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CSET Cliffnotes 4th Edition: Science Domains 1-3 Sample Questions

Terms in this set (48)

Sample Question #1 (pg 268)
Which of the following is a true statement regarding oxygen?
A. Oxygen is the largest component of the atmosphere
B. Oxygen is a natural occurring gas in the atmosphere
C. Oxygen is not a reactant molecule in cellular respiration
D. Oxygen is not a byproduct of photosynthesis
Answer: B
Notes: Earth's atmosphere is composed of ~ 21%
oxygen and is a naturally occurring element. Oxygen
is important in the formation of atmospheric ozones. Ozone is a naturally occurring reaction product in the atmosphere that forms a layer.
Sample Question #2 (pg 268)
Which of the following best demonstrates the theory that molecules are always in motion?
A. A spoonful of sugar is added to a cup of cocoa, and the cocoa becomes sweet in all parts of the cup
B. A small stone is dropped into a glass of water and falls straight to the bottom
C. An ice cube is placed in a cold container and melts very slowly
D. A drop of oil is added to a pan of water, and the oil floats to the top.
Answer: A
The distribution of sugar in all parts of the cup. Similar distribution would result if a gas were released in a corner of a room.
Sample Question #3 ( pg 269)
Which of the following solutions would make litmus paper turn red?
A. Liquid drain opener
B. Salt water
C. Vinegar
D. Lye
Answer: Obviously C
*If you have tried this in chemistry class, you know!!!
Litmus paper changes color to red when dipped in an acid. On a pH scale, H represents hydrogen, as acids and alkalis have different hydrogen concentrations. The pH scale is 1 to 14; 1 being the most acidic, 7 neutral, and 14 the most alkaline.
Sample Question #4 (pg 269)
Objects float in water if they are lighter than an equal volume of water. An object with a density of 1 g/cm^3 has a volume equal to that of the water it displaces. Which planet or planets would be able to float if there were a water source large enough to hold it or them? {refer to table}
A. Mercury
B. Venus
C. Saturn
D. Jupiter and Uranus
Answer: C
*For this question, simply take a look at the table and figure out which plant is less than 1g/cm^3. Out of all the planets listed, Saturn is the lightest.
Sample Question #5 (pg 270)
Pure nitrogen is obtained commercially by first liquefying air, which is 78% nitrogen. Which of the following is the best method to condense air to a liquid?
A. Lowering the temperature very quickly
B. Lowering the pressure very quickly
C. Lowering the temperature while raising the pressure
D. Lowering the pressure while leaving the temperature constant
Answer: C
The most efficient procedure is to lower the temperature while the pressure is increased.
Sample Question #6 (pg 270)
In the periodic table of elements above {see table}, an element's atomic number indicates the number of:
A. neutrons
B. electrons
C. protons
D. nuclei
Answer: C
Protons determine the atomic number of an element on the periodic table. An atom is made up of both protons and neutrons. Electrons surround the atom. Protons are positive, electrons are negative, and neutrons contain no charge; which is why the protons help to determine the atomic mass and atomic number.
Sample Question #7 (pg 271)
Most of the elements in the periodic table are:
A. metals
B. gases
C. non-metals
D. compounds
Answer: A
The periodic table has many elements. Some are non-metals, metals, and gases. However, the most are metals. This is basic knowledge that one has to know.
Sample Question #8 (pg 271)
Which of the following elements have the most similar chemical properties?
A. Boron and carbon
B. Sodium and chlorine
C. Lithium and potassium
D. Carbon and oxygen
★ Answer: C
By looking at the periodic table, one can see that lithium and potassium have similar chemical properties. When two elements are in the same group, they have similar chemical properties.
Sample Question #9 (pg 272)
The sun converts nuclear energy to electromagnetic energy and thermal energy. Which of the following is the best example of a change from thermal energy to chemical energy when solar energy reaches earth?
A. Evaporation of ocean water from solar energy
B. Icebergs shrinking in size at extreme northern latitudes
C. Sugars in the leaves of plants
D. Compressed springs in a toy car
★ Answer: C
Thermal energy is or heat energy is the energy in substances. Chemical energy is stored in the bonds of atoms and molecules.
