Font size
WorksheetsPractice Test 1 & 2
Total questions: 90
Worksheet time: 45mins
During a unit on cell structures, a teacher would like to gauge student understanding. Which of the following formative assessments would be most useful for this purpose?
administering a unit test over cell organelles and functions
asking students to write an essay describing the differences between cell types
asking students to build a model of one type of cell and label the organelles
asking the students to collaborate with partners and create a Venn diagram of organelles and which types of cells they belong to
Which of the following sources of energy is nonrenewable?
Natural gas
biomass fuel
hydropower
solar power
Global weather patterns or short-term climatic changes can be impacted by which of the following?
changes in local winds and air pressure
changes in global winds and ocean currents
changes in star patterns and constellations
changes in riverbanks and small landforms
Which macromolecule provides long-term energy storage and insulation?
lipids
nucleic acids
proteins
carbohydrates
A basketball player holds a basketball, ready to jump and shoot the ball. The player jumps in the air and shoots the ball toward the basket. Which of the following energy transformations occurs to power the player's jump shot?
light energy to thermal energy
mechanical energy to electrical energy
thermal energy to sound energy
chemical energy to kinetic energy
The Moon's gravity pulled on the Apollo 11 rocket as it landed on the Moon. Which of the following statements correctly compares the Moon's gravitational force on Apollo 11 with Apollo 11's gravitational force on the Moon?
Apollo 11's force on the Moon was smaller and in the opposite direction.
The Moon and Apollo 11 exerted the same amount of force in the same direction.
The Moon and Apollo 11 exerted the same amount of force but in opposite directions.
Apollo 11 did not pull on the Moon because its mass was so small.
Which of the following is the best example of a behavioral adaptation?
A tiger's sharp claws allows it to easily tear open its prey.
Flounders on the floor of the Gulf coast use colored scales to hide from predators.
Grizzly bears in Alaska will hibernate in the winter.
Brightly colored male birds attract female birds for reproduction.
The rusting of an iron chain can be classified as which of the following?
Physical change
Value change
Phase change
Chemical change
Having students create three-dimensional models of a generic animal cell would be most suited for teaching which of the following biological concepts?
cell organelle structure
cell differentiation
cell division
functions of types of cells
Which of the following depicts the relative arrangement of the Earth, Sun, and Moon when a lunar eclipse is observed from the location marked X?
Mr. Harris has several English-language learners in his classroom. He is currently beginning a unit about circuits. Which of the following activities will be most effective in engaging Mr. Harris' English-language learners in a lesson?
giving students bulbs, batteries, and connecting wires and asking them to try to make the bulbs light up
having students read a web page about circuits and why they work
listing and defining vocabulary words associated with circuits on the board while students copy the words and definitions
using a drawing of a light bulb while explaining why they produce light
Ticks are mites that attach themselves to animals, such as dogs, and suck blood. In doing so, ticks transmit diseases, such as Lyme disease, to the animals. Which type of interaction does this describe?
neutralism
mutualism
parasitism
commensalism
Students perform an investigation to compare the relative specific heats of sand, water, and soil. They fill plastic cups with the same mass of each material, place a temperature probe in each sample, and put the samples the same distance beneath identical flood lamps. Students record temperature data for 2 minutes while the lamps are on, and continue recording data for 1 minute after the lamps are turned off. Which of the following is the dependent variable in this experiment?
the amount of time the lamps are turned on and off
the different materials
the mass of the materials
the change in temperature of the materials
During a lesson on waves, Ms. Chavez asks her students to stand side-by-side in a long line and link elbows. She asks them to be ready to squat when someone tugs their elbow down and stand back up when someone tugs their elbow up. Ms. Chavez goes to one end of the line, links elbows, squats and stands back up. As she squats, she naturally tugs downward on the elbow of the student next to her, who then tugs downward on the next student and so on. As she stands again she naturally tugs upward on the student next to her, and the signal moves down the line. The result is a wave that starts with Ms. Chavez and travels down the line of students. Each student squats and stands as the wave passes.
Which of the following concepts about waves is Ms. Chavez most likely trying to teach?
the nature of a transverse wave
the nature of a longitudinal wave
the nature of a wavelength
the nature of a sound wave
A polar air mass that originates over land would most likely be described as:
warm and dry.
cold and dry.
cold and humid.
warm and humid.
