Question: Which behavior can help animals establish a territory?

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

Answer: C


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

Choices:
A. They work together to exchange gases.
B. They work together to transport nutrients.
C. They work independently to remove wastes.
D. They work independently to relay messages.

Answer: B


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

Choices:
A. stimulation of appetite
B. identification of gender
C. determination of blood type
D. regulation of growth in the skeletal system

Answer: D


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

Choices:
A. cladogram
B. DNA fingerprinting
C. gel electrophoresis
D. chromosomal analysis

Answer: D


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

Choices:
A. bass
B. minnows
C. aquatic plants
D. fish-eating birds

Answer: D


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

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

Answer: C


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

Choices:
A. clouds of hot gas
B. large numbers of stars
C. high energy compounds
D. extremely reflective ice particles

Answer: B


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

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

Answer: B


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

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

Answer: C


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

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

Answer: A


Question: Which class of elements best conducts electricity?

Choices:
A. metals
B. nonmetals
C. semimetals
D. noble (inert) gases

Answer: A


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

Choices:
A. sodium hydroxide and hydrogen chloride
B. sodium chloride and water
C. sodium, chlorine, hydrogen, and oxygen
D. sodium, chlorine, and water

Answer: B


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

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

Answer: A


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

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

Answer: C


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

Choices:
A. clearing the land.
B. setting the foundation.
C. servicing the structure.
D. installing utilities.

Answer: A


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

Choices:
A. imbalance in ecosystems
B. predator-prey relationships
C. dominant and recessive traits
D. male and female genetic differences

Answer: C


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

Choices:
A. (1.45)^3
B. 1 5/11
C. 1.45 x 10^3
D. 1.45 x 3

Answer: C


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

Choices:
A. nitrification
B. denitrification
C. nitrogen saturation
D. nitrogen fixation

Answer: D


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

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

Answer: B


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

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

Answer: D


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

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

Answer: B


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

Choices:
A. odors
B. light
C. sound
D. electricity

Answer: C


Question: Which two objects produce their own light?

Choices:
A. candle and moon
B. moon and mirror
C. sun and candle
D. mirror and sun

Answer: C


Question: Which example describes an organism taking in nutrients?

Choices:
A. a dog burying a bone
B. a girl eating an apple
C. an insect crawling on a leaf
D. a boy planting tomatoes in a garden

Answer: B


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

Choices:
A. cytoskeleton and cell membrane
B. cytoplasm and Golgi apparatus
C. nucleus and endoplasmic reticulum
D. ribosome and central vacuole

Answer: A


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

Choices:
A. wavelength will be increased
B. amplitude will be unchanged
C. frequency will be distorted
D. speed will be decreased

Answer: C


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

Choices:
A. kinetic energy.
B. physical changes.
C. chemical changes.
D. potential energy.

Answer: C


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

Choices:
A. mixing
B. settling
C. filtration
D. evaporation

Answer: D


Question: Which is an example of light being reflected?

Choices:
A. taking a picture
B. using a magnifying glass
C. looking into a mirror
D. using eyeglasses

Answer: C


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

Choices:
A. It causes evaporation.
B. It allows plants to grow.
C. It provides heat for organisms.
D. It transmits light.

Answer: A


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

Choices:
1. dissolving table salt in water
2. hammering aluminum into thin sheets
3. melting gold to make jewelry
4. burning wood to produce ashes

Answer: 4


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

Choices:
A. rainy.
B. sunny.
C. snowing.
D. hailing.

Answer: A


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

Choices:
A. Dark fur is lightweight.
B. Dark fur scares enemies.
C. Dark fur helps bears hide.
D. Dark fur keeps bears cool.

Answer: C


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

Choices:
A. There is more rain in the forest.
B. There is more oxygen in the forest.
C. There is more sunlight in the forest.
D. There is more competition in the forest.

Answer: A


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

Choices:
A. prairie
B. desert
C. coniferous forest
D. deciduous forest

Answer: B


Question: What happens when oil is placed in water?

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

Answer: D


Question: A decomposer is an organism that

Choices:
A. hunts and eats animals
B. migrates for the winter
C. breaks down dead plants and animals
D. uses water and sunlight to make food

Answer: C


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

Choices:
A. cells -> gills -> tissues
B. cells -> tissues -> gills
C. gills -> tissues -> cells
D. tissues -> gills -> cells

Answer: B


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

Choices:
A. to keep the eggs inside the nest
B. to keep the eggs warm
C. to protect the eggs from the wind
D. to protect the eggs from the rain

Answer: B


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

Choices:
A. cell division
B. cellular respiration
C. heat production
D. food storage

Answer: A


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

Choices:
A. Sound waves with large amplitudes have less energy and sound quieter.
B. Sound waves with large amplitudes have more energy and sound louder.
C. Sound waves with large amplitudes have the same energy and sound quieter.
D. Sound waves with large amplitudes have the same energy and sound louder.

Answer: B


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

Choices:
A. gas
B. solid
C. solution
D. compound

Answer: C


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

Choices:
A. the high temperature and wind speed for six months
B. the high temperature and wind speed each day for one year
C. the temperature and precipitation every hour for one day
D. the average temperature and total precipitation each month for ten years

Answer: D


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

Choices:
A. liquid.
B. mixture.
C. solution.
D. suspension.

Answer: B


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

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

Answer: C


Question: Which of the following statements best explains why earthquakes occur more frequently in California than in Massachusetts?

Choices:
A. The rock found in California is igneous, but the rock found in Massachusetts is sedimentary.
B. California is located on the boundary of two crustal plates, but Massachusetts is not.
C. The rock under California is soft, but the rock under Massachusetts is hard.
D. California is located on a continental plate, but Massachusetts is not.

Answer: B


Question: Which of these describes a chemical change?

Choices:
A. water freezing
B. paper burning
C. water becoming steam
D. paper being torn

Answer: B


Question: A large tree was cut down with a saw. What is the best way to estimate the age of this tree?

Choices:
A. measure the height of the tree
B. measure the thickness of the bark
C. count the number of rings in the trunk
D. count the branches growing from the trunk

Answer: C


Question: From smallest to largest, the levels of organization in living things are

Choices:
A. tissues, cells, organs, organ systems.
B. tissues, cells, organ systems, organs.
C. cells, tissues, organs, organ systems.
D. cells, tissues, organ systems, organs.

Answer: C


Question: Which object is nonliving?

Choices:
A. bear
B. bicycle
C. bird
D. butterfly

Answer: B


Question: What happens when oil and water are mixed?

Choices:
A. The mixture changes color.
B. The water becomes cloudy.
C. The oil dissolves in the water.
D. The oil and water remain separate.

Answer: D


Question: Students measure the time for toy cars of different masses to roll down a hill. Which of the following units should the students use to measure time?

Choices:
A. centimeters
B. grams
C. milliliters
D. seconds

Answer: D


Question: A homeowner wants to use a renewable resource to heat the home. Which resource would be the best to use?

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

Answer: D


Question: Which of the following animal features most helps the animal move around in its habitat?

Choices:
A. A bird's sharp beak
B. A cow's tail
C. A sea turtle's flippers
D. A black bear's fur

Answer: C


Question: A student observes cells in an object by using a microscope. The student thinks that the object was part of a living thing. Which statement explains why cell theory can be used to support the student's thinking?

Choices:
A. Cell theory was developed using a microscope.
B. Cell theory was developed to study living things.
C. Cell theory states that all living things are made of cells.
D. Cell theory states that scientists may classify things as living or nonliving.

Answer: C


Question: A researcher observes that an organism placed in a glass container filled with water moves away when a penlight is focused on the container. The researcher concludes that the organism is light sensitive. Which other explanation for the organism's response to the light is most possible?

Choices:
A. The organism avoids radio waves.
B. The organism avoids gamma rays.
C. The organism moves away from vibrations.
D. The organism moves away from heat sources.

Answer: D


Question: Which behavior is an example of an animal adapting to a change in the environment?

Choices:
A. a squirrel climbing a tree
B. a rabbit feeding its young
C. a frog eating an insect
D. a bird migrating south

Answer: D


Question: Mitochondria are cell organelles that play a large role in energy processes within the body. Which cells are most likely to have a greater amount of mitochondria?

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

Answer: D


Question: Which would be the best method to use to dispose of cardboard boxes not utilized by a local grocery store?

Choices:
A. burn them once a month
B. send them to be dumped in a remote area
C. have them recycled for future paper products
D. put them into a dumpster with the rest of the trash

Answer: C


Question: Which item is used for protection from chemical splashing?

Choices:
A. compass
B. hand lens
C. microscope
D. safety goggles

Answer: D


Question: Which processes change magma into igneous rock?

Choices:
A. cooling and crystallization
B. compaction and cementation
C. heat and pressure
D. weathering and erosion

Answer: A


Question: Sophie investigates the water supply at her school and the things that affect it. Which action is a direct observation?

Choices:
A. tasting water from a water fountain
B. reading water test results
C. studying the rules for purifying water
D. investigating causes of water pollution

Answer: A


Question: Two identical books are on opposite ends of a table. Which of these would increase the gravitational force exerted between the two books?

Choices:
A. decrease the distance between the books
B. decrease the mass of the books
C. decrease the mass of the table
D. decrease the temperature in the room

Answer: A


Question: When a guitar string is plucked, sound is produced by

Choices:
A. the size of the guitar.
B. the metal on the guitar.
C. the wood on the guitar.
D. the vibrations of the string.

Answer: D


Question: What is the role of chlorophyll in photosynthesis?

Choices:
A. absorbing oxygen
B. reflecting green light
C. absorbing light energy
D. blocking carbon dioxide

Answer: C


Question: Which tool should a student use to compare the masses of two small rocks?

Choices:
A. balance
B. hand lens
C. ruler
D. measuring cup

Answer: A


Question: Which is an example of a chemical reaction?

Choices:
A. Vinegar added to baking soda forms a gas.
B. Water evaporates into air.
C. Sugar dissolves in water.
D. Corn kernels are crushed to form flour.

Answer: A


Question: Which type of evidence would a geologist need to support plate tectonic theory?

