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STAAR Grade 8 Science

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Last updated about 1 month ago
40 questions
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Question 1
1.

Question 2
2.

Question 3
3.

Question 4
4.

Question 5
5.

Question 6
6.
What are the charge AND location of each subatomic particle of an atom?

Move the correct answer to each box in the table. Each answer may be used more than once.
Other Answer Choices:
0
Nucleus
-1
+1
Energy levels
Question 7
7.

Question 8
8.

Which TWO body systems are MOST DIRECTLY responsible for students being able to reel rain on their skin?

Identify the body systems AND explain how these systems are responsible for creating a sensation on skin.

Enter your answers in the box provided.

Question 9
9.

Question 10
10.

Question 11
11.

Question 12
12.

Question 13
13.

Question 14
14.

This question has two parts.

A student lists two land features:
  • Himalayas (mountain range)
  • (East African) Great Rift Valley
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Question 17
17.

Question 18
18.

Question 19
19.

Question 20
20.

Question 21
21.

Question 22
22.

This question has two parts.

The mass, applied force, and frictional force for four carts are shown in the table.

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Question 25
25.

Question 26
26.

Question 27
27.

Question 28
28.

Question 29
29.

Question 30
30.

Question 31
31.

Students listed characteristics of some cells they had studied. Identify the characteristics that are part of the cell theory.

Select TWO correct answers.

Question 32
32.

Question 33
33.

Question 34
34.

Question 35
35.

Question 36
36.

The diagram shows Earth at different positions as it orbits the sun.


What differences between Earth's Northern and Southern Hemispheres are represented in the diagram, AND what causes these differences?

Look at the diagram and read the question carefully. Then enter your answers in the box provided.

Question 37
37.

Question 38
38.
The diagram shows two arrows that represent the directions of two forces acting on a 1-kilogram ball. The arrows do not represent amounts of force, they only represent the directions of the two forces.

How should the diagram be labeled if the ball is accelerating to the west at a rate of 1 m/s2?

Move the correct answer to each box. Not all answers will be used.
Other Answer Choices:
12 newtons
7 newtons
10 newtons
5 newtons
8 newtons
Question 39
39.

Question 40
40.

A food web is shown.

What is the total number of organisms that eat primary consumers?
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
A topographic map is shown.


Based on the topographic map, if all four areas receive the same amount of rainfall, which area would MOST LIKELY experience the greatest rate of erosion?
Area W
Area X
Area Y
Area Z
A student bounces a basketball off the gym floor.

Which statement correctly describes the action-reaction force pair that causes the ball to bounce?
The gym floor pushes up on the ball as the ball pushes down on the floor with an equal amount of force.
The gym floor pushes up on the ball with a greater amount of force than the ball pushes down on the floor.
The gym floor pushes up on the ball as gravity pulls down on the ball with an equal amount of force.
The gym floor pushes up on the ball with a greater amount of force than gravity pulls down on the ball.
Matter can undergo physical or chemical changes. Which of these are examples of physical changes?

Select TWO correct answers.
Burning wood
Breaking an egg
Cooking an egg
Freezing a popsicle
Rusting iron
The model shows the position of Earth in its orbit around the sun and two points on Earth.


Which statement correctly compares and explains the length of daylight at the two points?
The length of daylight is shorter at Point X than at Point Y because the Norther Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun.
The length of daylight is shorter at Point X than at Point Y because the Norther Hemisphere is tilted toward the sun.
The length of daylight is longer at Point X than at Point Y because the Norther Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun.
The length of daylight is longer at Point X than at Point Y because the Norther Hemisphere is tilted toward the sun.
The diagram shows positions of the moon as it orbits Earth.


At which position will a waning crescent moon be seen from Earth?
W
X
Y
Z
A scientist is working with an element that is a gas at room temperature and does not react with other elements.

Which characteristic BEST describes this element?
Metal
Member of Group 18
Metalloid
Member of Group 2
The table shows the percentages of crops pollinated by honeybees in the United States.


Over the past 30 years, honeybee populations in the United States have decreased significantly.

