Science Literacy Test
This test was created to test 8th grade sttudents on their scientific literacy.
- 1.
A galaxy is best described as a cluster of
- A.
Hundreds of stars
- B.
Thousands of stars
- C.
Millions of stars
- D.
Billions of stars
Correct Answer
D. Billions of stars -
- 2.
To express the distance between the Milky Way galaxy and other galaxies, the most appropriate unit of measurement is th
- A.
Meter
- B.
Kilometer
- C.
Light-year
- D.
Astronomical unit
Correct Answer
C. Light-year -
- 3.
Name two different types of galaxies.
- 4.
An object composed mainly of ice is orbiting the Sun in an elliptical path. This object is most likely
- A.
A planet
- B.
An asteroid
- C.
A meteor
- D.
A comet
Correct Answer
D. A comet -
- 5.
The diagram below shows Earth, as viewed from space, as it moves around the Sun. Approximately how long does it take Earth to move from position A to position B?
- A.
1 year
- B.
6 months
- C.
1 day
- D.
12 hours
Correct Answer
B. 6 months -
- 6.
As a sample of water turns to ice,
- A.
New molecules are formed
- B.
The mass of the sample is increased
- C.
The arrangement of the molecules changes
- D.
Energy is absorbed by the molecules
Correct Answer
C. The arrangement of the molecules changes -
- 7.
The Moon is visible to observers on Earth because of
- A.
Reflected sunlight
- B.
Absorbed light from the Earth's atmosphere
- C.
Gases in the Moon's interior
- D.
Volcanic eruptions on the Moon's surface
Correct Answer
A. Reflected sunlight -
- 8.
The length of a year is equivalent to the time it takes for one
- A.
Rotation of the Earth
- B.
Rotation of the Sun
- C.
Revolution of the Earth around the Sun
- D.
Revolution of the Sun around the Earth
Correct Answer
C. Revolution of the Earth around the Sun -
- 9.
A child at a playground slides down a slide on a windless day. In your Answer Document, describe two forces that affect the motion of the child as she moves down the slide.
- 10.
The diagram below shows four Moon phases observed during July On which date would the next New Moon occur?
- A.
August 5
- B.
August 10
- C.
August 19
- D.
August 29
Correct Answer
D. August 29 -
- 11.
3 The diagram below shows two locations where fossils of Mesosaurus have been found. Mesosaurus was a freshwater reptile that existed on Earth about 250 million years ago. Which statement best explains why these freshwater Mesosaurus fossils are found today in some rock layers in both South America and Africa?
- A.
Mesosaurus swam across the ocean between the continents.
- B.
The continents were once connected as a single landmass.
- C.
Global warming has been raising the sea level in the Atlantic Ocean.
- D.
The remains of Mesosaurus were carried across the ocean by predators.
Correct Answer
B. The continents were once connected as a single landmass. -
- 12.
Ice forms in the cracks of a basalt rock formation and breaks some rock into smaller pieces. The diagram below shows part of the rock cycle. At which point in the cycle shown above would the process of breaking down rocks occur?
- A.
J
- B.
K
- C.
L
- D.
M
Correct Answer
D. M -
- 13.
The map below shows the probable location of some of the continents at one time in the past. What feature of the continents best suggests that they were once joined?
- A.
Some continents fit together like puzzle parts.
- B.
Some continents are the same size.
- C.
All continents have mountain ranges.
- D.
All continents contain the same crustal composition.
Correct Answer
A. Some continents fit together like puzzle parts. -
- 14.
Which type of rock forms when lava cools?
- A.
Coal
- B.
Igneous
- C.
Limestone
- D.
Metamorphic
Correct Answer
B. Igneous -
- 15.
What's a name to classify a plate boundary?
- A.
Convergent
- B.
Divergent
- C.
Transform
- D.
All of the above
Correct Answer
D. All of the above -
- 16.
Carefully examine the food web in the figure below. A drought has caused the producer populations to significantly decrease. Which statement best describes an immediate effect caused by the decrease of producers?
- A.
The rabbit population would decrease.
- B.
NThe hawk population would increase.
- C.
The sparrow population would increase
- D.
The mountain lion population would decrease.
Correct Answer
A. The rabbit population would decrease. -
- 17.
