Science STAAR cluster: Physical Properties of Matter

Which statement BEST describes what happens as water changes from one state to another?

• As water is cooled, it freezes and changes from a solid to a liquid.

• As water is cooled, it condenses and changes from a gas to a liquid.

• As water is heated, it evaporates and changes from a liquid to a solid.

• As water is heated, it melts and changes from a gas to a solid.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

Students observe a glass of ice and water. The glass is dry on the outside. After ten minutes students see drops of water on the outside of the glass.

Which statement best explains the students’ observations?

• The water vapor in the air changes to a liquid when it touches the cold glass.

• The cold water inside the glass rises and then slides down the outside of the glass.

• The ice in the glass melted and caused the water to overflow the glass.

• The water moved to the outside surface through tiny holes in the glass.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

Students plan to investigate the different states of matter. They will measure the volume of water in three containers after five days. They make this table to organize the data.

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Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

A group of students is performing an investigation to measure how much liquid water is produced from a 10 L sample of snow. What must occur in order for the students to perform this investigation?

• The sample must be kept in a freezer.

• The temperature of the sample must change.

• The investigation must be performed outside.

• The physical state of the sample must remain the same.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

Students poured water and cooking oil into a beaker. The students then added a penny, a plastic paper clip, and a cork to the beaker and recorded their observations.

Which list puts the items in order from most dense to least dense?

• Cork, oil, plastic paper clip, water, penny

• Water, penny, oil, plastic paper clip, cork

• Penny, water, plastic paper clip, oil, cork

• Oil, penny, cork, plastic paper clip, water

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-2

Students use a circuit to investigate the properties of six objects. The buzzer make a sound if an object completes the circuit. The circuit and observations are shown.

Which objects are electrical insulators?

• Eraser, toothpick, cotton ball

• Eraser, paper clip, safety pin

• toothpick, paper clip, safety pin

• paper clip, safety pin, aluminum foil

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-3

A student places objects in a bucket of water to determine if they will float.

Which set of items is less dense than water?

• Plastic paper clip, penny, and cork

• Toothpick, metal spoon, and plastic paper clip

• Metal spoon, vegetable oil, and penny

• Toothpick, cork, and vegetable oil

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-2

A student is classifying objects. Answering which question will provide the best evidence that an object is a metal?

• What is its mass?

• What is its physical state?

• Does it conduct thermal energy?

• How quickly does it dissolve in water?

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-3

A student poured equal amounts of water and cooking oil into a jar. The student placed a lid on the jar and shook the mixture for five seconds and then let the jar sit for ten minutes. The results of this investigation are shown.

Which conclusion best compares a property of cooking oil and water shown in this investigation?

• Cooking oil is less dense than water.

• Water is less dense than cooking oil.

• Water dissolves in cooking oil.

• Cooking oil dissolves in water.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-2

Students observe some objects on a lab tray. The students will classify the objects based on physical properties common to all of the objects.

Based on their common properties, how should these objects be classified?

• Insulate thermal energy, Bendable, Attract to magnets

• Soluble in water, Attract to magnets, Conduct thermal energy

• Conduct electrical energy, Bendable, Soluble in water

• Conduct thermal energy, Conduct electrical energy, Not soluble in water

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-3