Mr. Cornell's Science Benchmark

A camper hiking in the forest observed that
moss and lichen growth was found on the north
side of most forest trees. However, the trees
along a forest stream had moss and lichens on
the side facing the stream, regardless of
compass direction. Which statement BEST
explains the location of growth of moss and
lichens on forest trees?
1. They grow on the north side of the tree.
2. They grow on the dampest side of the
  tree.
3. They grow on the warmest side of the
  tree.
4. They grow on the side receiving the
  most sunlight.
1. just waking up
2. walking out of a dark theater
3. running a race
4. driving into a highway tunnel
The body responds to some situations by
releasing blood into the muscles, increasing
heartbeat, and becoming more alert. This
response would be MOST useful to a person
who is
1. walking in a dark cave
2. stranded in the desert
3. faced with a wild animal
4. unable to find enough water
When a person is startled, blood vessels in the
muscles widen, allowing blood to flow away
from the body's organs. This response is
MOST useful because the blood is then able to
1. release waste heat from the body
2. act as a shield for the vital organs
3. supply energy for immediate activity
4. be better protected by the body's
  muscles
1. To open the window every other day
2. To close the window shade every other day
3. To give the pot a half turn each day
4. To move the radio to a new spot each
  day
Which response to a low blood sugar level
helps the body maintain its internal balance?
1. Feeling hungry
2. Feeling thirsty
3. Feeling sleepy
4. Feeling angry
Which response to dehydration helps the body
maintain its internal balance?
1. Feeling hungry
2. Feeling thirsty
3. Feeling sleepy
4. Feeling angry
Which of these stimulates a person to feel
thirsty?
1. Having a low level of sugar in the
  bloodstream
2. Not having enough water in the body
3. Having a hard time getting a full breath
  of air
4. Not having enough heat in the body
A person's blood sugar level starts to drop
below the normal level. The person will
probably respond by wanting to
1. eat a large sandwich
2. drink a tall glass of ice water
3. sit close to an air conditioner
4. be wrapped up in a thick blanket
These are the distances from the planets to
the sun:
Mercury: 58,000,000 km,
Venus: 110,000,000 km,
Earth: 150,000,000 km,
Mars: 230,000,000 km,
Jupiter: 780,000,000 km,
Saturn: 1,400,000,000 km,
Uranus: 2,900,000,000 km,
Neptune: 4,500,000,000 km,
Pluto: 5,900,000,000 km.
Some students are preparing a report on our
solar system. Which of the following would be
the MOST effective way to present the data
above?
1. Flow chart
2. Line graph
3. Map
4. Table
A team of students heated 5 beakers of water,
each to a different temperature. They recorded
the greatest amount of salt that would dissolve
in each beaker. Which of the following would
help the students display the relationship
between temperature and the amount of salt
dissolved?
1. Circle graph
2. Flow chart
3. Labeled drawing
4. Line graph
A student mixed two clear liquids in a beaker,
then covered the beaker and let it sit. White
crystals formed at the bottom of the beaker.
The student concluded that the crystals are a
new substance formed by the two liquids.
Which of the following observations, if made
by the student, MOST strengthen the student's
conclusion?
1. The liquid in the beaker has remained
  clear.
2. The beaker has become cooler to the
  touch.
3. The mass of the liquid in the beaker
  has remained the same.
4. The beaker has not vibrated or moved
  from its original spot.
Some students wanted to compare the usable
energy of several types of energy used in space
heating. The students gathered the following
data:
Passive solar — 5.8 billion BTU (British
Thermal Unit)
Natural gas — 4.9 billion BTU
Oil — 4.5 billion BTU
Active solar — 1.9 billion BTU
Electric heating (coal-fired plant) — 0.4 billion
BTU
Electric heating (nuclear plant) — 0.3 billion
BTU
Which is the MOST effective way for students
to display their data?
1. Bar graph
2. Flow chart
3. Line graph
4. Circle graph
A scientist wants to carry out an experiment to
learn how acid rain affects living organisms.
Which of the following would be the BEST
hypothesis to test for this experiment?
1. Acid rain is harmful to aquatic
  organisms
2. Trout exposed to acid rain will lay
  fewer eggs.
3. Different factors contribute to the
  formation of acid rain.
4. Acid rain tends to fall in the
  northeastern United States.
Some students riding bicycles coasted down a
large hill. Later in their trip, they coasted down
a small hill. Their speed at the bottom of the
large hill was greater than their speed at the
bottom of the small hill. Which of the
following statements MOST likely explains
why their final speed on the large hill was
greater?
1. The large hill had greater mass than the small hill.
2. There was more friction coasting down
  the large hill.
