Worksheets8th Grade Science Staar Challenge
Total questions: 190
Worksheet time: 7hrs 11mins
Which of the following adaptations would most likely help a plant survive in a desert biome?
Large, broad leaves
Deep root systems
High water content in leaves
Brightly colored flowers
Which of the following systems is primarily responsible for removing carbon dioxide from the bloodstream?
Digestive system
Respiratory system
Circulatory system
Nervous system
Which layer of the Earth is responsible for the movement of tectonic plates?
Crust
Lithosphere
Asthenosphere
Inner core
What is the balanced chemical equation for the formation of water from hydrogen and oxygen?
H2+O2→H2O
2H2+O2→2H2O
H2+2O2→2H2O
2H2+2O2→2H2O
Which of the following processes is an example of an exothermic chemical reaction?
Photosynthesis
Melting ice
Combustion of gasoline
Evaporation of water
What is the Coriolis effect and how does it influence weather patterns?
It is the deflection of moving objects due to Earth's rotation, affecting wind direction.
It is the warming of Earth's surface, causing changes in precipitation.
It is the cooling of Earth's surface, leading to increased cloud formation.
It is the movement of ocean currents, impacting coastal climates.
Which of the following energy sources is considered both renewable and clean?
Biomass
Hydroelectric power
Natural gas
Coal
What is the net force acting on an object if two forces of 5 N and 10 N are applied in opposite directions?
5 N
10 N
15 N
0 N
Which biome is characterized by permafrost and low biodiversity?
Desert
Tundra
Temperate forest
Savanna
Which organ system is primarily responsible for the absorption of nutrients?
Circulatory system
Digestive system
Respiratory system
Excretory system
Which layer of the Earth is primarily composed of silicate minerals?
Crust
Mantle
Outer core
Inner core
What is the chemical symbol for the element with atomic number 11?
Na
Mg
Al
K
Which of the following is an example of a chemical change?
Dissolving salt in water
Freezing water
Baking a cake
Cutting paper
What is the formula to calculate the density of an object?
Density=VolumeMass
Density=Mass×Volume
Density=MassVolume
Density=Mass+Volume
Which of the following is a function of the muscular system?
Producing red blood cells
Storing calcium
Generating heat
Filtering waste
What percentage of Earth's atmosphere is composed of nitrogen?
21%
78%
1%
50%
Which of the following is a fossil fuel?
Wind
Solar
Natural gas
Geothermal
What is the term for the rate of change of velocity?
Speed
Acceleration
Momentum
Force
Which biome is known for having nutrient-poor soil despite high biodiversity?
Desert
Tundra
Tropical rainforest
Grassland
Which component of the circulatory system is responsible for transporting oxygen to cells?
White blood cells
Platelets
Plasma
Red blood cells
Which layer of the Earth is solid and composed mostly of iron and nickel, but is under immense pressure?
Crust
Mantle
Outer core
Inner core
What is the chemical formula for methane?
CH4
C2H6
C3H8
C4H10
Which of the following scenarios best illustrates Newton's third law of motion?
A car accelerating on a highway
A book resting on a table
A rocket launching into space
A ball rolling down a hill
What is the term for the long-term average of weather patterns in a particular area?
Weather
Climate
Atmosphere
Temperature
The roots of the prickly pear cactus spread out in a wide underground network. How does this type of root system BENEFIT a prickly pear cactus?
By producing fruit and storing water.
By capturing sunlight and getting rid of waste materials.
By absorbing water and supporting the plants in loose, sandy soil.
By releasing nutrients into the sandy soil and taking in oxygen.
What is the purpose of having thorns as an adaptation for a plant?
To have the plants survived from animals that might eat the plant.
To allow more water to be absorbed into the plant.
To absorb more sunlight into the plant.
To release more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from the plant.
Some grasses grow in hot dry areas. Why might they grow very deep roots?
to protect the plant from sun damage
to take in as much light as possible
to spread seeds to new places
to reach water that is underground
a group of tissues that perform a specific function or group of functions
Organ
Tissue
Organ System
Organism
Which organ in the illustration is the heart?
W
X
Y
Z
a group of organs that work together to perform a specific function or group of functions
Tissue
Organ System
Organism
Organ
Which type of muscle tissue is voluntary? (meaning you are making a decision to move a part of your body)
Smooth muscle tissue
Nervous tissue
Skeletal muscle tissue
Cardiac muscle tissue
Which type of tissue forms the walls of the heart?
