Science STAAR Category

An astronomer observes several items in the night sky and writes down their approximate distance from Earth. What is mostly likely Object #3?

• a planet, probably Jupiter or Saturn
  

• a nearby star relatively close to our solar system 

• a comet
  

• another galaxy 

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

The satellite photograph shows geological features, including a glacier.

As the glacier melts, water travels toward the ocean along the geological feature labeled X. When water erodes soil along this feature, the feature will most likely become —

• straight

• dry

• shorter

• wider

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Which answer choice best explains the change from daytime to nighttime on Earth?

• The sun stops sending light to Earth at night.

• Earth moves farther away from the sun at night.

• The tilt of Earth causes less light to reach Earth at night.

• Earth rotates and causes different parts of Earth to experience night.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

This picture shows scratches in bedrock that were caused by a moving glacier. These scratches are called glacial striations.

Glacial striations in the bedrock of South Africa indicate that glaciers once moved across the African continent. The presence of glaciers on the surface of Africa is evidence that —

• the tectonic plate under Africa was closer to the South Pole at one time

• the equator was not always where it is currently located

• volcanoes did not exist until after faults occurred in Earth’s crust

• the location of the North Pole and the South Pole changed

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

The temperature of a star determines the wavelength of visible light that is produced. The visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum is shown.

Stars with the highest temperatures will emit most of their light at wavelengths that are near —

• red light

• orange light

• green light

• blue light

The moon remains in orbit around Earth because of the force of —

• Earth’s rotation

• the moon’s rotation

• Earth’s gravity

• the sun’s gravity

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

On which date will they most likely be able to observe a new moon?

• May 13

• May 18

• May 25

• May 31

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Major surface currents of the ocean are shown in the diagram.

Ocean currents affect weather patterns by —

• regulating when tides occur in coastal areas

• trapping heat at the equator to regulate the global climate

• distributing heat from the uneven absorption of solar energy

• increasing the rate of evaporation to transport water to areas experiencing droughts

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

The diagram shows Earth in its orbit around the sun when very little light is visible at Earth’s South Pole. Which statement is true when Earth is in the position shown?

• It is August in the Northern Hemisphere. It is April in the Southern Hemisphere.

• It is summer in the Northern Hemisphere. It is winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

• The number of hours of daylight is greater in the Southern Hemisphere than in the Northern Hemisphere.

• Spring begins earlier in the year in the Southern Hemisphere than it does in the Northern Hemisphere.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

During which lunar phase is the tide highest?

• Phase 1

• Phase 2

• Phase 3

• Phase 4

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1