Sample Question #10 (pg 272)
Which of the following would be energy transformation pictured above? {refer to picture}
A. Mechanical energy is converted to heat energy
B. Chemical energy is converted to electrical energy
C. Electromagnetic energy is converted to light energy
D. Electromagnetic energy is converted to heat energy
Answer: B
Sample Question #11 (pg 272)
Which statement best explains the following example?

As a car is driven at high speeds for a long duration, the size of the tires temporarily increases.

A. Gases can be compressed to small volumes by pressure
B. As the temperature of a gas increases, the volume increases
C. When the pressure exerted on a gas is greatest, the volume is greatest.
D. A compressed gas pushes out equally in all directions.
Answer: B
*Do not let the wording trick you. At first, I selected Choice C but it is a misstatement. Therefore, Choice B
is correct. The increase in temperature increases the volume of the air in the tires.
Sample Question #12 (pg 272)
A nuclear reactor that powers an electricity generating plant relies on:
A. cold fission
B. fission
C. fusion
D. fission and fusion
Answer: B
Nuclear fission releases energy when a heavy nucleus splits into smaller fragments. The difference between fission and fusion: Fission is when something divides. Fusion is when something comes together.
Sample Question #13 (pg 273)
A spacecraft uses its engine to escape Earth's gravitational pull. Once in space, the spacecraft does not need its engines to stay in orbit. Which of the following best explains why an astronaut in orbit is weightless?
A. The spacesuit creates an air free environment
B. The gravitational attraction of the moon balances that of Earth
C. Earth's gravity pulls the spacecraft and the astronaut equally, but no force pulls the astronaut to the spacecraft.
D. Mass is decreased due to the weaker gravitational pull
Answer: IDK
From looking at the question, I had a feeling that the answer was C. According to the textbook, this specific can be done process of elimination. Many of the questions make you think. In a spacecraft, an astronaut becomes weightless when centrifugal force precisely counterbalances Earth's gravitational pull.
Sample Question #14 (pg 273)
The diagram above illustrates a seesaw. A seesaw is an example of:
A. lever
B. inclined plane
C. wedge
D. pulley
★ Answer: A
A lever is a rigid object that rotates around a fixed point. To determine the mechanical advantage of a lever, the distance from the fulcrum to the input force is divided by the distance from the fulcrum to the output force. Input force (force you exert on machine). Output force (force exerted by machine itself)
Sample Question #15 (pg 273)
Which characteristic of a wave must change in order to affect the pitch of a sound?
A. Amplitude
B. Wavelength
C. Frequency
D. Crest
Answer: C
Sample Question #16 (pg 274)
Which of the following is not demonstrated by the diagram?
A. Light is a photon particle and can act like a wave as seen by the variety of wavelengths
B. Visible light comes in a rainbow of colors, and sunlight is the combination of those colors
C. A beam of sunlight will split into its constituent when it moves through a prism
D. Violet is the longest wavelength represented by the prism
Answer: D
Violet is the shortest wavelength; red is the longest wavelength
Sample Question #17 (pg 274)
As a covered kettle of vegetable soup continues to boil gently on the stove, what happens to the temperature of the soup?
A. It falls very slowly
B. It remains the same
C. It rises very slowly
D. It rises rapidly
Answer: B
Sample Question #18 (pg 274)
Which of the following is an example of a third class lever?
A. seesaw
B. baby stroller
C. baseball bat
D. wheelbarrow
Answer: C
Sample Question #19 (pg 275)
A commercial glass thermometer is partially filled with mercury. What physical principle best explains the use of mercury in thermometers?
A. The change in air pressure when air is heated moves the mercury
B. Liquid mercury expands at regular intervals upon heating
C. The liquid mercury expands more than the glass
D. Gases expand more than liquids
Answer: IDK
The correct answer choice is Choice B. Liquid mercury expands regularly when heated, expanding upward.
Sample Question #20 (pg 275)
Enzymes are proteins that are essential during metabolism. Which of the following best summarizes the importance of enzymes in the metabolic process?
A. They are secreted by the endocrine glands and regulate many bodily functions
B. They permit certain chemical reactions to proceed at significant speeds
C. They transfer energy from one complex molecule to another
D. They release stored energy to all parts of the body
Answer: B
Sample Question #21 (pg 275)
Which of the following subcellular organelles is the control center of the cell?
