Quiz about FCAT Science Review

Question 1

Which of the following is TRUE regarding stars?

Accepted Answer

All stars emit energy and some of it is in the form of light

Answer

All stars are the same size

Answer

All stars are the same distance from Earth

Answer

All stars can be seen without a telescope on a clear night

Question 2

Marcus had learned that the Sun is a star, but not the largest star in our galaxy. Which answer BEST explains why Earth receives more energy from the Sun than from any other star?

Accepted Answer

The Sun is the closest star

Answer

The Sun is a very young star

Answer

The Sun is the hottest star in the galaxy

Answer

The Sun gives off more energy than any other star

Question 3

Which of the following BEST describes what makes up a galaxy?

Accepted Answer

gas, dust, and many stars

Answer

a star and planets orbiting the star

Answer

one planet and a moon orbiting the planet

Answer

a group of several stars that make a shape in the sky

Question 4

All stars in the sky, except the Sun, appear to be points of light. Which BEST explains why these stars appear to be so small?

Accepted Answer

These stars are farther away than the Sun

Answer

These stars are cooler than the Sun

Answer

These stars are smaller than the Sun

Answer

These stars are made of different chemicals than the Sun

Question 5

Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. Which statement about Sirius is true?

Accepted Answer

Sirius must be very hot, very large, and close to Earth, compared to other stars

Answer

Sirius must be the closest star to Earth

Answer

Sirius must be the hottest star in the sky

Answer

Sirius must be larger and have more energy than any other star in the galaxy

Question 6

Ann and Cheryl are trying to write a general description of a planet that could apply to any planet in our Solar System. So far, their list looks like this:

1. orbits the Sun
2. is nearly round
What else can they add to their list?

Accepted Answer

spins on its axis

Answer

has at least one moon

Answer

has water on its surface

Answer

is always the same distance from the Sun

Question 7

Demarcus wants his friend, Alvin, to guess which planet he is describing. He tells Alvin that the planet is rocky and doesn't have any moons. What other clue would let Alvin be certain which planet Demarcus is describing?

Accepted Answer

It has a thick atmosphere

Answer

It has rings around it

Answer

It is very hot in daytime

Answer

It has liquid water on its surface

Question 8

Of the outer planets, which one is closest to the Sun?

Accepted Answer

Jupiter

Answer

Neptune

Answer

Saturn

Answer

Venus

Question 9

Which of the following describes one way that Mars and Earth are different?

Accepted Answer

A year on Earth is about half as long as a year on Mars

Answer

Mars has a moon but Earth does not

Answer

Earth has an atmosphere but Mars does not

Answer

Earth is an inner planet and Mars is an outer planet

Question 10

Comets and asteroids both crash into planets or their moons sometimes. In what other way are comets and asteroids similar?

Accepted Answer

They are both found in orbit around the Sun

Answer

They both have a smooth, round shape

Answer

Thy both develop glowing tails near the Sun

Answer

They are both made of ice and rock particles

Question 11

Padma took a bottle of water with her when she went to play soccer. She wanted to make sure none of it evaporated from the bottle while she was playing. What should she do to keep the water from evaporating?

Accepted Answer

Put the top on tightly and leave it in the shade

Answer

Screw the top on loosely and set it in the Sun

Answer

Leave the top off the bottle and set it in the Sun

Answer

Screw the top on loosely and set it in the shade

Question 12

On a cold day in winter, Jasmine breathed on the cold car window. The window fogged up enough so that she could write her name on the glass with her finger. Why did the fog form on the window?

Accepted Answer

The moisture in her breath condensed when it hit the cold glass

Answer

Her warm breath caused precipitation when it hit the cold air

Answer

The warmth of her breath melted the clear layer of ice on the window

Answer

Her breath contained moisture droplets that evaporated against the window

Question 13

During which part of the water cycle is water a gas?

Accepted Answer

when it evaporates

Answer

after it condenses

Answer

as it becomes precipitation

Answer

once it changes temperature

Question 14

Hurricanes generally produce a great deal of precipitation. Where do these storms collect the moisture needed to produce so much precipitation?

Accepted Answer

from water evaporating quickly off the warm ocean surface

Answer

from the energy of ocean currents moving water into the air

Answer

from cold ocean water meeting warm land and producing clouds

Answer

from rain condensing as the hurricane passes over high mountains

Question 15

Which of the following BEST describes what clouds are made of?

Accepted Answer

water vapor that has condensed into droplets

Answer

fog that has risen from the ground

Answer

large amounts of water that has evaporated

Answer

rain or snow that has been pushed together by wind

Question 16

If you examine a piece of hail, it might have visible layers like an onion. Which answer BEST explains why this is true?

