8th Grade
Physical Science
Review
“The Game”
1. Which of the following choices would
be the LEAST valid scientific question
about electricity?
A. How much electricity is lost in a circuit?
B. Which metal wire conducts electricity
best?
C. Is it immoral to depend on electrical
appliances?
D. How much current is needed to light a
bulb?
2. When a battery is used to power a
motor, the sequence of energy
changes are:
A. Mechanical to electrical to chemical?
B. Electrical to chemical to mechanical?
C. Chemical to electrical to mechanical?
D. Chemical to mechanical to electrical?
3. Jenny’s class was investigating how
fast ice cubes melt at different
locations in the room. Which would
be the BEST way to select ice cubes
to use?
A. Measure the mass of several cubes and
choose the ones that have the greatest
mass.
B. Take ice cubes from the same bag.
C. Choose ice cubes that look about the same
size
D. Measure the mass of several cubes and
choose the ones that are closest in mass.
4. What must be true for a car to move
forward at a constant speed? The
forward force of the car is
A. Increasing at a constant rate
B. Greater than the force of gravity
C. Balanced with the force of friction
D. Greater than the backward force on the car
5. An example of refracted light is
I. A magnifying glass
II. A microscope
III. A telescope
A.
B.
C.
D.
I only
I and II only
III only
I, II, and III
6. What is the metric unit of
volume?
A. Meter
B. Liter
C. Gram
D. cup
7. Heather finds this list of instructions in
her journal.
1. Fill graduated cylinder with 30 mL of water
2. Place unidentified metal in water
3. Measure level of water at the bottom of the
miniscus
What procedure was she most likely
performing??
A. Measuring the volume of the metal
B. Cleaning the metal
C. Dissolving the metal
D. Measuring the density of the metal
8. Which of the following statement(s)
are TRUE?
I. New technologies always make the
world better.
II. There are risks associated with some
new technologies.
III. Technologies can have unexpected
consequences.
A.
B.
C.
D.
I only
I and III
II and III
I and II
9. An example of balanced forces
is:
A.
B.
C.
D.
An object sitting on the ground
Bouncing a ball
Downhill skiing
Shooting a rocket into space
10. Which of the following is an
example of a physical change?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Wood burning
Rust forming
Photosynthesis
Water evaporating
11. Silver and sulfur can react chemically
to form the black discoloration called
tarnish that eventually coats silver
objects exposed to the air. If 48 grams
of silver react with 8 grams of sulfur,
the mass of the products would be
A.
B.
C.
D.
6 grams
40 grams
56 grams
384 grams
12. Which of the following correctly
describes what happens to liquid
water if its molecules slow down
enough?
A. A physical change takes place as energy
is removed, and it changes state to ice.
B. A physical change takes place as energy
is added, and it changes state to steam.
C. A chemical change takes place as energy
is added, and its temperature goes up.
D. A chemical change takes place as energy
is removed, and it thermally expands.
13. Elizabeth dropped a small drop of
water on the book she was reading.
She noticed that the letters under
the drop of water seemed much
bigger than the rest of the type. This
happened because water:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Reflects light
Refracts light
Absorbs light
Is translucent
14. How is an electromagnet created?
A. Current runs through a wire coiled
around a metal bar
B. A wire moves through a magnetic field
to induce a current.
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A nor B
15. An example of energy changing
from chemical to electrical to
mechanical is:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Lighting a bulb with a battery
Running a battery powered toy car
lightening
Using your microwave oven plugged
into a household outlet.
16. As white light passes through a
prism it bends into its different
colors – red, orange, yellow, green,
blue, and violet. Which term best
describes what happens to the light
as it passes through the prism?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Absorption
Refraction
Reflection
Scattering
17. Which surface is most likely to
absorb sound waves that strike it?
A.
B.
C.
D.
A concrete floor
A lake
A window
A pillow
18. Atoms of an element are extremely
small particles that:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Are stuck together
Have only air between them
Have only space between them
Are bonded to other types of elements
19. Ammonia is made of molecules
formed by bonding a nitrogen atom
with three hydrogen atoms. What is
ammonia?
A.
B.
C.
D.
An element
A compound
A mixture
None of the above
20. An example of balanced forces is:
A. An object moving forward at a constant
speed
B. Bouncing a ball
C. Downhill skiing
D. Shooting a rocket into space
21. If two substances occupy the same
amount of space, and have the
same exact mass, then they must:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Have different volumes
Have the same cost
Have the same density
Have different weights
22. What happens when water
molecules in the air slow down after
hitting a cold surface (such as a
cold window pane or a drinking
glass filled with an iced liquid)?
A. The water molecules recombine to form
a liquid
B. The water molecules shrink and pass
through the glass to the other side
C. nothing
D. The water molecules disappear
23. Which of the following are important
safety factors in working with
electricity?
I. Unplug a lamp before changing the bulb.
II. Use grounding devices for electrical appliances.
III. Frayed prongs do not always need replacing.
A.
B.
C.
D.
I only
I and II only
II and III only
I, II and III
24. On cool mornings, dew drops (drops
of water) form on grass. The
formation of dew drops is an
example of what kind of state
change?
