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Quest: 8th Grade Science Assessment

Back to the SSA page.

Here are some science questions from the Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Grade Standards to help you test your knowledge of the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards.

The questions are chosen randomly, so this quest will be different each time you reload the page.

* Click here to see only the most recently added questions.

In August of 2004, Hurricane Charley removed over six feet of sand from the beach at St. Augustine. Was that an example of erosion, weathering, both, or neither?

  1. Erosion

    Yes! This is an example of erosion. The sand was moved by wind and water.

    The term "weathering" causes confusion because it sounds like it has something to do with weather. In Earth Science, weathering means "breaking apart." Weathering breaks rocks apart. Erosion carries the pieces of rock to a different location.

  2. Weathering

    No. While this was caused by weather, it is not an example of weathering. Keep in mind that weathering means breaking down rocks into smaller pieces. The sand was not broken into smaller pieces. It was just moved from one place to another (erosion).

  3. Both erosion and weathering

    No. This was erosion, but not weathering.

  4. Neither erosion nor weathering

    No. Since the sand was moved, it was erosion.

Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.

Florida

SC.4.E.6.1 Identify the three categories of rocks: igneous, (formed from molten rock); sedimentary (pieces of other rocks and fossilized organisms); and metamorphic (formed from heat and pressure).
Evaporites video, learnalong, checked
Igneous Rocks and Bubbles video, free, learnalong, Updated
Sedimentary Rocks video, learnalong
What is a Rock? video, learnalong, checked
Bioclastics: Rocks With No Minerals video
Homemade Fossil Dig text page
Foliated and Unfoliated Rocks text page, learnalong
Identifying Igneous Rocks text page, learnalong
Intrusive and Extrusive Igneous Rocks text page, learnalong
Light and Dark Minerals text page, learnalong
Review Rocks-8 practice
Review Rocks-9 practice
Review Rocks-7 practice
Review Rocks-10 practice
Review Rocks-10 practice
Review Rocks-10 practice
Review Rocks-1 practice
Review Rocks-2 practice
Review Rocks-3 practice
Review Rocks-4 practice
Review Rocks-5 practice
Review Rocks-6 practice
SC.7.E.6.2 Identify the patterns within the rock cycle and relate them to surface events (weathering and erosion) and sub-surface events (plate tectonics and mountain building).
Evaporites video, learnalong, checked
What is a Rock? video, learnalong, checked
The Rock Cycle video, learnalong
Change: Fast and Slow video
Erosion video, checked
Continuous Change video, checked
Bioclastics: Rocks With No Minerals video
Weathering and Erosion video, learnalong, checked
Review Rocks-7 practice
Review Rocks-10 practice
Review Rocks-10 practice
Review Rocks-1 practice
Review Erosion-1 practice
Review Erosion-2 practice
Review Erosion-3 practice
Review Erosion-4 practice
Review Erosion-5 practice
Review Rocks-4 practice
Review Rocks-5 practice
Review Rocks-6 practice
Review Rocks-8 practice
Review Rocks-9 practice

Utah

UT.4.III.2.b Distinguish between weathering (i.e., wearing down and breaking of rock surfaces) and erosion (i.e., the movement of materials).
Change: Fast and Slow video
Erosion video, checked
Weathering and Erosion video, learnalong, checked
Review Erosion-1 practice
Review Erosion-2 practice
Review Erosion-3 practice
Review Erosion-4 practice
Review Erosion-5 practice
UT.5.II.1.a Identify the objects, processes, or forces that weather and erode Earth’s surface (e.g., ice, plants, animals, abrasion, gravity, water, wind)
Change: Fast and Slow video
Erosion video, checked
Continuous Change video, checked
Weathering and Erosion video, learnalong, checked
Review Erosion-1 practice
Review Erosion-2 practice
Review Erosion-3 practice
Review Erosion-4 practice
Review Erosion-5 practice
UT.8.III.2.b Describe the role of energy in the processes that change rock materials over time.
Igneous Rocks and Bubbles video, free, learnalong, Updated
Sedimentary Rocks video, learnalong
Change: Fast and Slow video
Erosion video, checked
Continuous Change video, checked
Weathering and Erosion video, learnalong, checked

NGSS

4-ESS2-1 Make observations and/or measurements to provide evidence of the effects of weathering or the rate of erosion by water, ice, wind, or vegetation.
Change: Fast and Slow video
Erosion video, checked
Continuous Change video, checked
Weathering and Erosion video, learnalong, checked
Review Erosion-1 practice
Review Erosion-2 practice
Review Erosion-3 practice
Review Erosion-4 practice
Review Erosion-5 practice

When water freezes, it:

  1. Condenses

    No. Condensation happens when water vapor changes from a gas to a liquid.

