6th Grade Physical Science

Sample Questions from State CRT

 

District Objective 6.1.A & 6.1.B (ABACUS 01-SC06-05; PASS CS6.1.1 & CS8.1.2)

Matter has physical properties that can be measured (i.e. mass, volume, temperature, color, texture, density, and hardness).

Changes in physical properties of objects can be observed, described, and measured using tools such as simple microscopes, gram spring scales, metric rulers, metric balances, and Celsius thermometers.

 

Process Standard 1.      Observe and measure

Objective 1.      Identify qualitative and/or quantitative changes given conditions (e.g., temperature, mass, volume, time, position, length) before, during, and after an event.

 

Two substances are mixed in four beakers, and thermometers are placed in each beaker. The thermometers are checked every minute for five minutes, and the temperature is recorded in the table below.

 

Time (minutes)

Temperature (°C) in Beaker

A

B

C

D

0

20

20

20

20

1

21

19

21

20

2

22

18

22

20

3

20

18

23

20

4

20

17

24

20

5

20

16

25

20

 

Which beaker shows the greatest temperature change over five minutes?

C

 

 

Process Standard 1.      Observe and measure

Objective 2.      Use appropriate tools (e.g., metric ruler, graduated cylinder, thermometer, balances, spring scales, stopwatches) when measuring objects, organisms, and/or events.

 

Use the following information to calculate the volume of an irregularly shaped rock specimen:

I.                    250 mL of water are placed in a graduated cylinder.

II.                  The rock specimen is placed in the graduated cylinder.

III.               The water level in the graduated cylinder then rises to

a level of 318 mL.
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 


        The volume of the rock specimen is

A       68 mL.

B       250 mL.

C       318 mL.

D       568 mL.

 

 

District Objective 6.1.A & 6.1.B (ABACUS 01-SC06-05; PASS CS6.1.1 & CS8.1.2)

Matter has physical properties that can be measured (i.e. mass, volume, temperature, color, texture, density, and hardness).

Changes in physical properties of objects can be observed, described, and measured using tools such as simple microscopes, gram spring scales, metric rulers, metric balances, and Celsius thermometers.

 

Process Standard 1.      Observe and measure

Objective 3.      Use appropriate System International (SI) units (i.e., grams, meters, liters, degrees Celsius, and seconds); and SI prefixes (i.e., micro-, milli-, centi-, and kilo-) when measuring objects, organisms, and/or events.

 

The most appropriate scientific units for measuring the volume of the liquid in the

petri dish would be

 


A       milliseconds.

B       milliliters.

C       millimeters.

D       milligrams.

 

 

Process Standard 4.      Interpret and communicate

Objective 3.      Evaluate data to develop reasonable explanations, and/or predictions.

 

Which conclusion is best supported by the data in the table?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


A       Metal objects are more likely to float in water.

B       The color of an object determines if it will sink or float in water.

C       The shape of an object determines if it will sink or float in water.

D       An object floats in water if its mass is less than its volume.

 

 

 

District Objective 6.1.D (ABACUS 01-SC06-20; PASS CS8.1.2)

In chemical reactions and physical changes, matter is conserved (e.g., compare and contrast physical and chemical changes).  The mass of an object is not altered due to changes in shape.

 

Process Standard 1.      Observe and measure

Objective 1.     Identify qualitative and/or quantitative changes given conditions (e.g., temperature, mass, volume, time, position, length) before, during, and after an event.

 

Sandy heated 20 grams of liquid hydrogen peroxide until it was completely broken down into liquid water and oxygen gas.   Which statement best describes the total mass of water and oxygen that was produced?

A       more than 20 grams since heat was added

B       20 grams since no matter was added or removed

C       less than 20 grams since oxygen gas is very light

D       more than 20 grams since there are two new substances

 

 

Process Standard 4.      Interpret and communicate

                 Objective 3.     Evaluate data to develop reasonable explanations, and/or predictions.

 

Taylor dissolves 2.0 grams of salt in water.  He then tries to get the salt back by evaporating the water. How would the mass of salt recovered compare with the initial mass of salt?

A       It would be the same, because some of the salt evaporates with the water.

B       It would be the same, because salt does not evaporate with the water.

C       It would be the same, because a chemical change occurred.

D       It would be the same, because salt does not dissolve in water.

 

 

District Objective 6.1.E (ABACUS 01-SC06-25; PASS CS8.1.1)

Substances react chemically in characteristic ways with other substances to form substances with different characteristics (e.g., rusting, burning, reaction between baking soda and vinegar, etc.).

 

Process Standard 3.      Experiment

                 Objective 2.     Evaluate the design of a scientific investigation.

 

Shannon wanted to see if a solid substance is an acid or a base. In what order should she do the following steps?

A.            Test with blue litmus paper

B.            Dissolve the substance in water

C.            Look at any changes in the color of the litmus paper

D.            Grind some of the substance to make a powder

 

A       A D B C

B       B A C D

C       C B A D

D       D B A C

 

 

District Objective 6.3.A (ABACUS 01-SC06-60; PASS CS8.2.1)

The motion of an object can be measured.  The position of an object, its speed and direction can be represented on a graph.

 

Process Standard 1.      Observe and measure

Objective 1.     Identify qualitative and/or quantitative changes given conditions (e.g., temperature, mass, volume, time, position, length) before, during, and after an event.

 

What is the speed of the person from point C to point D?

 


A       25 m/min

B       125 m/min

C       250 m/10 min

D       500 m/10 min

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

District Objective 6.3.B (ABACUS 01-SC06-65; PASS CS8.2.2)

An object that is not being subjected to a net force will continue to move at a constant velocity (in a straight line and a constant speed).

 

Process Standard 3.      Experiment

Objective 2.     Evaluate the design of a scientific investigation.

 

The picture below shows the equipment used in an experiment to determine the effect of ramp height on the total distance a toy car travels.

 

 


Tall

ramp

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                        Short
                                                                                                                                        ramp

 

 

The students performed four steps in their experiment:

1.     Put the car at the top of the shorter ramp.

2.     Let the car go until it stops.

3.     Measure the distance the car traveled.

4.     Record the distance in a chart.

Which of these steps should be completed next?

A       Decide which ramp will make the car go farther.

B       Place the car at the top of the taller ramp.

C       Put a new surface on the ramp.

D       Change the wheels on the car.

 

 

District Objective 6.2.A (ABACUS 01-SC06-35; PASS CS6.2.1)

 

Process Standard 4.      Interpret and  communicate

                 Objective 3.     Evaluate data to develop reasonable explanations, and/or predictions.

 

Alex tested three brands of batteries to learn which would last the longest in a flashlight. He placed two brand “A” batteries in a flashlight, turned the flashlight on, and measured the time that the light shined. He repeated the experiment with battery brands “B” and “C” using the same flashlight. He recorded the data on the bar graph below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Which of these is an accurate conclusion that Alex can make about the batteries he tested?

 

A       Brand “C” batteries lasted twice as long as brand “A” batteries.

B       Brand “C” batteries lasted three times longer than brand “B” batteries.

C       The light was twice as bright with brand “A” batteries than with brand “B” batteries.

D       The light shined three times farther with brand “C” batteries than with brand “B” batteries.