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PSSA Grade 5 Science study materials
PSSA Grade 5 Science study resources

PSSA Grade 5 Science practice questions

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First 50 of 200 questions. Each one lists the choices, the correct answer, and an explanation. The checker at the top of this page saves progress in this browser when it is available.

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Question 1The Nature of Science

A student looks at a classroom plant and sees that its leaves are drooping. Which statement about the plant is an observation?

  1. The plant's leaves are drooping. Correct answer.
  2. The plant needs to be watered soon.
  3. The plant is not healthy.
  4. Someone forgot to water it yesterday.

Explanation

An observation is information gathered directly with the senses or with measuring tools. Only the drooping leaves can be seen right now; the other statements are ideas that go beyond what is visible.

Question 2The Nature of Science

How should a student measure 50 mL of water for an experiment?

  1. With a meter stick
  2. With a graduated cylinder Correct answer.
  3. With a thermometer
  4. With a balance

Explanation

Liquid volume is measured in milliliters with a graduated cylinder, which has markings for volume. A balance measures mass, a thermometer measures temperature, and a meter stick measures length.

Question 3The Nature of Science

Which metric unit is used to measure the length of a pencil?

  1. Gram
  2. Centimeter Correct answer.
  3. Liter
  4. Degree Celsius

Explanation

Length is measured with units such as the centimeter or meter. Grams measure mass, liters measure liquid volume, and degrees Celsius measure temperature.

Question 4The Nature of Science

Which best describes a hypothesis?

  1. A tool used to measure mass
  2. A possible explanation that can be tested Correct answer.
  3. A list of steps to follow in a lab
  4. A fact that scientists have already proven

Explanation

A hypothesis is a possible explanation for what is observed, and it must be testable through an investigation. If the evidence does not support it, the hypothesis is changed or rejected.

Question 5The Nature of Science

Which question could be answered by doing a scientific investigation?

  1. How much water does a bean plant need? Correct answer.
  2. Which song is the best song ever written?
  3. Should students have more recess time?
  4. Is the color blue the prettiest color?

Explanation

A scientific question can be answered by gathering evidence and making measurements. The amount of water a plant needs can be measured and compared, while questions about prettiest colors, best songs, or school schedules depend on opinions.

Question 6The Nature of Science

Why do scientists write down their procedures and data?

  1. So they do not need to use any tools
  2. So they can change the results whenever they want
  3. So others can repeat and check the work Correct answer.
  4. So the investigation takes less time

Explanation

Written records let other people repeat the investigation and compare results, which is how scientific claims are checked. Records are kept honestly and are not altered to fit what someone hopes to find.

Question 7The Nature of Science

In a fair test, why should only one variable be changed at a time?

  1. So no measuring tools are needed
  2. So the experiment is finished faster
  3. So you know what caused the result Correct answer.
  4. So the data table looks neat

Explanation

When only one variable differs between test groups, any change in the outcome can be linked to that variable. Changing several things at once makes it impossible to tell which one caused the result.

Question 8The Nature of Science

Before starting a lab activity with chemicals, a student should first -

  1. read the teacher's directions carefully
  2. mix the chemicals to see what happens
  3. read directions and put on goggles Correct answer.
  4. taste each chemical to identify it

Explanation

Lab safety begins with following instructions and using protective equipment such as goggles. Chemicals are never tasted or mixed without permission because doing so can cause harm.

Question 9The Nature of Science

A student sees water droplets on the grass in the morning. Which statement is a qualitative observation?

  1. The grass has a mass of 40 grams.
  2. The grass is wet and cool to the touch. Correct answer.
  3. The grass is 12 cm tall.
  4. The grass is 20 degrees Celsius.

Explanation

A qualitative observation describes qualities such as how something looks or feels and does not use numbers. Height, mass, and temperature are measurements, so they are quantitative observations.

Question 10The Nature of Science

A student wants to show how a plant's height changed each week for six weeks. Which display should the student use?

  1. A line graph of height by week Correct answer.
  2. A bar graph of plant types
  3. A circle graph showing leaf colors
  4. A list of plant names

Explanation

A line graph shows how one measurement changes over time, so it fits heights recorded week after week. Bar graphs compare categories, circle graphs show parts of a whole, and a list would not reveal a trend.

Question 11The Nature of Science

Why should a scientist repeat an investigation several times?