Accepted Answer

Hail builds up ice layers as it travels through updrafts in a storm before it falls

Answer

As hail falls, it picks up layers of dust and dirt from the air

Answer

Hail forms layers because it melts as it falls toward the Earth

Answer

Air pressure increases while the hail falls and it causes ice layers to form

Question 17

The Sun shining on the surface of a lake can heat up the air just above the water. What happens if this air gets warmer than the air above it?

Accepted Answer

The warmer air will rise and increase the movement of air across the lake

Answer

The amount of waves on the surface of the lake will increase

Answer

The warm air will evaporate and condense into rain above the lake

Answer

The movement of air will decrease above the lake as the warm air rises

Question 18

Which climate zone experiences the greatest variety of weather with the seasons of the year?

Accepted Answer

temperate

Answer

polar

Answer

tundra

Answer

tropical

Question 19

Which answer choice lists the weather conditions that would most likely result in snow?

Accepted Answer

freezing temperature, heavy clouds, high humidity

Answer

warm temperature, light winds, low humidity

Answer

low humidity, freezing temperature, light clouds

Answer

freezing temperature, light clouds, heavy winds

Question 20

Which type of cloud is associated with thunderstorms?

Accepted Answer

cumulonimbus

Answer

cirrus

Answer

cumulus

Answer

stratus

Question 21

The students in Miss Smith's class were using catapults to launch small and large marshmallows across the room. The table below shows the distances in centimeters (cm) that the marshmallows traveled. Which of the following statements BEST describes the students' data?

Accepted Answer

On average, small marshmallows travel farther than large marshmallows

Answer

Small marshmallows travel an average of 9 centimeters

Answer

Large marshmallows travel an average of more than 20 centimeters

Answer

On average, large marshmallows go higher in the air than small marshmallows

Question 22

Jonathan and Sarah have performed an experiment and are not sure their results are valid. What should they do to check their results?

Accepted Answer

repeat the same experiment

Answer

average their data

Answer

change their lab report

Answer

perform a new experiment

Question 23

During a recent drought, Sonya noticed some yards in her neighborhood were healthy and green, and some were mostly brown and dead. Sonya believes the difference has to do with how often her neighbors mow their grass. What should Sonya do first to find out if she is right?

Accepted Answer

Survey her neighbors about their mowing schedule and record the details

Answer

Ask her neighbors to cut their grass on the same schedule

Answer

Study other neighborhoods to see if there are similar problems

Answer

Compare the neighbors' lawn mowers to see if there are similarities

Question 24

Jordan wants to find out if a hamster can learn a maze as quickly as a mouse can. She has researched mice and hamsters and predicts which rodent she thinks will learn more quickly. What should he next step be?

Accepted Answer

observe the behavior of both rodents in the maze

Answer

analyze hamster behavior in the maze

Answer

research how a rabbit would behave in a maze

Answer

make conclusions about rodent behavior in the maze

Question 25

Stephen and his classmates are going on a field trip to a nature preserve. His teacher has told the class that when they return to school, they will be required to give a report on their trip and the animals and plants they saw while walking through the preserve.

What is the BEST method Stephen can use to make sure he remembers everything he sees?

Accepted Answer

He should bring a pad and pen to write down his observations

Answer

He should do research on the computer when he returns to class

Answer

He should ask his classmates to help him remember what he saw

Answer

He should look for a map of the nature preserve at the visitor's center

Question 26

Jose wants to create an excellent science fair project for the school competition. In order for his project to be valid, which of the following must happen?

Accepted Answer

The results must be based on evidence

Answer

The project must include his beliefs

Answer

The project must prove his predictions correct

Answer

The results must be based on personal opinion

Question 27

Which of the following statements about science is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

Science is based on observation or measurement that answers a question

Answer

Science always contains the opinion of the investigator

Answer

Science proves the predictions of scientists to be correct

Answer

Science answers all questions using strict rules called the scientific method

Question 28

Which of the following is the main purpose of a scientific investigation?

Accepted Answer

to answer questions about the natural world

Answer

to prove a scientific law

Answer

to determine the investigator's opinion

Answer

to support results from previous investigations

Question 29

Which of the following should be a goal of a scientific investigation?

Accepted Answer

to help the scientist solve a problem

Answer

to help the scientist make money

Answer

to make sure the scientist is correct

Answer

to make sure other scientists are incorrect

Question 30

Elli conducts an investigation to determine if size or weight affect how fast objects fall. Her investigation includes repeatedly dropping a basketball and a golf ball at the same time. After many trials, she determines that both balls land at the exact same time.

