MCAS Science Review 8th - 2023 Release question

The diagram shows the locations and relative sizes of several galaxies.

A student is asked to show the location of Earth’s solar system on the diagram. Where should the student draw Earth’s solar system on the diagram?

• within the Milky Way galaxy

• within the Sagittarius Dwarf galaxy

• between the Milky Way galaxy and the Boötes Dwarf galaxy

• between the Sagittarius Dwarf galaxy and the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy

As an apple falls from a tree, the apple’s potential energy and kinetic energy change. The diagram shows the apple at two positions, T and G. At position T, the apple is about to fall. At position G, the apple is about to hit the ground. 

Which graph shows the apple’s potential energy and kinetic energy at positions T and G?

• 
• 
• 
• 

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

Every morning a student eats a bowl of cereal with milk for breakfast. The cereal and the milk are broken down and used in the student’s cells during cellular respiration.

Select the correct order for the symbols in each box to model cellular respiration in the student’s cells. Each symbol may be used once, more than once, or not at all. 

• C B A

• B C A

• A B C

• A C B

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-7

A certain chromosome in humans contains genes that affect eye color.

Select the answers that correctly complete the sentence.

This chromosome is located in the  _________ of   ___________  cells.

• cytoplasm

  all body

• membrane

  only hair and eye cells

• mitochondria

  only hair and eye cells

• nucleus

  all body

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS3-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Two children from the same parents have different eye colors. One child has blue eyes, and the other has brown eyes.

Select the answer that correctly completes the sentence. 

Each child has a different eye color because each inherited   __________

• a different number of genes

• a different number of chromosomes

• chromosomes that produce different types of fat

• genes that cause different proteins to be produced

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Which of the following is the best example of thermal energy being transferred primarily through conduction?

• when sunlight reflects off a lake

• when magma touches surrounding rock

• when warm air currents move over an air mass

• 
  when warm water near the equator flows north

A group of students is learning about chemical reactions. They perform an investigation with four different setups. Only one of the setups is a closed system. The masses of the setups are measured and then a chemical reaction occurs in each setup. After the reactions occur, the masses are measured again. The results are shown in the table.

Based on the results, which setup is most likely the closed system?

• setup W

• setup X

• setup Y

• 
  setup Z

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS1-5

A student is studying mitochondria in plant cells. Which of the following best describes the basic function of mitochondria in a plant cell?

• to store water in the cell

• to provide energy for the cell

• to remove wastes from the cell

• to provide carbon dioxide to the cell

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-2

Antibiotics are a type of medicine used to treat infections caused by bacteria. Bacteria that are killed by an antibiotic are said to be sensitive to that antibiotic. Sensitivity to antibiotics is an inherited trait in bacteria. The graph shows the change over time in the percentage of a certain species of bacteria that are sensitive to an antibiotic.

Which of the following best explains the change in the sensitivity of the bacteria to the antibiotic?

• The bacteria are becoming more sensitive to the antibiotic because bacteria were killed each time they were exposed to the antibiotic.

• The bacteria are becoming more sensitive to the antibiotic because the bacteria changed their genes to protect themselves from the antibiotic.

• The bacteria are becoming less sensitive to the antibiotic because some bacteria were able to survive and pass on traits that protect them from the antibiotic.

• The bacteria are becoming less sensitive to the antibiotic because some bacteria reproduced very rapidly when they were aware of the antibiotic in their environment.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS3-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

The diagram shows two tectonic plates at a mid-ocean ridge.

Based on the diagram, which of the following best describes how the plates are moving?

• The plates are being pushed toward each other by the cycling of materials in the core.

• The plates are being pushed toward each other by the waves of heat traveling through the mantle.

• 
  The plates are being pushed away from each other by convection currents in the mantle.

• The plates are being pushed away from each other by the eruption of hot magma from the core.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3