NAME
PER
PSES PROLOGUE Qs
1. The map below shows the path of an ash cloud that resulted from the Mount St. Helens volcanic eruption. The map was
developed from satellite photographs.
The path of the ash cloud was most probably determined by
(1) observation
(2) hypothesis
(3) theory
(4) inference
2. Which action can be performed most accurately using only the human senses?
(1) counting 28 shells from a beach
(2) tearing a sheet of paper into squares whose sides measure 1 centimeter
(3) measuring the air pressure of a room
(4) adding 10 grams of salt to a cup of water
3. In the classroom during a visual inspection of a rock provided by the teacher, a student recorded four statements about
the rock. Which statement about the rock is an observation?
(1) The rock dates from the Precambrian Era.
(3) The rock has crystals 1.0 cm in diameter.
(2) The rock formed at the Earth's surface.
(4) The rock cooled very rapidly.
4. Using a ruler to measure the length of a stick is an example of
(1) extending the sense of sight by using an instrument
(2) measuring the rate of change of the stick by making inferences
(3) predicting the length of the stick by guessing
(4) calculating the percent of error by using a proportion
5. A group of students observed and measured various characteristics of a stream for one day. Which statement about the
stream is most likely an inference?
(1) The velocity of the stream is greatest near the outside of a meander.
(2) The stream's depth is different at various distances from the streambank.
(3) The water level of the stream will rise after the next rainfall.
(4) The stream water is dark brown.
6. Which statement about an unidentified rock sample is most likely an inference?
(1) The rock has no visible fossils.
(3) The rock is a metamorphic rock.
(2) The rock has shiny, wavy mineral bands.
(4) The rock is composed of large crystals.
7. A student examined a patch of mud and recorded several statements about footprints in the mud. Which statement is
most likely an inference?
(1) The footprints are oriented in an east-west direction. (3) The footprints were made by a dog.
(2) The depth of the deepest footprint is 3 centimeters.
(4) There are five footprints in the mud.
PSES PROLOGUE Qs
8. Which statement about a major hurricane is an inference?
(1) The windspeed is measured at 200 km/hr.
(2) The central air pressure is recorded at 946.0 mb.
(3) A rain gauge records three inches of rain in less than one hour.
(4) Damage from the storm is expected to be extensive.
9. Which statement about a rock sample is most likely an inference?
(1) The rock has thin, distinct layers.
(3) The rock has flat sides and sharp corners.
(2) The rock is made of small, dark-colored crystals.
(4) The rock has changed color due to weathering.
10. While walking on a glacier, an observer makes several statements. Which statement is an inference?
(1) "There are many cracks in this glacier."
(2) "Some of the snow on this glacier is powdery."
(3) "The rocks on this glacier are of different sizes."
(4) "Some parts of this glacier will start melting this spring."
11. A 1,000.0-gram sample of dry rock fragments was placed in a container of water, shaken for 3 minutes, and strained
through a wire screen. The mass of the sample after shaking was 1,002.1 grams. Which statement best explains this
result?
(1) The rock fragments were broken into smaller pieces, resulting in additional mass.
(2) Some of the original rock fragments were lost when the sample was strained.
(3) The rock fragments formed new minerals that were more dense.
(4) The rock fragments became wet when they were shaken.
12. The graph below shows the amount of noise pollution caused by factory machinery during a one-week period.
Which inference is best supported by the graph?
(1) The machinery ran 24 hours a day.
(2) The level of pollution remained constant during working hours.
(3) The noise volume reached a peak on Friday.
(4) The machinery was turned off on Saturday and Sunday.
13. Which statement about a rock sample is an inference?
(1) A balance indicates the rock's mass is 254 grams.
(2) The rock scratches a glass plate.
(3) The rock has no visible crystals and is red.
(4) The rock was formed 100 million years ago.
14. Which of the following procedures is an example of classifying observed data?
(1) Grouping stars by brightness.
(2) Graphing temperature versus time for a period of time.
(3) Photographing the cloud cover for a single location.
(4) Measuring the angle of Polaris at two different latitudes.
15. A student is asked to classify several rocks. For best results, the classification should be based on
(1) observations
(2) interpretations
(3) inferences
(4) hypotheses
PSES PROLOGUE Qs
16. The primary purpose of a classification system is to enable people to
(1) extend their powers of observation
(3) make measurements that are very accurate
(2) organize observations in a meaningful way
(4) eliminate inaccurate inferences
17. A classification system is based on the use of
(1) instruments to observe properties of objects
(2) inferences to make observations
(3) the human senses to observe properties of objects
(4) observed properties to group objects with similar characteristics
Base your answers to questions 18 through 22 on the diagrams below, which represent two different solid, uniform materials
labeled cubes A and B.
