Pre-assessment 8th grade Mr.

Rorex 3/13/17

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.

____ 1. A student designs an experiment to determine how surface type affects

the amount of force needed to roll a ball 20 meters. What is the independent variable?

a. the lengths of the surfaces c. the type of surfaces used

b. the force needed to roll the ball d. the type of ball chosen

____ 2. The table below shows data used to calculate the speed of 4 identical toy
cars moving down a ramp.
Table of Toy Car Trials
Car Color Trial 1 Time Trial 2 Time Distance Timer
(in seconds) (in seconds) (in centimeters)
Red 31 39 300 Student 1
Blue 30 33 300 Student 2
Yellow 37 40 300 Student 3
Green 33 28 300 Student 4

Which part of the experiment is most likely the source of error in this investigation?

a. Car Color c. Distance

b. Car Type d. Timer

____ 3. A technology company has identified the need for smaller, longer-lasting
batteries to use in
hybrid vehicles. What would be the first step engineers would take to design and
produce an
improved battery?

a. test the new battery c. research current battery technology

b. reshape the existing battery d. build a prototype battery

____ 4. Which of these best describes why an artificial arm is considered an

assistive engineered product?
a. It is an adaptation of an earlier technology.
b. It helps a person with a disability overcome a handicap.
c. It resembles a human body part.
d. It causes a permanent change to an organism.

____ 5. A new substance is usually formed when two or more substances combine
and form new

a. protons c. physical shapes

b. chemical bonds d. electrons

____ 6. Which is classified as an element?

a. NaCl c. Na
b. CO2 d. H2O

____ 7. Which combination of substances is a compound?

a. salt and water stirred in a glass

b. food coloring in frosting
c. peanut butter and jelly sandwich
d. sulfur dioxide and water forming acid rain

____ 9. The steps used to determine the mass of sugar dissolved in a beaker of
water are shown in the table
below.
Table of Lab Steps
1. Find the mass of the sugar crystals on the wax paper
2. Boil the sugar water solution in the beaker
3. Scrape the sugar crystals out onto the wax paper
4. Find the mass of a piece of wax paper
5. Subtract the mass of the wax paper from the total mass
6. Wait until all the water has evaporated to collect the sugar crystals
Which correct sequence of steps should a student follow?

a. 1, 2, 5, 3, 4, 6 c. 2, 3, 6, 5, 1, 4
b. 1, 4, 6, 5, 3, 2 d. 2, 6, 4, 3, 1, 5

____ 10. The equation below illustrates the reaction that occurs in chloroplasts
during photosynthesis.
carbon dioxide + water glucose + oxygen

Which is a product of photosynthesis?

a. carbon dioxide c. Sunlight

b. water d. Oxygen

____ 12. Which sample equation best illustrates the law of conservation of mass?

a.
12 grams reactant X +10 grams reactant Y 2 grams product Z
b.
5 grams reactant E + 5grams reactant F 20 grams product G + 5 grams product H
c.
4 grams reactant U +3 grams reactant V 7 grams product W
d.
10 grams reactant Q +9 grams reactant R 90 grams product S + 90 grams product T

____ 13. Which is the pH of a weak acid?

a. 9.1 c. 7.0
b. 8.2 d. 6.2

____ 14. A glass of ice water is on a table in a room where the rooms air
temperature is 20 degrees Celsius.
What do the drinking glass, ice, water, and air all have in common?

a. All four are in a solid state. c. All four are at their freezing points.
b. All four are at the same volume. d. All four are made of atoms.

____ 15. Which pie chart best represents the composition of the atmosphere
of Earth?
a. c.

b. d.

____ 16. A student created this bar graph to show how the physical state of matter
is related to
another factor.

Which of these is the most appropriate label for the graphs vertical axis?

a. weight c. speed of particle

b. shape d. electrical charge
____ 18. A student is given an object and is asked to identify its density. The object
has a volume of
3 cubic centimeters and a mass of 6 grams.

Density = mass/volume
D = m/v

Using the formula above, what is the density of the object?

a. 2 grams/cubic centimeter c. 6 grams/cubic centimeter
b. 3 grams/cubic centimeter d. 9 grams/cubic centimeter

____ 20. Students are to build a model bridge using toothpicks and wood glue. The
design of the bridge must support a specific weight and measure 20 centimeters long.
Which tools would best help determine if the model bridge meets the design
requirements?

a. ruler, weights and string c. hammer, string and nails

b. string, beaker and water d. pliers, saw and string

____ 21.
The periodic table of elements is shown below.

Which statement best describes the reactivity of the shaded elements nitrogen (N),
oxygen (O), and fluorine (F)?

a. The nonmetals increase in reactivity from right to left in the same period.

b. Fluorine is the least reactive of all the shaded elements.

c. The nonmetals decrease in reactivity from right to left in the same period.
d. Oxygen is the most reactive of all the elements listed.