  2. Contracts

    No. Water does not take up less space when it freezes.

  3. Expands

    Yes! Unlike most substances, water expands to take up more space when it freezes.

  4. Gains mass.

    No. Changing from one state to another does not cause a change in mass.

Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.

Florida

SC.3.P.9.1 Describe the changes water undergoes when it changes state through heating and cooling by using familiar scientific terms such as melting, freezing, boiling, evaporation, and condensation.
Cloud Formation, part 2 video
Making a Solar Still video
Wonderful Water video, checked
A Watched Pot video
Why We Sweat video, checked
Photographing Snowflakes video, checked
Ice Cream Science video, checked
Cloud Formation, part 1 video, ClosedCaptions, checked
The Water Cycle video, checked
A Model of the Water Cycle video, ClosedCaptions, checked
What Really Happens With Evaporation? text page, free, checked
Review Weather-1 practice
Review Weather-2 practice
Review Weather-10 practice
SC.4.P.8.2 Identify properties and common uses of water in each of its states.
A Boat Full of Holes video, checked
A Bouncing Water Balloon video
Cloud Types video
Making a Solar Still video
Water on a String video, blog, ClosedCaptions
Wonderful Water video, checked
A Watched Pot video
Wax and Wood, part 1 video, checked
Wax and Wood, part 2 video, checked
Photographing Snowflakes video, checked
Ice Cream Science video, checked
75% Water video, checked
Crushed Can video, checked
A Clean Trick text page
Adding to a Full Cup text page
What Really Happens With Evaporation? text page, free, checked
Review Weather-8 practice
Review Weather-10 practice
SC.5.E.7.1 Create a model to explain the parts of the water cycle. Water can be a gas, a liquid, or a solid and can go back and forth from one state to another.

>>> Teacher Page: Water Cycle

Cloud Formation, part 2 video
Cloud Types video
Making a Solar Still video
A Watched Pot video
Photographing Snowflakes video, checked
The Water Cycle video, checked
A Model of the Water Cycle video, ClosedCaptions, checked
Review Weather-1 practice
Review Weather-2 practice
Review Weather-8 practice
Review Weather-10 practice
SC.5.P.8.1 Compare and contrast the basic properties of solids, liquids, and gases, such as mass, volume, color, texture, and temperature.

>>> Teacher Page: States of Matter

A Bouncing Water Balloon video
Egg States video, checked
Experimenting with Dry Ice video, free, checked
Wax and Wood, part 1 video, checked
Wax and Wood, part 2 video, checked
Ice Cream Science video, checked
Raw Egg or Boiled? video, checked
Air Space video
Air has Weight text page
Teach It Right the First Time. text page, free
Review Matter-2 practice
Review Matter-1 practice
Review Matter-3 practice
Review Weather-10 practice
SC.6.E.7.2 Investigate and apply how the cycling of water between the atmosphere and hydrosphere has an effect on weather patterns and climate.
Cloud Types video
Nephoscope video, checked
The Water Cycle video, checked
Weather and Climate video
Pine Cone Weather text page, free
Review Weather-8 practice
Review Weather-9 practice
Review Weather-10 practice

Utah

UT.4.I.2.b Describe the processes of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation as they relate to the water cycle.
Making a Solar Still video
Wonderful Water video, checked
A Watched Pot video
Photographing Snowflakes video, checked
Cloud Formation, part 1 video, ClosedCaptions, checked
The Water Cycle video, checked
A Model of the Water Cycle video, ClosedCaptions, checked
A Cool Experiment text page
What Really Happens With Evaporation? text page, free, checked
Review Weather-8 practice
Review Weather-10 practice
UT.4.I.2.c Identify locations that hold water as it passes through the water cycle (e.g., oceans, atmosphere, fresh surface water, snow, ice, and ground water).
Photographing Snowflakes video, checked
A Model of the Water Cycle video, ClosedCaptions, checked
75% Water video, checked
Review Weather-8 practice
Review Weather-10 practice

NGSS

MS-ESS2-4 Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth’s systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.
Cloud Formation, part 2 video
Making a Solar Still video
Wonderful Water video, checked
Cloud Formation, part 1 video, ClosedCaptions, checked
The Water Cycle video, checked
A Model of the Water Cycle video, ClosedCaptions, checked
Review Weather-8 practice
Review Weather-10 practice

These layers have not been overturned or folded. Based on that, which layer is the oldest?

