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NYS Grade 5 Science study materials
NYS Grade 5 Science study resources

NYS Grade 5 Science practice questions

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Question 1Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student observes a glass of cold water. Tiny droplets form on the outside of the glass after a few minutes. Which process explains the droplets?

  1. Water from inside the glass leaks through the glass
  2. Water vapor in the air freezes on the glass
  3. Water vapor in the air cools and condenses on the glass Correct answer.
  4. The glass melts slightly and forms droplets

Explanation

Water vapor in the surrounding air touches the cold glass, loses heat energy, and changes from a gas into liquid droplets. This change of state is called condensation and it happens on the outside surface, not from water passing through the glass.

Question 2Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A plant is placed in a dark closet for two weeks. It slowly turns yellow and stops growing well. Which explanation best fits this observation?

  1. The plant cannot make enough food without light for photosynthesis Correct answer.
  2. The plant is getting too much water in the dark
  3. The plant is using up its soil too quickly
  4. The plant's roots stop absorbing minerals in the dark

Explanation

Plants use light energy to make sugar during photosynthesis. Without light, the plant cannot make enough food and its leaves lose their green color and growth slows.

Question 3Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

Which statement best describes the Sun's role in the solar system?

  1. The Sun is the largest planet in the solar system
  2. The Sun is the star at the center, and planets orbit around it Correct answer.
  3. The Sun is a planet that orbits Earth
  4. The Sun is a moon of Jupiter

Explanation

The Sun is a star, and its gravity keeps the planets in orbit around it. The planets, including Earth, travel in paths around the Sun.

Question 4Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A magnet is moved near a pile of paper clips, and some clips jump to the magnet. Which statement explains this?

  1. The magnet attracts objects made of iron and other magnetic metals Correct answer.
  2. The magnet only works when it touches objects
  3. The magnet pushes away nonmetal objects
  4. The magnet attracts all objects equally

Explanation

Magnets attract certain metals, such as iron, nickel, and cobalt. Paper clips are usually made of steel, which contains iron, so they are pulled toward the magnet even before touching.

Question 5Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A beaker of water is heated on a hot plate. After a few minutes, the water level drops and mist appears above the beaker. What happened to the water?

  1. Some liquid water changed into water vapor and entered the air Correct answer.
  2. The water was destroyed by the heat
  3. The water turned into a solid and shrank
  4. The water changed into a new substance called mist

Explanation

Heating adds energy to liquid water, allowing some molecules to escape as water vapor in a process called evaporation. The mist is tiny liquid droplets that form when vapor cools, not a new substance.

Question 6Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

Which of these is the best example of a learned behavior rather than an inherited trait?

  1. A bird building a nest without being taught
  2. A spider spinning a web
  3. A dog sitting when its owner gives a hand signal Correct answer.
  4. A baby turtle crawling toward the ocean

Explanation

Learned behaviors are acquired through experience or training. A dog responding to a hand signal has practiced that response, while nest building, web spinning, and sea-finding are inherited instincts.

Question 7Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student builds a simple series circuit with one battery and one bulb. The bulb lights. If the student adds a second bulb in series, what is most likely to happen?

  1. Both bulbs will glow more dimly than the single bulb did Correct answer.
  2. The battery will stop providing any energy
  3. Both bulbs will glow more brightly than the single bulb did
  4. Neither bulb will light at all

Explanation

Adding a bulb in series increases the total resistance of the circuit, so less current flows. The same battery must push current through two bulbs, so each bulb receives less energy and glows more dimly.

Question 8Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A rock is broken into smaller pieces by repeated freezing and thawing of water in its cracks. Which process does this describe?

  1. Erosion
  2. Melting
  3. Weathering Correct answer.
  4. Deposition

Explanation

Weathering is the breakdown of rock into smaller pieces by processes such as freezing water expanding in cracks. Erosion would be the movement of those pieces to a new location.

Question 9Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A class measures a block. Its length is 4 cm, its width is 3 cm, and its height is 2 cm. What is the volume of the block?