Choices:
A. plant fossils that are similar in size
B. the weathering and erosion of coastlines
C. new crust formed by the sea floor spreading
D. rocks with different physical appearances

Answer: C


Question: An example of a learned trait is

Choices:
A. being able to read
B. being able to breathe
C. having a scar
D. having brown eyes

Answer: A


Question: Angelo wants to know if the volume of water changes when it freezes. He measures the volume of water in its liquid state and then freezes it. Which tool did Angelo most likely use to measure the volume of the water?

Choices:
A. a microscope
B. a thermometer
C. a balance scale
D. a graduated cylinder

Answer: D


Question: In order for a glider to fly, its weight must be opposed by

Choices:
A. lift.
B. drag.
C. gravity.
D. friction.

Answer: A


Question: Why does the leaf of a plant look green?

Choices:
A. Because it absorbs green light
B. Because it reflects green light
C. Because it absorbs only yellow and blue light
D. Because it reflects a mixture of yellow and blue light

Answer: B


Question: Which statement best describes the nature of sound?

Choices:
A. Sound travels fastest in air.
B. Sound travels faster than light.
C. Sound travels as longitudinal waves.
D. Sound travels as transverse waves.

Answer: C


Question: Which of these provides most of the oxygen in Earth's atmosphere?

Choices:
A. coral reefs
B. rainforest plants
C. ocean phytoplankton
D. continental grasslands

Answer: C


Question: A solution of lead (II) nitrate reacts with a solution of sodium iodide to produce a yellow solid of lead (II) iodide and aqueous sodium nitrate. Which of these illustrates the reaction?

Choices:
A. Pb(NO_{3})_{2}(aq) + 2NaI(aq) -> PbI_{2}(s) + 2NaNO_{3}(aq)
B. L_{2}N(aq) + SI(aq) -> L_{2}I(s) + SN(aq)
C. Pb_{2}N(aq) + NaI(aq) -> Pb_{2}I(s) NaN(aq)
D. Fe(NO_{3})_{2}(aq) + 2NaI(aq) -> FeI_{2} + 2NaNO_{3}(aq)

Answer: A


Question: A meteoroid becomes a meteorite when it

Choices:
A. impacts the surface of a planet.
B. encounters the atmosphere of a planet.
C. makes a complete orbit around a planet.
D. starts to burn up in the atmosphere of a planet.

Answer: A


Question: Which force causes rocks to roll downhill?

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

Answer: A


Question: Infectious diseases are caused by

Choices:
1. allergies
2. vitamin deficiencies
3. chemical spills
4. microorganisms

Answer: 4


Question: A water wave that occurs in an ocean is an example of which type of wave?

Choices:
A. electromagnetic
B. gravitational
C. transverse
D. seismic

Answer: C


Question: Which of the following is an example of how insects are beneficial to humans?

Choices:
A. Insects can spread diseases.
B. Insects have short life spans.
C. Insects pollinate flowering plants.
D. Insects sometimes eat poisonous plants.

Answer: C


Question: In a closed system, what happens to the total energy of the system as energy conversions take place?

Choices:
A. It increases.
B. It decreases.
C. It remains constant.
D. It is transferred out of the system.

Answer: C


Question: Which of these organisms is a producer in a marine ecosystem?

Choices:
A. fish
B. gull
C. algae
D. worm

Answer: C


Question: Which of the following describes a reason why companies irradiate some fruits and vegetables before they are sold to the public?

Choices:
A. to improve the flavors by increasing the sugar content
B. to speed up the ripening of produce picked too early
C. to partially cook the produce before canning or freezing
D. to extend the shelf life by killing existing microorganisms

Answer: D


Question: A glacier is a slow moving river of ice. How does a glacier help create soil?

Choices:
A. It scrapes small particles off large rocks.
B. It carries plants down mountains and to oceans.
C. It melts and becomes part of streams and rivers.
D. It freezes small particles of dirt to form large rocks.

Answer: A


Question: During winter months, Amina sometimes notices ice covering the hoods of parked cars. Once the engine of the car runs for a while, the ice on the hood begins to melt. What form of energy is released from the car engine to melt the ice?

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

Answer: C


Question: A student notices dogs have more fleas in the summer than in the winter. Based on these observations, which is the most logical question for the student to investigate?

Choices:
A. How does wind affect the amount of fleas on dogs?
B. How does diet affect the amount of fleas on dogs?
C. How does rain affect the amount of fleas on dogs?
D. How does temperature affect the amount of fleas on dogs?

Answer: D


Question: According to the periodic table, all of the following are metals except

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

Answer: C


Question: A squid is an animal that lives in the ocean. It pumps a stream of water out of its body, causing it to move rapidly. Which of the following mechanical systems moves in a way most similar to the squid?

Choices:
A. a bus
B. a helicopter
C. a rocket
D. a train

Answer: C


Question: When the wax from a candle drips, the wax has reached

Choices:
A. its boiling point.
B. its melting point.
C. a chemical change.
D. a physical change.

Answer: B


Question: In the morning, students observed puddles of water all over the playground. What would best explain why the playground was dry in the afternoon?

Choices:
A. Animals drank the water.
B. The wind stopped blowing.
C. Someone dried the puddles.
D. The water evaporated during the day.

Answer: D


Question: Many areas of Massachusetts have small deep ponds called kettle ponds. Which of the following best explains the formation of these ponds?

Choices:
A. avalanche
B. wind erosion
C. glacial depression
D. sediment deposition

Answer: C


Question: What relationship exists between a dog and its fleas?

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

Answer: D


Question: Which of the following could limit the supply of a renewable resource?

Choices:
A. recycling aluminum cans
B. cutting down trees in forests
C. mining minerals such as gold
D. conserving freshwater resources

Answer: B


Question: Which statement best describes the energy transformations that occur when a candle burns?

Choices:
A. Heat energy from the wax is converted into chemical and light energy.
B. Heat energy from the air is converted into mechanical and light energy.
C. Chemical energy from the wax is converted into light and heat energy.
D. Chemical energy from the air is converted into mechanical and light energy.

Answer: C


Question: Pesticides and fertilizers can help farmers to produce more crops. However, overuse of these chemicals can result in

Choices:
1. ecological succession
2. material recycling
3. environmental pollution
4. selective breeding

Answer: 3


Question: What type of energy travels through the body of a microscope that allows the specimen to be seen by a student?

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

Answer: C


Question: A powder made up of both white specks and black specks is likely to be

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

Answer: C


Question: In the past, wild hogs called "javelinas" were seen only in the southern part of New Mexico. Now, javelinas are seen in areas 100 miles further north. What is the most likely cause of this expansion?

Choices:
A. Javelinas are reproducing less frequently.
B. Environmental conditions have changed.
C. The javelina's genetic traits have mutated.
D. Nutritional requirements of javelinas have changed.

Answer: B


Question: Which is the best example of a pure substance?

Choices:
A. peanuts
B. milk
C. gold
D. air

Answer: C


Question: Which tool would best help a person observe the parts of a plant cell?

Choices:
A. hand lens
B. telescope
C. binoculars
D. microscope

Answer: D


Question: The energy stored in the bonds of a glucose molecule during photosynthesis is in what form?

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

Answer: A


Question: What happens to water molecules during the boiling process?

Choices:
A. They move faster and move farther apart as they absorb heat.
B. They move faster and remain close together as they absorb heat.
C. They move more slowly but move farther apart as they lose heat.
D. They move faster and move farther apart as they lose heat.

Answer: A


Question: Evidence suggests that there is a relationship between ancient dinosaurs and modern birds. Through time, each occurrence of a new trait most likely resulted from which of the following?

Choices:
A. mutation of genes
B. hybridization of species
C. extinction of populations
D. alteration of the environment

Answer: A


Question: Which of the following can cause erosion?

Choices:
A. falling leaves
B. flowing water
C. growing grass
D. rising temperatures

Answer: B


Question: Living things are classified as producers or consumers according to

Choices:
1. their speed of movement
2. the size of their communities
3. how they obtain food
4. how they reproduce

Answer: 3


Question: A hydrologist studies the location, movement, and quality of water. A hydrologist recognizes the importance that water exists as ___.

Choices:
A. a solid, a liquid, and a gas (vapor)
B. a solid and a liquid
C. a solid and a gas (vapor)
D. a solid only

Answer: A


Question: Which of these can be recycled in an attempt to conserve resources?

Choices:
A. gasoline
B. sunlight
C. aluminum
D. natural gas

Answer: C


Question: This in turn causes the average temperature on Earth to rise. Which of the following observations supports that theory?

Choices:
A. The summer of 1998 was one of the hottest summer seasons on record.
B. Carbon dioxide gas from cars and industry is a product of burning that produces heat.
C. Carbon dioxide in the upper atmosphere absorbs and re-emits heat radiated from Earth's surface.
D. Radiation on Earth's surface is increasing because of a hole in the ozone layers.

Answer: C


Question: Which of these can be mined from Earth and used as an energy source?

Choices:
A. Coal
B. Gravel
C. Granite
D. Limestone

Answer: A


Question: Which tool is used to determine how long it takes warm water to melt an ice cube?

Choices:
A. a scale
B. a stopwatch
C. a calculator
D. a thermometer

Answer: B


Question: Two scientists doing the same experiment got different results. Which would be the best way to figure out which result might be correct?

Choices:
A. A group of scientists should argue about the results.
B. The two scientists should do different experiments.
C. More scientists should do the experiment.
D. A group of scientists should vote.

Answer: C


Question: A lipid bilayer allows certain molecules to pass through and blocks other molecules. Which structure is most often protected by a lipid bilayer?

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

Answer: A


Question: Traits are transferred from generation to generation through the

Choices:
A. sperm only
B. egg only
C. sperm and the egg
D. testes

Answer: C


Question: Many scientists theorize that global warming will melt the polar ice caps. What would most likely happen if the polar ice caps melted?

Choices:
A. Ocean levels would increase.
B. Human population would increase.
C. Vegetation in water would decrease.
D. Global precipitation would decrease.

Answer: A


Question: Which of the following groups of organisms uses sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen?

Choices:
A. carnivores
B. decomposers
C. herbivores
D. producers

Answer: D


Question: What is the first step in designing a product?