  1. A

    No. A is on top, which means the other layers had to be there before it could be deposited. A is younger than B and C.

  2. B

    No. By the law of Superposition, layer C had to be in place before B could form on top of it. Layer B is older than A, but younger than C.

  3. C

    Yes! As the bottom layer, the Law of Superposition tells us that it is older than layers A and B. This layer had to be in place before A and B could form on top of it..

  4. D

    No. Layer D is actually a pile of rock fragments, mostly from layer A. These fragments are the result of weathering and erosion of layers A, B, and C. D is the youngest deposit at this location.

Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.

Florida

SC.7.E.6.3 Identify current methods for measuring the age of Earth and its parts, including the law of superposition and radioactive dating.
Imagining Geologic Time video
Reading the Rocks: Law of Superposition video
Reading the Rocks: Law of Crosscutting video
Reading the Rocks text page
Review Geologic Time-1 practice
Review Geologic Time-2 practice
Review Geologic Time-3 practice

Utah

UT.8.III.3.c Explain why some sedimentary rock layers may not always appear with youngest rock on top and older rocks below (i.e., folding, faulting).
Sedimentary Rocks video, learnalong
Review Geologic Time-1 practice
Review Geologic Time-2 practice
Review Geologic Time-3 practice

NGSS

4-ESS1-1 Identify evidence from patterns in rock formations and fossils in rock layers to support an explanation for changes in a landscape over time.
Evaporites video, learnalong, checked
Igneous Rocks and Bubbles video, free, learnalong, Updated
Sedimentary Rocks video, learnalong
Reading the Rocks: Law of Superposition video
Reading the Rocks: Law of Crosscutting video
What is a Rock? video, learnalong, checked
Reading the Rocks: The Present is the Key to the Past video, ClosedCaptions
Paleo Cookies video
Homemade Fossil Dig text page
Review Geologic Time-3 practice
Review Rocks-1 practice
Review Geologic Time-1 practice
Review Rocks-4 practice
Review Geologic Time-2 practice
Review Rocks-5 practice
Review Rocks-6 practice
Review Rocks-8 practice
Review Rocks-9 practice
Review Rocks-7 practice
Review Rocks-10 practice

Which of the following is a difference between a meteor and a comet?

  1. Meteors are mostly made up of ice.

    No. Meteors are made up of rock or iron, Comets are mostly made up of ice.

  2. Only comets have a visible tail.

    No. A meteor is a meteoroid that has entered our atmosphere. As it burns, it also produces a tail.

  3. Meteors seem to move faster because they are closer.

    Yes. Meteors are entering our atmosphere, so they are much closer to us that a distant comet. That makes them seem to move much faster.

  4. Comets are smaller than meteors.

    No. Meteors are small, often the size of a grain of sand. Comets are much larger.

Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.

Florida

SC.5.E.5.3 Distinguish among the following objects of the Solar System – Sun, planets, moons, asteroids, comets – and identify Earth’s position in it.

>>> Teacher Page: Our Solar System

Making a Scale Model of the Solar System video, ClosedCaptions
Global Science video, ClosedCaptions
Planets and Pennies video, ClosedCaptions
How Far is That Planet? text page
Review Space-3 practice
SC.8.E.5.3 Distinguish the hierarchical relationships between planets and other astronomical bodies relative to solar system, galaxy, and universe, including distance, size, and composition.
Making a Scale Model of the Solar System video, ClosedCaptions
Planets and Pennies video, ClosedCaptions
How Far is That Planet? text page
Review Space-3 practice
Review Space-2 practice
Review Space-10 practice

Utah

UT.6.III.1.d Describe the characteristics of comets, asteroids, and meteors.
Review Space-3 practice

NGSS

MS-ESS1-3 Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system.
Making a Scale Model of the Solar System video, ClosedCaptions
Global Science video, ClosedCaptions
Planets and Pennies video, ClosedCaptions
How Far is That Planet? text page
Review Space-3 practice
Review Space-2 practice
Review Space-4 practice

Which part of the food web does this roadrunner belong to?