A. Chloroplast
B. Nucleus
C. Ribosome
D. Mitochondrion
Answer: B
Sample Question #22 (pg 276)
Photosynthesis is essential for all life forms. Which of the following constitutes the raw materials of photosynthesis?
A. Nitrogen and oxygen
B. Oxygen and glucose
C. Carbon dioxide and water
D. Cardon dioxide and oxygen
★ Answer: C
Sample Question #23 (pg 276)
Which of the following organisms are most truly independent in obtaining nourishment?
A. Bighorn sheep
B. Palm trees
C. Humans
D. Salmanders
★ Answer: B
Sample Question #24 (pg 276)
A student conducts an experiment to demonstrate changes that would possibly take place in the air in a sealed greenhouse containing many plants. Which of the following statements is the most likely result of this experiment?
A. The air becomes poorer in carbon dioxide
B. The air becomes poorer in oxygen
C. The air becomes richer in carbon dioxide
D. The air becomes richer in carbon monoxide
★ Answer: A
Sample Question #25 (pg 277)
Ozone depletion is a serious environmental danger. Which of the following is not a true statement regarding ozone depletion?
A. It was detected over the Antarctic region
B. It has the potential to change the genetic structure of phytoplankton
C. It is directly linked to the rise in Earth's average temperature
D. It could lead to an increase in skin cancer
Answer: C
Sample Question #26 (pg 277)
Select the answer that is a correct association between the plant group and plant characteristic. {refer to the table}
A. Line 1
B. Line 2
C. Line 3
D. Line 4
Answer: C
Sample Question #27 (pg 277)
What is the chronological order of the evolutionary appearance of the following plants?
A. Moss, pine, rose, fern
B. Fern, moss, rose, pine
C. Moss, fern, pine, rose
D. Fern, rose, moss, pine
★ Answer: C
Sample Question #28 (pg 278)
The process by which an organism's internal environment is kept stable in spite of changes in the external environment is best described as:
A. respiration
B. homeostasis
C. an organ system
D. the nervous system
★ Answer: B
Sample Question #29 (pg 278)
All of the following must necessarily exist for all known forms of life, except
A. air
B. carbon atoms
C. nucleic acids
D. water
Answer: A
Sample Question #30 (pg 278)
Based on a response to an external stimulus, which of the following terms most accurately describes the picture above?
A. Phototropism
B. Geotropism
C. Photosynthesis
D. Respiration
★ Answer: A
Sample Question #31 (pg 278)
Genetic pollution refers to the following?
A. Cross contamination of plant genes into animals
B. The unintended spread of genes from genetically modified organisms to natural organisms
C. Research of GMOs in which genes from a plant are crossed with that of an unrelated species
D. Research of GMOs in which genes from an animal are crossed with that of an unrelated animal species
Answer: C
The correct answer is actually Choice B. The definition of genetic pollution refers to the unintended spread of altered genetic material from genetically engineered organisms to natural organisms via dispersion and/or interbreeding
Sample Question #33 (pg 279)
When a mutation in a gene occurs in an individual, it does not have an effect on the group unless the:
A. environment changes
B. threat of predators is reduced
C. individual lives long enough to breed
D. mutation increases the variability of the group
Answer: C
Sample Question #34 (pg 280)
According to the information above about the crossing of round
and wrinkled peas, which of the following are the correct letter combinations for the square marked X in the second cross?
A. RR
B. Rw
C. Wr
D. ww
Answer: D
Sample Question #35 (pg 280)
Which of the following best explains why the length of a day on the planet Venus is longer than the length of a year on Earth?
A. It takes more time for Venus to rotate on its axis than to revolve around the sun
B. It takes more time for Venus to revolve around the sun than to rotate on its axis
C. The gravitational pull of the sun on Venus is less than on other small planets.
D. Venus has fewer moons than similar planets
Answer: A
I was not sure about the answer to this question but I was able to use process of elimination and choose between Choice A and Choice B. These two choices had more information related to the question than Choices C and D. I was very close. Wording makes all the difference for multiple choice.
Sample Question #36 (pg 281)
What two factors keep the planets in their orbits?
