8th Grade Science Benchmark Review

The model below shows the solar system. Which statement about the model is TRUE?

• a. It accurately shows the lack of empty space in the solar system.

• b. The sun is actually smaller than the planets in the solar system.

• c. The sizes of the planets in relation to each other are accurately represented in the model.

• d. The sun is bigger than any of the planets.

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Below is a diagram that shows an asteroid in Earth’s orbit. Which of the following BEST describes the phenomenon seen in this diagram?

• a. The asteroid is orbiting the moon.
• b. Earth and the asteroid will join as one.
• c. The sun is pulling the Earth closer towards it.
• d. Gravity is holding the asteroid in orbit around the sun.

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The diagram models the position of Earth as it orbits the sun. How does this model help to explain seasons on Earth?

• a. It shows how Earth’s rotation affects the amount of direct sunlight an area receives.
• b. It shows how Earth’s distance from the sun affects the amount of direct sunlight an area receives.
• c. It shows how Earth’s tilt and orbit around the sun affect the amount of direct sunlight an area receives.
• d. It shows how the size of Earth in relation to the sun affects the amount of direct sunlight an area receives.

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A student makes a balloon cart to investigate how combined forces create motion. The student creates a simple cart by attaching wheels to a small piece of cardboard. The student attaches a straw with a balloon on one end so that any air coming out of the balloon flows in one direction. The student blows up the balloon, sets the cart on the tabletop, and lets go. Air flows out of the balloon and through the straw, but the cart does not move. Which of these explains why the car does not move?

• a. The force of gravity exceeds the other forces acting on the cart.
• b. The forces pushing the cart forward were greater than the force of mass and gravity.
• c. The force on the cart from the air in the balloon and the friction on the tires is balanced.
• d. The cart experiences an unbalanced force from the air in the balloon and the friction on the tires.

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Some friends are playing a game called croquet. One player uses their mallet to hit their ball into another ball. The first ball slows to a stop, and the second ball starts rolling. The friends come up with explanations to describe energy movement in the scenario. Which friend is correct?

• a. Jayden says that the force of the mallet only produced enough energy to move one ball at a time.
• b. Jen says that energy from the the mallet was transferred to the first ball and then to the second ball.
• c. Jackie says that the force of the mallet transferred a balanced force from the first ball to the second ball.
• d. Jose says that energy from the force of the mallet increased in strength as it went from one ball to the other one.

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A student made a ramp by placing one end of a piece of wood on top of three textbooks. He rolled a toy truck down the ramp three times, measured the speed, and recorded the results in a data table. The teacher asked the student to increase the kinetic energy of the truck. Which of these should the student do to meet the criteria?

• a. He should perform additional trials.
• b. He should decrease the height of the ramp.
• c. He should add weight to the back of the truck.
• d. He should change the material of the ramp to increase the friction.

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A team of engineers is developing a new waterslide for a theme park. The riders of the slide will climb several flights of steps to reach the top of the slide and will sit in a round inner tube as they slide down. The engineers are testing a computer simulation to measure the kinetic energy that the riders will have on the slide. The kinetic energy will be based on the potential, or stored, energy and will depend on mass and speed. The engineers want to develop a way to transfer the most kinetic energy to the riders to make their trip down the slide as fast as possible. Which of these solutions would increase the kinetic energy in the model slide?

• a. adding twists and turns to the slide
• b. decreasing the volume of water pushing the riders
• c. increasing the friction between the tube and the slide
• d. increasing the number of flights of steps that the rider will climb

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The diagram shows an analog and a digital signal. Both can be used to transmit information. Which of the following describes the differences shown in the diagram?

• a. Analog signals are more reliable than digital signals because they are smoother.
• b. There is not enough information to determine the difference between these signals.
• c. Digital signals transmit numerical information, but analog signals can transmit both words and numbers.
• d. Digital signals can carry more precise information than analog signals because they have two precise states, zero and one.

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Neptune is known to have 14 moons, and their gravitational fields all interact as they orbit the distant planet. The image below shows eight of these moons. An astronomer wants to make a computer model to predict the effect of gravitational forces between Neptune and its moons and how they in turn affect their location as they move through their orbits. What data must be incorporated into the model that will best represent the gravitational forces between Neptune and its moons and the effect on their motion?

• a. the mass and diameter of Neptune and each moon
• b. the mass and distance between Neptune and the sun
• c. the mass and distance between Neptune and each moon
• d. the mass, speed, and diameter of Neptune and each moon

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Below are two different waves: What conclusion can you make about these two waves?

• a. Only A has a wavelength.
• b. Only B has an amplitude.
• c. Both of them carry energy from one place to another.
• d. Both of them represent light waves, but not sound waves.

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