelle converts glucose to energy for cellular work?

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


Question: The length of a year is determined by the amount of time it takes

Choices:
A. the Moon to revolve around Earth.
B. Earth to rotate on its axis.
C. the Sun to rotate on its axis.
D. Earth to revolve around the Sun.


Question: A tick attaches to a deer and consumes blood, harming the deer. This is an example of which type of relationship?

Choices:
A. commensalism
B. predator-prey
C. mutualism
D. parasite-host


Question: Cactus plants grow best in environments (habitats) that are

Choices:
A. hot and dry.
B. cold and dry.
C. cold and wet.
D. hot and wet.


Question: Where does water in a lake get most of its energy to evaporate?

Choices:
A. Streams entering the lake
B. Green plants living in the lake
C. The sun heating the lake
D. Cold springs under the lake


Question: A scientist trying to identify an unknown liquid may heat the liquid. Which would be the best reason for the scientist to heat the liquid?

Choices:
A. to collect gases for additional study
B. to get rid of most impurities
C. to identify the boiling point
D. to observe a color change


Question: During a laboratory investigation, a student cracks a clean, empty Erlenmeyer flask. It does not break, but it can no longer be used. Where should the flask be placed?

Choices:
A. hazardous waste bin
B. broken glass bin
C. biohazard bag
D. trash can


Question: A light bulb transforms electrical energy into light energy. A light bulb also transforms electrical energy into

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


Question: Jonas needs to split a log. He has a sledge hammer. What other tool should he also use to split the log?

Choices:
A. a pulley
B. a wedge
C. a lever
D. a fulcrum


Question: Hurricanes are driven by the energy they get from ocean water. Which property of water allows it to retain the energy needed to power a hurricane?

Choices:
A. high surface tension
B. low freezing point
C. high specific heat
D. low vapor pressure


Question: Which organisms contribute most to the decomposition of dead organisms?

Choices:
A. snakes
B. insects
C. bacteria
D. viruses


Question: What is one difference between birds and reptiles?

Choices:
A. Reptiles are cold-blooded and birds are not.
B. Birds breathe oxygen and reptiles do not.
C. Reptiles are meat-eaters and birds are not.
D. Birds lay eggs and reptiles do not.

Reptiles are cold-blooded and birds are not.


Question: The ounce, the pound, and the ton are units of

Choices:
A. distance.
B. length.
C. weight.
D. time.


Question: A student uses clay to construct a model of Earth. Which layer of the model should be the thinnest layer?

Choices:
A. the layer representing the outer core
B. the layer representing the inner core
C. the layer representing the crust
D. the layer representing the mantle


Question: A scientist observes that both birds and snakes in the same ecosystem depend on the same mouse species as a food source. The relationship between the birds and the snakes is an example of

Choices:
A. mutualism.
B. predation.
C. competition.
D. commensalism.


Question: Animals get energy from the food they eat. What is the original source of this energy?

Choices:
A. the Sun
B. fertilizers
C. the water cycle
D. the soil


Question: Many human activities, such as driving a car, cause the release of air pollutants. Which substance is a common air pollutant when driving a car?

Choices:
A. nitrogen
B. iron oxide
C. chlorine
D. carbon monoxide


Question: Which environment would most likely have rich, fertile soil?

Choices:
A. a flood plain
B. a mountain peak
C. a desert plain
D. a coastal beach


Question: In 1785, James Hutton, stated that evidence of past occurrences can be used to explain events which happen today. Which could most likely be used to explain an event in the geologic past?

Choices:
A. sunspots
B. wave patterns
C. cloud formations
D. earthquakes


Question: The elements sulfur (S) and oxygen combine to form a substance called sulfur dioxide (SO2). Sulfur dioxide is also formed when coal and oil are burned. Sulfur dioxide can best be described as

Choices:
A. a metal
B. a compound
C. a nonreactive gas
D. an atom


Question: If a pond is polluted by soap that has phosphate, this pollutant will cause the algae to quickly reproduce. Which will most likely increase in the pond if this happens to the algae?

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


Question: In order to carry out the functions of life, organisms must

Choices:
A. have at least one cell.
B. be exposed to sunlight.
C. have more than one type of cell.
D. be able to move.


Question: A roller coaster is climbing up the highest hill on its track. At which point will the front car of the coaster most likely have its greatest potential energy?

Choices:
A. at the top of the highest hill
B. at the start of the track
C. at the end of the track
D. at the bottom of the highest hill


Question: What is the mass of an asteroid with a speed of 200 m/s and a momentum of 2,000 kg x m/s?

Choices:
A. 400,000 kg
B. 1,800 kg
C. 10 kg
D. 2,200 kg


Question: Some scientists study images of very distant celestial bodies. Where is the best location for the types of telescopes that can provide the scientists with the clearest images.

Choices:
A. at higher latitudes
B. in outer space
C. at sea level
D. on mountain tops


Question: How do people get energy and nutrients?

Choices:
A. eating healthy food
B. getting plenty of rest
C. exercising and playing
D. breathing clean air


Question: Which action is a learned characteristic of a newborn horse?

Choices:
A. nursing
B. sleeping
C. breathing
D. walking


Question: An earthquake is caused by sudden shifts in which of the following layers of Earth?

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


Question: A black bear's diet includes nuts, berries, honey, insects, and fish. Black bears are

Choices:
A. prey.
B. decomposers.
C. herbivores.
D. omnivores.


Question: The news often talks about how global warming could change environmental conditions on Earth. Which best explains why global warming is such a concern?

Choices:
A. Earthquake activity will increase.
B. Glaciers will advance.
C. The sea level will rise.
D. The overall temperature will decrease.


Question: Animal cells perform functions using energy that is derived from glucose (C6H12O6). Which molecule is required for animal cells to obtain the most energy possible from a molecule of glucose?

Choices:
A. lactic acid
B. water
C. carbon dioxide
D. oxygen


Question: Stomata are tiny pores located on the leaves of plants. These pores permit the exchange of gases between air in the environment and plant cells located inside the leaf. Which tissue performs a similar function in vertebrates?

Choices:
A. The alveoli in the lungs
B. The cornea in the eye
C. The salivary glands in the mouth
D. The chambers in the heart


Question: When crossing parents with genotypes Rr and rr, what will be the percentages of the genotypes of the offspring?

Choices:
A. 50% Rr, 50% rr
B. 100% Rr
C. 75% Rr, 25% rr
D. 100% rr


Question: Which information will best help scientists determine if an object is a comet, an asteroid, or a meteoroid?

Choices:
A. the shape of the object's orbit
B. the object's diameter
C. the speed at which the object travels
D. the object's composition


Question: In an ocean ecosystem, dead organisms such as fish and plankton sink to the bottom of the ocean. Which organisms break down and recycle the dead organisms?

Choices:
A. algae
B. mollusks
C. bacteria
D. sponges


Question: Which is the best description of the brightness of the Sun?

Choices:
A. It is less bright than planets.
B. It is brighter than other stars.
C. It is of average brightness compared to other stars.
D. It is of average brightness compared to planets.

It is of average brightness compared to other stars.


Question: Which process passes genetic information from plants to their offspring?

Choices:
A. adaptation
B. photosynthesis
C. germination
D. pollination


Question: What must happen in order for scientific data to be verified through repetition?

Choices:
A. Observations must be made by more than one scientist.
B. Modern technology must be used.
C. Investigations must be conducted by trained scientists.
D. Accurate records must be kept.


Question: Which particle type can be identified as being from a specific element?

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


Question: Which of the following is a chemical property of a substance?

Choices:
A. reacts with HCl
B. white powder with silver specks
C. mass of 372 g
D. density of 37 g/cm^3


Question: Which structure is found in a plant cell but not in an animal cell?

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


Question: Which of these best describes a fossil?

Choices:
A. a solid element or compound from Earth's crust
B. remains of an extinct organism found in a rock layer
C. bits of weathered rocks and pieces of dead organisms
D. a geometric pattern formed by a mineral

remains of an extinct organism found in a rock layer


Question: A student is conducting an investigation using chemicals. Other than goggles and gloves, what else should the student use in order to conduct this investigation safely?