Choices:
A. model a solution
B. communicate the solution
C. identify the need or want
D. build a prototype

Answer: C


Question: Solids that are combined together and maintain their physical properties are best labeled as a

Choices:
A. solute.
B. mixture.
C. solvent.
D. compound.

Answer: B


Question: A group of vertebrates has lungs, a body covered with scales, internal fertilization, and amniotic eggs. Which group of vertebrates does this describe?

Choices:
A. amphibians
B. birds
C. mammals
D. reptiles

Answer: D


Question: The brain, spinal cord, and nerves are organs that perform which primary function?

Choices:
A. supporting the body and enabling it to move
B. transporting oxygen, wastes, and nutrients throughout the body
C. producing male and female gametes
D. conducting messages to coordinate body functions

Answer: D


Question: Mammals must eliminate waste products that their bodies produce. Which organ helps mammals eliminate bodily waste?

Choices:
A. appendix
B. kidney
C. pancreas
D. stomach

Answer: B


Question: A pot is heated on a stove. Which process causes the metal handle of the pot to also become hot?

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

Answer: D


Question: In making a pizza, which process involves a chemical change?

Choices:
A. mixing spices for the sauce
B. slicing pepperoni for the topping
C. spreading cheese on the pizza
D. baking the dough to form the crust

Answer: D


Question: Base your answers on the information below. One hot, summer day it rained very heavily. After the rain, a plastic pan on a picnic table had 2 cm of rainwater in it. Four hours later, all the rainwater in the pan was gone. Which process caused the rainwater in the pan to disappear as it sat outside in the hot air?

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

Answer: B


Question: Which process must occur for clouds to form?

Choices:
1. erosion
2. conduction
3. condensation
4. precipitation

Answer: 3


Question: In 1918, an outbreak of influenza infected 500,000 people all over the world. Tens of millions of those infected died. In 1994, an outbreak of pneumonic plague spread quickly through the city of Surat in India, killing 52 people. Which statement best describes the two events?

Choices:
A. Both outbreaks were pandemics.
B. Both outbreaks were epidemics.
C. The influenza outbreak was a pandemic. The plague outbreak was an epidemic.
D. The influenza outbreak was an epidemic. The plague outbreak was a pandemic.

Answer: C


Question: On the periodic table, the elements in group 18 (8A) (helium, neon, argon, etc.) are grouped together because

Choices:
A. they are lighter than air.
B. they have full outer electron shells.
C. they have excess electrons to share.
D. they easily react with other elements.

Answer: B


Question: Which of the following is a consumer?

Choices:
A. grain
B. rabbit
C. vegetable
D. tree

Answer: B


Question: Which statement explains why light from the Sun can warm up water in a glass?

Choices:
A. Light travels very fast.
B. Light travels in straight lines.
C. Water reflects light energy.
D. Water absorbs light energy.

Answer: D


Question: Which characteristic is an example of learned behavior?

Choices:
A. a bear hibernating in the winter
B. a spider spinning a web in a tree
C. a butterfly migrating to the south
D. a dog scratching at a door to go out

Answer: D


Question: Which of these is a negative effect associated with some types of new technology?

Choices:
A. increased worker productivity
B. faster diagnosis of medical problems
C. less time required to find information
D. decreased physical activity

Answer: D


Question: What is the main source of energy for the water cycle?

Choices:
A. electricity
B. erosion
C. gravity
D. sunlight

Answer: D


Question: Sharpening a pencil and tearing paper are examples of physical changes. Which statement describes why these are physical changes?

Choices:
A. There is a change in how the objects are used.
B. There is a change in the appearance of the objects.
C. There is a change in the materials from which the objects are made.
D. There is a change in both the appearance of the objects and the materials from which they are made.

Answer: B


Question: Air in the atmosphere is heated unevenly by the sun, causing

Choices:
A. wind patterns.
B. cloud formation.
C. volcanic activity.
D. water condensation.

Answer: A


Question: Which sense is used to determine an object's texture?

Choices:
A. hearing
B. smell
C. taste
D. touch

Answer: D


Question: Which statement describes a method of sexual reproduction that occurs in plants?

Choices:
1. Stem cuttings are placed in water and grow roots.
2. Seeds are produced from the flower of the plant.
3. Underground stems from a plant grow into new plants.
4. A leaf falls to the soil, develops roots, and grows.

Answer: 2


Question: Campers shouted toward a canyon wall. What characteristic of sound best explains why the campers heard an echo?

Choices:
A. Sound waves traveled slowly down the canyon.
B. Sound waves were absorbed by the canyon wall.
C. Sound waves reflected off the canyon wall.
D. Sound waves were refracted around the canyon.

Answer: C


Question: A recent scientific study funded by a medical corporation concluded that its product is not as harmful as consumers have reported. Identify a possible problem with this study.

Choices:
A. Corporate scientists have less training than other scientists.
B. The results of the study may be influenced by bias.
C. Privately funded science is not verified by other scientists.
D. The study cannot be repeated with the same results.

Answer: B


Question: Nerve cells transmitting messages to the body best demonstrate which primary function?

Choices:
A. the transfer of energy
B. the exchange of gases
C. the elimination of waste
D. the absorption of nutrients

Answer: A


Question: A drinking water reservoir for a small town develops a blue-green algae bloom. The town hires a company to eliminate the problem. Which of the following should the company investigate first as a likely source of the problem?

Choices:
A. a pit where granite is ground up into gravel
B. a neighborhood where lawn chemicals are used
C. a junkyard where old cars are salvaged for parts
D. a grain elevator where corn and soybeans are stored

Answer: B


Question: What travels through the stem of a plant?

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

Answer: A


Question: Which of these is an inherited behavior?

Choices:
A. a seal balancing a ball
B. a dog getting the newspaper
C. a spider spinning a web
D. an ape using sign language

Answer: C


Question: In 1987, a supernova was detected in the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy, which is approximately 169,000 light years from Earth. Which event produces a supernova?

Choices:
A. the explosion of a massive star
B. the birth of a main-sequence star
C. the collapse of a medium-sized star
D. the collision of one star with another

Answer: A


Question: Extinction of a species is most likely to occur as a result of

Choices:
1. evolution
2. migration
3. selective breeding
4. environmental changes

Answer: 4


Question: When water vapor rises and cools, the liquid water in the air comes together forming

Choices:
A. wind.
B. clouds.
C. lightning.
D. tornadoes.

Answer: B


Question: Which of the following allows materials to enter and leave a cell?

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

Answer: D


Question: Sandy and Keith plan to move a 6-kilogram block. If they wanted to calculate the mechanical energy required to move the block, what units would they use to report their answer?

Choices:
A. joules
B. kilowatts
C. kilometers
D. volts

Answer: A


Question: DNA stores the genetic instructions transferred from one generation to the next. What is DNA?

Choices:
A. a molecule
B. a membrane
C. a cell nucleus
D. a spiral-shaped cell

Answer: A


Question: Which list is correctly ordered from smallest to largest?

Choices:
A. Biosphere, organism, ecosystem, population
B. Community, organism, ecosystem, biosphere
C. Organism, population, community, ecosystem
D. Population, ecosystem, community, biosphere

Answer: C


Question: Which of the following has the greatest effect on the ability of soil to hold water?

Choices:
A. the age of the soil particles
B. the size of the soil particles
C. the color of the soil particles
D. the luster of the soil particles

Answer: B


Question: The Water Quality Act of 1987 required the development of standards that would prevent toxic pollutants from reaching dangerous levels in bodies of water. This act affected the amounts of toxic chemicals that could be discharged into bodies of water. Which of the following would have been most regulated by this act?

Choices:
A. feed lots
B. private homes
C. paper mills
D. grocery stores

Answer: C


Question: Which element is necessary for the formation of coal?

Choices:
A. crushed rocks
B. flowing water
C. dead animals
D. decaying vegetation

Answer: D


Question: Some ancient Greeks tried to discover the laws of the universe through thought and logic. Which part of the scientific process were these scientists missing?

Choices:
A. analysis
B. experiment
C. conclusion
D. observation

Answer: B


Question: Which best describes a characteristic of the jet stream?

Choices:
A. It forms a boundary between a cold air mass and a warm air mass.
B. It creates the high winds around the eye of a hurricane.
C. It forces the hot air along the equator to rise to areas in North America.
D. It causes high pressure air masses to rotate clockwise.

Answer: A


Question: Single-celled organisms can reproduce and create cells exactly like themselves without combining genes from two different parent cells. When they do this, they use a type of

Choices:
A. asexual reproduction.
B. gamete formation.
C. natural selection.
D. sexual reproduction.

Answer: A


Question: Most stars are similar to each other in

Choices:
A. brightness.
B. composition.
C. diameter.
D. temperature.

Answer: B


Question: Which BEST explains why green marine algae are most often restricted to the top 100 meters of the ocean?

Choices:
A. They have no roots to anchor them to the ocean floor.
B. They can live only where there is light.
C. The pressure is too great for them to survive below 100 meters.
D. If the algae lived below 100 meters they would be eaten by animals.

Answer: B


Question: Which of these locations in the solar system contains the most asteroids?

Choices:
A. the surface of the Sun
B. the ring system of Saturn
C. between Mars and Jupiter
D. between Mercury and Venus

Answer: C


Question: The body is able to detect pressure on its surface by which direct means?

Choices:
A. releasing of hormones in skin
B. changing in volume of fat and muscle cells
C. signaling by sensory neurons
D. changing of voltage in interneurons

Answer: C


Question: Which of these is an organism that is unicellular?

Choices:
A. virus
B. amoeba
C. mushroom
D. ant

Answer: B


Question: Mark wants to make lemonade for his friends. He uses water, lemon juice, and sugar. Which of these best describes the lemonade?

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

Answer: A


Question: Sandra puts some pill bugs into an open box. She covers half the box with a piece of cardboard. She then places the box outside on a summer day, and all the pill bugs move under the cardboard. The pill bugs are most likely responding to which of the following?