  1. To use up the extra supplies
  2. To see if the results stay the same Correct answer.
  3. To make the work take longer
  4. To change the variables each time

Explanation

Repeating an investigation shows whether the same pattern appears again, which makes the results more trustworthy. If the variable is changed each time, the trials cannot be compared.

Question 12The Nature of Science

A class tests a new fertilizer. They also grow a set of plants with no fertilizer at all. The plants with no fertilizer are the -

  1. dependent variable
  2. independent variable
  3. controlled variable
  4. control group Correct answer.

Explanation

The control group is the setup that does not receive the treatment, so it shows what happens without it. Comparing the fertilized plants with the control group reveals the effect of the fertilizer.

Question 13The Nature of Science

A student tests how the color of light affects plant growth. What is the manipulated (independent) variable?

  1. The amount of soil used
  2. The color of the light Correct answer.
  3. The kind of pot used
  4. The height of the plants

Explanation

The manipulated variable is the one the experimenter purposely changes, which here is the light color. Plant height is what gets measured, while soil amount and pot type must be kept the same.

Question 14The Nature of Science

Students time how long sugar takes to dissolve in water at different temperatures. What is the responding (dependent) variable?

  1. The temperature of the water
  2. The amount of sugar added to each cup
  3. How long the sugar takes to dissolve Correct answer.
  4. The kind of spoon that is used

Explanation

The responding variable is what is measured as a result of the change, which here is the dissolving time. Water temperature is the variable being changed, and the sugar amount and spoon type should be held constant.

Question 15The Nature of Science

Why might a scientist build a model of the solar system?

  1. Because a model is exactly like the real system
  2. Because models give perfect measurements
  3. To replace every real experiment
  4. To study something too large to visit directly Correct answer.

Explanation

Models stand in for things that are too large, too small, too distant, or too dangerous to study directly. A model is a simplified representation, so it is not exactly like the real object and does not replace experiments.

Question 16The Nature of Science

Which is a quantitative observation?

  1. The rock is gray.
  2. The leaf feels smooth.
  3. The rock has a mass of 25 grams. Correct answer.
  4. The liquid has a very sour smell.

Explanation

A quantitative observation uses numbers, usually with a unit obtained from a measuring tool. Texture, smell, and color are qualities described with words, which makes them qualitative.

Question 17The Nature of Science

In five trials, plants given extra water grew taller than plants given less water. Which conclusion is best supported?

  1. Plants do not need water to grow
  2. The results do not show anything about water
  3. Extra water made these plants grow taller Correct answer.
  4. The taller plants had bigger pots

Explanation

A conclusion should be based only on the evidence collected in the investigation. The data show taller plants with extra water in this test, and the other choices go beyond what was measured.

Question 18The Nature of Science

Two teams test paper airplanes. Team A uses two kinds of paper and two wing designs. What problem does this plan have?

  1. Two variables changed at once Correct answer.
  2. Paper was used to build the planes
  3. The planes were flown indoors
  4. Distance was measured in meters

Explanation

In a fair test only the variable being tested may differ between the planes being compared. Changing both paper type and wing design means no one can tell which difference caused a change in how the planes flew.

Question 19The Nature of Science

Students sort a set of rocks into groups by color, hardness, and texture. What process are they using?

  1. Predicting
  2. Modeling
  3. Measuring
  4. Classifying Correct answer.

Explanation

Classifying means grouping objects based on properties they share. The students use the properties of the rocks to arrange them into groups.

Question 20The Nature of Science

New evidence shows that a planet has more moons than scientists believed. What should scientists do?

  1. Keep the old number forever
  2. Stop studying that planet
  3. Ignore the new evidence completely
  4. Revise their ideas Correct answer.

Explanation

Scientific explanations must be based on evidence, so when new evidence appears, ideas are updated to match it. Refusing to change an explanation goes against how science works.

Question 21The Nature of Science

A table shows a seedling's height: week 1 is 2 cm, week 2 is 4 cm, week 3 is 6 cm, and week 4 is 8 cm. Which statement best describes the pattern?

  1. The seedling's height stayed the same.
  2. The seedling grew fastest in week 1.
  3. The seedling grew about 2 cm each week. Correct answer.
  4. The seedling stopped growing after week 2.

Explanation

Each week the recorded height increases by the same amount, 2 cm, so the pattern is steady growth. A constant increase rules out growth that is fastest at the start or that stops.

Question 22The Nature of Science

A student wants to find out whether soil type affects bean plant growth. Which plan is a fair test?

