8th Grade Science PSSA Mixed Review 2

Which statement best describes the mass of an apple?

• Mass is the amount of matter in the apple.

• Mass is the amount of space the apple occupies.

• Mass is the force applied to the apple by another object.

• Mass is the measure of the apple’s ability to resist changes in motion.

Which unit should a student use when measuring the change in the amount of space taken up by a liquid as it is heated?

• g

• °C

• mL

• mm

An engineering team developed a new airplane body design that uses less fuel while flying. The team built a model to test the new design. How does using a model most likely help the engineering team?

• It can be tested and changed more easily than a real airplane.

• It allows them to safely fly an airplane in dangerous conditions.

• It can be made to higher quality standards than a real airplane.

• It allows them to save money by never test-flying a full-size airplane.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-4

Which statement best describes wood and coal in terms of renewability and formation time?

• Wood is nonrenewable and forms in a few years, unlike coal, which is renewable and takes millions of years to form.

• Wood is renewable and forms in a few years, unlike coal, which is nonrenewable and takes millions of years to form.

• Wood is nonrenewable and takes millions of years to form, unlike coal, which is renewable and forms in a few years.

• Wood is renewable and takes millions of years to form, unlike coal, which is nonrenewable and forms in a few years.

Fossils of extinct corals are commonly found in Pennsylvania. Scientists who study these coral fossils indicate that they are similar to living corals. Which statement best explains why these fossils provide valuable information about prehistoric Pennsylvania?

• They may indicate that the earliest settlers moved inland from the coasts and brought coral-based fertilizer for their crops.

• They may provide evidence for evolution by comparing adaptations for living on land with aquatic adaptations in the same species.

• They may indicate that corals may have lived on land at some point in history because corals presently live in aquatic environments.

• They may provide evidence that Pennsylvania was once covered by warm ocean waters since most corals are presently found in these environments.

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

The acidity of the water in a stream is indicated by its pH. Historically, a certain stream has had a pH of 6.0. Acid rain has caused the stream’s pH to become 4.8. Which statement predicts how the stream’s ecosystem will most likely be impacted?

• The flow rate of the stream will increase.

• The flow rate of the stream will decrease.

• The number of fish in the stream will increase.

• The number of fish in the stream will decrease.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Which system contains water that is most likely to form a deep canyon?

• a river

• an ocean

• a wetland

• an estuary

Erie, Pennsylvania, experiences lake-effect snow in the fall when cold winds from the northwest move across warmer lake water. The air absorbs water vapor from the lake and then deposits it as snow to the east and southeast of the lake. During some winters, the surface of Lake Erie freezes solid. Which statement describes how this event would most likely change lake-effect snow in Erie, Pennsylvania?

• Winds blowing from the lake and into Erie would stop because the lake cannot lose heat when frozen.

• The weather in Erie would include excessive snow, wind, and freezing temperatures because the lake would be unable to absorb energy from the air.

• Condensation would increase, producing an increase in the amount of snowfall in Erie because the lake would remain at a constant temperature when frozen.

• Evaporation from the lake would essentially stop, causing less water to be in the surrounding air, which would result in a decrease in the amount of snowfall in Erie.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5