Choices:
A. air pressure
B. bright light
C. wind
D. fog

Answer: B


Question: During science class, students combined 1 kg of iron filings with 1 kg of sand to create a mixture. Which of the following methods would be best for separating the iron filings from the sand?

Choices:
A. Stir the mixture into hot water to dissolve the sand.
B. Strain the mixture through a paper filter to collect the sand.
C. Drag a magnet through the mixture to attract the iron filings.
D. Shake the mixture to cause the iron filings to settle to the bottom.

Answer: C


Question: Which is the thickest layer of Earth?

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

Answer: C


Question: Wind can cause erosion that changes the surface of the Earth. Wind erosion can have negative effects on the environment by removing soil and polluting the air during dust storms. Which of the following land forms are created by wind erosion?

Choices:
A. arches and faults
B. sand dunes and arches
C. meanders and moraines
D. moraines and sand dunes

Answer: B


Question: Deer eat different types of plants in an ecosystem. Which method would best show the percentages of the plant types in the deer diet?

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

Answer: A


Question: How does a human body get energy?

Choices:
A. Sunlight on the skin produces energy.
B. Water provides the majority of energy.
C. Food and oxygen combine to deliver energy.
D. Sleep provides energy stored at night for the next day.

Answer: C


Question: Some birds fly south before winter each year. This is an example of

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

Answer: A


Question: Which system supports the body, protects internal organs, and makes blood cells?

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

Answer: D


Question: The smallest particle of an element is

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

Answer: A


Question: A student is writing a report on volcanoes. What should the student include to best help explain how a volcano works?

Choices:
A. a photograph of an active volcano
B. a map showing the location of a volcano
C. a table of famous volcanoes and last known eruptions
D. a diagram showing the structure of a volcano

Answer: D


Question: Base your answer on the information below and on your knowledge of science. A baseball strikes the roof of a car and dents it. The paint on the roof begins to crack and chip, exposing the metal. The exposed metal on the roof rusts, eventually causing a small hole in the roof. Which event is a chemical change?

Choices:
1. The baseball strikes the roof.
2. The roof of the car dents.
3. The paint cracks and chips.
4. The exposed metal rusts.

Answer: 4


Question: Which energy resource is renewable?

Choices:
1. fuel oil
2. natural gas
3. wind
4. coal

Answer: 3


Question: Which energy conversion process occurs whenever coal is burned?

Choices:
A. mechanical to electrical
B. mechanical to thermal
C. chemical to electrical
D. chemical to thermal

Answer: D


Question: Claudia's teacher places a photograph of an organism on the board. He asks Claudia to determine if the organism is a plant or an animal. The answer to which question will best help Claudia determine if the organism is a plant or an animal?

Choices:
A. Does the organism have cells?
B. Does the organism reproduce?
C. Does the organism live in the forest?
D. Does the organism make its own food?

Answer: D


Question: Based on analysis of deep ice cores from the Arctic, scientists theorize that early humans caused air pollution. These scientists can make sure their data is correct by

Choices:
A. analyzing only melted ice cores.
B. analyzing more than one ice core.
C. comparing their data to the expected results.
D. comparing their data to modern pollution levels.

Answer: B


Question: When a volcano erupts, dust and ash are blown into the atmosphere. The eruption directly reduces the transfer of energy from

Choices:
A. the ground to bacteria.
B. the Sun to plants.
C. plants to animals.
D. animals to air.

Answer: B


Question: Which change would most likely cause deer to die or leave a woodland?

Choices:
A. a forest fire
B. a rainstorm
C. a snow storm
D. a sinkhole

Answer: A


Question: A student observes a glowing band across the night sky. This glowing band is most likely

Choices:
A. orbiting planets in the solar system.
B. a partial view of the Milky Way galaxy.
C. an asteroid orbiting the Sun.
D. light from stars in a distant galaxy.

Answer: B


Question: What is the smallest unit of an element that still has the properties of that element?

Choices:
A. an atom
B. a compound
C. an electron
D. a molecule

Answer: A


Question: The longitude of a location determines which time zone it is in. Different time zones are the result of

Choices:
1. Earth's rotation
2. Earth's revolution
3. the Moon's rotation
4. the Moon's revolution

Answer: 1


Question: Which of these structures form when materials are deposited, buried, and cemented?

Choices:
A. intrusive structures
B. metamorphic rocks
C. volcanic mountains
D. sedimentary rocks

Answer: D


Question: Earth is made of different layers that have varying characteristics. Which is the thickest layer?

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

Answer: A


Question: Which are examples of inherited traits?

Choices:
A. specific beliefs
B. fingerprints
C. memories
D. nose shape

Answer: D


Question: An object has a weight of 10 kg on the surface of Earth. If the same object were transported to the surface of Mars, the object would have a weight of 3.8 kg. Which best explains why the weight of the object changed when transported from Earth to Mars?

Choices:
A. The density of the object is greater on Earth than it is on Mars.
B. The volume of the object is greater on Earth than it is on Mars.
C. Gravitational force is greater on Earth than it is on Mars.
D. Atmospheric pressure is less on Earth than it is on Mars.

Answer: C


Question: Which characteristic can a puppy inherit from its parents?

Choices:
A. muddy paws
B. spotted fur
C. broken foot
D. scar on face

Answer: B


Question: According to Darwin's theory of evolution, the variations among finches that he observed in the Galapagos Islands resulted from

Choices:
A. transmission of acquired characteristics.
B. use or disuse of their beaks.
C. natural mutagens.
D. natural selection.

Answer: D


Question: Jennifer has collected rocks while hiking. As she attempts to classify her rocks, which will she put in the pile of sedimentary rocks?

Choices:
A. Black-and-gray crystalline rocks
B. Shiny rocks with smooth textures
C. Rocks with visible pieces of shells in them
D. Rocks with small interlocking crystals in them

Answer: C


Question: Which form of energy is found in food?

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

Answer: A


Question: The Sun is a medium-sized star and is expected to continue to perform nuclear fusion for five billion years. What is most likely to be the final stage of the Sun?

Choices:
A. supernova
B. supergiant
C. neutron star
D. white dwarf

Answer: D


Question: Which statement is the best description of the Milky Way galaxy?

Choices:
A. a collection of gases held together by inertia
B. a group of planets revolving around a single star
C. a collection of stars and gases with the Sun as its center
D. a group of stars, dust, and planets held together by gravity

Answer: D


Question: When specific hormones are present in the blood of a hen, an egg is released from an ovary. Which two systems are involved with the release of an egg?

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

Answer: D


Question: Fossil records indicate that Earth was first inhabited by bacteria-like organisms. These organisms

Choices:
A. were single-celled.
B. had organ systems.
C. were multi-cellular.
D. had small appendages.

Answer: A


Question: Onions can reproduce from bulbs. One parent bulb generates daughter bulbs with duplicate genetic information. Which is the most likely advantage of this kind of reproduction?

Choices:
A. Population size remains constant.
B. Beneficial mutations are inevitable.
C. Genetic variation is maximized.
D. Large quantities of individuals can be produced rapidly.

Answer: D


Question: Which action involving a pulley system requires the least amount of force?

Choices:
A. using several pulleys together instead of a single pulley
B. using a fixed pulley instead of a moveable pulley
C. pulling a long rope instead of a short rope
D. pulling a rope up instead of down

Answer: A


Question: In which environment would a white rabbit be best protected from predators?

Choices:
A. a shady forest
B. a snowy field
C. a grassy lawn
D. a muddy riverbank

Answer: B


Question: Which form of energy is needed to change water from a liquid to a gas?

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

Answer: A


Question: Which of these is a function of a leaf?

Choices:
A. Carrying nutrients throughout the plant
B. Converting solar energy into sugar
C. Creating shade for the plant
D. Absorbing water from the ground

Answer: B


Question: Which of these is most likely to be spread when two people drink from the same water bottle?

Choices:
A. asthma
B. malaria
C. strep throat
D. hay fever

Answer: C


Question: The sum of all chemical reactions in the human body is known as

Choices:
1. feedback
2. metabolism
3. dynamic equilibrium
4. biological adaptation

Answer: 2


Question: The water contained in a geyser system gains energy from the underground material surrounding it. The water molecules gain kinetic energy and this results in an increase in the pressure of the water. Eventually the geyser erupts and expels water into the air above ground. Which of the following types of energy is the source for the initial energy gain of the water?

Choices:
A. electrical
B. magnetic
C. mechanical
D. thermal

Answer: D


Question: In a laboratory activity, four different types of rock were placed in identical acid solutions for one week. Each sample was then measured to see if any of the rock mass was dissolved by the acid solution. Which is the dependent (responding) variable in this activity?

Choices:
A. the mass of each rock
B. the type of rock tested
C. the length of time of the test
D. the amount of dissolved rock

Answer: D


Question: Which cell structure carries out a function for a cell that is similar to the function that bark carries out for a tree?

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

Answer: A


Question: The number of squirrels in a certain ecosystem changes over time. These changes can be represented as a number of connected data points. Which method would a student most likely use to show this information?

Choices:
A. pie chart
B. line graph
C. pictogram
D. data table

Answer: B


Question: Pedro shook a can of soda. When the soda was opened, foam and soda burst from the can. Which statement best explains what happened?

Choices:
A. A new substance was formed.
B. The gas pressure was released from the can.
C. The sugar in the soda turned into a gas.
D. The can absorbed heat from the air.

Answer: B


Question: Where is most of Earth's water located?

Choices:
A. glaciers
B. lakes
C. oceans
D. rivers

Answer: C


Question: Investigations were performed to test several methods of keeping petals from falling off flowers that had been cut. Which is the most likely reason for this investigation?

Choices:
A. to test a hypothesis
B. to form a theory
C. to produce a scientific paper
D. to change previous results

Answer: A


Question: Two seismographs are placed 500 km from an active fault line, one on each side of the active fault line. During an earthquake, what most likely accounts for the different readings on the seismographs?

Choices:
A. the pull of gravity on the waves
B. the interaction of light with waves
C. the differences in the strength of the waves' origins
D. the different media through which the waves travel

Answer: D


Question: Scientists dig in a dry area at the bottom of a mountain range. Fossilized shells of freshwater mussels are found in the area. Which is a likely conclusion that scientists will draw based on this evidence?