  1. Compare plants grown in different soils at different times of day
  2. Use different soils, water amounts, and pot sizes
  3. Use one kind of soil and measure the plants once
  4. Use different soils with the same water, light, and pots Correct answer.

Explanation

A fair test changes only the variable being tested, which here is soil type, and keeps all other conditions the same. Matching the water, light, and pot size ensures the soil is the only difference between groups.

Question 23The Nature of Science

Two students want to know which of two bird seeds birds prefer. They watch a feeder for one hour on one day. What would most improve their investigation?

  1. Collect data on many days Correct answer.
  2. Use bigger feeders
  3. Ask friends which seed they like
  4. Watch the birds for only ten minutes

Explanation

One short observation may not represent what birds usually choose, so repeated observations over many days make the results more reliable. Adding opinions or ending the observation sooner does not add evidence about bird choices.

Question 24The Nature of Science

A student drops a ball from the same height onto the same floor several times and finds it bounces lower each time. Which is a reasonable prediction for the next drop?

  1. The ball will not bounce at all on the first drop.
  2. The ball will bounce higher than the first drop.
  3. The ball will bounce lower than the last drop. Correct answer.
  4. The ball will bounce the same as the first drop.

Explanation

A prediction is a statement about what will happen next, based on a pattern in the data. Because every drop bounced lower than the one before, the next bounce should be lower still.

Question 25The Nature of Science

A bar graph shows rainfall for a week: Monday 2 cm, Tuesday 4 cm, Wednesday 4 cm, and Thursday 6 cm. Which statement is supported by the data?

  1. The total rainfall for the week was 10 cm.
  2. Thursday had the most rainfall. Correct answer.
  3. Monday had more rain than Wednesday.
  4. Rainfall decreased each day.

Explanation

The tallest bar shows the greatest rainfall, and Thursday's bar at 6 cm is the highest on the graph. The other statements do not match the numbers shown in the bars.

Question 26The Nature of Science

A student finds a broken eggshell under a tree and says, "A raccoon probably ate the eggs." Which term best describes the student's statement?

  1. A measurement
  2. A direct observation
  3. An experiment
  4. An inference Correct answer.

Explanation

An inference is an explanation built by combining an observation with reasoning and prior knowledge, so seeing the shell is the observation while the raccoon idea is the inference. The student did not actually see the raccoon, so the statement goes beyond what was observed.

Question 27The Nature of Science

Which statement is the best scientific hypothesis to test with a plant experiment?

  1. Tall plants are better than short plants.
  2. How tall will the bean plant grow in four weeks?
  3. Plants are the prettiest living things.
  4. More light makes plants grow taller. Correct answer.

Explanation

A hypothesis is a testable prediction that connects a cause to an effect, and it must be possible to support or reject it with data. The statement about light predicts a measurable outcome that a plant experiment could check.

Question 28The Nature of Science

A student needs to find the mass of a rock. Which tool should the student use?

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

Explanation

Mass is the amount of matter in an object, and a balance compares an object's mass with known masses. The other tools measure different properties, so they cannot give a mass reading.

Question 29The Nature of Science

Which unit is best for reporting the length of a classroom desk?

  1. Grams
  2. Liters
  3. Degrees Celsius
  4. Meters Correct answer.

Explanation

Length is reported in units such as meters, centimeters, or millimeters, and a desk is a little over one meter long. Each of the other units measures a different property.

Question 30The Nature of Science

A student measures the volume of water in a graduated cylinder. Which action gives the most accurate reading?

  1. Guessing the level quickly without measuring
  2. Reading the water level at eye level Correct answer.
  3. Reading the top edge of the tall cylinder
  4. Reading the level from above the cylinder

Explanation

The surface of water curves inside a cylinder, so the accurate reading is taken at the lowest point of the curve with the eyes level with that point. Viewing from above or below shifts the apparent level and produces a wrong number.

Question 31The Nature of Science

A student drops a ball three times and records bounce heights of 40 cm, 41 cm, and 39 cm. What is the average of these measurements?

  1. 39 cm
  2. 120 cm
  3. 40 cm Correct answer.
  4. 41 cm

Explanation

The average is found by adding the trial measurements and dividing by the number of trials. Adding 40, 41, and 39 gives 120, and dividing 120 by 3 gives 40 cm.

Question 32The Nature of Science

A student measures a bean seedling four times and records 5 cm, 5 cm, 5 cm, and 25 cm. What is the best thing for the student to do before recording 25 cm as data?