Choices:
A. Bunsen burner
B. loose-fitting clothing
C. lab coat
D. Petri dish


Question: The boiling point of nitrogen is -196°C. What states of matter are involved when nitrogen boils?

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


Question: The Hubble Space Telescope is a telescope that NASA launched into space in 1990. Scientists most likely prefer to use the Hubble Space Telescope instead of a land-based telescope because it provides better accuracy at

Choices:
A. predicting the phases of the Moon.
B. investigating the size of Venus.
C. predicting solar eclipses.
D. investigating faraway galaxies.


Question: Which of the following statements best describes a complex machine?

Choices:
A. It is designed to move with a motor.
B. It is constructed from machine-made parts.
C. It is made of more than one simple machine.
D. It is built from more than one type of material.

It is made of more than one simple machine.


Question: A drug company developed a pill to reduce cases of stomach virus. To test the medication, half of the participants got the pill with the new medicine and half got a sugar pill. Which term best identifies the participants who got a sugar pill?

Choices:
A. experimental
B. dependent variable
C. control
D. independent variable


Question: Which information does a student need to differentiate between the speed and the velocity of a vehicle in motion?

Choices:
A. the amount of distance traveled during motion
B. the direction of the motion
C. the rate of the motion
D. the change in the amount of motion


Question: When do mutations help make an ecosystem more sustainable?

Choices:
A. when mutations increase the number of species in an ecosystem
B. when mutations decrease the number of individuals in an ecosystem
C. when mutations decrease the number of species in an ecosystem
D. when mutations increase the number of individuals in an ecosystem

when mutations increase the number of species in an ecosystem


Question: Which scientist would be most likely to study the changes in animal populations in nature?

Choices:
A. Botanist
B. Ecologist
C. Veterinarian
D. Engineer


Question: Humans use both renewable and nonrenewable resources. Which human activity uses a nonrenewable resource?

Choices:
A. building houses with wood
B. using solar energy to power lights
C. using natural gas to heat homes
D. producing electricity from flowing water


Question: Which best describes the motion of molecules in the gaseous state?

Choices:
A. They move slowly over one another.
B. They move at the same speed as in a liquid.
C. They spread apart to fill their container.
D. They vibrate quickly in place.

They spread apart to fill their container.


Question: What is the downward movement of water through pores and other spaces in soil due to the force of gravity?

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


Question: On Mount Everest the temperature decreases as the altitude increases. The summit of this mountain is in which atmospheric layer?

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


Question: Which energy source is considered nonrenewable?

Choices:
A. fossil fuel
B. wind
C. biomass
D. moving water


Question: A renewable energy source is a source that will not run out. Which is an example of the use of such a source?

Choices:
A. A coal furnace heating a house
B. a kerosene lamp lighting a room
C. a windmill pumping water on a farm
D. a diesel truck traveling along a road


Question: Which statement best describes why the Moon is visible from Earth?

Choices:
A. The Moon reflects light from the Sun.
B. The Moon reflects light from other planets.
C. Light from Earth illuminates the Moon.
D. Light is produced by the Moon.


Question: Which statement best explains the reason that electrical wires are made of copper?

Choices:
A. Copper is an insulator.
B. Copper is strong.
C. Copper is flexible.
D. Copper is a conductor.


Question: Which of these is a natural resource of Virginia?

Choices:
A. A glacier
B. A dam
C. A river
D. A power plant


Question: Insulin is a chemical that is released by the endocrine system to increase the absorption of glucose by the body's cells. After which activity would insulin levels in a healthy body increase?

Choices:
A. drinking water
B. taking a nap
C. eating
D. swimming


Question: An engineer was given an assignment to build a model rocket. The main requirement was that it had to build it out of a metal that could release the energy that built up when reentering the atmosphere of Earth. What property should the engineer concentrate on the most when designing the rocket?

Choices:
A. boiling point
B. specific heat
C. ductility
D. density


Question: Which color of light is produced when all of the colors of visible light in the electromagnetic spectrum are combined?

Choices:
A. gray
B. white
C. brown
D. black


Question: A company is making prototypes for a new computer system. Which of the following statements best describes an advantage of making several different prototypes?

Choices:
A. They will be bought by many different users.
B. They can be produced in large numbers.
C. They will be sold for more than they cost to build.
D. They can be tested at the same time.


Question: What is the function of the nucleus in a cell?

Choices:
A. controls movement
B. provides nutrients
C. provides energy
D. controls activity


Question: A tree is a renewable resource because it can be

Choices:
A. burned in a fire.
B. replaced with a newly planted tree.
C. eaten by some organisms.
D. made into lumber.


Question: How does the presence of organic matter contribute to good soil?

Choices:
A. It keeps the soil cool.
B. It destroys bacteria in the soil.
C. It helps the soil to dry out.
D. It adds nutrients to the soil.


Question: A wild turkey's forest community includes

Choices:
A. soil
B. wind
C. insects
D. rainfall


Question: Which of the following travels from neuron to neuron as information is transmitted?

Choices:
A. RNA strands
B. mechanical forces
C. transport vesicles high in ATP
D. electrochemical impulses


Question: During which process do cells use oxygen to release stored energy?

Choices:
A. respiration
B. photosynthesis
C. digestion
D. circulation


Question: Which of the following has the ability to change the state of matter?

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


Question: Many things can contribute to the development of a theory. A student made a list of some things that might help scientists develop a theory. Observations Calculations Conversations Publications From the student's list, which must be used in the development of every theory?

Choices:
A. Observations
B. Conversations
C. Calculations and conversations
D. Publications and calculations


Question: Ben has a snack with a combination of raisins, chocolate pieces, and nuts. As he eats the snack, Ben picks out all of the raisins. Which best describes the snack Ben is eating?

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


Question: Capillary walls are only one layer of cells thick. Passage of oxygen into and out of the capillaries is controlled most by which process?

Choices:
A. storage of materials
B. diffusion of material
C. collection of waste material
D. breakdown of materials


Question: The average car uses about 25% of the available energy in each gallon of gasoline. The energy not used to run the car is released as heat and sound. Which statement best describes this occurrence?

Choices:
A. Energy levels increase as conversions take place.
B. Energy is destroyed at high temperatures.
C. Energy conversion reduces efficiency.
D. Energy loss increases the order in a system.


Question: How long does it take light from the nearest star other than the Sun to reach Earth?

Choices:
A. About 4 years
B. About 1 hour
C. About 1 month
D. Less than 1 second


Question: Spider webs help spiders

Choices:
A. capture food.
B. keep warm.
C. stay dry.
D. avoid predators.


Question: Pouring water over a sloping tray of soil demonstrates how

Choices:
A. soil can be washed away.
B. river sediment forms a delta.
C. soil creation may take years.
D. planting grass protects the soil.


Question: Which layer of Earth is divided into plates?

Choices:
A. Crust
B. Inner core
C. Mantle
D. Outer core


Question: The breakdown of ozone into oxygen results from the electromagnetic absorption spectrum of ozone. This production of oxygen in the ozone layer is caused by exposing ozone to a strong source of which type of electromagnetic radiation?

Choices:
A. infrared light
B. microwaves
C. ultraviolet light
D. radio waves


Question: Which best describes what keeps the Moon orbiting around Earth?

Choices:
A. gravity
B. speed
C. weight
D. friction


Question: The hypothesis of an expanding universe required which type of validation before being accepted as a significant part of scientific theory?

Choices:
A. proposal of alternative explanations with predictive value
B. a controlled single-variable laboratory test
C. support through evidence from numerous observations
D. a full-scale replication of each event in the proper sequence

support through evidence from numerous observations


Question: In which type of rock is the fossil imprint of a fern leaf most likely to be found?

Choices:
A. igneous
B. volcanic
C. sedimentary
D. metamorphic


Question: At certain times of the year, meteor showers can be observed from Earth. Why are these objects from space usually harmless?

Choices:
A. They are always microscopic.
B. They are made of soft, spongy materials.
C. They burn up high in Earth's atmosphere
D. They are closer to the sun than to Earth.


Question: Which group of animals contains ONLY reptiles?

