Grade 8 Science Practice

What are the two sources of thermal energy in Earth's interior?

• solar heating and gravity

• combustion and solar heating

• gravity and radioactive decay

• radioactive decay and combustion

A person is standing in the middle of a boxcar on a train moving 100 km per hour. If the motion of the boxcar remains constant, where in the boxcar will the person most likely land after he jumps straight up?

• 
• 
• 
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Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

Which term is an example of force?

• energy

• mass

• weight

• work

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-5

Instruments located around Earth record seismic wave activity during an earthquake. The epicenter of the earthquake and locations of 4 instrument stations around Earth are shown. Which stations will record fewer waves than the others?

• Stations 1 and 4

• Stations 2 and 3

• Stations 3 and 4

• Stations 1 and 2

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

Select the two statements that explain why fewer waves were recorded at some stations.

• Part of Earth's interior bent some of the waves

• Different materials in Earth reflect some of the waves

• Some waves are blocked by water on the Earth's surface

• Weather events near the stations can prevent waves from being recorded

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

An environmental change occurs, causing a change in the color of snails present in the ecosystem. The graph shows the color distribution in a snail population at two different times. Select the three possible explanations for the results shown in the graph.

• Predators could more easily catch lighter-colored snails

• Snails with darker coloration left the ecosystem

• The lighter colored snails are extinct

• The lighter-colored snails had few offspring to pass the trait along

• The darker coloration was an existing trait in the original population

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Horizontal forces act on two boxes, initially at rest, as shown. The magnitude and direction are of the horizontal forces are also shown. What happens to Box X and Box Y as a result of the forces?

• Box X starts moving, speeding up, and Box Y remains at rest

• Box X starts moving at constant speed, and Box Y remains at rest

• Box X starts moving at constant speed, and Box Y starts moving, speeding up

• Box X starts moving, speeding up, and Box Y starts moving at a constant speed

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-1

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

The movement shown in the map indicates that Africa's continental crust is splitting apart in the East African Rift. As a result of this divergence, what can you predict will happen in the East African Rift region in about five million years?

• Subduction will result in more volcanic activity

• The land will become flat as the crust continues to thicken

• The rift-basin valleys will be pushed up into a mountain range

• The sea will flood the lowlands when the rift reaches the ocean

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

The Hawaiian islands were formed over a "hot spot" as shown in the diagram. Which island was formed first?

• Hawaii

• Kahoolawe

• Kauai

• Maui

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

The Hawaiian islands were formed over a "hot spot" as shown in the diagram. Select the three pieces of evidence from the diagram that support your choice for the first island formed. (This is the second part to the previous question)

• Depth of the hot spot

• Distance from the hot spot

• Size and shape of the island

• Direction of plate movement

• Latitude and longitude of the island and hot spot

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3