____ 22.

How many total protons does each nickel atom contain, and what is the atomic mass
of Cobalt?

a. Nickel has 27 electrons, and the
atomic mass of Nickel is 58.7.
b. Cobalt has 28 electrons, and it is
odd that cobalts atomic mass is less
than nickels mass.
c. Nickel has 28 protons, and the
atomic mass of Cobalt is 58.9.
d. Cobalt has 27 electrons, and the
atomic mass of Nickel is 58.7.

____ 23.
Five diagrams of atomic arrangements are shown below.

Which of these best describes all five diagrams?

a. All have three types of atoms. c. All are compounds made of atoms.

b. All have the same atomic symbol. d. All are composed of atoms.

____ 24.
A student is to determine how much salt will dissolve in 50 milliliters of water. Which
tool is best for measuring the volume of water to be used?

a. spring scale

b. 25 milliliters beaker
c. 100 milliliters graduated cylinder
d. thermometer
____ 25.
Austin Lopez wants to test how the amount of sugar in one brand of cereal affects the
behavior of young children that eat that brand of cereal for breakfast.
Identify the dependent variable.

a. number of children c. the amount of cereal

b. the amount of sugar d. childrens behavior

____ 26.
Students hypothesized that drinking a can of Red Bull energy drink would enable
them to run faster. So four students each consumed one 12oz (355mL) can of Red
Bull, and then they each were timed running a distance of one kilometer. Their results
are shown below.
Stude Run Time
nt (1
kilometer)

1 7 minutes

2 8.5 minutes

3 6.75
minutes

4 10 minutes

Based on the data above, a valid conclusion cannot be made because...?

a. The variability in run times among the students is too great.

b. Control data of normal run times without the energy drinks was not collected

c. The run distance was too short to make a valid determination

d. Not enough trials were conducted to be able to draw a conclusion

____ 27. Use the picture of an atom below to answer the following
question.
Which statement best describes the part of the atom that is shown by the
arrow?

a. It is an electron, and it has a negative c. It is a proton, and it has a negative

charge. charge.
b. It is an electron, and it has a positive d. It is a proton, and it has a positive
charge. charge.

____ 28. Lily noticed that her coin collection had begun to tarnish. Some of
the metal had begun to change color. The formation of tarnish is most similar to
which of the following changes?

a. shredding a piece of paper into c. melting ice cubes in a glass of juice

hundreds of tiny strips
b. dropping a dinner plate on the floor d. burning a piece of paper to ashes in a
fireplace

____ 29. Using the formula for density, density = mass / volume, calculate
the density of a block that has a mass of 30 g (grams) and a volume of 15 cm3
(cubic centimeters).

a. 1 g/cm3 c. 3 g/cm3
b. 2 g/cm3 d. 4 g/cm3

____ 30.Xenia wants to test the law of conservation of mass by performing

an experiment with charcoal. Which instrument should she use to measure the
mass of her materials?

a. ammeter c. triple-beam balance

b. volumetric flask d. Bunsen burner

____ 31.
Which of these is most likely an unintended consequence of a new road through a
pristine forest at a wildlife refuge park.

a. Firefighters will now be able to respond faster to forest fires by using this
road.
b. The road construction crews will earn an income while building the road.

c. People will be able to drive across the park instead of around it saving time.

d. Animals trying to cross the road are at risk of being killed by cars.

____ 32. Which of the following diagrams most accurately shows a core of
nuclear particles encircled by negatively charged particles?

a. c.

b. d.

____ 33. A balanced chemical equation is shown below.

2PbO + 4NO2 + O2 2Pb(NO3)2
The product in this equation is...?

a. O2 c. PbO
b. Pb(NO3)2 d. NO2

____ 34. A student observes actions that occurred in four different eggs. Which
action describes only
a chemical change?

a. a cut up egg c. a rotting egg

b. a stirred egg d. a dropped egg

____ 35. The clearing of rain forests for agricultural use has led to a decrease in
biodiversity in many areas.
One potential consequence of deforestation is

a. an increase in the amount of atmospheric oxygen.

b. the loss of plants with potential medicinal uses.
c. a decrease in soil erosion.
d. improved habitat for wildlife.

____ 36. A student applies heat to a solid substance. Which indicates that a
chemical change occurred?

a. The substance becomes a liquid but solidifies when cooled.

b. The substance changes color and stays that color when cooled.
c. The substance goes from liquid to gas very quickly.
d. The substance expands but stays the same color.

____ 37. Which option contains only compounds?

a. H2O, H2O2, H3O, CO2 c. NH3 , KNO3 , Hg, Ne

b. Na, NaCl, Pb, C6H12O6 d. Au, Ni, Cu, Fe

____ 38. The table below shows the average rainfall amounts and number of
grazing animals in an area
over a 30-year period.

