Staar Grade 8 Science May 2021 Released

Immediately after a forest fire, the primary consumers in the area will compete most for which biotic factor?

• Food

• Space

• Oxygen

• Sunlight

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A steel ball is at one end of a box that is moving forward as shown. The box suddenly stops. According to Newton’s first law, what happens to the steel ball just after the box stops?

• Because of friction, the ball continues rolling forward at the same speed.

• Because of friction, the ball rolls forward at an increased speed.

• Because of inertia, the ball continues rolling forward at the same speed.

• Because of inertia, the ball rolls forward at an increased speed.

Students mixed two liquids in a beaker and listed their observations. Based on these observations, which statement contains the best evidence that a chemical reaction occurred?

• There is a change in shape.

• There is a change in volume.

• The two liquids mix into a solution.

• The two liquids form a new substance.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-2

The diagram shows Earth in its orbit around the sun when very little light is visible at Earth’s South Pole. Which statement is true when Earth is in the position shown?

• It is August in the Northern Hemisphere. It is April in the Southern Hemisphere.

• It is summer in the Northern Hemisphere. It is winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

• The number of hours of daylight is greater in the Southern Hemisphere than in the Northern Hemisphere.

• Spring begins earlier in the year in the Southern Hemisphere than it does in the Northern Hemisphere.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Tiny organisms called Daphnia live in lakes and ponds where they consume algae. A lake with a stable population of algae and Daphnia was contaminated by pollution, resulting in the death of many algae. Which graph shows the most likely trend in the Daphnia population in the lake shortly before and after the pollution event?

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Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A topographic map provides details about Emory Peak in Big Bend National Park. A radio tower on Emory Peak is indicated. Based on the topographic map, if a park ranger hiked due west from the radio tower, the ranger’s path would —

• cross a canyon with a river running through it

• cross another peak in the park

• be flat and then go up a steep slope

• go down a steep slope and then become flatter

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

A farmer digs a small pond in a pasture. The farmer adds young individuals from two species of algae-eating fish to the pond and plants some reeds around the edges of the pond. The farmer wants the pond to be a sustainable ecosystem. Which of the following would be most helpful in increasing the pond ecosystem’s sustainability?

• Decreasing the number of plant species around the edges of the pond

• Introducing older fish of the same species into the population of algae-eating fish

• Having a greater diversity of living organisms in the pond

• Adding gravel between the water and where the reeds are planted

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

A student investigates the motion of a toy vehicle. The student graphs 40 seconds of data from the investigation. Which statement best describes the motion of the toy vehicle during the first 30 seconds of the investigation?

• The vehicle was traveling at a constant speed.

• The vehicle was accelerating at a constant rate.

• The speed of the vehicle was increasing.

• The acceleration of the vehicle was increasing.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

Major surface currents of the ocean are shown in the diagram. Ocean currents affect weather patterns by —

• regulating when tides occur in coastal areas

• trapping heat at the equator to regulate the global climate

• distributing heat from the uneven absorption of solar energy

• increasing the rate of evaporation to transport water to areas experiencing droughts

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Students view two different cells under a microscope. They record their observations in the table shown. Based on the organelles observed, the students determine that cell 2 is a plant cell because it has an organelle that —

• allows water to enter and exit the cell

• contains genetic information

• stores water and nutrients

• produces its own food

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-1

NGSS.MS-LS1-2