Science STAAR (2018 questions)

Which of these devices is the only one NOT designed to produce both sound and light energy?

• Fireworks

• Television

• Digital clock

• French horn

The diagram shows layers deposited under a body of water. This layering continued for millions of years. What most likely happened to the dead plants and animals?

• They were eaten by scavengers.

• They became fossil fuels.

• They were washed away by water.

• They became an underground aquifer.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-1

Based on the information provided about the characteristics of shark tail fins and bony fish tail fins, what is most likely an advantage of the bony fish tail fin over the shark tail fin?

• It is easier for a bony fish to change direction quickly since muscles control the movement of the tail fin.

• The bones in the tail fin help a bony fish sink to lower depths in the water when searching for food.

• The flexible tail fin is fanned by the water, so a bony fish uses less energy to swim.

• The thin spines of the tail fin prevent a bony fish from being seen by larger predator fish.

A student places 250 g samples of clay, sand, gravel, and silt in separate flower pots. The pots are set on a wire rack, and dishes are placed beneath the pots so that water can drip through holes and collect. The student then pours 100 mL of water over the sample in each pot. The student measures the time it takes for water to begin dripping from the bottom of each pot. What property of soils is the student most likely examining with this procedure?

• The differences in texture between wet and dry soils

• How well different soils retain water

• How much water is needed to dissolve different soils

• The amount of time it takes different soils to dry

The table lists some physical properties of two objects. Based on their properties, which of the objects is most likely a metal?

• Object 1, because it is a solid that is less dense than water

• Object 2, because all metals float in water

• Object 2, because metals conduct thermal energy and electricity

• Object 1, because it can be used to provide insulation for thermal energy

Which of these describes one or more living organisms that depend on another living organism to survive?

• Bacteria living in the mouth of a horse

• Ivy plants growing up a fence to obtain more sunlight

• Mold living on a hard, rocky surface

• An angelfish releasing carbon dioxide into pond water

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-2

What is the athlete demonstrating in the picture?

• Doing work by pushing the ball and changing its motion and position

• Changing the position but not the motion of the ball

• Doing work by pulling the racquet and changing the ball’s position but not its motion

• Changing the position and motion of the ball without doing any work

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-1

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

A partial wetland food web is shown. Which statement correctly describes the transfer of energy in a food chain in this wetland?

• Energy is transferred from hawks to shrews to grasshoppers to marsh grasses.

• Energy is transferred from marsh grasses to crickets to hawks to frogs.

• Energy is transferred from grasshoppers to crickets to frogs to hawks.

• Energy is transferred from cattails to crickets to shrews to hawks.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

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

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

A bright-red male cardinal comes to a school bird feeder every morning. Like other cardinals, this bird makes a sharp chirping sound as it hops around the bird feeder. Which of these is a learned behavior of this bird?

• Having red feathers

• Eating seeds during the day

• Coming to the bird feeder each morning

• Making a chirping sound