  1. 24 cm³ Correct answer.
  2. 12 cm³
  3. 9 cm³
  4. 6 cm³

Explanation

Volume of a rectangular block equals length times width times height. Multiplying 4 × 3 × 2 gives 24 cubic centimeters.

Question 10Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student places a plant in a sealed clear bag and puts it in sunlight. After several hours, water droplets appear on the inside of the bag. What does this show?

  1. The bag produced water from sunlight
  2. The plant released water vapor through its leaves Correct answer.
  3. The plant released oxygen that turned into water
  4. The plant absorbed water from the bag

Explanation

Plants release water vapor from their leaves in a process called transpiration. The vapor condenses on the cooler inside surface of the bag, forming droplets.

Question 11Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

Earth has seasons mainly because of which factor?

  1. The Sun's brightness changes with the seasons
  2. Earth's rotation speed changes during the year
  3. Earth's distance from the Sun changes a lot
  4. Earth's axis is tilted as Earth orbits the Sun Correct answer.

Explanation

Earth's axis is tilted about 23.5 degrees, so different parts of Earth receive more direct sunlight at different times of year. This tilt, combined with Earth's orbit, produces the seasons.

Question 12Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student wants to test whether fertilizer affects plant growth. Which setup is the best controlled experiment?

  1. One plant placed in sunlight and one placed in a dark closet, both given fertilizer
  2. Two identical plants, one with fertilizer and one without, kept in the same light and water conditions Correct answer.
  3. One plant given fertilizer and extra water, one given no fertilizer and no water
  4. Two different kinds of plants, both given fertilizer

Explanation

A controlled experiment changes only one variable, the fertilizer, while keeping other factors such as light, water, and plant type the same. Then any growth difference can be linked to the fertilizer.

Question 13Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

Which statement best explains why a food web is more useful than a single food chain for describing an ecosystem?

  1. A food web removes decomposers from the model
  2. A food web lists only the producers in an ecosystem
  3. A food web shows that most organisms eat and are eaten by more than one kind of organism Correct answer.
  4. A food web shows the exact number of animals in each population

Explanation

A food web connects many overlapping food chains, showing that organisms often have several food sources and predators. This better reflects the complexity of real ecosystems than a single chain does.

Question 14Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A sound is made by striking a drum. Which change would make the sound have a higher pitch?

  1. Striking the drum with a softer mallet
  2. Striking the same drum harder
  3. Moving farther away from the drum
  4. Striking a smaller, tighter drumhead Correct answer.

Explanation

Pitch depends on how fast the drumhead vibrates. A smaller, tighter drumhead vibrates faster, producing a higher pitch.

Question 15Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A ball rolls across a floor and slowly comes to a stop. Which statement best explains why the ball stops?

  1. The ball's mass disappears as it slows
  2. The ball runs out of inertia
  3. Gravity pushes the ball backward
  4. Friction between the ball and floor opposes its motion Correct answer.

Explanation

Friction is a force that acts opposite to motion when surfaces rub together. It gradually reduces the ball's speed until the ball stops.

Question 16Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

Which statement describes how a new species of organism can form over a very long time?

  1. Populations become separated, and each group adapts to different conditions until they can no longer interbreed Correct answer.
  2. All members of a population suddenly change at the same moment
  3. Individual organisms decide to change their traits during their lifetime
  4. Organisms from different species always produce offspring with new traits

Explanation

When populations are separated, natural selection can favor different traits in each group. Over many generations the groups may become so different that they can no longer interbreed, forming separate species.

Question 17Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

Water in a pond is warmed by the Sun. Which statement describes the flow of energy?

  1. No energy moves because water and air are different materials
  2. Energy moves only when the water freezes
  3. Energy moves from the warmer water to the cooler air above it Correct answer.
  4. Energy moves from the cooler air to the warmer water

Explanation

Heat energy flows naturally from warmer objects to cooler objects. If the pond water is warmer than the air above it, energy moves from the water into the air.

