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Question: The distance between the Sun and the next closest star, Proxima Centauri, is most accurately measured in Answer: light years.
Question: Which of these uses sound waves to locate underwater objects? Answer: sonar
Question: Paleontologists are scientists who study evidence of past life on Earth. Which method do paleontologists most likely use to determine the forms of life that existed millions of years ago? Answer: examine fossils records
Question: The temperature in a hot star is high enough to pull electrons away from atoms. What state of matter results from this process? Answer: plasma
Question: Which resource, abundant in Nevada, is nonrenewable? Answer: copper
Question: A student reaches one hand into a bag filled with smooth objects. The student feels the objects but does not look into the bag. Which property of the objects can the student most likely identify? Answer: shape
Question: An abiotic factor that most influences the organisms living in a salt marsh is Answer: water.
Question: When oil is burning, the reaction will Answer: only release energy
Question: Fourth graders are planning a roller-skate race. Which surface would be the best for this race? Answer: blacktop
Question: Protein is used by the human body to Answer: repair cells.
Question: Changes in the weather are important to people living in Alaska. Which two tools best help scientists to share information about weather? Answer: radio and computer
Question: Which outcome is most likely if a person consumes more Calories than needed for daily activities? Answer: weight gain
Question: In a mixture, a magnet is used to separate some particles from sand. The dark particles are most likely made of which element? Answer: iron
Question: A student tosses a ball into the air. Which force causes the ball to fall back to the ground? Answer: gravity
Question: The gravitational force between two objects depends on the distance between the objects and each object's Answer: mass
Question: Scientists who have studied global climate changes have found that the average temperature of Earth has risen. There has also been an increase in the accumulation of atmospheric greenhouse gases. What is the goal of the scientific community in collecting this type of data? Answer: to understand how greenhouse gases are related to global warming
Question: Paper chromatography is a process used to separate mixtures of substances into their components. The components are carried by a mobile phase through a stationary phase made of absorbent paper. An investigation analyzed a sample of black ink to determine its components.Which property allows the components to separate? Answer: the solubility of the components in the mobile phase
Question: In one area, a large source of prey for eagles is rabbits. If the number of rabbits suddenly decreases, what effect will it most likely have on the eagles? Answer: Their numbers will decrease.
Question: Moving water in a river is considered a renewable resource because it Answer: can be recycled by nature over time
Question: When studying planetary data, Jackie found some similarities and differences among the planets that make up the solar system. Which generalization is true about the orbits of the major planets in the solar system? Answer: Planetary orbits are mostly elliptical in shape.
Question: When nitrogen-rich runoff from farms enters a nearby farm, it causes abundant growth of algal mat on the pond surface. As a result, underwater plants in the pond begin to die. Identify the limiting factor that is most responsible for causing the underwater plants to die. Answer: sunlight
Question: What is the main source of energy for the water cycle? Answer: the Sun
Question: Which of the following properties of a substance is conserved during thermal expansion? Answer: mass
Question: Trees use narrow tubes to transport water upward. Which property of water allows the water to rise in these narrow tubes? Answer: cohesion of molecules
Question: Which pair together could cause a rainbow? Answer: Sunshine and rain
Question: The property of matter that resists changes in motion is called Answer: inertia.
Question: Monarch butterflies use milkweed plants during all of their life stages. Milkweed plants grow in open areas, such as grasslands and wetlands. They also often grow between row crops. Given this information, which of these biotechnologies would pose the greatest threat to monarch butterflies? Answer: development of new herbicides
Question: In the past, Native American Indians buried dead fish along with corn seeds. This technique was used because the decomposing dead fish would Answer: provide nutrients for the growing corn plant
Question: Earth is composed of layers of material with different properties. Which of the following is most likely to be in constant motion? Answer: mantle
Question: Which mechanism helps carbon to cycle from the atmosphere to living organisms? Answer: photosynthesis
Question: A city has an outbreak of a disease that affects an unusually large portion of its population at the same time. Which term best describes the outbreak? Answer: epidemic
Question: In which structure is the Sun located? Answer: Milky Way Galaxy
Question: Removing waste from the body is the primary function of which body system? Answer: excretory
Question: Which discovery revealed that the universe contains many structures composed of millions of stars? Answer: galaxies
Question: If a tall tree falls over in a crowded forest, which resource becomes available to the surrounding plants? Answer: sunlight
Question: What best describes the mantle of Earth? Answer: the largest layer between the crust and outer core
Question: When Javier exercises, his muscle cells need more oxygen. Which would help Javier's muscle cells receive more oxygen? Answer: increasing the rate his heart beats
Question: Which process has most likely occurred when new traits appear in a species? Answer: genetic mutation
Question: A patient visits the doctor for a checkup and is diagnosed with skin cancer. Which of the following is the most likely cause of this disease? Answer: exposure to ultraviolet rays
Question: Which of the following forms of energy can travel by vibrating particles of air? Answer: sound
Question: A chef uses a metal spoon to stir noodles cooking in a pan. After five minutes, she notices that the thermal energy from the pan has made the spoon Answer: hot.
