Science Benchmark Assessment

A baseball player hits a baseball with a bat. The ball travels very high and over the fence before falling to the ground. Which best explains what happens to the ball?

• Magnetic force pushes the ball up in the air.

• Gravitational force pushes the ball up in the air.

• Magnetic force pulls the ball back to the ground.

• Gravitational force pulls the ball back to the ground.

Which material is the best heat insulator?

• glass

• metal

• water

• wood

Which statement is true about constellations?

• A) All constellations orbit around Earth.

• B) All constellations are visible throughout the year.

• C) Some constellations are visible only during certain seasons.

• D) Some constellations change patterns to form other constellations.

Which material has the greatest density?

• A) Ice

• B) Brass

• C) Amber Resin

• D) Baking Powder

Water and dirt are stirred together to form a mixture. How can the dirt be separated from the mixture?

• Use a magnet to separate the mixture by particle size.

• Use a magnet to separate a mixture by magnetic properties.

• Pour the mixture through a sieve to separate the mixture by particle size.

• Pour the mixture through a sieve to separate the mixture by magnetic properties.

A student is passing a ball back and forth with his friend as shown. He knows that to complete the pass, the force applied to the ball must be greater than the force the ball already has. He wants to know what would happen to the ball if the force applied by his friend was balanced with the force from the ball. Which statement best describes the result of a balanced force applied to the ball?

• A) The ball would continue moving in the same direction with decreased speed.

• B) The ball would continue moving in the same direction with increased speed.

• C) The ball would begin moving in the opposite direction.

• D) The ball would stop moving altogether.

A student is investigating if surface area affects the rate at which a substance dissolves. The student uses a 3-gram sugar cube and 3 grams of loose sugar. The student conducts multiple trials and records the time it takes for the sugar to dissolve in 150 mL of water. The results of the investigation are shown. Which statement best describes the result of the student’s investigation?

• A) The sugar cube dissolved faster because it has a larger surface area.

• B) The loose sugar dissolved faster because it has a larger surface area.

• C) The sugar cube dissolved faster because it has a smaller surface area.

• D) The loose sugar dissolved faster because it has a smaller surface area.

As a part of a demonstration, a student mixes two substances. Which observation would provide evidence that a chemical change occurred?

• The substances gain mass.

• The substances change states.

• The substances change in size.

• The substances produce gas bubbles.

A student wants to model the occurrence of seasons. The model shows Earth as it revolves around the Sun. What season is region A most likely experiencing?

• Winter, because it is receiving more direct sunlight.

• Summer, because it is receiving less direct sunlight.

• Summer, because it is receiving more direct sunlight.

• Winter, because it is receiving less direct sunlight.

Which property of Earth determines seasons?

• Earth’s tilt

• Earth’s rotation

• Earth’s orbiting speed

• Earth’s distance to the Sun