Content Benchmark P.12.C.2
Students know energy forms can be converted. E/S
Sample Test Questions
1st Item Specification: Explain that heat is often produced as a byproduct when one form of
energy is converted to another form (e.g., when machines and living organisms convert
stored energy to motion).
Depth of Knowledge Level 1
1. Which of the following examples has the greatest thermal (internal) energy?
A. 5 kg of water with a temperature of 150oC
B. 8 kg of water with a temperature of 110oC
C. 10 kg of water with a temperature of 90oC
D. 100 kg of water with a temperature of 28oC
2. A toy car with initial kinetic energy rolls to a stop along a flat track. Because of friction,
some of kinetic energy was transferred to
A. thermal energy.
B. gravitational potential energy.
C. elastic energy.
D. chemical energy.
Depth of Knowledge Level 2
3. A ball is initially dropped from a height 4 meters. After the ball bounces it returns to a height
of only 2 meters. How much of the ball’s initial gravitational potential energy was
transformed between the initial position and the final position of the ball?
A. One fourth of the total energy.
B. Half of the total energy.
C. Double the total energy.
D. Four times the total energy.
4. Aluminum was once used as the wires in home construction. Recently, it was changed to
copper wires. Which of the following statements BEST account for why aluminum was
replaced with copper?
A. When electrical energy is passed through a copper wire, less of the energy removes
copper atoms from the wire.
B. The electrical energy that a copper wire can transfer is less than an aluminum wire.
C. As a byproduct of transmission, more electrical energy is transformed to wasted
thermal energy in aluminum wire than in copper.
D. The electrical energy that passes through an aluminum wire cannot be directed as
well as the energy passing through copper.
5. After a student stretches a rubber band many times, they notice that the rubber band is now
very warm to the touch. Which of the following predictions should be made?
A. The rubber band collected heat from the surrounding air after continuous stretching.
B. The stretching transferred energy to the rubber band and some of that energy was
transferred to heating the rubber band.
C. The chemical reactions activated by the stretching caused an increase in the rubber
band’s temperature.
D. The rubber band must have been warm prior to stretching and cooled somewhat
during the stretching process.
2nd Item Specification: From an example, identify that energy cannot be created or
destroyed, but only changed from one form to another.
Depth of Knowledge Level 1
6. Energy is created as the result which activity?
A. Burning gasoline in an internal combustion engine.
B. Damming a river for hydroelectric power.
C. Rolling a marble down an incline plane.
D. Energy can only be transformed, not created.
7. When a match is initially struck, some amount of chemical energy is transferred to
A. thermal energy.
B. elastic energy.
C. kinetic energy.
D. potential energy.
Depth of Knowledge Level 2
8. The diagram below is a representation of a person skiing down a hill with the potential (PE)
and kinetic (KE) energies noted. Use the diagram to answer the following question.
(From http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/energy/U5L2bc.html)
Which statement best summarizes the energy represented in the diagram?
A. The total mechanical energy is 100,000 J.
B. The total mechanical energy is 50,000 J.
C. The total mechanical energy is 35,000 J.
D. The total mechanical energy is 0 J.
9. The figure below is a model of the electromagnetic spectrum. Use the diagram to answer the
following question.
(From http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/ems1.html#c1.)
Which of the following statements would be true if an increase in photon (quantum)
energy occurred?
A. The wavelength must have increased.
B. The direction must have changed.
C. The frequency must have increased.
D. The wave speed must have increased.
10. When a piece of wood is burning, the stored energy within the chemical bonds of the wood is
being transferred into
A. a gas thus heating the surrounding area.
B. the heating of the surrounding area.
C. electrical energy causing ionization and forming fire.
D. matter which accounts for the ash and charred wood.
Content Benchmark P.12.C.2
Students know energy forms can be converted. E/S
Answers to Sample Test Questions
1. D, DOK Level 1
2. A, DOK Level 1
3. B, DOK Level 2
4. C, DOK Level 2
5. B, DOK Level 2
6. D, DOK Level 1
7. A, DOK Level 1
8. B, DOK Level 2
9. C, DOK Level 2
10. B, DOK Level 2