Science MSA Review

The sandbar shark and the bottlenose dolphin live in water.Though the animals look similar, the shark is classified as a fish and the dolphin is classified as a mammal.
Which statement best supports classifying the shark as a fish and the dolphin as a mammal?

• A One gets energy from sunlight; the other gets energy from food.
• One has several fins on the belly; the other has no fins on the belly.
• One breathes using gills; the other breathes through a blowhole and lungs.
• One has eyes on the front of the head; the other has eyes on the side of the head.

The table below compares the average daily temperatures during the month of July in two cities. Both cities are along the Atlantic Ocean. Baltimore, Maryland, is in the Northern Hemisphere, and Buenos Aires, Argentina, is in the Southern Hemisphere.
      City                                                 Average Temperature in July
Baltimore, Maryland                                                        33°C
Buenos Aires, Argentina                                                11°C
Which statement best explains why Baltimore is warmer in July?

• Ocean waves keep Baltimore warmer in July
• There are fewer hours of daylight in Baltimore in July.
• The Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the sun in July.
• The Southern Hemisphere is tilted toward the sun in July.

Logging companies cut trees in a forest and send the trees to lumber mills far from the forest.The mills make boards that are used for construction. Some logging companies do not plant tree seedlings after cutting trees.
Not planting tree seedlings might affect people who need boards in the future because

• the price of boards will increase
• the price of boards will decrease 
•  there will be more boards available 
• there will be more trees for logging

Use The Periodic Table of the Elements and the information below to answer Numbers 4 through 6. Magnesium metal (Mg) is grayish-white in color and reacts actively with water. Fluorine (F2) is a greenish-yellow gas at room temperature and is a member of the halogen family.These two elements react to produce magnesium fluoride (MgF2), a chemical commonly used in making windows and lenses. According to the Periodic Table of the Elements, which element is most similar to magnesium (Mg)?

• calcium (Ca) 
• iodine (I)
•  sodium (Na) 
• sulfur (S)

How do the elements magnesium (Mg) and fluorine (F2) produce the compound magnesium fluoride (MgF2)? 

• by nuclear connection 
• by physically combining
• by magnetic connection 
• by chemically combining

How does adding heat energy affect magnesium fluoride (MgF2) molecules ?

•  The motion of the molecules stops. 
• The motion of the molecules increases.
•  The motion of the molecules decreases.  
• The motion of the molecules is at a constant rate.

Use the information below to answer Numbers 8 and 9. Cleveland, Ohio is approximately 600 kilometers northwest of Baltimore, Maryland.
On this Monday, the weather in Cleveland is influenced by a

•  tornado
•   blizzard  
• low pressure area  
• high pressure area

A weather forecaster in Baltimore said, “There will be increasing clouds in Baltimore late Monday night.” Which statement about the Monday weather best supports this prediction? 

• In Cleveland, clouds are clearing.
•  In Baltimore, the air pressure is falling. 
• In Cleveland, the air pressure is stable
• In Baltimore, there is a moderate breeze from the southwest.

Which description best represents a high pressure system in the northern hemisphere? 

• winds flowing outward and counterclockwise 
• winds flowing inward and counterclockwise 
• winds flowing outward and clockwise 
• winds flowing inward and clockwise

Scientists perform experiments to test hypotheses. How do scientists try to remain objective during experiments? 

• Scientists analyze all results.
•  Scientists use safety precautions.
•  Scientists conduct experiments once.
•  Scientists change at least two variables.