  1. Report 25 cm because it is the largest of the measurements
  2. Measure the seedling again and look for a mistake Correct answer.
  3. Change the other three measurements so they match 25 cm
  4. Stop the whole investigation and throw away every measurement

Explanation

A measurement that is far from all the others may come from a mistake such as misreading the ruler, so the student should check it before trusting it. Scientists confirm unusual values by measuring again rather than changing numbers to fit an idea.

Question 33The Nature of Science

A student accidentally knocks a glass beaker onto the floor and it breaks. What should the student do first?

  1. Pick up the pieces with bare hands
  2. Push the pieces under a desk with a shoe
  3. Tell the teacher and keep other students away Correct answer.
  4. Keep working and tell the teacher at the end of class

Explanation

Broken glass can cut skin, so an adult should handle the cleanup and other students should stay clear of the area. Reporting it right away is the safe first action.

Question 34The Nature of Science

A student builds a clay model of a volcano for a class presentation. Which statement describes a limitation of the model?

  1. It can never be touched or moved.
  2. It always shows real melted rock.
  3. It leaves out many real details. Correct answer.
  4. It teaches students nothing about volcanoes.

Explanation

A model is a simplified copy of something real, so it makes some features easy to see while leaving others out. Real volcanoes have many details, such as gas, cracks, and heat, that a clay model cannot include.

Question 35The Nature of Science

Which statement is an opinion rather than evidence from an investigation?

  1. The water in cup A reached a temperature of 30 °C.
  2. That red car is the most beautiful one. Correct answer.
  3. The rock has a mass of 50 grams.
  4. The plant grew 4 cm in one week.

Explanation

Evidence is information from observations or measurements that other people could check and repeat. Beauty is a personal judgment, so no tool or measurement can confirm it.

Question 36The Nature of Science

Why do scientists usually share the results of an investigation with other scientists?

  1. So others can check the work Correct answer.
  2. To make the results impossible to change
  3. To keep the results a secret
  4. To win a prize for the laboratory

Explanation

Sharing results lets other scientists review the methods, repeat the investigation, and use the findings in new studies. This checking and building is how scientific knowledge becomes more reliable over time.

Question 37The Nature of Science

A student draws a bar graph of the number of birds seen at a feeder each day but adds no title and no labels on the axes. Why is this a problem?

  1. The bars will be drawn at the wrong heights and colors.
  2. The data must be collected all over again.
  3. Readers cannot tell what the graph shows. Correct answer.
  4. The graph will need many more bars.

Explanation

A title and axis labels tell readers what was measured and in what units, so a graph without them cannot communicate the results clearly. The bars can be plotted correctly and the graph will still be confusing.

Question 38The Nature of Science

A class counts birds at two feeders, both watched at the same times. The feeder with sunflower seeds had 30 visits, and the feeder with corn had 6 visits. Which claim is best supported by these data?

  1. The corn feeder must have been broken.
  2. All the birds in the area eat sunflower seeds.
  3. Birds prefer corn to sunflower seeds.
  4. More birds visited the sunflower feeder. Correct answer.

Explanation

A claim should stay within what the evidence shows, and the counts directly show many more visits to the sunflower feeder during the observations. The data describe visits at these two feeders only, so they cannot prove what every bird eats or explain why the corn feeder had fewer visits.

Question 39The Nature of Science

A team designs a stronger bridge model, builds it, tests it, and then improves the design. What does this work best show?

  1. A hypothesis about bridge strength
  2. A classification of bridge types
  3. An observation made with a hand tool
  4. An engineering design solution Correct answer.

Explanation

Engineering design is a cycle of defining a problem, building a solution, testing it, and improving it based on results. A hypothesis is a prediction tested by an experiment, and classifying means sorting objects by shared features.

Question 40The Nature of Science

A student wants to compare how fast two toy cars roll down the same ramp. Which measurement should the student take?

  1. The color of each car
  2. The temperature of the room where the ramp stands
  3. The time each car takes to reach the bottom Correct answer.
  4. The mass of the ramp

Explanation

Comparing speed means measuring how long each car takes to travel the same distance down the same ramp, then comparing the times. The other choices do not change with the cars' motion, so they cannot be used to compare speed.

Question 41The Nature of Science

Two students watch a bird feeder for one hour on one day to learn which seed birds prefer. Which change would make their results more trustworthy?

  1. Repeat the observations on several different days Correct answer.
  2. Ask classmates which seed they like best
  3. Put out a single seed in the feeder
  4. Watch the feeder for only five minutes instead of an hour

Explanation

More observations collected in more conditions make results more reliable and show whether a pattern repeats. A shorter watch, personal opinions, or fewer seeds would give less evidence rather than more.