A.
B.
C.
D.
melting
freezing
sublimation
condensation
25. Water is made of:
A. Water atoms
B. Two hydrogen molecules bonded to one
oxygen molecule
C. Water molecules
D. One hydrogen atom bonded to two
oxygen molecules
26. Molecules of liquid:
A. Float in water
B. Float in more of the same liquid bonded
to one oxygen molecule
C. Have only space between them
D. Have air between them
27. Sandy placed a bottle of water in the
freezer to chill fast. However, she
forgot about it and did not find it until
the following morning. By that time
the bottle had broken and made a big
mess. This happened because:
A.
B.
C.
D.
The mass of the water had increased
The volume of the water had increased
The density of the water had increased
None of the above
28. Which of the following statements is
TRUE about how atoms and
molecules work?
A. Atoms and molecules move faster in ice
than in water.
B. Atoms and molecules move slower in
ice than in steam.
C. Atoms and molecules in water and
steam move at the same speed.
D. Atoms and molecules in ice do not
move.
29. The energy associated with motion is
referred to as mechanical energy.
Which of the following are examples
of mechanical energy?
I. Fire from a charcoal grill
II. A jet plane cruising at 450 miles per hour
III. Water in a waterfall
A.
B.
C.
D.
I only
I and II only
II and III only
III only
30. A glass rod can be positively charged by
rubbing it with silk. A plastic rod can be
negatively charged by rubbing it with fur.
Which choice best describes the interaction
between two positively charged glass rods
and between a positively charged glass rod
and a negatively charged plastic rod?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The glass rods attract each other; the glass and
plastic also attract each other.
The glass rods push each other away; the glass
and plastic also push each other away.
The glass rods attract each other; the glass and
plastic push each other away.
The glass rods push each other away; the glass
and plastic attract each other.
31. Which of the following statements are
TRUE about electromagnetism?
I. Electric current can create a magnetic
field.
II. Magnetic poles create electric charges
III. A magnetic field can move electric
charges in a wire
A.
B.
C.
D.
I only
I and III only
II and III only
I, II and III
32. Order water, air, and rock from
slowest to fastest media for
transmitting sound.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Air, water, rock
Water, air, rock
Rock, water, air
They are all the same
33. Choose the correct answer to
complete the following analogy:
Echolocation: bats ::
A.
B.
C.
D.
echoes
sonar
acoustics
reflections
: boats
34. Which of the following statements
is FALSE?
A. All of the light that strikes a textbook is
absorbed.
B. Objects sometimes reflect the light
that hits them.
C. Light waves can pass through a
window.
D. Light waves and sound waves travel in
different ways.
35. About 85 percent of the light that
strikes an object passes through it
without bending. Which term best
describes the material?
A.
B.
C.
D.
opaque
refracted
transparent
reflected
36. A concrete floor reflects sound
waves. Which choice best describes
what is happening to the waves?
A. The floor absorbs all of the waves.
B. The material in the floor bends the
waves.
C. The waves bounce off the floor and back
into the room.
D. The waves pass through the floor.
37. The density of gold is about 19.3
grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm3)?
What is the mass of a 1 cubic
centimeter piece?
A.
B.
C.
D.
1 gram
19.3 grams
38.6 grams
372.49 grams
38. Which choice BEST demonstrates the
state change when an object
evaporates?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Solid
Solid
Liquid
Gas
liquid
gas
gas
liquid
39. Choose the word that BEST
completes this analogy:
sound: sonar :: light:
.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Echo
Acoustics
Refraction
telescope
40. A student describes an attractive
force that increases in strength with
an increase in mass or a decrease in
distance. Which force is he
describing:
A. Magnetism
B. Electric force
C. Gravity
D. All of the above
41. Choose the term that BEST completes
this analogy:
building : height :: wave :
.
A. Amplitude
B. Frequency
C. Period
D. Vibration
42. Which two tools would BEST be used
to measure the density of a sample
of alcohol?
A. Thermometer and balance
B. Pan balance and ruler
C. Graduated cylinder and balance
D. Ruler and measuring cup
43. Which of the following statements is
FALSE?
A. Atoms and molecules move faster as the
temperature rises.
B. Atoms and molecules stop moving when
an object freezes.
C. Atoms and molecules are in constant
motion.
D. Atoms and molecules in a gas are less
restricted than in a solid.
44. Sandy’s mother yelled at her to
turn down her stereo because
A. Sound is transmitted through solids
B. Sound is reflected off solids
C. Sound only travels through air
D. Both A & B
45. What property stays the same
no matter the volume or mass of
the object?
• A. weight
• B. size
• C. density
• D. shape
• 46. A pepperoni pizza is a good
•
•
•
•
example of a(n):
A. element
B. compound
C. mixture
D. solution
48. Water is a good example of:
a. Element
b. Compound
c. Mixture
d. solution
49. Carbon is a good example of a:
a. Element
b. Compound
c. Mixture
d. solution
50. Sunlight + Co2
C6H12o6 + H2o + o2
In the above formula, which of the following is a
reactant?
A.
B.
C.
D.
H20
C02
C6H12o6
o2