Name: ________________________ Class: ___________________ Date: __________ ID: A

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8th Grade Science Benchmark Assessment (Yearly)
Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
____ 1. The yearly orbit of Earth around the Sun is called its ____.
a. rotation c. revolution
b. ellipse d. tilt
____ 2. The intense magnetic fields of sunspots cause archlike eruptions called ____.
a. solar eclipses c. photospheres
b. corona d. prominences
____ 3. Dark, cooler areas on the Sun's surface are called ____.
a. sunspots c. coronas
b. solar flares d. prominences
____ 4. Prominences and flares on the Sun are related to sunspots because they are all caused by ____.
a. electricity c. Earth's orbit around the Sun
b. too much heat d. intense magnetic fields
____ 5. Rocks that are produced when magma or lava cools and hardens are called ____.
a. igneous rocks c. sedimentary rocks
b. metamorphic rocks d. all of the above
____ 6. The word metamorphic means ____.
a. "change of form" c. "changed under extreme pressure"
b. "produced by heat" d. all of the above
____ 7. Which can occur in the rock cycle?
a. Sedimentary rock is heated and squeezed to form metamorphic rock.
b. Igneous rock is eroded to form metamorphic rock.
c. Metamorphic rock melts to form sedimentary rock.
d. none of the above
____ 8. The ____ waves are the first to reach a seismograph after an earthquake.
a. surface c. primary
b. secondary d. tsunami
____ 9. The point in Earth's interior where the energy release of an earthquake occurs is the ____.
a. focus c. fault
b. epicenter d. inner core
____ 10. Scientists discovered changes in Earth's interior by studying ____.
a. tsunamis c. changes in seismic waves
b. tides d. all of the above
____ 11. A person located twice as far from an epicenter of an earthquake as another person will notice that the time
between the arrival of the primary and secondary waves will be ____.
a. the same c. reduced
b. larger d. unnoticeable
Name: ________________________ ID: A
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____ 12. Which of the following statements is false?
a. the P-wave shadow zone is larger than the S-wave shadow zone.
b. Seismic waves follow curved paths through the interior of the Earth
c. P waves travel more slowly in the outer core than in the lower mantle
d. Liquids do not transmit S waves
____ 13. Primary waves ____ when they hit the liquid outer core.
a. slow down c. stop
b. stay the same d. speed up
____ 14. The crust and upper mantle make up Earth's ____.
a. lithosphere c. core
b. asthenosphere d. continents
____ 15. Plates of the lithosphere float on the ____.
a. crust c. core
b. asthenosphere d. atmosphere
____ 16. Strike-slip faults are caused by ____ forces.
a. compression c. right angle
b. shear d. tension
____ 17. The layer on which the tectonic plates move is the ____.
a. lithosphere c. core
b. asthenosphere d. crust
____ 18. Earth spins on its axis, and one rotation takes about one ____.
a. hour c. day
b. week d. year
____ 19. Seasons are a result of ____.
a. Earth's revolution c. Earth's rotation
b. Earth's tilted axis and revolution d. Earth's tilted axis and rotation
____ 20. When the Moon and Sun are on opposite sides of Earth, a ____ Moon occurs.
a. new c. quarter
b. gibbous d. full
____ 21. A soccer ball takes 20 s to roll 10 m. What is the average speed of the soccer ball?
a. 200 m/s c. 2 m/s
b. 5 m/s d. 0.5 m/s
____ 22. When you graph the motion of an object, you put ____ on the horizontal axis and ____ on the vertical axis.
a. speed, time c. time, speed
b. distance, time d. time, distance
____ 23. A wave transfers ____.
a. energy c. vibrating electric charges
b. matter d. electromagnetic energy
____ 24. Electromagnetic waves are produced by ____.
a. positive and negative charges c. charged particles in motion
b. magnetic fields d. electromagnetic energy
Name: ________________________ ID: A
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____ 25. Vibrating charged particles make ____ fields.
a. electric c. radio
b. magnetic d. both a and b
____ 26.
What type of earthquakes would most likely occur at point A?
a. shallow-focus earthquakes caused by normal faulting
b. shallow-focus earthquakes caused by strike-slip faulting
c. shallow-focus earthquakes caused by thrust faulting
d. deep-focus earthquakes caused by thrust faulting
____ 27. What type of earthquakes would most likely occur at point B?
a. shallow-focus earthquakes caused by normal faulting
b. shallow-focus earthquakes caused by strike-slip faulting
c. shallow-focus earthquakes caused by thrust faulting
d. deep-focus earthquakes caused by thrust faulting
____ 28. A driver starts her car and steps on the gas pedal. The car gradually accelerates to 50 km/hr. A few minutes
later, the driver suddenly slams on the brakes to avoid hitting a box in the road. As the car comes to a stop, the
drivers body appears to lurch forward in the seat until it is restrained by the seatbelt.
Use the Graph above to answer the next two questions.