Which statement describes the MOST LIKELY long-term effect of a continuing decrease in honeybee populations?
All crops will eventually die off.
Apples will continue to grow, but there will be a decrease in the growth of the peanut crop.
Almonds will be in danger of becoming extinct.
Other insects will begin pollinating the crops that rely on honeybees.
Which graph represents a baseball player accelerating away from a base located on the origin?
Which statement correctly describes characteristics of organisms in a particular kingdom?
Unicellular, heterotrophic organisms that have a nuclear are members of Kingdom Bacteria.
Unicellular, autotrophic organisms that do not have a nucleus are members of Kingdom Fungi.
Multicellular, heterotrophic organisms that have a nucleus are members of Kingdom Animalia.
Multicellular, autotrophic organisms that do not have a nuclear are members of Kingdom Archaea.
Ocean water absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide lowers the pH of the ocean water, which is harmful to organisms living in the ocean.

Which activity is most likely to decrease the amount of carbon dioxide being added to the ocean water?
Cutting down rain forests to use the land to farm crops
Constructing homes on farmland rather than on vacant lots in cities
Going to school in cars instead of riding the bus with other students
Using electrically powered devices instead of those powered by fossil fuels
A group of students was conducting an investigation with plants. One group of plants was placed inside a closet. The other group of plants was placed next to a window. After two weeks, the plants next to the window were taller and healthier than the plants in the closet.

Which statement BEST explains the difference in plant growth?
The plants next to the window were able to convert more light energy into chemical energy.
The plants next to the window were able to convert more thermal energy into light energy.
The plants next to the window were able to convert more thermal energy into mechanical energy.
The plants next to the window were able to convert more light energy into electrical energy.
Question 15
15.

Question 16
16.

A student is pushing two blocks on a smooth, frictionless surface.


What force is required in order to produce an acceleration of 2.5 m/s2?
12 N
30 N
50 N
75 N
Which statement BEST compares the atoms of two elements that have similar chemical properties?
The atoms of both elements have the same number of neutrons.
The atoms of both elements have the same number of valence electrons.
The atoms of both elements have an equal number of energy levels.
The atoms of both elements have an even number of positive and negative charges.
How do fossil records support the theory of plate tectonics?
Similar fossils are found on the same continent at different time periods.
Similar fossils are found on various modern continents.
Different fossils are found on the same continent during the same time period.
Fossils found along coastal regions of modern continents are unique.
Some characteristics of several astronomical objects are listed. Identify each object based on the characteristic listed.

A characteristic may have more than one correct object.
Star
Nebula
Comet
Meteor
Contains a center of dust and ice
Rock that vaporizes as it falls through Earth's atmosphere
Sphere of plasma that produces its own light
Has a tail of gas and dust particles
Cloudlike formation of gas and dust
A student examines the organism shown and uses the dichotomous key to identify it.



Based on the dichotomous key, which organism is shown?
Chlamydomonas
Paramecium
Peranema
Chilomonas
Salt cedar trees are small invasive trees that cause environmental problems in Texas watersheds. Some of the characteristics of salt cedar trees are listed.


Which statement describes the most likely long-term environmental impact of the salt cedar trees?
The number of consumers will increase.
The water levels in the soil will increase.
The salt levels in the soil will decrease.
The populations of native plants will decrease.
Question 23
23.

Question 24
24.

Most calendar years contain 365 days. What is the number of new moons that can occur in calendar years with 365 days?
8
13
29
31
An energy pyramid is shown.


Which statement BEST describes the flow of energy through this pyramid?
Producers provide energy directly to the organisms in all the trophic levels above them.
Primary consumers transfer energy to the trophic level above them and the trophic level below them.
Secondary consumers represent the most organisms, and they have the greatest amount of energy in their trophic level.
Tertiary consumers do not receive all the energy from the trophic level below them, because some energy is lost to the environment.
A neutral atom has an atomic mass of 16 amu. Which particles contribute the MOST to the atomic mass of this atom?
Protons nad electrons
Protons and neutrons
Neutrons and electrons
Electrons only
The chemical formula for methane is CH4.

Which statement describes the atoms present in FOUR molecules of methane?
Four molecules of methane would contain 1 atom of carbon and 4 atoms of hydrogen.
Four molecules of methane would contain 4 atoms of carbon and 1 atom of hydrogen.
Four molecules of methane would contain 4 atoms of carbon and 16 atoms of hydrogen.
Four molecules of methane would contain 16 atoms of carbon and 16 atoms of hydrogen.
The diagram shows the alignment of Earth, the moon, and the sun on one day in May 2019.