In the water cycle, energy from the sun heats the water, changing the liquid water into a gas. It loses energy and falls back to Earth. Which step in the water cycle is depicted by #1 in the diagram shown?
condensation
precipitation
evaporation
runoff
Which of the following body systems is responsible for taking in oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide?
digestive system
lymphatic system
respiratory system
circulatory system
Which of the following activities best helps students practice the process skill of observing?
using a thermometer to determine the temperature at which water boils
using a magnifying glass to inspect the small features on the surface of a leaf
making a table to show the relative hardness of minerals
sorting rocks by the size of their crystals
Susanne and Xavier are workers on a road construction crew. When lifting a rock, Xavier lifts the rock straight up, but Susanne uses a lever, as shown. Neglecting any friction, which worker does the most work lifting the same rock to a height of 2 inches off the ground? Assume the weight of the lever is negligible.
Susanne does more work because she must move the lever farther.
Xavier does more work because he must pull upward, whereas Susanne can push downward.
Xavier does more work because he uses only his muscles to lift the rock.
Both do the same amount of work.
Mrs. Conner wants to pre-assess the class regarding their knowledge of the periodic table of elements, inquire about their interest in the subject, then follow up with what students have learned. Which of the following formative assessment tools would be a good choice for Mrs. Conner?
Concept Map
K-W-L chart
T-Chart
Venn Diagram
The earth is divided into four distinct layers. Which layer is composed of very hot, liquid material?
inner core
crust
mantle
outer core
Where is the majority of nitrogen on Earth?
trees
the atmosphere
rocks
animal waste
Which activity would be appropriate for a second-grade class studying the water cycle?
completing a worksheet that labels each part of the water cycle and how they work
having groups use easily accessible materials (such as rocks, popsicle sticks, etc.) to build a 3D model of the water cycle
having students engage with an online website that has various videos explaining the water cycle
researching the impact of global warming on the water cycle and writing a report
Which of the following would result if two objects with opposite electrostatic charges are placed near one another?
Nothing will happen.
They will neither attract nor repel one another.
They will attract one another.
They will repel one another.
Following an investigation on how the length of shadows changes throughout the day, Mr. Vasquez would like to assess his students' knowledge of the relationship between shadow length and time. Which of the following would be the best assessment to use?
questioning the class about when the darkest shadows form
having students draw pictures of shadows at various times of the day
having students explain why shadow lengths change during the day
having students report on how shadows are formed
Heart disease is a major threat to human life in the United States. Which of the following lifestyle changes is the most likely to reduce the incidence of heart disease?`
increasing the amount of exercise
eating more red meat
increasing the number of hours spent at work
sleeping more than 9 hours per day
Which quality would a scientist be measuring if he were using an anemometer?
atmospheric pressure
wind speed
humidity
rainfall
During a unit on organisms and environments, Mr. Woodland wants his second-grade students to identify factors in the environment that affect plant growth. Students design investigations that involve growing bean plants in paper cups and exposing the plants to environmental variables of their choice. After the beans sprout, the students measure and record the heights of their bean plants. At the end of the investigation, students will be asked to present their data in a way that will be quick and easy to understand. Which of the following is the best way to incorporate technology into this lesson?
Have students search the internet to help them figure out which environmental variables they can change and control.
Provide students with electronic balances for measuring the masses of their beans each day.
Have students take an online, multiple-choice test of their understanding after the activities are complete.
Have students record and graph their data in a spreadsheet that they can access each time they make a measurement.
A tug-of-war rope is being pulled with a force of 80 N to the left by Jeff and a force of 50 N to the right by Rico. What is the net force acting on the rope?
30 N to the left
130 N to the left
30 N to the right
130 N to the right
Which of the following functions are performed by a plant's stomata?
Transport of glucose through the stem.
Transpiration of water out of the leaves.
Absorption of minerals and water from the soil.
Absorption of light energy through the leaves.
After completing a unit on graphing data, students are given the following table and asked what type of graph is most appropriate for displaying this data. What should they use?
histogram
line graph
double bar graph
circle graph
Which of the following is true about stars?
Star color is dependent upon their temperature.
Stars repel other stars.
Stars generally fall into the same size range.
Stars generate heat and light through endergonic reactions.
As a demonstration during a unit on plate tectonics, a teacher holds an aluminum pie plate over a smoky candle and has the students observe how the smoke spreads and moves around and over the edges of the plate. Which of the following is demonstrated by the movement of the smoke?
condensation
convection
conduction
radiation
Which of the following is not a major component of the earth's atmosphere?
