2014 – 2015

Quarterly Science Benchmark Assessment (QSBA)

Physical Science

Quarter 1

Miami-Dade County Public Schools

Office of Academics and Transformation

Department of Mathematics and Science

INTRODUCTION The Physical Science Quarterly Science Benchmark Assessments (QSBA) were created with the objective of assessing student performance in order to improve the quality of student learning and enhance instructional practices by using data to make curricular decisions. The Physical Science QSBAs are designed to be administered at the start of the school year, after each nine-week period (quarter) of instruction, and at the end of the school year, focusing its questions on the scientific content delineated by the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS) and the specific benchmarks outlined by the Physical Science course description. The Division of Mathematics, Science, and Advanced Academic Programs highly recommends the administration of the QSBAs to be concurrent with the administration of Baseline Assessments, Fall Interim Assessments, and Winter Interim Assessments. The Pre-Test Assessment encompasses all the main concepts and ideas of the Physical Science course, while each Quarterly Assessment addresses the main benchmarks of each quarter specific to the Topics found in the Physical Science District Pacing Guide. The NGSSS benchmarks pertinent to each course description have been grouped according to content and placement within the District Pacing Guides in order to facilitate the analysis of each assessment. Teachers are encouraged to debrief the results of each of the QSBAs with students and use individual test results to focus on the benchmark(s) on which a student needs further instruction. This review will assist teachers in targeting their instruction. Teachers must use the Thinkgate Technology Platform (http://www.thinkgate.net/FLMiamiDadeSplash/TGLogin.aspx) to print answer sheets, scan, score, and produce reports. This process will enable teachers to obtain student data in order to identify strengths and weaknesses and allow teachers to target instruction and monitor progress. Additional information regarding the use of Thinkgate can be found in the Interim Assessment section of the department of Assessment, Research, and Data Analysis (http://oada.dadeschools.net/IAP/IAP.asp)

This document cannot be reproduced without express written permission from Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

This document was created by the Department of Mathematics and Science from District-developed questions and may include questions adapted from previously released tests with permission from the Massachusetts Department of

Elementary and Secondary Education and the Pennsylvania Department of Education

Physical Science Q1 QSBA Page 1 of 12 Department of Mathematics and Science

Physical Science Q1 QSBA Page 2 of 12 Department of Mathematics and Science

NAME: DATE: Read each question thoroughly and mark your responses on the answer sheet provided. 1. An elevator in an office building completed the following trips:

1st floor to 8th floor

8th floor to 4th floor

4th floor to 13th floor

The distance between each floor of the office building is 4.0 m. Which choice shows the total distance traveled and displacement of the elevator?

A. Distance Displacement

48 m 80 m

B. Distance Displacement

80 m 48 m

C. Distance Displacement

80 m 80 m

D. Distance Displacement

48 m 48 m

2. Which of the following is a vector quantity?

A. mass B. force C. temperature D. kinetic energy

3. A car is traveling at a constant speed of 12 m/s. When the driver accelerates, the car

reaches a speed of 26 m/s in 6 s. What is the average acceleration of the car?

A. 2 m/s/s B. 2.3 m/s/s C. 4.3 m/s/s D. 84 m/s/s

13

12

11

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3 8 m

2 4 m

1 0 m

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4. Which point on this position vs. time graph has the fastest speed?

A. Point 1 B. Point 2 C. Point 3 D. Point 4

5. A book rests on a table. The force of gravity pulls down on the book with a force of 20

newtons. What prevents the book from accelerating downward at 9.8 m/s2?

A. The table presses back up on the book with an equal and opposite force of 20 newtons B. The table presses back up on the book with a force greater than 20 newtons C. The table and the book together are accelerating downwards at 9.8 m/s2 D. The inertia of the book holds it up

6. A 100-kg astronaut is floating in outer space. If the astronaut throws a 2-kilogram wrench at a speed of 10 meters per second, which best describes her velocity?

A. Less than 10 m/s in the same direction as the wrench B. Less than 10 m/s in a direction opposite to the wrench C. Greater than 10 m/s in the same direction as the wrench D. Greater than 10 m/s in a direction opposite to the wrench

7. When a cork is added to a glass of water, the cork floats at the top of the water instead of

sinking to the bottom of the glass. Which statement helps explain why this happens?

A. The cork absorbs the water, so it cannot sink B. The water is exerting an upward force on the cork C. The density of the cork is greater than that of the water D. The water stops the force of gravity from acting on the cork

Physical Science Q1 QSBA Page 4 of 12 Department of Mathematics and Science

8. Each figure below shows a force measured in Newtons pushing on a block. If there are no

other forces pushing on the block, in which case is the acceleration of the block greatest?

A.

B.

C.

D. 9. The diagrams below show a cart moving with a velocity, V, on a frictionless surface as a

wooden block is being dropped. The block then falls straight down onto the moving cart.

Which of the following statements describes what will happen after the block lands on the moving cart? A. The cart will move to the left at a velocity less than the original velocity of the cart. B. The cart will move to the right at a velocity less than the original velocity of the cart. C. The cart will move to the left at a velocity greater than the original velocity of the cart. D. The cart will move to the right at a velocity greater than the original velocity of the cart.