18. Which of the following is the mass of cube B?
(1) 9 g.
(2) 27 g.
(3) 54 g.
(4) 81 g.
19. A student calculates the density of a third material as 8.3 grams per cubic centimeter instead of the accepted value of 8.0
grams per cubic centimeter. What is the student’s approximate percent deviation (percent of error)?
(1) 3.8%
(2) 30.0%
(3) 3.0%
(4) 36.1%
20. If a parcel of air is heated, its density will
(1) decrease
(2) remain the same
(3) increase
21. Assume cube B was broken into many irregularly shaped pieces. Compared to the density of the entire cube, the density
of one of the pieces would be
(1) less
(2) greater
(3) the same
22. What is the density of cube A?
(1) 0.2 g/cm3
(2) 5.0 g/cm3
(3) 12.8 g/cm3
(4) 64.0 g/cm3
PSES PROLOGUE Qs
Base your answers to questions 23 through 26 on the diagrams below, and your knowledge of Earth science. The diagrams
represent five substances, A through E, at the same temperature. Some mass, volume, and density values are indicated for
each substance. Substance C is a liquid in a graduated cylinder. [Note that 1 cubic centimeter = 1 milliliter. Objects are not
drawn to scale.]
23. What is the volume of object D?
(1) 1.0 cm3
(2) 2.0 cm3
(3) 7.0 cm3
(4) 16.0 cm3
24. What is the volume of liquid C?
(1) 25.0 mL
(2) 50.0 mL
(3) 75.0 mL
(4) 125.0 mL
PSES PROLOGUE Qs
25. Water (W) was added to the graduated cylinder containing liquid C. Objects A and D were then dropped into the cylinder.
Which diagram most accurately shows the resulting arrangement of these substances?
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
26. Which two substances could be made of the same material?
(1) A and B
(2) B and E
(3) C and D
(4) A and E
27. The sphere was dropped into water in a graduated cylinder as shown below.
What is the volume of the sphere?
(1) 15 mL
(2) 25 mL
(3) 40 mL
(4) 65 mL
28. A centimeter is 0.01 meter. This measurement can also be expressed as
(1) 1 × 10–1 m
(2) 1 × 10–2 m
(3) 1 × 100 m
(4) 1 × 102 m
29. Which line segment has a length of 3 centimeters?
(1)
(3)
(4)
(2)
30. Which term is best defined as a measure of the amount of space a substance occupies?
(1) density
(2) weight
(3) mass
(4) volume
PSES PROLOGUE Qs
31.
If each side of the cube shown above has the same length as the measured side, what is the approximate volume of the
cube?
(1) 2.20 cm3
(2) 4.84 cm3
(3) 6.60 cm3
(4) 10.65 cm3
32. The diameter through the equator of Jupiter is about 143,000 kilometers. What is this distance written in scientific
notation (powers of 10)?
(1) 143 × 102 km
(2) 1.43 × 103 km
(3) 1.43 × 105 km
(4) 143 × 105 km
33. A measurement is best defined as
(1) an interpretation based on theory
(2) a direct comparison with a known standard
(3) an inference made by using the human senses
(4) a group of inferred properties
34. A scientist who is studying a stream would have the most difficulty determining the stream's
(1) velocity
(3) temperature
(2) age in years
(4) transported sediment size
35. The use of a triple-beam balance to determine the mass of a rock is an example of measuring by using
(1) all of the five senses
(3) a combination of dimensional quantities
(2) a direct comparison with a standard
(4) inferences and interpretations
36. Which of the measuring devices shown below are most likely to be used to measure the speed of the water in a stream?
(1) A and B, only
(2) C and D, only
(3) A, B, and D, only
37. As air on the surface of Earth warms, the density of the air
(1) decreases
(2) increases
(3) remains the same
(4) A, B, C, and D
PSES PROLOGUE Qs
38. A student determines the density of a mineral to be 1.5 grams per cubic centimeter. If the accepted value is 2.0 grams
per cubic centimeter,what is the student’s percent deviation (percent error)?
(1) 25.0%
(2) 33.3%
(3) 40.0%
(4) 50.0%
39. A student incorrectly measured the volume of a mineral sample as 83 cubic centimeters when the actual volume was 89
cubic centimeters. What was the student’s approximate percent deviation (percentage of error)?
(1) 14.8%
(2) 9.3%
(3) 7.2%
(4) 6.7%
40. A student incorrectly measured the volume of a mineral sample as 63 cubic centimeters. The actual volume was 72 cubic
centimeters. What was the student’s approximate percent deviation (percentage of error)?