Question 18Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student mixes baking soda and vinegar in a cup. Bubbles form and the cup feels cooler. Which statement best describes what happened?

  1. A physical change occurred and the baking soda only dissolved
  2. A chemical reaction occurred that produced a gas and absorbed heat Correct answer.
  3. No change occurred because the baking soda disappeared
  4. A chemical reaction occurred that produced light

Explanation

The bubbles indicate a gas, carbon dioxide, is being produced, which is evidence of a chemical reaction. The mixture feeling cooler shows the reaction absorbed heat from its surroundings.

Question 19Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student uses a hand lens to look at a leaf. What is the main function of the hand lens?

  1. It makes small details of the leaf appear larger Correct answer.
  2. It measures the length of the leaf
  3. It makes the leaf look farther away
  4. It changes the color of the leaf

Explanation

A hand lens is a magnifier that bends light to make an object appear larger, allowing small structures to be seen. It does not measure, recolor, or change distance.

Question 20Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student claims that plants get most of their mass from soil. Which evidence best challenges this claim?

  1. Plants need sunlight to stay healthy
  2. A plant grows taller when it receives more water
  3. A plant's leaves are green because of chlorophyll
  4. A plant grown in a pot gains mass while the soil loses almost no mass Correct answer.

Explanation

If a plant gains most of its mass without the soil losing much mass, the material must come from somewhere else, mainly carbon dioxide from air and water. This directly challenges the soil claim.

Question 21Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student observes that a certain kind of bird has a beak shaped for cracking hard seeds. Over many years, the plants in the area produce fewer hard seeds and more soft fruits. Which prediction is most reasonable?

  1. The beak shape of each bird will change during its lifetime
  2. Birds with beaks better suited to soft fruit may survive and reproduce more successfully Correct answer.
  3. All the birds will immediately grow new beak shapes
  4. The birds will stop eating and the population will grow

Explanation

Natural selection favors traits that help organisms survive and reproduce in their environment. If soft fruit becomes more common, birds with beaks suited to soft fruit may have an advantage and leave more offspring.

Question 22Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student builds a circuit with a battery, a switch, and two bulbs in parallel. One bulb burns out. What happens to the other bulb?

  1. It becomes much brighter because it receives all the current
  2. It stays lit because current can still flow through its own branch Correct answer.
  3. It goes out because the circuit is broken everywhere
  4. It flickers on and off because the switch opens and closes

Explanation

In a parallel circuit, each bulb is on its own branch connected to the battery. If one branch breaks, current can still flow through the other branch, so the remaining bulb stays lit.

Question 23Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student observes that a shadow cast by a pole is short at noon and longer in the late afternoon. Which explanation is most accurate?

  1. The Sun appears higher in the sky at noon, so its light strikes the pole more directly Correct answer.
  2. The pole produces more light in the afternoon
  3. The Sun moves closer to Earth in the afternoon
  4. The pole gets shorter in the afternoon

Explanation

Shadow length depends on the angle at which sunlight strikes an object. When the Sun is high at noon, the shadow is short; when the Sun is low later in the day, the shadow stretches longer.

Question 24Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A scientist finds layers of rock in a cliff. One layer contains fish fossils, and a higher layer contains fossils of land plants. Which conclusion is best supported?

  1. The area was once covered by water and later became land Correct answer.
  2. The fish lived on land and later moved to water
  3. The land plants are older than the fish
  4. The rock layers formed at exactly the same time

Explanation

In undisturbed rock layers, lower layers are usually older than higher ones. Fish fossils in a lower layer suggest water was present first, and land plant fossils above suggest the area later became land.

Question 25Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

Two students investigate how the height of a ramp affects how far a toy car rolls. They use the same car and the same floor but change the ramp height. They repeat each height three times and average the distances. Why is repeating the trials important?

