1.In which of these ways can volcanoes help build up new land? A. By adding heat to Earth’s surface B. By adding gases to the atmosphere C. By adding lava.

1. In which of these ways can volcanoes help build up new land?

A. By adding heat to Earth’s surface

B. By adding gases to the atmosphere

C. By adding lava to Earth’s surface

D. By adding water vapor to the atmosphere

1. In which of these ways can volcanoes help build up new land?

C. By adding lava to Earth’s surface

2. The picture shows a kind of glacier that can be many meters thick. In this landscape, which of the following is most directly affected by this kind of glacier?

. F The average height of plants on the mountainside G. The shape of clouds that form above the glacier H. The average mass of trees near the lake J. The shape of the valley between the mountains

2. The picture shows a kind of glacier that can be many meters thick. In this landscape, which of the following is most directly affected by this kind of glacier?

J. The shape of the valley between the mountains

3.Which of the following features is best modeled in the diagram above?

A. Island B. Glacier C. River D. Volcano

3.Which of the following features is best modeled in the diagram above?

B. Glacier

4. Which of these best completes this chart?

F. WaterG. SoilH. CoalJ. Sand

Fossil Fuels

AlternativeEnergy Sources

Oil Wood

Natural Gas Wind

? Sun

4. Which of these best completes this chart?

H. Coal

Fossil Fuels

AlternativeEnergy Sources

Oil Wood

Natural Gas Wind

? Sun

5. Which of these is a renewable resource?

F. Tree

G. Coal

H. Oil

J. Wind

5. Which of these is a renewable resource?

F. Tree

6. Which of the following is best classified as a nonrenewable resource?

A. grass

B. aluminum

C. sunlight

D. Oxygen

6. Which of the following is best classified as a nonrenewable resource?

B. aluminum

7. Which planet has a year with a length closest to the length of a year on Earth?

A. MercuryB. VenusC. MarsD. Jupiter

Planets That Can Be Seen Without a Telescope

Planets MoonsAverage

Distance fromSun (km)

Lengthof Year

(Earth days)

Mercury 0 58,000,000 87

Venus 0 108,000,000 224

Earth 1 150,000,000 365

Mars 2 228,000,000 686

Jupiter 16 778,000,000 4,328

Saturn 18 1,427,000,000 10,775

7. Which planet has a year with a length closest to the length of a year on Earth?

B. Venus

Planets That Can Be Seen Without a Telescope

Planets MoonsAverage

Distance fromSun (km)

Lengthof Year

(Earth days)

Mercury 0 58,000,000 87

Venus 0 108,000,000 224

Earth 1 150,000,000 365

Mars 2 228,000,000 686

Jupiter 16 778,000,000 4,328

Saturn 18 1,427,000,000 10,775

8. Which two planets are closest to Earth?

A. Mercury and Saturn

B. Mars and Jupiter

C. Mercury and Venus

D. Venus and Mars

8. Which two planets are closest to Earth?

D. Venus and Mars

9. Which of these best represents Mars?

F. QG. RH. SJ. T

9. Which of these best represents Mars?

H. S

10. Sunspots appear to be darker than the rest of the sun’s surface because they are —

F. partially hidden from viewG. in the shadow of the sun’s coronaH. cooler than the rest of the sun’s surfaceJ. made of dark-colored minerals

10. Sunspots appear to be darker than the rest of the sun’s surface because they are —

H. cooler than the rest of the sun’s surface

11. Which of these would best model how the sun’s energy warms Earth?

F. A pot of water boiling

G. A heat lamp keeping food hot

H. An oven baking bread

J. A spoon getting hot when stirring soup

11. Which of these would best model how the sun’s energy warms Earth?

G. A heat lamp keeping food hot

12. The surface of the sun is made of —

F. gases

G. solids

H. liquids

J. energy

12. The surface of the sun is made of —

F. gases

13. Which of these is the center of our solar system?

F. Mars

G. The moon

H. Jupiter

J. The Sun

13. Which of these is the center of our solar system?

J. The Sun

14. A student saw the constellation Scorpius in the southern part of the summer sky. In the winter Scorpius was not visible at all. What causes this constellation to disappear from the winter sky?

A. The stars moving away from Earth

B. The solar winds covering the night sky

C. The revolution of Earth around the sun

D. The orbiting of the stars in the galaxy

14. A student saw the constellation Scorpius in the southern part of the summer sky. In the winter Scorpius was not visible at all. What causes this constellation to disappear from the winter sky?

