Practice Assessment Review

There is an apple tree in a scientist's backyard. Every year a bird builds a nest and raises its young in the tree. Each year the scientist records how many baby birds are born. The scientist also records the average temperature and rainfall during the summer.

Is this an experiment or an investigation?

• An investigation because there are trials over several years.

• An experiment because it establishes only cause and effect.

• An investigation because it involves only observations of nature.

• An experiment because there are multiple variables each year.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Below lists some methods of identifying minerals. Match each method to its definition.

• How the mineral breaks apart

• Streak

• How much light the mineral reflects

• Hardness

• How easy it is to scratch a mineral

• Cleavage

• The type of line left on a tile

• Luster

Liam observed that the pyrite looks like metal. What property did the student investigate?

• streak

• luster

• cleavage

• hardness

Jeffrey tested the hardness of iron and copper. First, he scratched each mineral with his fingernail. His fingernail left a mark on the iron, but not on the copper. Then, he tried to scratch the iron and the copper with a piece of quartz. The quartz scratched both minerals. What can you conclude about the hardness of the iron?

• Iron is softer than both copper and quartz.

• Iron is harder than both copper and quartz.

• Iron is harder than copper and softer than quartz.

• Iron is softer than copper and harder than quartz.

Over time, a process of heating, cooling, and pressure will combine the minerals pyrite and talc into a rock. What kind of rock will most likely be formed from this process?

• sedimentary

• metamorphic

• igneous

• pure mineral

Use the information to answer the question. The diagram below shows what happens when water acts on a rock over time. What process is taking place in the diagram?

• Temperature changes are causing the rock to weather.

• Erosion is causing temperature changes in the rock.

• Weathering is causing sedimentary rock to form.

• Erosion is causing metamorphic rock to form.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Gravity plays a major role in reshaping the surface of Earth. It pulls material downward after it has broken off from larger rock. This kind of change is an example of what process?

• weathering

• sedimentation

• fracturing

• erosion

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Energy enters this food chain from the Sun. What happens to the energy as it moves through the food chain?

• Each organism passes on part of the energy it takes in.

• All of the energy passes through the food chain to the snake.

• The amount of energy increases at each step of the chain.

• The energy in the chain flows from the snake back to the grass.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A student is studying the migration patterns of several birds. She collects the data in the table.

• The distances birds travel is independent of their size.

• Birds more than ten grams in weight are more likely to travel.

• The smallest bird traveled the greatest distance.

• The largest birds stay in the same habitat all year.

A student transplants four plants and measures their heights. For the next month, the student gives the plants different amounts of water. After one month, the student measures the height of the plants again.

Which best explains what the student is trying to study?

• How does water affect plant growth?

• What affects the amount of water a plant gets?

• How does sunlight affect plant growth?

• What affects the number of plants that grow?

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1