PSSA Released Items Quiz

Which question could best be investigated using scientific inquiry?

• When do most people plant flower gardens?

• Which color of flowers do people like to grow in their gardens?

• How many flowering plants have become extinct throughout Earth’s history?

• How does the amount of sunlight received affect the growth of flowering plants?

Which unintended effect could result from overusing chemical pesticides to control insects on agricultural crops?

• crops producing their own chemical pesticides

• insect pests switching to a different food source

• crops requiring more water and nutrients to survive

• insect pests becoming resistant to certain pesticides

A family adopts a pet dog from the local animal shelter. The family does not know the breed of the dog. To help determine the breed, the family compares the traits of the dog to the traits of known dog breeds. The family concludes that the dog's parents were two different breeds. Which scientific concept did the family most likely use to form this conclusion?

• natural selection

• Newton’s first law

• Mendelian genetics

• the theory of evolution

Fires are common in grassland ecosystems. Dead grasses and small shrubs that accumulate on the ground provide an excellent source of fuel for the fires. Which statement describes how grassland ecosystems benefit from periodic fires?

• Ash left over from fires provides plants with additional nutrients.

• Fires reduce ground cover, which creates new habitats for nonnative organisms.

• The darker color of burned plant material is able to absorb more energy from sunlight.

• The increased temperatures allow soil bacteria populations to remain active during winter

Use the diagram below to answer the question.

In a science class, students release the same toy car down four different ramps. Each ramp has the same length but a different height. Which dependent variable could be measured to find out how the ramp height affects the car?

• mass of each ramp

• length of each ramp

• weight of the car when it reaches the bottom of each ramp

• distance the car rolls after it reaches the bottom of each ramp

Use the drawing below to answer the question.

A researcher hypothesizes that a specific temperature is optimal for the growth of a type of algae. To test this hypothesis, the researcher grew algae in culture dishes each kept at a different temperature. The data collected from which measurements would be needed to support the hypothesis?

• the initial and final mass of the algae colony

• the initial and final volume of the culture dish

• the initial and final surface area of the culture dish

• the initial and final temperature of the algae colon

A student is measuring the volume of a rectangular object. Which two tools could the student use to measure the volume of the object?

• beaker or microscope

• thermometer or stopwatch

• ruler or graduated cylinder

• balance scale or hand lens

Use the diagram below to answer the question.

• RNA is the input of process 1.

• Protein is the output of process 2.

• Process 1 is a feedback mechanism.

• Process 2 is a feedback mechanism.

Which list correctly shows characteristics of fungi and animals?

• Fungi: have a cell wall, break down dead organisms Animals: have no cell wall, feed on other organisms

• Fungi: have a cell wall, feed on other organisms Animals: have a cell wall, make food from sunlight

• Fungi: have no cell wall, make food from sunlight Animals: have a cell wall, feed on other organisms

• Fungi: have no cell wall, make food from sunlight Animals: have no cell wall, break down dead organisms

A student observes a large amount of fallen tree leaves on the school grounds. Which solution for cleaning up the leaves would have the most positive impact on the environment?

• piling the leaves to burn them

• piling the leaves to compost them

• raking the leaves into plastic bags to store them

• raking the leaves into trucks to transport them to a landfill