Here are some science questions to help you test your general science knowledge. They will also show you which of the Florida, Utah, and NGSS science standards each question is testing.
The questions are chosen randomly, so this quest will be different each time.
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I put a paper plate on top of a glass of water. I turned it over, and the water stayed in the glass.
The weight of the water is pushing down on the paper plate, but the plate stays in the glass because the pull of gravity is being balanced by another force. What is that force?
-
Attraction
No. The slight attraction between the water and the glass is not enough to balance the pull of gravity. -
Air pressure
Yes! Because the plate is keeping outside air from entering the glass, outside air pressure is keeping the plate in place. As long as the outside air pressure is enough to balance the weight of the water and the plate, it will stay in place. If you made a small hole in the glass to let outside air get in, that would unbalance things, and the water would fall out. -
Surface tension
No. The water tension at the surface of the water would not balance the force of gravity. -
The weight of the paper card
No. Gravity is pulling down on the paper plate and the water. The weight of the paper does not help balance the force of gravity.
Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.
Florida
SC.2.P.13.3 Recognize that objects are pulled toward the ground unless something holds them up.
| Water in a Glass, part 2 | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 3 | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 1 | video, checked |
| Planets and Pennies | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Review Force and Motion-4 | practice |
SC.3.E.5.4 Explore the Law of Gravity by demonstrating that gravity is a force that can be overcome.
| Floating Cups | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 2 | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 3 | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 1 | video, checked |
| Planets and Pennies | video, ClosedCaptions |
| More Science of Balance | video, checked |
| Science of Balance | video, checked |
| Force, Pressure, and Shoes | video, checked |
| Review Force and Motion-4 | practice |
SC.5.P.13.4 Investigate and explain that when a force is applied to an object but it does not move, it is because another opposing force is being applied by something in the environment so that the forces are balanced.
| More Science of Balance | video, checked |
| Science of Balance | video, checked |
| The Old Tablecloth Trick | video |
| Force, Pressure, and Shoes | video, checked |
| Bernoulli Effect | video |
| Hanging a Hammer | video, checked |
| Torque | video |
| Water in a Glass, part 2 | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 3 | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 1 | video, checked |
| Newton's First Law of Motion | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Obedient Coin | video, checked |
| Strange Flame, part 2 | video, checked |
| Strange Flame, part 1 | video, checked |
| Science Friction | video, checked |
| Raw Egg or Boiled? | video, checked |
| Exploring Friction | text page |
| Balancing a Meter Stick | text page |
| Review Force and Motion-4 | practice |
SC.6.P.13.3 Investigate and describe that an unbalanced force acting on an object changes its speed, or direction of motion, or both.
| Science of Balance | video, checked |
| Bernoulli Effect | video |
| Floating Cups | video, checked |
| Torque | video |
| Water in a Glass, part 2 | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 3 | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 1 | video, checked |
| Obedient Coin | video, checked |
| Wrong Way Balloon | video, checked |
| Strange Flame, part 2 | video, checked |
| Strange Flame, part 1 | video, checked |
| Science Friction | video, checked |
| More Science of Balance | video, checked |
| Balancing a Meter Stick | text page |
| Review Force and Motion-4 | practice |
Utah
UT.3.III.2.c Compare the relative effects of forces of different strengths on an object (e.g., strong wind affects an object differently than a breeze).
| Floating Cups | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 2 | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 3 | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 1 | video, checked |
| Newton's First Law of Motion | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Obedient Coin | video, checked |
| Wrong Way Balloon | video, checked |
| Strange Flame, part 2 | video, checked |
| Strange Flame, part 1 | video, checked |
| Raw Egg or Boiled? | video, checked |
| The Old Tablecloth Trick | video |
| Review Force and Motion-4 | practice |
UT.4.II.1.c Investigate evidence that air is a substance (e.g., takes up space, moves as wind, temperature can be measured).
| Nephoscope | video, checked |
| Air Space | video |
| Crushed Can | video, checked |
| Review Force and Motion-4 | practice |
NGSS
3-PS2-1 Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object.
| Science Friction | video, checked |
| More Science of Balance | video, checked |
| Science of Balance | video, checked |
| Force, Pressure, and Shoes | video, checked |
| Bernoulli Effect | video |
| The Slow Race | video, free, ClosedCaptions, Updated |
| Floating Cups | video, checked |
| Torque | video |
| Water in a Glass, part 2 | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 3 | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 1 | video, checked |
| Obedient Coin | video, checked |
| Wrong Way Balloon | video, checked |
| Strange Flame, part 2 | video, checked |
| Strange Flame, part 1 | video, checked |
| Balancing a Meter Stick | text page |
| Review Force and Motion-4 | practice |
MS-PS2-2 Plan an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an object’s motion depends on the sum of the forces on the object and the mass of the object.
| Science Friction | video, checked |
| Raw Egg or Boiled? | video, checked |
| More Science of Balance | video, checked |
| Science of Balance | video, checked |
| The Old Tablecloth Trick | video |
| Bernoulli Effect | video |
| Smoke Rings | video |
| Floating Cups | video, checked |
| The Difference Between Weight and Mass | video, checked |
| Torque | video |
| Water in a Glass, part 2 | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 3 | video, checked |
| Water in a Glass, part 1 | video, checked |
| Newton's First Law of Motion | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Obedient Coin | video, checked |
| Wrong Way Balloon | video, checked |
| Strange Flame, part 2 | video, checked |
| Strange Flame, part 1 | video, checked |
| Balancing a Meter Stick | text page |
| Review Force and Motion-1 | practice |
| Review Force and Motion-2 | practice |
| Review Force and Motion-4 | practice |
Which of the following is a vertebrate?