Carbon dioxide
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Fluorine
Pressures driving natural selection include all of the following EXCEPT:
available resources
predator-prey relationships
equal populations of all organisms
climate change
Carbon (C) is classified as which of the following?
compound
solution
mixture
element
Which of the following is an example of a negative feedback system?
body temperature regulation
contractions during labor and childbirth
blood clotting
climate change
A student measures the volume of 12.8 ml of liquid with a graduated cylinder, checking the measurement three times to obtain volumes of 13.2 ml, 13.2 ml, and 13.1 ml. The student's measurements are:
accurate but not precise.
both precise and accurate.
neither accurate nor precise.
precise but not accurate.
A student is struggling to differentiate between artificial selection and natural selection. Which of the following interventions would best help this student?
Giving students a copy of the notes about the two types of selection.
Asking students to pair up and create a Venn diagram of artificial selection and natural selection together.
Asking students to make a list of organisms that experience natural selection and organisms that experience artificial selection.
Having students re-read the textbook section over artificial selection and natural selection and write three sentences about it.
Sally would like to measure the volume of liquid water produced by a reaction. Which of the following tools would be most appropriate for her to use?
Beaker
Triple beam balance
Metric ruler
Graduated cylinder
Which of the following is the principal type of energy stored behind a hydroelectric dam?
mechanical
chemical potential energy
gravitational potential energy
heat
Certain plant species can reproduce asexually through the processes of budding or through spore dispersal. Which of the following is a disadvantage for plants that employ this type of reproduction?
High genetic diversity in the offspring makes it difficult for scientists to track mutations.
This method is quick, and many offspring can be produced in a short amount of time.
A large number of offspring can be made from one plant, so populations can be regrown easily.
All offspring are genetically identical, so a disease can wipe out an entire population.
Which of the following is a key characteristic of scientific inquiry?
Scientific discovery is relative, depending on who carries out the research.
The results of experiments should only be communicated when scientists are sure the outcome proves a scientific law.
Scientific theories are open to change as new information is discovered.
Scientific discoveries are more important than ethical decisions.
Black colored fur is dominant over white colored fur in hamsters. A black colored hamster (Bb) is mated with a purebred, white colored hamster (bb). What percentage of their offspring will have the genotype Bb?
100%
75%
25%
50%
Which of the following is an abiotic factor in an ecosystem?
fish
grass
temperature
trees
Which of the following environmental pressures would not be a primary contributor to the process of natural selection?
abundance of food
competition for resources
climate change
predator and prey relationships
Of the following, which contributes the most to water pollution in streams?
nuclear power plants
fertilizers and pesticides
mine drainage
carbon dioxide from gasoline-powered vehicles
A third-grade science teacher is teaching a lesson on erosion. He wants to incorporate technology to help students explore these issues across history and in current climates around the world. An example of an appropriate activity would be to:
have students use the internet to find accounts of the Dust Bowl and current farming practices that prevent erosion.
show a short video that shows a graphic of erosion taking place.
have students find pictures of the Grand Canyon and other large landforms that have been created by erosion.
provide students with a list of helpful websites that give examples of erosion in other countries.
Carbonated water is made by dissolving carbon dioxide gas in water. Carbonated water is classified as which of the following?
solution
heterogenous mixture
element
compound
Which human bodily process aids in maintaining homeostasis?
shivering when cold
walking
sitting on the couch
studying for a math test
Which of the following is the responsibility of the teacher with regard to the use of chemicals?
requiring labels on all hazardous materials
maintaining material safety data sheets for available chemicals
knowing the chemicals used in each laboratory experiment and reviewing the material safety data sheet for them
disposing of hazardous substances by taking them outside to the dumpster
Which of the following activities would contribute to global warming?
Using hydroelectric power to run your hot water heater
Driving a gasoline-powered car
Planting trees in your backyard
Collecting rainwater to water plants with later
Which of the following statements about chimpanzees most effectively relates structure to function?
Chimpanzees have opposable thumbs on all four hands to swing from trees.
Chimpanzees are closely related to humans.
Chimpanzees are mammals.
Chimpanzees are in the Hominida family.
Consider the following Punnett square. If A is dominant over a, what percentage of the offspring would be expected to show the dominant phenotype?
75%
25%
100%
50%
Which of the following activities best helps students practice the process skill of classification?
participating in a discussion on why some igneous rocks have holes
making a poster that organizes minerals according to their porosity
grouping minerals according to their colors
scratching minerals with glass to find their hardness
Which nitrogen base pairs with thymine in the DNA molecule?
adenine
guanine
cytosine
uracil
Which speed vs. time graph best represents the motion of a car slowing at a constant rate as it approaches a stoplight?