Choices:
A. turtle, lizard, crocodile
B. octopus, snail, turtle
C. crab, earthworm, snake
D. lizard, frog, snake


Question: Why is the particular sequence of bases in a segment of DNA important to cells?

Choices:
A. Some base sequences contain the order of sugars in polysaccharides.
B. Some base sequences cause the release of lipids from the nucleus.
C. Some base sequences produce electrical signals sent to the cytoplasm.
D. Some base sequences code for protein production.

Some base sequences code for protein production.


Question: A meteorologist announces that the barometer reading is dropping. What does a barometer measure?

Choices:
A. ground temperature
B. air pressure
C. air temperature
D. wind speed


Question: A cricket population includes approximately the same number of black and light-brown crickets. Black crickets are easier for birds to locate and eat. Over time, the population begins to consist of only light-brown crickets. The change in the color of the cricket population is a result of

Choices:
A. climate change.
B. geographic isolation.
C. limited resources.
D. natural selection.


Question: When nearly vertical rays of solar energy strike a region of the Earth, that area has warm temperatures. What region of the Earth gets nearly vertical rays of solar energy year around?

Choices:
A. Equator
B. Australia
C. North and South Poles
D. United States


Question: Scientists from around the world would most likely meet at a conference held in Paris, France, to

Choices:
A. show other scientists the scientific method.
B. learn how to speak the same language.
C. teach students the importance of education.
D. work together on scientific research.


Question: Ferns belong to any one of about 12,000 species of plants grouped in their own division within the plant kingdom. Ferns are vascular, seedless, flowerless, and reproduce by spores. To which plant group do ferns belong?

Choices:
A. Angiosperm
B. Gymnosperm
C. Bryophyta
D. Pteridophyta


Question: A student ties a string around a weight and swings the weight in a circle around her body. If the student represents the Sun and the weight represents Earth, what does the string represent?

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


Question: Scientists have studied the specific stages in the life cycle of stars. In which stage do stars spend most of their lifetime?

Choices:
A. black dwarf
B. red giant
C. white dwarf
D. main sequence


Question: How does the energy in each trophic level of an energy pyramid compare to the energy in the preceding level?

Choices:
A. It has about 5% of the energy from the level below it.
B. It has about 15% of the energy from the level below it.
C. It has about 10% of the energy from the level below it.
D. It has about 20% of the energy from the level below it.

It has about 10% of the energy from the level below it.


Question: The texture of soil depends primarily on the

Choices:
A. composition of the soil.
B. vegetation growing in the soil.
C. water in the soil.
D. mass of the soil.


Question: Which is a force that keeps the planets in orbit around the Sun?

Choices:
A. gravity
B. solar energy
C. magnetism
D. inertia


Question: What is the role of the kidneys in the excretory system?

Choices:
A. to digest food
B. to oxygenate blood
C. to remove toxins
D. to produce bile


Question: Which number is closest to the estimated number of stars in the Milky Way galaxy?

Choices:
A. 200 billion
B. 200 million
C. 200 trillion
D. 200 thousand


Question: Which statement best describes how a mountain range changes over time from wind and water erosion?

Choices:
A. The mountain range will be lifted up.
B. The mountain range will form craters.
C. The mountain range will become rounded.
D. The mountain range will become faulted.


Question: In a cell, a newly synthesized protein requires modification by the addition of a carbohydrate. Which structure will transport the protein from the site of synthesis to the site of modification?

Choices:
A. a vacuole
B. the Golgi apparatus
C. a ribosome
D. the endoplasmic reticulum


Question: Students notice that in the fall leaves of sugar maple trees turn red, but the leaves of black oak trees turn brown. The students are making

Choices:
A. a prediction
B. an observation
C. a conclusion
D. an inference


Question: What instrument should be used to monitor atmospheric pressure changes as a weather system approaches?

Choices:
A. thermometer
B. psychrometer
C. barometer
D. anemometer


Question: Which of the following is responsible for determining the traits of an organism?

Choices:
A. type of bond between bases
B. sequence of nucleotides
C. amount of thymine
D. number of phosphates


Question: In which organism can cell walls be found?

Choices:
A. snake
B. moth
C. grass
D. hawk


Question: Isaac Newton is best known for his study of

Choices:
A. body systems.
B. weather.
C. the history of Earth.
D. motion.


Question: Some objects are attracted by magnets. Which object is attracted by a magnet?

Choices:
A. a plastic knife
B. an iron nail
C. an ice cube
D. a wooden ruler


Question: Which action represents the use of technology to solve a problem?

Choices:
A. bringing down body temperature with the use of a hand fan
B. reducing the amount of heartburn with the use of herbal teas
C. increasing the supply of fish with the use of fish farms
D. answering mathematical equations with the use of computers

answering mathematical equations with the use of computers


Question: When a guitar string is strummed, it produces sound by making

Choices:
A. light.
B. heat.
C. electricity.
D. vibrations.


Question: The meanings of mass and weight can often be confused. Which is an example of a change in both mass and weight?

Choices:
A. living on the space station
B. visiting the Moon
C. a stone eroding in a river
D. a ship floating on the ocean


Question: Which of these are scientific classifications for galaxies in the universe?

Choices:
A. small, medium, large
B. spiral, elliptical, irregular
C. dust, gas, ice
D. red giant, white dwarf, supernova


Question: A scientist was observing a unicellular organism over a period of time. He noticed that vacuoles kept moving to the same place in the plasma membrane to empty their contents outside the cell. Which organism was he observing?

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


Question: Which form of precipitation is most likely to cause damage when hitting the roof of a car?

Choices:
A. rain
B. sleet
C. snow
D. hail


Question: Which tool is best to use when comparing an animal cell to a plant cell?

Choices:
A. balance
B. thermometer
C. microscope
D. compass


Question: The density of 200 mL of water was determined, and then 20 grams of sugar was dissolved in the water. The student determined the density of the sugar-water solution and recorded the collected data in a table. The sugar in this investigation is

Choices:
A. the solvent.
B. undergoing chemical change.
C. the solute.
D. changing from a solid to a gas.


Question: During the year, the angle at which the path of the Sun appears in the sky varies. In the Northern Hemisphere, the path of the Sun appears higher on the horizon during the summer and lower on the horizon during the winter. Which factor most contributes to the variation in the path of the Sun across the sky?

Choices:
A. the elliptical shape of the orbit of Earth
B. the flattening of Earth at the poles
C. the rotation of Earth
D. the tilted axis of Earth


Question: Which is the best way to show the percent gas composition in Earth's atmosphere?

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


Question: For the reaction between silver nitrate and sodium chloride, which of the following would be a product? AgNo_{3} + NaCl ->

Choices:
A. AgNa
B. AgCl
C. ClNO_{3}
D. Na_{3}NO


Question: Which invention has done the most to help predict weather and warn people of approaching storms?

Choices:
A. satellites
B. barometers
C. airplanes
D. maps


Question: During the Siberian summer, reindeer graze on young roots, fungi, grass, and other vegetation. In the cold winter months, they migrate south and rely on available, but less nutritious food, such as lichen. Increased snowfall during the entire winter in southern areas would result in reindeer having to

Choices:
A. hibernate until the snows have stopped.
B. return to their summer feeding area.
C. hunt for organisms such as small rodents.
D. move to other areas to compete for resources.

move to other areas to compete for resources.


Question: Sir Isaac Newton stated that every object in the universe attracts matter. The attraction depends on the mass of an object and the distance between the objects. What type of force did Newton describe?

Choices:
A. centrifugal force
B. gravitational force
C. generalized force
D. centripetal force


Question: What season is the Northern Hemisphere experiencing when it is tilted away from the Sun?

Choices:
A. summer
B. winter
C. spring
D. autumn


Question: Heat is applied to a beaker of water, raising the water temperature a few degrees. What happens to the water molecules after heat is applied?

Choices:
A. The molecules come together and move more quickly.
B. The molecules spread apart and move more slowly.
C. The molecules come together and move more slowly.
D. The molecules spread apart and move more quickly.

The molecules spread apart and move more quickly.


Question: Which feature is most likely the result of a flowing river?

Choices:
A. a sand dune
B. a glacier
C. a canyon
D. a volcano


Question: Which organ is the site of gas exchange between the body and the environment?