Block

Cart

V

Cart

Block

V=?

After Before

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10. The graph below relates velocity to time.

The graph would most likely apply to which of the following events? A. A soccer ball that is at rest is suddenly kicked. B. A ball is thrown upward and returns to the ground. C. A person who is running at a constant speed decides to run faster. D. A car traveling at a constant speed applies its brakes and comes to a stop

11. The diagram below represents two identical space ships, Earth, a space station, and the

Moon.

The two ships are launched toward the Moon. Ship 1 is launched from Earth, and ship 2 is launched from the space station. It takes less force to launch ship 2. Which of the following contributes most to the difference in the forces?

A. Ship 2 has less inertia in space than ship 1 does on Earth B. Earth exerts less gravitational force on ship 2 than on ship 1 C. The Moon exerts more gravitational force on ship 2 than on ship 1 D. Ship 2 must travel a shorter distance than ship 1 before reaching the Moon

12. Which of the following statements best describes the force of Earth’s gravity on a rocket

moving upward?

A. The gravitational force is constant for all altitudes B. The gravitational force is weaker when the rocket is higher C. The gravitational force is stronger when the rocket is higher D. The gravitational force is zero when the altitude is greater than 10,000 miles

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13. If the Sun were twice as far away from Earth as it is now, what would happen to the strength of the gravitational force between the Sun and Earth?

A. It would be the same strength as it is now B. It would be one-half as strong as it is now C. It would be two times as strong as it is now D. It would be one-fourth as strong as it is now

14. A student has been assigned to measure the density of an irregularly shaped piece of metal.

Which apparatus would be most appropriate to carry out this task?

A. ruler, balance B. beaker, crucible C. flask, Bunsen burner D. graduated cylinder, balance

15. A student wants to buy a new skateboard. He wants to find out if the size of the wheels

affects how far he can coast on the skateboard. He also wants to find out if the type of material the board is made of affects how far he can coast on the skateboard.

He decides to compare two skateboard models that are the same size but are made of different materials and have different size wheels:

He pushes off as hard as he can and stands on the skateboard until the skateboard comes to a stop. He tries each skateboard 5 times to see how far he can go. He uses the same pavement and the same starting point for all the trials. He finds out that he can coast farther with Model 1. What can he conclude from this test? A. He can conclude that the size of the wheels affects how far he can coast on the

skateboard B. He can conclude that the material of the board affects how far he can coast on the

skateboard C. He can conclude that the size of the wheels affects how far he can coast on the

skateboard and that the material of the board affects how far he can coast on the skateboard

D. It is NOT possible to conclude from this test if the size of the wheels affects how far he can coast on the skateboard or if the material of the board affects how far he can coast on the skateboard

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16. A party shop delivers helium-filled balloons to homes and businesses. The owners realize from experience that on hot summer days they should inflate the balloons only three-quarters full. On cold winter days they can fully inflate the balloons.

Which of the following is the best hypothesis to explain this observation?

A. Air outside the balloons leaks into the balloons. B. The helium gas is more active in the winter season. C. As the temperature increases, the helium in the balloons expands. D. Outdoor air pressure in the summer is less than indoor air pressure.

17. A farmer wants to find out which type of soil is best for growing his corn. He also wants to

find out which type of fertilizer is best for growing his corn. He does the following experiment using two different types of soil and two different types of fertilizer.

What can the farmer conclude from this experiment? A. He can conclude that Soil B is the best soil for growing his corn. B. He can conclude that Fertilizer Y is the best fertilizer for growing his corn. C. He can conclude that Soil B is the best soil for growing his corn and that Fertilizer Y is the

best fertilizer for growing his corn. D. It is NOT possible to conclude from this experiment which soil is best for growing his corn

or which fertilizer is best for growing his corn. 18. A group of students is making paper airplanes. They think that the kind of paper and the

design of the airplane may affect how far each paper airplane flies. The students first test if the kind of paper affects how far the airplane flies. They make several airplanes out of different kinds of paper, using the same design.

Why is it important that all the airplanes have the same design? A. By using the same design, the students can learn about the effect of the design. B. If they do not use the same design, the students cannot learn about the effect of the

paper. C. By using the same design, the students can learn about both the effect of the design and

the effect of the paper. D. It is NOT important for the airplanes to have the same design because the students are

not testing the effect of the design.

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19. A science class wants to find out if the shape and the mass of objects made of the same metal affect how fast these objects sink in water. One group tests the effect of the shape, and another group tests the effect of the mass. The students who test the effect of the shape use three objects that have the same mass but different shapes. The students drop each object into a large water tank and measure how long it takes for each object to reach the bottom of the tank.

