6th Grade PMA 3 Practice Test (2324)

Zoe, Avery, and Anika were studying the rock cycle and were particularly interested in the process of weathering and erosion. They decided to conduct an experiment to see if the type of soil affects the rate of weathering and erosion. They took three plastic cups and poked five holes in the bottom of each. They filled one cup with sand, one with clay, and left the third cup empty. They then placed each cup in a stand over a beaker. Avery poured 400 milliliters (mL) of water into the cup containing the clay. They measured the amount of water collected in the beaker beneath the cup at one-minute (min) intervals for three min. They repeated the process two more times, first with the cup containing sand and then with the empty cup.

Which of these conditions is NOT held constant in this experiment?

• the type of soil

• the time intervals

• the amount of water

• the number of holes in each cup

Grace, Anika, and Aria were curious about how different types of soil absorbed water. They decided to conduct an experiment. They took three identical plastic cups and made equal numbers and sizes of holes at the bottom of each cup. They filled one cup with sand, one with potting soil, and left one empty. They placed each cup in a stand over a beaker. They poured 400 mL (milliliters) of water into each of the cups. They then measured the amount of water collected in the beakers beneath each cup at 1-minute intervals for 3 minutes.

What is the control group in this experiment?

• the empty cup

• the cup with the soil

• the cup with the sand

• the amount of water collected in the beaker

Lily, Evelyn, and Ethan are part of a science club at their school. They are working on a project where they are studying the factors that influence the weathering rate of rocks. They set up multiple rock samples in different environmental conditions in their school's lab and measure their weathering over time. In this experiment, the dependent variable is:

• Control group

• Weathering rate

• Experimental group

• Environmental conditions

If Mia, Avery, and Charlotte conduct an experiment in their physics class and find that their results are replicable, what would you expect to be true of their measurements?

• The measurements will have two of the same.

• The measurements will all be exactly the same.

• The measurements will be close but not exactly the same.

• The measurements will vary by at least 10 centimeters (cm).

Arjun, Avery, and Mia are part of a science club at their school. They are working on a project to understand the effects of acid rain on historical limestone monuments. They want to design a controlled experiment to study the rate of weathering. They carefully select variables and design procedures to ensure accurate and reliable results. To ensure that they have reliable results, they conduct 6 trials. What would this be considered?

• Repetition

• Replication

• Analyzing data

• Scientific inquiry

Abigail, Benjamin, and Evelyn are on a field trip to the Grand Canyon. They notice that the rocks near the base of the canyon are cracked and broken. Their guide explains that this is due to the daily temperature changes in the canyon. The rocks heat up during the day and cool down at night, causing them to expand and contract. This leads to the weakening and eventual breakdown of the rocks. This is an example of which weathering process?

• Erosion

• Deposition

• Chemical weathering

• Physical weathering

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Olivia, Mia, and Benjamin were on a field trip to a geological park. They came across a large area of sedimentary rock. Their guide explained that over time, this rock could get moved deeper into Earth. There, rising temperatures and high pressure would change the rock. Eventually, the rock would melt from the high temperatures and pressure. After some time in those conditions, there would be a time of cooling. The guide asked the students to predict what kind of rock there will be at the end of all these steps. What should they predict?

• magma

• igneous rock

• sedimentary rock

• metamorphic rock

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

Mason, Anika, and Kai are on a field trip to a geological park. They observe various geological processes happening on the surface. According to their observations, what can form from these surface event processes?

• Metamorphic rock

• Magma and Sediment

• Igneous rock and Magma

• Sedimentary Rock and Sediment

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Hannah, Noah, and Kai are studying different types of rocks. They are trying to understand how rocks change over time. Which of the following cannot be inferred from their study?

• Rocks change over time.

• Igneous rocks form from weathering and erosion.

• Sedimentary rocks are formed from deposited sediment.

• Metamorphic rocks can form when sedimentary and igneous rocks are exposed to heat and pressure.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

While on a school trip to the beach, Ava, Ethan, and Harper found a peculiar rock. Upon closer examination, they noticed it was composed of tightly squeezed sand grains. The quartz grains were held together by narrow bands of calcium carbonate. What geologic event could have led to the formation of this Sedimentary rock they found?

• Deformation

• Melting and cooling

• Weathering and erosion

• Compaction and cementation