Name ____________________________ Period ____
1. Which modification to Sharon’s original investigation
format would increase the reliability of
the investigation?
a. Use different seed types in each section of the
container
b. Use different soil types in each section of the
container
c. Post the results of the investigation on a website
d. Repeat the entire investigation the same way
2. The results of the investigation were different than Libby
had predicted. How do scientists report results when their
results are different from their prediction?
a. Scientists report the results that support their
predictions.
b. Scientists report all results, even unexpected results.
c. Scientists change the results to match their
predictions.
d. Scientists change their prediction to match their
results.
3. The sugar in the gum is one type of food used by humans
as a source of matter and energy. What type of energy is
stored in sugar?
a. Chemical energy
b. Kinetic energy
c. Heat (thermal) energy
d. Electrical energy
4. Which human body system breaks down the sugar in
gum for Libby to grow and be healthy?
a. Circulatory system
b. Nervous system
c. Digestive system
d. Respiratory system
5. Each piece of gum had a mass of 3.00 grams before
being chewed. After being chewed, the mass of each piece
was less than 3.00 grams. Where is the mass that was lost
by the gum?
a. The mass lost by the gum was transformed into
energy.
b. The mass lost by the gum was transferred to the
chewer.
c. The mass lost by the gum disappeared due to the
friction of chewing.
d. The mass lost by the gum became thermal (heat)
energy in the chewer.
MSP Content Multiple-Choice Practice #2
6. Libby, like all humans, obtains energy from food like the
sugar in the gum. How do plants obtain energy?
a. Plants get energy from the soil.
b. Plants get energy from water.
c. Plants get energy from light.
d. Plants get energy from air.
7. Deepak learned that the respiratory system can be
harmed by breathing in dust and smoke from the air. What
is the best way Deepak could reduce the dust and smoke he
breathes in at his home?
a. Seal all the doors and window of his house with tape
b. Spray the air in his house with air freshener
c. Use fans to circulate the air in his house
d. Filter the air coming into his house
8. What does the soil in Amanda’s experiment provide for
the radish plants?
a. Protein
b. Oxygen
c. Chemical energy
d. Mineral nutrients
9. The students added organic compost to the garden in
order to increase the mineral nutrients in the soil. Why did
this solution increase the garden’s production?
a. Mineral nutrients are used by plants to make food.
b. Mineral nutrients keep predators away from leaves.
c. Mineral nutrients are an energy source for the roots.
d. Mineral nutrients increase the amount of water in the
soil.
10. When Brian was trying to lift the stump with the
shovel, he accidentally let go of the handle and the stump
fell back in the hole. Which statement describes the
stump’s energy as it falls?
a. The potential energy and the kinetic energy of the
stump decrease.
b. The potential energy and the kinetic energy of the
stump increase.
c. The potential energy of the stump increases as the
stump’s kinetic energy decreases.
d. The potential energy of the stump decreases as the
stump’s kinetic energy increases.
11. After running water down the stream table, José noticed
sediments had been sorted by size. Large grains of sand
remained near the water hose. Small sand grains were
deposited at the other end of the stream table. Which of the
following statements describes why sand grains on the
stream table were sorted by size?
a. The large sand grains were more dense than the
water.
b. The large sand grains gained kinetic energy from the
water.
c. The small sand grains were light enough to be easily
moved by the water.
d. The small sand grains gained mass as they were
moved downstream by the water.
12. Which of these energy forms caused riverbank erosion
in the Stream Table Model?
a. Heat energy from lights in the room
b. Kinetic energy of the flowing water
c. Potential energy of the riverbank
d. Chemical energy in the soil
13. Before Brian could lift the stump out of the hole, he had
to cut the tree roots that had grown into the soil. What is a
life function of roots for a living tree?
a. Roots transport carbon dioxide from the soil for
photosynthesis
b. Roots deliver mineral nutrients from the soil to the
tree.
c. Roots hold soil in place to prevent erosion.
d. Roots allow the tree to take in oxygen.
14. What provides Amanda’s plants with the energy needed
for growth?
a. Air
b. Soil
c. Water
d. Light
15. What type of energy do plants obtain directly from the
Sun?
a. Potential energy
b. Chemical energy
c. Light energy
d. Heat energy
16. Green pepper plants and tomato plants are closely
related. Which characteristic of both plants best shows that
these two plants are closely related?
a. Both plants obtain carbon dioxide from air.
b. Both plants produce seeds inside a fruit.
c. Both plants obtain water from the soil.
d. Both plants are eaten by animals.
17. The students tested the solution by finding the total
mass of the vegetables harvested. What is another way to
scientifically test whether the compost was an effective
way to increase the production of the garden?
a. Survey other students about the taste of the
vegetables.
b. Write down the types of insects found on the plants.
c. Count the number of birds eating in the garden.
d. Record the heights of the plants for both years.
18. What is the role of green bean plants in the ecosystem?
a. Producer, because green bean plants make their own
food
b. Producer, because green bean plants provide food
for animals
c. Consumer, because green bean plants use minerals in
the soil
d. Consumer, because green bean plant seeds form
inside a seed pod
19. Besides water, what is the main source of the mass of a
plant?
a. Mineral nutrients
b. Carbon dioxide
c. Sunlight
d. Oxygen
20. Which human body system performs some of the same
functions as the stem of a plant?
a. Nervous
b. Digestive
c. Skeletal
d. Reproductive
KEY!!!