  1. Repeating trials guarantees the hypothesis is correct
  2. Repeated trials help reduce the effect of random errors and make the results more reliable Correct answer.
  3. Repeating trials makes the car heavier
  4. Repeating trials changes the variable being tested

Explanation

Repeating measurements and averaging them reduces the influence of random errors such as small differences in release or surface bumps. This makes the pattern in the data more trustworthy.

Question 26Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student uses a graduated cylinder to measure the volume of a small stone. The water level is at 30 mL before the stone is added and at 42 mL after. What is the volume of the stone?

  1. 72 mL
  2. 30 mL
  3. 42 mL
  4. 12 mL Correct answer.

Explanation

The stone pushes the water level up by an amount equal to its own volume. Subtracting the starting level from the final level gives 42 mL − 30 mL = 12 mL.

Question 27Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student wants to find the mass of a pencil. Which tool is most appropriate?

  1. A thermometer
  2. A ruler
  3. A graduated cylinder
  4. A balance Correct answer.

Explanation

Mass is measured with a balance, which compares the object to known masses. A ruler measures length, a thermometer measures temperature, and a graduated cylinder measures liquid volume.

Question 28Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

Which property of a mineral is tested by scratching it against a tile and observing the color of the powder left behind?

  1. Hardness
  2. Luster
  3. Cleavage
  4. Streak Correct answer.

Explanation

Streak is the color of the powder a mineral leaves when rubbed on a rough tile. Luster describes how a surface reflects light, hardness is resistance to scratching, and cleavage is how a mineral breaks.

Question 29Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A pot of water is placed on a hot plate. After a few minutes, the water begins to boil and steam rises. Which statement best describes what happens to the water particles?

  1. They stop moving and pack tightly together.
  2. They change into a completely different element.
  3. They lose energy and become a solid.
  4. They gain energy and move faster until they escape as a gas. Correct answer.

Explanation

Heating adds energy to the water particles, so they move faster. At boiling, particles gain enough energy to escape the liquid and become a gas called water vapor.

Question 30Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

Which statement best describes the Sun's role in the water cycle?

  1. It provides the energy that evaporates water from oceans and lakes. Correct answer.
  2. It creates new water molecules in the atmosphere.
  3. It pushes groundwater upward through soil.
  4. It prevents water vapor from condensing into clouds.

Explanation

The Sun supplies the heat energy that causes evaporation, the first major step of the water cycle. Water molecules are not created or destroyed during the cycle; they change state and location.

Question 31Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student observes that a caterpillar eats milkweed leaves and later becomes a butterfly. Which statement best describes the change?

  1. The caterpillar undergoes metamorphosis and its body form changes. Correct answer.
  2. The caterpillar has learned a new behavior.
  3. The butterfly is a different organism that replaced the caterpillar.
  4. The caterpillar has become a completely new species.

Explanation

Many insects pass through distinct life stages, and the change from caterpillar to butterfly is metamorphosis. The organism remains the same species even though its body form changes greatly.

Question 32Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student places one end of a metal spoon in a cup of hot water. Soon the other end feels warm. Which process moves heat through the spoon?

  1. Conduction Correct answer.
  2. Evaporation
  3. Convection
  4. Radiation

Explanation

Conduction transfers heat through direct contact as particles pass energy along a solid. Metals conduct heat well, which is why the far end of the spoon warms.

Question 33Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

Which statement best explains why a plastic spoon can be picked up by a balloon that was rubbed on wool?

  1. Rubbing transferred electric charge, and the charged balloon attracts the lightweight spoon. Correct answer.
  2. The balloon became magnetized by the wool.
  3. The spoon became a permanent magnet.
  4. The wool made the balloon heavier.

Explanation

Rubbing a balloon on wool transfers electrons, giving the balloon a static electric charge. A charged object can attract a light neutral object such as a plastic spoon.

Question 34Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student measures the length of a bean plant every day for two weeks and records the data in a table. Which statement best describes what the student is doing?

  1. Making a prediction about future growth
  2. Forming a hypothesis about sunlight
  3. Collecting data through systematic observation Correct answer.
  4. Drawing a conclusion before gathering evidence

Explanation

Repeated measurements recorded over time are systematic observations that produce data. Data collection comes before analysis and drawing conclusions.