Choices:
A. Rivers once flowed through the area.
B. Volcanoes were once active in the area.
C. The ocean shoreline once reached this area.
D. Floods were a common occurrence in this area.

Answer: A


Question: An apple appears red when struck by white light. This appearance is because the red light is reflected and the other colors are absorbed. What color will this apple appear to be when struck by blue light?

Choices:
A. black
B. blue
C. red
D. white

Answer: A


Question: In New York State, an observer will usually see the Sun rise in the

Choices:
1. north
2. south
3. east
4. west

Answer: 3


Question: Burning coal and natural gas are ways to produce electricity. Both coal and natural gas are nonrenewable resources. Which is an example of producing electricity using a renewable source of energy?

Choices:
A. using food pieces to make compost
B. gliding a boat through the water using sails
C. putting an energy-saving lightbulb in a lamp
D. heating a home with energy collected by solar panels

Answer: D


Question: When liquid water freezes, it forms ice. What is the physical state of an ice cube?

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

Answer: B


Question: A student uses a hand lens to observe which of these objects?

Choices:
A. a mountain
B. the Moon
C. an insect
D. bacteria

Answer: C


Question: Which type of rock would most likely contain a fossil?

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

Answer: B


Question: Some events on Earth happen instantly while others take thousands of years to occur. Which process takes the longest time to complete?

Choices:
A. rivers rising due to storms and floods
B. evaporation of water from the leaves of a plant
C. weathering of a rock to form small rocks and sand
D. movement of small pieces of rock by flowing water

Answer: C


Question: Where do many of the basic life functions take place in organisms?

Choices:
A. brain
B. cells
C. heart
D. nerves

Answer: B


Question: Which physical structure would best help a bear to survive a winter in New York State?

Choices:
A. big ears
B. black nose
C. thick fur
D. brown eyes

Answer: C


Question: What is made when sugar is dissolved in water?

Choices:
A. a colloid
B. a solution
C. a suspension
D. an evaporation

Answer: B


Question: Gasoline for cars is produced from fossil fuels. Using gasoline can most likely lead to which environmental problem?

Choices:
A. soil erosion
B. water pollution
C. wildlife extinction
D. global warming

Answer: D


Question: Which of the following is a cause of the ocean levels periodically rising and then falling?

Choices:
A. the slight tilt of the Moon
B. the force of gravity from the Moon
C. the convection within Earth's mantle
D. the revolution of Earth around the Sun

Answer: B


Question: A scientist is searching for areas where new solar systems might form. What feature is the scientist looking for?

Choices:
A. a star similar to our Sun
B. a cloud of dust and gas
C. an oxygen-rich atmosphere
D. a gravitational acceleration of 9.8 m/sec2

Answer: B


Question: About how often is a full moon observed from Earth's surface?

Choices:
A. each week
B. once a month
C. every two weeks
D. once each leap year

Answer: B


Question: When animals use energy, they produce

Choices:
A. nitrogen
B. iron sulfide
C. oxygen
D. carbon dioxide

Answer: D


Question: Which would provide evidence of seafloor spreading?

Choices:
A. higher levels of salinity in the ocean water
B. stronger currents at the surface of the ocean
C. cooled magma found on the edge of the plates
D. greater reproduction levels for organisms at the bottom of the ocean

Answer: C


Question: Mitosis occurs in living things when a cell divides to produce two cells. Compared to the original cell, how many chromosomes are in each of the resulting cells?

Choices:
A. half as many
B. the same number
C. twice as many
D. an unpredictable number

Answer: B


Question: Which organ directly works to protect the human body from disease?

Choices:
A. heart
B. kidney
C. pancreas
D. skin

Answer: D


Question: Steven went to a farm and picked a bright red tomato from a broken branch on the plant. The tomato had a rotten spot with a worm inside of it. Instead of eating the tomato, Steven decided to plant the seeds and grow new tomato plants. Which characteristic of the tomato plant is inherited and could change over several generations?

Choices:
A. color of the skin
B. size of rotten spots
C. length of worms inside
D. number of broken branches

Answer: A


Question: Many leaves appear green because the leaves

Choices:
A. resist green light.
B. bend all colors except green.
C. reflect green light.
D. reflect all colors except green.

Answer: C


Question: Which of these is the best definition of heredity?

Choices:
A. the transfer of learning from one generation to the next
B. the transfer of visible features from one generation to the next
C. the passage of dominant genes from one generation to the next
D. the passage of genetic information from one generation to the next

Answer: D


Question: Which of the following describes how a microwave oven heats food?

Choices:
A. The oven's interior reflects heat onto the food.
B. The oven's interior, like a lens, focuses heat onto the food.
C. Water molecules in the food reflect energy from microwave radiation.
D. Water molecules in the food absorb the energy of microwave radiation.

Answer: D


Question: Which three systems of the human body function together to move and control body parts?

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

Answer: 1


Question: Astronomers have found evidence for the existence of a super-massive black hole in the center of the giant elliptical galaxy M87. What is thought to cause black holes to form?

Choices:
A. the death of a low-mass star
B. the gravity of a large nebula
C. the collapse of a high-mass star
D. the combining of material from planets

Answer: C


Question: A research team wanted to produce a smaller variety of German shepherd dogs. They mated the smallest dogs from different litters for several generations. This is an example of which concept?

Choices:
1. extinction
2. mutation
3. selective breeding
4. natural selection

Answer: 3


Question: A class learns about weather. The students in the class measure the outside air temperature at the same time each day. Which way of measuring the temperature would provide the most accurate data?

Choices:
A. taking the measurement in the shade
B. placing the thermometer on the ground
C. taking a measurement using a different tool each day
D. recording the measurements from three thermometers

Answer: D


Question: Earth's magnetosphere is not uniformly shaped. It is compressed on the side facing the Sun and has a long tail extending away from the Sun. Which phenomenon is responsible for this shape?

Choices:
A. centripetal force of Earth's rotation
B. gravitational attraction between Earth and the Sun
C. solar winds bringing high-energy particles toward Earth
D. differences in the distance between Earth and the Sun during Earth's orbit

Answer: C


Question: Which living organism makes its own food using sunlight?

Choices:
A. lizard
B. tree
C. deer
D. hawk

Answer: B


Question: Who was the first person to base a system of classification on organisms having similar structures?

Choices:
A. Aristotle
B. Darwin
C. Einstein
D. Linnaeus

Answer: D


Question: Which is a process that converts sunlight energy into a compound that stores chemical energy?

Choices:
A. phototropism
B. photosynthesis
C. respiration
D. pollination

Answer: B


Question: Which most likely contributed to the extinction of many species and endangered the survival of others?

Choices:
A. pollution
B. habitat destruction
C. an asteroid hitting Earth
D. tectonic plate movement

Answer: B


Question: Which is the most basic unit of living things?

Choices:
A. Cells
B. Bones
C. Tissues
D. Organs

Answer: A


Question: What are the two main jobs of the skeletal system?

Choices:
A. support and protect the body
B. digest food and carry messages for the body
C. get rid of wastes and defend the body from disease
D. sense changes in the environment and carry food through the body

Answer: A


Question: Which is an example of a chemical change?

Choices:
A. sand separated from water by filtering
B. water evaporating from a puddle
C. a rock being eroded by wind
D. a nail rusting in water

Answer: D


Question: Which of these is a renewable resource found in Nevada?

Choices:
A. zinc metal
B. gravel deposits
C. petroleum products
D. geothermal energy

Answer: D


Question: Which two body systems are involved in inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide?

Choices:
A. endocrine and skeletal
B. excretory and nervous
C. circulatory and respiratory
D. digestive and reproductive

Answer: C


Question: Materials such as carbon and nitrogen go through cycles. The cycling of nitrogen waste materials is mostly dependent upon the role of which factor?

Choices:
A. atmosphere
B. bacteria
C. sunlight
D. trees

Answer: B


Question: Which of these is unique to the process of scientific investigation?

Choices:
A. observing an event as it occurs
B. discussing results with other experts
C. publishing the results on a webpage
D. collecting data in an experiment

Answer: D


Question: Which did Thomas Edison invent?

Choices:
A. microscope
B. compass
C. light bulb
D. steam engine

Answer: C


Question: If soil is permeable

Choices:
A. water cannot flow through it.
B. water easily flows through it.
C. it contains many minerals.
D. it contains few minerals.

Answer: B


Question: Sally is making candy on the stove. She places a thermometer in the candy. What is she measuring?

Choices:
A. length
B. speed
C. temperature
D. weight

Answer: C


Question: Anthony and Zach want to know how the temperature of the air affects the temperature of lake water. Which type of tool should they use to measure the temperatures?

Choices:
A. balance
B. ruler
C. scale
D. thermometer

Answer: D


Question: Which serve as evidence for a scientific theory?

Choices:
A. guesses
B. opinions
C. arguments
D. observations

Answer: D


Question: Which of the following identifies the primary function of a radio station tower in a communication system?

Choices:
A. decoder
B. encoder
C. receiver
D. transmitter

Answer: D


Question: Down feathers are used by many sleeping bag manufacturers because down feathers are

Choices:
A. fire resistant.
B. comfortable padding.
C. good insulators.
D. water resistant.

Answer: C


Question: A farmer sprayed his orange trees with a pesticide to eliminate the insects damaging the trees. Some of the insects survived and produced offspring that were also resistant to the insecticide. Which process is illustrated by the pesticide resistance of the offspring?

Choices:
A. natural selection
B. selective breeding
C. aerobic respiration
D. sexual reproduction

Answer: A


Question: An elephant is a multicellular organism that weighs about 200 pounds at birth and can grow to weigh as much as 15,000 pounds. What increases as the elephant grows into an adult?

Choices:
A. the size of each body cell
B. the number of cells in its body
C. the amount of energy in its cells
D. the collection of water in each cell

Answer: B


Question: The human body is made up of organ systems that work together as one unit. Which systems work together to prepare and distribute food for cells?

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

Answer: A


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

Answer: D


Question: Which type of organism is at the lowest level of the food chain?