Use the diagram below representing different stages in ecological succession to answer the following question Select the order that best represents how succession progresses in an ecosystem.
- A.
1, 4, 3, 2
- B.
1, 2, 4,3
- C.
4, 2, 1, 3
- D.
3, 1, 4, 2
Correct Answer
C. 4, 2, 1, 3 -
- 18.
Explain the difference between a chemical reaction and physical reaction.
- 19.
What is the velocity if you traveled 20 miles east and took 5 minutes?
- A.
4 miles an hour east
- B.
10 miles an hour west
- C.
10 miles an hour east
- D.
4 miles an hour west
Correct Answer
A. 4 miles an hour east -
- 20.
Below is a distance vs. time graph showing the action of a person over time. What statement is the best description of the person’s action?
- A.
The person is walking up a large hill.
- B.
The person is walking faster as time increases.
- C.
The person is walking at a slowing speed up a hill.
- D.
The person is walking at a constant speed.
Correct Answer
B. The person is walking faster as time increases. -
- 21.
What are the three main states of matter?
- A.
Solid, liquid, ice
- B.
Chemical, physical, organic
- C.
Gas, liquid, solid
- D.
Mass, volume, density
Correct Answer
C. Gas, liquid, solid -
- 22.
A book is placed on top of a 3 meter ramp. What is stopping it from sliding down?
- 23.
When salt dissolves in water, the water is the
- A.
Solute
- B.
Solvent
- C.
Solubility
- D.
Solution
Correct Answer
D. Solution -
- 24.
The movement of pollen from the anthers to the stigma of a flower is known as what?
- A.
Wind
- B.
Pollination
- C.
Growing
- D.
Clorophyll
Correct Answer
B. Pollination -
- 25.
The process of plants using energy from sunlight to turn carbon dioxide into food is known as what?
- A.
Photosynthesis
- B.
Chlorophyll
- C.
Oxygen
- D.
Hydrogen
Correct Answer
A. Photosynthesis -
- 26.
A plant's food is known as glucose. Another word for glucose is...?
- A.
Dinner
- B.
Flour
- C.
Oxygen
- D.
Sugar
Correct Answer
D. Sugar -
- 27.
What one extra thing is in a plant cell that is not in an animal cell?
- A.
Nucleus
- B.
Ribosomes
- C.
Cell wall
- D.
Mitochondria
Correct Answer
C. Cell wall -
- 28.
Explain how plants create their food. Then, list a pro and a con of making it themselves.
- 29.
A car is traveling at a constant speed of 5 m/s. How far will the car travel in ten minutes?
- A.
300 m
- B.
500 m
- C.
1500 m
- D.
3000 m
Correct Answer
D. 3000 m -
- 30.
According to Newton’s 1st Law of Motion, an object
- A.
At rest will slowly begin moving until a net force is applied.
- B.
At rest will remain at rest until a net force is applied.
- C.
In motion will increase in speed with no net force applied.
- D.
In motion will eventually stop with no net force applied.
Correct Answer
B. At rest will remain at rest until a net force is applied. -
- 31.
Which of the following is the best example of a chemical change?
- A.
Apples turning brown as they decompose.
- B.
Sugar cubes dissolving in water.
- C.
A glass breaking when it falls from a table.
- D.
Melted butter turning to solid when it cools.
Correct Answer
A. Apples turning brown as they decompose. -
- 32.
The diagram below shows a balance being used to measure a burning candle in a sealed glass ball before and after the burning is complete. As the candle burns, the size of the candle decreases, but the reading on the balance does not change. Which of the following is demonstrated by this experiment?
- A.
The total mass of the system is constant.
- B.
Energy is converted to mass when the candle is burned.
- C.
Smoke particles have more mass than the molecules of candle wax.
- D.
Kinetic energy is converted to potential energy when the candle is burned.
Correct Answer
A. The total mass of the system is constant. -
- 33.
A car is parked on a hill. Which of the following most likely prevents the car from moving down the hill?
- A.
The car has too much mass to move easily.
- B.
There is friction in the door hinges of the car.
- C.
The weight of the car is mostly on the front wheels.
- D.
There is friction between the tires and the ground.
Correct Answer
D. There is friction between the tires and the ground. -
- 34.
