Physical Science Released Test #4

A student shows a model of Earth and the moon to a class.

Which picture shows how the moon appears from Earth when it is in the position shown in this model?

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Answer explanation

Remember, when the moon is between the Earth and Sun it is called the new moon (and it is dark

The arrows show the moon is going from the new moon to the first quarter stage

We should be adding light, to the right and have less than half the moon lit up

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Four students were asked to complete a table for a science assignment. Each student selected one chemical element from each of the four groups in the periodic table and then classified each element as a metal, nonmetal or metalloid.

Which table was completed correctly?

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Answer explanation

On the periodic table, there is a "staircase" on the right side that separates the metals and nonmetals

The elements touching the staircase are metalloids

Metals are to the left of the staircase and nonmetals are to the right of the staircase

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-1

A block is pulled 0.90 meters to the right in 2.5 seconds. What is the block's average speed to the nearest hundredth of a m/s?

• 2.25 m/s

• 1 m/s

• 0.73 m/s

• 0.36 m/s

Answer explanation

You travel 0.90 meters in 2.5 seconds and the units are meters per second

So that means we do 0.90 meters divided by 2.5 seconds which gives me 0.36 m/s

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

Some areas of the ocean are known as dead zones. These zones form when excess organic material decomposes. This increased decomposition uses up the oxygen from the water.

Which human activity is most affected by the increasing number of dead zones in the ocean?

• Offshore oil drilling, because water in dead zones is toxic

• Commercial fishing, because fish cannot survive without oxygen

• Commercial shipping, because dead zones change the course of ocean currents

• Sand mining, because oxygen is not available to form the sand found on the beach

Answer explanation

Dead zones result in no oxygen in the water, fish need oxygen to survive

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS2-6

NGSS.HS-LS2-7

An energy pyramid is shown. Which sentence best describes how energy flows through this pyramid?

• Energy is transferred down each level of the energy pyramid

• The energy lost at each level is consumed by organisms in the top level

• Energy is transferred from organisms in one level to those in the level above

• The organisms at the bottom level provide energy directly to organisms in all the other levels

Answer explanation

Energy flows from the producers at the bottom of the pyramid, to the primary consumers above them

Energy flows from one level to the next level directly above

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

Students slid a small wood block along a flat tabletop for a distance of 1.6 meters. The data shows the motion of the block of wood.

Which graph displays the motion of the wood block?

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Answer explanation

Look at the table as a set of data you need to plot

Time is on the "X" axis and Speed is on the "Y" axis

We can look at the graph and see the speed steadily decreases, so we need a graph with a continuous negative slope

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

Which of the following answer choices properly identifies the seasons that the Northern Hemisphere would experience as the Earth revolved around the Sun in this diagram?

• 1 - Spring

  2 - Winter

  3 - Autumn

  4 - Summer

• 1 - Spring

  2 - Summer

  3 - Autumn

  4 - Winter

• 1 - Autumn

  2 - Summer

  3 - Spring

  4 - Winter

• 1 - Autumn

  2 - Winter

  3 - Spring

  4 - Summer

Answer explanation

Summer occurs when the Earth is tilted towards the Sun, so the Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun in (2)

You can then use the direction of the arrows to fill out the rest, based on the progression of the seasons

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Which two processes do the arrows labeled 1 and 2 best represent in this diagram?

• 1 - Absorption

  2 - Convection

• 1 - Absorption

  2 - Reflection

• 1 - Conduction

  2 - Reflection

• 1 - Conduction

  2 - Convection

Answer explanation

The arrows labeled (1) show solar radiation being absorbed by the atmosphere, the clouds and the ground

The arrows labeled (2) show solar radiation being reflected by the same items

The arrows for (2) are bouncing away, which is a hint

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

Which statement best describes how coal primarily provides energy when burned?

• Kinetic energy is released as potential energy

• Chemical energy is released as thermal energy

• Mechanical energy is released as electrical energy

• Electrical energy is released as chemical energy

Answer explanation

Coal is the chemical energy

Burning coal changes it to thermal energy

Which of these is an example of managing renewable resources?

• Using wind turbines to generate electricity

• Capturing carbon pollution while producing gasoline

• Making coal a cleaner energy source

• Recycling aluminum cans

Answer explanation

Renewable types of energy include the sun (solar), wind, water and geothermal

Non-renewable energy includes petroleum (gasoline), coal, natural gas and minerals