3. The large hill was taller than the small
  hill.
4. The small hill had a bumpier surface
  than the large hill.
1. Metal spheres roll more quickly.
2. Larger spheres roll more slowly.
3. Heavier spheres roll more quickly.
4. Rougher spheres roll more slowly.
Students measured 500 mL of water into a
plastic beaker that had a tight-fitting lid. They
recorded the mass of the water in the sealed
beaker, and then placed the beaker in the
freezer overnight. They observed that the ice
had a larger volume than the water, but the
mass stayed the same. Which of these is the
BEST explanation of these observations?
1. The density of the water decreases
  when it is frozen.
2. The amount of energy in the water
  increases when it is frozen.
3. The amount of matter in the water
  increases when it is frozen.
4. The chemical properties of the water
  change when it is frozen.
Some students were studying the effects of
friction on the motion of objects. They slid a
block down a 1-meter long wooden ramp three
times and recorded the time it took to travel the
length of the ramp. The students repeated the
procedure with the ramp covered with cloth,
and then again with the ramp covered with
carpet. Their data are in the chart below.

Which conclusion MOST completely describes
the results of this experiment?
1. Carpet produces the greatest frictional
  force.
2. Bare wood does not produce frictional
  force.
3. Carpet produced more frictional force
  than cloth or wood.
4. Carpet, cloth, and wood each have a
  different frictional force.
1. A pendulum swings faster with a
  smaller mass.
2. A pendulum swings faster with a larger mass.
3. A pendulum swings faster with a
  shorter string.
4. A pendulum swings faster with a
  longer string.
John hypothesized that dissolving salt into
water produced a chemical reaction because
the salt completely disappeared in the water.
He dissolved 10 g of salt into 500 mL of pure
water. After leaving the beaker in the sunlight
for a few days, the water completely
disappeared, and salt crystals were left in the
bottom of the beaker. Based on this
observation, John knew his hypothesis was
incorrect because
1. the salt failed to completely dissolve in the water
2. the sunlight caused the chemical
  reaction to stop
3. the temperature of the pure water was
  below room temperature
4. the salt and water were separated by a physical process
1. Using the same amount of water in
  each trial and changing the type of
  sand in the pan
2. Using a different amount of water in
  each trial and keeping the same type of sand in the pan
3. Using the same amount of water in
  each trial and changing the number of
  bricks under the pan
4. Using a different amount of water in
  each trial and keeping the same
  number of bricks under the pan
1. From 0 to 2 minutes
2. From 2 to 4 minutes
3. From 4 to 6 minutes
4. From 6 to 8 minutes
1. The car is stopped at a stoplight.
2. The car is driving on a city street.
3. The car is going up a steep hill.
4. The car is driving on the highway.
A farm gets all of its water from a well on the
farm. The farmer notices that the water level in
the well is 2 meters lower than at the same time
the year before. Which of the following would
MOST likely explain this change?
1. Increased use of chemical fertilizers
2. Increase in topsoil permeability
3. Increased use of crop irrigation
4. Increase in annual precipitation
1. Cup 1 was placed on a windowsill and
  cup 2 was placed in the refrigerator.
2. Cup 1 was made of plastic foam and
  cup 2 was made of metal.
3. Cup 1 was left open to the air and cup
  2 was covered with a plastic foam cap.
4. Cup 1 was wrapped with an insulated
  mitt and cup 2 was placed in a metal
  sink.
A scientist studied 700 children with colds.
One half of the students were given a new cold
medicine. The other half of the children had no
medicine. It took all of the children about 10
days to get over their colds. About 7% of the
children taking the medicine got a mild rash.
About 3% of the children not taking the
medicine got a mild rash.
The information above best supports the
conclusion that the new medicine
probably
1. reduces the number of colds children
  have
2. causes a rash in some children
3. shortens the length of time children
  have colds
4. prevents the spread of colds to children
The following information is included on a
label for a product containing aloe vera, a plant
extract, that can be swallowed:
Most doctors agree that our brand of freezedried
aloe vera is by far the best form to take
for the best healing benefits. Our research has
shown that our brand is far more scientifically
advanced and has more healing benefits than
any other brand.
Which inference does the advertiser MOST
likely want a person to draw?
1. Some doctors prefer not to use aloe
  vera.
2. Doctors are most likely to know which
  aloe vera is the best.
3. Some doctors prefer other brands of
  aloe vera.
4. Doctors are most likely to prefer the
  most expensive aloe vera.
