STAAR Grade 8 Science

Required

1

A food web is shown.

What is the total number of organisms that eat primary consumers?

Required

1

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?

Required

1

A student bounces a basketball off the gym floor.

Which statement correctly describes the action-reaction force pair that causes the ball to bounce?

Required

2

Matter can undergo physical or chemical changes. Which of these are examples of physical changes?

Select TWO correct answers.

Required

1

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?

Required

2

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.

The diagram shows positions of the moon as it orbits Earth.

At which position will a waning crescent moon be seen from Earth?

Required

2

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.

Required

1

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?

Required

1

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?

Required

1

Which graph represents a baseball player accelerating away from a base located on the origin?

Required

1

Which statement correctly describes characteristics of organisms in a particular kingdom?

Required

1

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?

Required

1

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?

This question has two parts. 

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

Required

1

Part A
Which statement describes how each land feature MOST LIKELY formed?

Required

1

Part B
Which statement BEST explains the correct answer to Part A?

Required

1

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?

Required

1

Which statement BEST compares the atoms of two elements that have similar chemical properties?

Required

1

How do fossil records support the theory of plate tectonics?

Required

2

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

Required

1

A student examines the organism shown and uses the dichotomous key to identify it.

Based on the dichotomous key, which organism is shown?

Required

1

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?

This question has two parts.

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

Required

1

Part A
Based on the data table, which cart has the lowest acceleration?

Required

1

Part B
Which statement BEST explains the correct answer to Part A?

Required

1

Most calendar years contain 365 days. What is the number of new moons that can occur in calendar years with 365 days?

Required

1

An energy pyramid is shown.

Which statement BEST describes the flow of energy through this pyramid?

Required

1

A neutral atom has an atomic mass of 16 amu. Which particles contribute the MOST to the atomic mass of this atom?

Required

1

The chemical formula for methane is CH4.

Which statement describes the atoms present in FOUR molecules of methane?

Required

1

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?

Required

1

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?

Required

2

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

Select TWO correct answers.

Required

1

The diagram shows different types of tectonic plate boundaries.

Which table accurately shows the surface features associated with each tectonic plate boundary?

Required

1

Which statement BEST compares the properties of silicon (Si) and nickel (Ni)?

Required

1

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?

Required

1

An equation for a chemical reaction is shown.

NaOH + HCl \longrightarrow NaCl + H2O

Which statement provides evidence that mass is conserved in the reaction?

Required

2

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.

Required

1

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?

Required

1

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.

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?

Required

1

A food web is shown. What is the total number of organisms that eat primary consumers?

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?

A student bounces a basketball off the gym floor. Which statement correctly describes the action-reaction force pair that causes the ball to bounce?

Matter can undergo physical or chemical changes. Which of these are examples of physical changes?Select TWO correct answers.

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 diagram shows positions of the moon as it orbits Earth.At which position will a waning crescent moon be seen from Earth?

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.

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?

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?

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?

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?

Part A Which statement describes how each land feature MOST LIKELY formed?

Part BWhich statement BEST explains the correct answer to Part A?

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?

Which statement BEST compares the atoms of two elements that have similar chemical properties?

How do fossil records support the theory of plate tectonics?

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.

A student examines the organism shown and uses the dichotomous key to identify it. Based on the dichotomous key, which organism is shown?

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?

Part ABased on the data table, which cart has the lowest acceleration?

Part BWhich statement BEST explains the correct answer to Part A?

Most calendar years contain 365 days. What is the number of new moons that can occur in calendar years with 365 days?

An energy pyramid is shown.Which statement BEST describes the flow of energy through this pyramid?

A neutral atom has an atomic mass of 16 amu. Which particles contribute the MOST to the atomic mass of this atom?

The chemical formula for methane is CH4. Which statement describes the atoms present in FOUR molecules of methane?

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?

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?

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

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)?

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?

An equation for a chemical reaction is shown.NaOH + HCl \longrightarrow NaCl + H2OWhich statement provides evidence that mass is conserved in the reaction?

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.

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?

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?

A neutral atom of which element has 12 protons?

A food web is shown.

What is the total number of organisms that eat primary consumers?

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?

A student bounces a basketball off the gym floor.

Which statement correctly describes the action-reaction force pair that causes the ball to bounce?

Matter can undergo physical or chemical changes. Which of these are examples of physical changes?

Select TWO correct answers.

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 diagram shows positions of the moon as it orbits Earth.

At which position will a waning crescent moon be seen from Earth?

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.

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?

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?

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?

Part A
Which statement describes how each land feature MOST LIKELY formed?

Part B
Which statement BEST explains the correct answer to Part A?

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?

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.

A student examines the organism shown and uses the dichotomous key to identify it.

Based on the dichotomous key, which organism is shown?

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?

Part A
Based on the data table, which cart has the lowest acceleration?

Part B
Which statement BEST explains the correct answer to Part A?

An energy pyramid is shown.

Which statement BEST describes the flow of energy through this pyramid?

The chemical formula for methane is CH4.

Which statement describes the atoms present in FOUR molecules of methane?

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?

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?

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

Select TWO correct answers.

The diagram shows different types of tectonic plate boundaries.

Which table accurately shows the surface features associated with each tectonic plate boundary?

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?

An equation for a chemical reaction is shown.

NaOH + HCl \longrightarrow NaCl + H2O

Which statement provides evidence that mass is conserved in the reaction?

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?

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?