6th Grade Science Cumulative Assessment
Study Guide: SOLs 6.1 - 6.9
Name: ________________________________
Today’s Date: _________Test Date: _________
1. What is the difference between a qualitative observation and a quantitative observation?
Qualitative observations deal with qualities like shape, size, color, and smell. Quantitative
observations have to do with numbers.
2. The title of an experiment is “The Effect of the Number of Turns of Wire Used on the Number of Nails an
Electromagnet Will Pick Up.” What is the independent variable? What is the dependent variable?
Independent Variable: number of turns of wire
Dependent Variable: number of nails an electromagnet will pick up
3. In order to discover how a track surface affects how fast a model car rolls down an incline, what variables
have to be kept the same?
The model car and the steepness of the incline
4. Which metric unit would best be used to measure the height of a tree? Meters
5. The table below lists the temperatures recorded from the surfaces of different objects on different dates.
Object
Date
Temp.
dark green leaves
May 15
36˚ C
light green leaves
May 15
33˚ C
chrome car bumper
May 15
28˚ C
chrome car bumper
Feb. 3
1˚ C
black roof shingle
Feb. 3
8˚ C
gray roof shingle
Feb. 3
5˚ C
cement sidewalk
Sept. 20
19˚ C
asphalt road
Sept. 20
23˚ C
dark green leaves
Sept. 20
22˚ C
Which factor seems to affect how much heat surfaces absorb?
The color of the surface
6. What system performs all three of the following functions?
• provide productive wildlife habitats
• control erosion and flooding
• protect freshwater supplies from saltwater
Wetlands
7. The Virginia Tidewater Region (the Eastern shore) is divided into four sections (peninsulas) by three rivers.
Into what major body of water do these rivers empty?
The Atlantic Ocean
8. In which direction do most of Virginia’s larger rivers generally flow? East
9. What is a good definition of a “divide” as it relates to water systems and watersheds?
An imaginary line that separates water flowing into two different tributary systems
10. Which scientific skill are you using when you see that the sky is cloudy? Making an Observation
11. A controlled experiment is designed to test what? A hypothesis
12. The instrument used to find the mass of an object is the — triple beam balance
13. Use this picture of a leaf with a measuring grid on top of it
to answer questions 13-14. Each square represents 1 cm².
What is the approximate length of the leaf from the tip to
the end of the stem?
18 cm - all you have to do is count the squares!
14. What is the leaf’s approximate width? 12 cm
15. The basic building block of matter is a/an — atom
16. An atomic nucleus consists of what particles? Protons and neutrons
17. What is the electrical charge on a proton? Positive
18. A substance that contains only one kind of atom is called a/an — element
19. Re-write the following expression as a chemical equation that means the same as the sentence:
“Substance a combined with substance b yields substance c”
a + b —> c
20. Using this chemical formula, answer the following question:
CaO + CO₂ <—> CaCO₃
This chemical formula is balanced because —
The number of reactants equals the number of products.
21. Water is one of the most common substances on the Earth’s surface. Its chemical formula, H₂O, shows that
it is made of two elements. What are the elements? Hydrogen and Oxygen
22. The process in which water vapor, a gas, turns into a liquid is called — condensation
23. Why does ice float in water? Because ice is less dense than liquid water
24. Most of the water on the Earth is in — the oceans
25. What would be the most serious problem with drinking seawater when you are thirsty?
It would be too salty
26. Kinetic energy is energy that is — in motion
27. Potential energy is energy that is — stored
28. The three main fossil fuels are coal, oil, and — natural gas
29. Windmills have been used to make — electricity
30. A nuclear power reactor produces useful energy through what series of energy transformations?
Nuclear —> Thermal —> Mechanical —> Electrical
The nuclear reaction releases lots of heat, which creates steam. The steam turns a turbine,
which generates electricity.
31. Green plants use the sun’s energy to produce food. This is Light energy being converted to
Chemical energy.
32. List the energy conversion carried out by a generator.
Mechanical energy to electrical energy
33. Renewable are resources that can be readily replaced.
34. List three nonrenewable resources.
Coal, Oil, and Natural Gas
35. The use of the smallest possible quantities of natural resources so that they resource will be used as
slowly as possible is conservation.
36. Gases in the atmosphere keep most of the solar radiation from escaping into space. What is this warming
effect? The Greenhouse Effect
37. Which layer protects us from ultraviolet radiation? The Stratosphere
38. A barometer measures air pressure.
39. As you go up a mountain air pressure (circle one) Increases or Decreases.
40. Nitrogen and Oxygen are the two most common gases in Earth’s atmosphere.
41. The sun is a source of energy that powers the ocean currents, winds, and the water cycle.
42. List the three basic types of clouds.
cumulus, stratus, cirrus
43. In which layer of the atmosphere does most weather occur? The troposphere
44. What are the wavelengths that are a little bit shorter than visible light called? Infrared Light
45. Most of the heating of the troposphere comes from convection.
46. Winds are caused by differences in air pressure.
47. How do clouds form? Clouds form when water vapor becomes liquid water or ice crystals
48. The amount of water vapor in the air is humidity.
49. Why does the moon shine white?
It reflects light from the sun.
50. Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system.
51. Mercury is the planet closest to the sun.
52. Gravity keeps the moon in orbit.
53. It takes the Earth 365 days to complete one full revolution.
54. It takes Earth 24 hours to rotate on its axis.
55. Generally, the farther a planet’s orbit is from the sun, the longer its year will be.
56. Why do we have the changing seasons? The tilt of the Earth’s axis and Earth’s revolution around the
Sun.
57. Which heavenly body is the cause of the ocean tides? The Moon