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WorksheetsSummative Assessment for 8th grade Science #1
Total questions: 50
Worksheet time: 13hrs 30mins
In a bumper car arena, two cars of equal mass are heading straight toward each other. The orange one is traveling at a speed of 5 meters per second. The green one is traveling at a speed of 2 meters per second.
Which of the forces most affects the motion of the bumper cars after they collide?
gravity
friction
the other car
wind resistance
The front of many cars are designed to compress or crumple during a collision. This area of the car is called a crumple zone.
Why are cars built with a crumple zone?
The crumple zone transfers the force of a collision from the car to the object it collides with, reducing the chance of injury to passengers.
The crumple zone is made from cheaper materials, so it costs less to repair after a collision.
The crumple zone absorbs the force of a collision, reducing the chance of injury to passengers.
The crumple zone is made from cheaper materials, so the car costs less to make.
Which would best be explained using Newton's Third Law?
A bicyclist coasts down from the top of a hill.
A gun moves backward while firing a bullet.
A car stops short and the passenger moves forward.
A larger engine allows a car to accelerate faster.
Cara and Sam had to illustrate one of Newton's laws. They drew this model to represent the __________ law of motion which can also be represented by the equation F = ma.
First
Second
Third
Fourth
Seth and Leah each kick a soccer ball. Leah's ball goes farther than Seth's.
What must be true of the force of Leah's kick?
Leah's force can not be compared to Seth's force.
Leah kicked the soccer ball with more force than Seth.
Leah kicked the soccer ball with less force than Seth.
Leah kicked the soccer ball with the same force than Seth.
This graph illustrates the change in velocity over time of an object.
What conclusion can you draw about the force acting on the object?
The force is balanced.
The force is unbalanced, but generally consistent over time.
The force is unbalanced, and generally increasing over time.
The force is unbalanced, but it is impossible to determine whether it is changing over time.
A simple motor converts _________________ energy into ___________________ energy.
magnetic; electrical
electrical; magnetic
electrical; mechanical
mechanical; electrical
How can the strength of this electromagnet be increased?
by using a different type of wire
by adding more coils around the nail
by making more connections to the battery
by replacing the current battery with a smaller one
Static electricity happens when electrons pass from one object to another, such as from your hair to a comb as you comb your hair. If you then hold the comb near your hair, strands of hair appear to move forward and ”stick to the comb.” This is because the hair and the comb –
attract each other because they have opposite charges.
attract each other because they have the same charges.
repel each other because they have opposite charges.
repel each other because they have the same charges.
The variables _______ and ________ affect the gravitational force between objects.
weight, mass
volume, weight
distance, mass
rotation, distance
A 10.0 kilogram mass of iron on earth exerts a downward force of 98 Newtons. On the moon this same 10.0 kilograms of iron is weighed and found to exert a downward force of 16.3 Newtons.
How is this possible?
The earth is farther away reducing the pull.
Weight is the same everywhere, but mass changes.
Mass begins to evaporate in the vacuum of space.
The gravity on the moon is one sixth the gravity of Earth.
This graph shows the change in the force of gravity as distance increases. The graph will never reach zero, which suggests that
gravity cannot cross space.
the force of gravity does not change regardless of distance.
every object exerts gravitational force on every other object.
more distant objects exert a stronger gravitational force on other objects.
A student wants to model magnetic forces between two objects. He draws two circles on a piece of paper.
Which design would best model two magnets with opposite poles facing each other?
The model would include arrows showing the objects moving closer together.
The model would include arrows showing both objects moving apart.
The model would include arrows showing both objects moving to the right.
The model would include arrows showing both objects moving to the left.
A student rubs a balloon on their head for thirty seconds and then watches as the balloon sticks to the wall.
Which of these statements explains the phenomenon observed by the student?
The balloon picked up negative charges from the student’s head and the wall is also negatively charged.
The balloon picked up negative charges from the student’s head and the wall is positively charged.
The balloon picked up positive charges from the student’s head and the wall is positively charged.
The balloon picked up a positive charge from the student’s head and the wall has no charge.