Smooth muscle tissue
Skeletal muscle tissue
Cardiac muscle tissue
Nervous tissue
What is the function of nervous tissue?
Mixers
Enders
Products
Reactants
How many atoms of Calcium are in this equation?
H3O5CaCl7
3
5
1
7
The chemical equation below shows reactants and products.
Which statement is BEST supported by analyzing this equation?
CO2 is made from the chemical reaction.
No new compounds are made from this reaction.
O2, oxygen gas, is needed to make the reaction start.
The atoms rearrange in the chemical reaction so that C6H12O6, glucose, is made.
Select the correct graph. A biologist studied the trees in a nature preserve. She found that there were 4 different types of trees—pine, pecan, maple, and oak. The table below shows how many of each type of tree she found.
A stable ecosystem typically has high biodiversity.
True
False
Which force is responsible for keeping planets in orbit around the Sun?
Friction
Magnetic Force
Gravitational Force
Electrical Force
What is the effect of friction on a moving object?
It increases its speed
It decreases its speed
It has no effect
It changes its direction
What is the formula for calculating force?
F=ma
F=mv
F=am
F=mv
sort of cool, dim (not too much light), and red?
Tree dweller
Excellent night vision
Grasping talons
Eats Fruit
Tree dweller
Scavenges from dead carcases
Eats fruit
Tree dweller
Grasping talons
Tree dweller
Catches most prey at midday
Grasping talons
What is the name of the moon phase in the diagram?
New Moon
Full Moon
What is the name of the moon phase in the diagram?
New Moon
Full Moon
Which of the following is an example of a chemical change?
water freezes to form ice
sugar dissolves in water
gasoline burns in a car engine
a piece of metal expands when it is heated
Which one shows that a chemical reaction has occurred?
dissolving
melting
formation of a gas
bending
Changing the number of protons in an atom will change the atom's _____
color
atomic weight/mass
net charge
identity (name of element)
11 protons
10 neutrons
11 electrons
What was the change in elevation, to the nearest ten meters, for the family that took the steepest path to Point X?
The rising magma that can result from this type of plate movement may produce-
Based on this diagram, which type of stars would belong to spectral class M and have the highest luminosity?
The Northern Hemisphere experiences the beginning of spring when Earth is in-
Which two atoms are of elements in the same group in the periodic table?
Which of the following best describes a relationship in this grassland?
Badgers are top predators because they eat upland sandpipers and beetles.
A producer–consumer relationship exists between lupines and ants.
A predator–prey relationship exists between beetles and ground squirrels.
Upland sandpipers are primary and secondary consumers because they eat grasses and grasshoppers.
Which statement about stars is correct?
Star formation begins in a nebula.
White dwarfs become main-sequence stars when they gain mass.
Supergiants are stars that can absorb black holes.
Main-sequence stars are formed by comets.
Based on their observations, can the students correctly conclude that a chemical reaction occurred?
No, because the metal strip was still visible
Yes, because a new material of a different color formed on part of the metal strip
No, because the solution stayed blue
Yes, because the volume of the blue solution stayed the same
Which statement describes the energy changes that occur when water in a tea kettle is heated on a stove that uses natural gas?
Some of the chemical energy in the natural gas transforms into thermal energy, which heats the water. Then some of the thermal energy changes into sound energy when the water forms steam and the steam leaves the kettle.
Some of the thermal energy in the natural gas transforms into sound energy when the water becomes hot. Then some of the sound energy changes into light energy when the kettle becomes warm.
Some of the electrical energy in the natural gas transforms into thermal energy, which causes the water to form steam. Then some of the thermal energy changes into sound energy and light energy when the steam leaves the kettle.
Some of the light energy in the natural gas transforms into chemical energy in the water. Then some of the chemical energy changes into kinetic energy when steam leaves the kettle and into sound energy when the water boils.
To fight a bacterial infection, a patient was given an antibiotic to take for 10 days. After the patient finished taking the antibiotics as directed, almost all the bacteria were killed. After another 10 days, the patient was sick again with the same type of infection.
What most likely happened?
A few bacteria survived the antibiotics and stopped reproducing.
The patient’s high fever inactivated the antibiotic, allowing the surviving bacteria to grow
rapidly.
The antibiotic slowed the life cycle of the bacteria.
