8th Grade Science
Sample Assessment Items S8P2d.
A car was sitting in sunlight all day long. The heat that is now contained in the car was
transferred to the car primarily by which of the following processes?
A. radiation*
B. convection
C. conduction
D. electrical energy transfer
When sand absorbs the electromagnetic waves of the Sun, it becomes warm through the
process of ______.
A. radiation*
B. conduction
C. convection
D. evaporation
Which of the following is an example of heat transfer by convection?
A. The coils of a toaster become red.
B. A hot wood stove heats an entire room.*
C. A teaspoon in a glass of hot tea becomes warm.
D. The handle of a pot that is being heated becomes warm.
In which situation has heat energy moved mainly by conduction through matter?
A. A radiator heated with hot water warms a room.
B. The red-hot coil of an electric space heater is used to keep a small room warm.
C. The handle of a cast iron skillet being used to cook something becomes too hot to touch.*
D. The person sitting closest to the blazing fire finds it necessary to move farther from the
heat.
Suppose you had four spoons the same size and shape made out of glass, plastic, steel, and
wood. Which spoon handle would get hot the quickest when the spoons are placed in a pan
of hot water?
A. the steel spoon*
B. the glass spoon
C. the plastic spoon
D. the wooden spoon
8th Grade Science
Sample Assessment Items S8P2d.
When water boils in a pan on a hot burner, heat gets to the water mainly by _____.
A. radiation of heat through the pan*
B. reflection of heat from the burner
C. conduction of heat through the pan
D. absorption of heat from the air in the room
Burt's mother asked him to use a spoon to stir the stew that was cooking on the stove. Which
spoon will stay the coolest while he stirs?
A. an iron spoon
B. a silver spoon
C. a wooden spoon*
D. an aluminum spoon
Through which of the following materials does heat travel the fastest?
A. glass
B. metal*
C. wood
D. plastic
Which of the following best explains why the end of a spoon sticking out of a cup of hot water
also gets hot?
A. The heat from the hot water is conducted to the spoon handle.*
B. The hot water causes a physical change in the spoon handle.
C. The hot water causes a chemical reaction to take place in the spoon.
D. The hot water heats the air surrounding the upper part of the spoon.
Patti used a steel wrench to work on her bicycle on a hot, sunny day. She left the wrench on
the hot concrete surface for an hour while she had lunch. When she returned, the wrench
was very hot to touch. What is the BEST explanation for how the wrench got so hot?
A. Heat transferred from the wrench to the air.
B. Heat transferred from the bicycle to the wrench.
C. Heat transferred from the wrench to the concrete.
D. Heat transferred from the concrete to the wrench.*
8th Grade Science
Sample Assessment Items S8P2d.
When it is very hot in his room, Stuart tries to make it cooler by opening both the top and the
bottom of his window. Cooler air comes in the bottom and warm air goes out through the top.
Heat energy was transferred by which of the following processes?
A. radiation
B. convection*
C. conduction
D. evaporation
Which BEST explains how the food on the stove is being heated?
A. conduction*
B. convection
C. interaction
D. radiation
How do microwaves cook food?
A. by using electromagnetic waves and the process of radiation*
B. by using forced hot air currents through the process of convection
C. by using the movement of charged particles through the process of induction
D. by using direct contact of moving particles through the process of conduction
8th Grade Science
Sample Assessment Items S8P2d.
Bill and Mary wanted to have a snack after school. They heated some milk in a pot on the
stove to make hot chocolate. They also popped some popcorn in the microwave oven. How
did Bill and Mary transfer heat energy to make these snacks?
A. heating milk by radiation; popping popcorn by radiation
B. heating milk by radiation; popping popcorn by convection
C. heating milk by conduction; popping popcorn by radiation*
D. heating milk by convection; popping popcorn by conduction
Which statement is an example of heat transfer by convection?
A. Jane's feet burned as she walked across the hot beach sand.
B. Hot air from the sand rose and was replaced by cool air blowing in from the ocean.*
C. The black asphalt of the parking lot was much warmer than the green grass surrounding
the lot.
D. People were scattered across the beach, sitting on chairs and towels, warming themselves
in the bright sunshine.
Why does heat convection only occur in gases and liquids?
Describe the relationship between radiation, thermal energy, and electromagnetic waves.
The diagram to the right shows a radiator heating the air
surrounding it. Explain what type of heat transfer is occurring.
8th Grade Science
Sample Assessment Items S8P2d.
A teacher put one test tube of 50°C liquid and one test tube of
10°C liquid into a 20°C water bath, as shown in the diagram to the
right.
Explain what will happen to the liquids in the test tubes.
When the Bunsen burner is on, as shown in the diagram to the
right, the paper string will spin. Explain what causes the paper
to spin.
Identify the types of
energy transfer shown
in the diagram to the right.