1. advertise to new hotel guests
2. generate inexpensive power
3. turn off unused electricity
4. replace burned-out light bulbs
Michael Faraday thought that because an
electric current could create a magnetic field, a
magnetic field should be able to create an
electric current. Faraday's research proved his
idea correct and laid the groundwork for the
invention of the —
1. generator
2. electric stove
3. light bulb
4. propane heater
1. A girl in sixth grade
2. A mother of an infant
3. A deaf man in his twenties
4. An older man with a heart condition
1. The Water Saver will not save the
  buyer any water in the long run.
2. The Water Saver cannot save enough
  water to make it a worthwhile
  purchase.
3. The Water Saver is poorly made and
  will not last over a long period of time.
4. The Water Saver may not save as much water as suggested by the
  advertisement.
To demonstrate how limited food supply
affects animal populations, a teacher did an
activity with her class. The teacher used small
paper discs to represent food and the students
represented the animal population. The teacher
took the small discs and placed them around
the room and had the students walk around and
collect them. Any student who gathered five
discs had enough food to eat. The teacher
repeated the activity several times, decreasing
the number of discs each time to show how as
the food supply decreases, it is harder for
animals to find enough food.
Which of the following is a limitation of this
model?
1. It forces animals to eat more food than is necessary to survive.
2. It does not consider poor soil as a
  factor in the search for food.
3. It assumes that animals may migrate
  during some seasons.
4. It does not allow the animals to roam
  out of the area to find food.
Scientists often study examples in nature when
designing future technology. A scientist studies
bacteria that live near fuel tanks and feed on
materials that are toxic to ocean birds. This
research will MOST likely lead to
1. the extinction of seagulls
2. the creation of new oil fields
3. discovery of new gas deposits
4. a new way to clean up pollution
A scientist studies how lung cells react to
different human-made chemicals. What the
scientist learns will be MOST helpful
to a
1. cook trying to plan a nutritious meal
2. politician writing laws to limit
  pollution
3. doctor studying how the body stores
  energy
4. farmer deciding which crops to plant
  next year
A scientist studies home water use in his
community and graphs the results of his study.
The scientist lives in a community that uses an
aquifer for its water source. To conserve the
most water in private homes, the city council is
MOST likely to pass a law that encourages
people to
1. wash dishes by hand
2. install low-flow toilets
3. drill wells on their property
4. wash clothes at a coin-operated laundry
A student slides two slabs of clay on a table to
model Earth's tectonic plates. Which of the
following would be hardest to show using this
model?
1. How sliding tectonic plates can move
  in different directions
2. How colliding tectonic plates form
  mountain ranges
3. How a volcano forms in the middle of
  a tectonic plate
4. How a new sea could form in the space left when plates move apart
Solar cells convert energy in sunlight into
electricity. Today, solar cells can be very
expensive. Suppose researchers learn how to
make solar cells that most people can afford to
buy. This research would MOST likely result
in
1. a decrease in electricity use
2. a reduction in air pollution
3. a decrease in stormy weather
4. a reduction in the number of cars
The production of useful energy from nonuseful
energy is an important part of all human
societies. Which of these types of
transformation of energy was used first by
humans?
1. Atomic energy to heat energy
2. Chemical energy to light energy
3. Energy in rivers to mechanical energy
4. Energy from the sun to electrical
  energy
Gregor Mendel (1822-1884) is called the father
of genetics. He spent many years crossing
different garden-variety pea plants, until he
was able to predict what type of peas could
grow from a single cross. With which of these
was Mendel probably familiar?
1. The genetic characteristics in pea
  plants
2. The genetic coding system in pea
  plants
3. The amount of genetic material in pea
  plant cells
4. The location of genetic material in pea
  plant cells
The sun-earth system might be modeled on a
desk-top using a basketball for the sun and a
softball for the earth. A person can move the
softball around the basketball to show how the
earth moves around the sun. Which of the
following is a limit of using a softball to
represent earth in this model?
1. The softball is too big compared to the
  sun-earth system.
2. The softball is too smooth compared to the earth.
3. The softball will be too round
  compared to the earth.
4. The softball will be too close to the
  basketball compared to the sun-earth
  system.
Long ago people believed Earth was flat.
Which of these would have been the best
observation to use to show the people that this
hypothesis was wrong?
1. Water flows down hill.
2. The sun rises from the east every day.
3. A shadow cast on the moon during a
  lunar eclipse is circular.
4. On the ocean the horizon looks the
  same in every direction.
A student is using a balance to measure 50
grams of powdered starch for an experiment.
The student accidentally pours too much starch
from the bottle onto the balance. What should
the student do with the extra starch?
1. Pour the extra starch back into the
  bottle
2. Leave it on the balance in case other
  students need it
3. Put it in a chemical disposal container
4. Use the extra amount of starch in the
  experiment
Which of the following data would be MOST
suitable to show in a line graph?