Choices:
A. pancreas
B. spleen
C. liver
D. lungs


Question: A positively-charged hydrogen ion has a much smaller radius than a neutral hydrogen atom. Which best explains this difference?

Choices:
A. Electrons are located far from the nuclei of their atoms.
B. The repulsion of protons and neutrons keeps them on opposite ends of atoms.
C. The nucleus is the least dense region of an atom.
D. Most of the volume of atoms is filled with the particles they contain.

Electrons are located far from the nuclei of their atoms.


Question: How are dormancy and hibernation similar in animals?

Choices:
A. metabolic rate and body temperature both decrease
B. metabolic rate increases and body temperature decreases
C. metabolic rate and body temperature both increase
D. metabolic rate decreases and body temperature increases

metabolic rate and body temperature both decrease


Question: A small aluminum cube is dropped into a beaker of water to determine the buoyancy. Which of these is not necessary in determining the buoyant force acting on the cube?

Choices:
A. displaced volume
B. gravitational pull on Earth
C. density of water
D. density of the aluminum cube


Question: Before concrete has hardened, it exhibits plasticity. This is an advantage because it allows the concrete to

Choices:
A. withstand compression.
B. become strong as it cures.
C. remain pliable after hardening.
D. be molded into almost any shape.


Question: Which event is an example of inherited behavior?

Choices:
A. a dog sitting on command
B. a bird flying south for the winter
C. a horse competing in a horse show
D. a parrot repeating a phrase


Question: A student must explain the role of dead leaves in the ecosystem. Which statement will the student most likely provide to explain the importance of these leaves?

Choices:
A. The leaves prevent fungus from growing at the base of the tree.
B. The leaves release chlorophyll into the grass as they decay.
C. The leaves provide shelter to growing seeds.
D. The decay of the leaves provides nutrients to other plants.

The decay of the leaves provides nutrients to other plants.


Question: Which of the following statements is true about organisms that are producers?

Choices:
A. They absorb energy from a host animal.
B. They use energy from the sun to make food.
C. They get energy by breaking down dead plants and animals.
D. They get energy from eating living animals.

They use energy from the sun to make food.


Question: If Earth revolved at a faster rate, what would most likely occur?

Choices:
A. Seasons would be shorter.
B. Annual rainfall would increase.
C. Annual temperature variation would be greater.
D. Daylight hours would decrease.


Question: The distance from Earth to the Sun is one astronomical unit. Which unit best describes how many astronomical units it is from Earth to the far end of the Milky Way Galaxy?

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


Question: Which is most likely to cause an organism to become endangered or extinct?

Choices:
A. habitat loss
B. behavioral changes
C. altered migration patterns
D. increased reproduction rate


Question: What are the characteristics of maritime polar air masses?

Choices:
A. warm and humid
B. cool and dry
C. cool and humid
D. warm and dry


Question: In an ecosystem, which list of organisms is in the correct order from producer to top-level consumer?

Choices:
A. snake, field mouse, hawk, grass
B. grass, field mouse, snake, hawk
C. snake, grass, field mouse, hawk
D. field mouse, grass, hawk snake


Question: What is a true statement about all foods?

Choices:
A. All foods provide nutrients.
B. All foods are solid.
C. All foods should be cooked.
D. All foods taste good.


Question: Which of the following is an example of an acidic solution?

Choices:
A. bleach
B. sugar water
C. vinegar
D. salt water


Question: When rock particles settle at the bottom of the ocean, they can continue to be buried by other particles. The process of cementation of these particles forms

Choices:
A. sedimentary rocks.
B. igneous rocks.
C. metamorphic rocks.
D. molten rocks.


Question: Which of these is part of the description of protein?

Choices:
A. a folded chain of amino acids
B. a branched chain of fatty acids
C. a folded chain of carbohydrates
D. a branched chain of nucleic acids


Question: Lightning from a thunderstorm strikes a 21 tree that falls to the forest floor and dies. During the next few years the dead tree undergoes many changes. What organisms are most likely responsible for the biological and chemical changes to the tree?

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


Question: Sodium chloride is formed when sodium and chlorine chemically combine. Which term best describes sodium chloride?

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


Question: Which three things do animals need from their environment in order to survive?

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


Question: Most electricity in the United States is generated using coal, natural gas, nuclear energy, or hydropower. Which of these add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere?

Choices:
A. nuclear energy and hydropower
B. natural gas and nuclear energy
C. coal and natural gas
D. hydropower and coal


Question: A student has recorded rainfall amounts for 28 days and uses a calculator to determine the total rainfall. What does the student calculate when she divides the total rainfall by 28?

Choices:
A. median rainfall
B. mean rainfall
C. percentage of rainfall
D. rainfall mode


Question: Which of the following was most likely the cause of the extinction of 60-100 species of native birds in Hawaii since the arrival of colonists?

Choices:
A. habitat destruction
B. increased salinity
C. tidal waves
D. volcanic eruptions


Question: Which is the correct sequence for the stages in the life cycle of a butterfly?

Choices:
A. egg; larva; pupa; adult
B. adult; larva; pupa; egg
C. larva; pupa; egg; adult
D. egg; pupa; larva; adult


Question: Oil is an example of a natural resource that is not renewable. Which is another example of an nonrenewable resource?

Choices:
A. Wood
B. Coal
C. Sunlight
D. Seawater


Question: Students are using hammers to break apart rocks as part of an investigation. The students MUST wear goggles to

Choices:
A. keep hair out of their faces.
B. protect their eyes from debris.
C. prevent glare from the light.
D. magnify the work.


Question: How would the Sun appear to an astronaut on Pluto compared with how it looks from Earth?

Choices:
A. The Sun would appear smaller and brighter.
B. The Sun would appear smaller and dimmer.
C. The Sun would appear larger and dimmer.
D. The Sun would appear larger and brighter.

The Sun would appear smaller and dimmer.


Question: When using a microscope, it is best to use a wet mount to

Choices:
A. show the interior of sliced objects.
B. remove debris that is obscuring the object.
C. highlight objects with chemical dyes.
D. observe live organisms.


Question: A power plant uses chemical energy to produce electricity. What source of energy does the power plant most likely use?

Choices:
A. wind
B. tidal waves
C. fossil fuel
D. sunlight


Question: Which subatomic particle has a negative charge?

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


Question: Which list gives the correct order of food traveling through the digestive system after it is swallowed?

Choices:
A. stomach, esophagus, large intestine, small intestine.
B. small intestine, large intestine, esophagus, stomach.
C. esophagus, stomach, large intestine, small intestine.
D. esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine.

esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine.


Question: Parakeets are birds whose basic plumage color is green. However, parakeets exhibit a wide range of color both in the wild and in captivity. Which process is the source of the wide color variation observed in parakeet populations?

Choices:
A. genetic mutation
B. speciation
C. natural selection
D. adaptation


Question: In science, old ideas can be changed when new discoveries alter existing information. Which situation is most likely an example of a rethinking of an existing idea?

Choices:
A. changing the definition of the term planet
B. using coal to generate electricity
C. developing an antibiotic to treat infections
D. discovering a new species of snake

changing the definition of the term planet


Question: How does sweat on the skin help the body?

Choices:
A. Sweat feeds the skin.
B. Sweat cools the body.
C. Sweat heals cuts.
D. Sweat stops sunburn.


Question: How does the Sun power the water cycle?

Choices:
A. Energy from the Sun evaporates water.
B. Energy from the Sun collects water.
C. Energy from the Sun precipitates water.
D. Energy from the Sun condenses water.


Question: In order to maintain good health, humans should

Choices:
A. drink alcohol often
B. eat foods high in fat
C. smoke tobacco occasionally
D. exercise regularly


Question: Which of the following is an abiotic factor in a river ecosystem?

Choices:
A. dragonfly
B. water
C. trout
D. frog


Question: When a conclusion is reached after an experiment, which is most likely the first step other scientists might take when checking the conclusion?

Choices:
A. develop new technologies based on the conclusion
B. change current models to fit the conclusion
C. propose different conclusions from the same data
D. study the data to evaluate the conclusion

study the data to evaluate the conclusion


Question: What allows for some organisms in a population to have an increased survival rate over other organisms of the same species?

