Science Elementary Education Content Area Exam 305

Which of the following pieces of federal legislation protects animals used in laboratory or research settings?

a

Humane Slaughter Act

b

Endangered Species Act

c

Animal Welfare Act

d

Marine Mammal Protection Act

c. Animal Welfare Act

Which of the following should be done before using a triple beam balance to measure the mass of an object?

a

Clean the object to be weighed

b

Zero the balance

c

Ensure the sliding masses move freely

d

Slide the weights to their estimated positions

b. Zero the balance

A teacher is demonstrating how to read volume measurements at the bottom of the meniscus. Which tool would be best for the teacher to use for this purpose?

a

round-bottom flask

b

beaker

c

graduated cylinder

d

test tube

c. graduated cylinder

Which of the following is not necessary to have readily accessible in the laboratory?

a

a map of evacuation routes

b

an emergency blanket

c

a fire extinguisher

d

bandages and a first aid kit

b. an emergency blanket

Which of the following is recommended student behavior in a laboratory setting?

a

reading and following experiment instructions

b

keeping snacks one foot away from active experiments

c

wearing disposable gloves to prevent burns

d

wearing goggles if you feel a burning sensation in your eyes from experimental fumes

a. reading and following experiment instructions

Which of the following safety practices will be most applicable to first-grade science labs?

a

Do not taste chemicals.

b

Do not eat or drink in the lab.

c

Never put chemicals back into their container.

d

Properly dispose of excess chemicals in liquid waste bottles.

b. Do not eat or drink in the lab.

A seismograph is used for which of the following?

a

to map the ocean floor

b

to track time to run a race

c

to measure the size of the ozone hole

d

to determine the epicenter of earthquakes

d. to determine the epicenter of earthquakes

How long should a student flush their eyes if a chemical splashes into them?

a

5 seconds

b

5 minutes

c

15 minutes

d

15 seconds

c. 15 minutes

Why is it correct to say that most animals ultimately get their energy from the Sun?

a

All producers are animals.

b

The Sun produces wind due to uneven heating.

c

Plants are producers and animals get their energy from plants.

d

The Sun warms both plants and animals.

c. Plants are producers and animals get their energy from plants.

Where is the majority of nitrogen on Earth?

a

trees

b

rocks

c

the atmosphere

d

animal waste

c. the atmosphere

parasitism

One organism benefits while the other is harmed. (remember para as partial benefiting)

mutualism

where both organisms benefit. (mutual meaning good)

Commensalism

one organism benefits and the other is not harmed. (communal meaning like shared bathroom)

Which of the following is one way carbon is returned to the atmosphere?

a

cellular respiration

b

deposition

c

photosynthesis

d

subduction

a. cellular respiration

Which of the following is one way nitrogen atoms are returned to the atmosphere?

a

burning fossil fuels

b

fertilizer use

c

fixation

d

decay

a

burning fossil fuels

Which of the following terms describes a group of organisms of the same species that live in the same geographic area?

a

biome

b

population

c

ecosystem

d

community

b. population

Community

a small group of interacting species

Population

a group of the same organisms in a specific habitat

Example.

number of human beings

An organism's niche refers to its "occupation" within an ecosystem and how it interacts:

a

only with the physical factors in its environment

b

only with the biological factors in its environment

c

only with the other organisms of its species

d

with the physical and biological factors in its environment

d. with the physical and biological factors in its environment

On a remote island ecosystem, humans introduce a non-native species that rapidly and indiscriminately consumes plants, leaving minimal vegetation. How does this disruption affect the movement of matter and energy through the ecosystem's food chain?

a

Matter cycling decreases, but energy flow increases

b

Matter cycling and energy flow decrease

c

Matter cycling remains unchanged and energy flow increases

d

Matter cycling increases, but energy flow decreases

b. Matter cycling and energy flow decrease

When two different species of animals live in the same habitat and occupy the same niche, what will most likely occur?

a

They will begin to reproduce with one another.

b

Their niches will expand to be autotrophic.

c

They will work together within their shared niche.

d

They will compete for the same resources until the niches change.

d. They will compete for the same resources until the niches change.

