Semester Exam Review- Part I:
Important Concepts and Questions
ANSWER
1. As we learn and discover new things, old theories are 1. Answers will vary but can include:
challenged and new theories are formed. What
 Retesting an old idea with new data
contributes to new theories being formed? (Hint:
 Basing conclusions on tested
Page 15 and notes from Unit 1)
observations
 Reading about other scientists’ theories
and discoveries
 Discovering a new planet with ancient
water formations
2. Scientific knowledge comes from a
2. Answers will vary but students should
variety of sources. Explain.
discuss how science should be open to new
Hint: Page 15, notes from Unit 1
ideas as new discoveries are being made.
3. Havannah decided to do a science
3. Scientific experiments should be written so
fair project detailing how cities impact that others may replicate. New ideas or
the alligator population. Why is it
theories build upon prior research.
important that Havannah take good
notes and complete a detailed log
book? Hint: Pages 6-14
4. How can a widely accepted scientific 4. New evidence supports a new theory instead of the old one.
theory be replaced by a new theory?
magma __________________.
Hint: Page 65
5. What is an independent variable?
5. Independent Variable: a factor changed by the
experimenter
Dependant variable? Control?
Dependant Variable: factors being measured in an experiment
Constant?
Control: standard to which experimental results are compared
Hint: Page 10, Unit 1 Notes
Constant: Variables that do not change in an experiment.
6. Sponge Bob notices that his pal Gary is
6. Independent: Cures (seaweed and Dr. Kelp)
suffering from slimotosis, which occurs when the Dependant: Slime and Odor
shell develops a nasty slime and gives off a
horrible odor. His friend Patrick tells him that
rubbing seaweed on the shell is the perfect cure,
while Sandy says that drinking Dr. Kelp will be
a better cure. Sponge Bob decides to test this
cure by rubbing Gary with seaweed for 1 week
and having him drink Dr. Kelp. After a week of
treatment, the slime is gone and Gary’s shell
smells better. What is the independent variable
in this experiment? What is the dependent
variable? Hint: Review the scientific
method- Page 8 in book, Unit One in
portfolio)
7. What is science? What is a scientist?
Hint: Unit 1 Portfolio
8. When completing science
experiments, scientists should be
accurate and precise. Define accurate
and precise. How does accuracy affect
an experiment?
7. Science: process of observing, studying, and
thinking about things in your world to gain
knowledge.
Scientist: One whose activities make use of the
scientific method to answer questions
regarding the world around them. A scientist
may be involved in original research, or make
use of the results of the research of others
8. Accuracy: how close you come to the standard
Precision – Degree of exactness with which an object is measured.
• Depends on measuring instrument
9. What is the difference between a hypothesis and a
Answers will vary regarding accuracy and
experiments- possible answers: If not
accurate, results of experiments are not valid.
Data is not reliable. Inaccurate data will cause
one to misinterpret results of experiment.
9. Theories have been confirmed through tests; hypothesis
theory?
have not
Hint:
10. What is a scientific law? Describe
Newton’s 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Law of motion.
Bonus: Relate Disney World’s Space
Mountain roller coaster ride ( by the way,
maximum speed is only about 25mph and
the ride only lasts 2 ½ minutes) and
Newton’s Laws of Motion. Hint: Page 19
and Unit 1 Notes
11. What is the formula for density?
Calculate the density of an object with
10. A scientific law is a rule that describes the
behavior of something in nature. Newton’s 1st
Law of Motion: an object will continue in
motion or remain in rest until it is acted upon
by an outside force. Newton’s 2nd Law of
Motion: when a force acts on an object, the
object will change speed, direction, or both.
Newton’s Third Law of Motion: for every
action, there is an equal and opposite
reaction.
Rollar coaster example and possible answers:
1st Law: brakes
2nd Law: the force one feels when going down
is affected by the weight of the “cars” and
gravity.
3rd Law: banked curves
11. D=m/v. D= .20 g/cubic centimeter.
a mass of 20 grams and a volume of
100 cubic centimeters. Hint: Unit 2
13. What is matter? _______ and _________
are not considered matter because
________________________________.
Hint: Page 34
12. Matter is anything that has mass and takes
up space. Heat and light as they have no mass
and do not take up space.
13. The word atom comes from the
Greek word " indivisible". How are
atoms indivisible? Hint: Page 34
13. Atoms can not be divided without losing their
14. The Periodic Table contain more
metals, non metals, or gasses? Hint:
Periodic Table
15. What is the difference between a
covalent and ionic bond? Hint: Page 41
14. metals
16. What is the chemical symbol for
iron? Hint: Periodic Table
17. How many protons, neutrons, and
electrons are in a stable
Hint: Page 70 and notes
18. What is the atomic mass of silver?
Hint: Page 66
19. What are the negatively charged particles orbiting
chemical properties. Remind students: atoms are the building
blocks of matter.
15. Covalent: share electrons. Ionic: Ionic
bonds are formed by the attraction between
two oppositely charged ions.
Usually occurs between positive metals and
negative nonmetals.
16. Fe
17. Protons: 9
Neutrons: 10
Electrons: 9
18. 108
19. Electrons
an atom called?
20. Who is Alfred Wegner and what is
Pangaea?
Hint:
20. No. A diamond is harder than a streak
plate and will scratch the plate.