Science Flashcards
7 cards from real CAASPP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Science flashcards as text
A student notices that the Moon appears to change shape over the course of a month. What causes the Moon's apparent phases?
Answer: The changing angle of sunlight on the Moon as it orbits Earth
Moon phases result from the changing angle between the Sun, Moon, and Earth as the Moon orbits Earth, illuminating different portions visible from Earth.
Which statement best explains why the ocean is salty?
Answer: Rivers carry dissolved minerals including salts into the ocean over millions of years
Rivers erode rocks and carry dissolved minerals, especially sodium and chloride, into the ocean; as water evaporates, these salts accumulate over geological time.
In the electromagnetic spectrum, which type of radiation has the shortest wavelength and highest energy?
Answer: Gamma rays
Gamma rays have the shortest wavelengths (less than 0.01 nanometers) and carry the highest energy of all electromagnetic radiation.
A scientist discovers a fossil of a sea creature in the middle of a desert. What does this evidence suggest?
Answer: The desert region was once covered by an ocean or sea
Marine fossils found in inland desert regions are evidence that those areas were once covered by ancient seas, showing how Earth's surface changes over time.
Which property of matter describes the amount of matter in an object, which remains constant regardless of location?
Answer: Mass
Mass is the measure of the amount of matter in an object and does not change with location, unlike weight which depends on gravitational pull.
A student adds food coloring to hot water and cold water. In which cup does the food coloring spread faster, and why?
Answer: Hot water, because higher temperatures cause faster particle movement and diffusion
In hot water, particles move faster due to higher thermal energy, which speeds up diffusion and causes the food coloring to spread more quickly.
Which adaptation would most likely help a desert animal survive in an environment with very little water?
Answer: Ability to obtain water from the food it eats and to concentrate urine
Desert animals often get water metabolically from food and produce very concentrated urine to minimize water loss, key adaptations for arid environments.