What is the primary source of energy for most life on earth?

a

humans

b

water

c

the sun

d

plants

c. the sun

Albinism (lack of pigmentation) in an organism is most likely the result of which of the following?

a

infection

b

survival of the fittest

c

adaptation

d

mutation

d. mutation

Which of the following is true of evolution?

a

Offspring are genetically identical to their parents.

b

Individual organisms change over time.

c

Evolution can result in new species.

d

Mitosis is responsible for the genetic variation in most animal populations.

c. evolution can result in new species

big letter Aa

is the dominant

small letter Aa

is the recessive

What is the term Charles Darwin coined for the mechanism powering evolution?

a

overproduction of offspring

b

underproduction of offspring

c

natural selection

d

mutations

c. natural selection

Which of the following is the correct chemical equation for photosynthesis?

a

oxygen+water+light energy→carbon dioxide+glucoseoxygen+water+light energy→carbon dioxide+glucose

b

carbon dioxide+water+light energy→oxygen+glucosecarbon dioxide+water+light energy→oxygen+glucose

c

carbon dioxide+glucose→oxygen+water+energycarbon dioxide+glucose→oxygen+water+energy

d

oxygen+glucose→carbon dioxide+water+energyoxygen+glucose→carbon dioxide+water+energy

b. carbon dioxide+water+light energy→oxygen+glucose

Ms. Norwood notices that her students believe that since the light-independent reactions do not require sunlight, plants can use them to survive in the dark indefinitely. How should Ms. Norwood address this misconception?

a

Ask students to write a balanced chemical reaction for photosynthesis and show them that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both the reactant and product sides.

b

Plant lettuce in several pots and use different colored lights on the plants. Record which plant grows the tallest.

c

Have students build models of the molecules used in the light-dependent and light-independent reactions using atomic modeling kits. Have them rearrange the atoms in these molecules to represent each stage of the reactions.

d

Show students a diagram of the cycle between the light-dependent and light-independent reactants and products, and have students place a plant in a dark closet for a week. Have students make predictions, and observe the plant at the end of the week to record results.

d. Show students a diagram of the cycle between the light-dependent and light-independent reactants and products, and have students place a plant in a dark closet for a week. Have students make predictions, and observe the plant at the end of the week to record results.

While Susan is viewing membrane-stained cells under a compound microscope, she notices that the cells do not appear to have any specialized organelles. These cells are most likely which of the following?

a

prokaryotic cells

b

eukaryotic cells

c

animal cells

d

plant cells

a. prokaryotic cells

Which organelle is responsible for the packaging and export of proteins?

a

chloroplast

b

Golgi apparatus

c

mitochondrion

d

ribosome

b. Golgi apparatus

Which set of the following factors can affect the growth of an organism?

a

water, temperature, and light

b

species, location, and size of territory

c

diet, role in the food chain, and age

d

water, elevation, and country of origin

a. water, temperature, and light

Which of the following is used by plants during photosynthesis?

a

Carbon dioxide

b

Glucose

c

Adenosine triphosphate

d

Oxygen

a. Carbon dioxide

In which organelle does photosynthesis take place?

a

chlorophyll

b

centriole

c

chloroplast

d

cytoplasm

c. chloroplast

What is the waste product produced by cells during cellular respiration?

Select all answers that apply.

a

oxygen

b

glucose

c

carbon dioxide

d

water

c. carbon dioxide and d. water

Which of the following is a reactant in the photosynthesis reaction?

a

starch

b

glucose

c

oxygen

d

carbon dioxide

d. carbon dioxide

Which of the following functions are performed by a plant's stomata?

a

Transpiration of water out of the leaves.

b

Transport of glucose through the stem.

c

Absorption of light energy through the leaves.

d

Absorption of minerals and water from the soil.

a. Transpiration of water out of the leaves.