Some of the bacteria were resistant to the antibiotic, and they reproduced.
A 1,100 kg car comes uniformly to a stop. If the vehicle is accelerating at - 1.2 m/s2, which force is closest to the net force acting on the vehicle?
-9,600 N
-1,300 N
-900 N
-94 N
Why does autumn start in different months of the year in North America and South America?
Earth’s orbit around the sun is not a perfect circle.
North America has a larger landmass than South America.
The moon has a greater pull on South America than on North America.
Earth’s axis has a 23.5° tilt.
What is the primary function of this body system?
The protection of vital organs from injury
The chemical breakdown of food into smaller pieces
The transport of nutrients, water, and oxygen to body cells
The production of hormones that regulate growth and metabolism
An ecosystem that is not sustainable can break down when a natural disaster occurs. This can lead to organisms in the ecosystem either leaving the area or dying off.
Increased biodiversity results in a more sustainable ecosystem because —
a greater number of plant species means that there is less barren land
a greater variety of species present allows more organisms to adapt after changes occur
the transition area between two ecosystems is narrower
there are fewer species to be affected by environmental stresses
How many valence electrons are in an atom of each element in Group 15 in the periodic table?
7
8
5
2
Which statement describes the geologic process that is most likely responsible for the formation of these mountains?
They are along a transform plate boundary that is no longer active, so erosion is creating deep valleys.
They are along a transform plate boundary in which plates are currently moving side by side, causing earthquakes and faults.
They are along a plate boundary in which plates are currently converging, causing uplift and steep slopes.
They are along a plate boundary in which plates diverged in the distant past, allowing new rock to build up.
Which inference is best supported by these data?
Pine trees in a dense forest can grow taller than pine trees in an open meadow.
Pine trees in a dense forest compete for sunlight with the surrounding trees.
Pine trees in a dense forest are part of a less-complex food web than pine trees in an open meadow.
Pine trees in a dense forest have more living branches than pine trees in an open meadow.
An action–reaction pair of forces exists between —
the aerialist’s feet and the rope
the rope and the balancing bar
the two ends of the rope
the aerialist’s arms and legs
Based on these drawings, which element is the least reactive?
Neon, because it has two energy levels with eight electrons in the second level
Chlorine, because it has three energy levels with seven electrons in the third level
Gallium, because it has four energy levels with three electrons in the fourth level
Tin, because it has five energy levels with four electrons in the fifth level
Lions and cheetahs prey on wildebeests that graze in the grasslands of the African savanna. What likely effect would increased rainfall over several rainy seasons have on the populations of wildebeests, lions, and cheetahs?
All three populations would increase.
The wildebeest population would decrease, and the lion and cheetah populations would increase.
The wildebeest population would increase, and the lion and cheetah populations would decrease.
All three populations would decrease.
A student notices that the moon is full one evening. Which sequence of moon phases will the student observe over the next eight days?
Full, waning gibbous, third quarter
Full, waning gibbous, first quarter, waning crescent
Full, new, waning gibbous
Full, waxing gibbous, new, waning crescent
Which statement does NOT correctly compare silicon with another element?
Silicon is a better conductor of electricity than sulfur.
Silicon conducts electricity as well as copper does.
Silicon is a solid at room temperature, but argon is a gas.
Silicon is less malleable than silver.
At which location does the marble have maximum kinetic energy?
Location W
Location X
Location Y
Location Z
Which chemical reaction involves the fewest oxygen atoms?
2AgNO3 + K2SO4 ----------> Ag2SO4 + 2KNO3
4Fe + 6H2O+3O2 ------> 4Fe(OH)3
6CO + 6H2O ----------> C6H12O6+6O2 + 6O2
C2H4+3O2 ----------> 2CO2 + 2H2O
How are the convection currents in the student’s model different from the convection currents in Earth’s atmosphere and oceans?
The warm air in Earth’s atmosphere and the warm water in Earth’s oceans sink instead of rise.
The heat source for Earth’s atmosphere and oceans is the sun, which heats from above instead of below.
Convection cells in Earth’s atmosphere and oceans flow in the same direction instead of opposite directions.
Cold air in Earth’s atmosphere and cold water in Earth’s oceans are less dense than warm air and warm water instead of being more dense.
Based on the life-cycle information, which statement best describes the relationship between the nest fly larvae and the young birds?
The larvae are prey for the young birds.
The larvae are predators of the young birds.
