Science STAAR Released Questions

Students design an experiment to determine how much force is needed to move blocks of wood of different masses slowly across a lab table. Which procedure should students include in their design?

• Conduct 5 trials, using a different scale to pull each block of wood.

• Conduct 5 trials, using a different table for each trial.

• Conduct 5 trials, pulling a different side of each block each time.

• Conduct 5 trials, pulling each block of wood in the same way for each trial.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-1

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

The diagram (picture) shows two trials of an experiment in which a spring scale was used to measure force. This experiment can determine (figure out) -

• how mass affects (changes) the force needed to move objects

• how force affects (changes) the mass of two objects

• how the force used to pull a dictionary affects (changes) the mass of a box of marbles

• how the mass of a box of marbles affects (changes) the mass of a dictionary

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

The diagram (picture) shows two trials of an experiment in which a spring scale was used to measure force.

Which statement is a reasonable conclusion?

• It takes more force to pull a load with more mass.

• It takes less force to move a load with more mass.

• The force needed to move a heavier load is the same as the force needed to move a lighter load.

• The mass of the marbles changes the mass of the dictionary.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

Students drop the same heavy ball onto identical blocks of soft clay from different heights. For each height they measure the depth of the dent the ball makes in the clay. Why is the depth of the dent different in each trial?

• The size of the ball changes.

• The material (type of matter) of the ball changes.

• The mass of the ball changes.

• The force of the ball when it hits the clay changes.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-1

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

A class is using the setup shown to test this hypothesis:

The higher the ball is held, the greater the impact will be.

What is one piece of equipment needed to test the hypothesis? ​ (a)  

AND how can the hypothesis be tested?​ (b)  

• a blanace

• a graduated cylinder

• a tape measure

• drop different balls from the same height

• change the mass of the ball

• change the size of the ball

• drop the same ball from different heights

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-1

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

A student designs an experiment to test the effect (result) of the width of a piece of elastic on the elastic's ability to stretch. The student uses four different pieces of elastic with different widths but the same length when not being stretched. The student then attaches blocks with different masses to the pieces of elastic. The results of the student's experiment are shown in the picture.

What should the student do to improve this experiment?

• Use blocks of equal mass on each of the four pieces of elastic.

• Use blocks with enough mass to cause each of the four pieces of elastic to break.

• Use more than four pieces of elastic and more than four blocks.

• Use four pieces of elastic each with different lengths but the same width.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

A student observes that the craters on the moon are different sizes. The student designs an experiment to study the formation of the craters. The materials for the experiment are marbles and a pan of flour. The student makes a hypothesis that the size of the craters made on the surface of the flour will depend on the height from which the marble is dropped. Some of the steps in the experiment are described in the box. Which of these is most likely Step 3 in the experiment?

• Drop the same marble from different heights into the pan of flour.

• Drop marbles of different masses from the same height into the pan of flour.

• Drop marbles of different sizes from different heights into the pan of four.

• Drop a single marble one time into the pan of four.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-1

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

What other piece of equipment would be most useful for this experiment?

• A graduated cylinder to measure the volume of each sphere before it is launched.

• A beaker to collect the spheres after they are launched.

• A stopwatch to measure how long it takes to load each sphere on the spring.

• A meterstick or measuring tape to measure the height each sphere reaches after the sphere is launched.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-1

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

A student designs an experiment to test the force of a spring launcher and four spheres with the same diameter (same size) but with different masses.

What other piece of equipment would be most useful for this experiment?

(a)  

AND how can the hypothesis be tested?​ (b)  

• A graduated cylinder

• A beaker

• A stopwatch

• A meterstick or measuring tape

• launch each sphere and record the height

• launch only one sphere multiple times

• change the spring

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-1

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

A student uses a spring scale to pull a 50 gram block horizontally across a wood desk. Then the student pulls the block the same distance one time each across surfaces of carpet, sandpaper, and glass.

How can the student improve the investigation?

• Use repeated trials for each surface.

• Use different blocks for each of the different surfaces.

• Use more than 3 surfaces.

• Use a block with more mass.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-3

NGSS.MS-PS2-2