Rainfall Data
Millimeters of Rain Number of Grazing Animals
 1975 780 1500
1980 525 2000
1985 600 1500
1990 575 2500
1995 300 1500
2000 850 1000
2005 300 2000

Which is the best conclusion based on the data?

a. The number of grazing animals increases approximately every 5 years.

b. The number of grazing animals supported by rainfall cannot exceed 2000.
c. The number of grazing animals is not affected by the amount of rainfall.
d. The number of grazing animals increases after years of increased rainfall.

____ 39. An engineering company is testing a new weather-forecasting program.

Which procedure would
best verify that the program is making accurate predictions?

a. comparing the predictions of the program to the actual weather

b. comparing the predictions of the program to other predictions
c. using the program to verify events not related to weather
d. using the program to verify past weather-related events

____ 40. The following graph represents the percentages of gases that make up the
atmosphere of Earth.
Which gas is represented in the portion labeled 1 on the graph?

a. argon c. nitrogen
b. hydrogen d. oxygen

____ 41. Which of the following statements about the gases in Earths atmosphere is NOT
true?

a. Earths first atmosphere contained much more carbon dioxide than our current atmosphere
b. Oxygen is the second most common gas in our current atmosphere
c. All the gases in the atmosphere have reacted chemically with each other forming compounds
d. The largest percentage of gas in our modern atmosphere is nitrogen

____ 42. Which statement best describes the difference between a mixture and a
compound?

a. Compounds are pure elements.

b. Compounds contain elements bonded together.
c. Compounds can be easily separated into distinct parts.
d. Compounds have multiple boiling points.

____ 43. The main biofuel on the market today is ethanol, a fuel made from corn.
Which type of
bioengineered product is ethanol?

a. adaptive c. resistant
b. assistive d. manipulated

____ 44. The table below shows researchers data from an investigation designed
to determine which sponge shape absorbs the greatest volume of water.
Sponge Table

Sponge Shape Mass of Wet Sponge

Round 5.50 grams
Square 5.70 grams
Irregular 6.00 grams
Oval 5.53 grams

Based on the data, the researchers stated that the irregular-shaped sponge absorbed
the greatest
volume of water. Researchers plan to market the irregular-shaped sponge as super
absorbent.
What is wrong with the researchers interpretation of the data?

a. The researchers should have tested the sponges in different types of liquids.
b. The researchers should have tested more types of sponges.
c. The researchers did not record the dry mass or volume of each sponge.
d. The researchers did not freeze each sponge before massing it.

____ 45. Which procedure best represents the law of conservation of mass?

a. evaporating salt water leaves 5 grams of salt

b. burning 2 kilograms of wood leaves 0.4 kilogram of ash
c. using filter paper to separate 2 grams of solid from 10 grams of water
d. combining 2 grams of copper and 4 grams of sulfur to produce 6 grams of copper sulfate

____ 46. An unknown substance will be classified as an acid if the substance

a. has a pH of 3.0. c. turns red litmus paper blue.

b. is slippery to the touch. d. releases hydroxide ions in water

____ 47. The equation below represents a chemical reaction that releases energy.
2Na + 2H2O 2NaOH + H2 + energy
Which part of the equation is a reactant?
a. 2NaOH c. 2H2O
b. H2 d. energy

____ 48. Which two items are best to use to determine the combined volume of three
small rocks?

a. electric scale and ruler c. hot plate and beaker

b. graduated cylinder and water d. meter stick and eye dropper

____ 49. A student wants to test how the concentration of phosphorus in a fertilizer
affects plant growth.
In designing this experiment the independent variable would most likely be the

a. amount of phosphorus used per plant.

b. height each plant grows after given fertilizer.
c. type of each plant used.
d. type of phosphorus used

____ 50. Which statement best describes what the planet Saturn, a lizard, and a
steaming kettle have in
common?

a. All are made of atoms. c. All are at the same internal temperature.
b. All are multicellular organisms. d. All produce their own energy without
help.

____ 51. A combination of salt and sugar grains is best classified as a mixture
because

a. the grains taste different from one another.

b. both the salt and sugar grains are in the same state of matter.
c. no new chemical bonds are formed between the salt and sugar grains.
d. a new product is formed when the salt and sugar grains are combined.

____ 52. Which statement best describes a physical change?

a. A process separates water into hydrogen gas and oxygen gas.

b. An iron nail exposed to the atmosphere forms rust.
c. Burning carbon releases the gas carbon dioxide.
d. Salt added to a cup of water makes salt water.