Why would Ellie's investigation be valid?

Accepted Answer

It is based on evidence

Answer

It includes her opinion

Answer

It uses objects that move

Answer

It proves her predictions are correct

Question 31

Tom is creating an experiment to see what food his pet lizard likes the best. He creates an experiment in which he offers his lizard a choice of crickets or mealworms. He records how much of each choice is eaten each day. At the end of two weeks, Tom finds the lizard has eaten a few more mealworms than crickets.

What must Tom do to be sure his results are valid?

Accepted Answer

repeat the same experiment to confirm his results

Answer

include another food option besides crickets

Answer

buy additional lizards and begin multiple experiments

Answer

feed only mealworms for a while then offer a choice again

Question 32

Juana decided to find out if it was worth spending the money to buy bags of potting soil sold at the store. She bought one bag of potting soil and some bean seeds. At home she put potting soil in ten pots and soil she dug up from the yard in ten other pots. She planted one bean seed in each pot. After one week, all twenty seeds had sprouted and all the seedlings had two leaves. She concluded that her soil was just as good as potting soil.

What would be the BEST thing for Juana to do next?

Accepted Answer

Repeat the experiment to see if she gets the same results

Answer

Mix the potting soil with her soil and see how seeds grow in it

Answer

Start watering some of the plants in each group twice as much

Answer

Let the plants grow in different soil types to see if they remain healthy

Question 33

Ms. Barber's science class was going an experiment to see how fast a toy car would roll down inclined planes made of three different materials; wood, metal and plastic. For the first trial, each group tested its car on a wooden board raised up by putting three science books under one end of the board. All the cars and boards were exactly the same. Each group used a stopwatch to time how fast the car traveled one meter. They each repeated it three times and averaged results.

Since there was quite a large difference in average times, what should the class do next?

Accepted Answer

Conclude that it takes 10 seconds for a car to travel one meter since that was the most common time

Answer

Assign students to different groups before testing the metal and plastic surfaces

Answer

Only allow groups 1, 4 and 5 to participate in testing the other types of surfaces

Answer

Compare how each group conducted the experiment to see if they were all doing it the same way

Question 34

Ana has to walk her little sister to school each morning and walk her home each afternoon. There are two routes they could take and Ana wants to know which way is quickest. Every day for one week they walk to school down Palmetto Avenue and every afternoon they walk home on Redburg Street. Ana kept careful records of how much time each journey took.

Which of the following would help Ana the most in making sure that Palmetto Ave. is the shortest rute?

Accepted Answer

She should ask others to walk the same routes and see if they get the same results

Answer

She should take Palmetto Avenue in both the morning and afternoon each day

Answer

She should count the number of steps it takes going down each of the streets

Answer

She should carry her sister's book bag for her when they walk home in the afternoon

Question 35

Janna has offered her canary, Sammy, a choice of sunflower seed or ground corn for two months. She has observed that Sammy eats more sunflower seeds than ground corn during the two months. She concludes Sammy prefers sunflower seeds over ground corn.

What should Janna do if she wants to confirm her results?

Accepted Answer

Repeat the experiment with the same exact conditions

Answer

Repeat the experiment with her friend's bird

Answer

Repeat the experiment using different food containers

Answer

Repeat the experiment with another feed instead of corn

Question 36

Lorenzo wants to mail a breakable birthday present to his friend. He has some crumpled newspaper and some crumpled tissue paper that he could use as packing material. Either one of them would protect his present from breaking. He needs to figure out which type of packing material will weigh less, since the amount of postage he has to pay is based on how much his package weighs.

What would be the BEST way for him to figure out which one to use?

Accepted Answer

Pack the box with crumpled newspaper and weigh it, then pack it with crumpled tissue paper and see which weighs more

Answer

Weigh a newspaper, weigh a package of tissue paper, and see which weighs more

Answer

Weigh a crumpled piece of newspaper, weigh a crumpled piece of tissue paper, and see which one weighs more

Answer

Put ten pieces of crumpled newspaper in the box and weigh it, repeat with ten pieces of crumpled tissue paper, and see which weighs more

Question 37

If two objects balance like the ones shown, what must be true?

Accepted Answer

Both objects have the same mass

Answer

Object A has more mass than object B

Answer

Object A has more volume than object B

Answer

Both objects have the same volume

Question 38

Nathan went swimming at the lake over the weekend. While he was playing on the shore, he found a small chunk of cement and a stick, which appeared to be the same size. What would be the BEST way for Nathan to compare the volume of the stick and of the chunk of cement?