Which plant structure is a rigid outer barrier that helps give plant cells their structure and provides support for growth?

a

cell membrane

b

cell wall

c

central vacuole

d

cytoskeleton

b. cell wall

Which molecule, generated during cellular respiration, acts as the primary carrier of energy within cells?

a

RNA

b

ATP

c

DNA

d

lipid

b. ATP

Which plant organelle is responsible for converting light energy into chemical energy?

a

vacuole

b

mitochondria

c

chloroplast

d

Golgi apparatus

c. chloroplast

Which of the following is the smallest structure within a bird?

a

organ

b

organ system

c

cell

d

tissue

c. cell

Which of the following is the largest structure within a snake?

a

tissue

b

cell

c

organ

d

organ system

d. organ system

Which branch of science would a game warden most likely employ?

a

Chemistry

b

Astronomy

c

Physics

d

Ecology

d. Ecology

Which of the following is an example of negative feedback caused by an increase in Earth's temperature?

a

increased rate of decomposition of organic matter

b

ice cover melting

c

permafrost melting and releasing methane

d

cloud formation

d. cloud formation

Which of the following is an example of a negative feedback system?

a

body temperature regulation

b

climate change

c

contractions during labor and childbirth

d

blood clotting

a. body temperature regulation

Which scientist is known as the father of taxonomy?

a

Carl Linnaeus

b

Alfred Wegener

c

Daniel Bernoulli

d

Nicolaus Copernicus

a. Carl Linnaeus

Students are often asked to make models of the planets during a unit on astronomy. Which of the following is the most likely misconception that students could develop from the physical models they build?

a

The planets are fairly similar in size.

b

Each planet has a unique coloring.

c

The planets all have different temperatures.

d

Jupiter's red spot is large relative to the size of Jupiter.

a. The planets are fairly similar in size.

A spring scale would be the most beneficial for which of the following investigations?

a

measuring Earth's gravitational pull on the Moon

b

comparing the masses of different fruits

c

measuring the speed of different objects that are dropped from a height

d

showing that gravity is constant for objects with different masses

d. showing that gravity is constant for objects with different masses

One of the best ways a teacher can help her students understand that different types of graphs convey different kinds of information, is to:

a

assign different types of graphs to different students so they can see which is easiest to construct.

b

have all students make line graphs throughout the year

c

be sure that each assignment requires students to make a different type of graph

d

show one set of data graphed in multiple ways and discuss the benefits and drawbacks of each graph.

d. show one set of data graphed in multiple ways and discuss the benefits and drawbacks of each graph.

Patricia is measuring the volume of a chemical in the lab using a graduated cylinder. She takes three measurements of the same volume, reading 40 mL, 35 mL, and 38 mL. She pours the chemical into a 50-mL beaker, and it reaches the 50-mL marking exactly. Which of the following descriptions of her data when using the graduated cylinder is most accurate?

a

low accuracy, high precision

b

high accuracy, low precision

c

low accuracy, low precision

d

high accuracy, high precision

c. low accuracy, low precision

ticker timer

measure both time and distance

Inquiry base learning is…

student centered

Comets are composed of:

a

only dust

b

only gas

c

only ice

d

gas, dust, and ice

d.
gas, dust, and ice

Which of the following best describes the relative size of the planets' orbits?

a

The gaseous planets have smaller orbits than the rocky, dense planets.

b

The rocky, dense planets have smaller orbits than the gaseous planets.

c

The smaller the planet, the smaller the orbit around the sun.

d

The larger the planet, the smaller the orbit around the sun.

b. The rocky, dense planets have smaller orbits than the gaseous planets.