Choices:
A. genetic mutation
B. asexual reproduction
C. species competition
D. genetic variation


Question: Which environment is best for an organism that sleeps during the day and digs holes in the ground for shelter?

Choices:
A. desert
B. rainforest
C. wetland
D. tundra


Question: One difference between a chemical formula and a chemical equation is that the chemical equation shows

Choices:
A. abbreviations for each element.
B. the number of atoms per element.
C. the chemical reaction that takes place.
D. what elements are in each molecule.


Question: Plants that have stems that store water and no leaves would most likely live in a

Choices:
A. grassland.
B. desert.
C. pine forest.
D. rainforest.


Question: Fossil fuels are considered nonrenewable because they

Choices:
A. take millions of years to form
B. produce pollution
C. often contain microscopic animals
D. are no longer used by humans


Question: A baby bird must eat a lot of food to grow. During which stage of its life cycle is a butterfly most similar to a baby bird?

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


Question: Which feature results when plates of different densities converge and one plate slips under the other?

Choices:
A. a fault
B. a ridge
C. a rift zone
D. a trench


Question: Which of these is the BEST sign that the fall season has begun?

Choices:
A. Sun shining on flowers
B. Leaves changing color on trees
C. Plants forming new buds
D. Grass being wet in the morning


Question: Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that affects the joints. Which of these events causes the symptoms of this disease?

Choices:
A. The cells of the immune system begin to grow rapidly.
B. The body's immune system fails to fight off infections.
C. The body's immune system attacks specific tissues.
D. The cells of the immune system are absorbed by antigens.

The body's immune system attacks specific tissues.


Question: Chris stirs a cup of hot chocolate. He uses a wooden stick thinking it will stay cooler than a metal spoon. Which activity best describes the student's action?

Choices:
A. forming a conclusion
B. asking a question
C. comparing data
D. making a prediction


Question: Which would be best seen through a telescope?

Choices:
A. a molecule
B. a light ray
C. a moon
D. a cell


Question: A student conducts an investigation testing a material's effectiveness as a heat insulator. Which tool will help the student conduct this investigation safely?

Choices:
A. a face mask
B. a ventilator hood
C. insulated gloves
D. plastic gloves


Question: Which equipment would best be used for an activity on a biochemistry unit?

Choices:
A. balance, telescope, and graduated cylinder
B. test tube, hot plate, and safety goggles
C. meter stick, microscope, and test tubes
D. Petri dish, dissecting equipment, and spring scale

test tube, hot plate, and safety goggles


Question: When the fuel in a gasoline engine is burned, the energy conversion is from

Choices:
A. chemical to thermal.
B. electrical to kinetic.
C. thermal to potential.
D. potential to nuclear.


Question: Some prokaryotes once classified in the domain Bacteria are now classified as

Choices:
A. Fungi.
B. Plantae.
C. Protista.
D. Archaea.


Question: Which of these is the primary source of energy in food webs?

Choices:
A. sunlight
B. consumer
C. soil
D. producer


Question: An unusual type of fossil clam is found in rock layers high in the Swiss Alps. The same type of fossil clam is also found in the Rocky Mountains of North America. From this, scientists conclude that

Choices:
A. clams once lived in mountains, but have since evolved into sea-dwelling creatures
B. the layers of rocks in which the fossils were found are from the same geologic age
C. the Rocky Mountains and the Swiss Alps are both volcanic in origin
D. glaciers carried the fossils up the mountains

the layers of rocks in which the fossils were found are from the same geologic age


Question: The layered mixture of gases surrounding Earth is called the

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


Question: Paul listens to music through his radio. Which best explains the sound Paul hears?

Choices:
A. Sounds are fluids that travel through air.
B. Sounds are waves that travel through matter.
C. Sounds are gases that transform into vibrations.
D. Sounds are forms of energy that are converted from light.

Sounds are waves that travel through matter.


Question: Plants are producers because they

Choices:
A. take in nutrients
B. make their own food
C. need water to grow
D. can grow in soil


Question: A water hose was left running on a pile of dirt. What feature of stream erosion was most likely being demonstrated?

Choices:
A. how layers of rocks and soil are formed along a stream
B. the time it takes for deposition to occur along a stream
C. the rate of water flow in a stream
D. how water shapes a stream over time


Question: The best soil mixture for plant growth and drainage is

Choices:
A. sand, rocks, and clay.
B. humus, clay, and sand.
C. silt, pebbles, and clay.
D. clay, silt, and rocks.


Question: Which of these technologies helps a power company use renewable energy for the production of electricity?

Choices:
A. hydroelectric power
B. coal-fired power plants
C. natural gas generators
D. nuclear power plants


Question: Windmills are used to obtain usable energy from wind. Which would be an advantage of using a windmill?

Choices:
A. Populations of birds can be reduced by windmills.
B. The wind does not blow all the time.
C. Windmills are expensive to build.
D. Pollution is not created by windmills.


Question: Which of these is an example of a new substance being formed?

Choices:
A. a nail rusting
B. a wall being painted
C. paper being folded
D. water changing to steam


Question: Which of these can make a shadow on the ground during the day?

Choices:
A. River
B. Cloud
C. Thunder
D. Air


Question: Which system protects the body by responding to the presence of a virus?

Choices:
A. immune system
B. skeletal system
C. excretory system
D. respiratory system


Question: The symptoms of influenza infection are partly caused by the

Choices:
A. consumption of the body's energy resources by viruses.
B. release of toxins by viral particles.
C. rapid genetic mutation in infected cells.
D. body's inflammatory response to infected cells.

body's inflammatory response to infected cells.


Question: Which cellular organelle modifies fatty acids?

Choices:
A. mitochondrion
B. Golgi complex
C. chloroplast
D. endoplasmic reticulum


Question: Which part of Earth's structure exists in the solid phase due to low temperatures?

Choices:
A. the lithosphere
B. the asthenosphere
C. the inner core
D. the outer core


Question: Which sea otter behavior is learned?

Choices:
A. using fur to trap air for warmth
B. nursing its young for six months
C. closing its ears under water
D. cracking open clams with a rock


Question: The magnetic poles of Earth frequently change location. What is the direct cause of this change in magnetic pole location?

Choices:
A. radioactive decay in the solid inner core
B. molten rock flowing in the asthenosphere
C. turbulence in the liquid outer core
D. convection cells in the lower mantle


Question: Years ago, most family members lived near one another. Today, family members often live all over the country. People are able to live far from their loved ones because of the technologies of

Choices:
A. medicine and computers.
B. communication and transportation.
C. refrigeration and heating systems.
D. manufacturing and home entertainment.


Question: Which two body systems would most directly remove extra fluid from a person's lungs?

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


Question: Sedimentary rock helps scientists piece together the history of Earth most likely using clues from

Choices:
A. fossils.
B. gravel.
C. soil.
D. humus.


Question: The energy that is stored in food originally comes from

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


Question: Which of these shows how frozen water changes as the temperature of the air increases?

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


Question: Which of the following properties best describes a material's ability to resist scratching?

Choices:
A. weight
B. flexibility
C. hardness
D. length


Question: Scientists noted that muscles and bones would need physical stress to remain healthy during manned space flights. Which of these had to be planned for because of this need?

Choices:
A. monitoring circadian rhythms
B. practicing space walking
C. counseling activities for tension
D. exercising to maintain strength


Question: If a species of bird stopped reproducing, which of these would happen?

Choices:
A. The food web that the bird belongs to would collapse.
B. This bird species would eventually disappear from nature.
C. The bird's prey species would decrease in number.
D. Trees where these birds build nests would grow taller.

This bird species would eventually disappear from nature.


Question: When performing a new experiment for the first time, a scientist reaches an unexpected conclusion. What must the scientist do in order to have the conclusion accepted by other scientists?

Choices:
A. make a data chart
B. repeat the experiment
C. write a brief report
D. purchase new equipment


Question: Which system produces most of the hormones in the human body?

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


Question: Which tool should a student use to see the patterns on a small object?