Why is it important that the students use objects of the same mass? A. By using objects of the same mass, the students can learn about the effect of the mass B. If they do not use objects of the same mass, the students cannot learn about the effect of

the shape C. By using objects of the same mass, the students can learn about both the effect of the

mass and the effect of the shape D. It is NOT important for all the objects to have the same mass because the students are

not testing the effect of the mass 20. In the drawing below, the arrows labeled WIND and WATER represent forces acting on a

sailboat during a certain period of time. During this period of time, the force of the wind on the sailboat is stronger than the force of the water on the sailboat. The directions of the arrows show the directions of the forces, and the lengths of the arrows represent the strengths of the forces.

Which statement describes the sailboat's motion while these forces are acting? A. The sailboat will speed up for a short time and then move at constant speed. B. The sailboat will speed up for a short time and then slow down. C. The sailboat will move at constant speed the entire time. D. The sailboat will speed up the entire time.

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21. A boy is pulling a sled with a rope on level ground covered with snow. Assume he is running at constant speed and pulling on the rope with constant force.

Could the sled move faster than the boy is running? A. Yes, but only if he wasn’t running fast B. Yes, but only if the force of the pull on the sled was greater than the force of friction on

the sled C. Yes, but only if he was pulling the sled downhill and gravity was helping make it go faster

and faster D. No, because if he was pulling with constant force, the sled would have to move at a

constant speed 22. Which of the following statements is TRUE about the motion of a cart that is being pushed

on a level surface?

A. The cart is moving at constant speed if the force of the push is constant and less than the

force of friction on the cart B. The cart is moving faster and faster if the force of the push is constant and is greater than

the force of friction on the cart C. The cart is moving at constant speed if the force of the push is constant and is greater

than the force of friction on the cart D. The cart is moving faster and faster if the force of the push is constant and the same

strength as the force of friction on the cart

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23. What will happen to a hockey puck that is sliding along the ice if friction is acting on it?

A. The puck will move slower and slower the entire time B. The puck will move at a constant speed the entire time C. The puck will move at constant speed for a while and then slow down D. The puck will slow down for a while and then move at a slower constant speed

24. A person is riding a snowmobile in a snowy field. As the snowmobile reaches a frozen lake,

the person turns off the snowmobile’s engine and allows the snowmobile to slide across the lake. What will happen to the motion of the snowmobile if friction and air resistance act on it?

A. The snowmobile will slow down for a while and then move at constant speed as it is sliding across the lake

B. The snowmobile will move at constant speed for a while and then slow down as it is sliding across the lake

C. The snowmobile will move at a constant speed the entire time it is sliding across the lake D. The snowmobile will move slower and slower the entire time it is sliding across the lake

25. What will happen to an object that is being pushed forward if a force pushing it backward is

greater? A. The object will slow down for a while and then move at a slower constant speed. B. The object will move at constant speed for a while and then slow down and stop. C. The object will slow down, stop, and then begin to move faster and faster in the opposite

direction. D. The object will slow down, stop, and then begin to move at a constant speed in the

opposite direction.

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26. A ball is thrown straight up into the air. What happens to the ball’s speed as it goes up and as it comes down?

A. The ball goes up at a constant speed, stops, and then comes down at a constant speed. B. The ball goes up at a constant speed, stops, and then moves faster and faster as it

comes down. C. The ball moves slower and slower as it goes up, stops, and then comes down at a

constant speed. D. The ball moves slower and slower as it goes up, stops, and then moves faster and faster

as it comes down. 27. An object is moving. Every second, the object’s speed is measured. When the clock reads 0

seconds, the object’s speed is 20 miles per hour (mi/hr). When the clock reads 2 seconds, a single constant force begins to act that slows the object down. This force continues to act during the time shown in the table.

Clock → 0 seconds 1 second 2 seconds 3 seconds 4 seconds 5 seconds 6 seconds

Row A 20 mi/hr 20 mi/hr 20 mi/hr 20 mi/hr 20 mi/hr 18 mi/hr 16 mi/hr

Row B 20 mi/hr 20 mi/hr 20 mi/hr 18 mi/hr 16 mi/hr 16 mi/hr 16 mi/hr

Row C 20 mi/hr 20 mi/hr 20 mi/hr 18 mi/hr 16 mi/hr 14 mi/hr 12 mi/hr

Row D 20 mi/hr 20 mi/hr 20 mi/hr 20 mi/hr 14 mi/hr 14 mi/hr 14 mi/hr

Which row of the table could be a correct representation of the object’s speed between 0 seconds and 6 seconds? Assume that if a change in speed has occurred, the change is shown in the table. A. Row A B. Row B C. Row C D. Row D

28. A car is parked on the side of a hill. Which of the following most likely prevents the car from

moving down the hill?

A. The car has too much mass to move easily B. There is friction in the door hinges of the car C. There is friction between the tires and the road D. The weight of the car is mostly on the front wheels

29. Which of Newton's laws best explains why motorists should buckle-up?

A. the first law B. the second law C. the third law D. the law of Universal Gravitation

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30. A 600 g basketball, a 57 g tennis ball, a 46 g golf ball, and a 2.7 g table tennis ball are

moving with the same velocity. Which ball has the greatest momentum?

A. golf ball B. basketball C. tennis ball D. table tennis ball