A. Gravity and magnetism
B. Inertia and gravity
C. Centrifugal force and inertia
D. Alpha particles and chemical bonds
Answer: B
Sample Question #37 (pg 281)
If an individual weighs 200 pounds on Earth, in theory, on which planet would the same individual weigh the most?
A. Mercury
B. Earth
C. Jupiter
D. Mars
Answer: C
I was not sure about the answer to this question. In order to answer the question, one has to know the mass of the planets. Jupiter's mass is more than 300 times Earth's mass.
Sample Question #38 (pg 281)
Which of the following statements is true about the giant star Betelgeuse based on the red color of the star?
A. The star is relatively large
B. The star is millions of light years away
C. The star is relatively cool
D. The star is extremely hot
Answer: C
Sample Question #39 (pg 281)
Igneous rocks are found throughout the world. Which of the following processes yields an igneous rock?
A. Accumulations on a coral reef
B. Tremendous pressure over an extended period of time
C. The laying down of deposits, one on top of another
D. The eruption of a volcano
Answer: D
Sample Question #40 (pg 282)
If you were conducting an experiment to identify the hardness of
five unknown mineral samples, which of the following would not
be reliable indicator in identifying the hardness?
A. Color
B. Cleavage
C. Density
D. Scratch test
Answer: A
Sample Question #41 (pg 282)
Earthquakes vary in intensity, depending on many factors. However the strongest earthquakes usually occur near the edges of:
A. divergent boundaries
B. convergent boundaries
C. transform boundaries
D. strike-slip faults
Answer: B
Sample Question #42 (pg 282)
In which of the following locations would soft tissue most likely avoid decomposition and survive as a fossil?
A. In desert soil
B. In beach sand
C. In river salt
D. In lake-bottom mud
Answer: D
Sample Question #43 (pg 282)
In what order would a continuous drill find these three substances?
A. gas, water, oil
B. water, gas, oil
C. gas, oil, water
D. water, oil, gas
Answer: C
For this question, I knew that the first substance was gas. I wasn't sure about the next one because I have never used a drill in this kind of work. I chose Choice A which was close but not close enough. Then I read the explanation. The explanation helps one have a deeper understanding.
Sample Question #44 (pg 283)
Taking in all things into consideration and on a global scale, which of the following is the primary factor in determining climate?
A. The atmospheric conditions in the area
B. The latitude of the area
C. The meeting of warm and cold air masses
D. The rain shadow caused by mountains
Answer: B
*The term climate refers to the long term weather patterns of a large geographical area and takes into
the account of temperature, humidity, and directly correlated with temperature.
Sample Question #45 (pg 283)
How can water vapor become a problem in the Earth's atmosphere?
A. Excess water vapor creates more intense storms
B. Increased water vapor can lead to an increase in other greenhouse gases
C. Decreasing water vapor in the atmosphere creates a positive feedback, intensifying the greenhouse effect
D. Increasing water vapor in the atmosphere creates a positive feedback loop, intensifying the greenhouse effect
Answer: D
Sample Question #46 (pg 283)
Earth's climate is influenced by natural events such as volcanic eruptions. Which of the following elements is the most logical global climatic consequence of cataclysmic volcanic eruptions?
A. A change in Earth's orbit, resulting in increased earthquake activity
B. A decline in the sun's energy that reaches Earth, resulting in lower global temperatures
C. An increase in the sun's energy that reaches Earth, resulting in higher global temperatures
D. An increase in the density of the lithosphere, resulting in increased plate tectonic activity
Answer: B
Sample Question #47 (pg 284)
Almost all weather and cloud formations occur in the troposphere. Which type of cloud indicates an upcoming thunderstorm?
A. Cirrus
B. Stratus
C. Cumulonimbus
D. Altostratus
Answer: C
Sample Question #48 (pg 284)
Which of the following diagrams correctly shows the relationship of the sun, moon, and Earth during a neap tide?
{look at diagrams}
Answer: A
Sample Question #49 (pg 285)
Why is the climate on the west coast of California relatively cool during the summer compared to temperatures on the east coast of New York?
A. The Gulf Stream carries cold water from the Tropics to the North Atlantic Ocean
B. The cold-water California current creates cooler climates in coastal areas
C. The El Niño effect prevents cold water from upwelling and causes higher ocean temperatures
D. Water off the coast of California is warm enough to generate low pressure cells
Answer: B
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