The table shows tide heights for a coastal city on four different days in May 2019.


Based on the table, on which data were Earth, the moon, and the sun MOST LIKELY arranged as shown in the diagram?
May 15
May 18
May 22
May 26
A graph of an object's motion during a 5-second time interval is shown.


Which statement correctly compares the object's motion during the first 3 seconds and the last 2 seconds?
Both the speed and velocity change.
Both the speed and velocity stay the same.
The speed changes, but the velocity stays the same.
The velocity changes, but the speed stays the same.
The diagram shows different types of tectonic plate boundaries.


Which table accurately shows the surface features associated with each tectonic plate boundary?
Which statement BEST compares the properties of silicon (Si) and nickel (Ni)?
Silicon is brittle, while nickel is malleable.
Silicon is ductile, while nickel is not ductile.
Silicon is a good conductor of electricity, while nickel is not.
Silicon is liquid at room temperature, while nickel is solid at room temperature.
There are many different species of rate snakes in the United States. Three species are described in the table.


These species are similar but have different color patterns.

Which statement BEST explains these differences in color?
Each snake population adapted to a different environment over time.
Each snake population moved to a different environment to reproduce.
Each individual snake changed its color to match its environment.
Each individual snake chose the best colors to pass to its offspring.
An equation for a chemical reaction is shown.

NaOH + HCl \longrightarrow NaCl + H2O

Which statement provides evidence that mass is conserved in the reaction?
Two new substances are formed in the products.
Water is one of the products, but not one of the reactants.
Two hydrogen atoms are in the reactants, and two hydrogen atoms are in the products.
One chlorine atoms pairs with one sodium atom in the products, and one chlorine atoms pairs with one hydrogen atom in the reactants.
A food web is shown.


Based on the food web, which types of organisms would the grasshopper mouse most likely compete with for food sources?
Producers and carnivores
Producers and decomposers
Herbivores and carnivores
Herbivores and decomposers
The image shows a roller coaster cart moving along a track.


Which statement BEST describes the kinetic and potential energies of the cart at Location X compared with the kinetic and potential energies of the cart at Location Y?
The cart has more potential energy and less kinetic energy at Location X than it has at Location Y.
The cart has less potential energy and more kinetic energy at Location X than it has at Location Y.
The cart has the same amounts potential energy and kinetic energy at Location X as it has at Location Y.
The cart has more potential energy and kinetic energy at Location X than it has at Location Y.
A neutral atom of which element has 12 protons?
Carbon (C)
Chromium (Cr)
Magnesium (Mg)
Zinc (Zn)
Part A
Which statement describes how each land feature MOST LIKELY formed?
The Himalayas formed at convergent boundaries, while the Great Rift Valley formed at divergent boundaries.
The Himalayas and the Great Rift Valley both formed at divergent boundaries.
The Himalayas formed at divergent boundaries, while the Great Rift Valley formed at convergent boundaries.
The Himalayas formed at convergent boundaries, while the Great Rift Valley formed at transform boundaries.
Part B
Which statement BEST explains the correct answer to Part A?
Tectonic plates are moving away from each other in areas that form both mountains and rift valleys.
Tectonic plates are moving away from each other in areas that form mountains, while tectonic plates are moving toward each other in areas that form rift valleys.
Tectonic plates are moving toward each other in areas that form mountains, while tectonic plates are sliding past each other in areas that form rift valleys.
Tectonic plates are moving toward each other in area that form mountains, while tectonic plates are moving away from each other in areas that form rift valleys.
Part A
Based on the data table, which cart has the lowest acceleration?
W
X
Y
Z
Part B
Which statement BEST explains the correct answer to Part A?
The cart will have the lowest acceleration if it has a larger mass and its applied force and friction have the greatest sum.
The cart will have the lowest acceleration if it has a smaller mass and its applied force and friction have the greatest sum.
The cart will have the lowest acceleration if it has a larger mass and has the least difference between its applied force and friction.
The cart will have the lowest acceleration if it has a smaller mass and has the least difference between the applied force and friction.