(1) 9.0%
(2) 12.5%
(3) 14.2%
(4) 15.3%
41. A student measured the mass and volume of the mineral crystal below and recorded the data shown below. The student
used these data to calculate the density of the crystal.
What will be the student's percent error using the recorded data if the actual density of the crystal is 2.7 grams per cubic
centimeter?
(1) 0.4%
(2) 5.0%
(3) 7.4%
(4) 8.0%
42. A person incorrectly measures the mass of a rock as 346 grams. The actual mass is 326 grams. What is the person's
approximate percent deviation (percentage of error)?
(1) 5.8%
(2) 6.1%
(3) 8.2%
(4) 16.3%
43. A student determined the porosity of a sample of soil to be 37.6%. The actual porosity is 42.3%. The student's percent
deviation from the accepted value (percentage of error) is approximately
(1) 79.9%
(2) 12.5%
(3) 4.7%
(4) 11.1%
44. A student measures the volume of water as 72 milliliters when the true volume is 75 milliliters. Which equation should
be used to determine the student's percent deviation?
(1)
(3)
(2)
(4)
45. A student incorrectly converted 20º C to 64º F instead of 68º F. What is the student's approximate percent error?
(1) 44%
(2) 5.9%
(3) 6.3%
(4) 4%
PSES PROLOGUE Qs
46. A student measures the velocity of the water in a stream as 2.5 meters per second. The actual velocity of the water is 3.0
meters per second. What is the approximate percent deviation of the student's measurement?
(1) 0.50%
(2) 17%
(3) 20.%
(4) 50. %
47. A student calculates the period of Saturn's revolution to be 31.33 years. What is the student's approximate deviation
from the accepted value?
(1) 1.9%
(2) 5.9%
(3) 6.3%
(4) 19%
48. A student finds the mass of an igneous rock sample to be 48.0 grams. Its actual mass is 52.0 grams. What is the student's
approximate percent deviation (percent of error)?
(1) 9.2%
(2) 8.3%
(3) 7.7%
(4) 4.0%
49. The accepted value for the density of the mineral corundum is 4.0 grams per cubic centimeter. A student calculates the
density as 4.1 grams per cubic centimeter. What is the percent deviation from the accepted value?
(1) 1.0%
(2) 2.5%
(3) 5.5%
(4) 4.0%
50. An observer incorrectly measured the mass of a rock as 428.7 grams. The actual mass was 450.0 grams. What was the
observer's approximate percentage of error?
(1) 2.1%
(2) 4.3%
(3) 4.7%
(4) 5.0%
51. A person incorrectly measured the length of a room as 13.0 meters when the actual length was 12.0 meters. What is the
person's approximate percent deviation (percentage of error)?
(1) 1.0%
(2) 5.9%
(3) 7.7%
(4) 8.3%
52. A student determined the porosity of a sample of soil to be 37.6%. The actual porosity is 42.3%. The student's percent
deviation from the accepted value (percentage of error) is approximately
(1) 4.7%
(2) 11.1%
(3) 12.5%
(4) 79.9%
53. The data table below shows the mass and volume of three samples of the same mineral. [The density column is provided
for student use.]
Which graph best represents the relationship between the density and the volume of these mineral samples?
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
54. A pebble has a mass of 35 grams and a volume of 14 cubic centimeters. What is its density?
(1) 0.4 g/cm³
(2) 2.5 g/cm³
(3) 490 g/cm³
(4) 4.0 g/cm³
PSES PROLOGUE Qs
55. Base your answer to the following question on the bedrock cross section below, which represents part of Earth’s crust
where natural gas, oil, and water have moved upward through a layer of folded sandstone and filled the pore spaces at
the top of the sandstone layer.
The final arrangement of the natural gas, oil, and water within the sandstone was caused by differences in their
(1) radioactive half-life
(2) density
(3) specific heat
(4) relative age
56. The data table below shows the mass and volume of four different minerals.
Which mineral has the greatest density?
(1) A
(2) B
(3) C
(4) D
57. A black hole is a celestial feature believed to have a mass millions of times the mass of our Sun and a diameter less than
the diameter of Earth. An object of such high mass and small volume would have
(1) a very low density
(3) an elliptical orbit with the Sun at one focal point
(2) a very high density
(4) an elliptical orbit with Earth at one focal point
58. The diagrams below represent two solid objects A and B. with different densities.
What will happen when the objects are placed in a container of water (water temperature = 4°C)?
(1) Object B will float and object A will sink.
(3) Object A will float and object B will sink.
(2) Both objects will sink.
(4) Both objects will float.
