Grade 5 California Science Test (CAST) Practice Assessment

Which of the following best describes photosynthesis?

• A process where plants release oxygen and use sugar

• A process where plants make their own food using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide

• A process where plants only need water to survive

• A process where plants consume other organisms for energy

What is the main function of an ecosystem?

• To provide shelter for animals only

• To maintain balance between living and non-living things

• To produce oxygen only

• To create mountains and valleys

Which force is responsible for pulling objects toward Earth's center?

• Magnetic force

• Friction

• Gravity

• Electric force

What happens when water changes from a liquid to a gas?

• Condensation

• Freezing

• Melting

• Evaporation

Which of these represents a physical change?

• Burning paper

• Rusting iron

• Cutting paper

• Baking a cake

What is the primary source of energy for Earth's weather patterns?

• Wind

• The Sun

• Ocean currents

• Earth's rotation

Which of these is an example of inherited traits?

What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

• They make their own food

• They eat other animals

• They break down dead organisms

• They produce oxygen

Which Earth process creates new rocks?

• Erosion

• Weathering

• Volcanic activity

• Transportation

What happens during the water cycle?

• Water only moves from clouds to earth

• Water moves between earth and sky in a continuous cycle

• Water only exists in liquid form

• Water permanently stays in oceans