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Worksheets6th Grade TCAP review science
Total questions: 61
Worksheet time: 33mins
Fireflies are insects with a glowing light inside their bodies. A chemical reaction produces this light. The light helps fireflies in several ways. The list describes two ways the light helps fireflies.
Ways Fireflies Use Light
• Males flash lights in patterns to attract females.
• Light warns predators to stay away because the insects contain a chemical that tastes bad.
A student claims that a firefly population experienced a change that made it impossible for the insects to flash their lights. Which of these changes would support the student’s claim?
The population would increase, because predators could no longer see the fireflies to catch them as prey
The population would decrease, because the male fireflies could not attract mates without their lights.
The population would increase, because more fireflies would move into the unlit area, thinking it was empty.
The population would decrease, because prey for the fireflies would no longer be able to see their lights.
The graph shows the populations of two species over time. Species 2 is a parasite of Species 1. No other species is interacting with Species 1 or Species 2. If the population of Species 1 decreased, what would most likely happen first to Species 2?
Species 2 would increase in number.
Species 2 would decrease in number
Species 2 would become extinct.
Species 2 would find a different host.
Students are demonstrating the movement of wind. In Step 1, they blow up a balloon, trying to make it as round as possible. In Step 2, they draw a line around the middle of the balloon to represent the equator. In Step 3, one student spins the balloon. While the balloon spins, another student draws a line from the middle of the balloon to the top.
In which two ways can this model represent the Coriolis effect?
Warm air rising causes cooler air to sink to the surface.
Rotation of Earth causes the wind to appear to curve.
Wind at the equator is denser than wind at the poles.
Cool air flows faster than warmer air as it moves across Earth.
The amount the wind appears to curve depends on the speed of Earth’s rotation.
The zebra mussel is an invasive species that impacts waterways by clogging pipes and competing with native mussels for resources. In 2014, a new program began to inform and educate fishermen on ways to prevent the spread of these mussels. The table shows the percentage of waterways that are impacted by the zebra mussels. What has been the overall impact of the new program on the spread of zebra mussels?
a decrease in the number of zebra mussels along the waterways
an increase in the number of zebra mussels along the waterways
no effect because more time is needed to determine an outcome
no change in the number of zebra mussels infecting the waterways
Which of these best explains how frontal boundaries can lead to severe storms?
Cold air flows down the side of a mountain away from the ocean.
Cold air remains over an ocean for an extended period of time.
Warm air is forced up rapidly by a cold air mass.
Warm air rises slowly over a cold air mass.
Students study a rabbit population graph. They observe a dramatic decrease in the number of rabbits starting in 1924. Select the three factors that may have caused this decrease in the rabbit population.
an increase in the predator population
an increase in the producer population
a disease in the rabbit population
a slight decrease in the rainfall
a decrease in the producer population
Students wrote down four different science project ideas for heat transfer investigations. Which project idea is an investigation about heat transfer through conduction?
Which statement correctly describes one way ocean currents affect a region?
Deep ocean currents push into estuaries, creating sand deposits that form barrier islands.
Cold ocean currents along the equator increase evaporation rates, creating circular winds that produce tropical storms.
Warm ocean currents keep coastal air temperatures warm, creating moderate climate conditions in coastal regions.
Deep ocean currents move water from polar seas toward the equator, creating drafts of cold air that blow over polar regions.
In some parts of Hawaii, nonnative grasses have been planted for cattle feed, replacing some of the native rain forest plants. Which statement describes the most likely impact of the replacement of rain forest plants with nonnative grasses?
The biodiversity of these areas will decrease
Rain forest plants will outcompete nonnative grasses for resources.
Less nitrogen will be absorbed from the atmosphere over these areas.
Cattle will get fewer nutrients grazing on nonnative grasses than on rain forest plants.
Energy from the wind is used to turn windmills. These windmills then spin a generator and produce electricity. Which statement would not support the claim that wind energy is considered a clean, renewable resource?
Wind energy is produced naturally
Wind energy is used without giving off greenhouse gases.
There is an abundant supply of wind energy available for use.
There are only certain places that are suitable for collecting wind energy.
Kudzu is an invasive vine plant in Tennessee. The list shown describes some characteristics of the kudzu plant. People are trying to find ways to control the growth of kudzu. Which three methods would best reduce the spread of kudzu in Tennessee?
