Pennsylvania Pass Science

A mouse's habitat is a grassland containing rocks, soil, and grass. The mouse lives in a burrow underground. Based on this information, which statement BEST describes how the mouse interacts with its environment?

• The mouse uses soil for food and shelter

• The mouse gets energy from its predators

• The mouse changes its environment to create food

• The mouse gets energy and shelter from its environment.

Which relationship would a scientist MOST LIKELY model using calculations based on the law of universal gravitation?

• the motion of planets within the solar system

• the internal structure and position of the Moon

• factors that affect Earth's atmosphere and climate

• natural events that change the shape of Earth's surface.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

Many people in Pennsylvania depend on groundwater for their water supply. Which action would MOST LIKELY provide a greater amount of groundwater?

• an increase in the amount of infiltration

• a decrease in the amount of condensation

• an increase in the amount of developed land surface

• a decrease in the amount of autumn and winter precipitation

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

Which statement BEST describes how thunderstorms form?

• convection currents cause cirrus clouds to become wider, resulting in less energy in the clouds than in the surrounding air.

• convection currents cause cumulus clouds to become taller, resulting in more energy in the clouds than in the surrounding air.

• downdrafts resulting from evaporation cause cirrus clouds to become taller, resulting in more energy in the clouds than in the surrounding air.

• downdrafts resulting from evaporation cause cumulus clouds to become wider, resulting in less energy in the clouds than in the surrounding air

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Which statement BEST explains how a planet affects the orbital path of a comet as the comet passes by the planet.

• the speed of the comet creates an area of low pressure as the comet passes by, pulling the planet toward the comet.

• the magnetic fields of the comet and the planet produce similar changes, pushing the two objects apart as the comet passes by.

• the planet has a stronger gravitational field than the comet has, and the comet is pulled slightly toward the planet as it passes by.

• the gravitational field of the planet pulls the comet, which does not have a gravitational field, toward the planet as the comet passes by.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

An engineering team developed a new airplane body design that uses less fuel while flying. The team built a model to test the new design. How does using a model MOST LIKELY help the engineering team?

• It can be tested and changed more easily than a real airplane.

• It allows them to safely fly an airplane in dangerous conditions.

• It can be made to higher quality standards than a real airplane.

• It allows them to save money by never test-flying a full-size airplane.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-4

Which statement BEST describes wood and coal in terms of renewability and formation time?

• wood is nonrenewable and forms in a few years, unlike coal, which is renewable and takes millions of years to form.

• wood is renewable and forms in a few years, unlike coal, which is nonrenewable and takes millions of years to form.

• wood is nonrenewable and takes millions of years to form, unlike coal, which is renewable and forms in a few years.

• wood is renewable and takes millions of years to form, unlike coal, which is nonrenewable and forms in a few years.

Fossils of extinct corals are commonly found in Pennsylvania. Scientists who study these coral fossils indicate that they are similar to living corals. Which statement BEST explains why these fossils provide valuable information about prehistoric Pennsylvania?

• they may indicate that the earliest settlers moved inland from the coasts and brought coral-based fertilizer for their crops.

• they may provide evidence for evolution by comparing adaptations for living on land with aquatic adaptations in the same species.

• they may indicate that corals may have lived on land at some point in history because corals presently live in aquatic environments.

• they may provide evidence that Pennsylvania was once covered by warm ocean waters since most corals are presently found in these environments.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

The acidity of the water in a stream is indicated by its pH. Historically, a certain stream has had a pH of 6.0. Acid rain has caused the stream's pH to become 4.8. Which statement predicts how the stream's ecosystem will MOST LIKELY be impacted?

• the flow rate of the stream will increase

• the flow rate of the stream will decrease

• the number of fish in the stream will increase

• the number of fish in the stream will decrease

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4