Which graph best matches the motion of the car described in the paragraph above?
a. A b. B c. C d. D
____ 29. A student rides her bicycle from her home to the library. She stays there for a while and then goes to a
friends house. Which graph best matches this situation?
a. A b. B c. C d. D
Name: ________________________ ID: A
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____ 30. Velocity is made up of which of the following two measurements?
a. Speed and Time c. Speed and Distance
b. Distance and Direction d. Speed and Direction
____ 31. A track star runs a 400 m race in 59 sec on a straight track facing south. He runs
the first 200 m in 25 s. What is his velocity during the final 200 m?
a. 5.9m/s south c. 6.8m/s south
b. 8m/s south d. 5m/s west
____ 32. What makes an electromagnetic wave?
a. Vibrations in a magnetic field
b. Vibrations in an electric field
c. Both A and B
d. None of the above
____ 33. When a wave enters a new medium at an angle, what type of interaction occurs?
a. reflection c. diffraction
b. refraction d. infraction
____ 34.
What carries a wave?
a. medium c. heat
b. wave d. rope
ID: A
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8th Grade Science Benchmark Assessment (Yearly)
Answer Section
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: B
STA: 8Sd: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics, structure, and predictable
motions of celestial bodies. (Earth Science)
LOC: 8Sd.4: Explain the motions of Earth and the Moon and the effects of these motions as they orbit the
Sun (including day, year, phases of the Moon, eclipses, and tides). | 8Sd.5: Explain how the tilt of Earth's
axis affects the length of the day and the amount of heating on Earth's surface, thus causing the seasons of the
year.
2. ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: B
STA: 8Sd: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics, structure, and predictable
motions of celestial bodies. (Earth Science)
LOC: 8Sd.2: Summarize the characteristics of the surface features of the Sun: photosphere, corona, sunspots,
prominences, and solar flares.
3. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: B
STA: 8Sd: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics, structure, and predictable
motions of celestial bodies. (Earth Science)
LOC: 8Sd.2: Summarize the characteristics of the surface features of the Sun: photosphere, corona, sunspots,
prominences, and solar flares.
4. ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: A
STA: 8Sd: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics, structure, and predictable
motions of celestial bodies. (Earth Science)
LOC: 8Sd.2: Summarize the characteristics of the surface features of the Sun: photosphere, corona, sunspots,
prominences, and solar flares. | 8Sd.3: Explain how the surface features of the Sun may affect Earth.
5. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: B
STA: 8Sc: The student will demonstrate an understanding of materials that determine the structure of Earth
and the processes that have altered this structure. (Earth Science)
LOC: 8Sc.4: Explain how igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks are interrelated in the rock cycle.
6. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: B
STA: 8Sc: The student will demonstrate an understanding of materials that determine the structure of Earth
and the processes that have altered this structure. (Earth Science)
LOC: 8Sc.4: Explain how igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks are interrelated in the rock cycle.
7. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: B
STA: 8Sc: The student will demonstrate an understanding of materials that determine the structure of Earth
and the processes that have altered this structure. (Earth Science)
LOC: 8Sc.4: Explain how igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks are interrelated in the rock cycle.
8. ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: B
STA: 8Sc: The student will demonstrate an understanding of materials that determine the structure of Earth
and the processes that have altered this structure. (Earth Science)
LOC: 8Sc.3: Infer an earthquake's epicenter from seismographic data.
9. ANS: A PTS: 1
STA: 8Sc: The student will demonstrate an understanding of materials that determine the structure of Earth
and the processes that have altered this structure. (Earth Science)
LOC: 8Sc.3: Infer an earthquake's epicenter from seismographic data.
ID: A
2
10. ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: A
STA: 8Sc: The student will demonstrate an understanding of materials that determine the structure of Earth
and the processes that have altered this structure. (Earth Science)
LOC: 8Sc.2: Explain how scientists use seismic waves-primary, secondary, and surface waves- and Earth's
magnetic fields to determine the internal structure of Earth.
11. ANS: B PTS: 1
STA: 8Sc: The student will demonstrate an understanding of materials that determine the structure of Earth
and the processes that have altered this structure. (Earth Science)
LOC: 8Sc.3: Infer an earthquake's epicenter from seismographic data.
12. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: B
STA: 8Sc: The student will demonstrate an understanding of materials that determine the structure of Earth
and the processes that have altered this structure. (Earth Science)
LOC: 8Sc.2: Explain how scientists use seismic waves-primary, secondary, and surface waves- and Earth's
magnetic fields to determine the internal structure of Earth.
13. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: B
STA: 8Sc: The student will demonstrate an understanding of materials that determine the structure of Earth
and the processes that have altered this structure. (Earth Science)
LOC: 8Sc.2: Explain how scientists use seismic waves-primary, secondary, and surface waves- and Earth's
magnetic fields to determine the internal structure of Earth.
14. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: B
STA: 8Sc: The student will demonstrate an understanding of materials that determine the structure of Earth
and the processes that have altered this structure. (Earth Science)
LOC: 8Sc.1: Summarize the three layers of Earth-crust, mantle, and core-on the basis of relative position,
density, and composition.
15. ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: B
STA: 8Sc: The student will demonstrate an understanding of materials that determine the structure of Earth
and the processes that have altered this structure. (Earth Science)
LOC: 8Sc.1: Summarize the three layers of Earth-crust, mantle, and core-on the basis of relative position,
density, and composition.
16. ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: B
STA: 8Sc: The student will demonstrate an understanding of materials that determine the structure of Earth
and the processes that have altered this structure. (Earth Science)
LOC: 8Sc.8: Explain how earthquakes result from forces inside Earth.
17. ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: B
STA: 8Sc: The student will demonstrate an understanding of materials that determine the structure of Earth
and the processes that have altered this structure. (Earth Science)
LOC: 8Sc.1: Summarize the three layers of Earth-crust, mantle, and core-on the basis of relative position,
density, and composition.
18. ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: B
STA: 8Sd: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics, structure, and predictable
motions of celestial bodies. (Earth Science)
LOC: 8Sd.4: Explain the motions of Earth and the Moon and the effects of these motions as they orbit the
Sun (including day, year, phases of the Moon, eclipses, and tides). | 8Sd.5: Explain how the tilt of Earth's axis
affects the length of the day and the amount of heating on Earth's surface, thus causing the seasons of the
year.
ID: A
3
19. ANS: B PTS: 1 DIF: B
STA: 8Sd: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics, structure, and predictable
motions of celestial bodies. (Earth Science)
LOC: 8Sd.5: Explain how the tilt of Earth's axis affects the length of the day and the amount of heating on
Earth's surface, thus causing the seasons of the year.
20. ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: B
STA: 8Sd: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics, structure, and predictable
motions of celestial bodies. (Earth Science)
LOC: 8Sd.4: Explain the motions of Earth and the Moon and the effects of these motions as they orbit the
Sun (including day, year, phases of the Moon, eclipses, and tides).
21. ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: B
STA: 8Se: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the effects of forces on the motion of an object.
(Physical Science)
LOC: 8Se.2: Use the formula for average speed, v =d/t, to solve real-world problems.
22. ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: B
STA: 8Se: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the effects of forces on the motion of an object.
(Physical Science)
LOC: 8Se.1: Use measurement and time-distance graphs to represent the motion of an object in terms of its
position, direction, or speed.
23. ANS: A PTS: 1 DIF: B
STA: 8Sf: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the properties and behaviors of waves.
(Physical Science) LOC: 8Sf.1: Recall that waves transmit energy but not matter.
24. ANS: C PTS: 1 DIF: B
STA: 8Sf: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the properties and behaviors of waves.
(Physical Science) LOC: 8Sf.2: Distinguish between mechanical and electromagnetic waves.
25. ANS: D PTS: 1 DIF: B
STA: 8Sf: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the properties and behaviors of waves.
(Physical Science) LOC: 8Sf.2: Distinguish between mechanical and electromagnetic waves.
26. ANS: A PTS: 1
STA: 8Sc: The student will demonstrate an understanding of materials that determine the structure of Earth
and the processes that have altered this structure. (Earth Science)
LOC: 8Sc.8: Explain how earthquakes result from forces inside Earth.
27. ANS: B PTS: 1
STA: 8Sc: The student will demonstrate an understanding of materials that determine the structure of Earth
and the processes that have altered this structure. (Earth Science)
LOC: 8Sc.8: Explain how earthquakes result from forces inside Earth.
28. ANS: C PTS: 1
STA: 8Se: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the effects of forces on the motion of an object.
(Physical Science)
LOC: 8Se.1: Use measurement and time-distance graphs to represent the motion of an object in terms of its
position, direction, or speed.
29. ANS: A PTS: 1
STA: 8Se: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the effects of forces on the motion of an object.
(Physical Science)
LOC: 8Se.1: Use measurement and time-distance graphs to represent the motion of an object in terms of its
position, direction, or speed.
ID: A
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30. ANS: D PTS: 1
STA: 8Se: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the effects of forces on the motion of an object.
(Physical Science)
LOC: 8Se.2: Use the formula for average speed, v =d/t, to solve real-world problems.
31. ANS: A PTS: 1
STA: 8Se: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the effects of forces on the motion of an object.
(Physical Science)
LOC: 8Se.2: Use the formula for average speed, v =d/t, to solve real-world problems.
32. ANS: C PTS: 1
STA: 8Sf: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the properties and behaviors of waves.
(Physical Science) LOC: 8Sf.2: Distinguish between mechanical and electromagnetic waves.
33. ANS: B PTS: 1
STA: 8Sf: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the properties and behaviors of waves.
(Physical Science) LOC: 8Sf.1: Recall that waves transmit energy but not matter.
34. ANS: A PTS: 1
STA: 8Sf: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the properties and behaviors of waves.
(Physical Science) LOC: 8Sf.1: Recall that waves transmit energy but not matter.