Question 35Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student wants to test whether the type of soil affects how fast water drains through it. Which variable should the student change on purpose?

  1. The type of soil Correct answer.
  2. The time the water is measured
  3. The amount of water poured
  4. The size of the container

Explanation

The factor being tested is the type of soil, so it is the independent variable that the student changes on purpose. All other conditions must be kept the same for a fair test.

Question 36Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student claims that a mirror changes a light beam's direction. Which evidence would best support this claim?

  1. The mirror is heavier than a piece of paper.
  2. The mirror is made of glass.
  3. A light beam striking the mirror at an angle leaves at a matching angle on the other side. Correct answer.
  4. The mirror feels smooth to the touch.

Explanation

Light reflects off a mirror so that the outgoing angle matches the incoming angle. Measuring that change in direction is direct evidence that the mirror redirects light.

Question 37Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student shines a flashlight through a glass of water and sees a rainbow pattern on the wall. Which statement best explains this observation?

  1. The flashlight produces only colored light.
  2. White light separates into colors as it bends when passing through the water. Correct answer.
  3. The water absorbs all colors except one.
  4. The glass turns light into sound.

Explanation

White light is a mixture of colors, and refraction through water can separate them because each color bends by a slightly different amount. This produces the visible spectrum.

Question 38Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student builds a model of Earth with a globe and a lamp. The lamp represents the Sun. Which motion should the student use to model one full day on Earth?

  1. Moving the globe in a circle around the lamp
  2. Tilting the globe and holding it still
  3. Spinning the globe once on its axis Correct answer.
  4. Moving the lamp around the globe once

Explanation

One full day is the time Earth takes to complete one rotation on its axis. Spinning the globe once represents that rotation and the cycle of day and night.

Question 39Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student observes the Moon on several clear nights and notices that the lit part appears to grow larger each night. Which statement best explains this pattern?

  1. Clouds block less of the Moon each night.
  2. The Moon produces more light as the month goes on.
  3. Earth's shadow covers less of the Moon each night.
  4. The amount of the Moon's sunlit side facing Earth changes as the Moon orbits Earth. Correct answer.

Explanation

The Moon does not make its own light; it reflects sunlight. As the Moon orbits Earth, we see different amounts of its sunlit half, producing the phases.

Question 40Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student compares two soil samples. Sample A holds water in a puddle on top, while water drains quickly through Sample B. Which conclusion is best supported?

  1. Sample A has larger particles and more air spaces than Sample B.
  2. Sample B has larger particles and more air spaces than Sample A. Correct answer.
  3. Both samples have identical particle sizes.
  4. Sample A contains no water at all.

Explanation

Water drains quickly through soil with large particles and large air spaces, such as sandy soil. Soil that holds water has smaller particles and smaller spaces between them.

Question 41Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student finds a fossil of a fern leaf in a rock layer in New York State. Ferns today grow in warm, moist environments. Which statement is the best inference?

  1. The fern was carried there by the wind from another planet.
  2. The area was once covered by a warm, moist environment. Correct answer.
  3. The area has always been a cold desert.
  4. The rock layer formed underwater in the dark.

Explanation

Fossils give evidence about past environments. Because ferns need warm, moist conditions, finding a fern fossil suggests the area once had that kind of environment.

Question 42Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student lists these steps of the water cycle: condensation, evaporation, precipitation. Which order correctly shows how water moves through these steps?

  1. Precipitation, evaporation, condensation
  2. Condensation, precipitation, evaporation
  3. Evaporation, condensation, precipitation Correct answer.
  4. Evaporation, precipitation, condensation

Explanation

Water first evaporates into vapor, then cools and condenses into cloud droplets, and finally falls as precipitation. This sequence follows the water cycle in order.

Question 43Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student places a plant in a dark closet for one week. The leaves slowly turn pale. Which statement best explains the result?