59. Ocean tides are best described as
(1) unpredictable and cyclic
(2) unpredictable and noncyclic
(3) predictable and noncyclic
(4) predictable and cyclic
PSES PROLOGUE Qs
Base your answers to questions 60 through 63 on the diagram and table below.
60. When a sample of the mineral calcite is heated. it expands, causing its density to be
(1) less than 2.7 g/cm3
(3) exactly 2.7 g/cm3
3
(2) between 2.7 and 3.0 g/cm
(4) greater than 3.0 g/cm3
61. Under identical conditions, several samples of the mineral pyrite are measured, and their densities are compared. The
values obtained should show that
(1) rounded samples are more dense than rough
samples
(2) all the pyrite samples have the same density
(3) large samples are more dense than small
samples
(4) small samples are more dense than large
samples
62. A student measured the mass of a sample of quartz three times. The mass was the same the first and second times, but
was less the third time. This decrease in mass could have occurred before the third measurement if the sample had been
(1) cooled and contracted
(3) dropped and a piece was lost
(2) soaked in water
(4) heated and expanded
63. If the volume of mineral sample A is 28 cubic centimeters, sample A is most likely
(1) galena
(2) dolomite
(3) chalcopyrite
(4) copper
64. A rock sample has a mass of 16 grams and a volume of 8 cubic centimeters. When the rock is cut in half, what is the
volume and density of each piece?
(1) 4 cm3 and 2.0 g/cm3
(2) 4 cm3 and 4.0 g/cm3
(3) 8 cm3 and 1.0 g/cm3
(4) 8 cm3 and 0.5 g/cm3
PSES PROLOGUE Qs
65. The graph below shows the relationship between mass and volume for three samples, A, B, and C, of a given material.
What is the density of this material?
(1) 1.0 g/cm3
(2) 5.0 g/cm3
(3) 10.0 g/cm3
(4) 20.0 g/cm3
66. Which graph best represents the relationship between mass and volume of a material that has a density of 5 grams per
cubic centimeter?
(4)
(3)
(1)
(2)
67. The diagram below represents a solid object with a density of 3 grams per cubic centimeter.
What is the mass of this object?
(1) 0.5 g
(2) 2 g
68. Which event is most predictable?
(1) Coral fossils are found on mountaintops.
(2) An earthquake occurs.
(3) 18 g
(4) 36 g
(3) The Sun rises.
(4) A meteorite falls to Earth.
PSES PROLOGUE Qs
69. Base your answer to the following question on the diagram below, which represents a solid material of uniform
composition.
The mass of this piece of material is approximately
(1) 0.23 g
(2) 4.4 g
(3) 9.3 g
(4) 32 g
70. The mineral shown below is of uniform composition and has a density of 4 grams per cubic centimeter. What is the
mass of this mineral?
(1) 9 g
(2) 12 g
(3) 54 g
(4) 108 g
71. The graph below shows the relationship between the mass and volume of a mineral.
What is the density of this mineral?
(1) 6.0 g/cm3
(2) 9.0 g/cm3
(3) 3.0 g/cm3
(4) 4.5 g/cm3
PSES PROLOGUE Qs
72. As shown below, an empty 1,000.-milliliter container has a mass of 250.0 grams. When filled with a liquid, the
container and the liquid have a combined mass of 1,300. grams.
What is the density of the liquid?
(1) 1.00 g/mL
(2) 1.05 g/mL
(3) 1.30 g/mL
(4) 0.95 g/mL
73. Base your answer to the following question on the graph below which shows temperature readings for a day in late
March in central Iowa.
What was the average rate of temperature change between 6 a.m. and noon?
(1) 3ºF/hr.
(2) 6ºF/hr.
(3) 18ºF/hr.
(4) 48ºF/hr.
74. A 25-gram sample of halite was placed in a jar with five other mineral samples and water. The jar was shaken
vigorously for 5 minutes. The halite sample was then found to have a mass of 15 grams. What was the rate of
weathering of the halite sample?
(1) 0.50 g/min
(2) 2.0 g/min
(3) 3.0 g/min
(4) 10. g/min
75. Two geologic surveys of the same area, made 50 years apart, showed that the area had been uplifted 5 centimeters
during the interval. If the rate of uplift remains constant, how many years will it take for this area to be uplifted a total of
70 centimeters?
(1) 350 years
(2) 250 years
(3) 700 years
(4) 500 years
PSES PROLOGUE Qs
76. The graph below shows world population beginning in the year 1800 and projected to the year 2000.
The graph shows the greatest increase in population between
(1) 1975 and 2000
(2) 1875 and 1900
(3) 1825 and 1850
(4) 1925 and 1950
77. The graph below shows the relative amount of air pollution over a city for a period of several years.
Which statement about air pollution over this city is best supported by the graph?
