Unit 1 Assessment A

Which phrase best defines science?

• study of living organisms

• observational study of the Earth

• discussion of feelings and thoughts

• systematic study of natural events and conditions

Renee rolls a steel ball down a ramp. She conducts multiple trials by releasing the ball from different heights on the ramp. For each trial, she measures and records the release height of the ball and the distance the ball travels from the ramp before hitting the ground. In this experiment, what is the independent variable?

• distance traveled by the ball

• path of the ball once it leaves the ramp

• height from which the ball is released

• time it takes for the ball to hit the ground

The average price of a new car in selected years is shown in the table below.

• From 1930 to 2009, the average price of a new car steadily increased.

• From 1930 to 2009, there is no apparent trend in the average price of a new car.

• From 1930 to 2009, the average price of a new car both increased and decreased.

• From 1930 to 2009, the average price of a new car decreased at regular intervals.

Tags

CCSS.HSS.ID.C.7

When designing technology, designers must consider factors that limit the design. What are these factors called?

• trade-offs

• constraints

• prototypes

• methodical thinking

Tags

CCSS.HSA.CED.A.3

CCSS.HSG.MG.A.3

Biologists track the migration patterns of manatees to test predictions about how far the animals travel. The tracking devices are monitored by satellite. Biologists collect the transmitted data on their computers. The figure below shows a Florida manatee wearing a device for tracking its migration pattern.

• It restricts the manatees to the biologists’ facility.

• It records manatees’ breeding habits for biologists to study.

• It allows manatees to travel freely.

• It requires the team of biologists to do in-person checks on the manatees on a daily basis.

Tags

CCSS.7.SP.A.2

Which personal trait stimulates scientists to develop questions about the natural world?

• creativity

• curiosity

• objectivity

• skepticism

Scientific investigations include many different steps. After which step in a scientific investigation might a scientist use results to reject an existing hypothesis and form a new hypothesis?

• Analyze data.

• Identify variables.

• Follow a procedure.

• Plan the experiment.

Tags

CCSS.HSS.IC.B.5

To make the following working model of a solar-powered car, the design team first determined which materials have previously been used to create similar models. What engineering skill would have been most necessary to answer this question?

• modeling skills

• research skills

• mathematics skills

• brainstorming skills

George Washington Carver was an African-American scientist who created hundreds of products and uses for peanuts and sweet potatoes. These products included foods, household maintenance items, fuels, and many others. Carver encouraged farmers in the southern United States to grow peanuts or sweet potatoes instead of cotton, which had limited uses. Which claim describes how Carver’s scientific advances have helped society?

• It provided an early understanding of genetics.

• It provided more food and nutrition options.

• It provided more cotton for textile development.

• It damaged the farm economy because growing peanuts and sweet potatoes takes more land than growing cotton does.

Gregor Mendel performed many experiments with pea plants before developing his theory of inheritance. What evidence did Mendel use to support his theory?

• A. a plan for his experiments

• B. data from his experiments

• C. a hypothesis that he investigated

• D. hypotheses proposed by other scientists

Tags

CCSS.HSS.IC.B.3