Student Name:
Date:
Teacher:
Period:
Middle School 8th
Grade Science
Mid-Term
January 2017
Directions:
Part I:
Choose the best answers to the multiple choice questions 1-42. Mark
your answers on the scantron card.
Part II:
Write the answers directly on the answer sheet provided (the last 2
pages in the test packet) for questions 42-52.
Part I: Multiple Choice.
1.
A student examined a rock sample and described it as, being very old and
appeared dull. The student was making
(1) an inference
2.
(2) an observation (3) a hypothesis
(4) a prediction
The diagram below shows a triple-beam balance.
What is the maximum mass, in grams, that could be measured by this balance?
(1) 110
(2) 610
(3) 500
(4) 1510
3. A student placed a rock in a graduated cylinder containing water, causing the water level
in the cylinder to increase by 20 mL. This increase represents the rock’s
(1) mass
(2) solubility
(3) volume
(4) temperature
4. The diagram below shows water in a graduated cylinder.
A student states that the graduated cylinder contains 150 mL of water. This statement is
(1) a prediction
(2) a theory
(3) an observation
(4) a hypothesis
5. The diagram below shows 20 grams of two different materials, A and B, on a laboratory
balance.
Since material A and material B have the same mass but different volumes, material A
must have a different
than material B.
(1) density
(2) phase
(3) weight
(4) shape
6. Which device directly converts chemical energy into electrical energy?
(1) solar-powered calculator
(2) wood-burning stove
(3) battery-powered flashlight (4) wind-powered sailboat
7. Heat transfer by radiation occurs when molecules
(1) flow as currents through liquids
(2) form waves that travel through space
(3) become less dense and rise
(4) collide with other molecules
8. A lamp converts electrical energy to light energy. In addition to the light energy, much of this
electrical energy is also converted to
(1) mechanical energy (2) heat energy
(3) chemical energy (4) nuclear energy
9. One example of matter is
(1) magnetism
(2) heat
(3) water
(4) radiation
10. A substance in the solid phase (state) of matter has
(1) a definite shape and a definite volume
(2) a definite shape, but no definite volume
(3) no definite shape, but a definite volume
(4) no definite shape and no definite volume
11. As water is heated, the motion of the water molecules will generally
(1) decrease
(2) increase
(3) remain the same
12. A roller coaster car on top of the tallest hill has ___________________in the ride.
(1) the maximum kinetic energy
(2) the maximum potential energy
(3) no potential energy
(4) greater kinetic energy than potential energy
13. Which statement does not describe how forces affect the motion of an object.
(1) A force can cause an object to start moving.
(2) A force can cause an object to stop moving.
(3) a force can cause an object to change direction.
(4) A force can change the direction of gravity on Earth.
14. Which statement is an inference?
(1) A thermometer shows that the air temperature is 56°F.
(2) A mineral sample of galena is the color grey.
(3) Based on previous data, ten hurricanes may occur in the year 2017.
(4) The volume of the water in a graduated cylinder measures 25ml.
Note that question 15 has only three choices
15. If the force used to push a shopping cart increases, the cart’s acceleration will
(1) decrease
(2) increase
(3) remain the same
16. Which process transfers heat when particles collide in a solid?
(1) convection
(2) radiation
(3) conduction
(4) evaporation
17. Because copper is a metal, it is
(1) liquid at room temperature
(2) nonreactive with other substances
(3) a poor conductor of electricity
(4) a good conductor of heat
18. A runner accelerates at the end of a race. What could be the unit used for acceleration?
(1) m/s
(3) m/s2
(2) km/min
(4) m
19. Which form of energy is produced when a rubber band is stretched?
(1) kinetic
(3) light
(2) electrical
(4) potential
20. A battery-powered cart pulls an 800-gram load across the floor. If the load were reduced to
400 grams, and the force used to move the cart remained the same, the cart would
(1) move slower
(2) move faster
(3) move at the same speed
(4) stop moving
21. The diagrams below represent three phases of matter, labeled A, B, and C.
22. A wet shirt is put on a clothesline to dry on a sunny day. The shirt dries because water
molecules
(1) gain heat energy and condense
(2) gain heat energy and evaporate
(3) lose heat energy and condense
(4) lose heat energy and evaporate
23. Which energy source is renewable?
(1) solar
(2) coal
(3) oil
(4) natural gas
24. The diagram below shows a tall beaker with four different liquids and their densities.
If a ball that has a density of 1.73 g/cm3 is placed in the beaker, where will the ball come to
rest?
(1) on top of liquid A
(2) between liquids B and C
(3) between liquids C and D
(4) on the bottom of the beaker
25. The diagrams below show a person moving a 50-kilogram object up a ramp. In which
diagram is there the least amount of friction on the object?
26. Which graph below shows an object slowing down?
The graph below shows a runner’s distance from the starting line during a 30-minute race.
Distance was measured in meters (m). Time was measured in minutes (min).
27. During which time interval was the runner moving at the greatest average speed?
(1) 0–5 minutes
(3) 15–20 minutes
(2) 10–15 minutes
(4) 25–30 minutes
28. A ball is dropped from the roof of a building. Points A, B, C, and D in the diagram
below represent positions of the ball as it falls.
At which position will the ball have the greatest kinetic energy?
(1) A
(2) C
(3) B
(4) D
The graph below shows population data for one kind of insect over a 50-year period.