C. The revolution of Earth around the sun

15. About how long does it take Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis?

A. One day

B. One week

C. One month

D. One year

15. About how long does it take Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis?

A. One day

16. According to this information, what kind of weather is related to low air pressure?

F. SunnyG. FairH. RainyJ. Mild

DayAir Pressure

(mm of mercury)Weather

1 767 Fair; mild temperatures

2 767 Fair; mild temperatures

3 765 Cloudy; mild temperatures

4 756 Rainy; windy; cool temperatures

5 758 Rainy; cool temperatures

6 764 Fair; mild temperatures

7 765 Sunny; mild temperatures

16. According to this information, what kind of weather is related to low air pressure?

H. Rainy

DayAir Pressure

(mm of mercury)Weather

1 767 Fair; mild temperatures

2 767 Fair; mild temperatures

3 765 Cloudy; mild temperatures

4 756 Rainy; windy; cool temperatures

5 758 Rainy; cool temperatures

6 764 Fair; mild temperatures

7 765 Sunny; mild temperatures

17. Tides on the Texas coast usually occur twice —

A. daily

B. weekly

C. monthly

D. yearly

17. Tides on the Texas coast usually occur twice —

A. daily

18. Three soil samples were tested to see how much water each could hold. The same amount of water was added to each funnel of soil. Very few plants would probably grow in the clay because the water would —

A. fail to reach the roots of the plantsB. become too cloudyC. run through the soil too quickly

D. become poisonous to the plants

18. Three soil samples were tested to see how much water each could hold. The same amount of water was added to each funnel of soil. Very few plants would probably grow in the clay because the water would —

A. fail to reach the roots of the plants

19. The pictures show a method used to collect data in an investigation. Different kinds of materials were mixed with 100 grams of garden soil. An equal amount of water was added to each mixture. Which of these was this investigation designed to answer?

A. How well each material mixes with garden soilB. How well each mixture holds waterC. How well each material supports plantsD. How well each mixture keeps its texture when wet

19.The pictures show a method used to collect data in an investigation.Different kinds of materials were mixed with 100 grams of garden soil. Anequal amount of water was added to each mixture. Which of these wasthis investigation designed to answer?

B. How well each mixture holds water

20. A student wants to find out which type of soil holds the most water. He uses four identical pots with holes in the bottom. He fills each pot with a different type of soil and waters the pots with the same amount of water. How can he find out how much water stays in the soil in each pot?

A. By planting seeds and measuring plant growth in each potB. By measuring the amount of water that drains from each potC. By observing which soil looks wettest after the water has

been added to the potsD. By feeling the soil before and after adding water to each pot

20. A student wants to find out which type of soil holds the most water. He uses four identical pots with holes in the bottom. He fills each pot with a different type of soil and waters the pots with the same amount of water. How can he find out how much water stays in the soil in each pot?

B. By measuring the amount of water that drains from each pot

21. Similar containers were filled with different types of soil. Holes were poked into the bottom of each container, and 300 milliliters of water were added. The water that dripped out was collected and measured. According to the information in the table, which type of soil retained water best?

A. Potting soilB. Sandy soilC. GravelD. Clay

Types of Soil

Amount of Water

Collected(mL)

Potting soil 220

Sandy soil 250

Gravel 295

Clay 225

21. Similar containers were filled with different types of soil. Holes were poked into the bottom of each container, and 300 milliliters of water were added. The water that dripped out was collected and measured. According to the information in the table, which type of soil retained water best?

A. Potting soil

Types of Soil

Amount of Water

Collected(mL)

Potting soil 220

Sandy soil 250

Gravel 295

Clay 225

Some students added 500 milliliters of water to equal amounts of four different samples of soil. In this investigation, which sample of soil held the

22. Some students added 500 milliliters of water to equal amounts of four different samples of soil. In this investigation, which sample of soil held the most water?

A. B. C. D.

Some students added 500 milliliters of water to equal amounts of four different samples of soil. In this investigation, which sample of soil held the

22. Some students added 500 milliliters of water to equal amounts of four different samples of soil. In this investigation, which sample of soil held the most water?

C.

23. The energy that causes seawater to form water vapor comes from —

F. the clouds

G. underwater mountains

H. chemical reactions in the sea

J. the sun

23. The energy that causes seawater to form water vapor comes from —

J. the sun

24. In order for tomato plants to make their own food, their leaves must absorb —

A. rain

B. sunlight

C. oxygen

D. minerals

24. In order for tomato plants to make their own food, their leaves must absorb —

B. sunlight

25. Which of these supplies the energy that drives the water cycle?

F. The sun

G. The planets

H. The oceans

J. The moon

25. Which of these supplies the energy that drives the water cycle?

F. The sun

26. The picture shows an ocean near a mountain range. When comparing location Q to location T, location T will usually have

A. brighter sunlightB. stronger windsC. more snowD. less rain

26. The picture shows an ocean near a mountain range. When comparing location Q to location T, location T will usually have

D. less rain

27. Which of these best shows the relationship between Earth, the moon, and the sun?

A C

B D

27. Which of these best shows the relationship between Earth, the moon, and the sun?

D.

