Introduction to Physical Science: Mastery Test

Jack tries to place magnets on the door of his refrigerator. He observes that the magnets don’t stick. He guesses that the door of the refrigerator is made of a nonmagnetic substance. What stage of scientific investigation does his guess represent?

• ask questions

• construct a hypothesis

• explain the results

• make observations

Answer explanation

Jack's guess that the refrigerator door is made of a nonmagnetic substance is a hypothesis. It is a proposed explanation based on his observation that the magnets don’t stick, representing the 'construct a hypothesis' stage.

Meg goes swimming on a hot afternoon. When she comes out of the pool, her foot senses that the pavement is unbearably hot. Suppose Meg wants to apply the scientific method to discover reasons for the hot pavement. What is the next step she should take?

• analyze the data

• ask questions

• communicate the results

• make observations

Answer explanation

The next step Meg should take is to ask questions. This is essential in the scientific method to identify the factors contributing to the hot pavement, such as the time of day, material of the pavement, and weather conditions.

Select the correct answer. When a candle burns, which forms of energy does the chemical energy in the candle change to?

• light and sound

• heat and sound

• light and heat

• electric and light

Answer explanation

When a candle burns, the chemical energy stored in the wax is converted into light and heat energy. This is why the correct answer is 'light and heat', as sound is not a significant form of energy produced in this process.

Select the correct answer from each drop-down menu. When a hypothesis is proven wrong, scientists often begin by revising the:

• hypothesis

• experiment

• conclusion

• data

Answer explanation

When a hypothesis is proven wrong, scientists typically revise the hypothesis itself to explore new possibilities or explanations, rather than changing the experiment, conclusion, or data.

After that, it's common for scientists to redesign the:

• experiment

• hypothesis

• conclusion

• data

Answer explanation

After analyzing results, scientists often redesign the experiment to test new variables or improve methods, ensuring more accurate results. This iterative process helps refine their understanding, making 'experiment' the correct choice.

Select all the correct locations on the image. Select the forms of energy in the image.

• heat

• light

• glass

• tungsten (a metal)

• electricity

Answer explanation

The correct forms of energy in the image are heat, light, and electricity. Glass and tungsten are materials, not forms of energy, which is why they are not included in the correct answers.