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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.



This is a photograph of the Painted Desert in Arizona. These layers of rock have not been folded or overturned, so we know that the layer on the bottom is the oldest. This is based on:

  1. The Law of Superposition

    Yes! The Law of Superposition tells us that unless the layers have been disturbed, they will be in order of their age, with the youngest on the top, and the oldest on the bottom.
  2. The Law of Crosscutting

    No. The Law of Crosscutting tells us that a feature (crack, fault, igneous intrusion, etc.) that cuts through a layer of rock is younger than the layer it cuts through. That makes sense, because the layer would have to be there first, before it could be broken by a fault, etc.
  3. The Law of Relativity

    No. There is a theory of relativity, which deals with the basics of physics, not geology. There is no Law of Relativity.
  4. The Law of Thermodynamics

    No. The Law of Thermodynamics deals with energy, not with layers of rock.



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.

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).

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.
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
Evaporites video, learnalong, checked
Homemade Fossil Dig text page
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
Review Geologic Time-3 practice

These cells DO NOT have a cell wall. What does that tell us?

  1. These are young cells.

    No. Even new cells can have a cell wall.
  2. These are NOT plant cells.

    Yes! Plant cells are surrounded by a cell wall, which provides structure and protection.
  3. These are NOT animal cells.

    No. Animal cells do not have a cell wall.
  4. These are dead cells.

    No. Being alive or dead does not change whether a cell has a cell wall or not.



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

Florida


SC.6.L.14.4 Compare and contrast the structure and function of major organelles of plant and animal cells, including cell wall, cell membrane, nucleus, cytoplasm, chloroplasts, mitochondria, and vacuoles.
Osmosis video, checked
Review Cells-2 practice
Review Cells-3 practice
Review Cells-4 practice
Review Cells-1 practice

Utah


UT.7.III.1.c Differentiate between plant and animal cells based on cell wall and cell membrane.
Review Cells-1 practice
Review Cells-2 practice

NGSS


MS-LS1-2 Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways parts of cells contribute to the function.
Osmosis video, checked
Review Cells-2 practice
Review Cells-3 practice
Review Cells-4 practice
Review Cells-1 practice

Baking a cake is an example of:

  1. A physical change

    Partly right. Some of the changes involved in baking a cake are physical changes.
  2. A chemical change

    Partly right. Some of the changes involved in baking a cake are chemical changes.
  3. Both

    Yes! The process of baking a cake involves many changes. Some, such as water evaporating and sugar melting are physical changes. Others, such as baking powder reacting cause a change in the chemical formulas, indicating a chemical change. For more on this, read Changing How We Look at Changing
  4. Neither

    No. There are many changes involved in baking a cake.



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

Florida


SC.5.P.9.1 Investigate and describe that many physical and chemical changes are affected by temperature.
Why Wet Things Don't Burn video, checked
Igneous Sugar video, checked
The Chemistry of Milk video, ClosedCaptions, checked
Changing How We Look at Changing text page, free
Growing Crystals from Solution text page, checked
Review Matter-4 practice

SC.8.P.9.2 Differentiate between physical changes and chemical changes.
Changing Colors, part 1 video
Changing Colors, part 2 video
Making Butter video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated
Polymers and Slime video, free, ClosedCaptions, checked
Silver Pictures video, checked
Chemical and Physical Changes video, ClosedCaptions, checked
Changing How We Look at Changing text page, free
Review Matter-4 practice

Utah


UT.5.I.3.d Compare a physical change to a chemical change.
Making Butter video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated
Chemical and Physical Changes video, ClosedCaptions, checked
Paper Petals video, ClosedCaptions
Changing Colors, part 1 video
Changing Colors, part 2 video
The Chemistry of Milk video, ClosedCaptions, checked
Changing How We Look at Changing text page, free
Review Matter-4 practice

UT.8.I.1.a Differentiate between chemical and physical properties.
Making Turmeric Paper video, checked
Testing for Tannic Acid video
Chemical and Physical Changes video, ClosedCaptions, checked
Paper Petals video, ClosedCaptions
Cabbage Indicator video, checked
Making Butter video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated
Review Matter-4 practice

NGSS


2-PS1-4 Construct an argument with evidence that some changes caused by heating or cooling can be reversed and some cannot.
A Watched Pot video
Why We Sweat video, checked
Photographing Snowflakes video, checked
Ice Cream Science video, checked
The Chemistry of Milk video, ClosedCaptions, checked
A Hot Change text page
Review Matter-4 practice