____ 53. Which substance is classified as an element?

a. NaCl c. H2O
b. CO d. Li

____ 55. Which elements make up most of the atmosphere of Earth?

a. oxygen and nitrogen c. water vapor and helium

b. nitrogen and helium d. oxygen and water vapor

56. Man has always classified things according to their similarities. A Greek
named ______________ began to group organisms (plants or animals).
a. Aristotle b. Linnaeus C. Phylum D. Finkelman

57. _____________ made a system of classification which was based on looking

for organisms with similar structures and using characteristics to classify.
a. Aristotle b. Linnaeus C. Phylum D. Finkelman

Name the missing levels in the classification system. Use these choices for #3
and #4:
a. dichotomous b. phylogony c. kingdom d. species
58. (1). ___________
(2). Phylum
(3). Class
(4). Order
(5). Family
(6). Genus
60. (7). __________

61. ____________________ is a system that gives all organisms a scientific name

using the genus and then the species.
a. phylogeny b. binomial nomenclature c. protesta d.
dichotomous key

62. A detailed and usually numbered list of identifying characteristics that

include scientific names.
a. phylogeny b. binomial nomenclature c. protesta d.
dichotomous key

63. The most common measure of biodiversity is the _______________

a. average temperature of an area
b. amount of rainfall
c. human population of an area
d. number of species that live in an area

64. All of the following EXCEPT ___________ are SI units.

a. kilometer b. inch c . gram d.
seconds

65. The SI unit of mass:

a. kilogram b. meter c. liters d. seconds

66. The SI unit of length:

a. kilogram b. meter c. liters d. seconds

67. The SI unit of volume:

a. kilogram b. meter c. liter d. second

68. _______________ measures the amount of matter in an object.

a. volume b. inch c . gram d. mass

69. ___________ is used to collect, organize, and summarize data in a visual

display.
a. graph b. inch c . gram d. estimation

70. The most reasonable measurement for the length of a pen is:
a. 14 mm b. 14 cm c. 14 m d. 14 g

What is the abbreviation for the following?

71. millimeters
a. m b. mL c. g d. mm

72. milliliters
a. mm b. mL c. g d. mg

73. dekagrams
a. dg b. mg c. Dg d. dkg

Convert the following:

74. 5.712 g =_______________ kg
a. 5712 b. 0.005712 c. 571.2 d. .
05712
75. 222.7 L =_______________ dL
a. 2227 b. 22.27 c. .2227 d. 2.227

76. 3.54 mg =_______________ dg

a. 354 b. .0354 c. .00354 d. 3.54

1. Which object would be attracted to the electromagnet?

A. Aluminum Can

B. Metal Paper Clip

C. Wooden Spoon

D. Paperback Books

1 Coal is an Earth material that is often used to heat peoples homes. How has coal improved
the quality of life for people on Earth?

A. People use coal as a fuel source.

B. People use coal to build bridges.

C. People use coal to power wind turbines.

D. D People use coal to prevent disease.

1 Which option contains only compounds?

A .H2O, H2O2 H3O, CO2

B. Na, NaCl, Pb, C6H12O6

C. NH3, KNO3, Hg, Ne

D. Au, Ni, Cu, Fe

4. A company is designing a dam with a floodgate to keep houses safe during the rainy season.
The company is reviewing several possible designs that have worked in the past and is trying to
develop a plan for implementing one design. Which is the next step in this process?

A. Pick several dams to use in a consumer survey

B. Test each dam model during a different flood season

C. Analyze the dam designs and pick one based on local needs

D. Redesign the past dams based on what the company feels will work best
 5. A student designs an experiment to test the acidity of the water in several ponds near an
industrial area. Which tool would best help a student obtain accurate data?

A. oxygen probe

B. metric ruler

C. pH indicator

D. heat sensor

6 .A student coils a copper wire around a bar magnet. Which action will cause the device to
generate electricity?

A. The student connects the copper wire to a light bulb.

B. The student insulates the copper wire with plastic.

C. The student uses a horseshoe magnet instead of a bar magnet.

D. The student moves the bar magnet through the copper wire coils.

7. A nuclear power plant has recently been built to generate electricity for a town located near
several small lakes. Which is not a benefit of this nuclear power plant being built?

A. The cost of the electricity will decrease.

B. The loss of habitat for local wildlife.

C. The heating of homes will be easier.

D. The nuclear power plant will provide jobs.

8. How are a bar magnet and Earth similar?

A. They are both made of iron.

B. They both produce a magnetic field.

C. They both produce an electric current.

D. They both rotate on an axis.

9. Which objects could you combine to build an electromagnet?

A. copper wire, source of electric current, steel screw

B. battery, generator, steel crew

C. compass, sourch of electric current, copper wire

D. battey, light bulb, plastic straw.

10. What will happen if a bar magnet is moved through a coil of wire?

A. The bar magnet will lose its magnetism

B. An electric current will be generated in the wire

C. The wire will become an electromagnet

D. An electric current will be generated in the magnet.