Choices:
A. graduated cylinder
B. hand lens
C. thermometer
D. balance


Question: Robots are used to help manufacture cars. One problem with this is

Choices:
A. lower cost.
B. less waste.
C. fewer jobs.
D. more mistakes.


Question: Which two body systems interact to produce antibodies that require essential amino acids?

Choices:
A. digestive and reproductive systems
B. integumentary and circulatory systems
C. digestive and immune systems
D. endocrine and respiratory systems


Question: Which chemical is a compound?

Choices:
A. hydrogen (H2)
B. helium (He)
C. nitrogen (N2)
D. hydrochloric acid (HCl)


Question: Two spotted leopards produce a litter of four cubs. Three of the cubs are spotted and one is solid black. The black coat is probably what type of trait?

Choices:
A. dominant
B. sex-linked
C. polygenic
D. recessive


Question: Which physical property is used to identify a mineral based on its resistance to being scratched?

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


Question: A negatively charged rubber rod was brought near some small pieces of paper. The rod's charges repelled the negative charges in the pieces. Which of the following caused the repulsion of the negative charges?

Choices:
A. induction
B. insulation
C. gravitation
D. conduction


Question: Mangrove trees are affected by several factors. Which is an abiotic factor contributing to the energy cycle of a mangrove ecosystem?

Choices:
A. climate
B. fungi
C. rocks
D. bacteria


Question: What does a light-year measure?

Choices:
A. time
B. mass
C. distance
D. brightness


Question: Which of these structures in a plant cell allows a plant to make food?

Choices:
A. chromosomes
B. cytoplasm
C. cell wall
D. chloroplast


Question: Patricia and her classmates are visiting different rocky areas in the city. They want to know what kind of rocks can be found in each area. If the investigation is done correctly, what will Patricia and her classmates do each time they visit an area?

Choices:
A. count the rock numbers
B. draw the rock shapes
C. measure the rock masses and lengths
D. record the rock types and locations


Question: The electrical charge of the nucleus of an atom is +12. How many electrons does the atom have in its neutral state?

Choices:
A. 12
B. 24
C. 18
D. 6


Question: Which of these is a reason that scientists revise theories?

Choices:
A. experimental results that support a revised theory
B. public opinion in favor of a revised theory
C. government policy based on a revised theory
D. corporate sponsorship of a revised theory

experimental results that support a revised theory


Question: Which of the following results when hydrogen and chlorine chemically bond to form hydrogen chloride?

Choices:
A. a compound
B. a solution
C. a precipitate
D. a mixture


Question: Scientists are able to conclude that a forested ecosystem existed in Antarctica millions of years ago by studying

Choices:
A. the current climate.
B. glacial movement.
C. seafloor spreading.
D. the fossil record.


Question: Which Earth movement results in day and night?

Choices:
A. revolution
B. rotation
C. erosion
D. deposition


Question: Upwelling moves the water of the deep ocean to the ocean's surface. What else does upwelling move to the surface?

Choices:
A. dissolved gases
B. nutrients
C. phytoplankton
D. fish


Question: Which body system functions by bringing in oxygen and removing carbon dioxide?

Choices:
A. urinary
B. digestive
C. endocrine
D. respiratory


Question: A topographic map is primarily used to determine the

Choices:
A. location of major cities in the country.
B. elevation of an area.
C. rainfall of desert regions.
D. number of continents in the world.


Question: A change in the pattern of warm ocean currents can cause a climate change by

Choices:
A. releasing thermal energy in irregular spurts.
B. moving thermal energy from one place to another.
C. increasing the ocean's capacity for absorbing thermal energy.
D. absorbing thermal energy from the Sun's rays.

moving thermal energy from one place to another.


Question: Which part of digestion is mainly a chemical change?

Choices:
A. Throat muscles push food toward the stomach.
B. Teeth break food into small pieces.
C. Stomach acids dissolve food into nutrients.
D. Intestinal cells transport nutrients into the blood.

Stomach acids dissolve food into nutrients.


Question: Which object is best seen with a microscope?

Choices:
A. human cell
B. oak leaf
C. chicken leg
D. cow heart


Question: In which example does an object move because of the force of gravity?

Choices:
A. a girl hitting a ball with a bat
B. a boy pushing a box across the floor
C. a boy falling from a tree onto the ground
D. a girl hammering a nail into a wall

a boy falling from a tree onto the ground


Question: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established in 1970 to address problems that existed in the environment. Which is the EPA most likely interested in reducing?

Choices:
A. the level of pollution caused by people
B. the amount of oxygen produced by trees
C. the emissions from volcanic activity
D. the amount of ozone in the stratosphere


Question: In order for plants to grow, the cells require nutrients in the form of minerals. The minerals come from

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


Question: HIV makes the body vulnerable to secondary infections by targeting

Choices:
A. helper T-cells.
B. killer T-cells.
C. macrophages.
D. cells.


Question: A student is investigating the properties of a mineral. The student tests the mineral by putting it under an ultraviolet light. Which property of the mineral can be identified using this test?

Choices:
A. luster
B. color
C. streak
D. fluorescence


Question: A student plans to grow algal colonies in solutions with different concentrations of liquid fertilizer. Which is a clear and testable hypothesis to guide this investigation?

Choices:
A. Fertilizer is good for algae.
B. Algal growth rate increases with fertilizer concentration.
C. Algae like fertilizer.
D. Fertilizer improves the genetic traits of algae.

Algal growth rate increases with fertilizer concentration.


Question: Which process is taking place when water freezes between cracks in rocks?

Choices:
A. sedimentation
B. weathering
C. deposition
D. crystallization


Question: The human body temperature is normally 98.6°F. As a person exercises, the body temperature starts to increase. As a result of the increased body temperature, the perspiration process begins to cool the body. Which best describes what the body is doing when it perspires?

Choices:
A. maintaining homeostasis
B. controlling metabolism
C. reducing transpiration
D. increasing osmosis


Question: In living organisms, the level of organization from least complex to most complex is

Choices:
A. tissue, organ, cell, organism
B. cell, organ, tissue, organism
C. tissue, cell, organ, organism
D. cell, tissue, organ, organism


Question: Which type of model best shows the location of underwater ocean ridges?

Choices:
A. nautical chart
B. satellite map
C. world globe
D. topographic map


Question: A student put a metal pot on the stove to boil some water. The metal transferred heat to the water through

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


Question: Which feature is a kitten most likely to inherit from its parents?

Choices:
A. independence
B. color
C. health
D. diet


Question: Proteins are compounds formed in the cells of plants and animals. Which element is included in every protein molecule?

Choices:
A. sodium
B. fluorine
C. carbon
D. calcium


Question: A rocket is traveling toward space. What force must the rocket act against as it moves away from Earth?

Choices:
A. inertia
B. gravity
C. magnetism
D. momentum


Question: A group of workers needs to move a piano from the second floor of a building. The piano is too wide to fit through the door, so they will lower the piano to the ground through a window. Which tool would be best to help the workers lower the piano from the window?

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


Question: Why is a spacesuit inflated like a balloon?

Choices:
A. to protect astronauts from solar radiation
B. to help astronauts float in outer space
C. to provide an oxygen supply for breathing
D. to simulate the air pressure of Earth


Question: Which term best describes the process responsible for cave formation that results from rock being dissolved by groundwater?

Choices:
A. glacial movement
B. chemical weathering
C. abrasion
D. sedimentation


Question: What happens to colored sugar when it is added to water?

Choices:
A. The sugar becomes white and the water changes color.
B. The sugar reacts and colors the water.
C. The sugar evaporates and the water changes color.
D. The sugar dissolves and colors the water.

The sugar dissolves and colors the water.


Question: Which statement about plant and animals cells is true?

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

Both use mitochondria to produce energy.


Question: Farm fertilizers are often carried by runoff into the Mississippi River and down to the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in algae blooms. Which of these results from the decomposition of the algae blooms?

Choices:
A. an abundance of dissolved oxygen
B. a reduction in atmospheric carbon dioxide
C. food webs with rapidly growing populations
D. dead zones where there are no fish


Question: Jennifer is jumping rope. Which type of characteristic is she most likely demonstrating?