Water the trees that kudzu grows on top of more often.
Use chemicals that slow down the growth of kudzu.
Add insects that feed only on kudzu to the ecosystem.
Dig up the roots of kudzu plants.
Use fertilizers on kudzu plants.
This is a diagram of a system that includes a girl and Earth. In the first picture, the girl sits on the motionless swing. Then she pushes herself backwards. In the second picture, the girl moves forward on the swing. The swing moves the girl back and forth.
Which of these best describes when the system has the greatest gravitational potential energy?
when the girl is seated on the motionless swing
when the swing is at its highest point above the ground and begins moving down
when the swing is at its lowest point above the ground and begins moving up
when the swing is moving at a constant speed
Gray wolves are carnivores that feed on mice, rats, and rabbits. The graph shows the number of gray wolf sightings each year in an area of open brushland. The data for this graph were collected by hunters. The hunters counted how often they saw gray wolves while they were hunting. These data can be used to estimate the population size of the gray wolves in the area.
Which graph correctly shows how the number of gray wolf sightings would change if more rabbits were available beginning in 1993?
After playing basketball, two students draw a diagram of the basketball’s motion when being thrown toward the basket. In the diagram shown, the ball is at its highest point at position 3.
Which two of these correctly describe the transformations of energy at each of the positions in the diagram?
. Position 1: Kinetic energy is decreasing and potential energy is increasing.
Position 2: Kinetic energy is increasing and potential energy is decreasing
Position 3: Kinetic energy is increasing and potential energy is increasing.
Position 4: Kinetic energy is decreasing and potential energy is increasing.
Position 5: Kinetic energy is increasing and potential energy is decreasing.
A diagram of the hydrologic cycle is shown.
People drill water wells for their homes above the water table. As more homes are built, the number of wells increases. When the amount of water pumped out is greater than the amount that is replaced, the existing water cycle can be disrupted. Which TWO effects will drilling many wells have on the existing hydrologic cycle?
Drilling many wells will lower the water table.
Drilling many wells will speed up the water cycle.
Drilling many wells will cause water to evaporate faster.
Drilling many wells will prevent water from entering the ground.
E. Drilling many wells will cause less water to flow into lakes and streams.
A region includes a coastal wetland area. The wetland is a habitat for
many types of wildlife. Members of the community surrounding the
wetland design a plan that has two goals. The first goal is to provide
recreation opportunities for humans in the wetland. The second goal is to
protect the biodiversity of wildlife living there.
Which plan will best meet both goals?
Drain water from the wetland to make dry hiking trails and relocate fish to a
nearby lake.
Pave part of the wetland for a parking lot and build a visitor center with
cabins for overnight guests.
Construct observation decks over the wetland and build docks for
catch-and-release fishing.
Drain part of the wetland to construct a sports field and use the remaining
water area as a harbor for boats.
Scientists are investigating how solar energy can be used along with
other energy sources.
Which of these best describes why scientists are exploring the use of
other types of renewable energy sources along with solar energy?
The collection of solar energy is limited to daylight hours
Solar energy can be transformed only into electrical energy
The collection of solar energy requires constant monitoring.
Solar energy is less popular than other types of energy.
To decrease air pollution, a city began limiting the number of air-polluting
particles companies were able to release into the air. The companies were
required to use control devices that catch air-polluting particles. The
companies’ processes were also changed so that the lowest possible
amounts of polluting particles were released.
Tests show that these new city rules have not decreased the levels of acid
rain. Which activity is most likely the reason that implementing these
rules did not reduce acid rain levels?
The number of companies in the city has decreased
The number of parks and green spaces in the city has increased.
The number of families moving into the city has decreased.
The number of automobiles and traffic jams has increased.
Vast quantities of natural gas are located beneath Earth’s surface.
Natural gas is less costly to extract from the ground than crude oil.
Natural gas offers some advantages compared to other energy sources.
Despite the large amounts of natural gas, why is it classified as a
nonrenewable, rather than a renewable, resource?
Natural gas is available underground but not in the atmosphere.
The formation of natural gas is a process that takes millions of years.
Natural gas can be extracted only during certain times of the year.
The cost of extracting natural gas from the ground is greater than its value.