Choices:
A. autotroph
B. heterotroph
C. carnivore
D. omnivore

Answer: A


Question: Jake's cats eat food from a can. The cats come running into the kitchen when they hear the electric can opener. Now, each time Jake's mother opens a can of corn, the cats come running. This is an example of

Choices:
A. learned behavior
B. correct behavior
C. instinct
D. migration

Answer: A


Question: A team of surveyors takes measurements of ground altitude at horizontal intervals of 1 meter over a 400 square meter area. These measurements can best be used to produce which representation of the area?

Choices:
A. a topographical map
B. a map of wind currents
C. a plate tectonic diagram
D. a chart of sedimentary layers

Answer: A


Question: Some schools have programs to recycle paper products such as student papers, newspapers, and cardboard boxes. Which of these statements describes a positive effect of recycling paper products?

Choices:
A. Schools need to buy less paper.
B. Fewer trees need to be cut.
C. Landfills have less room for other trash.
D. Recycling consumes more energy than making new paper.

Answer: B


Question: Light sometimes behaves as waves and other times as particles. Which property of light is equally explainable by treating light as either particles or waves?

Choices:
A. interference of light
B. reflection of light
C. diffraction of light
D. polarization of light

Answer: B


Question: The topography of Nevada is dominated by basins and mountain ranges associated with which geological phenomena?

Choices:
A. faults
B. trenches
C. hot spots
D. hydrothermal vents

Answer: A


Question: Which biological activity occurs in a repeated rhythm?

Choices:
A. sneezing
B. coughing
C. breathing
D. blinking

Answer: C


Question: Which model best illustrates the wave property that enables scientists to explore Earth's interior using seismic waves?

Choices:
A. shining a light on rock in a bowl
B. shining a light through a prism
C. shining a light through a periscope
D. shining a light on a sundial

Answer: B


Question: In 1933, a hurricane came ashore at Ocean City, Maryland. A hurricane negatively affects a coastline by

Choices:
A. causing erosion
B. causing earthquakes
C. increasing food production
D. increasing the growth of grasses

Answer: A


Question: Which statement describes the location of our Sun in the universe?

Choices:
A. Our Sun orbits Earth in the Andromeda galaxy.
B. Our Sun orbits Earth in the Milky Way galaxy.
C. Our Sun is the center of a solar system in the Milky Way galaxy.
D. Our Sun is the center of a solar system in the Andromeda galaxy.

Answer: C


Question: Scientists claim that the area around the Grand Canyon was once covered by an ocean. What evidence would support their claim?

Choices:
A. Dinosaur footprints were found near the Grand Canyon.
B. Fish were found living in the rivers of the Grand Canyon.
C. Fossils of ocean animals were found at the Grand Canyon.
D. Bones from desert animals were found at the Grand Canyon.

Answer: C


Question: Which is true of scientific discoveries?

Choices:
A. All scientific discoveries are based solely on observation and never experimentation.
B. Sometimes scientific discoveries are made by accident, like the discovery of penicillin.
C. If a scientist cannot provide the exact time and place his or her discovery was made, it is dismissed.
D. All scientific discoveries are regulated by government agencies, like the Food and Drug Administration.

Answer: B


Question: Which is a process that most likely formed the Appalachian Mountains found in the eastern part of North America?

Choices:
A. earthquake
B. folded rock
C. plate tectonics
D. volcanic activity

Answer: C


Question: Which technology used to generate electrical power involves a trade-off between economical electricity and long-term waste disposal problems?

Choices:
A. fossil fuel
B. nuclear reactor
C. solar collector
D. wind turbine

Answer: B


Question: All the ponds in an area dried up during a drought. The population of which of the following animals that live in the area is most affected by the drought?

Choices:
A. deer
B. frog
C. hawk
D. squirrel

Answer: B


Question: Which substance is usually found in nature as a liquid, solid, and gas?

Choices:
A. water
B. rock
C. metal
D. glass

Answer: A


Question: The scientific name for a giraffe is Giraffa camelopardalis. What two levels of classification does this name represent?

Choices:
A. family and order
B. kingdom and genus
C. phylum and domain
D. genus and species

Answer: D


Question: The Moon has the greatest effect on Earth's

Choices:
1. year
2. seasons
3. ocean tides
4. daylight hours

Answer: 3


Question: Granite is classified as a rock because it

Choices:
A. is made of minerals.
B. is hard and rounded.
C. has crystals.
D. has mass.

Answer: A


Question: The measure of the amount of light received on Earth from a star is known as

Choices:
A. parallax.
B. redshift.
C. absolute magnitude.
D. apparent magnitude.

Answer: D


Question: Heat from deep in Earth's interior is transferred to its crust by which of the following?

Choices:
A. conduction in the ocean
B. convection in the mantle
C. radiation from the solid core
D. evaporation at mid-ocean ridges

Answer: B


Question: The growth of which of the following usually occurs first in primary succession on a bare rock?

Choices:
A. Lichens
B. Grasses
C. Trees
D. Shrubs

Answer: A


Question: The process by which water vapor in the atmosphere cools and becomes a liquid is called

Choices:
A. evaporation.
B. perspiration.
C. condensation.
D. transportation.

Answer: C


Question: A student is dropping objects of various sizes and shapes and recording the time it takes for each object to hit the ground. Which question is the student most likely trying to answer?

Choices:
A. What force slows some objects down?
B. What force pulls objects to the ground?
C. Do some objects fall more quickly than others?
D. Do objects break or bounce when hitting the ground?

Answer: C


Question: Which two processes in the water cycle are primarily responsible for the creation of a lake?

Choices:
A. evaporation and runoff
B. evaporation and condensation
C. precipitation and runoff
D. precipitation and condensation

Answer: C


Question: The correct procedure after completing a laboratory experiment is to

Choices:
A. put all non-reusable glass in the trash.
B. pour all used chemicals down the sink.
C. collect and store recyclable material.
D. return used samples to natural settings.

Answer: C


Question: Which is an example of primary ecological succession?

Choices:
A. plants and animals invading an abandoned crop field
B. mangroves stabilizing the soils on tropical coasts
C. minerals spurring rapid plant growth
D. lichen growth on rocks

Answer: D


Question: What is true of mutualistic relationships among organisms?

Choices:
A. The organisms ignore each other.
B. The organisms cooperate with each other.
C. The organisms prey on each other.
D. The organisms compete with each other.

Answer: B


Question: Carolina uses a microscope to view a soil sample taken from her backyard. Which part of the soil would she ONLY be able to see with a microscope?

Choices:
A. bacteria
B. grass
C. rainwater
D. rocks

Answer: A


Question: The part of the rock cycle that transforms compressed rock formed from sea organism shells into a harder, denser rock is

Choices:
A. igneous rock becoming sedimentary rock.
B. igneous rock becoming metamorphic rock.
C. metamorphic rock becoming igneous rock.
D. sedimentary rock becoming metamorphic rock.

Answer: D


Question: A group of scientists predicts that Earth's oceans will be able to take up more carbon dioxide as atmospheric carbon dioxide levels increase and the atmosphere warms. Which of these statements about the solubility of gases in ocean water would lead you to question this prediction?

Choices:
A. Solubility decreases with an increase in salinity.
B. Solubility decreases with an increase in temperature.
C. Solubility increases with an increase in pressure.
D. Solubility increases with an increase in pH.

Answer: B


Question: Which of the following elements is best able to combine with itself and hydrogen [H] to form large molecules?

Choices:
A. sodium [Na]
B. lithium [Li]
C. sulfur [S]
D. carbon [C]

Answer: D


Question: Growing thicker fur in the winter helps some animals to

Choices:
A. hide from danger
B. attract a mate
C. find food
D. keep warm

Answer: D


Question: Several types of mechanisms in the body regulate the rate of chemical reactions in the digestive system. Among the most important are feedback systems, which control the release rate of

Choices:
A. lipids.
B. enzymes.
C. nucleic acids.
D. carbohydrates.

Answer: B


Question: The water in a pond gets colder one night. Which tool is best to observe its temperature change?

Choices:
A. balance
B. magnifying glass
C. ruler
D. thermometer

Answer: D


Question: During subduction, one tectonic plate is forced below another. The subducting plate is forced into the

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

Answer: A


Question: What two gases make up most of the Earth's atmosphere?

Choices:
A. Hydrogen and oxygen
B. Hydrogen and nitrogen
C. Oxygen and carbon dioxide
D. Oxygen and nitrogen

Answer: D


Question: A light-year is a measure of

Choices:
A. time.
B. energy.
C. distance.
D. direction.

Answer: C


Question: Some birds live in a forest. If many of the trees in the forest are cut down, the shelter for the birds will

Choices:
A. decrease
B. increase
C. remain the same

Answer: A


Question: In the human body, cellular respiration breaks down sugar molecules after they enter the cell. What results from this process?

Choices:
A. growth of bacteria
B. release of energy
C. activity of enzymes
D. production of oxygen

Answer: B


Question: What causes a person to have blue eyes?

Choices:
A. eating foods high in protein at a young age
B. having a brother or sister with blue eyes
C. being overexposed to the Sun at a young age
D. receiving a gene for blue eyes from each parent

Answer: D


Question: When an atom loses or gains an electron, it changes

Choices:
A. atomic mass.
B. atomic number.
C. charge.
D. element.

Answer: C


Question: In which pair of elements are both metalloids?

Choices:
A. Sn and Sb
B. Sb and Te
C. Te and I
D. I and Xe

Answer: B


Question: Florida has a large supply of phosphate that ancient seas deposited millions of years ago. The phosphate contains the remains of animals that were deposited in layers on the sea floor. Which type of rock did the phosphate become?

Choices:
A. intrusive igneous
B. extrusive igneous
C. clastic sedimentary
D. organic sedimentary

Answer: D


Question: After months of studying and obtaining data on the behavior of birds, biologists from around the world will look at the data and

Choices:
A. come up with several possible interpretations.
B. reject it and do their own investigations.
C. change the data to fit their expectations.
D. publish their own interpretations in a science journal.

Answer: A


Question: Which mixture can be easily separated by adding water and pouring it through a coffee filter?