29. Which statement best describes the population of this insect over the 50-year period?
1.) It decreased steadily
2.) It increased steadily
3.) It remained constant
4.) It followed a cyclic pattern
Use the diagram below to answer questions 30 and 31.
8N
3N
5N
30. What is the net force of the circular object?
(1) 8 N to the right
(2) 0 N
(3) 15 N to the right
(4) 2 N to the right
31. How many forces are represented above?
(1) 16
(2) 2
(3) 3
(4) 0
32. Which of Newton’s Laws of Motion explains most accurately why a pitched baseball
travels faster than on that is gently thrown?
(1) Newton’s 1st Law of Motion
(2) Newton’s 2nd Law of Motion
(3) Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion
(4) Newton’s 4th Law of Motion
Use the diagram below to answer questions 33 and 34.
33. As the air above the candle is heated, the density of the air
(1) increases
(2) decreases
(3) remains the same
34. The pattern of airflow above illustrates
(1) convection currents
(3) a phase change
(2) a chemical reaction
(4) an electromagnetic cycle
(4) doubles
35. A car travels a distance of 98 meters in 10 seconds. What is the average speed of the
car?
(1) 4.9 m/s
(3) 49 m/s
(2) 9.8 m/s
(4) 98 m/s
36. Block A is pulled up an incline with a constant velocity as shown below.
Which arrow correctly shows the force of friction acting on block A?
(1)
(2)
(3)
Arlo measured a block of wood, as shown in the diagram
37. What is the length of the wooden block in millimeters? (1 cm = 10 mm)
(1) 2.60 mm
(2) 26.0 mm
(3) 260 mm
(4) 2,600 mm
(4)
The diagram below shows milk being poured into a measuring cup.
38. Which property of the milk can be directly measured using the cup?
(1) mass
(2) solubility (3) density
(4) volume
The illustration below shows an example of energy changing forms.
39. Which changes in energy form are illustrated in the diagram?
(1) electrical → sound → light and mechanical
(2) mechanical → light → sound and electrical
(3) sound → mechanical → light and electrical
(4) light → electrical → mechanical and sound
Base your answers to questions 40 and 41 on the diagram and graph below and on your
knowledge of science. The diagram represents a laboratory setup used to study heat transfer.
Two covered, insulated cups, A and B, are connected with an aluminum bar. Each cup
contains the same amount of water, but the water has different starting temperatures. The
water in cup A had a starting temperature of 100°C. The water in cup B had a starting
temperature of 20°C. The graph shows the changes in the water temperatures over a 20minute period.
40. If the temperature of the water in cup A continues to decrease as shown on the graph, what will
the approximate temperature of the water in cup A be at the end of 25 minutes?
(1) 21°C
(2) 78°C
(3) 30°C
(4) 80°C
41. If the aluminum bar were shorter, the cool water in cup B would increase in temperature at a
faster rate because
(1) less heat would be produced by the water
(2) less heat would be lost to the surrounding air
(3) more heat would be produced by the water (4) more heat would be lost to the surrounding air
Middle School
8th Grade Science Midterm
Part 2: Constructive Response
January 2017
Name: _________________________
Science Teacher: ____________________________
Science Period: ________
Instructions: Write your answers directly on the test paper.
Part 2. For this part of the exam you must record your responses on the
ANSWER SHEET attached.
42. Look at the force applied on the box below.
300N
450N
a) Calculate the net force.
b) Tell whether the force is balanced or unbalance
c) Draw an arrow to show the resulting net force.
The diagram below shows a rock being placed in a graduated cylinder containing water.
43. What is the volume of the rock? Note: 1 mL = 1 cm3.
Base your answers to questions 44 through 46 on the information below and on your knowledge of
science.
The diagram represents a pendulum, which is a weight attached by a string to a fixed point and
allowed to swing freely back and forth. A group of students did an experiment in which they timed, in
seconds (s), how long it took for the pendulum to complete one swing (back and forth) for five
different string lengths. The results are shown in the data table.
44. Identify the dependent (responding) variable measured in this experiment.
45. Describe the general relationship between the length of the string and the time to complete one
swing of the pendulum.
46. Predict the amount of time necessary for a pendulum with a string length of 70 cm to complete
one swing.
Base your answers to questions 47 and 48 on the model below and on your knowledge of science.
The model shows the relative wavelengths of different types of electromagnetic energy in the
electromagnetic spectrum.
47. Identify one type of electromagnetic energy that has a shorter wavelength than green light.
48. Which type of electromagnetic energy has the shortest wavelength?
Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: ___________
Teacher: ______________________________
Part 2 Answer Sheet.
42. a)_____________________________
(Show work here)
b) _____________________________
c) Draw the arrow in the box below
43. ______________cm3
44. __________________________________________________________________________
45. ___________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
46. _________sec.
47. ______________________________
48. _______________________________
(over)
Base your answers to questions 49 through 52 on the experiment described below.
Heat was applied at a constant rate to a solid substance under controlled conditions. The
temperature of the substance was recorded every 3 minutes. These data are recorded in the
table below.
49. Use the grid above to construct a line graph from the data in the table. Follow the steps
below. a Use X’s to plot the data for time and temperature.
b Draw a solid line that connects the X’s.
50. What conclusion can be drawn from the graph you created?
______________________________________________________________________________
51. According to your graph, what would the temperature of the substance be at 23
minutes?
_______ °C
52. What is the independent (manipulated) variable in this experiment?
________________________