Log inSign up for FREE
Library

CAASPP Grade 8 Science

Last updated about 1 month ago
48 questions
Required
1
A chemist draws two molecular models. One model is drawn for formaldehyde (CH2O) and one model is drawn for formic acid (CH2O2). The chemist forgets to write the chemical name above each model. The models are labeled as Model 1 and Model 2, as shown in the figure.


Select terms from the lists the complete the sentences.

Formic acid is represented by Model __________. This model has a different number of __________ atoms than the other model.
Required
1
Some of these small fish are light colored, and some are dark colored. A new predator is added to the pond, and one of its primary food sources is the small fish. The table shows the percent of each color of fish in this population before and after the predator was added.


Based on the data in the table, select the best phrase from the menus to complete each sentence.

After the new predator is added to the pond, the __________ have a better chance of surviving than fish of the other color. This is because the predator __________.
Required
1

A water bottle is often designed with a vacuum layer to provide insulation as shown. A foam insulating cover can be added.


Several water bottles with a vacuum layer design are described in the table. Each bottle is the same size and has a steel outer lining. The inner lining can be made of different materials.


Students are asked to make a claim about which design will meet two criteria. The bottle must be break-resistant and must keep the water hot for the longest time. They are also asked to provide a supporting statement for their claim.

Which student claim and supporting statement are about the design that best meets the two criteria?

Students used a computer simulation to determine the variables that affect the gravitational force between two objects. They collected the data shown in the table.

Required
1

Part A
Choose the claim statement that best agrees with the data.

Required
1
Part B
Select the correct words from the menus to complete the following statement to support the claim.

As the masses of both objects increased, the gravitational force between them__________, and as the distance between the two objects increased, the gravitational force between them __________.
Required
1
This graph shows almond production in the United States since 2012. Almost all of the almonds grown in the United States come from California, and about 70% of California's almonds are sold overseas. About 4% of California's freshwater supply is used to grow almonds.


Globally, the quantity of almonds eaten per person has increased in recent years. Scientists claim that this increased demand for almonds will directly cause a decrease in California's limited freshwater supply. Based on the data, select the words or phrases that best complete the statement.

The data __________ the scientists' claim because, as the demand for almonds increases, almond production in California will most likely __________.
Required
2

A paramecium is a single-celled freshwater organism that can be observed using a microscope. A typical paramecium is shown.


A scientist started a paramecium culture in the laboratory to study population growth. A model of population growth for the paramecium culture is shown in the graph. The carrying capacity is the number of individuals that the environment has enough resources to support.


Explain why the paramecium population growth is rapid at the part labeled A and why the population growth rate is slower at the part labeled B, where the population is at carrying capacity. Enter your answer in the space provided.

Required
1

A tsunami is a series of waves, and it is usually caused by an earthquake. A tsunami can only be predicted after an earthquake has already occurred. Most tsunamis are caused by earthquakes with magnitudes over 7.0 that occur under the ocean or near coastlines. These earthquakes are also less than 100 kilometers (km) below Earth's surface. This table summarizes the magnitude, location, and depth of four earthquakes.


Based on this information, which earthquake has the greatest likelihood of causing a tsunami to develop?

Required
1

A student wants to show a friend that a magnetic field exists in the region around a permanent magnet.

For each demonstration listed in the table, select a circle to indicate whether the student can use the demonstration to show that a field exists in a region around a magnet.

Does show a field exists
Does not show a field exists
A magnet touched to a paper clip picks it up from a table.
A magnet held near a small metal ball makes the ball roll across a table.
The north pole of a magnet sticks to the south pole of a second magnet when they touch.
A small magnet held under a piece of paper with iron fillings on top makes the filings move into a pattern that covers the whole piece of paper.
Required
1
Scientists have discovered Mesosaurus fossils on the eastern coast of South America. The fossils are identical to ones found in southern Africa. These fossils are not found anywhere else on Earth.