Mathematically speaking, the energy of a wave is directionally proportional to the square of the amplitude of the wave.
Calculate the energy of a wave that has an amplitude of 4 units.
1.0
2.0
4.0
16.0
The wave pictured represents a sound wave.
Which label along the wave represents a sound with the LOWEST energy?
A
B
C
D
Which statement accurately describes the difference between digital and analog information?
Digital information is continuous and smooth, while analog is discrete.
Digital information is represented by waves, while analog data is represented by light.
Digital information is represented by numerical values, while analog is represented by continuous waves.
Digital information is more at risk of being interrupted by interference than analog information.
When Earth is between the Moon and the Sun, the fully lit face of the Moon is seen from Earth. This phase of the Moon is called a ________ moon.
crescent
full
new
waxing
As the phases of the moon change, and we move from step C to D and back to A, we would say that the moon is ____________, or the view of the moon we see is getting smaller.
waning
waxing
whisting
whittling
Having been here on Earth for a while, you know that every year is made up of four seasons.
What is the primary cause of the change from season to season?
The tilt of the earth on its axis.
The heating and cooling of the sun.
The rotation of the earth on its axis.
The change in distance from the earth to the sun during different seasons.
Compare this image of a partial solar eclipse to that of a total solar eclipse.
Which argument accounts for the difference in what you see during the partial solar eclipse?
The Earth, Moon, and Sun are not in exact alignment.
This view is seen when you are standing in the umbra only.
It is not time for the full moon phase so you see the partial eclipse.
The moon is farther away from the Earth and does not block the entire view,
Which model best represents the motion of objects in the solar system?
snow falling down
a carousel going around the central pole
a see-saw alternating up and down
a bowling ball rolling down an alley
Which of Jupiter’s moons experiences the greatest gravitational force of attraction to Jupiter?
Galaxies contain on average about 100 billion stars. These stars are held together in galaxies by the force of _________________ between them.
friction
gravity
magnetism
pressure
Sir Isaac Newton was born the year Galileo died. In Newton's time, everything known about planetary motion could be summarized by Kepler's three laws of planetary motion. The first law states that planets move around the sun in elliptical orbits. The second states that a planet moves out at equal areas in equal times. According to the third law, the square of the orbital period is proportional to the cube of the distance to the sun. The laws describe what happens without explaining why. Newton believed that the bodies in space behaved like bodies on Earth: they followed the same laws of motion. He hypothesized that some force acted on the planets and moons, keeping them in orbit so they did not move in a straight line. Newton proposed that ____________ was the force that kept the planets in their elliptical orbits.
mass
gravity
electrostaics
centripetal force
The Solar System is made up of the Sun and all the objects that orbit around it. The Sun is orbited by planets, asteroids, comets and other things. There are eight planets in our Solar System. The first four planets are called terrestrial planets. They are mostly made of rock and metal, and are mostly solid. The last four planets are called gas giants because they are much larger than other planets and are mostly made of gas. Which of these statements is not accurate concerning the Solar System?
Mercury is the planet closest to the sun.
The center of our Solar System is the sun.
Earth is the largest of the planets in the Solar System.
Our Solar System contains 8 planets along with their moons and one star.
Our Solar System consists of our star, the Sun, and its orbiting planets (including Earth), along with numerous moons, asteroids, comet material, rocks, and dust. However, out Solar System is only part of space. Place the following in order from biggest to smallest.
Galaxy, Universe, Solar System, Star, Planet
Universe, Solar System, Galaxy, Planet, Star
Solar System, Universe, Galaxy, Star, Planet
Universe, Galaxy, Solar System, Star, Planet
Why does the herding of caribou increase their likelihood of successful reproduction?
Herding behavior decreases competition for food.
Herding behavior reduces spreading of viral diseases.
Herding behavior makes parasitic infection less likely.
Herding behavior allows for more awareness of a predator than solitary behavior.
Take a look at this dandelion. The yellow flower on the right is _______ pollinated and the seeds on the left are transported by ___________.
wind; water
insect; wind
insect; birds
animals; water
Which of the following studies provides evidence for how genetic factors affect animal growth?