Accepted Answer

Place them in a bucket of water and see which one raises the water level the most

Answer

Throw them in the lake and see which one will sink

Answer

Use a ruler to measure the length of each objects

Answer

Place them each on a scale and see which one weighs more

Question 39

Maria and Lucy are making peanut butter sandwiches. They learned at school that a substance may be a solid, a liquid or a gas. Maria thinks the peanut butter is a solid, but Lucy thinks it is a liquid. What would be the BEST way to test to see if it is a liquid?

Accepted Answer

Try to pour it out of the jar

Answer

Heat it to see if it gets softer

Answer

See if its volume increases in the freezer

Answer

Press it to try and make it take up less space

Question 40

Both cookies and gelatin desserts are solids although their textures are very different. What do they have in common that makes them solids?

Accepted Answer

They both keep their own shape

Answer

They both may be eaten

Answer

They both can move around in a container

Answer

They both are made of solids such as sugar

Question 41

Mayra leaves a basket of flowers she has just picked outside in the hot sun for several hours. What will Mayra find in her basket when she returns?

Accepted Answer

The flowers will be wilted and possibly brown

Answer

The flowers will have dropped off of their stems

Answer

Because they were just picked, the flowers will not have changed

Answer

Because they still have living cells, the flowers will not have changed

Question 42

Miguel is learning to cook. Following a recipe, he combines meat, vegetables, herbs and spices, and water in a pan and heats hem until the mixture is hot and simmering. Which of the following will happen as the mixture simmers?

Accepted Answer

The heat will cause some of the water to turn to vapor

Answer

The heat will cause some of the water to form a solid in the pan

Answer

The vegetables will turn to liquid form when combined with heat

Answer

The herbs and spices will keep the water from boiling in the pan

Question 43

Which of the following BEST explains what will happen if you fill a container to the top with liquid and then tightly secure the lid and place it in the freezer?

Accepted Answer

As it freezes, the liquid will take up more space and push out on the container until it bursts

Answer

As it freezes, the liquid will maintain its shape and volume as it slowly turns into a solid

Answer

As it freezes, part of the liquid will become gas, which will push out on the container until it bursts

Answer

As it freezes, the liquid will take up less space because it will be a mixture of solid, liquid, and gas

Question 44

Iron becomes rust when it reacts with oxygen. Which of the following is another example of a material undergoing a chemical change to become another material with different characteristics?

Accepted Answer

burning wood

Answer

melting ice

Answer

freezing water

Answer

shattering glass

Question 45

A compost pile is made up of vegetable scraps, glass clippings, and other yard waste. With the help of bacteria that break down matter, the plant material slowly becomes smaller particles that help the soil.

What would slow down this process of breaking down the plant material in a compost pile?

Accepted Answer

lowering the surrounding temperature

Answer

compacting the material into a smaller space

Answer

turning the pile over to introduce more oxygen

Answer

introducing worms or other creatures to the pile

Question 46

Fireworks are popular during celebrations. They light up the night sky and sometimes shake the ground with their explosions. The explosion noises are an example of what type of energy?

Accepted Answer

sound

Answer

electrical

Answer

light

Answer

mechanical

Question 47

Bobbie is playing with his radio-controlled car by using a handheld remote box. What type of energy is being used to power Bobbie's car?

Accepted Answer

electrical

Answer

chemical

Answer

heat

Answer

mechanical

Question 48

Miguel is rolling a ball down a hill. This is an example of which form of energy?

Accepted Answer

mechanical

Answer

chemical

Answer

electrical

Answer

thermal

Question 49

Latisha notices that when she rubs her hands together, they feel warm. Which of the following is the BEST explanation for why this happens?

Accepted Answer

heat energy is produced by friction

Answer

energy is reflected into her hands

Answer

light energy of the Sun heats her hands

Answer

energy is absorbed from the air molecules by her hands

Question 50

Amber visits a theme park that has a roller coaster that travels upside down. Which of the following is the BEST explanation for why the roller coaster car stays in contact with the track when it travels upside down?

Accepted Answer

The car has mechanical energy an is fast enough that gravity cannot pull the car down

Answer

The track and car are held together by a series of strong magnets

Answer

The car has large amounts of thermal energy that binds it to the track

Answer

The car has chemical energy that resists the effect of gravity when it is upside down

Question 51

It is possible to power a small light bulb using a simple battery. Which of the following explains what is happening in the picture?

Accepted Answer

Electrical energy from the battery is changed to light and heat energy

Answer

Light energy in the bulb is changed to electrical energy in the battery

Answer

Heat energy from the light bulb is changed to mechanical energy in the battery

Answer

Electrical energy in the battery is changed to mechanical energy in the light bulb

Question 52

Jennifer is getting ready for school on a cold day in February. She wants to make sure her hair is completely dry before she leaves her house. She plugs her hair dryer into the wall outlet and turns it on.