MS-PS1-2 Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.
How They Get the Sparks in a Sparkler video
Orange Flash video
Candles in a Jar, part 2 video, ClosedCaptions, checked
Candles in a Jar, part 1 video, ClosedCaptions, checked
Cabbage Indicator video, checked
Polymers and Slime video, free, ClosedCaptions, checked
Silver Pictures video, checked
Science and the Haunted Pumpkin video, free, checked
Making Turmeric Paper video, checked
Testing for Tannic Acid video
Relighting Candles video, checked
Catalysts video, ClosedCaptions, checked
Changing Colors, part 1 video
Chemical and Physical Changes video, ClosedCaptions, checked
Changing Colors, part 2 video
The Chemistry of Milk video, ClosedCaptions, checked
A Hot Change text page
Changing How We Look at Changing text page, free
Review Matter-4 practice

This is called Pumice. It is formed when magma reaches the surface, and reduced pressure lets gas bubbles escape. When it cools, it has so many trapped air bubbles that it will actually float in water. What kind of rock is it?.

  1. Igneous

    Yes! Igneous rocks formed from magma or lava. This is an igneous rock.
  2. Sedimentary

    No. Sedimentary rocks are deposited by wind, water, ice, or gravity, and they often contain fossils. This is not a sedimentary rock.
  3. Metamorphic

    No. Metamorphic rocks have been changed by heat and pressure from a different kind of rock. Instead of being changed, this got hot enough to completely melt, so it is not metamorphic.
  4. Pumice is not a rock.

    No. Pumice is a naturally occurring solid that forms large layers in the Earth. Pumice is a rock.



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-2 practice
Review Rocks-3 practice
Review Rocks-4 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
Review Rocks-10 practice
Review Rocks-10 practice
Review Rocks-1 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).
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
Evaporites video, learnalong, checked
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
Review Rocks-7 practice
Review Rocks-10 practice
Review Rocks-10 practice

Utah


UT.4.III.1.a Describe the differences between minerals and rocks.
What is a Rock? video, learnalong, checked
Bioclastics: Rocks With No Minerals video
Definition of a Mineral video, checked
What is a Mineral? video, checked
Identifying Minerals video, learnalong
Review Rocks-1 practice
Review Rocks-4 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

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.
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
Evaporites video, learnalong, checked
Homemade Fossil Dig text page
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
Review Geologic Time-3 practice

MS-ESS2-1 Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth’s materials and the flow of energy that drives this process.
Evaporites video, learnalong, checked
Definition of a Mineral video, checked
Igneous Rocks and Bubbles video, free, learnalong, Updated
What is a Mineral? video, checked
Identifying Minerals video, learnalong
Sedimentary Rocks video, learnalong
What is a Rock? video, learnalong, checked
The Rock Cycle video, learnalong
Bioclastics: Rocks With No Minerals video
Light and Dark Minerals text page, learnalong
Review Rocks-3 practice
Review Rocks-4 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
Review Rocks-10 practice
Review Rocks-10 practice
Review Rocks-1 practice
Review Rocks-2 practice

I wanted to test a new fertilizer, to find the best concentration for my garden. I divided my garden into four sections and put a different amount of fertilizer in each section.

My test results showed that using 10 grams of fertilizer per gallon made the plants grow faster and bigger. To follow proper scientific guidelines, what should I do next?

  1. Apply 10 grams of fertilizer per gallon to all the plants in my garden.

    No. While that might make my garden grow well, it would not provide more evidence that this was the best mixture of fertilizer
  2. Do the same experiment over again.

    Yes! Repetition is an important part of the scientific process. If my hypothesis is correct, I should get the same results every time I repeat the experiment.
  3. Do the same experiment, but use a different fertilizer.

    No. Using a different fertilizer would be testing a different variable. I wanted to find the best concentration of the original fertilizer, so testing a different fertilizer would not help with that.
  4. Publish my results, so that other scientists could replicate my experiment.

    No. Replication is an important step, but I should repeat my experiment several times to be sure that I get consistent results before I ask other scientists to try replicating it.



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

Florida


SC.2.N.1.4 Explain how particular scientific investigations should yield similar conclusions when repeated.

SC.5.N.1.3: Recognize and explain the need for repeated experimental trials.

>>> Teacher Page: Nature of Science and Dissolving


SC.8.N.1.2 Design and conduct a study using repeated trials and replication.

Utah

NGSS


3-5-ETS1-3 Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.

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