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WorksheetsPhysical Science Midterm Exam
Total questions: 100
Worksheet time: 50mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
An orderly, systematic approach to solving a problem is called the
a)
investigation.
b)
scientific method.
c)
experiment.
d)
conclusion.
2.
The first step in the scientific method is usually
a)
making an observation.
b)
forming a hypothesis.
c)
testing a hypothesis.
d)
collecting data.
3.
After formulating a question, the next step in the scientific method is
a)
to state a conclusion.
b)
to perform an experiment.
c)
to research and collect data
d)
to test a hypothesis.
4.
Scientists test a hypothesis by
a)
formulating questions.
b)
designing models.
c)
doing experiments.
d)
drawing conclusions.
5.
Which unit is used to measure the mass of a computer?
a)
kilogram
b)
kelvin
c)
meter
d)
mole
6.
In which step of the scientific method is information obtained through the senses?
a)
drawing conclusions
b)
making observations
c)
analyzing data
d)
revising a hypothesis
7.
A scientist's paper is rejected by a journal because the paper did not reveal key details about the experiment she performed to get her results. What ethical argument could the editor give for this rejection?
a)
Sample collection had been done by a graduate student.
b)
The scientist's finding were similar to results reported for other species.
c)
The scientist had repeated her experiment several times with identical results.
d)
Other scientists would not be able to verify her findings without more information.
8.
How do scientists who speak different languages make their data understandable to one another?
a)
They all use different systems of measurement.
b)
They all use the Metric System.
c)
They communicate through a univeral translator.
d)
They all must speak Latin.
9.
SI (Metric System) is considered a consistent system of measurement because it
a)
has seven base units.
b)
is used worldwide.
c)
uses derived units.
d)
dates back to 1795.
10.
Which unit is used to measure the height of a bookcase?
a)
kilogram
b)
kelvin
c)
mole
d)
meter
11.
Maria is 123 centimeters tall. Her height in meters is
a)
1.23 m.
b)
12.3 m
c)
0.0123 m
d)
0.123 m
12.
Your teacher hands out a copy of a laboratory experiment. What is the first thing you should do to conduct the experiment safely?
a)
Read every step of the procedure to make sure you understand it.
b)
Begin heating any materials that will need to be hot.
c)
Mix your materials with thouse of another group to save time.
d)
Obtain and open any chemicals described in the experiment.
13.
What is the most important safety rule?
a)
Never work with chemicals.
b)
Always used unbreakable glassware.
c)
Always follow your teacher's instructions and lab directions exactly.
d)
Never do experiments that involve flames or hot objects.
14.
Which of the following is an example of a safe laboratory procedure?
a)
tying back long hair and loose clothing
b)
eating and drinking from laboratory glassware
c)
touching hot objects with your bare hands
d)
testing an odor by directly inhaling the vapor
15.
The science of what matter is made of and how it changes is called
a)
engineering.
b)
kinetics.
c)
chemistry.
d)
physics.
16.
Matter is defined as anything that
a)
has mass and takes up space.
b)
contains kinetic energy.
c)
can be weighed.
d)
can be seen and touched.
17.
Which of the following is an element?
a)
nylon
b)
sand
c)
salt
d)
iron
18.
An oatmeal raisin cookie is an example of a
a)
solvent.
b)
homogeneous mixture.
c)
heterogeneous mixture.
d)
solution.
19.
Which of the following is NOT a pure substance?
a)
milk
b)
oxygen
c)
water
d)
carbon dioxide
20.
Helium is used in balloons because it is
a)
lighter than air.
b)
a colored gas.
c)
flammable.
d)
reactive with rubber.
21.
Ice floats in water because it is
a)
less dense than water.
b)
colder than water.
c)
warmer than water
d)
more dense than water.
22.
Which of the following is malleable?
a)
glass
b)
pottery
c)
ice
d)
gold
23.
A material that is malleable and conducts electricity is most likely
a)
wood.
b)
ice.
c)
a metal.
d)
motor oil
24.
On a humid day, Franklin put six ice cubes into each of two cups and then poured the same amount of lemonade into each cup. Cup A was made of plastic, and Cup B was made of glass. He left the cups for about 20 minutes and then came back. He found a small puddle of water around Cup A and a larger puddle around Cup B. Franklin determined that the cups were not leaking. Which was the best explanation for the small puddle around Cup A and the larger puddle around Cup B?
a)
Cup A contained more ice than Cup B.
b)
Cup A was a better insulator than Cup B.
c)
Cup A had a greater volume of lemonade than Cup B.
d)
The contents of Cup A were initially colder than the contents of Cup B.