A kite flying above a playground is pushed by the wind toward the north with a force of 25 N. The kite string pulls on the kite toward the south with a force of 20 N. What is the net force acting on the kite due to these two forces?
5 N to the south
5 N to the north
45 N to the south
45 N to the north
Which of the following topics might a teacher want to review before starting a lesson on the carbon cycle?
the water cycle
photosynthesis and respiration
electric vehicles
carbon's place on the periodic table
Which two subatomic particles can be found in the nucleus of an atom?
electrons and neutrons
protons and neutrons
electrons and quarks
protons and electrons
Which type of tectonic plate boundary involves two continental plates moving toward each other?
divergent
convergent
transform
fault
Which is the most age-appropriate approach for teaching early elementary students to understand the meaning of "renewable" when discussing renewable and non-renewable resources?
Compare how long it would take to grow, gather, or form more of each resource (i.e. grow a tree, gather sunlight, or make coal).
Compare how long each resource will last before it runs out.
Compare the costs of using each resource (i.e. to cut and ship wood, make solar collectors, or dig and process coal).
Compare the energy density of each resource (i.e. how much energy is in a cord of wood, an area of sunlight, or a ton of coal).
The flow of electrons through a conductive material is also known as what?
ionization energy
positivity
radiant energy
electric current
In a temperate forest ecosystem, which of the following organisms is a primary consumer?
blackberry
coyote
deer
wolf
Which statement best describes why a cork floats in water?
Electrons in the water repel electrons in the cork.
Convection currents in water move the cork upward.
The density of cork is less than the density of water.
The buoyant force is an inherent property of water.
Mrs. Campbell, a third-grade science teacher, is teaching conservation practices. What can her class do to demonstrate they have learned to make informed choices, based on the needs of the environment?
collect food for a local food bank
make anti-littering posters
sell candy to make money for library books
start a paper and plastic recycling program
A sixth-grade science teacher is teaching an inquiry-based unit on animal behavior. Which of the following questions would best lead to the development of an investigation relevant to students' lives?
How does the type of reward affect a dog's trick performance?
What type of pet is the cleanest?
Which student's dog performs the most tricks?
What is the most dangerous pet?
A farmer wonders why water is not moving through his irrigation system. He checks the water pump and finds it is not plugged in. Once he plugs the pump in, water again moves through the system. Which of the following energy transformations occurs when the pump pushes water through the system?
chemical energy to thermal energy
hydroelectric energy to chemical energy
electrical energy to kinetic energy
mechanical energy to light energy
A teacher uses a long copper pipe in a demonstration during a lesson on heat transfer. The teacher puts one end of the pipe on a warm hot plate and allows the far end of the pipe to extend over the desk. The teacher asks one student to feel and describe the changes in the temperature with time along the length of the pipe. Which of the following is the teacher demonstrating?
convection
conduction
specific heat
radiation
Which of the following is false?
The sun can detract from lunar effects and decrease tidal levels.
Tidal bulges can occur both on the side of the earth closest to the moon and the side furthest away.
The sun can compound lunar effects and increase tidal levels.
High tides only occur on the side of the earth closest to the moon.
If there is a full moon tonight, how many days will pass until the next full moon?
7
365
28
14
A teacher would like to assess the students' understanding of how the other Solar System planets differ from Earth. Which of the following would be the most effective way to do this?
having students label each planet's name on the eight planetary orbits shown on a handout
having students decorate styrofoam balls to look like the planets
having students listen while the teacher shows pictures of each planet and describes planetary features
having student pairs brainstorm what humans would need to live on the other planets
The remora is a fish that attaches itself to a shark by using a suction disk on its head. The sharks do not like to eat the remora, and the remora feeds on parasites that live on sharks' skin as well as the shark's leftovers. This is an example of which of the following?
parasitism
commensalism
mutualism
predation
What are the functions of the integumentary system?
protects body, regulates temperature, and eliminates wastes
processes information and activates body responses
protects organs, provides structure and support, allows movement, and stores minerals
produces hormones and controls chemical reactions in the body
Ms. Santiago, a fourth-grade teacher at Santine Elementary school, was given a grant to purchase a weather station for her class. After installing the station, Ms. Santiago has had her students record the weather each day for an entire month. One day Ms. Santiago divides her students into groups and asks each group to categorize and draw conclusions from their month-long wind direction measurements. Of the following science practices, which one is the primary focus of this lesson plan?
analyzing and interpreting data
asking questions
planning and carrying out investigations
developing and using models
A teacher plays a game-show style review game with her students halfway through the unit. Which of the following types of assessment is this an example of?
formative assessment
product assessment
formal assessment
summative assessment
Which organelle is responsible for generating large amounts of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)?
ribosome
mitochondria
nucleus
chloroplast
In a lesson about friction, students in a fourth-grade class work in groups to measure the speeds of differently-shaped objects sliding down a slope. The students are instructed to measure the speed of each object three times with a stopwatch. Which of the following best describes a learning outcome of this activity?
