science items for practice grade 11 · pdf filescience items for practice. grade 11. student...

SCIENCE Items for Practice

Grade 11

Student Name:

School Name:

2012-2013 NMSBA/HIGH SCHOOL

GRADUATION

ASSESSMENT (HSGA)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The practice items contained herein are from comprehensive databases of science assessment items released by the New England Common Assessment Program (developed collaboratively by the Rhode Island, Vermont and New Hampshire Departments of Education) and the Massachusetts Department of Education. RDA obtained appropriate licenses for usage and reproduction of these items; however, all rights in and to this material belong exclusively to the respective public education departments.

NMSBA/HSGA Grade 11 SCIENCE Practice Items

1

Ioni

zatio

n En

ergy

(k

J/m

ol)

Ioni

zatio

n En

ergy

(k

J/m

ol)

Ioni

zatio

n En

ergy

(k

J/m

ol)

Ioni

zatio

n En

ergy

(k

J/m

ol)

Science

Please use the periodic table on the reference sheet (at end of booklet) to answer the question.

Ionization energy is the energy required to remove electrons from atoms. Fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br), and iodine (I) are found in the halogen family in the periodic table.

Which graph shows the correct trend for the first ionization energy of these four elements?

2000

1500

Which statement provides the best evidence of wave-like behavior in electrons?

A. An electron beam demonstrates diffraction when passing through small openings.

B. An electric burner glows orange when heated with electricity.

C. Ultraviolet light striking a copper (Cu) plate produces a photoelectric effect.

D. Electrons are deflected by the poles of a magnet.

A. 1000

500

0

2000

1500

B. 1000

500

0

2000

1500

C. 1000

500

F Cl Br I F Cl Br I

A student is on a train traveling at 60 miles per hour. The student places a basketball on the floor. The basketball remains motionless until the train’s brakes are suddenly applied.

Which statement describes the motion of the basketball when this occurs?

A. The basketball moves forward because it is now moving faster than the train.

B. The basketball moves forward because it is now moving slower than the train.

C. The basketball moves backward because it is now moving faster than the train.

D. The basketball moves backward because it is now moving slower than the train.

0

F Cl Br I

2000

1500

D. 1000

500

0

F Cl Br I


2

Br

achi

opod

a

Echi

node

rmat

a

Mol

lusc

a

Arth

ropo

da

Cho

rdat

a

Quaternary

Tertiary

Cretaceous

Triassic

Pennsylvanian

Mississippian

Devonian

Silurian

Ordovician

Geo

logi

c Pe

riods

The Hawaiian Islands are younger on the eastern end than on the western end of the chain.

The diagram below shows index fossils from different geologic time periods.

Index Fossils

Kauai Oahu

Molokai Maui

N

W E Hawaii

S

What is causing the age differences among the islands?

A. Two crustal plates are colliding. B. A divergent boundary exists in the ocean

floor. C. An ocean plate is moving southeast

across a hot spot. D. An ocean plate is moving northwest

across a hot spot.

Andromeda is the only known galaxy moving toward Earth at a speed of about 300 km/s. How was this information about Andromeda determined?

Based on the diagram, which fossil arrangement is in sequential geologic order?

A. by measuring the blueshift of its spectral lines

B. by measuring the redshift of its spectral lines

C. by measuring the widths of its spectral lines

D. by measuring the distance between its spectral lines

A. W B. X C. Y D. Z


3

Bro

ok T

rout

Dea

th

Rat

e (%

) A

lum

inum

Con

cent

ratio

n (µ

mol

/L)

pH

The table below shows the amounts of adenine, cytosine, and guanine found in a sample of nucleic acid.

Nucleic Acid Sample

Nitrogenous Base

Percent of Number of Molecules

Adenine 41% Cytosine 32% Guanine 16%

Which statement best explains whether the sample of nucleic acid is DNA or RNA?

A. The sample is DNA because the amounts of adenine and cytosine are approximately equal.

B. The sample is RNA because the amounts of adenine and cytosine are approximately equal.

C. The sample is DNA because the amounts of cytosine and guanine do not have to be equal.

D. The sample is RNA because the amounts of cytosine and guanine do not have to be equal.

All kingdoms of living things can be placed in one of three larger classification groups called domains. Which cell component is found in all three domains of living things?

A. cell wall B. ribosome C. nucleus D. mitochondria

The graphs below show data about a stream taken over a period of four weeks. The pH, dissolved aluminum concentration, and death rate of brook trout were measured.