Choices:
A. sugar and salt
B. salt and sand
C. sugar and baking soda
D. iron filings and sand

Answer: B


Question: Living things depend on energy from

Choices:
A. the Sun
B. the Moon
C. soil
D. water

Answer: A


Question: Research into the total amount of oil available for use around the world can affect what kind of human choice?

Choices:
A. where to retire
B. how to travel to work
C. what kind of coffee to drink
D. whether to recycle glass and aluminum

Answer: B


Question: Hydrochloric acid (HCl) reacts with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to produce a saltwater solution. What are the products of this chemical reaction?

Choices:
A. NaCl and H_{2}O
B. NaOH and HCl
C. HCl and NaCl
D. NaOH and H_{2}O

Answer: A


Question: Which human activity most often has a harmful effect on the environment?

Choices:
A. breathing
B. growing
C. planting
D. polluting

Answer: D


Question: Young frogs do not resemble adult frogs. Which term is given to this pattern of development in frogs?

Choices:
1. asexual reproduction
2. cloning
3. metamorphosis
4. biological adaptation

Answer: 3


Question: Bones support the body. What pulls and pushes on bones to move them?

Choices:
A. blood
B. nerves
C. muscles
D. skin

Answer: C


Question: Which statement best describes why a calcium-fortified juice would advertise that it is good for growing children?

Choices:
A. Calcium helps the growth of bones.
B. Calcium provides energy for growth.
C. Children need to drink a lot of fluids.
D. Children need calcium to prevent allergies.

Answer: A


Question: Which of these tectonic plate boundaries is most likely to form a volcano?

Choices:
A. a continental plate colliding with a continental plate
B. an oceanic plate sliding past a continental plate
C. a continental plate sliding past a continental plate
D. an oceanic plate colliding into a continental plate

Answer: D


Question: Which of the following is an example of heat transfer by conduction?

Choices:
A. a whole metal spoon getting hot when one end is in hot soup
B. the inside of a car in the sun getting very hot
C. a tar road getting hotter in the sun than a concrete sidewalk
D. a fireplace fire heating a room on a cold day

Answer: A


Question: Alicia gives her brother a push while he is seated on a swing. She finds that after a few seconds, she needs to push again to keep him going. The reason her brother slows down is because the mechanical energy is converted into

Choices:
A. potential energy that heats the air.
B. chemical energy that moves the swing.
C. kinetic energy which makes the swing slow down.
D. thermal energy that is released into the atmosphere.

Answer: D


Question: An example of a learned behavior is a

Choices:
A. spider building a web.
B. dog laying down on command.
C. beaver building a dam in a creek.
D. kangaroo jumping away from a predator.

Answer: B


Question: An atom consists of a nucleus surrounded by

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

Answer: D


Question: Which of these causes the atmosphere to change?

Choices:
A. increased inorganic matter in soil
B. increased use of fertilizers on crops
C. increased buildup of greenhouse gases
D. increased rainfall rates near power plants

Answer: C


Question: Which element is most likely to form an ion with a negative 2 charge?

Choices:
A. oxygen
B. nitrogen
C. beryllium
D. magnesium

Answer: A


Question: Mount St. Helens was a cone-shaped mountain that formed when molten material reached the surface of Earth and formed layers. Cone-shaped mountains form as a result of which one of these events?

Choices:
A. hurricanes
B. earthquakes
C. volcanic eruptions
D. sediment depositions

Answer: C


Question: Which process in the water cycle would be accelerated by an increase in temperature?

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

Answer: B


Question: Which of the following foods is highest in polysaccharides?

Choices:
A. broccoli
B. potatoes
C. cheese
D. fish

Answer: B


Question: Colored alcohol is used in some glass thermometers. When placed in air of different temperatures, the column of alcohol rises or falls in the glass thermometer. Which of the following best explains why the height of the alcohol column changes?

Choices:
A. The glass contracts when heated.
B. The alcohol contracts when heated.
C. The glass expands more than the alcohol when heated.
D. The alcohol expands more than the glass when heated.

Answer: D


Question: An organism, such as a nematode worm, may have only 1000 cells. It should be classified as being

Choices:
A. a virus.
B. a bacteria.
C. unicellular.
D. multicellular.

Answer: D


Question: The Heliocentric Theory, as supported by Copernicus, revolutionized scientific theories regarding

Choices:
A. the life cycle.
B. the water cycle.
C. the solar system.
D. the immune system.

Answer: C


Question: Which process causes the leaves of a plant to become larger?

Choices:
A. repair
B. growth
C. decomposition
D. germination

Answer: B


Question: Wind changes the surface of Earth. Which of these land formations is a result of transportation and deposition by wind?

Choices:
A. a delta
B. a glacier
C. a sand dune
D. a mountain peak

Answer: C


Question: Water moves by capillary action through soil from moist areas to dry areas. Which property of water is most responsible for this capillary action?

Choices:
A. Water is a polar molecule.
B. Water contains an oxygen atom.
C. Water has a high surface tension.
D. Water has a high specific heat.

Answer: C


Question: Which action is the best method to separate a mixture of salt and water?

Choices:
A. using a magnet to extract the salt
B. adding a colored dye to the mixture
C. pouring the mixture through a filter
D. boiling the mixture until the water evaporates

Answer: D


Question: In humans, a trait can be determined by one pair or many pairs of

Choices:
1. genes
2. microbes
3. cells
4. organs

Answer: 1


Question: Which animal develops inside its mother before it is born alive?

Choices:
A. Butterfly
B. Cat
C. Duck
D. Frog

Answer: B


Question: Which sequence correctly shows the levels of organization for structure and function in a human?

Choices:
1. cell -> tissue -> organ -> organ system
2. organ system -> cell -> tissue -> organ
3. tissue -> organ -> organ system -> cell
4. cell -> organ -> tissue -> organ system

Answer: 1


Question: Which adaptation allows a fish to get oxygen underwater?

Choices:
A. fins
B. lungs
C. gills
D. heart

Answer: C


Question: The number of daylight hours in New York State changes with the

Choices:
A. season of the year
B. Moon's changing appearance
C. direction of the wind
D. arrival of a severe storm

Answer: A


Question: Which instrument would be used when studying a unit on amphibian anatomy?

Choices:
A. a beaker
B. a telescope
C. a dissecting kit
D. a graduated cylinder

Answer: C


Question: Which is a reason for Arkansas having multiple seasons?

Choices:
A. the tilt of Earth's axis
B. the speed of Earth's orbit
C. Earth's distance from the Sun
D. Earth gravitational pull toward the Moon

Answer: A


Question: Jessica watches the Sun set in the evening sky. What causes the setting of the Sun?

Choices:
A. The distance between Earth and the Sun is increasing.
B. The tilt of Earth on its axis is constantly changing.
C. Earth is revolving around the Sun.
D. Earth is rotating on its axis.

Answer: D


Question: To which planet do National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) scientists hope to send humans next?

Choices:
A. Mars
B. Venus
C. Jupiter
D. Mercury

Answer: A


Question: Which force keeps the planets in their orbits around the Sun?

Choices:
1. gravity
2. magnetism
3. electricity
4. friction

Answer: 1


Question: The endangered Florida manatee is a large, aquatic mammal that feeds on sea grasses in brackish water. Due to where they like to feed, manatees are vulnerable to injuries from boat propellers. If speed zones requiring boats to maintain a low speed are placed in areas where manatees are known to congregate, which will most likely occur?

Choices:
A. less water pollution in manatee habitats will occur
B. manatees will seek alternate food sources
C. new manatee predators will surface
D. manatee populations will increase

Answer: D


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

Choices:
A. glass breaking
B. metal melting
C. water freezing
D. wood burning

Answer: D


Question: A mixture of powdered iron and sulfur is heated. What will be formed?

Choices:
A. a single element
B. two other elements
C. a solution
D. an alloy
E. a compound

Answer: E


Question: Scientists can identify an element by looking at the structure of a single

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

Answer: A


Question: Newly made proteins are modified in which organelle?

Choices:
A. ribosome
B. endoplasmic reticulum
C. mitochondrion
D. nuclear envelop

Answer: B


Question: Which of the following is the primary advantage of sexual reproduction when compared to asexual reproduction?

Choices:
A. There is a greater number of offspring.
B. There is more food available to offspring.
C. There is greater genetic variety in offspring.
D. There is a longer development time for offspring.

Answer: C


Question: By attaching to sharks, remora fish eat the scraps of food left behind when the sharks feed. If remoras were not able to attach to sharks, they would most likely

Choices:
A. attach to boats.
B. not be able to survive.
C. find another source of food.
D. not need to eat anymore.

Answer: B


Question: Plants need a source of energy in order to perform photosynthesis. From which source do plants receive the energy needed to perform photosynthesis?

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

Answer: C


Question: What form of energy is stored in a battery?

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

Answer: A


Question: When a light bulb is turned on, energy changes from one form to another. Which of the following best describes this change?

Choices:
A. sound energy to light energy
B. nuclear energy to light energy
C. electrical energy to light energy
D. magnetic energy to light energy

Answer: C


Question: Which stimulus causes a porcupine to extend its quills?

Choices:
A. lunar effect on Earth
B. seasonal temperature changes
C. threatening behavior by predators
D. environmental encroachment by humans

Answer: C


Question: When a balloon is filled with air and suddenly released, it will fly around the room as the air escapes. If compared to space transportation, the escaping air is most similar to what subsystem of a spacecraft?

Choices:
A. guidance
B. propulsion
C. support
D. suspension

Answer: B


Question: The Sun appears larger than other stars because of its

Choices:
1. yellow color
2. high temperature
3. distance from Earth
4. chemical composition

Answer: 3


Question: How hot is it on the surface of the Sun?

Choices:
A. Not quite as hot as boiling water
B. About as hot as fire
C. About 100°F
D. Much hotter than almost anything on Earth

Answer: D


Question: Which two observations are both used to describe weather?

Choices:
A. precipitation and runoff
B. temperature and sky conditions
C. wind speed and erosion
D. types of clouds and deposition

Answer: B


Question: A scientist combines oxygen and hydrogen to form water. This combination illustrates that water is

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

Answer: D


Question: In a large forest with many animals, there are only a small number of bears. Which of these most likely limits the population of bears in the forest?

