Mrs. Williams Practice Test Comprehensive Science

Based on the data from Lin's experiment, which statement supports her hypothesis?

• Increased carbon dioxide supplies more oxygen to the plant.

• Decreased carbon dioxide allows for more energy production.

• Decreased carbon dioxide supplies allows for more water consumption.

• Increased carbon dioxide supplies carbon to increase sugar production.

A student performs an investigation and titles her report: The Effect the Amount of Rain has on the Clarity of Well Water. What is the tested variable (independent variable) in this investigation?

• The amount of rain

• The clarity of well water

• The type of well

• The location of the well

Lynn tested the effect of different types of cooking oil on the amount of time it takes for a drop of water to fall through a container of oil. He poured the same amount of canola oil, olive oil, and coconut oil each into three different clear containers. He had his partner start a stopwatch at the exact moment he placed a water drop onto the surface of each oil. He recorded the time it took for each water drop to fall through the oil and analyzed the data. Which variable must Lynn hold constant in order to accurately investigate the effect of different cooking oils on a water drop falling through the oil?

• the color of the oil

• the type of cooking oil

• the size of the containers holding the oil

• the time for a water drop to fall through the oil

Which of these statements is an example of replication?

• A. A scientist completes four trials for an experiment.

• B. A scientist repeats calculations before reporting results.

• C. A scientist conducts an experiment using a previously reported method.

• D. A scientist uses three treatment groups in a study to test different variables.

An amateur astronomer has noticed an object in the sky that could be explained as the discovery of a new comet. What is the most important step needed in an investigation of the object to make a scientifically valid conclusion?

• detailed records of observances

• new computer-controlled equipment

• regular time allotments for observations

• reference material of recent astronomical discoveries

Which statement best explains why scientific knowledge improves over time?

• A. Scientific data can be interpreted differently based on personal beliefs.

• B. Scientific ideas change as new information is collected and interpreted.

• C. Scientific theories are considered laws once they are proven by many scientists.

• D. Scientific experiments can be repeated under different conditions with the same results.

Which of the following would be a result of new scientific research and evidence?

• A. A butterfly emerges from a pupa.

• B. A new species of plant is identified.

• C. A rainbow appears in the eastern sky at the end of a rainstorm.

• D. The mass of a block of wood remains the same when cut into several pieces.

What is the biggest difference between a scientific law and a scientific theory?

• A. Laws explain the physical sciences, while theories explain only the life sciences.

• B. Scientific laws are based on repeated experiments, while theories are not.

• C. Laws describe phenomena, while theories explain them.

• D. Theories can become laws if they are proven true.

Which of these statements describes a limitation of scientific laws?

• Laws do not have worldwide acceptance.

• Laws do not explain why something is happening.

• Laws do not provide opportunities to be disproven.

• Laws do not describe natural phenomena with enough detail.

When asked for a home address, a person typically answers by starting with the smallest geographic area and working outward to larger areas. As a result, the answer is given in the order of street, city, state, and country. Which list represents our address in the universe?

• Earth, the Milky Way Galaxy, Solar System

• Earth, Solar System, the Milky Way Galaxy

• Solar System, the Milky Way Galaxy, Earth

• the Milky Way Galaxy, Solar System, Earth