TCAP Review Science

A diagram of seven rock layers is shown. The diagram represents a section of Earth that a paleontologist, a scientist who studies fossils, has been working with for years. Which statement correctly describes this diagram?

• Layer W contains fossils of organisms that existed on Earth after the organisms found in layers U and R.

• Layer U contains fossils of organisms that are older than the organisms found in layer R.

• Layers R and W contain fossils that are both types of plant species.

• Layers W and U contain fossils that are animal species.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Some scientists compared fossils of the common ancestor of horses with modern horses. The table shows what the scientists found during their analysis. The scientists claim that modern horses are better adapted for survival in the present-day environment than the common ancestor would have been. Which statement best support this claim?

• Organisms with four legs will develop a hoof because of the need to balance on four legs.

• Organisms will acquire helpful traits from their surroundings to survive.

• Organisms that have hooves are more likely to reproduce.

• Organisms with multiple toes are easily seen by predators, so parents choose not to pass the trait on to their offspring.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

A canyon wall is shown. The rocks that make up the wall are layered. From the evidence in the picture, which statement is most correct about what the fossil record looks like in this location?

• The number of fossils would decrease as the layers accumulate.

• The number of fossils would rise and then immediately disappear.

• The types of fossils would be similar but would show gradual structural changes.

• The types of fossils would stay exactly the same in every layer.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Government agencies study natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions to make decisions about planning for natural disasters. The triangles on the map show the locations of potentially active volcanoes in the western United States. Which statement is correct regarding the dangers of volcanic eruptions in the western United States?

• Colorado should have a stricter volcano emergency plan than Washington State has.

• here is more danger of a volcanic eruption in the near future in San Diego, California, than there is in Seattle, Washington.

• Utah should have a stricter volcano emergency plan than California has.

• There is less danger of a volcanic eruption in the near future in Salt Lake City, Utah, than there is in Bend, Oregon.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

How would you use the scientific method to determine the relationship between the mass of an object and its acceleration due to gravity?

• Calculate the force on different masses and measure the acceleration

• Drop objects of different masses from the same height and time their descent

• Increase the mass of an object while keeping the force constant

• Keep the mass constant and vary the force applied

Tags

DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

What is the term for the movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration?

• Osmosis

• Diffusion

• Active transport

• Endocytosis

What is the primary function of the chloroplasts in plant cells?

• To break down sugar molecules to release energy

• To store water and nutrients

• To capture light energy and convert it into chemical energy

• To control the entry and exit of substances in and out of the cell

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-6

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

What is the term for the amount of matter in an object?

• Weight

• Density

• Mass

• Volume

Design an experiment to test the effect of sunlight on the rate of photosynthesis in a plant. What would be your control variable?

• The type of plant used

• The amount of water given to the plant

• The amount of sunlight each plant receives

• The temperature of the environment

Tags

DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

Which of the following is a chemical change?

• Dissolving salt in water

• Boiling water

• Burning wood

• Melting ice

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS1-5