1. The processes of change between types of rocks in the rock cycle
2. The different types of minerals in a
  rock sample
3. The shape and arrangement of leaves
  from different types of trees
4. The speed of a car at different times
  during a trip
A mixture of powdered sulfur and iron filings
could be MOST easily separated by using a
1. thermometer
2. balance
3. magnet
4. tweezers
A group of students is determining the density
of a solid cube of plastic. The MOST
appropriate set of tools for this activity would
be a
1. centimeter ruler and a beaker
2. centimeter ruler and a balance
3. graduated cylinder and a thermometer
4. graduated cylinder and a centimeter
  ruler
1. 21°C
2. 24°C
3. 26°C
4. 27°C
Students experimenting with chemical changes
need to measure 15 mL of vinegar. Which
graduated cylinder below contains 15 mL of
vinegar?
Some students are investigating the similarities
and differences between plant and animal cells.
Which of the following sets of equipment
would be MOST useful for this investigation?
1. Microscope and slides
2. Hand lens and razor blades
3. Microscope and graduated cylinder
4. Triple beam balance and microscope
Some students are experimenting to test
whether plants need fertilizer for growth. How
should they treat the control plant in this
experiment?
1. Give it twice as much fertilizer.
2. Seal it in a clear glass jar with no
  fertilizer.
3. Do not give it any fertilizer.
4. Give it more than one brand of
  fertilizer.
Students must do the following four things
after finishing an experiment. The steps are
shown out of order.
1. Wash beaker
2. Put away unused chemicals
3. Wash hands
4. Wipe off lab bench
Which of the steps should the students do last?
1. Wash beaker
2. Put away unused chemicals
3. Wash hands
4. Wipe off lab bench
Students use a thermometer to measure the
temperatures of four different types of light
bulbs. Which of these should be used to show
their results?
1. Circle chart
2. Line graph
3. Bar chart
4. Scatter plot
Which of these is the best way to show the
shapes of the organs of the digestive system?
1. Making a chart that has a picture of
  each of the organs
2. Creating a data table that lists each
  organ along with its function
3. Using the length and width of each
  organ to make a scatter plot
4. Drawing a map of the body that has an X in the position of each organ
1. Number of plants around the pond
2. Amount of water in the pond
3. Temperature of water in the pond
4. Size of mosquitoes near the pond
Which of the following is a major role of genes
found in the nucleus of cells?
1. They prevent infections in cells.
2. They reduce the time required for cell
  division.
3. They cause bacterial diseases in blood cells.
4. They carry information to new cells.
Normally, offspring of flies are produced from
fertilized eggs. If the genes in a fly's egg cell
are changed, which of the following is most
likely to happen?
1. More genes will be produced in the
  offspring than normally found in the
  flies.
2. The egg cells of the offspring will be
  much smaller than normal egg cells.
3. The offspring produced from the egg
  will be different from the parent fly.
4. The genes in the cells of the offspring
  will be larger than the genes of the
  parent fly.
Tridacna clams are found in shallow pools of
the Great Barrier Reef. The clams have a soft
layer of tissue, called the mantle, that opens
outward when the two parts of the clam shell
open. Many different types of algae are living
in the mantle. Since different species of algae
and different amounts of algae live in different
clams, the clams have different mantle color
patterns. The algae help the clam by producing
food for the clams. The clam in turn protects
the algae which is not as exposed to hungry
algae-eating organisms.
Which of the following is most likely an
inherited characteristic of the clam?
1. The color of the mantle.
2. The presence of algae in the mantle.
3. The shape of the mantle.
4. The type of algae living in the mantle.
Seed banks have been established around the
world to save rare endangered plant species.
The seed banks take up large amounts of room.
What is the smallest part of the seed that could
contain all of the genetic information of the
plant?
1. An embryo
2. A cell
3. A protein
4. A carbohydrate
Cattle have been kept by humans for many
years. Which of these characteristics in cattle is
most likely to have occurred because ranchers
have used selective breeding?
1. Cattle that eat grasses
2. Cattle that have parasites
3. Cattle that produce no horns
4. Cattle that are crossed with buffalo
The sweet potato is a common crop plant found
in most warm areas of the world. The plant
rarely flowers and more rarely makes seeds.
However, the roots and potato vines spread
rapidly, and new plants are easily grown from
the roots and vines of old plants. Some
scientists would like to grow new types of
sweet potatoes that parasites will not attack.
Which of these processes is most difficult in
developing new types of sweet potatoes?
1. Planting root stocks
2. Cutting vines
3. Removing parasites
4. Selective breeding

Mr. Cornell's Science Benchmark

2nd 9 weeks