Question 42The Nature of Science

A student heats a cup of ice and records the temperature every minute. The temperature stays at 0 °C while the ice melts, then rises. What is the best explanation?

  1. The thermometer stopped working while the ice melted
  2. Melting ice stays at a steady temperature Correct answer.
  3. Ice cannot absorb thermal energy at all
  4. The heat source was switched off during the melting

Explanation

While ice melts, the energy added goes into changing solid ice into liquid water instead of raising the temperature, so the reading stays at 0 °C. Once all the ice has melted, added energy warms the water and the temperature climbs again.

Question 43The Nature of Science

A scientist's data do not support the scientist's hypothesis. What should the scientist do?

  1. Repeat the test until the hypothesis is supported
  2. Ignore the results and keep the hypothesis
  3. Change the data so they fit the hypothesis
  4. Accept the results and revise the explanation Correct answer.

Explanation

Scientific explanations must be based on evidence, so when data do not match a prediction, the idea is what must change. Revising the hypothesis or testing a new one is how scientific knowledge improves.

Question 44The Nature of Science

A table shows a chick's mass: day 1 is 40 g, day 3 is 55 g, day 5 is 70 g, and day 7 is 85 g. Which statement describes the pattern in the data?

  1. The mass increases steadily. Correct answer.
  2. The mass is cut in half each time.
  3. The mass stays the same.
  4. The mass decreases steadily.

Explanation

Each recorded mass is 15 grams greater than the one before it, so the chick is gaining the same amount in each two-day period. A graph of these data would rise in a straight line rather than stay flat or drop.

Question 45The Nature of Science

Why would a student use a hand lens during an investigation?

  1. To see very small details Correct answer.
  2. To measure the temperature of the sample
  3. To measure the mass of a small rock
  4. To keep the sample clean and safe

Explanation

Tools extend the senses, and a hand lens magnifies an object so details too small to see with the unaided eye become visible. A lens does not measure mass or temperature and does not protect a sample.

Question 46The Nature of Science

Which step of a scientific investigation usually comes first?

  1. Drawing a conclusion
  2. Asking a question about the world Correct answer.
  3. Analyzing the data
  4. Writing a detailed report of the results

Explanation

Investigations begin with a question or problem that can be tested, which then guides the hypothesis and the plan for collecting data. Analyzing data, drawing conclusions, and reporting all happen after evidence has been gathered.

Question 47The Nature of Science

Why do scientists around the world use the same units, such as meters and grams, when they share data?

  1. Because other units are against the law
  2. So others can compare the results Correct answer.
  3. To keep their methods hidden from others
  4. To make the numbers appear larger

Explanation

Standard units give measurements a shared meaning, so a mass of 50 grams means the same thing to every scientist. That shared meaning allows results from different investigations and countries to be compared and combined.

Question 48The Nature of Science

A student follows a key. Step 1: legs present, go to step 2; legs absent, worm. Step 2: six legs, insect; eight legs, spider. An animal has eight legs. How should the student classify it?

  1. As a spider Correct answer.
  2. As a worm
  3. As an insect
  4. As a bird

Explanation

The key first separates animals by whether they have legs, then separates the legged animals by counting legs. Eight legs matches the spider branch, so the animal is classified as a spider.

Question 49The Nature of Science

A student claims that all birds in a park eat seeds. Which evidence would best test that claim?

  1. Recording what many park birds eat Correct answer.
  2. Reading a story about a bird that ate a seed
  3. Watching one bird eat one seed
  4. Asking a friend what park birds eat

Explanation

A claim about all birds in a place needs many observations of many birds, collected over time and in different spots. A single sighting, a friend's opinion, or a story cannot show whether the claim holds for the whole park.

Question 50The Nature of Science

A student wants to find out whether bean plants grow taller in potting soil or in sand. The student plants four bean seedlings, two in each material, and places all four pots on the same sunny shelf. Which of these should the student keep exactly the same for all four plants?

  1. the final height each plant reaches
  2. the amount of water each plant receives Correct answer.
  3. the number of leaves each plant grows
  4. the material each plant is grown in

Explanation

In a fair test, only the one factor being tested is allowed to differ; every other condition must be kept the same so that any difference in results can be traced to that factor. The growing material is the factor being tested, so water, light, and pot size must be identical for all plants.