Using this information, select the best options from the lists to complete the sentences.

Though the two continents were once joined, __________ caused movement of the continents to their current positions. The evidence supporting the claim that the continents were once joined includes the __________.
Required
1

A student learning about heat transfer makes the claim shown.


The student proposes to test the claim in the laboratory by using metal rods of iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and aluminum (Al). In addition to the metal rods, which pieces of equipment would be useful for investigating the claim?

Required
1

DNA contains a code for synthesizing proteins. Three nucleotides in a row code for a particular amino acid. There are four nucleotides in DNA, which are abbreviated as A, T, C, G. The amino acids are joined to form a protein.

Genetic mutations can occur in the DNA of individuals. Some mutations are harmful, some have no effect, and some might be beneficial to the organism. The table shows the nucleotide sequence of DNA that codes for a protein in one individual and the nucleotide sequence of the same segment of DNA in an individual with a mutation.


Which statement describes the most likely impact of the mutation in the mutated sequence?

Required
1

In June 1991, Mount Pinatubo in the Phillipines erupted. The eruption released large amounts of gases, such as sulfur dioxide, water vapor, and carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere. Sulfur dioxide reacted with water to form aerosol particles, and an aerosol cloud formed that covered a a large portion of Earth.

Students want to determine what effect the eruption had on global climate. Which question should the students investigate to best determine the effect?

Required
2

During a La Niña event, the temperature of the Pacific Ocean near Central America becomes cooler than normal. As a result, more clouds form, and this can block sunlight from reaching plants in Central American forests. A researcher studying the effects of La Niña measured the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) uptake by tropical plants under different light intensities. The data are shown in the graph.


Predict how a La Niña event affects the rate of photosynthesis by plants in the tropical forests of Central America. Provide evidence from the graph to support your prediction. Enter your answer in the space provided.

Required
0

A biologist wanted to study how certain plant structures, such as colored flowers, might affect how often the plants are pollinated during the day. For one hour on a sunny summer day, the biologist observed bee, butterfly, hummingbird, and beetle pollinators of a population of plants with equal numbers of purple, white, and pink flowers. Based on the data collected and shown in the table, the biologist made the claim that plants with purple flowers in this population attract more pollinators than do plants with flowers of other colors.


Which evidence could be used to challenge the biologist's claim that purple flowers in the population of plants attract more pollinators than other flower colors do?

Required
1

A scientist measures the amplitude and wavelength of waves in the ocean. The scientist also calculates the amount of energy contained in one square meter of water for each wave. The data and calculations for four different waves are shown in the table.


Which wave characteristics, if any, does the energy in the wave depend on?

Required
1

Six stones of different shapes and masses are lifted to various heights above Earth's surface, as shown in the table. The table also shows the gravitational potential energy of each stone-Earth system, which is defined as zero when a stone is resting on the ground.


Select the circles to indicate what happens to the gravitational potential energy of a stone-Earth system when each indicated change to the system is made.

Increases
Decreases
Remains the same
A round stone is replaced with a rectangular stone.
The stone is replaced with another stone of half the mass.
The stone is lifted to a height that is 2.0 meters higher.
Required
1

The diagram shows a cross section of layers of sedimentary rocks. The types of fossils in each layer are shown.


Based on the information in the cross section, select the three statements that are most likely correct.

Required
1

The embryos of two vertebrate animals at the same stage of development are shown in the figure.


Which best explains why the embryos are similar in appearance, yet the adults look different.

Required
2

Plastic A is commonly used to make disposable water bottles. Plastic B can also be used to make these bottles. Information about Plastic A and Plastic B is given in the table.


Based on the information in the table, explain two ways how using Plastic B instead of Plastic A to make disposable water bottles can help conserve natural resources. Enter your answer in the box provided.

Required
1

A certain species of flowering plant has populations that grow near sea level and populations that grow at high elevations. Scientists collected seeds from the plants growing at different elevations and plated the seeds at a high elevation and near sea level. The heights of the plants grown from the seeds are shown in the table.