Below is a velocity vs. time graph showing the movement of a train over time. Use this graph to answer the following question. ' Which statement is the best description of the train’s motion?
- A.
The train is accelerating slowly.
- B.
The train is continuously accelerating.
- C.
The train is moving with a constant velocity
- D.
The train is accelerating slowly.
Correct Answer
C. The train is moving with a constant velocity -
- 35.
What part of the electromagnetic spectrum can be directly observed by humans?
- A.
Gamma rays
- B.
Ultraviolet rays
- C.
Radio waves
- D.
Visible light
Correct Answer
D. Visible light -
- 36.
Which of the following is a transfer of chemical energy to thermal energy?
- A.
A hairdryer is turned on to dry a girl’s hair.
- B.
A boy digests an apple which regulates his body temperature.
- C.
An atom is split to increase the temperature of water
- D.
. An ice cube is placed in warm soup and melts.
Correct Answer
A. A hairdryer is turned on to dry a girl’s hair. -
- 37.
A student bends a paperclip rapidly back and forth. When he touches the point where he was bending the paperclip, he finds that its temperature has increased. This indicates that the atoms in that part of the paperclip have increased in
- A.
Density
- B.
Mass
- C.
Kinetic energy
- D.
Conductivity
Correct Answer
D. Conductivity -
- 38.
There is a limit to how large any given population can grow. Which statement best explains why a population must eventually stop growing?
- A.
Older individuals outnumber the younger members of the population.
- B.
A low female-to-male ratio develops as the population grows.
- C.
Natural selection causes the gene pool to shift as the population increases.
- D.
The available resources necessary for life are used up by the population as it grows.
Correct Answer
D. The available resources necessary for life are used up by the population as it grows. -
- 39.
Which of the following provides the best evidence that organisms of two different species share a common ancestor?
- A.
They live in the same ecosystem.
- B.
They have similar DNA sequences.
- C.
They reproduce at the same time.
- D.
They have similar body movements.
Correct Answer
B. They have similar DNA sequences. -
- 40.
Which of the following best explains how the fossil record provides evidence that evolution has occurred?
- A.
It indicates that forms of life existed on Earth at least 3.5 billion years ago.
- B.
It shows how the embryos of many different vertebrate species are very similar.
- C.
It indicates the exact cause of structural and behavioral adaptations of organisms.
- D.
It shows that the form and structure of groups of organisms have changed over time.
Correct Answer
B. It shows how the embryos of many different vertebrate species are very similar. -
- 41.
Fossils are most commonly preserved in
- A.
Igneous rocks
- B.
Transitional rocks
- C.
Metamorphic rocks
- D.
Sedimentary rocks
Correct Answer
D. Sedimentary rocks -
- 42.
Scientists discovered fossils of whale ancestors that have well-developed hip and thigh bones, which are typically used for walking by mammals. Modern whales most likely evolved from ancestors who
- A.
Lived on land, and then became better adapted for the sea.
- B.
Evolved on land and remained on land.
- C.
Lived in the sea, and then became better adapted for land.
- D.
Evolved in the sea and remained in the sea.
Correct Answer
A. Lived on land, and then became better adapted for the sea. -
- 43.
The unifying concept that provides an explanation for the vast diversity of life on our planet is the
- A.
Theory of evolution
- B.
Cell theory
- C.
Binomial nomenclature system.
- D.
Gene-chromosome theorem
Correct Answer
A. Theory of evolution -
- 44.
Which term refers to the process by which organisms that are better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce?
- A.
Variation
- B.
Competition
- C.
Natural selection
- D.
Overproduction
Correct Answer
C. Natural selection -
- 45.
Use the diagram of the human body to answer the following question. Which of the following bestdescribes the primary function of this body system?
- A.
Supports the skeletal system
- B.
Absorbs nutrients from food
- C.
Responds to stimuli in the environment
- D.
Exchanges gases with the environment
Correct Answer
D. Exchanges gases with the environment -
.png "The diagram below shows four Moon phases
observed during July
On which date would the next New Moon
occur?")
.png "The map below shows the probable location of some of the continents at one time in the past.
What feature of the continents best suggests that they were once joined?")
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Mar 18, 2022Quiz Edited by
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