Choices:
A. inherited
B. learned
C. instinctive
D. recessive


Question: A teacher breaks a bar of pure copper into two different sized pieces. Which is the most likely difference between the two pieces?

Choices:
A. boiling point
B. mass
C. texture
D. melting point


Question: Blood is a fluid made up of several different parts. What level of structural organization best describes blood?

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


Question: Scientists found large areas of fossilized wood in a desert in Arizona. The fossilized wood is evidence of the ancient environment. Based on the evidence, what was the ancient environment in this area?

Choices:
A. desert
B. glacier
C. forest
D. grasslands


Question: Ruben is using a compass to find out which direction the wind is blowing. Which of the following would be best for him to observe to help him find the direction of the wind?

Choices:
A. a flag on a pole
B. birds flying above the trees
C. the temperature on a thermometer
D. the shadow of a building


Question: A farmer predicts a new sprinkler will keep water from being wasted. What term best describes this prediction?

Choices:
A. experiment
B. hypothesis
C. observation
D. variable


Question: Tides on Earth are mostly caused by the gravitational pull of

Choices:
A. the Moon.
B. the Sun.
C. asteroids.
D. stars.


Question: When rain falls on the land, some of it is absorbed by surface sediment. How porous the surface sediments are controls how much water is absorbed. Which of the following will most likely result in an area where surface sediment is NOT porous?

Choices:
A. droughts
B. tornadoes
C. spring formation
D. flooding


Question: Which of the following parts of a car belongs to its control system?

Choices:
A. fuel tank
B. hydraulic jack
C. windshield wipers
D. steering wheel


Question: Which substance can be used to conduct electricity in a circuit?

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


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

Choices:
A. gram
B. degree Celsius
C. Calorie
D. milliliter


Question: A student measured how quickly a car rolled down a hill. Which tool should the student have used to measure how quickly the car rolled down the hill?

Choices:
A. a centimeter ruler
B. a thermometer
C. a stopwatch
D. a hand lens


Question: Water at 20 degrees Celsius is placed on a stove. As the water is heated, thermal energy is absorbed by the water. If the water is heated to a maximum temperature of 80 degrees Celsius, what happens as a result of the increased temperature?

Choices:
A. The disorder decreases.
B. The evaporation decreases.
C. The entropy increases.
D. The potential energy increases.


Question: The electromagnetic spectrum is described as a

Choices:
A. series of colors of the rainbow.
B. list of radioactive elements.
C. range of conductivity of metals.
D. band of frequencies of light waves.


Question: Which of the following is most important in producing the seasons on Earth?

Choices:
A. the distance of Earth from the Sun
B. Earth's gravitational attraction to the Sun
C. the tilt of Earth's axis as it revolves around the Sun
D. the Moon's revolution around Earth

the tilt of Earth's axis as it revolves around the Sun


Question: Which of the following is designed to convert energy into mechanical work?

Choices:
A. Electric fan
B. Flashlight
C. Kerosene heater
D. Baking oven


Question: A student hears the sound of a bell. Which of the following carries the sound of the bell to the student?

Choices:
A. electrical currents
B. vibrating air
C. radio waves
D. magnetic signals


Question: The first stage of soil formation is the weathering of rock into fine particles. To make a good soil for growing plants, which would be best to add to the rock particles?

Choices:
A. sand
B. organic matter
C. minerals
D. silt


Question: Which best describes a scientific theory?

Choices:
A. It is true, once written.
B. It is still being tested.
C. It is different for each continent.
D. It is determined in a court of law.


Question: Scientists are studying the factors that influence the climate of a region. In attempts to gather accurate data, the scientists should use data that includes the

Choices:
A. number of people living in the area.
B. type of weather that has occurred.
C. number of earthquakes that occur each year.
D. types of organisms in the environment.


Question: Why do two surfaces get warm when they are rubbed together?

Choices:
A. The surfaces absorb energy from the air.
B. Moving objects produce heat energy.
C. Friction changes energy of motion to heat energy.
D. Energy is transferred between the two surfaces.

Friction changes energy of motion to heat energy.


Question: Two high tides and two low tides occur on Earth every

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


Question: A book placed on a table is observed to remain stationary. Which statement about the observation would be considered a fact rather than an opinion?

Choices:
A. The table is composed of a stronger material than the book.
B. The book is not very heavy.
C. The table pushes up on the book.
D. The book probably has a sticky cover.


Question: Having students wash their hands frequently with soap and water will limit the spread of infectious disease by

Choices:
A. protecting harmless bacterial cells.
B. releasing mutated cells from pores.
C. removing viruses and bacteria from the skin.
D. changing viral and bacterial nucleic acids.

removing viruses and bacteria from the skin.


Question: Which object helps people understand what makes up white light?

Choices:
A. Microscope
B. Thermometer
C. Prism
D. Barometer


Question: Water vapor sometimes condenses into stratus clouds that are in contact with the ground. What forms as a result of this process?

Choices:
A. ozone
B. fog
C. methane
D. smoke


Question: One of the main causes of acid rain is

Choices:
A. Spills from chemical manufacturing plants
B. Waste from nuclear power plants
C. Gases from aerosol spray cans
D. Gases from burning fossil fuels


Question: Which of these activities makes the MOST air pollution?

Choices:
A. Reusing trash bags
B. Burning trash bags
C. Storing trash bags
D. Recycling trash bags


Question: The Hardy-Weinberg law is only valid when

Choices:
A. immigration into the population is occurring.
B. migration into the population is occurring.
C. the population is large.
D. the population is small.


Question: Deposition of sediment during floods makes the land near some rivers

Choices:
A. hilly.
B. fertile.
C. unstable.
D. acidic.


Question: Old, worn-out rubber tires are called scrap tires. Which way of disposing of scrap tires is best for the environment?

Choices:
A. burning the tires
B. taking the tires to a recycling center
C. burying the tires in a landfill
D. dumping the tires in a lake


Question: Which material is the best conductor of heat at room temperature?

Choices:
A. air
B. sulfur
C. water
D. copper


Question: A student drops a white tablet into a glass of water, producing carbon dioxide gas. This is a demonstration of

Choices:
A. the creation of matter.
B. a change of state.
C. the movement of electricity.
D. a chemical reaction.


Question: Which of these is a structure that is present in all organisms?

Choices:
A. a brain
B. a tissue
C. a cell
D. a stomach


Question: Which set of conditions will produce an electric current in a closed loop of wire?

Choices:
A. a magnet at rest inside the loop of wire
B. a magnet passing through the loop of wire
C. a magnet touching the loop of wire
D. a magnet at rest outside the loop of wire

a magnet passing through the loop of wire


Question: Extensive folding of sedimentary rock layers on Earth provides indirect evidence of certain processes occurring throughout Earth's history. Which of these is most likely one of these processes?

Choices:
A. convective heat loss from Earth's mantle
B. increase in the density of Earth's atmosphere
C. slow increase in the distance of Earth's orbit
D. slowing of the rotation of Earth's core

convective heat loss from Earth's mantle


Question: An ice cube melts on a hot summer day because the energy of the particles

Choices:
A. is converted into potential energy.
B. increases and the particles move apart.
C. causes the particles to move closer together.
D. decreases over a period of time and is lost.


Question: The relationship between ticks and a dog can best be described as

Choices:
A. parasitism.
B. commensalism.
C. mutualism.
D. competition.


Question: Small grasshoppers shed their outer covering as they grow larger. Which animal also sheds its outer covering as it grows larger?

Choices:
A. fish
B. snake
C. human
D. frog


Question: Two atoms of oxygen combine to form pure oxygen gas. What is the electrical charge of the O_{2} molecules?

Choices:
A. neutral
B. negative
C. variable
D. positive


Question: Which is not a type of electromagnetic wave?

Choices:
A. sound wave
B. radio wave
C. microwave
D. x-ray


Question: What is one way to help slow down or stop the greenhouse effect?

Choices:
A. clean up the litter in neighborhoods
B. find new coal resources in the earth
C. clean up the water pollution in local lakes
D. walk or ride a bike instead of driving a car

walk or ride a bike instead of driving a car


Question: Great distances in space are measured in

Choices:
A. astronomical units.
B. megameters.
C. light years.
D. kilometers.