Based on the data, which two statements about the height of this species of plant are most likely correct?

Required
1
A student skateboards back-and-forth on a curved ramp, as illustrated in the figure. The student comes to a complete stop whenever the top of the ramp is reached.


Motion sensors at various positions on the ramp collect speed and kinetic energy data. The data are shown in the graph.


What happens when the student moves from Position A to Position B? Drag the best descriptions of what happens to the students's speed and kinetic energy into the appropriate locations in the table.
Other Answer Choices:
Approximately halved
Stays the same
Approximately doubles
Approximately quadruples
Required
1

A student creates the model shown of the water cycle for a class presentation. The student's main goal is to help the class understand how living organisms assist in the movement of water through the system.


Based on the model, what should the student say about the role of living organisms in the water cycle?

Required
1

Baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is a fungus that has been used as a model organism for research on reproduction, because it can reproduce both sexually and asexually.

This table helps explain the differences in genetic variation that results from sexual and asexual reproduction in organisms such as baker's yeast. Select one circle in each row to indicate whether each statement describes a feature of sexual reproduction, asexual reproduction, or both.

Asexual reproduction
Sexual reproduction
Both
Increases genetic variation
Requires two sex cells
Produces nearly identical offspring
Transfers genetic information from one generation to the next
Hikers on long trips use water from lakes and streams to fill their water bottles. The water may contain pathogens (protozoa, bacteria, and/or viruses) that cause serious illnesses. This table describes several methods for treating the water.

Required
1

Part A
Based on the information, select the circles to indicate which methods do and do not require the hiker to carry an external source of energy.

Requires carrying an external source of energy
Does not require carrying an external source of energy
Filtration system
Chemical disinfectant tablets
Ultraviolet light
Boiling (for 3 minutes)
Required
1

Part B
Water in lakes and streams may contain particles of soil and decaying plants that cloud the water. Which method will most likely be effective at making the water clear when removing pathogens?

Required
1
A student conducted an investigation using three soils that were identical except for their level of pH. The student planted hydrangea plants of similar size in pots containing one of the three soils. When the hydrangeas bloomed, the student recorded the color of the flowers each plant produced and the level of pH in the soil.


Adding garden lime reduces the acidity of soil. Based on the data, what color flowers will a hydrangea plant produce when it grows in neutral soil that is then treated with garden lime over time?

The flower color will be __________ because the acidity of the soil becomes __________.
Required
1

California has experienced many significant periods of drought as a result of both environmental factors and human activities. Conservation of groundwater has therefore become very important, even when California receives a lot of rain. Proposed ways of conserving groundwater include reducing water use, reusing water, and finding other sources of water.

For each conservation practice listed in the table, select how the practice most directly conserves groundwater. Select one circle per row.

Reduces water use
Reuses water
Provides other source of water
Irrigating crops with treated wastewater
Using indoor faucet nozzles that limit water flow
Using water from a rainwater collection system
Students are designing a solar oven that can be made from materials found around their homes. Solar ovens take more time to heat food than regular ovens. The students would like to build a solar oven that heats food as quickly as possible.
Required
1

Part A
Which two characteristics should the students consider when addressing the time the oven takes to heat food?

Required
1

Part B
For each design criterion listed in the table, select a circle to indicate whether use of the criterion will improve or reduce the rate at which the solar oven heats food.

Improves the rate of heating.
Reduces the rate of heating
Covering the interior walls of the oven with a reflective material such as aluminum foil
Allowing outside air to circulate inside the oven
Having a mirrored surface that is adjustable in angle to reflect sunlight into the oven
Using cookware that is uncovered and open to the atmosphere
Required
1

Students are asked to develop models of the solar system. One student suggests that a ball circling a pole may be used to model the Sun, Earth, and the force of gravity. the model is shown in the diagram.