Recently, severe weather damaged forests in northern New Mexico. Trees
in these forests are nesting sites for Mexican spotted owls. Damage to the
forests caused populations of Mexican spotted owls to decline in the
state.
Which of these describes the most likely result of a decrease in the
number of Mexican spotted owls in New Mexico forests?
Populations of primary consumers increased, because there was less
predation by Mexican spotted owls.
Populations of predators decreased, because there was less competition from
Mexican spotted owls.
Deciduous trees grew at faster rates, because fewer Mexican spotted owls
were nesting in their branches.
Certain herbaceous plants reproduced at a slower rate, because fewer
Mexican spotted owls flew above them.
Students are planning investigations to help them understand the
movement of thermal energy between objects.
Which of these investigations should the students plan to help them
better understand conduction?
Compare the difference in temperatures between a small amount of wet sand
in direct sunlight and the same amount of wet sand in shade.
Observe how different temperatures of water move through an aquarium
when food coloring has been added to the water.
Measure the changes in temperature of materials that have different colors
when the materials are left in sunlight.
Compare the changes in temperature of different objects that are heated by
a hot plate set to a medium setting.
A student studies the diagram shown. The arrows in the diagram
represent a typical flow of wind over a mountain. The student correctly explains the expected atmospheric conditions in the
diagram. Which three statements should be part of the student’s
explanation?
Warm air rises up the mountain.
Rain occurs often at location A
The humid air travels up the mountain and falls back down the other side.
Location A is a dry location
The humid air cools as it is rising to the top of the mountain and turns to
clouds.
The data table shown contains information about two mammals that have overlapping niches in Tennessee.
Coypu damage riverbanks, trample crops, and reduce the amount of food available to other native herbivores. Based on the information in the data table, which strategy for controlling the coypu population would have the least effect on the North American river otter?
Place poison on plants along marshes that will affect only coypu.
Introduce a new carnivore to the rivers and streams.
Set traps for coypu made of cages and trapdoors along the rivers and streams.
Increase the number of water plants in the habitat that coypu eat.
A beach ball and a bowling ball were sitting on a shelf. Someone bumped the shelf and the bowling ball and beach ball rolled off the shelf at the same time. They both hit the ground at the same time and had the same speed.
Which of these statements correctly compares the kinetic energy of the two objects just before they hit the ground?
The bowling ball had more kinetic energy because it had less potential energy when it was on the shelf.
The bowling ball had more kinetic energy because it has more mass.
Both balls had the same kinetic energy because they had the same speed.
Both balls had the same kinetic energy because they had the same potential energy when they were on the shelf.
Animals have different methods of communication with members of their own species and other types of animals.
Which three statements about animal communication are supported by the information in the data table?
Wolves, squirrels, and deer wave their tails to attract a mate
Alligators and deer use communication to help them reproduce.
Squirrels, deer, and wolves make noises to warn others of danger.
Wolves use body language to scare away enemies.
Alligators and squirrels leave traces on trees for their own species
A student attached a rubber band to a toy truck. When the student stretched and released the rubber band, the truck began to move. The student stretched the rubber band by different distances. Then the student recorded the speed of the truck in the table shown.
Which statement is best supported by the data in the table?
When the distance the rubber band stretched was doubled, the speed of the truck doubled.
When the distance the rubber band stretched was doubled, the speed of the truck tripled.
When the distance the rubber band stretched was tripled, the speed of the truck was reduced by half.
When the distance the rubber band stretched was tripled, the speed of the truck increased by three meters per second.
A species of moth inhabits the fur of three-toed sloths. These moths provide nutrients to algae growing on the sloth’s fur. The algae provides camouflage for the sloth. The sloth’s waste provides a secure and nutrient-rich place for the moths to lay their eggs.
Populations of three-toed sloths are decreasing due to deforestation of their habitat. Which of these will most likely result if the three-toed sloth population continues to decline?
The population of moths will thrive by inhabiting the fur of another tree-dwelling mammal.
The algae will adapt to living on tree trunks and low-hanging branches.
The population of moths will decline because of fewer places to lay eggs
The algae will survive by breeding with another photosynthetic organism.