Choices:
A. supply of food
B. type of tree
C. predation by carnivores
D. amount of suitable shelter

Answer: A


Question: There is a thunderstorm close to your house. The windows rattle at the same time that you hear the thunder. What causes the windows to rattle?

Choices:
A. Sound waves from the thunder
B. Light from the lightning
C. Rain from the clouds
D. The high humidity during the storm

Answer: A


Question: Rocks in warm and humid environments can be weathered faster than rocks in other environments. Which is most likely the next step in the rock cycle for weathered rocks?

Choices:
A. They are cemented.
B. They are compacted.
C. They become eroded.
D. They become molted.

Answer: C


Question: If the solar system were used as a model of an atom, what would the Sun most likely represent?

Choices:
A. an ion
B. a nucleus
C. a neutron
D. an electron

Answer: B


Question: A student provides the following directions for brushing teeth: • Turn on the water. • Fill the glass with water and leave the water running. • Put toothpaste on the toothbrush. • Brush for two minutes. • Rinse mouth with the water from the glass. • Rinse the toothbrush with the running water. • Turn off the water. Which change in these directions would conserve the most water?

Choices:
A. Brush for three minutes.
B. Turn the water off before brushing.
C. Rinse mouth with the running water.
D. Use less toothpaste on the toothbrush.

Answer: B


Question: Which of these shows the correct order for the central dogma of molecular biology?

Choices:
A. DNA to protein to RNA
B. RNA to DNA to protein
C. protein to DNA to RNA
D. DNA to RNA to protein

Answer: D


Question: Meiosis contributes to the process of reproduction by producing what type of cell?

Choices:
A. aneuploid
B. diploid
C. haploid
D. polyploid

Answer: C


Question: The abundance of a mineral at the surface of Earth most likely depends upon the

Choices:
A. climate of a particular region.
B. types of elements available in the crust.
C. thicknesses of nearby rock layers.
D. exposure of the elements to the environment.

Answer: B


Question: Which has the greatest effect on aiding the movement of blood through the human body?

Choices:
A. tension
B. friction
C. density
D. gravity

Answer: D


Question: Why should scientists wear goggles during experiments?

Choices:
A. to block out bright sunlight
B. to magnify small objects
C. to protect their eyes
D. to see in the dark

Answer: C


Question: Which of the following organisms produces energy from sunlight?

Choices:
A. worm
B. rabbit
C. hawk
D. grass

Answer: D


Question: Which statement is true for all objects?

Choices:
A. All objects are shiny.
B. All objects are hard.
C. All objects are rough.
D. All objects have mass.

Answer: D


Question: Elements in the same column of the Periodic Table of the Elements all

Choices:
A. have the same number of protons.
B. share the same atomic structure.
C. have similar physical characteristics.
D. share the same number of neutrons.

Answer: C


Question: What is the main function of scales on a fish?

Choices:
A. to protect the fish
B. to attract predators
C. to help the fish find food
D. to help the fish breathe

Answer: A


Question: Which invention made mass production possible?

Choices:
A. the assembly line
B. the airplane
C. the personal computer
D. the telephone

Answer: A


Question: What causes a meteoroid to glow as it falls through the atmosphere of Earth?

Choices:
A. wind
B. gravity
C. friction
D. sunlight

Answer: C


Question: The cheetah population around the world has decreased because of poaching and loss of habitat. The surviving population is found to have similar alleles. Which factor is endangering the species' survival the most?

Choices:
A. harmful genetic mutations
B. shrinking of the gene pool
C. decrease in competition
D. increase in adaptations

Answer: B


Question: What is generated when the students count and record the number of organisms in the pond water?

Choices:
A. data
B. variables
C. a hypothesis
D. a conclusion

Answer: A


Question: The Mariana Trench is the deepest ocean trench on Earth. This trench occurs at a plate boundary where

Choices:
A. one plate is sliding past another.
B. one plate is being forced beneath another.
C. two plates are colliding into each other.
D. two plates are pulling apart from each other.

Answer: B


Question: Students want to find out at which temperature bean plants grow tallest. Which science process skill would be used to find this temperature?

Choices:
A. inferring
B. predicting
C. measuring
D. classifying

Answer: C


Question: When would the highest tides occur along the Texas coast?

Choices:
A. at sunrise
B. at sunset
C. during a full moon
D. during a half moon

Answer: C


Question: Sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) combine to form sodium chloride (NaCl), which is commonly known as

Choices:
A. soap.
B. vinegar.
C. table salt.
D. baking soda.

Answer: C


Question: It rained on a hot summer afternoon and a puddle formed. After several hours, the puddle was gone. Which two processes made the puddle form and then disappear?

Choices:
A. precipitation followed by evaporation
B. deposition followed by evaporation
C. precipitation followed by runoff
D. deposition followed by runoff

Answer: A


Question: Which environmental problem was directly caused by the invention of the automobile?

Choices:
A. storage of nuclear waste
B. increase in air pollution
C. increased use of pesticides
D. flooding in the Midwest

Answer: B


Question: At some places in Florida, sand on the beaches is being reduced. New sand is brought from other areas and spread on the beaches. What process causes this reduction to the beach sand?

Choices:
A. earthquakes
B. erosion
C. landslides
D. weathering

Answer: B


Question: Which characteristic of a volvox colony makes it more like a multicellular organism than a simple cluster of unicellular organisms?

Choices:
A. The cells in the colony respond to stimuli separately.
B. The cells in the colony are arranged in a specific shape.
C. Some cells in the colony are specialized for reproduction.
D. Cells in the colony are connected by strands of cytoplasm.

Answer: C


Question: Students are investigating which type of fruit attracts the most fruit flies. Equally sized pieces of ripe apple, peach, and banana are placed in separate containers. The containers allow fruit flies to enter, but the fruit flies are unable to escape. The containers are placed outside on a picnic table for two days. The most reliable method for collecting data is to count the number of fruit flies

Choices:
A. on all three types of fruit every two hours
B. on all three types of fruit after each fruit spoils
C. on the banana on Day 1, the apple on Day 2, and the peach on Day 3
D. on the banana after Hour 1, the apple after Hour 2, and the peach after Hour 3

Answer: A


Question: Malaria is a common disease in many countries. What is the cause of this disease?

Choices:
A. a virus
B. a bacterium
C. a fungus
D. a parasite

Answer: D


Question: Mold is often found growing on old bread. In a food chain, mold is a ___.

Choices:
A. decomposer
B. producer
C. consumer
D. scavenger

Answer: A


Question: Which form of energy are x rays and ultraviolet light?

Choices:
1. nuclear
2. heat
3. electromagnetic
4. chemical

Answer: 3


Question: Which of these geographic features most directly influences the climate of Nevada by limiting the amount of water vapor that can reach the state and fall as rain?

Choices:
A. Pacific Ocean
B. Colorado River
C. Sierra Nevada Mountains
D. Columbia River Basin

Answer: C


Question: Cells come in two basic types, prokaryotic and eukaryotic. Which cell structure is found in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?

Choices:
A. vacuole
B. nucleoid
C. mitochondrion
D. cytoplasm

Answer: D


Question: From which part of the plant does a bee get food?

Choices:
A. flower
B. seed
C. stem
D. root

Answer: A


Question: As Earth revolves around the Sun, the number of daylight hours varies from place to place. In which location would the number of daylight hours remain constant?

Choices:
A. North Pole
B. Prime Meridian
C. Equator
D. Antarctica

Answer: C


Question: Why does tapping a fork against a water glass produce a sound?

Choices:
A. The air expands.
B. The fork releases electrons.
C. The particles in the objects vibrate.
D. The water in the glass forms ripples.

Answer: C


Question: A student places a sheet of black construction paper on her desk. What happens to most of the light that strikes the black construction paper?

Choices:
A. The light is bent by the paper.
B. The light reflects off the paper.
C. The light is absorbed by the paper.
D. The light passes through the paper.

Answer: C


Question: Which of these groups animals are ALL mammals?

Choices:
A. duck, eagle, parrot
B. mouse, monkey, bat
C. butterfly, ant, mosquito
D. crocodile, snake, turtle

Answer: B


Question: Which part of a plant cell is responsible for controlling the activities of the other parts of the cell?

Choices:
A. Vacuole
B. Nucleus
C. Cell wall
D. Chloroplast

Answer: B


Question: All metabolic functions fall into one of two categories: a breaking down process (catabolic) or a building up process (anabolic). Which is an example of an anabolic process?

Choices:
A. respiration
B. protein synthesis
C. oxygen transport
D. carbohydrate digestion

Answer: B


Question: Clearing forests of trees and vegetation for human development can have major impacts on the ecosystem. Which would most likely occur after a forested area is cleared?

Choices:
A. an increase in habitat for wildlife
B. a decrease in food competition
C. an increase in soil erosion
D. a decrease in water runoff

Answer: C


Question: Which of these is the most responsible for the changes of the seasons on Earth?

Choices:
A. Position of the Moon
B. Tilt of Earth on its axis
C. Temperature of the Sun
D. Distance to Mars

Answer: B


Question: Turning off the light when leaving a room is an example of

Choices:
A. conserving energy.
B. wasting energy.
C. using potential energy.
D. using chemical energy.

Answer: A


Question: Which list contains only things that are part of our solar system?

Choices:
A. planets, moons, comets
B. galaxies, quasars, asteroids
C. black holes, novas, stars
D. clusters, asteroids, meteors

Answer: A


Question: A family installs a new heating system in their home. Which is the most desirable result of the new heating system?

Choices:
A. producing more noise pollution
B. decreasing the amount of energy used
C. increasing the use of natural resources
D. increasing the time it takes to heat the home

Answer: B


Question: The Andes Mountains in South America formed when an oceanic plate shifted beneath a continental plate. Which other landforms are usually associated with this type of plate boundary?

Choices:
A. barrier islands
B. ocean trenches
C. mid-ocean ridges
D. volcanic island arcs

Answer: B


Question: Which of the following animals goes through metamorphosis?

Choices:
A. alligator
B. frog
C. lizard
D. turtle

Answer: B