25.
Which of the following causes a chemical change?
a)
shattering
b)
burning
c)
melting
d)
moving
26.
When water is broken down by electrolysis, the products are
a)
oxygen and methane.
b)
water and carbon dioxide.
c)
hydrogen and carbon dioxide
d)
hydrogen gas and oxygen gas.
27.
If an unknown substance CANNOT be broken down into simper substances, it is
a)
a compound.
b)
a mixture.
c)
made of one kind of atom.
d)
an element and made of one kind of atom.
28.
Water is a compound because it
a)
can be broken down into simpler substances.
b)
always has two hydrogen atoms for each oxygen atom.
c)
is made of water atoms joined together.
d)
is a liquid at room temperature.
29.
For the solids listed, which seems to be true about the relationship between the speed of sound and density?
a)
The speed of sound decreases as density increases.
b)
The speed of sound increases as density increases.
c)
The speed of sound increases as density decreases.
d)
There is no apparent relationship between density and the speed of sound.
30.
Which of the following is a physical change?
a)
sawing a piece of wood in half
b)
burning a piece of wood
c)
rust forming on an iron fence
d)
a copper roof changing color from red to green
31.
Jessica cut two bars of different types of soap into four pieces each. She put one piece from each bar into four beakers, labeled W, X, Y, and Z. Each beaker contained a different unknown liquid. According to the results shown above, which beaker contained the liquid that was the densest?
a)
Beaker W
b)
Beaker X
c)
Beaker Y
d)
Beaker Z
32.
The resistance of a liquid to flow is its
a)
pressure.
b)
temperature.
c)
viscosity.
d)
volume.
33.
Flammability is a material's ability to burn in the presence of
a)
hydrogen.
b)
nitrogen.
c)
oxygen.
d)
carbon dioxide.
34.
Which of the following is a chemical change?
a)
ice melting
b)
ice being carved
c)
water boiling
d)
water breaking down into hydrogen and oxygen
35.
Which of the following is NOT a clue that a chemical change has occurred?
a)
change in color
b)
production of a gas
c)
formation of a precipitate
d)
change in shape
36.
Which state of matter will hold its shape without a container?
a)
gas
b)
liquid
c)
plasma
d)
solid
37.
Which of the following is an example of a gas-liquid mixture?
a)
ice cubes
b)
the air we breathe
c)
a helium balloon
d)
a carbonated drink
38.
Which of the following is the name of a temperature scale?
a)
Celsius
b)
Fahrenheit
c)
Kelvin
d)
All of the above.
39.
In which state of matter are particles packed tightly together in fixed positions?
a)
gas
b)
solid
c)
liquid
d)
compound
40.
Particles in a liquid
a)
are packed together and stay in a fixed position.
b)
have no viscosity.
c)
decrease in volume with increasing temperature.
d)
are free to move within a container but remain in close contact with one another.
41.
A gas has
a)
a definite volume but no definite shape.
b)
a definite shape but no definite volume.
c)
no definite shape or volume.
d)
a definite volume and shape.
42.
Ninety-nine percent of all matter that can be observed in the universe exists as
a)
gases.
b)
plasmas.
c)
liquids.
d)
solids.
43.
Matter that has a definite volume but no definite shape is a
a)
liquid.
b)
solid.
c)
gas.
d)
plasma.
44.
In which of the substances in the figure shown are the forces of attraction among the particles so weak that they can be ignored under ordinary conditions?
a)
Substance A
b)
Substance B
c)
Substance C
d)
All of the substances.
45.
Forces of attraction limit the motion of particles most in
a)
a solid.
b)
a liquid.
c)
a gas.
d)
both liquids and gases.
46.
What type of change occurs when water changes from a solid to a liquid?
a)
a phase change
b)
a physical change
c)
a reversible change
d)
All of the above.
47.
The temperature at which a substance changes from a liquid to a solid is the
a)
condensation point.
b)
boiling point.
c)
freezing point.
d)
saturation point.
48.
Evaporation refers to the change from a
a)
solid to a liquid.
b)
gas to a liquid.
c)
liquid to a solid.
d)
liquid to a gas.
49.
The phase change that is the reverse of condensation is
a)
freezing.
b)
sublimation.
c)
vaporization.
d)
melting.
50.
