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USVI NGSS Science Grade 5 study materials
USVI NGSS Science Grade 5 study resources

USVI NGSS Science Grade 5 practice questions

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Question 1Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

Which statement best describes how matter is made up, according to the particle model?

  1. All matter is made of tiny particles that are too small to see. Correct answer.
  2. Matter is a smooth material with no separate parts.
  3. Particles can be seen with a magnifying glass.
  4. Only solids are made of particles; liquids and gases are not.

Explanation

The particle model says that every kind of matter - solid, liquid, and gas - is made of very tiny particles. These particles are far too small to be seen, even with a hand lens. Their arrangement and motion explain the properties we observe.

Question 2Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

Which state of matter has a definite shape and a definite volume?

  1. Liquid
  2. Solid Correct answer.
  3. Steam
  4. Gas

Explanation

In a solid, particles are packed closely together and vibrate in place, so a solid keeps its own shape and volume. A liquid keeps its volume but takes the shape of its container. A gas spreads out to fill any container.

Question 3Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

Which tool is used to measure the mass of a rock?

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

Explanation

Mass is the amount of matter in an object, and it is measured with a balance in grams or kilograms. A graduated cylinder measures liquid volume, a thermometer measures temperature, and a ruler measures length.

Question 4Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

A marble is dropped into a graduated cylinder holding 30 mL of water, and the water level rises to 38 mL. What is the volume of the marble?

  1. 38 mL
  2. 68 mL
  3. 30 mL
  4. 8 mL Correct answer.

Explanation

The water displacement method gives the volume of the object as the change in the water level. Subtract the starting level from the ending level: 38 mL − 30 mL = 8 mL.

Question 5Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

Which of these is an example of a physical change?

  1. Tearing paper into pieces Correct answer.
  2. Burning a piece of paper
  3. Baking soda fizzing in vinegar
  4. A nail rusting in wet air

Explanation

In a physical change, the substance keeps its identity and only its size, shape, or state changes. Tearing paper makes smaller pieces of the same paper. Burning, rusting, and fizzing all produce new substances.

Question 6Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

Which observation is the best evidence that a chemical change has happened?

  1. A glass breaks into pieces
  2. Ice melts into liquid water
  3. Bubbles of a new gas form Correct answer.
  4. Sugar dissolves in water

Explanation

A chemical change produces one or more new substances. Bubbles of a new gas, a color change, or a new smell are evidence of that. Melting, dissolving, and breaking only change state, size, or mixing.

Question 7Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

Water droplets form on the outside of a cold glass of lemonade on a warm day. Which process causes this?

  1. Melting
  2. Freezing
  3. Condensation Correct answer.
  4. Evaporation

Explanation

Water vapor in the warm air cools when it touches the cold glass. Cooling makes the gas particles slow down and come together as liquid droplets, which is condensation.

Question 8Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

Which of these is a mixture?

  1. Table salt
  2. Oxygen gas
  3. Salt water Correct answer.
  4. Pure gold

Explanation

A mixture contains two or more substances that are combined but not chemically joined. Salt water is salt and water mixed together, and the salt can be separated from the water again.

Question 9Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

A sealed jar contains 20 g of vinegar and 5 g of baking soda. They react, and the jar stays sealed. What is the total mass of everything in the jar after the reaction?

  1. 20 g
  2. More than 25 g, because a gas forms
  3. 25 g Correct answer.
  4. 5 g

Explanation

The law of conservation of mass says matter is not created or destroyed in a chemical reaction. In a sealed jar the gas produced stays inside, so the total mass after the reaction equals the total mass before it: 20 g + 5 g = 25 g.

Question 10Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

A spoon of sugar is stirred into water until it can no longer be seen. What happened to the sugar?

  1. It turned into water and can no longer be seen.
  2. Its particles spread out in the water. Correct answer.
  3. It lost all of its mass in the water.
  4. It changed into a gas and escaped.

Explanation

Dissolving is a physical change in which the particles of one substance spread out evenly among the particles of another. The sugar particles are still there, so the sugar's mass is still in the cup.

Question 11Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

A solid is heated until it melts. What happens to the particles as the solid is heated?

  1. They get larger and take up more room.
  2. They stop moving completely and freeze in place.
  3. They move faster and spread apart. Correct answer.
  4. They slowly disappear into the air.

Explanation

Adding heat energy makes particles move faster. In a solid they vibrate in place, but as they gain energy they break free of their fixed positions and spread apart, which is how melting happens.

