WCAS Science Test Prep

Students want to design an investigation to learn about energy and motion. They start their investigation by making two setups.

For setup 1 they attach three shelves at the following heights: 1 meter, 2 meters, and 3 meters. The students place a 1-kilogram ball at each shelf height. The students observe the ball stays at rest when set on each of the shelves.

For Setup 2 they build a ramp using wood and a table. (See diagram above)

They roll the 1-kilogram ball from the top of the ramp and record the speed of the ball as it travels down the ramp. See the results in Setup 2 Data (pictured above).

On which shelf will the ball have the most potential energy?

• 1 meter tall shelf

• 2 meter tall shelf

• 3 meter tall shelf

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

NGSS.MS-PS3-2

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

Which type of force causes the ball to have the most potential energy?

• Electrical force

• Magnetic force

• Gravitational force

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-2

What is the direction of the force acting on the ball?

• Upward force

• Downward force

• Left

• Right

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-1

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

Based on the data collected for Setup 2, a student made the following claim about the energy of the ball.

STUDENT CLAIM: As the ball travels down the ramp the kinetic energy increases and the potential energy stays the same.

Which statement best evaluates the student's claim?

• The claim is incorrect because the potential energy increases when the speed of the ball increases.

• The claim is incorrect because the potential energy of the ball is being transferred to kinetic energy as it travels down the ramp.

• The claim is correct because the speed of the ball increases causing the ball to remain in motion as it travels beyond the ramp.

• The claim is correct because the speed of the ball is the same as its kinetic energy, and the speed of the ball increases as it travels down the ramp.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

A student adds a material to the ramp that causes less friction between the ramp and the 1 kilogram ball. The student plans on rolling the ball from the top of the modified ramp.

Select the word or phrase from each set of options to complete the statements that best predict the results from using the modified ramp.

• balanced, decrease, the same speed

• balanced, increase, a slower speed than

• unbalanced, decrease, a faster speed than

• unbalanced, increase, a faster speed than

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-1

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

THIS QUESTION HAS TWO PARTS

A student shapes a piece of clay into a small cube. The student places the clay cube at the bottom of the ramp in Setup 2. The student rolls the 1 kilogram ball down the ramp and observes the collision between the ball and the clay cube.

PART A: Select one variable the student could change to Setup 2 to reduce the force of the ball during the collision.

• Replace the wood ramp with a ramp made of a smoother material

• Reduce the height of the ramp from 1 meter to 0.5 meters

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-1

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

PART B: Which statement provides the best support for the variable you selected in part A?

• This would decrease the force of friction acting on the ball causing it to increase in speed.

• This would increase the force of friction acting on the ball causing it to decrease in speed.

• This would increase the potential energy of the ball resulting in an increase in kinetic energy.

• This would decrease the potential energy of the ball resulting in a decrease in kinetic energy.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-1

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

The student switches the ball used in Setup 1 with a ball that has a mass of 2 kilograms. Another student states that the potential energy of the 2 kilogram ball would be the same as the potential energy of the 1 kilogram ball since they would be placed at the same height.

Which statement best explains whether the student's statement is correct or incorrect?

• The statement is correct because the gravitational force acting on objects with different masses is the same.

• The statement is incorrect because an object with more mass has less potential energy due to increased air resistance.

• The statement is incorrect because more force is needed to lift an object with more mass to the same height as an object with less mass.

• The statement is correct because the potential energy of any object with mass is based on an object's height above the ground and the speed at which it travels.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-2

A student rolls a 3 kilogram ball down the same ramp used in Setup 2. The speed of the ball after 2 seconds was 4 meters per second. The student concludes that the kinetic energy of the 3 kilogram ball is identical to the 1 kilogram ball after it has rolled down the ramp for 2 seconds.

Explain whether the student's conclusion is correct or incorrect. Use evidence from the investigation to support your answer.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

Select an organisms to complete the model of the food chain that occurs in the Yellowstone ecosystem.

______________ --> Elk --> ___________________

• beavers, bison

• wolves, aspen trees

• bison, beavers

• aspen trees, wolves

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-2