5th Grade Science FSSA Review #2

A student places a red straw inside a glass of water. The student observes that the straw looks broken. This is an example of

• reflection

• refraction

• rebound

• replication

Answer explanation

The straw appears broken due to refraction, which is the bending of light as it passes from air into water. This optical phenomenon causes the visual distortion observed by the student.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

Which of the following statements explains why a piece of cold butter softens when it comes in contact with warm toast?

• The thermal energy of the toast increases and the thermal energy of the butter decreases.

• The thermal energy of the toast decreases and the thermal energy of the butter increases.

• The thermal energy of the toast and the butter remain the same.

• The thermal energy of the toast and the butter decreases.

Answer explanation

When cold butter contacts warm toast, thermal energy transfers from the toast to the butter. This causes the butter's thermal energy to increase, leading to its softening, while the toast's thermal energy decreases.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

Sound travels fastest through which of the following?

• solid

• liquid

• gas

• space

Answer explanation

Sound travels fastest through solids because the particles are closely packed, allowing vibrations to transfer more quickly compared to liquids and gases, where particles are more spread out.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-1

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

A student classified the following materials into two groups.

GROUP 1: paper clips, scissors, staples

GROUP 2: highlighters, erasers, pencils

How did the student most likely separate the materials?

• metal and nonmetal

• living and nonliving

• land based and water based

• heavy and light

Answer explanation

The student likely separated the materials based on their composition. Group 1 contains metal items (paper clips, scissors, staples), while Group 2 consists of nonmetal items (highlighters, erasers, pencils).

Four items are placed the same distance from the magnet. Which one of the objects will be the easiest for the magnet to pull?

• a 1 gram piece of paper

• a 2 gram eraser

• a 3 gram steel paper clip

• a 4 gram iron nail

Answer explanation

The 4 gram iron nail is the easiest for the magnet to pull because it is made of iron, a ferromagnetic material, which is strongly attracted to magnets. The other items are either non-magnetic or made of lighter materials.

Tags

NGSS.3-PS2-1

NGSS.3-PS2-3

Mass is

• how much space an object takes up

• the amount of matter in an object

• the weight of an object

• the shape of an object

Answer explanation

Mass refers to the amount of matter in an object, distinguishing it from weight, which is the force exerted by gravity on that mass. Therefore, the correct answer is 'the amount of matter in an object'.

Which of the following represents a chemical reaction?

• sugar dissolving in water

• ice cubes forming in a freezer

• melting ice cream

• frying an egg

Answer explanation

Frying an egg involves a chemical reaction where heat causes proteins to denature and coagulate, transforming the liquid egg into a solid. The other options are physical changes, not chemical reactions.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS1-5

The pitch of sound is controlled by

• The number of the vibrations produced.

• The loudness or softness of the sound.

• The length of time that the sound lasts.

• The direction from which the sound comes.

Answer explanation

The pitch of sound is determined by the frequency of vibrations. More vibrations per second result in a higher pitch, making 'the number of the vibrations produced' the correct choice.

Which of these examples would best model the behavior of light when light reaches the surface of a mirror?

• A soap bubble lands on the surface of a wall and bursts.

• A piece of clay is thrown at a wall and sticks to the surface.

• A moth flies toward a wall and lands on its surface.

• A ball is thrown at a wall and bounces away from the surface.

Answer explanation

A ball thrown at a wall bounces away, similar to how light reflects off a mirror. This choice best represents the behavior of light, as it demonstrates the principle of reflection.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

In an experiment, sand and salt are mixed together.

Which of these procedures could be used to easily separate the salt from the sand?

• Put the mixture into a pan • Heat the pan for 10 minutes • Let the hot mixture cool

• Spread the mixture into a thin layer • Look at the mixture through a magnifying glass • Separate the crystals with tweezers

• Stir the mixture into a glass of water • Pour the mixture through a filter • Evaporate the water

• Pour the mixture onto a piece of paper • Brush the mixture into a pile • Drag a magnet through the pile

Answer explanation

Stirring the mixture into water dissolves the salt, which can then be separated by filtering out the sand. Evaporating the water leaves the salt behind, making this the most effective method to separate them.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-2