A study showing that the offspring of two brown-eyed dogs have a 50% chance of having brown or blue eyes.
A study showing that the offspring of two fast-growing chickens always reach maturity at a younger age than the offspring of two slow-growing chickens.
A study showing that the offspring of two obese parents are always obese, regardless of their diet.
A study showing that the offspring of two long-tailed rats always have long tails.
Sisters Suzy and Sara planted a vegetable garden. They both planted a row of potatoes. When it came time to dig the potatoes, Suzy had buckets of big, round potatoes, but Sara's plants were very small and had not produced any new potatoes.
What environmental factor COULD have caused Sara's potato crop to fail?
deformed flowers
disease resistance
lack of fertilizer
prone to potato wilt
Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease. It is associated with a specific gene located on chromosome #7. Imagine that Barbara's mother has the gene for cystic fibrosis. Is there any chance that Barbara could have inherited the gene for the disease? Explain.
No. Although a gene is part of a chromosome, all chromosomes are not inherited by offspring.
No. Although egg and sperm contain chromosomes, they do not contain the chromosomes that cause disease.
Yes. There is a chance. Copies of parental chromosomes are randomly passed to offspring through sex cells during sexual reproduction.
Yes. Barbara has definitely inherited the disease. If her mother has the chromosome for cystic fibrosis, then Barbara has inherited gene from her mother.
Mutations within a DNA sequence are—
natural processes that always affect the phenotype.
unnatural processes that always affect the phenotype.
natural processes that are harmful to genetic diversity.
natural processes that produce genetic diversity.
A particular bird species found in North America obtains most of its food energy by catching and eating insects. A mutation arises in this bird population that increases the length of its beak. Although many mutations are harmful, this particular mutation has increased the ability of the bird to catch and eat certain insects. Formulate the MOST LIKELY outcome resulting from this mutation.
The insects that are eaten by this bird are likely to become extinct.
Sharp pointed beaks will result in the birds eating other more unusual food items.
Other bird species will be more likely to also develop pointed beaks in order to compete.
Individual birds with the mutation will be more likely to survive and reproduce than birds without the mutation.
These puppies belong to the same parents but do not resemble either the parents or each other.
What is a possible reason for this?
They have been produced sexually.
They have been produced asexually.
They have grown up in different ways.
They have been produced at different times.
A cat gives birth to kittens that do not look identical to either parent but rather look like a combination of both. However, a paramecium, shown here, is identical to its parent organism entirely.
What statement best explains this?
Kittens develop new features, which help them survive better than the paramecium offspring.
Kittens change themselves according to the environment better than the paramecium offspring.
Kittens receive features from one parent but the paramecium offspring receives features from both parents.
Kittens receive features from both parents but the paramecium offspring receives features from a single parent.
In a given hybridization between two flowers, red "R" is dominant, and white "r" is recessive. In a cross between two white-flowered plants, all of the offspring had white flowers. If a plant grower wanted to produce red flowers, what should she/he consider during breeding?
The breeder must introduce a plant that is homozygous dominant for white flowers.
The breeder must introduce at least one parent that is heterozygous for red flowers.
The breeder cannot manipulate the flower color. It would be best to begin with a different set of parent plants.
Flower color variation would depend on mutations in this case; there is no other way to change flower color of this population of plants.
Examine the fossil record image here.
According to the fossil record shown here, which organisms likely existed earliest on the planet compared to the others?
ammonites
ferns
gastropods
trilobites
According to the fossil record above, during which era did mammals first appear?
Mesozoic
Cenozoic
Paleozoic
Modern Day
According to scientists, the organisms in the picture all evolved from a common ancestor.
What evidence backs up this theory?
These organisms are all of the same species.
These organisms contain very similar bone anatomy.
The appendages of these organisms share similar function.
These organisms all lived in similar habitats and were therefore under similar environmental pressures.
The diagram shows the leg bones of a (Left -> Right): Orangutan, dog, pig, cow, tapir, and horse. Most of the animals have the same bones, although some are shaped differently and placed in different positions.