Which statement best describes how the model represents the Sun and Earth?

In this performance task, you will answer six questions.
On a class trip to a local park, some students observe a black squirrel climbing a tree. The teacher explains that this squirrel is an eastern gray squirrel with a genetic mutation that causes it to have black fur.
When the students return from the class trip, their teacher helps them create this model to explain how the gene mutation causes the squirrels to have black fur.

The model shows how a specific gene controls the production of melanin and the effect of a mutation in the gene's code. Melanin is a pigment that gives color to an animal's hair, skin, and eyes.

Required
1
Based on the model, complete the sentence by selecting the best words or phrases from the lists.

The structure and foundation of the __________ produced from the mutated gene is most likely __________ the one produced from the normal gene.
Required
1
Based on the model, complete the sentence by selecting the best phrase from the list.

Squirrels with the mutated gene have black fur because this gene produces a protein that __________ melanin.
The teacher explains that eastern gray squirrels are found in three different fur colors, gray, dark brown, and black.


A squirrel's fur color depends on the alleles, different versions of the same gene, that it inherits from its parents. B represents the gray allele and b represents the black allele.

This table shows the relationship between a squirrel's inherited alleles and its fur color.

With this information, the students were instructed to create a model to show how a baby squirrel, or kit, could be born with dark-brown fur, using B to represent the gray allele and b to represent the black allele.
Required
1

Which statement best explains why two dark-brown squirrels could have kits that are gray or black?

The students found data on the percentage of squirrels in the local park that were gray, dark brown, or black from 2010 to 2015, as shown in this graph.

Required
1
Based on the graph, complete the sentence by selecting the best terms from the lists.

In this population of squirrels, the gray fur color is the __________ advantageous for survival because from 2010 to 2015 the percentage of graph squirrels is always __________ of the total population size.
Required
1

Based on the data in the graph, which two types of additional information would best help to interpret the data in the graph?

Required
2

Explain how the pattern in the graph supports the claim that the genetic mutation for black fur was at some times harmful and at other times helpful to survival. Enter your answer in the box provided.

In this performance task you will answer six questions.
Students are collecting data about a roller coaster called the Goliath.

Before riding the roller coaster, students are asked to look at a diagram of the track and evaluate the relative potential energy at four points on the roller coaster. The four points, along with their height in meters (m), are shown on this diagram.

Required
1

Which two statements correctly describe the relative potential energy at various points on the track?

Most roller coasters begin with a large hill where the roller coaster train is lifted up the hill using a motor, such as from \textcircled{1} to \textcircled{2} on this diagram of the Goliath. The motor is designed to always move the roller coaster train with the same velocity. At the top of the hill, the roller coaster train continues moving, with no further input of energy.

Required
1
Select words from the menus to correctly describe the changes in energy as the roller coaster train moves down the first hill, from \textcircled{2} to \textcircled{3}, and up the second hill, from \textcircled{3} to \textcircled{4}.

The energy stored in the train at \textcircled{2} is transformed from __________ energy into motion, thermal, and sound energy as the train moves down to \textcircled{3}. As the train moves up to \textcircled{4}, the __________ energy is transformed back into __________ energy, but some __________ energy remains because \textcircled{4} is not has high as \textcircled{2}.
Required
1

If the second hill wasn't lower than the first hill, the roller coaster train would

Measurements of the speed of the train at additional points on the ride indicate that energy is being lost.

The students present two claims for the cause of this energy loss.

Claim 1: The loss of energy is due to the air pushing back on the train as it moves down the track.

Claim 2: The loss of energy is due to the lack of friction of the train wheels with the track.
Required
1

Three possible observations are proposed to test these claims, as shown in the chart. Indicate if each observation would support Claim 1 or Claim 2 by selecting the circles in the chart.

Supports Claim 1
Supports Claim 2
The train moves faster after the cars are streamlined.
The tracks are warmer after the train has passed.
The train moves faster after oil is applied to the wheels and tracks.
Required
1
If two more cars were added to the train, and both were filled with students, how would the data compare to that of a six-car train?