Question: Which of the following gives a plant cell its rigid structure?

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


Question: Which alternative energy resource changes part of a river into a lake?

Choices:
A. solar energy
B. biofuel energy
C. hydropower
D. geothermal energy


Question: A student in a laboratory transfers a beaker containing a hot solution from the lab table to a cool water bath. Which of the following parts of the system experiences an increase in heat energy?

Choices:
A. water bath
B. lab table
C. solution
D. beaker


Question: Which example best illustrates kinetic energy?

Choices:
A. a battery that is connected to a circuit
B. a comet that is flying through space
C. a car that is parked on top of a hill
D. a light bulb that is turned on


Question: Which theory about the origin of the universe states that a densely packed sphere exploded, forming clouds that condensed into galaxies?

Choices:
A. the Big Bang theory
B. the Oscillating theory
C. the Steady State theory
D. the Galaxy theory


Question: Which characteristic is shared by all members of Arthropoda and Chordata phyla?

Choices:
A. one pair of wings
B. jointed limbs
C. mandibles
D. simple eyes


Question: Which of the following is certain to change as a ball accelerates?

Choices:
A. mass of the ball
B. inertia of the ball
C. velocity of the ball
D. force acting on the ball


Question: One year a farmer decided not to plant crops in one of his fields. During that year his farm received a greater amount of precipitation than normal. Which will most likely occur in that unplanted field as a result of the greater precipitation?

Choices:
A. more carbon dioxide will be trapped in the field
B. animals will dig burrows in the field
C. invasive species will inhabit the field
D. erosion of topsoil will increase in the field

erosion of topsoil will increase in the field


Question: Which group of energy sources are ALL renewable?

Choices:
A. natural gas, solar, and tidal
B. solar, oil, and geothermal
C. coal, oil, and natural gas
D. wind, solar, and tidal


Question: What happens to the molecules of a liquid when the liquid cools?

Choices:
A. They decrease in size
B. They decrease in number
C. They slow down.
D. They speed up.


Question: Some individuals are unable to digest the lactose found in the milk of cows. The digestive systems of these individuals most likely lack which?

Choices:
A. a lipid that coats lactose molecules
B. an enzyme that catalyzes lactose breakdown
C. an ability to produce lactose internally
D. a tolerance to lactose developed during childhood

an enzyme that catalyzes lactose breakdown


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

Choices:
A. ovaries, uterus, and fallopian tubes
B. brain, spinal cord, and eyes
C. mouth, stomach, and gallbladder
D. lungs, esophagus, and heart


Question: Which of the following best describes the relationship between frequency and wavelength of electromagnetic waves?

Choices:
A. If the wavelength remains constant, the frequency increases.
B. The wavelength decreases as the frequency decreases.
C. The frequency increases as the wavelength decreases.
D. If the frequency remains constant, the wavelength increases.

The frequency increases as the wavelength decreases.


Question: Which pair would be most necessary for life to develop on another planet?

Choices:
A. sulfur and nitrogen
B. chlorophyll and oxygen
C. liquid water and carbon
D. helium and hydrogen


Question: How are light and sound similar?

Choices:
A. They are both waves.
B. They both travel at the same speed.
C. They both travel through a vacuum.
D. They are both electromagnetic.


Question: When heated, mercuric oxide decomposes to form liquid mercury and oxygen. A scientist heated 10 grams (g) of mercuric oxide and formed 9.3 grams of liquid mercury. How many grams of oxygen were formed?

Choices:
A. 0.7 g
B. 10.0 g
C. 9.3 g
D. 19.3 g


Question: When chlorine gas reacts with sodium metal, what type of substance is formed?

Choices:
A. A mixture
B. An element
C. An alloy
D. A solution
E. A compound


Question: A structure that carries a single unit of hereditary information is a

Choices:
A. sex cell
B. pedigree chart
C. gene
D. tissue


Question: Muscle cells need to quickly convert energy from food molecules into a usable form. For this reason, which of the following do muscle cells have in greater numbers than most other types of cells?

Choices:
A. nuclei
B. mitochondria
C. vacuoles
D. chromosomes


Question: Which would help conserve water?

Choices:
A. Water the lawn every day
B. Run the dishwasher after each meal
C. Turn off water while brushing teeth
D. Wash the car every day


Question: Which of these are both supplied to Earth by the Sun?

Choices:
A. heat and light
B. gravity and magnetism
C. coal and oil
D. friction and electricity


Question: A red flowered plant (RR) is crossed with a white flowered plant (WW) and produces plants with pink flowers (RW). If two pink flowered plants are crossed, what color offspring could be produced?

Choices:
A. red and white
B. red, white, and pink
C. pink and red
D. pink and white


Question: Which is the most accurate model to show how amino acids form proteins?

Choices:
A. pieces in a jigsaw puzzle
B. bees in a hive
C. petals on a flower
D. cars on a train


Question: What is the main function of the chloroplasts in plant cells?

Choices:
A. to allow the plant to reproduce
B. to keep the cell rigid
C. to produce glucose
D. to make the cell divide


Question: Gravity can be defined as a force of attraction between objects. The effects of gravity can be witnessed in many systems. Which of these actions is an example of gravity influencing other systems?

Choices:
A. glaciers melting because of increasing temperatures
B. planets moving around the Sun in an elliptical pattern
C. groundwater moving to the surface in an artesian well
D. surface water evaporating into the atmosphere

planets moving around the Sun in an elliptical pattern


Question: Which characteristic of a cold-water upwelling near the coast of Northern California results in a large concentration of marine organisms?

Choices:
A. loss of thermal stability
B. increased availability of dissolved oxygen
C. consistent surface-current flow rate
D. high nutrient concentration


Question: When mountains are formed, there is an interaction between areas of Earth. Which two will interact and result in the formation of mountains?

Choices:
A. asthenosphere and lithosphere
B. hydrosphere and lithosphere
C. hydrosphere and biosphere
D. troposphere and ionosphere


Question: A model of the Moon would be different from a model of Earth in that the Moon should

Choices:
A. have fewer impact craters on the surface.
B. be smaller than Earth.
C. have a source of light inside.
D. have a smoother surface than Earth.


Question: Which of the following correctly lists the structures in space from smallest to largest?

Choices:
A. star, solar system, galaxy, universe
B. star, galaxy, solar system, universe
C. star, universe, solar system, galaxy
D. star, solar system, universe, galaxy


Question: Some changes are fast. Some changes are slow. Which of these changes is most likely the slowest?

Choices:
A. landslide
B. fire
C. drought
D. flood


Question: Which of these diseases is caused by a bacterium?

Choices:
A. influenza
B. chicken pox
C. rabies
D. strep throat


Question: When is the most energy transferred from the Sun to water in the water cycle?

Choices:
A. during collection
B. during condensation
C. during evaporation
D. during precipitation


Question: Which of the following shows the correct sequence of inventions?

Choices:
A. printing press -> microscope -> telephone
B. television -> automobile -> microwave
C. Doppler radar -> microphone -> telescope
D. airplane -> microphone -> radio

printing press -> microscope -> telephone


Question: When two animals live in the same area and depend on the same organism for food, they are

Choices:
A. competing
B. hibernating
C. germinating
D. decomposing


Question: Which statement describes a primary function of the cell wall of a plant cell?

Choices:
A. The cell wall performs photosynthesis.
B. The cell wall provides structural support.
C. The cell wall stores DNA.
D. The cell wall manufactures proteins.

The cell wall provides structural support.


Question: Which metric units should be used to describe the mass of an object?

Choices:
A. liters
B. centimeters
C. grams
D. degrees Celsius


Question: Which form of energy is produced when a guitar string vibrates?

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


Question: Andre learned that plants survive through a process called photosynthesis. Which substance do plants produce during photosynthesis?

Choices:
A. soil
B. minerals
C. sugar
D. nitrogen


Question: For years, scientists have classified plants according to their characteristics. Which most likely has led scientists to better identify and discover new species of plants?

Choices:
A. development of the scientific method
B. understanding the process of mitosis
C. construction of 3-D models
D. advances in the study of DNA