Science Benchmark

When a diver jumps off the high diving platform, her energy is converted or changed from stored energy to energy of motion. Which of these can happen when energy is converted from one form to another?

• Some of the energy changes to an unusable form.

• The energy cannot change back to potential energy.

• All of the energy changes to kinetic energy.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

When circumstances are right, most materials undergo a process called thermal expansion. Which statement best describes the cause and effect of thermal expansion?

• Matter is cooled, and its particles spread out more.

• Matter is heated, and its particles spread out more.

• Matter is cooled, and its particles move closer together.

• Matter is heated, and its particles move closer together.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

While Karen was cooking dinner, she noticed that several ingredients went through chemical and physical changes. Which cooking process is an example of a physical change?

• boiling soup

• frying eggs

• baking cookies

• toasting bread

When matter changes from a solid to liquid or from liquid to gas, what kind of change takes place?

• chemical change

• physical change

• thermal change

• energy change

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

Darius tears pages of newspaper into pieces to start a campfire. What kind of change is taking place as the paper is torn?

• a change in physical property

• a change in chemical property

• a change in substance

• a change in matter

Scientists use measurements of air temperature to predict how air masses will behave. On a warm day, if a very cold air mass suddenly rushed in, what could scientists predict about what would happen to the air mass and the resulting change in energy?

• The cold air would cause the warm air to rise as density decreases. Thermal energy would remain the same.

• The cold air would cause the warm air to sink as density decreases. Thermal energy would remain the same.

• The cold air would cause the warm air to sink as density increases. Thermal energy would be released by the warm air and temperatures would decrease.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

After using an air mattress, Lucy opens the valve to deflate it and air begins rushing out of the mattress. When will the air most likely stop rushing out of the mattress?

• When the air pressure in the mattress is LESS than atmospheric pressure.

• When the air pressure in the mattress is EQUAL to atmospheric pressure.

• When the air pressure in the mattress is MORE than atmospheric pressure.

Different types of solids behave differently due to their crystalline structure. Which statement best describes plastic?

• Plastic is an amorphous solid, because it can be gradually heated and cooled to take on a specific shape.

• Plastic is an amorphous liquid, because it does not melt at a specific temperature.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

Luca sees snow melting from a roof as the sun comes out. Later he notices that the melting snow froze into icicles during the cold night. How is energy related to these changes of state?

• The amount of thermal energy absorbed is affected by low melting points.

• Thermal energy flows from cold objects to hot objects as they freeze.

• Thermal energy is absorbed during melting, and then is released as it freezes.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

A lifeguard picks up a chair and moves it from one side of the pool to the other, using 50 joules of work to lift the chair in 5 seconds. How much power did the lifeguard use to lift the chair?

• 10 Watts

• 55 Watts

• 250 Watts

• 45 Watts