Science
What the test asks
Science items cover life, physical, and Earth/space science plus scientific inquiry and safety. Expect questions on the scientific method, measurement, energy, matter, ecosystems, and Earth systems, with an emphasis on process skills and safe classroom practice.
Concepts to master
- Inquiry: observation, hypothesis, variables (independent/dependent/controlled), data, conclusion.
- Physical science: states of matter, physical vs. chemical change, energy forms and transfer, forces and motion.
- Life science: cells, food webs, photosynthesis, life cycles, adaptations, ecosystems.
- Earth/space: rock cycle, water cycle, weather vs. climate, seasons, moon phases.
- Safety: goggles, no tasting, proper disposal, teacher supervision.
Traps
The independent variable is what the experimenter changes; the dependent variable is what is measured. Physical changes (melting, dissolving) do not create new substances; chemical changes do. Weather is short-term; climate is long-term. Food-web items: energy flows from producers to consumers; decomposers recycle nutrients. Safety items often hinge on the most cautious, supervised choice.
Rule of thumb
For any experiment, name the variable changed, the variable measured, and what is held constant. For matter, ask did a new substance form?-if yes, chemical change.
Worked example: A student tests how sunlight affects plant growth, keeping water and soil constant. Sunlight is the independent variable; plant height is the dependent variable; water and soil are controlled.