Question: Which will most likely cause a decrease in predator populations? Answer: a decrease in prey populations
Question: A robin catches and eats a cricket. Which statement best describes the roles of each animal? Answer: The robin is the predator and the cricket is the prey.
Question: Hookworms live inside the intestines of dogs. As the dog eats, the hookworms consume partially digested food. As a result of this nutrient diversion, the dog can become malnourished and weakened. Which best describes the relationship between the hookworms and the dog? Answer: a parasitic relationship
Question: The prairie grass ecosystem once had a deep layer of topsoil which was protected by the grasses that covered it. Removal of these grasses for farmland is causing the soil to be eroded mainly by Answer: wind and rain.
Question: When the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun, what season is occurring in Australia? Answer: winter
Question: Light waves are arranged in the electromagnetic spectrum by Answer: wavelength and frequency.
Question: In order to distinguish fact from opinion, conclusions in experiments should be Answer: based on verifiable data.
Question: Pumice is formed when lava from a volcano cools. Which rock type is pumice? Answer: Igneous rock
Question: The principle of uniformitarianism states that most of the landscape of Earth was formed slowly and over a long period of time. Which occurrence of Earth is least supported by this principle? Answer: volcanic eruption
Question: Selective breeding has resulted in plants that are resistant to pests and produce a higher yield of fruits and vegetables. Which of these is the most likely disadvantage that can result from this process? Answer: decreased genetic diversity
Question: A student measured the volume of water in a pan. The student boiled the water for thirty minutes and then measured the volume of the water again. The volume of water most likely Answer: decreased
Question: Lori owns a house next to the lake. She uses lots of fertilizer to keep her lawn green. Which impact could fertilizing her lawn have on the lake? Answer: an increase in the algae population
Question: To compare the hardness of different minerals, it would be BEST to find Answer: which minerals scratch other minerals.
Question: A house is built in a desert, where there is no electricity and very little wind. Which action could lead to operating the electrical appliances in the house that would cause the least amount of environmental pollution? Answer: placing solar panels on the roof of the house
Question: Students are learning about the natural resources in Maryland. One group of students researches information about renewable natural resources in the state. The other group researches information about nonrenewable natural resources in the state. The resources the students investigate include plants, animals, soil, minerals, water, coal, and oil. Which nonrenewable natural resource heats homes? Answer: natural gas
Question: Gregor Mendel was the first to show that organisms had traits that are passed on from parents to the next generation. In order for the scientific community to accept Mendel's discovery, others had to Answer: duplicate the results of his experiments.
Question: Alicia has lots of old bicycle parts. She wants to build something new with the parts. What is the first thing Alicia should do? Answer: plan the new item
Question: Which is a major organ of the nervous system? Answer: brain
Question: Some students were investigating the relationship between position, time, and speed. The students marked the initial position of a toy car. The students set the car into motion and marked the position of the car each second. Which of these are most appropriate for recording and analyzing the students' data? Answer: a table and a line graph
Question: If the number of trees significantly decreases, the atmosphere's level of which gas might significantly increase? Answer: carbon dioxide
Question: Which of the following is the best estimate of the number of stars in a typical galaxy? Answer: billions
Question: A company plants trees on a bare hillside. Which of these is the BEST reason for planting the trees? Answer: The trees prevent soil from washing away.
Question: Index fossils help scientists estimate the age of a rock because index fossil species only existed for a relatively short time. What happened to the species that are now used as index fossils? Answer: They became extinct.