28. Before a field trip to a cave, a science class studied this picture. Which two features of this cave system were most likely formed by the slow buildup of minerals from water drops?

F. Pool of water and trenchG. Pool of water and stalagmiteH. Stalactite and trenchJ. Stalagmite and stalactite

28. Before a field trip to a cave, a science class studied this picture. Which two features of this cave system were most likely formed by the slow buildup of minerals from water drops?

J. Stalagmite and stalactite

29. Which of the following happens in our solar system?

F. Earth revolves around the sun once per day

G. The moon revolves around Earth once per day

H. Earth revolves around the sun once per year.

J. The moon revolves around Earth once per year.

29. Which of the following happens in our solar system?

H. Earth revolves around the sun once per year.

30. Which of these causes day and night on Earth?

A. Earth orbiting the sun

B. The moon orbiting Earth

C. Earth rotating on its axis

D. The moon blocking sunlight

30. Which of these causes day and night on Earth?

C. Earth rotating on its axis

31. Plants take in carbon dioxide gas and use it to make sugars. Through this process they release oxygen, which animals need. Which of the following activities could decrease the amount of oxygen released into the air?

A. Making sure trees are planted with every new house built

B. Encouraging cities to plan for more parks

C. Paving more land for roads and parking lots

D. Better controls for air and water pollution

31. Plants take in carbon dioxide gas and use it to make sugars. Through this process they release oxygen, which animals need. Which of the following activities could decrease the amount of oxygen released into the air?

C. Paving more land for roads and parking lots

32. Which gas in the air would increase if a large number of trees were cut down?

A. Carbon dioxide

B. Nitrogen

C. Oxygen

D. Water vapor

32. Which gas in the air would increase if a large number of trees were cut down?

A. Carbon dioxide

33. After lake water flows through a dam, which processes help replace the water in the lake?

A. Rainfall and runoff

B. Erosion and weathering

C. Refraction and reflection

D. Separating and evaporating

33. After lake water flows through a dam, which processes help replace the water in the lake?

A. Rainfall and runoff

34. Clouds bring rain and snow to Earth’s surface.How do rain and snow most support life on Earth?

A. They cool the land surface

B. They carry acids into the soil

C. They bring freshwater to land organisms

D. They build up mountains.

34. Clouds bring rain and snow to Earth’s surface.How do rain and snow most support life on Earth?

C. They bring freshwater to land organisms

35. Which experiment would best show how different methods of plowing fields on a hill affect erosion?

F H

G J

35. Which experiment would best show how different methods of plowing fields on a hill affect erosion?

G.

36. The rock column above shows the layers in a rock formation. The three diagrams above show the positions of fossils in different rock layers. According to this information, which fossil is the youngest?

F G H J

36. The rock column above shows the layers in a rock formation. The three diagrams above show the positions of fossils in different rock layers. According to this information, which fossil is the youngest?

J.

37. The Davis Mountains in West Texas used to be taller than they are now. Which of the following conditions most likely caused the mountains to become shorter over time?

A. Heat and pressure

B. Soil deposition

C. Rain and wind

D. River formation

37. The Davis Mountains in West Texas used to be taller than they are now. Which of the following conditions most likely caused the mountains to become shorter over time?

C. Rain and wind

38. Fossil fuels formed over a long period of time because heat and pressure were applied to —

A. carbon filtered through limestone

B. organisms buried in the ground

C. bacteria on top of the mud

D. nitrogen mixed in the water

38. Fossil fuels formed over a long period of time because heat and pressure were applied to —

B. organisms buried in the ground

39. Most canyons are the result of erosion caused by —

A. a river

B. a volcano

C. a hurricane

D. an earthquake

39. Most canyons are the result of erosion caused by —

A. a river

40. The prairie is ideal for the growth of grasses because it has rich topsoil. All of these processes help form topsoil EXCEPT —

F. decay of trees

G. weathering of rocks

H. erosion of hills

J. movement of oceans

40. The prairie is ideal for the growth of grasses because it has rich topsoil. All of these processes help form topsoil EXCEPT —

J. movement of oceans

41. Which of these can cause sharp, rough mountains to become rounded and smooth over time?

F. Wind and rain

G. The sun’s rays

H. Light and darkness

J. Earth’s magnetic field

41. Which of these can cause sharp, rough mountains to become rounded and smooth over time?

F. Wind and rain

42. A rock is taken from the surface of the moon and brought to Earth. What is different about this rock on Earth?

A. Its mass

B. Its shape

C. Its length

D. Its weight

42. A rock is taken from the surface of the moon and brought to Earth. What is different about this rock on Earth?

D. Its weight

43. Which of the following can be found on both Earth and the moon?

F. Hills

G. Thick atmosphere

H. Thunderstorms

J. Oceans

43. Which of the following can be found on both Earth and the moon?

F. Hills