Stream Data

5.2

5.0

4.8

4.6

5/7/90 5/14/90 5/21/90 5/28/90

20

16

12

8

4

0 5/7/90 5/14/90 5/21/90 5/28/90

80

60

40

20

0

5/7/90 5/14/90 5/21/90 5/28/90

Based on the information in the graphs, which question would be best for further scientific investigation?

A. Do brook trout die as pH and aluminum concentration decrease?

B. Do brook trout use the dissolved aluminum in the water?

C. Are brook trout responsible for the changes in pH in the stream?

D. Are brook trout more sensitive to aluminum than to low pH?


4

The diagram below shows the flow of energy in a temperate deciduous forest.

Oak tree Squirrel Hawk

a. Which organism is capable of transforming solar energy into chemical energy? Explain your answer.

b. Which organism is least efficient at capturing energy? Explain your answer.

c. Deforestation is the removal of trees by cutting or burning. How would deforestation affect the

flow of energy among the trophic levels represented in the diagram?

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5

The diagram below shows a time line of the Big Bang Theory.

1027ºC 1010ºC 109ºC

3000ºC

–253ºC

–270ºC

Big Bang

10–35 s

1 s The first hydrogen nuclei form.

300,000 years

Stable atoms begin forming; there is a

Inflation occurs.

3 min The universe consists of about 75% hydrogen nuclei, 25% helium nuclei, and less than 1% other light nuclei.

limit of observable universe.

500 million to 1 billion years The first galaxies begin to form.

13.7 billion years

(present)

a. Explain two pieces of evidence that support the Big Bang Theory.

b. Explain two forces that contribute to the formation of stars and planets.

You may use information from the diagram in your responses.


6

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7

Partial amino acid sequences for a particular protein in three animal species are shown below. Each letter in the sequence stands for an amino acid. For example, Q stands for glutamine, and L stands for leucine.

Species Amino Acid Sequence

Green junglefowl (bird) QHEPHERKRM Nile crocodile (reptile) SHDPAQQKRL Domestic chicken (bird) QHEPHKRKRM

Which of the following statements best explains how these sequence data are evidence for evolution?

A. All species translate the amino

acid sequences of their proteins in a similar way.

B. The species that are most closely related have the most similar amino acid sequences.

C. Individual organisms acquire changes in their amino acid sequences over their lifetimes.

D. The organisms that evolved at the same time in geologic history have identical amino acid sequences.

Degenerative nerve diseases destroy nerve cells. These diseases can lead to paralysis by interfering with which of the following?

A. transport of hormones that stimulate

muscle cells B. production of ATP that is required

by muscle cells C. transmission of electrochemical

signals from the brain to muscle cells

D. exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between neurons and muscle cells


8

In fish of the species Perissodus microlepis, some individuals have mouths that open to the right and some individuals have mouths that open to the left. The direction of the mouth opening is a genetic trait controlled by a single gene. The allele for a right-opening mouth (R) is dominant to the allele for a left-opening mouth (r).

If two fish heterozygous for the mouth trait are crossed, what is the expected ratio of phenotypes in the offspring?

A. 1 right-opening mouth : 3 left-

opening mouth B. 2 right-opening mouth : 2 left-

opening mouth C. 3 right-opening mouth : 1 left-

opening mouth D. 4 right-opening mouth : 0 left-

opening mouth


9

DNA is found in the cells of all organisms. The structure of DNA is directly linked to its function.

a. Describe the function of DNA in organisms.

b. Draw and label a simple model of DNA that includes the sugar/phosphate backbone and

nitrogenous bases.

c. Explain how the structure of DNA enables it to perform the function you described in part (a).

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10

Which of the following statements describes an exothermic reaction but not an endothermic reaction?

A. Energy is destroyed during the reaction.

B. Energy is used to form chemical bonds.

C. Energy is used to break chemical bonds.

D. Energy is released as heat during the reaction.

What is the Lewis (Electron) dot structure for nitrogen trifluoride (NF3)?

A. F N F

F

B. N F

F F

C. F

F N

F

D. F N F F

Please use the periodic table on the reference sheet (at end of booklet) to answer the question.

The photosynthesis reaction involves the formation of glucose from carbon dioxide and water

What is the molecular mass of glucose?

A. 24 g

B. 72 g

C. 180 g

D. 364 g


11

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