Question: Feathers, wings, and the hollow bones of birds are examples of Answer: adaptations for flight
Question: A student climbs up a rocky mountain trail in Maine. She sees many small pieces of rock on the path. Which action most likely made the small pieces of rock? Answer: ice breaking large rocks apart
Question: Which of the following heat exchange processes involves the collision of particles? Answer: conduction
Question: The most effective way to show a change happening over time is to display your results using a Answer: line graph.
Question: The diet of a brown bear includes roots, grasses, berries, nuts, fish, insects, and mammals. Based on this description, in what category is a brown bear? Answer: omnivore
Question: A bracket fungus grows on a dead tree and breaks it down into chemical nutrients. What term best classifies the role of a bracket fungus in this ecosystem? Answer: decomposer
Question: The comet Shoemaker-Levy struck the planet Jupiter in July of 1994. The process of a comet striking a planet is an example of a net decrease in kinetic energy. Kinetic energy was ultimately converted into Answer: thermal energy.
Question: An earthquake in the Earth's crust under the ocean releases sound waves. Which statement accurately describes how the sound waves spread? Answer: They spread in all directions away from their source.
Question: Which provides the oldest evidence for oxygen accumulation in Earth's atmosphere? Answer: the earliest sediments of oxidized rock
Question: Louis Pasteur discovered that the bacteria in a substance can be killed by heating the substance for a short period of time. Which of these practices benefited most from Pasteur's discovery? Answer: storing foods for longer periods of time
Question: How do traits of animals such as ear shape, nose shape, and hair color most often get passed to offspring? Answer: sexual reproduction
Question: Why is the ozone content of the stratosphere important to living organisms? Answer: Ozone absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the Sun.
Question: If an environment becomes warmer and drier, the change that would most likely help a species adapt would be an increase in its Answer: ability to store water.
Question: Thousands of years ago, several species of large mammals existed in North America. These species became extinct not long after the first human settlement of North America. Which human activity most likely contributed to the extinction of these mammals? Answer: hunting
Question: Which of the following is an example of a behavioral adaptation? Answer: migration of birds
Question: Which two processes could result in the formation of high mountains with well-rounded peaks? Answer: collision of crustal plates and erosion
Question: The brown tree snake is a nonnative species found on the South Pacific island of Guam. The brown tree snake population in Guam is so large that it negatively affects the humans there. Which statement best explains why the brown tree snake has flourished in Guam? Answer: There are no natural snake predators.
Question: How are droughts always different from floods? Answer: They have different amounts of water.
Question: Which of the following is a harmful waste material that leaves the blood and travels through the lungs before leaving the body? Answer: CO2.
Question: How are a tree and grass alike? Answer: Both have roots.
Question: What organ system in the human body contains the pituitary gland, hypothalamus gland, and thyroid gland? Answer: endocrine system
Question: Which term describes an organism's ability to maintain a stable internal environment? Answer: regulation
Question: Which of the following can provide the human body with long-term immunity against some diseases? Answer: vaccines
Question: Which event is most likely to increase the genetic variation in a population of organisms? Answer: increased immigration
Question: Where would animals and plants be most affected by a flood? Answer: low areas
Question: Which seismic wave phenomenon, found at structural boundaries, allows scientists to interpret the interior structure of Earth? Answer: refraction of waves
Question: When ice melts, it becomes a Answer: liquid.
Question: Which combination of letters could be used as a chemical symbol for an element? Answer: Dy
Question: How is the stratosphere different from the troposphere? Answer: The temperature of the stratosphere warms at higher altitude.
Question: If a student gets a chemical splashed into an eye, what is the most appropriate first action to be taken? Answer: flush the eye with water at an eyewash station
Question: Which of the following best describes an advantage of using a mass production manufacturing system instead of a custom manufacturing system? Answer: Products can be made at a lower cost.
Question: Which adaptation allows a walrus to stay warm in cold water? Answer: thick layer of blubber
Question: Ninety-nine percent of the mass of an atom is located in Answer: the nucleus.
Question: Which of the following is a common renewable resource found in deserts? Answer: solar energy
Question: Beaver dams can cause floods. This statement shows how Answer: animal behavior may affect the environment
Question: A scientist crosses a red-flowered plant with a white-flowered plant, and all offspring have red flowers. What will most likely result if these red-flowered offspring are crossed with white-flowered plants? Answer: The offspring will have either red or white flowers.