Question 12Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

A syringe filled with air is sealed, and the plunger is pushed in. The air can be squeezed because -

  1. the air particles are destroyed by the pressure
  2. there is empty space between the particles Correct answer.
  3. the air particles shrink when they are squeezed
  4. the air changes into a liquid inside the syringe

Explanation

Gas particles are spread far apart with lots of space between them. Pushing the plunger reduces that space, so the gas takes up less volume. The particles themselves do not shrink or disappear.

Question 13Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

Block A and Block B have the same volume. Block A has a mass of 40 g, and Block B has a mass of 80 g. What can you conclude?

  1. Block B is more dense than Block A. Correct answer.
  2. The two blocks have the same density.
  3. Density cannot be compared without knowing the shape.
  4. Block A is more dense than Block B.

Explanation

Density is mass divided by volume. With equal volumes, the block with the greater mass has the greater density, so Block B is denser.

Question 14Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

A student has salt water and wants to get the salt back. Which method works best?

  1. Filtering the salt water through paper
  2. Freezing the salt water
  3. Letting the water evaporate Correct answer.
  4. Stirring the salt water faster

Explanation

Dissolved salt passes through filter paper with the water, so filtering does not separate them. Evaporating the water leaves the salt behind as solid crystals.

Question 15Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

How are the particles of a liquid different from the particles of the same substance when it is a solid?

  1. They are much bigger than the particles of a solid.
  2. They are farther apart and can slide past each other. Correct answer.
  3. They have no mass and take the shape of the container.
  4. They are colder and move more slowly than in a solid.

Explanation

Melting adds energy, so the particles move faster and are no longer locked in fixed positions. In a liquid the particles are farther apart and can slide past one another, which is why a liquid flows and takes the shape of its container.

Question 16Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

Which unit would you use to report the volume of a liquid in a graduated cylinder?

  1. Milliliters Correct answer.
  2. Grams
  3. Degrees Celsius
  4. Newtons

Explanation

Volume is the amount of space matter takes up, and liquid volume is commonly reported in milliliters or liters. Grams measure mass, degrees Celsius measure temperature, and newtons measure force.

Question 17Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

A cook needs a pot that conducts heat well. Which material is the best choice?

  1. Metal Correct answer.
  2. Wood
  3. Plastic
  4. Glass

Explanation

Different materials have different properties, and one of those properties is how well heat moves through them. Metals conduct heat well, which is why they are used for cooking pots.

Question 18Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

A student finds that more sugar dissolves in warm water than in the same amount of cold water. Which statement is best supported by this result?

  1. Warmer water dissolves more sugar than cooler water. Correct answer.
  2. Warm water turns sugar into a different substance.
  3. Sugar becomes heavier when the water is warm.
  4. Sugar cannot dissolve in cold water at all.

Explanation

The amount of a solid that can dissolve depends on the temperature of the liquid. Comparing warm and cold water shows that warming allows more sugar to dissolve.

Question 19Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

A student mixes two clear liquids, and the mixture turns cloudy and becomes warm. Which is the best conclusion?

  1. A chemical change happened and new substances formed. Correct answer.
  2. This is only a change of state, not a new substance.
  3. Nothing happened because no gas was produced.
  4. The liquids only changed color and nothing else happened.

Explanation

A chemical change produces new substances, and it is often shown by a color change, cloudiness, or a change in temperature. Warmth means energy was released as the new substances formed.

Question 20Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

Which statement about mass is true?

  1. Mass is the same property as volume.
  2. Mass changes when an object is taken to the Moon.
  3. Mass is the amount of matter in an object. Correct answer.
  4. Mass is measured in liters with a graduated cylinder.

Explanation

Mass measures how much matter an object contains, and it stays the same unless matter is added or removed. Weight can change with gravity, and volume measures space taken up rather than amount of matter.

Question 21Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

A balloon is inflated and then left in a cold room overnight, and it shrinks a little. Using the particle model, what is the best explanation?

  1. The cold air destroyed some of the gas particles inside the balloon.
  2. The balloon material absorbed the gas particles while it cooled.
  3. The gas particles moved more slowly and stayed closer. Correct answer.
  4. The gas particles got smaller in size because they were cold.

Explanation

Cooling removes energy, so gas particles move more slowly and do not push outward as hard. With the particles closer together, the gas takes up less space and the balloon shrinks. The number and size of the particles do not change.

Question 22Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

When a candle burns, it gets smaller even though nothing seems to be added. Which explanation best fits the law of conservation of mass?