  1. The plant absorbed too much water from the soil.
  2. The plant could not carry out photosynthesis without light. Correct answer.
  3. The plant used up all the oxygen in the closet.
  4. The plant stopped needing nutrients.

Explanation

Plants use light energy to make food during photosynthesis, which also keeps leaves green. Without light, the plant cannot make food and the leaves lose their green color.

Question 44Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student observes that a certain insect population decreases after a cold, wet spring. Which statement best describes this as part of an ecosystem?

  1. The insects changed into a different species.
  2. The insects moved to a different food chain.
  3. The insects stopped being part of the food web.
  4. Weather conditions can affect the survival of organisms in a population. Correct answer.

Explanation

Populations depend on environmental conditions, and unusual weather can reduce survival. This is one way the environment limits how many organisms an area can support.

Question 45Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student connects a battery, a wire, and a small buzzer. The buzzer sounds. The student then replaces the battery with a weaker one. What is the most likely result?

  1. The buzzer will stop needing a complete circuit.
  2. The buzzer will sound softer or not at all. Correct answer.
  3. The buzzer will become a light bulb.
  4. The buzzer will sound louder.

Explanation

A weaker battery provides less energy to the circuit, so the buzzer receives less energy and sounds softer. A complete circuit is still required for current to flow.

Question 46Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student states: If a ball is rolled on a rougher surface, then it will travel a shorter distance. The student rolls a ball on carpet, wood, and tile. Which result would support the hypothesis?

  1. The ball travels farthest on carpet.
  2. The ball travels the same distance on all three surfaces.
  3. The ball travels farthest on tile and shortest on carpet. Correct answer.
  4. The ball travels farthest on wood and shortest on tile.

Explanation

The hypothesis predicts that rougher surfaces produce shorter distances. Carpet is roughest and tile is smoothest, so the ball should go farthest on tile and shortest on carpet.

Question 47Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student measures the mass of a closed jar containing a nail and some moist air. The nail rusts over several days. The student measures the mass again. Which result is expected?

  1. The mass will be zero because rust is not matter.
  2. The mass will be greater because rust adds new matter.
  3. The mass will be the same because matter is conserved in a closed system. Correct answer.
  4. The mass will be less because the jar is closed.

Explanation

In a closed system, matter is not added or lost, so the total mass stays the same even though a chemical change occurs. The rust forms from the nail and substances in the air, all inside the jar.

Question 48Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student compares two birds that live in the same forest. One has a long, thin beak and eats insects from tree bark. The other has a short, thick beak and cracks seeds. Which statement best explains why both birds can survive in the same area?

  1. One bird must soon become extinct.
  2. Both birds have identical inherited traits.
  3. They use different food sources, which reduces competition. Correct answer.
  4. They compete for exactly the same food.

Explanation

Beak shape is an inherited trait related to diet. When two species use different food sources, they compete less and can share the same habitat.

Question 49Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student adds salt to a cup of water and stirs until no crystals remain. The student then lets the water evaporate. Which statement best describes what happens to the salt?

  1. The salt changes into a new element.
  2. The salt is destroyed when it dissolves.
  3. The salt is still present and reappears as solid crystals when the water evaporates. Correct answer.
  4. The salt turns into water vapor.

Explanation

Dissolving is a physical change in which salt particles spread among water particles but are not destroyed. When water evaporates, the salt particles come back together as solid crystals.

Question 50Science (NYS Grades 3-8 Science Resources and Learning Standards)

A student builds a simple electromagnet by wrapping wire around an iron nail and connecting it to a battery. The student wants to make the electromagnet stronger. Which change is most likely to work?

  1. Using a thinner wire with no current
  2. Adding more turns of wire around the nail Correct answer.
  3. Removing the battery from the circuit
  4. Using a plastic nail instead of an iron nail

Explanation

An electromagnet becomes stronger when the magnetic field increases, which can happen with more coils of wire or more current. Iron also strengthens the field compared with nonmagnetic materials.