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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 Johnson Wash, that runs down the middle of the canyon where we live. It is usually dry, but when it rains up north, we get flash floods. Is this an example of erosion, weathering, both, or neither?

  1. Erosion

    Yes, the is partially correct! You can tell by the muddy appearance of the water that it is carrying sand, clay and dirt along with it. Erosion is when bits of rock are moved by wind, water, ice, or gravity, so this counts as erosion..
  2. Weathering

    Yes, the is partially correct! 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 into smaller bits. The fast moving water causes smaller rocks to smash into larger rocks, breaking them apart.

  3. Both erosion and weathering

    Yes! The flash flood in this photo is causing weathering, and erosion. As the flood decreases, and the water slows down, it will drop the sand, clay, dirt, and rocks in a process called deposition.
  4. Neither erosion nor weathering

    No. This flash flood is causing both weathering and 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).
What is a Rock? video, learnalong, checked
Bioclastics: Rocks With No Minerals video
Evaporites video, learnalong, checked
Igneous Rocks and Bubbles video, free, learnalong, Updated
Sedimentary Rocks video, learnalong
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
Homemade Fossil Dig text page
Review Rocks-1 practice
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

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).
Erosion video, checked
Continuous Change video, checked
Bioclastics: Rocks With No Minerals video
Weathering and Erosion video, learnalong, checked
Evaporites video, learnalong, checked
What is a Rock? video, learnalong, checked
The Rock Cycle video, learnalong
Change: Fast and Slow video
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.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-4 practice
Review Erosion-5 practice
Review Erosion-1 practice
Review Erosion-2 practice
Review Erosion-3 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-2 practice
Review Erosion-3 practice
Review Erosion-4 practice
Review Erosion-5 practice
Review Erosion-1 practice

UT.8.III.2.b Describe the role of energy in the processes that change rock materials over time.
Continuous Change video, checked
Weathering and Erosion video, learnalong, checked
Igneous Rocks and Bubbles video, free, learnalong, Updated
Sedimentary Rocks video, learnalong
Change: Fast and Slow video
Erosion video, 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-2 practice
Review Erosion-3 practice
Review Erosion-4 practice
Review Erosion-5 practice
Review Erosion-1 practice

I want to test a new fertilizer, to find the best concentration for my garden. To do this, I plan to divide my garden into four sections.

Section A. I will use 5 grams of fertilizer per gallon each time I fertilize.

Section B. I will use 10 grams of fertilizer per gallon each time I fertilize.

Section C. I will use 15 grams of fertilizer per gallon each time I fertilize.

For section D, how much fertilizer per gallon should I use?

  1. 20 grams of fertilizer per gallon.

    No. This would be a good thing to test, but for this to be a proper science experiment, it is not the correct answer.
  2. 30 grams of fertilizer per gallon.

    No. This would be a good thing to test, but for this to be a proper science experiment, it is not the correct answer.
  3. 1 gram of fertilizer per gallon.

    No. This would be a good thing to test, but for this to be a proper science experiment, it is not the correct answer.
  4. No fertilizer at all.

    Yes. For this type of experiment, you need to have a control group. That is a group of test subjects that you do not do anything to. If the control group with no fertilizer grows just as well as the other groups, then I would know that the fertilizer was not working.



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

Florida


SC.5.N.1.4 Identify a control group and explain its importance in an experiment.

SC.7.N.1.4 Identify test variables (independent variables) and outcome variables (dependent variables) in an experiment.

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.

As we look at the rock cycle, we can see that heat and pressure can change a sedimentary rock into a metamorphic rock. What would change a metamorphic rock into a sedimentary rock?

  1. More heat and pressure

    No. More heat and pressure would cause more metamorphic change.
  2. Erosion and deposition

    Yes. If the rock was eroded and deposited, that would form a sedimentary rock.
  3. Melting and cooling

    No. Melting the rock and then cooling it would produce an igneous rock.
  4. A metamorphic rock cannot become a sedimentary rock

    No. In the rock cycle, a rock from any group (igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic) can be changed into a rock from any group.



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).
What is a Rock? video, learnalong, checked
Bioclastics: Rocks With No Minerals video
Evaporites video, learnalong, checked
Igneous Rocks and Bubbles video, free, learnalong, Updated
Sedimentary Rocks video, learnalong
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
Homemade Fossil Dig text page
Review Rocks-1 practice
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

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).
Erosion video, checked
Continuous Change video, checked
Bioclastics: Rocks With No Minerals video
Weathering and Erosion video, learnalong, checked
Evaporites video, learnalong, checked
What is a Rock? video, learnalong, checked
The Rock Cycle video, learnalong
Change: Fast and Slow video
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.
Definition of a Mineral video, checked
What is a Mineral? video, checked
Identifying Minerals video, learnalong
What is a Rock? video, learnalong, checked
Bioclastics: Rocks With No Minerals video
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-1 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.
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
Igneous Rocks and Bubbles video, free, learnalong, Updated
Sedimentary Rocks video, learnalong
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.
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
Evaporites video, learnalong, checked
Definition of a Mineral video, checked
Igneous Rocks and Bubbles video, free, learnalong, Updated
What is a Mineral? video, checked
Light and Dark Minerals text page, learnalong
Review Rocks-1 practice
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

This snow fell when the temperature outside was 39°F. How can you get snow when the temperature is above freezing?

  1. The wind made it feel colder, allowing it to snow.

    No. While wind chill can make it feel colder, it does not actually make it colder.
  2. It was colder in the clouds where the snow formed.

    Yes. Even when air temperatures at the surface are above freezing, the clouds can be much colder. If the air at the surface is not too warm, the snow can reach the ground without melting.
  3. Rain froze into snow when it hit the ground.

    No. Freezing rain forms ice, not snow. Light, fluffy snow flakes form as they fall through the air, not after they hit the ground.
  4. This is really hail instead of snow.

    No. Hail is made of large chunks of ice, not tiny flakes.



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.7.4 Distinguish among the various forms of precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, and hail), making connections to the weather in a particular place and time.

SC.6.E.7.3 Describe how global patterns such as the jet stream and ocean currents influence local weather in measurable terms such as temperature, air pressure, wind direction and speed, and humidity and precipitation.
Nephoscope video, checked
Review Weather-6 practice

Utah


UT.4.II.2.a Observe and record effects of air temperature on precipitation (e.g., below freezing results in snow, above freezing results in rain).

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 Space-8 practice
Review Weather-5 practice
Review Weather-6 practice
Review Weather-4 practice
Review Weather-3 practice
Review Space-5 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-2 practice
Review Weather-6 practice
Review Weather-4 practice
Review Weather-3 practice
Review Weather-1 practice

It takes the Earth 24 hours to:

  1. Rotate

    Yes. The Earth turns on its axis to make one full rotation every 24 hours.
  2. Revolve

    No. It takes a year for the Earth to revolve around the Sun.
  3. Orbit

    No. It takes a year for the Earth to orbit around the Sun.
  4. Reverse

    No. The motion of the Earth does not reverse.



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.5.3 Recognize that Earth revolves around the Sun in a year and rotates on its axis in a 24-hour day.
Making a Scale Model of the Solar System video, ClosedCaptions
Global Science video, ClosedCaptions
Finding Your Way video, checked
Review Space-11 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.3.I.2.a Describe the motions of Earth (i.e., the rotation [spinning] of Earth on its axis, the revolution [orbit] of Earth around the sun).
Global Science video, ClosedCaptions
Review Space-11 practice

UT.6.I.2.a Identify the difference between the motion of an object rotating on its axis and an object revolving in orbit.
Review Space-11 practice

NGSS


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