MSP Content Multiple-Choice Practice
1. Which modification to Sharon’s original investigation
format would increase the reliability of
the investigation?
a. Use different seed types in each section of the
container
b. Use different soil types in each section of the
container
c. Post the results of the investigation on a website
d. Repeat the entire investigation the same way
6. Libby, like all humans, obtains energy from food like the
sugar in the gum. How do plants obtain energy?
a. Plants get energy from the soil.
b. Plants get energy from water.
c. Plants get energy from light.
d. Plants get energy from air.
2. The results of the investigation were different than Libby
had predicted. How do scientists report results when their
results are different from their prediction?
a. Scientists report the results that support their
predictions.
b. Scientists report all results, even unexpected results.
c. Scientists change the results to match their
predictions.
d. Scientists change their prediction to match their
results.
3. The sugar in the gum is one type of food used by humans
as a source of matter and energy. What type of energy is
stored in sugar?
a. Chemical energy
b. Kinetic energy
c. Heat (thermal) energy
d. Electrical energy
4. Which human body system breaks down the sugar in
gum for Libby to grow and be healthy?
a. Circulatory system
b. Nervous system
c. Digestive system
d. Respiratory system
5. Each piece of gum had a mass of 3.00 grams before
being chewed. After being chewed, the mass of each piece
was less than 3.00 grams. Where is the mass that was lost
by the gum?
a. The mass lost by the gum was transformed into
energy.
b. The mass lost by the gum was transferred to the
chewer.
c. The mass lost by the gum disappeared due to the
friction of chewing.
d. The mass lost by the gum became thermal (heat)
energy in the chewer.
7. Deepak learned that the respiratory system can be
harmed by breathing in dust and smoke from the air. What
is the best way Deepak could reduce the dust and smoke he
breathes in at his home?
a. Seal all the doors and window of his house with tape
b. Spray the air in his house with air freshener
c. Use fans to circulate the air in his house
d. Filter the air coming into his house
8. What does the soil in Amanda’s experiment provide for
the radish plants?
a. Protein
b. Oxygen
c. Chemical energy
d. Mineral nutrients
9. The students added organic compost to the garden in
order to increase the mineral nutrients in the soil. Why did
this solution increase the garden’s production?
a. Mineral nutrients are used by plants to make food.
b. Mineral nutrients keep predators away from leaves.
c. Mineral nutrients are an energy source for the roots.
d. Mineral nutrients increase the amount of water in the
soil.
10. When Brian was trying to lift the stump with the
shovel, he accidentally let go of the handle and the stump
fell back in the hole. Which statement describes the
stump’s energy as it falls?
a. The potential energy and the kinetic energy of the
stump decrease.
b. The potential energy and the kinetic energy of the
stump increase.
c. The potential energy of the stump increases as the
stump’s kinetic energy decreases.
d. The potential energy of the stump decreases as the
stump’s kinetic energy increases.
11. After running water down the stream table, José noticed
sediments had been sorted by size. Large grains of sand
remained near the water hose. Small sand grains were
deposited at the other end of the stream table. Which of the
following statements describes why sand grains on the
stream table were sorted by size?
a. The large sand grains were more dense than the
water.
b. The large sand grains gained kinetic energy from the
water.
c. The small sand grains were light enough to be easily
moved by the water.
d. The small sand grains gained mass as they were
moved downstream by the water.
12. Which of these energy forms caused riverbank erosion
in the Stream Table Model?
a. Heat energy from lights in the room
b. Kinetic energy of the flowing water
c. Potential energy of the riverbank
d. Chemical energy in the soil
13. Before Brian could lift the stump out of the hole, he had
to cut the tree roots that had grown into the soil. What is a
life function of roots for a living tree?
a. Roots transport carbon dioxide from the soil for
photosynthesis
b. Roots deliver mineral nutrients from the soil to the
tree.
c. Roots hold soil in place to prevent erosion.
d. Roots allow the tree to take in oxygen.
14. What provides Amanda’s plants with the energy needed
for growth?
a. Air
b. Soil
c. Water
d. Light
15. What type of energy do plants obtain directly from the
Sun?
a. Potential energy
b. Chemical energy
c. Light energy
d. Heat energy
16. Green pepper plants and tomato plants are closely
related. Which characteristic of both plants best shows that
these two plants are closely related?
a. Both plants obtain carbon dioxide from air.
b. Both plants produce seeds inside a fruit.
c. Both plants obtain water from the soil.
d. Both plants are eaten by animals.
17. The students tested the solution by finding the total
mass of the vegetables harvested. What is another way to
scientifically test whether the compost was an effective
way to increase the production of the garden?
a. Survey other students about the taste of the
vegetables.
b. Write down the types of insects found on the plants.
c. Count the number of birds eating in the garden.
d. Record the heights of the plants for both years.
18. What is the role of green bean plants in the ecosystem?
a. Producer, because green bean plants make their own
food
b. Producer, because green bean plants provide food
for animals
c. Consumer, because green bean plants use minerals in
the soil
d. Consumer, because green bean plant seeds form
inside a seed pod
19. Besides water, what is the main source of the mass of a
plant?
a. Mineral nutrients
b. Carbon dioxide
c. Sunlight
d. Oxygen
20. Which human body system performs some of the same
functions as the stem of a plant?
a. Nervous
b. Digestive
c. Skeletal
d. Reproductive