Traditional farming practices can increase soil erosion. Eroded soils can affect nearby lakes by causing eutrophication. Eutrophication decreases the water quality of a lake by reducing the amount of oxygen in the water. Which statement describes the best solution for a farmer to increase the biodiversity of a nearby lake?
The farmer removes more retaining walls that control runoff
The farmer increases the amount of time that cows graze on grasses each day
The farmer uses more fertilizer when growing new crops.
The farmer plants a variety of trees along his fields.
The diagram represents the hydrologic cycle in a particular area.
Which of these would be the best way to measure the effect that removing many trees in the area would have on the hydrologic cycle?
Evaluate the growth of new plants in the area before and after the trees are removed
Measure and compare the speed and direction of wind in the area before and after the trees are removed.
Survey the people living in the area to determine if they use more water before or after the trees are removed.
Measure and compare the amounts of precipitation and surface water runoff in the area before and after the trees are removed
Students record the mass, speed, and kinetic energy of objects moving along a track. The students create these data tables. Which two statements correctly relate the mass and the speed of an object to its kinetic energy?
When an object’s speed doubles, its kinetic energy doubles
When an object’s speed doubles, its kinetic energy more than doubles
When the mass of an object doubles, its kinetic energy doubles
When the mass of an object doubles, its kinetic energy more than doubles
When both the speed and the mass of an object double, its kinetic energy doubles.
Prairie dogs are a type of mammal that lives in colonies. Prairie dogs use a variety of different sounds to communicate with each other. These calls warn neighbors of the approach of a predator. Different calls are used for different types of predators. One type of call is a “jump-yip”; a prairie dog stands on its hind legs, extends its arms, and utters a sharp “yipping” sound. Other prairie dogs then copy this behavior while the rest scurry to safety in their burrows. A student researched the different sounds made by prairie dogs. Which question about this “jump-yip” research of prairie dog communication was the student trying to answer?
Why do prairie dogs use the “jump-yip” behavior?
What are prairie dogs celebrating when they use the “jump-yip” behavior?
Why does this “jump-yip” behavior occur only at night?
Does this “jump-yip” behavior scare the other prairie dogs?
A forest food web is shown below. Which organism is a producer?
Plant
Squirrel
Raccoon
Hawk
The diet of a box turtle includes organisms such as insects, worms, fruits, and berries. A box turtle is best described as
Consumer
producer
decomposer
herbivore
A diagram of an energy pyramid is shown below. Which consumer receives the least amount of energy from the aquatic plants?
Eagles
Larger Fishes
Small Fishes
Snails
Aninsect lays eggs on a leaf. After the insect larvae hatch, the larvae begin to eat the leaves. Then birds consume the larvae. How are these events best described?
the classification of organisms based on their traits
the transfer of energy through an ecosystem
the passing of genetic traits to offspring
the relationship between biotic and abiotic elements
A forest food web is shown below. Which statement is supported by this food web?
Deer get energy from grasses, and wolves get energy from grasshoppers.
Wolves get energy from deer, and deer get energy from grasses.
Hawks get energy from snakes, and mice get energy from snakes.
Snakes get energy from hawks, and mice get energy from deer.
A chart listing biome characteristics is shown below. Which biotic elements BEST complete this chart?
Arctic foxes, reindeer, lichens
Camels, toads, cacti
Antelope, buffalo, grass
Gorillas, sloths, bamboo
This diagram shows a forest biome. Two abiotic elements in this forest biome are the
tree and the rabbit
soil and the air
owl and the soil
grass and the gree
Which is a biotic factor within an ocean biome?
oxygen dissolving in seawater
clams living in the sea floor and mud
sunlight heating the seawater
sediment making up the sea floor
Which plant is MOST likely found in a dry, hot environment that receives little rainfall?
The picture below shows a leaf that belongs to a plant that grows well in shaded areas. It lives in a biome that has many large trees and an average yearly precipitation of 75-150 centimeters. In which type of biome does this type of plant MOST likely live?
Arctic tundra
desert
grassland
rain forest
A student held a pinwheel above a pot of boiling water. The student observed the pinwheel spinning. Which of these is BEST demonstrated by this activity?
convection currents
potential energy
chemical energy
magnetic fields
Which action produces wind?
the rotation of Earth on its axis
the revolution of Earth around the sun
the uneven heating of Earth by the sun's energy
the ll of the sun's gravity on earth
What is the primary energy source needed to create wind on Earth?
sunlight
tides
fossil fuels
volcanic eruptions
Air over land changes temperature at a different rate than air over water. Which statement best describes how this difference causes wind?
