2013 released STAAR questions Physics

Motion sensors recorded the following data about a runner during a cross-country race. During which segment of the race did the runner have the greatest speed?

• W

• X

• Y

• Z

Which situation is a good example of the transfer of energy through radiation?

• A fan cools the CPU in a computer.

• Energy passes from one person’s hand to another person when they shake hands.

• Warm air that is less dense rises to the ceiling of a room.

• A snake’s body temperature increases when the snake lies in the sun.

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-3

The ammeter below shows the current produced by a series of solar cells that contain zinc plates being used to power a simple series circuit. If the circuit’s resistance is 0.2 Ω, what voltage is supplied by the cells?

• 750

• 15

• 3

• 25

Two people each have a mass of 55 kg. They are both in an elevator that has a mass of 240 kg. When the elevator begins to move, the people and the elevator have an upward acceleration of 1.00 m/s2 . What is the net force that acts on the elevator as it accelerates upward at 1.00 m/s2 in newtons?

• 9.8

• 110

• 130

• 350

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS2-1

The center of a 910 kg satellite is 9.9 ×106 m from Earth’s center. What is the gravitational force between the satellite and Earth?

• 4.5 ×10³ N

• 3.7 ×10³ N

• 8.9 ×10³ N

• 1.7 ×10⁶ N

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS2-4

During a classroom activity a suction-cup dart with a mass of m was launched at a stationary cart that had a mass of 5m. Four students observed the event, and their descriptions are shown in the table. Which student best described the momentum, kinetic energy, and velocity of the system before and after the collision?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS2-2

A tennis ball rolled off the edge of a table that has a height of 1.00 m. The ball took 0.45 s to hit the ground 0.72 m from the table. What was the horizontal velocity of the ball as it rolled off the table in m/s?

• 0

• .63

• 1.6

• 2.2

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS2-1

Students set up a water tray with a barrier placed halfway from the ends. The barrier has two openings in it. The students then generate waves that propagate toward the barrier, as shown. As the waves travel from the left through the barrier, they produce a pattern on the right side. In a segment of this pattern, part of the wave tends to disappear. What phenomenon of waves causes this pattern to occur?

• The waves interfere with one another constructively and destructively

• The waves refract as they travel through the openings.

• The waves reflect back and forth as they travel through the openings.

• The waves change in frequency when they meet one another

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-1

The diagram shows the position of a block of ice as it moves down a smooth ramp that is 1.60 m long. Which graph best represents the motion of the block of ice on the ramp?

• A

• B

• C

• D

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS2-1

Before 1820 magnetism and electricity were believed to be different types of forces caused by different physical processes. In 1820 Hans Christian Ørsted conducted an experiment with compasses and wire. The diagram above shows the results of his experiment. This experiment was important because it

• showed how to make a compass point in a direction other than north

• was the first to show electric current flowing in a straight wire

• showed that electricity and magnetism are related

• proved that magnetism is an extremely weak force compared with electricity

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NGSS.HS-PS2-5