Which of the following describes one of the steps involved in using energy to dry Jennifer's hair?

Accepted Answer

Electrical energy is changed into mechanical energy, which makes the motor in the hair dryer move

Answer

Thermal energy is changed into mechanical energy, which makes the motor in the hair dryer move

Answer

Electrical energy is changed into heat energy, which makes the motor in the hair dryer move

Answer

Mechanical energy is changed into heat energy, which makes the motor in the hair dryer move

Question 53

Shondra was trying to water the flowers with the hose, but even with the water turned up to full force she could not get it to read the farthest flowers. Her sister told her to cover part of the end of the hose mouth with her thumb. When she did this, the water shot out farther.

Why did putting her thumb over the end of the hose make a difference?

Accepted Answer

The same amount of energy in the water was forced through a smaller space

Answer

The thinner stream of water could travel farther because it was light

Answer

Shondra added more energy to the water by making it swirl inside the hose

Answer

The warmth of Shondra's thumb increased the amount of energy in the water

Question 54

Eric had papers spread all over his table while he was working on a project. When the air conditioner came on several of the papers slid off the table and fell to the floor. What is the most likely explanation of why the papers moved when the air conditioner came on, and not before?

Accepted Answer

The fan added enough energy to the air to push the papers

Answer

The cooler air sank and took the papers along with it

Answer

The air conditioner motor made the floor and the table shake

Answer

As dampness in the papers dried, they could slide more easily

Question 55

Amy has new roller skates. She knows that if she stands very still on a flat part of the road with her roller skates on, she will not move. She has to give a push with her foot in order to start moving. What else would cause her roller skates to start rolling?

Accepted Answer

getting pushed by a strong gust of wind

Answer

setting the roller skates in the Sun to warm

Answer

standing on one foot on the flat part of the road

Answer

smoothing the surfaces of the roller skate wheels

Question 56

Which of the following statements about heat energy is true?

Accepted Answer

Heat flow can cause materials to change temperature

Answer

Heat usually flows from colder to warmer objects

Answer

Heat is attracted to solid objects more than gases

Answer

Heat is attracted to liquids less often than solids

Question 57

Which of these materials would be the best insulator?

Accepted Answer

glass

Answer

aluminum

Answer

gold

Answer

silver

Question 58

When Derrick plugs in his bedroom lamp he notices the the wire is covered with plastic. Why does the wire have a plastic covering?

Accepted Answer

The plastic is an insulator to protect people from the electricity

Answer

The plastic converts the electricity to thermal energy

Answer

The plastic helps conduct the electricity to light the lamp

Answer

The plastic is used to protect the copper wire underneath, which is very expensive

Question 59

When a radio is turned on, what energy transformation occurs?

Accepted Answer

Electrical energy is changed to sound energy

Answer

Heat energy is changed to light energy

Answer

Kinetic energy is changed to sound energy

Answer

Chemical energy is changed to mechanical energy

Question 60

What purpose do batteries have in an electrical circuit?

Accepted Answer

They convert chemical energy to electrical energy

Answer

They absorb the thermal energy

Answer

They store light energy for later use

Answer

They convert solar energy to usable kinetic energy

Question 61

Gravity gets weaker as you travel farther from the surface of Earth. Which of the following examples correctly illustrates this idea?

Accepted Answer

Astronauts can float because Earth's gravity is not as strong in orbit

Answer

Satellites that orbit Earth will always fall back to Earth eventually

Answer

Airplanes can fly because there is much less gravity high in the sky

Answer

There is no gravity on the Moon because it is too far away from Earth

Question 62

Magnets have a negative and positive pole. What happens if you try to touch the positive ends of two magnets together?

Accepted Answer

The positive poles will repel each other

Answer

The positive poles will be attracted to each other

Answer

The positive poles will neither attract nor repel each other

Answer

The positive poles will create gravity and attract other objects

Question 63

A toy car rolling along different surfaces will experience different amounts of friction. The toy car would encounter the most friction when rolling on which of the following surfaces?

Accepted Answer

a sandy beach

Answer

a sheet of glass

Answer

a smooth wooden board

Answer

a piece of construction paper

Question 64

Which of the following BEST explains why a person standing on the Moon can jump higher than a person standing on Earth?

Accepted Answer

The Moon's gravitational pull is less than Earth's

Answer

There is no gravity on the Moon

Answer

Everything has less mass on the Moon

Answer

Earth's gravity is very weak on the Moon

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