The young birds are hosts for the larvae.
The young birds are consumers of the larvae.
Sulfur hexafluoride, SF6, is a very stable, nonflammable gas at room temperature. It is used in many electronic products because it is a good electrical insulator.
Which statement describes the composition of sulfur hexafluoride?
SF6 is a compound containing atoms of sulfur and fluorine.
SF6 is a compound that contains seven identical atoms.
SF6 is an element with sulfur in the atom’s nucleus and fluorine outside the nucleus.
SF6 is an organic compound composed of long chains of sulfur atoms surrounded by fluorine atoms.
Four boxes are sliding with constant speed before each box experiences an unbalanced force of 8 N. Which box would experience the greatest acceleration when the unbalanced force is applied?
The box with a mass of 2 kg
The box with a mass of 4 kg
The box with a mass of 6 kg
The box with a mass of 8 kg
A mid-ocean ridge is located at the boundary of two tectonic plates. Which diagram correctly models the relative plate motion on each side of a mid-ocean ridge?
A
B
C
D
Cold temperatures in the North favored the survival of populations of larger sparrows over populations of smaller sparrows.
High elevations in the West provided a survival advantage for populations of larger sparrows over populations of smaller sparrows.
Warm temperatures in the South allowed populations of larger sparrows to survive over populations of smaller sparrows.
Coastal environments in the East tended to give a survival advantage to populations of larger sparrows over populations of smaller sparrows.
Which picture shows how the moon appears from Earth when it is in the position shown in this model?
Waxing Gibbous
Waning Crescent
Waning Gibbous
Waxing Crescent
A
B
C
D
3.6
0.36
1.8
1.5
Some areas of an ocean are known as dead zones. These zones form when excess organic material decomposes. This increased decomposition uses up the oxygen from the water.
Which human activity is most affected by the increasing number of dead zones in the ocean?
Offshore oil drilling, because water in dead zones is toxic
Commercial fishing, because fish cannot survive without oxygen
Commercial shipping, because dead zones change the course of ocean currents
Sand mining, because oxygen is not available to form the sands on ocean beaches
Which area of the diagram represents the white dwarfs?
Area M
Area X
Area P
Area Z
Both the esophagus and the small intestine are involved in the digestion of food. The esophagus squeezes food into the stomach by wave-like muscle contractions. Peptidase enzymes in the small intestine break food molecules into smaller molecules.
Which statement best describes changes to food during digestion?
The muscle contractions result in physical changes, while the action of the peptidase results in chemical changes.
The muscle contractions and the action of the peptidase both result only in physical changes.
The muscle contractions result in chemical changes, while the action of the peptidase results in physical changes.
The muscle contractions and the action of the peptidase both result only in chemical changes.
Wheat was one of the first plant crops that humans domesticated. In the process of domestication, the wild form of wheat was eventually changed into a form more suited to human agricultural practice.
Early farmers most likely used seeds only from wheat plants with —
larger grains that could produce more food per plant
taller stems that could block sunlight from weeds growing at ground level
larger flowers that could be sold for additional income
thinner stems that could endure heavy winds
Which sentence best describes how energy flows through this pyramid?
Energy is transferred down each level of the energy pyramid.
The energy lost at each level is consumed by organisms in the top level.
Energy is transferred from organisms in one level to those in the level above.
The organisms at the bottom level provide energy directly to organisms in all the other levels.
What keeps planets in the solar system from moving in straight lines through the galaxy?
Light energy
Gravity
Inertia
Potential energy
cold
stationary
occluded
warm
cold
stationary
warm
occluded
Blue triangles
Warm
Cold
Occluded
Stationary
2C2H2 + 5O2 --> 4CO2 + 2H2O
H2O
Al + O2 --> 2Al2O3
Explain the flow of energy in this food chain (who passes energy to who).
The hawk gives energy to the snake. The snake gives energy to the mouse. The mouse gives energy to the grasshopper who gives energy to the grass.
The mouse gives energy to the hawk. The snake gives energy to the grasshopper. The grass gives energy to the snake.
The grass gives energy to the grasshopper. The grasshopper gives energy to the mouse. The mouse gives energy to the snake who gives energy to the hawk.
NON-living things found in an ecosystem
biotic
abiotc
habitat
Small consumers that are hunted and eaten by larger consumers
producer
prey
predator
An organism that can make its own food
decomposer
producer
consumer