Which of the following causes the lunar cycle as observed from Earth?

a

the orbit of the moon around the Earth

b

the orbit of Earth around the sun

c

the reflection of Earth's light onto the moon

d

the orbit of the sun around the moon

a. the orbit of the moon around the Earth

Which of the following is an inner planet?

a

Mercury

b

Neptune

c

Uranus

d

Jupiter

a. Mercury

Which of the following environmental effects occurs because of gravity?

a

evaporation

b

erosion

c

air pollution

d

photosynthesis

b. erosion

Karol placed a small cardboard box of books on a metal rolling cart. On her way to the bookshelf, her dog Nixie ran out in front of the cart, causing Karol to stop suddenly. Although the cart stopped suddenly, the box stayed in place on the cart. What force kept the box of books on the cart when she stopped?

a

magnetism

b

air pressure

c

friction

d

buoyancy

c. friction

Which of the following environmental effects DOES NOT occur because of gravity?

a

global warming

b

movement of tectonic plates

c

avalanches

d

tides

a. global warming

Inertia refers to which of the following definitions?

a

an object's change in position with respect to time

b

an object's resistance to changes in its state of motion in the absence of an outside force

c

the movement of electric charges, which causes objects to attract or repel one another

d

an object's change in velocity with respect to time

b. an object's resistance to changes in its state of motion in the absence of an outside force

Consider a fastball pitched during a baseball game. As the ball travels through the air, which of the following is true of its vertical motion?

a

The ball's speed is decreasing downward.

b

The ball's speed is increasing upward.

c

The ball's potential energy is increasing.

d

The ball's speed is increasing downward.

d. The ball's speed is increasing downward.

Quartz can be classified as which of the following?

a

igneous rock

b

mineral

c

sedimentary rock

d

metamorphic rock

b. mineral

Which of the following can be attributed to active geothermal activity?

a

Glaciers

b

Geysers

c

Rivers

d

Waterfalls

b. Geysers

occur due to active geothermal activity underground.

geysers

Of the following, which is a sedimentary rock?

a

shale

b

schist

c

obsidian

d

basalt

a. shale

Ms. Kubis takes her science class on a nature walk. On their walk, they spot cirrus clouds. What does this type of cloud indicate?

a

A thunderstorm is incoming.

b

There is an impending change in the weather.

c

A jet plane has flown by recently.

d

The students can expect a snow day the next day.

b. There is an impending change in the weather.

An increase in carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions on Earth is thought to be responsible for which of the following?

a

an increase in Earth's average temperatures

b

an increase in the size of the ozone hole over Antarctica

c

an increase in the size and number of solar flares

d

an increase in the amount of coral in Earth's oceans

a. an increase in Earth's average temperatures

Which of the following is most commonly used to monitor the path of a hurricane on the open ocean?

a

satellites

b

barometers

c

weather ships

d

pyranometers

a. satellites

Which of the following impacts from bodies of water would be considered a constructive process?

a

erosion of soil in Yellowstone National Park

b

the formation of the Grand Canyon by the Colorado River

c

acid rain forming a "gnarled rock" from limestone

d

sediment deposition at the mouth of a river

d. sediment deposition at the mouth of a river

Which of the following bodies of water is used for the passage of boats from one large body of water to another?

a

bay

b

gulf

c

strait

d

canal

d. canal

Schist is a layered substance. It contains layers visible to the naked eye. The layers are made of various minerals and substances such as muscovite. What type of substance is schist?

a

gas

b

element

c

rock

d

mineral

c. rock

Which of the following is an instrument used to measure atmospheric humidity?

a

psychrometer

b

barometer

c

thermometer

d

anemometer

a. psychrometer

Climate is different than weather because weather:

a

is the measurement of air movement.

b

changes on a daily basis.

c

is the average weather conditions for an extended period of time.

d

depends on the angle of the sun's rays.

b. changes on a daily basis.

Which type of high-altitude cloud typically indicates a change in the weather?

a

Cirroumulus

b

Nimbostratus

c

Altocumulus

d

Cirrus

d. Cirrus

Which of the following represents an occluded front on a weather chart?

a

A purple line with purple triangles and semicircles next to each other

b

A red line with red semicircles

c

A blue line with red triangles

d

A blue line with blue triangles

a. a purple line with purple triangles and semicircles next to each other.