(1) It is decreasing at a constant rate.
(3) It is increasing at a constant rate.
(2) It has no pattern.
(4) It is a cyclic event.
78. Which graph most likely illustrates a cyclic change?
(1)
(2)
(3)
79. Scientists can plan to photograph a solar eclipse because most astronomical events are
(1) random and predictable
(3) cyclic and unpredictable
(2) cyclic and predictable
(4) random and unpredictable
(4)
PSES PROLOGUE Qs
80. An observer on the Earth measured and recorded the slight changes in the apparent diameter of the Moon for 2 months.
A graph of the data is shown below.
Which statement best explains the observation:
(1) The distance from the Earth to the Moon varies in a cyclic manner.
(2) The Moon actually increases and decreases in size each month.
(3) The apparent diameter of the Moon is always greatest at the new-moon phase.
(4) The Earth revolves around the Moon each month.
PSES PROLOGUE Qs
Base your answers to questions 81 and 82 on the graph below, which shows the water levels of ocean tides measured in
Boston, Massachusetts, for a 2-day period.
81. If the trends shown by the graph continue, which statement best describes the next low tide at Boston that is expected to
occur on Wednesday?
(1) It will occur about 3 a.m. with a 0.4-meter water level.
(2) It will occur about 6 a.m. with a 0.6-meter water level.
(3) It will occur about 9 p.m. with a 2.6-meter water level.
(4) It will occur about 10 p.m. with a 2.8-meter water level.
82. The graph shows that high tides at Boston occur approximately every
(1) 3.5 hours
(2) 6.0 hours
(3) 12.5 hours
(4) 16.0 hours
83. A student recorded the times of three successive high tides at one location as:
9:12 a.m.
9:38 p.m.
10:04 a.m.
What is the approximate time of the next high tide?
(1) 10:12 p.m.
(2) 10:30 p.m.
(3) 10:38 p.m.
(4) 11:04 p.m.
PSES PROLOGUE Qs
84. The graph below shows the total number of deaths per month caused by lightning in the United States between 1959 and
1990.
Based on the information on the graph, which prediction about lightning deaths in the United States in the year 2000
would be most accurate?
(1) Most deaths will be the result of hurricanes.
(2) The number of deaths will exceed 900.
(3) Most deaths will occur along the eastern coastline.
(4) The greatest number of deaths will occur during summer.
85. Which graph shows the most probable effect of environmental pollution on the chances of human survival?
(1)
(2)
(3)
86. Future changes in the environment can best be predicted from data that are
(1) cyclic and collected over long periods of time
(2) highly variable and collected over long periods of time
(3) highly variable and collected over short periods of time
(4) cyclic and collected over short periods of time
(4)
PSES PROLOGUE Qs
87. The elevation of a certain area was measured for many years, and the results are recorded in the data table below.
If the elevation continued to increase at the same rate, what was most likely the elevation of this area in 1990?
(1) 103.25 m
(2) 103.50 m
(3) 103.75 m
(4) 104.00 m
Base your answers to questions 88 and 89 on the data table below, which shows the volume and mass of three different
samples, A, B, and C, of the mineral pyrite.
88. State the mass of a 10.0-cm3 sample of pyrite.
89. On the grid provided, plot the data (volume and mass) for the three samples of pyrite and connect the points with a line.
PSES PROLOGUE Qs
Answer Key
1.
1
27.
2
53.
2
79.
2
2.
1
28.
2
54.
2
80.
1
3.
3
29.
4
55.
2
81.
1
4.
1
30.
4
56.
4
82.
3
5.
3
31.
4
57.
2
83.
2
6.
3
32.
3
58.
3
84.
4
7.
3
33.
2
59.
4
85.
3
8.
4
34.
2
60.
1
86.
1
9.
4
35.
2
61.
2
87.
2
10.
4
36.
1
62.
3
88. 50.0 grams or 50 g.
11.
4
37.
1
63.
1
89.
12.
4
38.
1
64.
1
13.
4
39.
4
65.
3
14.
1
40.
2
66.
4
15.
1
41.
3
67.
3
16.
2
42.
2
68.
3
17.
4
43.
4
69.
4
18.
4
44.
1
70.
4
19.
1
45.
2
71.
1
20.
1
46.
2
72.
2
21.
3
47.
3
73.
1
22.
2
48.
3
74.
2
23.
2
49.
2
75.
3
24.
3
50.
3
76.
1
25.
3
51.
4
77.
4
26.
2
52.
2
78.
2