Students learn how to increase the precision of their measurements.
Students learn that measurement errors are mistakes that should be avoided.
Students practice using repeated trials to decrease the margin of error.
Students practice new ways to remove outliers.
Of the following, which is a sedimentary rock?
obsidian
schist
basalt
shale
In a cross between a black guinea pig and a brown guinea pig, all of the offspring are black and none of the offspring are brown. Which of the following is most likely true?
Black fur color is dominant in guinea pigs.
Black fur color is recessive in guinea pigs.
Neither fur color is dominant nor recessive in guinea pigs.
Brown fur color is dominant in guinea pigs.
A meteorite impact with Earth could send large amounts of dust into the atmosphere. Which of the following changes is most likely to follow from an increase in atmospheric dust?
Decreased transmission of solar radiation causing lower global temperatures
Decreased absorption of solar radiation causing higher global temperatures
Increased transmission of solar radiation causing higher global temperatures
Increased absorption of solar radiation causing lower global temperatures
Which of the following best describes the frequency and wavelength of a sound with a high pitch?
high frequency and long wavelength
high frequency and short wavelength
low frequency and short wavelength
low frequency and long wavelength
Mr. Sandberg's students are frustrated because they all performed well on the homework assignments, but the large majority of them failed the most recent exam. In reviewing the test questions, the students noticed they were much more complex than the homework questions. The students approach Mr. Sandberg with their concern that the test has questions they were not prepared to answer. Which of the following best describes the students' concern about the assessment?
The assessment does not have content validity.
The assessment is not a performance-based assessment.
The assessment is not reliable.
The assessment does not have objective measures.
Two forces are applied to a box at rest on a frictionless surface, as shown. In which situation will the box move to the right?
Ms. Medure's fourth-grade class is studying volcanoes. She chooses to have her students build papier-mâché models of volcanoes, both to help them learn volcanic structure and also to help them learn the benefits and limitations of scientific models.
In addition to building the models, which of the following activities best supports her learning goals about scientific models?
Class discussions on how the models are like and different from real volcanoes.
Having students use labels to identify specific volcanic features such as vents and magma chambers.
Assigning students the task of designing an experiment they could perform with their model.
Bringing students to the school library so they can find the name and location of a volcano similar to their model.
Students in Ms. Carson's class are having trouble understanding how genetic variation allows natural selection to happen. What can Ms. Carson do to address this misconception?
Ms. Carson can buy a bag of multi-colored fruit candy and ask each student to pick out their favorite flavor. Afterwards, Ms. Carson can show students the candy so they can see that their least favorite flavors are less likely to get picked.
Ms. Carson can take students on a nature walk and show them how many more insects there are that blend in with their environment than there are insects that stick out.
Ms. Carson can show students pictures of Galapagos finches and ask students what kind of food they think the finches eat. Ms. Carson can then ask students which island they think the finches live on.
Ms. Carson can show students a video of children playing tag and ask the students to predict which child will get tagged next.
Janeth is at the lake with her friends on a beautiful day. By evening, she and her friends are hurrying towards shelter from an oncoming thunderstorm. What is the most likely cause of this sudden thunderstorm?
The thunderheads were brought north from the equator due to the Coriolis Effect.
An occluded front has moved into the area and brought rain with it.
A cold air front has met a warm air front and forced the warm air up. The moisture in the air condensed into thunderheads.
A surface current in the lake has carried cold water to the shore. This water has evaporated and re-condensed into thunderheads.
A second-grade teacher is planning to teach a lesson on measuring mass. What would be the best introductory activity for his students?
providing balance beam scales and various objects to compare
comparing the mass of a given object on a digital scale and a triple beam balance
drawing a Venn diagram of "mass" vs "weight"
finding the mass of a given object with a digital scale
Which of the following is true about stars?
Stars generally fall into the same size range.
Stars repel other stars.
Star color is dependent upon their temperature.
Stars generate heat and light through endergonic reactions.
Of the following, which is most appropriate to do after testing a hypothesis?
propose a new hypothesis
formulate a theory
draw conclusions
organize data