-
A: crab
No. Crabs have an exoskeleton. They are arthropods, which are invertebrates. -
B: starfish
No. Starfish do not have a vertebral column or a notochord. They are echinoderms, which are invertebrates. -
C: fly
No. Flies have an exoskeleton. They are insects, which are invertebrates. -
D: tadpole
Yes! Tadpoles are amphibians. They have an internal skeleton, which includes a vertebral column. They are vertebrates.
Click to see which state standards this question tests, and which of my videos, experiments, and other resources support that topic.
Florida
SC.3.L.15.1 Classify animals into major groups (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, arthropods, vertebrates and invertebrates, those having live births and those which lay eggs) according to their physical characteristics and behaviors.
| Feathers | video, checked |
| A Walk in the Park | video, checked |
| Scientific Names | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Review Classify-2 | practice |
| Review Classify-1 | practice |
| Review Classify-3 | practice |
SC.6.L.15.1 Analyze and describe how and why organisms are classified according to shared characteristics with emphasis on the Linnaean system combined with the concept of Domains.
| Scientific Names | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Review Classify-2 | practice |
| Review Classify-1 | practice |
| Review Classify-3 | practice |
Utah
UT.4.V.3.b Use a simple classification system to classify unfamiliar Utah plants or animals (e.g., fish/amphibians/reptile/bird/mammal, invertebrate/vertebrate, tree/shrub/grass, deciduous/conifers).
| A Walk in the Park | video, checked |
| Scientific Names | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Review Classify-2 | practice |
| Review Classify-1 | practice |
| Review Classify-3 | practice |
UT.7.V.2.c Generalize rules for classification.
| Scientific Names | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Review Classify-2 | practice |
| Review Classify-1 | practice |
| Review Classify-3 | practice |
NGSS
Which of the following is a difference between a meteor and a comet?
-
Meteors are mostly made up of ice.
No. Meteors are made up of rock or iron, Comets are mostly made up of ice. -
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. -
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. -
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 planet is closest to the Earth?
-
The Moon
No. The Moon is not a planet. -
Mars
Sometimes, but not always. -
Venus
Sometimes, but not always. -
It varies with time.
Yes. As the planets move around the Sun, their distance from the Earth varies. On different dates, the closest planet may be Mars, Venus, or Mercury.
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.5.2 Recognize the major common characteristics of all planets and compare/contrast the properties of inner and outer planets.
>>> Teacher Page: Our Solar System
| Making a Scale Model of the Solar System | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Planets and Pennies | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Review Space-4 | practice |
SC.8.E.5.7 Compare and contrast the properties of objects in the Solar System including the Sun, planets, and moons to those of Earth, such as gravitational force, distance from the Sun, speed, movement, temperature, and atmospheric conditions.
| Making a Scale Model of the Solar System | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Global Science | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Planets and Pennies | video, ClosedCaptions |
| Review Space-4 | practice |
| Review Space-11 | practice |
Utah
UT.6.III.1.c Use models and graphs that accurately depict scale to compare the size and distance between objects in the solar system.
| Making a Scale Model of the Solar System | video, ClosedCaptions |
| How Far is That Planet? | text page |
| Review Space-4 | 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 of the following is likely a sign that it will rain soon?
-
Rising temperature
No. A warm air mass moving into your area might bring rain, but it also might bring sunny weather. Rising temperature by itself is not a good indicator of rain. -
Decreasing humidity
No. The humidity at ground level does not play much of a role in the formation of rain in the clouds. Just before it rains, the precipitation could cause the humidity to increase, but it would not cause it to decrease. -
Wind out of the west
No. Any weather front moving in from the west could cause winds, even if it was bringing clear, sunny weather. -
Falling barometric pressure
Yes! Low pressure fronts are commonly associated with rain and storms, so falling barometric pressure is a good indicator that rain may be on the way.
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.7.3 Recognize how air temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, wind speed and direction, and precipitation determine the weather in a particular place and time.
| Nephoscope | video, checked |
| Building a Rain Gauge, part 2 | video, checked |
| Building a Rain Gauge, part 1 | video, checked |
| Pine Cone Weather | text page, free |
| Review Weather-5 | practice |
| Review Weather-4 | practice |
Utah
UT.4.II.3.a Identify and use the tools of a meteorologist (e.g., measure rainfall using rain gauge, measure air pressure using barometer, measure temperature using a thermometer).
| Nephoscope | video, checked |
| Building a Rain Gauge, part 2 | video, checked |
| Building a Rain Gauge, part 1 | video, checked |
| Pine Cone Weather | text page, free |
| Review Weather-4 | practice |
NGSS
3-ESS2-1 Represent data in tables and graphical displays to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season.
| Nephoscope | video, checked |
| Pine Cone Weather | text page, free |
| Review Weather-5 | practice |
| Review Weather-6 | practice |
| Review Weather-4 | practice |
| Review Weather-3 | practice |
| Review Space-5 | practice |
| Review Space-8 | practice |
MS-ESS2-5 Collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of air masses results in changes in weather conditions.
| Cloud Types | video |
| Nephoscope | video, checked |
| Cloud Formation, part 1 | video, ClosedCaptions, checked |
| Pine Cone Weather | text page, free |
| Review Weather-1 | practice |
| Review Weather-2 | practice |
| Review Weather-6 | practice |
| Review Weather-4 | practice |
| Review Weather-3 | practice |
The questions are chosen randomly, so this quest will be different each time.