PSSA 8th Grade Science

Question 1

The surface of Earth is covered by a relatively thin layer of water called the

Accepted Answer

hydrosphere

Question 2

Which ratio describes the changes in the two characteristics of salt water shown on this graph?

Accepted Answer

1:15

Question 3

Air mass over the Gulf of Mexico- Once air mass A reaches B, the weather conditions at B will

Accepted Answer

warmer and more humid

Question 4

When did erosion become most dominant process in the development of the landscape in stage 4?

Accepted Answer

between stages 3 and 4

Question 5

Which three systems of the human body function together to move and control body parts?

Accepted Answer

nervous, skeletal, and muscular

Question 6

Which example is a non-renewable source of chemical energy?

Accepted Answer

gasoline

Question 7

Which statement BEST describes one way energy flows through this food web?

Accepted Answer

from water plants to carp fish to blue herons to alligators.

Question 8

How is an asteroid different from a moon?

Accepted Answer

An asteroid would be a moon if it began orbiting a planet.

Question 9

Which statement BEST describes the chemicals in the reaction C + O2 --> CO2?

Accepted Answer

C and O2 are reactants, and CO2 is a product

Question 10

The labeled organs in the diagram below are part of which human body system?

Accepted Answer

endocrine

Question 11

Air sac in the human lung (white arrows show blood flow) Which 2 systems are interacting?

Accepted Answer

respiratory and circulatory

Question 12

Look at the table for 3 mice running a maze. Which relationship is BEST supported by the data?

Accepted Answer

More practice resulted in faster maze times for each mouse.

Question 13

If heating continues, the water in the glass tube will most likely

Accepted Answer

rise higher in the tube

Question 14

Which energy resource is renewable?

Accepted Answer

wind

Question 15

The person using the track with rollers uses less energy to load the box bc the rollers reduce

Accepted Answer

the force of friction

Question 16

Solar system as seen from space- For which object is the lighted surface shown incorrectly?

Accepted Answer

Venus

Question 17

Which equipment will best separate a mixture of iron filings and black pepper?

Accepted Answer

magnet

Question 18

Look at the image for the question

Accepted Answer

an observation

Question 19

What happened to light passing through the H2O to cause the diff. b/w the two positions?

Accepted Answer

refraction

Question 20

Diagram-penny scratching the surface of mineral calcite.What physical property is being tested?

Accepted Answer

hardness

Question 21

Triple-beam balance:What is the maximum mass, in grams, that could be measured by this balance?

Accepted Answer

610

Question 22

If a ball that has a density of 1.73 g/cm3 is placed in the beaker, where will the ball rest?

Accepted Answer

between liquids C and D

Question 23

Relative size and track of a certain weather event- Which weather event is shown on the map?

Accepted Answer

hurricane

Question 24

The main function of the human digestive system is to

Accepted Answer

break down foods for absorption into the blood

Question 25

The possible movement represented by the arrows in the diagram is coordinated by the

Accepted Answer

nervous system

Question 26

Symptoms of bacterial diseases- What 2 diseases in the table affect the digestive system?

Accepted Answer

botulism and typhoid fever

Question 27

Which rock layer contains the oldest fossils?

Accepted Answer

D

Question 28

Incomplete circuit- What item would allow the bulb to light up if it were to connect A to B?

Accepted Answer

a metal coin

Question 29

The cycling of water from ocean surfaces to the atmosphere mainly depends on which process?

Accepted Answer

evaporation caused by the Sun

Question 30

Look at the image for the question

Accepted Answer

stir rapidly

Question 31

Forms of electromagnetic energy-What shows electromagnetic energy with the shortest wavelength?

Accepted Answer

B

Question 32

Which of the following (X or Y) is a model of a COMPOUND, and WHY?

Accepted Answer

X because two different atoms or chemically bonded together.

Question 33

Dust and ash entering the atmosphere as a result of volcanic eruptions can affect Earth's

Accepted Answer

weather and climate

Question 34

Which statement best describes the relationship between atmospheric pressure and altitude?

Accepted Answer

Atmospheric pressure decreases as altitude increases.

Question 35

Which part of a farm system is directly improved by the use of fossil-fuel-based fertilizers?

Accepted Answer

nutrients and minerals

Question 36

Which word BEST describes the organism’s role in its ecosystem?

Accepted Answer

predator

Question 37

These items are all examples of

Accepted Answer

models

Question 38

What sequence lists the levels of organization in the human body from simplest to most complex?

Accepted Answer

cell → tissue → organ → organ system

Question 39

Butterfly development from egg into an adult- Which process is illustrated in the diagram?

Accepted Answer

metamorphosis

Question 40

Which statement explains why the Sun and the Moon appear to be about the same size in the sky?

Accepted Answer

Moon= smaller in diameter and closer to Earth than the Sun

Question 41

Movement of Earth's crust along plate boundaries produces

Accepted Answer

earthquakes

Question 42

When we exercise, sweat often forms on the skin. Sweating is an ex. of the body’s ability to

Accepted Answer

respond to the environment

Question 43

Which statement best describes the relationship between spring length and PE in this graph?

Accepted Answer

As the spring length increases, potential energy increases.

Question 44

What model is used to show the pattern of traits passed from one generation to the next?

Accepted Answer

pedigree chart

Question 45

The diagram shows 4 Moon phases observed during July. What date would the next New Moon occur?

Accepted Answer

August 29

Question 46

In which type of rock are fossils generally found?

Accepted Answer

sedimentary

Question 47

A sudden change in the weather at a certain location is most likely caused by

Accepted Answer

the arrival of an air mass

Question 48

Cross section of rock layers in Earth's crust- The forces shown caused the rock layers to

Accepted Answer

fold

Question 49

Which word represents the basic unit of heredity in living organisms?

Accepted Answer

gene

Question 50

According to the table, what measurement shows the greatest % increase from birth to age 5?

Accepted Answer

brain weight

Question 51

Which measurements are required to calculate the average speed of a car driving on a road?

Accepted Answer

time and distance

Question 52

What conclusion about this species of bacteria is best supported by the info. in the graphs?

Accepted Answer

Antibiotic C was most effective in controlling the growth.

PSSA 8th Grade Science

Questions 52

PSSA 8th Grade Science

Questions 52