What does this suggest about mammals?
That they shared a common ancestor.
That mammals are evolving to become more and more like one another.
That they all continue to use these structures for the same exact purpose.
That the shape of the bones has less to do with the environment pressures on the animal and more to do with what their relatives are.
The diagram shows the embryo development of four vertebrates and suggests all of the following EXCEPT
common ancestry of vertebrates.
there are no similarities in the embryos of all four groups.
there are very few differences in the early development of any vertebrates.
common features (gills and segments) in the embryos of all vertebrates.
The embryos of a fish, chicken and rabbit all contain a tail and pharyngeal pouches at some point during their early development. Although the fetus of all these species looks different from one another, the similarity between these organisms during their embryological development suggests an evolutionary relationship among all _________________________ species.
avian
invertebrate
mammalian
vertebrate
The arctic fox has adapted to its environment in a number of ways. Its fur turns white in winter and it does not begin to shiver until temperatures plunge below 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Global warming is likely to bring many changes, including an increase in mean air temperature. Over time, the arctic fox will have to adapt to this change. Which adaptation is MOST LIKELY to occur?
Its paw pads may thicken.
Its fur may stay white longer.
Its tail may have thinner fur.
Its ears may be shorter and rounder.
Finches are a type of bird that eat mostly nuts. Because of this, all finches have hard beaks. However, not every beak is the same.
If a finch is born with an exceptionally hard beak, this can be a survival advantage.
How is a harder beak an advantage?
A harder beak will provide a reproductive advantage.
A harder beak will allow the finch to fly faster and farther than before.
A harder beak would allow the finch to use it to burrow even deeper into trees foraging for insects.
A harder beak would allow the finch to crack open even the hardest shells, meaning it has a bigger food supply than most.
Which of the following does NOT describe how variations in populations increase the likelihood of survival?
When the environment changes, individuals with different variations in traits may have a higher likelihood of possessing traits that are better suited to the new conditions.
In a population with variations, some individuals may have advantageous traits such as better speed, camouflage, or resistance to diseases.
Variation in traits allows individuals within a population to specialize in different roles or niches within an ecosystem.
Variations increase the likelihood that a population will become extinct as the environment changes.
The selective breeding of wild mustard has _________ _________ and produced at least four other vegetable crops.
increased biodiversity
decreased biodiversity
maintained biodiversity
eliminated biodiversity
Scientists have been genetically modifying food crops since the mid 1990's. As a result, scientists have been able to produce crops that are more disease resistant.
What could be seen as a risk associated with using genetically modified crops?
reduction in nutritional value of the food crop
plants can be "tailor made" for the desired trait
crops may cause an increase of allergic reactions in humans
crop production would be increased due to greater disease resistance
Over time, new species have evolved while others have become extinct. Which of the following most likely supports how elephants evolved long trunks?
More short-trunked elephants survived to pass on their genes.
Short-trunked elephants modified their diets to evolve into a new species.
More long-trunked elephants survived to pass on their genes.
Short-trunked elephants grew longer trunks to reach higher leaves.
The domestic cat is an invasive species in many different countries. It is estimated that feral and outside cats kill over a billion small mammals and songbirds each year. The hunting habits of these cats is hypothesized to be one of the largest contributions to the rapidly decreasing number of songbirds in North America. Some songbirds, like the North American barn swallow, seem to be less affected by outside and feral cat hunting. A researcher located in Oklahoma, Dr. Charles Brown, has recorded evidence of swallows adapting to have shorter wings over the past 30 years. Barn swallows are now one of few songbirds that have a slightly increasing wild population.
What has most likely caused the decrease in wing length in barn swallows?
Decreased wing length is a trait that female barn swallows find more attractive in males.
Decreased wing length has allowed for barn swallows to take to flight and fly faster to evade cats.
Decreased wing length has allowed for barn swallows to build smaller nests on roadsides built by humans.
Decreased wing length is a trait that feral and outside cats find unappetizing in barn swallows.