  1. Producer.

    No. A producer captures energy from sunlight, and stores it as food. To do that, the organism needs to contain chlorophyll.

  2. Primary Consumer.

    No. Primary consumers eat producers. In spite of what you may have seen in cartoons, roadrunners do not eat plants or bird seed.

  3. Secondary Consumer

    Yes! Secondary consumers eat other consumers. Roadrunners are predators, and eat lizards, snakes, mice, and many other small animals.

  4. Decomposer

    No. Roadrunners may occasionally scavenge freshly killed animals, but they are not decomposers.

Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.

Florida

SC.4.L.17.3 Trace the flow of energy from the Sun as it is transferred along the food chain through the producers to the consumers.
Scavengers and Decomposers video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated
Secondary Consumers video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked
Producers video, free, Updated, checked
Primary Consumers video, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked
Food Web Tag text page
What is a Food Web? text page, free, checked
Review Food Web-8 practice
Review Food Web-9 practice
Review Food Web-10 practice
Review Food Web-2 practice
Review Food Web-1 practice
Review Food Web-3 practice
Review Food Web-4 practice
Review Food Web-5 practice
Review Food Web-6 practice
Review Food Web-7 practice
SC.7.L.17.1 Explain and illustrate the roles of and relationships among producers, consumers, and decomposers in the process of energy transfer in a food web.
Scavengers and Decomposers video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated
Secondary Consumers video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked
Producers video, free, Updated, checked
Primary Consumers video, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked
Measuring Calories video, ClosedCaptions, checked
Food Web Tag text page
What is a Food Web? text page, free, checked
Review Food Web-5 practice
Review Food Web-6 practice
Review Food Web-7 practice
Review Food Web-8 practice
Review Food Web-9 practice
Review Food Web-10 practice
Review Food Web-2 practice
Review Food Web-1 practice
Review Food Web-3 practice
Review Food Web-4 practice

Utah

UT.8.II.2.a Categorize the relationships between organisms (i.e., producer/consumer/decomposer, predator/prey, mutualism/parasitism) and provide examples of each.
Secondary Consumers video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked
Producers video, free, Updated, checked
Primary Consumers video, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked
What is a Food Web? text page, free, checked
Review Food Web-2 practice
Review Food Web-1 practice
Review Food Web-3 practice
Review Food Web-4 practice
Review Food Web-5 practice
Review Food Web-6 practice
Review Food Web-7 practice
Review Food Web-8 practice
Review Food Web-9 practice
Review Food Web-10 practice
Review Food Web-11 practice
Review Food Web-12 practice

NGSS

5-PS3-1 Use models to describe that energy in animals’ food (used for body repair, growth, motion, and to maintain body warmth) was once energy from the sun.
Scavengers and Decomposers video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated
Secondary Consumers video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked
Producers video, free, Updated, checked
Measuring Photosynthesis video, checked
Primary Consumers video, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked
Measuring Calories video, ClosedCaptions, checked
Calories: Measuring the Energy text page, free
What is a Food Web? text page, free, checked
Review Food Web-1 practice
Review Food Web-3 practice
Review Food Web-4 practice
Review Food Web-5 practice
Review Food Web-6 practice
Review Food Web-7 practice
Review Food Web-8 practice
Review Food Web-9 practice
Review Food Web-10 practice
Review Food Web-2 practice
5-LS2-1 Develop a model to describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, decomposers, and the environment.
Scavengers and Decomposers video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated
Secondary Consumers video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked
Producers video, free, Updated, checked
Primary Consumers video, ClosedCaptions, Updated, checked
What is a Food Web? text page, free, checked
Review Food Web-9 practice
Review Food Web-10 practice
Review Food Web-2 practice
Review Food Web-1 practice
Review Food Web-3 practice
Review Food Web-4 practice
Review Food Web-5 practice
Review Food Web-6 practice
Review Food Web-7 practice
Review Food Web-8 practice

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