Which of the following best describes nimbostratus clouds?

a

large, towering clouds which indicate thunderstorms and severe weather

b

clouds with a fluffy, cotton-like appearance which indicate fair weather

c

dark, misty clouds which cover the whole sky and indicate rain or snow

d

layered, patchy clouds which indicate fair weather

c. dark, misty clouds which cover the whole sky and indicate rain or snow

water exits the leaves of plants and enters the atmosphere

Transpiration

Mild rain or snow followed by warmer temperatures often corresponds with which type of weather front?

a

cold

b

warm

c

occluded

d

stationary

b. warm

Which of the following is an area of cracked rock that forms when blocks of Earth's crust move relative to each other to relieve stress?

a

mid-oceanic ridge

b

plateau

c

arête

d

fault

d. fault

Ms. Kubis takes her science class on a nature walk. On their walk, they see clouds which cause a halo effect around the sun. Ms. Kubis tells her students to prepare for rain or snow. Which type of cloud have they seen?

a

cirrostratus

b

cumulus

c

stratus

d

altocumulus

a. cirrostratus

clouds are foggy clouds which indicate fair but gloomy weather

stratus

a substance that has a fixed volume, is virtually incompressible, and takes the shape of its container is most likely a:

a. solid

b. liquid

c. gas

d. plasma

b. liquid

The term spring tide refers to a high tide that is slightly higher in depth than average and a low tide that is slightly lower in depth than average. Earth is most likely to experience a spring tide when the:

a. sun, moon, and earth are situated in a straight line.

b. sun, moon, and earth form a right angle.

c. moon is the first and third quarter phase.

d. moon is farthest from Earth during its orbit.

a. sun, moon, and earth are situated in a straight line.

Which of the following characteristics always describes a solid?

Select all answers that apply.

a

rigid

b

always clear

c

fixed volume

d

definite shape

a. rigid

c. fixed volume

d. definite shape

Carbon (C) is classified as which of the following?

a

compound

b

mixture

c

solution

d

element

d. element

Which of the following characteristics always describes a gas?

Select all answers that apply.

a

can be compressed (squashed)

b

changing volume

c

rigid

d

definite shape

a. can be compressed (squashed)

b. Changing volume

When a substance changes state, it undergoes a ____ change.

a

ecological

b

physical

c

chemical

d

natural

b. physical

When a substance undergoes a _____ change, one or more new substances are formed.

a

chemical

b

physical

c

natural

d

ecological

a. chemical

What are the three main components of the smallest unit of an element that retains all of the properties of that element?

a

neutron, electron, proton

b

orbital, electron, neutron

c

atom, molecule, compound

d

nucleus, proton, electron

a. neutron, electron, proton (NEP)

products are on which side of the reaction?

The right hand side after the arrow

are the materials that are present at the start of the reaction and are listed on the left side of the equation.

reactants

Which type of change has taken place if a substance's shape, appearance, color and/or volume has changed?

a

negative

b

physical

c

electrical

d

chemical

b. physical

A bond that forms between two atoms whose electronegativity difference is between 0.5-1.9 PU is called a

a

polar covalent bond

b

metallic bond

c

nonpolar covalent bond

d

ionic bond

a.polar covalent bond

The atom's electronegativity in an _______ bond is greater than 2 PU

ionic bond

When oxygen and hydrogen combine to form water, what type of change has occurred?

a

Chemical

b

Nuclear

c

Electrical

d

Physical

a. Chemical

Which of the following is an example of a chemical change?

a

chopping wood

b

melting ice cream

c

baking a cake

d

boiling water

c. baking a cake

Which subatomic particles orbit around the nucleus of the atom?

a

protons

b

electrons

c

neutrons

d

subtrons

b. electrons

orbit around the nucleus of the atom

electrons

A balloon is filled with room-temperature air, the end is tied, and it is taken outside on a very hot day. What will happen as the balloon heats up?

a

increased volume, constant mass

b

decreased volume, decreased mass

c

increased volume, increased mass

d

decreased volume, constant mass

a. increased volume, constant mass

What happens to a liquid when its temperature cools to its melting point temperature?

a

It begins to become a gas.

b

It begins to evaporate.

c

It begins to solidify.

d

It begins to melt.

c. It begins to solidify.