Which term describes changing into a liquid?
a)
freezing
b)
melting
c)
vaporizing
d)
condensing
51.
During which phase change does the arrangement of water molecules become more orderly?
a)
melting
b)
freezing
c)
boiling
d)
condensing
52.
The phase change in which a substance changes from a liquid to a gas is
a)
deposition.
b)
sublimation.
c)
condensation.
d)
vaporization.
53.
The phase change in which a substance changes from a solid to a liquid is
a)
freezing.
b)
melting.
c)
sublimation.
d)
condensation.
54.
The phase change in which a substance changes from a solid to a gas or vapor without changing to a liquid first is
a)
sublimation.
b)
deposition.
c)
vaporization
d)
melting.
55.
The phase change in which a substance changes from a gas directly to a solid is
a)
condensation.
b)
vaporization.
c)
deposition.
d)
sublimation.
56.
The smallest unit of an element that maintains the properties of that element is a(n)
a)
atom.
b)
substance.
c)
molecule.
d)
compound.
57.
The Greek philosopher Democritus coined what word for a tiny piece of matter that cannot be divided?
a)
element
b)
atom
c)
electron
d)
molecule
58.
Democritus thought that matter was made of tiny particles
a)
of earth, air, fire, and water.
b)
that could not be divided.
c)
that could be divided.
d)
that were all round and smooth.
59.
The diagram shows the results of Rutherford's gold foil experiment. What caused some of the alpha particles to bounce straight back from the gold foil?
a)
electrons in the gold foil
b)
negative charges in the gold atoms
c)
other alpha particles
d)
nuclei in the gold atoms
60.
Rutherford's gold foil experiment provided evidence for which of the following statements?
a)
Negative and positive charges spread evenly throughout an atom.
b)
Alpha particles have a positive charge.
c)
Gold is not as dense as previously thought.
d)
There is a dense, positively charged mass in the center of an atom.
61.
The charge of an atom is
a)
negative.
b)
unbalanced.
c)
positive.
d)
neutral.
62.
A subatomic particle that has a negative charge is called a(n)
a)
molecule.
b)
electron.
c)
compound.
d)
element.
63.
What is an atom's nucleus made of?
a)
protons and neutrons
b)
only protons
c)
anodes
d)
only neutrons
64.
Atoms have no electric charge because they
a)
have neutrons in their nuclei.
b)
have an equal number of neutrons and protons.
c)
have an equal number of charged and noncharged particles.
d)
have an equal number of electrons and protons.
65.
The number of energy levels filled in an atom is determined by
a)
electrons.
b)
protons.
c)
photons.
d)
neutrons.
66.
Two different isotopes of an element have different
a)
numbers of neutrons.
b)
number of protons.
c)
atomic numbers.
d)
numbers of electrons.
67.
An element's atomic number is equal to its number of
a)
valence electrons.
b)
protons and neutrons.
c)
neutrons.
d)
protons.
68.
What is the greatest number of valence electrons an atom can have?
a)
1
b)
3
c)
8
d)
100
69.
Oxygen's atomic number is 8. This means that an oxygen atom has
a)
a total of eight neutrons and electrons.
b)
a total of eight protons and neutrons.
c)
eight protons in its nucleus.
d)
eight neutrons in its nucleus.
70.
An atom's mass number equals the number of
a)
protons.
b)
protons plus the number of electrons.
c)
neutrons.
d)
protons plus the number of neutrons.
71.
What is the atomic number of cesium?
a)
55
b)
78
c)
133
d)
132.90
72.
How many neutrons does cesium have?
a)
133
b)
78
c)
55
d)
132.90
73.
How many protons does cesium have?
a)
132.90
b)
55
c)
78
d)
133
74.
Which of the following is unique for any given element?
a)
the number of neutrons
b)
the charge of the electrons
c)
the number of protons
d)
the mass of a neutron
75.
What information on the periodic table indicates the number of protons in an atom?
a)
the position of the element in its column
b)
the element's chemical symbol
c)
the element's atomic number
d)
the element's atomic mass
76.
Suppose scientists discovered a new element while studying rock and soil samples brought back from a Mars mission. How many valance electrons would be expected for this element that should be placed in column 7A (17) on the periodic table?
a)
1
b)
2
c)
4
d)
7
77.
What is Mendeleev know for?
a)
discovering protons
b)
creating today's atomic model
c)
discovering Mendelevium
d)
publishing the first periodic table
78.
