Name_______________________________ Grade_____ Date______________________________
Exploring in Science
Pre/Post Test
Choose the best answer for the following questions
1. Which metric units should be used to describe the mass of an object?
A centimeters
B liters
C grams
D degrees Celsius
2. The diagram below shows a balance. Side A has five blocks and side B has three blocks. The mass of each block is shown in grams (g).
How much greater is the mass of the blocks on side A than the mass of the blocks on side B?
A 50 g
B 100 g
C 150 g
D 200 g
3. Two candles, A and B, were the same size. Candle B was lit and burned for an hour. After the hour, the candles were measured, as shown in the diagram below.
How many centimeters shorter is candle B after it burned for an hour?
A 2 cm
B 3 cm
C 4 cm
D 5 cm
4. Which unit of measurement describes an object’s length?
A meter
B kilogram
C liter
D degree

5. Which sense is used to determine an object’s texture?
A hearing
B smell
C taste
D touch
6. Which tool would be most useful for observing the details of an insect’s wings?
A thermometer
B balance
C hand lens
D graduated cylinder
Base your answers to questions 7 and 8 on the diagram below and on your knowledge of science. The diagram shows four identical marbles and a graduated cylinder containing 43 mL of water.
7. A student puts two marbles in the cylinder and the water level rises from 43 mL to 45 mL. The student then puts the other two marbles in the graduated cylinder. What will the water level be when all four marbles are in the graduated cylinder?
A 43 mL
B 45 mL
C 47 mL
D 49 mL
8. Which property of the marbles causes the water level to rise when they are put in the graduated cylinder?
A color
B shape
C texture
D volume
9. A student performed this experiment:
Four different types of seeds were planted in identical pots filled with the same kind and amount of soil. The pots were placed in a warm, sunny place and were given the same amount of water each day for a month.
Which question about these seeds could be answered at the end of the month?
A Which seeds grew well in the dark?
B Which seeds produced the tallest plants?
C Which seeds survived in cold temperatures?
D Which seeds needed the least amount of water?

10. During an experiment, a student reports that a liquid turned green when mixed with another liquid. This is an example of
A a measurement
B a prediction
C an explanation
D an observation
11. The data table below shows the height of a bean plant over a three-month period. The height of the plant is recorded in centimeters (cm).
Height of a Bean Plant
If the pattern shown continues, the height of the plant in June will be
A 6 cm
B 12 cm
C 14 cm
D 19 cm
12. A group of students wants to record the change in temperature of a container of water every 2 minutes for a period of 10 minutes. Which table will best organize these data?
13. An experiment was designed to test whether students could squeeze a clothespin more times in 1 minute after resting or after exercising. What would be a hypothesis for the experiment?
A Do students squeeze clothespins more often in 1 minute after exercising?
B Can most students squeeze a clothespin more times after they rest?
C Ten students who exercise before squeezing a clothespin squeezed it more times in 1 minute than ten students who rested first.
D Students who rest before squeezing a clothespin will squeeze it fewer times in 1 minute than students who exercise beforehand.
14. A common goal for all scientists is to:
A. Build spacecrafts.
B. Answer questions about the natural world.
C. To publish science books.
D. Create cures for cancer.

15. A student conducted an original, well-designed experiment, carefully following the scientific method. In order for the conclusions to be believable, the experiment must:
A. Contain several experimental variables.
B. Support the original hypothesis.
C. Be repeated to verify the reliability of the data.
D. Be conducted by a scientist.
16. After observing falling objects, Sir Isaac Newton attempted to explain the principles of gravity. Newton applied the scientific method to develop his laws of gravitation. Which of the following was the first step he took?
A. Propose a theory.
B. Make a hypothesis.
C. Draw a conclusion.
D. Ask a question.
17. Some students wanted to make a model to show how the size of the moon compares with the size of Earth. They used an orange to represent the moon. Which of the following would best represent Earth?
A A cantaloupe
B A grape
C A lime
D A cherry

Use the chart below to answer question 18.
18. A rubber ball was dropped from the same height onto five different surfaces. The height of the first bounce was measured and recorded. The graph shows the data. Based on the data, which of the following is the best conclusion?
A Rubber balls bounce higher on harder surfaces.
B All balls bounce higher indoors than they do outdoors.
C Tennis balls bounce higher than basketballs on all surfaces.
D Large balls do not bounce as high as small balls
19. You should prepare for each lab activity by reading all instruction –
A. After school
B. while you are working
C. before you do the experiment
D. next week
20.The part of an experiment in which all conditions are kept the same is the
A. control
B. conclusion
C. hypothesis
D. independent variable
21. Which of the following would be done last in a scientific study?
A. asking a question
B. publishing the findings
C. setting up a hypothesis
D. conducting an experiment
22. A student researcher studies fiddler crab behavior and tides. She wants to determine if fiddler crab movements increase with changes in tidal levels. The dependent variable in her experiment is
A. the changes in tidal levels
B. the changes in crab movements
C. the number of larvae produced
D. the changes in water temperature

23. Not following procedures in the laboratory
A. may cause harm to yourself or another person in the laboratory
B. may cause unexpectedly good results in your experiment
C. shows you have courage and initiative
D. may prevent waste of chemicals and other materials
II. Short Response Questions: Write your answer to these questions in the space provided.
24. A cup of water was heated for eight minutes. The thermometers below show the temperature readings during that time.
Estimate the temperature of the water when it was heated for three minutes. [1]
_______°C
25. A student made some observations of two objects, A and B. The chart below shows these observations.

A Venn diagram can be used to compare and contrast objects A and B.
Complete the Venn diagram below. Use all of the observations from the chart. [1]
26. The diagram below shows two measuring containers, A and B.
Container A contains 10 milliliters (mL) of a liquid. All of the liquid from container A is poured into container B. Shade container B in the diagram above to show the volume of the water in container B after it was poured from container A. [1]
27. Complete the chart below by identifying the scientific tool used to measure each of the physical properties listed. The scientific tool in the first row is shown. [2]

28. The data table below shows the average monthly temperature for Albany, New York, for the first four months of the year.
Average Monthly Temperature for Albany, New York
Use the data in the table to complete the bar graph below. The average temperature for January is shown. [1]

Base your answers to questions 29 through 34 on the information below and on your knowledge of science.
Maria likes to blow bubbles. A friend tells her that adding glycerin to detergent will make the bubbles bigger. She makes five solutions in the following concentrations:
Solution A: 1% glycerin/detergent
Solution B: 2% glycerin/detergent
Solution C: 3% glycerin/detergent
Solution D: 5% glycerin/detergent
Solution E: no glycerin added to the detergent
The resulting bubble sizes were:
Solution A: 2 centimeters in diameter
Solution B: 2 centimeters in diameter
Solution C: 3 centimeters in diameter
Solution D: 6 centimeters in diameter
Solution E: 2 centimeters in diameter
29. Write a hypothesis for her experiment. [1]
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30. Which solution was her control? ________________________________________________
31. What is the independent variable?_______________________________________________
32. What is the dependent variable? ________________________________________________
33. Construct a graph using the bubble sizes and solution concentrations. [5]

34. What can Maria conclude? Use data from your graph to support your conclusion. [1]
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