  1. Mass turns into heat energy, so the mass is gone.
  2. Burned matter left as gases that still have mass. Correct answer.
  3. The wax disappears completely when it is heated.
  4. Matter is completely destroyed when something burns.

Explanation

Conservation of mass means matter is rearranged, never destroyed. The wax reacts with oxygen and leaves the candle as gases and smoke, which still have mass even though they spread into the air.

Question 23Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

A piece of wood floats in water, and a metal coin of the same size sinks. What explains the difference?

  1. Wood is made of particles and metal is not.
  2. The coin has more mass in the same volume. Correct answer.
  3. The coin takes up more space than the wood does.
  4. The piece of wood has more mass than the coin.

Explanation

Floating and sinking depend on density, which is how much mass is packed into a given volume. The coin packs more mass into the same volume, so it is denser than water and sinks, while the less dense wood floats.

Question 24Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

A beaker holds a mixture of sand, salt, and water. Which steps would best separate all three materials?

  1. Freeze the mixture, then let it melt again.
  2. Filter the sand out, then evaporate the water. Correct answer.
  3. Stir the mixture harder, then pour it into a new beaker.
  4. Evaporate the water, then pick the salt out with tweezers.

Explanation

Each separation method works on a different property. Filtering traps the undissolved sand while the dissolved salt passes through, and evaporating the water then leaves the salt behind as crystals.

Question 25Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

Two clear liquids look identical. Which information would best help you decide whether they are the same substance?

  1. Their densities and boiling points Correct answer.
  2. Their colors, looked at in the same light
  3. How much liquid is in each container
  4. The shape of the container each liquid is in

Explanation

Substances are identified by properties that do not depend on how much you have, such as density and boiling point. Looking alike is not enough, because different substances can be clear and colorless.

Question 26Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

A scientist needs to find the mass of a rock sample. Which tool should she use?

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

Explanation

Mass is the amount of matter in an object, and it is measured with a balance, usually reported in grams. The other tools each measure a different quantity, such as volume, temperature, or length.

Question 27Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

A student finds that one mineral scratches a piece of glass while a piece of chalk does not. Which property of the mineral is the student testing?

  1. Density
  2. Conductivity
  3. Hardness Correct answer.
  4. Solubility

Explanation

Hardness is the property that describes how well a material resists being scratched. A material that can scratch another material is harder than the material it scratches.

Question 28Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

Salt is stirred into water until it disappears. In the resulting salt water, which part is the solvent?

  1. The glass
  2. The salt and water together
  3. The salt
  4. The water Correct answer.

Explanation

In a solution, the solvent is the substance that does the dissolving and is usually present in the greater amount. The water dissolves the salt, so water is the solvent and the salt is the solute.

Question 29Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

A small amount of a colored gas is released into a sealed, empty tank, and soon the gas is spread evenly through the whole tank. Which statement best explains this?

  1. The gas particles are pulled down by gravity and settle on the bottom.
  2. The gas particles are packed tightly together in one corner.
  3. The gas particles are heavier than the air already in the tank.
  4. The gas particles move freely and spread apart in all directions. Correct answer.

Explanation

Particles of a gas are far apart and move freely, so they travel in all directions until they fill the whole space available. This is why a gas has no definite shape or volume of its own.

Question 30Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

Which of these changes is a chemical change?

  1. Ice melting in a cup
  2. Sugar stirred into warm tea
  3. A glass window shattering
  4. A nail rusting in damp air Correct answer.

Explanation

A chemical change produces one or more new substances, and rust is a new material different from the iron, oxygen, and water that formed it. The other examples change the form or the state of a material, but the material itself stays the same.

Question 31Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

A student boils a clear liquid in a dish until the dish is dry, and a small pile of white powder is left behind. Which explanation fits best?

  1. The liquid was a solution that had a solid dissolved in it. Correct answer.
  2. The powder drifted into the dish from the air in the room.
  3. The powder was formed from the water that boiled away.
  4. The liquid turned into the powder because it was heated.

Explanation

Boiling drives the liquid off as a gas and leaves behind any solid that was dissolved in it. A solid left after the liquid is gone is evidence that the clear liquid was a solution, not a pure liquid.

Question 32Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

A student has a mixture of iron filings and sand. Which method will best separate the iron from the sand?

  1. Heat the mixture until the sand melts away.
  2. Move a magnet through the mixture. Correct answer.
  3. Stir the mixture into water and let it stand.
  4. Pour the mixture through a paper filter.

