Science TCAP Prep

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-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

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-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

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

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

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

• Weight

• Density

• Mass

• Volume

What is the process by which plants release water vapor into the air through their leaves?

• Condensation

• Transpiration

• Evaporation

• Precipitation

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

Which of the following is NOT a renewable resource?

• Solar energy

• Wind energy

• Coal

• Hydroelectric power

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

What type of symbiotic relationship benefits one organism without harming the other?

• Mutualism

• Commensalism

• Parasitism

• Predation