Mendeleev left gaps in his periodic table because
a)
no known elements fit there.
b)
the table was too small.
c)
the table was too full.
d)
protons belonged there.
79.
Mendeleev arranged the known chemical elements in the table according to increasing
a)
atomic number.
b)
number of electrons.
c)
number of protons.
d)
mass.
80.
The usefulness of Mendeleev's periodic table was confirmed by
a)
the discovery of subatomic particles.
b)
its immediate acceptance by other scientists.
c)
the discovery of elements with predicted properties.
d)
the discovery of the nucleus.
81.
Elements that share properties of both metals and nonmetals are called
a)
periods.
b)
metalloids.
c)
valances.
d)
ions.
82.
Which list of elements contains only metals?
a)
carbon, iodine, tin
b)
tin, copper, gold
c)
helium, iron, copper
d)
iodine, carbon, argon
83.
Which statement is true about the metalloid silicon?
a)
Silicon is a better conductor of electric current that silver is.
b)
Silicon does not conduct electric current under any conditions.
c)
Silicon's ability to conduct electric current does not vary with temperature.
d)
Silicon is a better conductor of electric current than carbon is.
84.
Which of these elements would most likely be shiny, gray-colored, solid at room temperature, conduct electricity, and dent when hit with a hammer?
a)
aluminum
b)
argon
c)
chlorine
d)
sulfur
85.
Which general statement does NOT apply to metals?
a)
Most metals are ductile.
b)
Most metals are malleable.
c)
Most metals are brittle.
d)
Most metals are good conductors of electric current.
86.
The chemical formula for water, H2O, means that each water molecule contains
a)
two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.
b)
two hydrogen atoms and two oxygen atoms.
c)
two hydrogen atoms and zero oxygen atoms.
d)
on hydrogen atom and two oxygen atoms.
87.
Which of the following is NOT true of noble gases?
a)
They are nonmetals.
b)
They belong to Group 18.
c)
They exist as single atoms.
d)
They are highly reactive.
88.
Each column of the periodic table is
a)
a group.
b)
an element.
c)
an isotope.
d)
a period.
89.
How many atoms are in a single molecule of Fe2O3?
a)
5
b)
6
c)
3
d)
2
90.
Atoms of element that are in the same group have the same number of
a)
protons & neutrons.
b)
valence electrons.
c)
protons.
d)
neutrons.
91.
Where are nonmetals located on the periodic table?
a)
to the left of the zigzag line
b)
to the right of the zigzag line
c)
in the two bottom rows
d)
in Groups 1 through 4
92.
At room temperature, more than half of the nonmetal elements are
a)
alloys.
b)
gases.
c)
liquids.
d)
solids.
93.
Atoms of the most reactive elements tend to have
a)
one or seven valence electrons.
b)
eight valence electrons.
c)
four or five valence electrons.
d)
no valance electrons.
94.
The tendency of an element to react is closely related to
a)
its atomic mass.
b)
attractions between its atoms.
c)
the number of valance electrons in atoms of the element.
d)
the ratio of protons to neutrons in atoms of the element.
95.
Which of the following have the same number of valence electrons?
a)
the elements in a period
b)
the elements in a group
c)
the elements having similar atomic masses
d)
the elements having similar atomic numbers
96.
Study the electron dot diagrams. Choose the statement that correctly identifies the most stable of the elements.
a)
Lithium is the most stable because it has to lose only one electron to achieve a stable configuration.
b)
Carbon is the most stable element because it can form four bonds.
c)
Fluorine is the most stable element because it has to gain only one electron to achieve a stable configuration.
d)
Neon is the most stable element because its highest occupied energy level is full.
97.
Which element on the periodic table has a chemical symbol of Hg?
a)
hydrogen
b)
mercury
c)
helium
d)
silver
98.
How many elements are on the current periodic table of elements?
a)
100
b)
118
c)
200
d)
150
99.
What is the chemical symbol for fluorine?
a)
Al
b)
Fl
c)
F
d)
Fr
100.
I don't feel as if I quite fit in to any category. I am often shown on top of Group 1, but with a gap so that I am not connected to the others. Sometimes I am shown floating in the middle of the Periodic Table, not joining any of the other elements. Then again, I can be shown lurking at the top of Group 17, but still not linked up. You would think that the most abundant element in the universe would be welcome to join any group, but not so! Who am I, the only element with no clear family?
a)
Hydrogen
b)
Helium
c)
Boron
d)
Uranium
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