Explanation

Iron is magnetic and sand is not, so a magnet attracts the iron filings and lifts them out of the mixture. Separating methods that work on a mixture rely on a property that differs between the materials.

Question 33Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

An effervescent tablet is dropped into a cup of water in an open cup. After the fizzing stops, the total mass of the cup and its contents is less than it was before. Which explanation fits the law of conservation of mass?

  1. The water in the cup changed into part of the tablet.
  2. Some of the matter in the cup was destroyed by the reaction.
  3. A gas left the cup and carried matter into the air. Correct answer.
  4. The tablet lost mass because it dissolved in the water.

Explanation

In an open container, a gas made during the reaction can escape and carry matter into the air, so the mass left in the cup drops. The law of conservation of mass still holds, because the escaped gas is matter that still exists outside the cup.

Question 34Matter and Its Interactions (5-PS1)

Two clear liquids that do not mix are poured into a jar. Liquid X forms the top layer and liquid Y forms the bottom layer. What can you conclude?

  1. Liquid Y is denser than liquid X. Correct answer.
  2. Liquid Y dissolves easily in liquid X.
  3. Liquid X is warmer than liquid Y.
  4. Liquid X has more mass than liquid Y.

Explanation

When two liquids that do not mix are combined, the denser liquid settles to the bottom and the less dense liquid floats above it. Since Y is on the bottom, Y must be the denser of the two liquids.

Question 35Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions (5-PS2)

A rock is dropped from a cliff. In which direction does Earth's gravity pull the rock?

  1. Up, away from Earth
  2. Sideways, along the cliff
  3. Down, toward Earth's center Correct answer.
  4. Forward, in the direction it moves

Explanation

Gravity is a pulling force that Earth exerts on all objects near it. That pull is always directed toward the center of Earth, which we experience as 'down.' Because the pull is downward, a dropped rock accelerates toward the ground.

Question 36Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions (5-PS2)

Two students push on opposite sides of a heavy box with equal force. The box does not move. How are these two forces described?

  1. Unbalanced
  2. Magnetic
  3. Frictionless
  4. Balanced Correct answer.

Explanation

When forces on an object are equal in size and opposite in direction, they cancel out and the object's motion does not change. Such forces are called balanced forces. Because the pushes are equal and opposite, the box stays at rest.

Question 37Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions (5-PS2)

A hockey puck slides across smooth ice and slowly comes to a stop. Which force is mainly responsible?

  1. Gravity pulling it sideways
  2. Magnetism from the ice
  3. Friction between puck and ice Correct answer.
  4. Air pushing it forward

Explanation

Friction is a force that resists sliding between two surfaces in contact. Even smooth ice exerts some friction on the puck, and that force acts opposite to the puck's motion. This is why the puck gradually slows down instead of gliding forever.

Question 38Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions (5-PS2)

Which unit is used to measure the strength of a force?

  1. Liter
  2. Kilogram
  3. Meter
  4. Newton Correct answer.

Explanation

Force is measured in newtons, named after the scientist Isaac Newton. A spring scale reads force in newtons. Liters, meters, and kilograms measure volume, length, and mass instead.

Question 39Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions (5-PS2)

A soccer ball is rolling across the grass. Which action will change the ball's motion?

  1. Measuring the ball's mass
  2. Writing down the ball's color
  3. Timing the ball with a stopwatch
  4. Kicking the ball Correct answer.

Explanation

An object's motion changes only when an unbalanced force acts on it. Kicking the ball applies a force, so its speed or direction changes. Measuring, timing, and recording information do not apply forces to the ball.

Question 40Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions (5-PS2)

Which objects does Earth's gravity pull on?

  1. Only objects made of metal
  2. Only objects that are moving
  3. Every object, heavy or light Correct answer.
  4. Only objects touching the ground

Explanation

Gravity acts between Earth and every object that has mass, regardless of the object's material, size, or motion. A feather, a rock, and a cloud are all pulled by Earth's gravity. Mass, not material or motion, determines that the pull exists.

Question 41Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions (5-PS2)

A skydiver opens a parachute and falls more slowly. Which force does the open parachute increase?

  1. Magnetism from Earth
  2. Air resistance pushing upward Correct answer.
  3. Gravity pulling downward
  4. Friction with the ground

Explanation

Air resistance is a force that pushes against an object moving through air. A wide parachute catches a lot of air, so the upward air resistance becomes large enough to slow the fall. Gravity is unchanged, which is why the parachute matters.

Question 42Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions (5-PS2)

A heavy steel ball and a light plastic ball are the same size. They are dropped at the same moment in a room with no air. What happens?

