Physical Science MAAP Practice Test Questions

A student is comparing two sound waves. Select the answers that correctly compare the wavelength and the energy of the two sound waves. The wavelength of sound wave X is _________ the wavelength of sound Y. Therefore, sound wave X has ________ sound wave Y.

• shorter than, less energy than

• longer than, more energy than

• shorter than, the same amount of energy as

• equal to, the same amout of energy as

• shorter than, more energy than

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-1

The color _________ has the most energy, as it has the ________ wavelength.

• orange, shortest

• red, longest

• blue, longest

• violet, shortest

Which statement best describes the behavior of the different colors of light exiting the prism after the white light shines on it?

• A. The different colors of light reflect at the same angle.
• B. The different colors of light reflect at different angles.
• C. The different colors of light refract at the same angle.
• D. The different colors of light refract at different angles.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

The diagrams represent the movement of sound from music playing to a person's ear and the movement of light from a source to an object and then to the observer. Which statement best explains which type of energy shown needs a medium through which to travel?

• A. Sound needs to travel through a medium because the energy is produced by a speaker.
• B. Light needs to travel through a medium because it involves the movement of light rays.
• C. Sound needs to travel through a medium because it involves the movement of particles.
• D. Light needs to travel through a medium because the energy is moved in two directions

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

A student builds a simple guitar using rubber bands and a cardboard box. Plucking the rubber bands results in sound waves. Which step would best help the student investigate the effect of changing the resonance of the sound waves?

• A. adding more rubber bands to the guitar
• B. adding color patterns to the outside of the box
• C. using more force when plucking the rubber bands
• D. building a similar guitar using a larger or smaller box

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

NGSS.MS-PS4-1

A light source sends light waves through a small opening in a piece of paper to a screen. The diagram shows the setup Choose the answers that best describe the most likely effect that the opening in the paper will have on the light waves.

The light waves will be diffracted by the opening in the paper, causing the light waves to 1.( cancel out / come together / spread out ) and appear 2.( brighter / dimmer / equally bright ).

• 1. spread out, dimmer

• come together, dimmer

• cancel out, brighter

• come together, equally bright

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

A student is investigating the properties of sound waves and light waves. To learn more about sound, the student constructs a straw horn following the procedure below. Procedure 1. Collect three plastic straws and cut them to three different lengths. 2. Flatten the top end of each straw and cut off the top corners of each straw. 3. Tape the three straws together. 4. Blow air downward into each straw and listen to the sound The student observes that the shorter straws produce sounds with a higher pitch. Which set of information identifies and explains the characteristic of sound that the student observes?

• A. Characteristic: amplitude Explanation: Sounds with higher pitches have greater amplitudes.
• B. Characteristic: amplitude Explanation: Sounds with lower pitches have greater amplitudes.
• C. Characteristic: frequency Explanation: Sounds with lower pitches have greater frequencies.
• D. Characteristic: frequency Explanation: Sounds with higher pitches have greater frequencies.

A student is investigating the properties of sound waves and light waves. To learn more about sound, the student constructs a straw horn following the procedure below. Procedure 1. Collect three plastic straws and cut them to three different lengths. 2. Flatten the top end of each straw and cut off the top corners of each straw. 3. Tape the three straws together. 4. Blow air downward into each straw and listen to the sound The student wants to investigate how sound waves from the straw horn interact with different materials. Which wave property should be tested, and which method should be used to test it?

• A. Wave property: absorption Method: playing the straw horn in a room with hard surfaces and a room with soft surfaces
• B. Wave property: absorption Method: making several sounds from straws of different lengths
• C. Wave property: pitch Method: playing the straw horn in a room with hard surfaces and a room with soft surfaces
• D. Wave property: pitch Method: making several sounds from straws of different lengths

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

Solar photovoltaic (PV) cells capture sunlight to produce electrical energy. The graph shows the components of sunlight reaching Earth's surface. The table shows three types of PV cells and the wavelengths of light absorbed for electrical production. Which statement explains which PV cells would most likely produce more energy from sunlight?

• A. Blue-absorbing PV cells would produce more energy because infrared light wavelengths are most of the energy in sunlight and produce more energy from sunlight.
• B. Red-absorbing PV cells would produce more energy because infrared light wavelengths are most of the energy in sunlight and produce more energy from sunlight.
• C. Blue-absorbing PV cells would produce more energy because blue-light wavelengths contain more energy than other wavelengths and produce more energy from sunlight.
• D. Red-absorbing PV cells would produce more energy because blue-light wavelengths contain more energy than other wavelengths and produce more energy from sunlight

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-3

NGSS.HS-PS4-5

The model represents a sound wave. Which statement best describes the relationship between matter and energy in a sound wave?

• A. Particles of matter transform into energy to produce a sound wave.
• B. Energy in a sound wave moves particles of matter from one place to another.
• C. Energy in a sound wave transfers between particles of matter in a repeating pattern.
• D. Particles of matter are transformed into other types of matter by energy in a sound wave.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

NGSS.MS-PS4-1

NGSS.MS-PS3-4