The warmer air over land rises as cooler air over water takes its place.
the cooler air over water moves toward land to mix with the warmer air.
the cooler air over water rises and the warmer air over land sinks
the warmer air over land moves toward the water, forcing the cooler air to rise.
The diagram shows the Norwegian Current, which is located in the Northern Hemisphere. Which statement best describes the type of water carried by the Norwegian Current as it moves from the tropics toward the North Pole?
The water is warm and near the surface
the water is cold and dense
the water is cold and comes up to the surface
the water is warm and deep
Which statement best describes the movement of ocean currents
warm currents start flowing at the poles
cold currents start flowing at the equator
cold currents tend to flow under warm currents
warm currents tend to flow deeper than cold currents
The Gulf Stream current is found in the Atlantic Ocean and flows from the tropics to the northern latitudes. Which best explains the movement of the Gulf Stream current?
The warm current is more dense and pushes cold waters toward the equator
The warm current flows toward the poles where it cools and sinks
The warm current contains an electrical charge that is attracted to the magnetic poles
The warm current contains sediment that is heavier than cold currents and pushes them
A student notices that the reading on the barometer is 754mmHg and is falling slowly. Which other weather observation is the student MOST likely to make?
thunderstorms
clear skies
drier conditions
decreasing winds
Which action is MOST likely to increase the gravitational potential energy of an object?
stretching a spring
lifting a crate
spinning a turbine
changing a battery
Which activity results in a decrease in chemical potential energy?
the shape of an ice cube changes as it melts
a battery-operated device is turned on
the leaves of a tomato plant photosynthesize
a hillside is weathered by wind and rain
A swinging pendulum is shown below. Which statement BEST explains the motion of the pendulum?
the potential energy decreases as the sound energy increases
the chemical energy decreases as the sound energy increases
the kinetic energy increases as the electrical energy decreases
the electrical energy increases as the potential energy decreases
Which change best shows the potential energy increasing while the kinetic energy is decreasing?
a rock rolling down a hill
a windup toy moving across a floor
a bicycle sling as it coasts up a hill
an airplane lifting off a runway
Which BEST describes the relationship between kinetic energy and potential energy?
Potential energy can be changed into kinetic energy
Both require gravitational forces to cause change
both require a chemical reaction to cause a change
potential energy is stored as kinetic energy
The diagram below shows a bicycle being ridden over a surface. Which of these will occur when a bicycle is slowed down by surface friction?
light will be produced
mass will be increased
heat will be produced
gravity will be increased
Green plants store energy by changing
chemical energy into light energy
light energy into chemical energy
chemical energy into heat energy
heat energy into chemical energy
A student rubs a metal coin against a rock and notices the coin becomes warmer. Which BEST describes this energy transformation?
mechanical energy to heat energy
electromagnetic energy to chemical energy
heat energy to mechanical energy
chemical energy to electromagnetic energy
A toy car has a metal spring inside that can be wound. As the spring unwinds, it moves the wheels, causing the toy car to roll forward. How does this demonstrate the law of conservation of energy?
The mass of the spring stayed constant, so its energy also stayed constant.
The mass of the spring changed when wound, so the energy of the car changed
The energy in the spring increased as the motion of the car increased
The energy in the spring was transferred to the car, causing it to move.
A pencil slowed as it rolled across a student's desk. What happened to the kinetic energy of the pencil as it rolled across the desk?
it increased
it transformed into heat and sound
it was destroyed
it transformed into mechanical energy
A student made a simple circuit that included a buzzer. Which type of energy transformation will take place when he closes the switch and the buzzer is activated?
heat energy to electrical energy
electrical energy to sound energy
sound energy to electrical energy
sound energy to heat energy
The diagram shows an electrical circuit that operates a fan. Which of these BEST describes the energy transformations that will occur when the battery is attached to this circuit?
chemical energy to electrical energy to mechanical energy
electrical energy to chemical energy to mechanical energy
chemical energy to heat energy to electrical energy
electrical energy to chemical energy to heat energy