  1. Neither ball falls
  2. The plastic ball lands much sooner
  3. Both balls land at the same time Correct answer.
  4. The steel ball lands much sooner

Explanation

Without air resistance, gravity makes every object near Earth's surface speed up at the same rate, no matter what its mass is. The greater pull on the heavier ball is exactly matched by its greater resistance to being accelerated. So the two balls hit the floor together.

Question 43Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions (5-PS2)

An astronaut travels from Earth to the Moon. Which statement about the astronaut is true?

  1. Mass and weight both get larger
  2. Mass stays the same, but weight is less Correct answer.
  3. Mass and weight both become zero
  4. Mass is less, but weight stays the same

Explanation

Mass is the amount of matter in an object and does not change with location. Weight is the pull of gravity on that mass, and the Moon's gravity is weaker than Earth's, so the astronaut weighs less there. The astronaut's mass stays the same.

Question 44Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions (5-PS2)

A book rests without moving on a desk. Gravity pulls down on the book with 10 N of force. What keeps the book from falling through the desk?

  1. Air pressure from below the desk
  2. An upward push of 10 N from the desk Correct answer.
  3. A magnetic force pulling the book up
  4. The book's own weight

Explanation

The desk surface pushes up on the book as the book presses down on it. Because the book does not move, this upward push must equal the 10 N downward pull of gravity. The two forces balance, so the net force on the book is zero.

Question 45Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions (5-PS2)

Two teams pull on a rope. Team A pulls left with 30 N. Team B pulls right with 20 N. What is the net force on the rope?

  1. 10 N to the right
  2. 50 N to the left
  3. 10 N to the left Correct answer.
  4. 50 N to the right

Explanation

When two forces act in opposite directions, subtract the smaller from the larger to find the net force. Here 30 N minus 20 N leaves 10 N, and the net force points the way the stronger team pulls. So the net force is 10 N to the left.

Question 46Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions (5-PS2)

You rub your hands together quickly and they feel warm. What best explains this?

  1. Air resistance heats the skin
  2. Gravity turns into heat
  3. Friction between hands changes motion energy into heat Correct answer.
  4. Magnetism between hands makes heat

Explanation

Rubbing surfaces together creates friction, which opposes the sliding motion. Some of the energy of motion is changed into thermal energy, so the hands feel warmer. Friction is the reason objects and surfaces heat up when they slide against each other.

Question 47Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions (5-PS2)

Two identical sheets of paper are dropped from the same height. One is left flat and the other is crumpled into a tight ball. Which lands first, and why?

  1. The flat sheet, because it has more air resistance
  2. Both land at exactly the same time
  3. The flat sheet, because it is lighter than the ball
  4. The crumpled ball, because it meets less air resistance Correct answer.

Explanation

Both sheets have the same mass and the same gravitational pull. The flat sheet spreads out and pushes against a lot of air, so air resistance slows it more. The crumpled ball has a smaller surface facing the air, so it falls faster and lands first.

Question 48Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions (5-PS2)

In a force diagram, a longer arrow is used for one force than for another. What does the longer arrow show?

  1. The force is stronger Correct answer.
  2. The force acts for more time
  3. The object is moving faster
  4. The force is directed upward

Explanation

In force diagrams, arrow length stands for the size of the force and the arrowhead shows its direction. A longer arrow therefore means a larger force. The length of an arrow says nothing about time or about how fast the object is moving.

Question 49Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions (5-PS2)

A box has 15 N pushing it right, 15 N pushing it left, 8 N pushing it up, and 8 N pushing it down. What is the net force on the box?

  1. 0 N Correct answer.
  2. 46 N to the right
  3. 8 N up
  4. 30 N down

Explanation

Opposite forces cancel in pairs. The 15 N right and 15 N left cancel, and the 8 N up and 8 N down cancel. With nothing left over, the net force is 0 N and the box's motion will not change.

Question 50Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions (5-PS2)

People in Alaska and people in Australia both say that dropped objects fall "down." Why do both groups call the direction toward the ground "down"?

  1. Because gravity pulls objects toward Earth's center Correct answer.
  2. Because objects always fall toward the south
  3. Because gravity only works in the northern half of Earth
  4. Because Earth's gravity pushes objects away from the ground

Explanation

Earth's gravity pulls every object toward the center of the planet. Because people stand on opposite sides of a sphere, 'toward the center' means toward the ground for each of them. That is why 'down' points in different directions in Alaska and Australia.