Select the terms from the menus to correctly complete the answer.

The kinetic energy would __________ and the velocity would __________.
Required
2

To save money, engineers want to replace the train with a new train that has half the mass of the original train at 1,650 kg when empty. The new train will have a velocity of 28 m/s at the bottom of the first hill.
  • Based on this information, respond to the following questions:
  • How will the kinetic energy of the new train compare to the kinetic energy of the original train when both are empty?
  • What property of the new train causes the difference in kinetic energy?
Enter your answer in the space provided.

In this performance task, you will answer five questions.
Students are researching the climate in their town. Between 1976 and 2016, the number of days with a high temperature above 38 degrees Celsius (\degreeC) in their town has increased each year. These trends are consistent across their state.

The students find this graph showing the same trend of increasing temperatures around the world. The graph also contains information about global carbon dioxide (CO2) levels.


The article associated with the graph says the rise in CO2 is caused by the increased use of fossil fuels by humans. The students disagree about the relationship between rising CO2 concentrations and rising temperatures.

One student thinks the rise in average daily temperature is causing the rise in CO2. A second student thinks the rise in CO2 is causing the rise in average daily temperature. A third student thinks that both are rising but there is no relationship between CO2 and change in average daily temperature.
Required
1

The students want to answer this question:


Which question should the students answer as part of their research?

These are claims that the students made.

Student 1: The rise in temperature is causing the rise in CO2.
Student 2: The rise in CO2 is causing the rise in temperature.
Student 3: Both CO2 and temperature are rising but there is no relationship between them.
  • The students design an investigation using three beakers to collect evidence for the three claims. Three beakers are set up as follows:
  • All beakers are the same size and contain the same amount of soil.
  • All beakers contain a thermometer and a CO2 sensor.
  • Beaker 1 is left open.
  • Beaker 2 is covered with plastic wrap.
  • Beaker 3 is covered with plastic wrap and filled with a gas that is half air and half CO2.
Each beaker is placed under a heat lmap with the same amount of heat for 15 minutes. The beakers are the same distance from the lamps. The diagram shows the three beakers before being placed under the heat lamps:

Required
1
Select the terms from the menus that best complete the sentence.

The students' investigation should __________ the interaction between Earth's atmosphere, greenhouse gases, and __________.
The students create this graph to predict what the data from the experiment might look like.


Information about the beaker setups is repeated here for reference. The students modified their claims to apply to the experiment.

Beaker Setups
  • Beaker 1 - not covered
  • Beaker 2 - covered
  • Beaker 3 - covered and contains extra CO2

Student Claims for Experiment
  • Student 1: A change in temperature will cause a change in CO2.
  • Student 2: A change in CO2 will cause a change in temperature.
  • Student 3: Changes to CO2 are not connected to changes in temperature.
Required
2

Use the graph, beaker setups, and student claims to answer these two questions.
  • Which student claim would be best supported by the graph?
  • Which two beakers should be compared to support the student claim?
Enter your answer in the space provided.

The students create this second graph to make another prediction of what the data might look like.


Information about the beaker setups is repeated here for reference. The students modified their claims to apply to the experiment.

Beaker Setups
  • Beaker 1 - not covered
  • Beaker 2 - covered
  • Beaker 3 - covered and contains extra CO2
Student Claims for Experiment
  • Student 1: A change in temperature will cause a change in CO2.
  • Student 2: A change in CO2 will cause a change in temperature.
  • Student 3: Changes to CO2 are not connected to changes in temperature.
Required
1

Which two sources of CO2 data would provide evidence to support the claim of Student 2?

Required
1
Student 3 also claims that another possible cause for the increase in days above 38\degreeC could be the increase in the amount of paved surfaces in the town.

To support the claim, the student should make a __________ of the percentage of the __________ surface that has been paved over time.