Sample Questions for Science What To Expect From This Section This AIMS Student Guide for Science provides examples of the format and types of questions that will appear on AIMS Science. An attempt has been made to provide a sampling of the types of questions that might be asked; however, not every concept in each strand has a corresponding sample question in this Guide. An answer key for all Science sample questions is provided in the appendices. Strand 1: InQuirv Process General concepts you should know: • Formulate predictions, questions, or hypotheses based on observations. Evaluate appropriate resources. • Design and conduct controlled investigations. • Evaluate experimental design; analyze data to explain results and propose further investigations. • Communicate results of investigations. 1. A student must heat the contents of a test tube. Which of the following shows the correct technique the student should use to heat and hold the test tube while it is in the hot water bath? c A B Arizona Department of Education 20f14 January 22, 2008 2. The table below shows the number of unprovoked shark attacks on humans in 5 states. Number of Unprovoked Shark A.ttacks (1670-2004) State 100 47 500 85 Tota I Attacks 28 Florida North Carolina South Carolina Hawaii California ++- 1+:; ILQ 0 -;.S" What is the mean number of unprovoked shark attacks in the 5 states? A 47 B 85 C 127 ~ 3. A student completed an experiment that compared the amount of nitrogen given to a tomato plant to how many tomatoes the plant produced. 'JiJhich of the following is the best axis label and placement for the independent variable? QAmount B of NltrO<jenGiven(in klloqrams),x-axis Amaunt af Nitragen Given (In meters), y-axis c Amaunt of Tomatoes Produced (in kilograms), x·axis D Amaunt af Tamataes Produced (in meters), y.axis Arizona Department of Education 3 of 14 January 22, 2008 Directions: Use the information below to answer Numbers 4 and 5. Scientists have collected data that indicate Earth's temperature is in a warming trend. Many scientists believe this temperature increase may be caused by an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The graph below shows the changes in global temperature and carbon dioxide levels from 1980 to 2005. Changes in Gfobat Temperature and Carbon Dioxide levels: 1980 to 2005 L : 420 ~ ~~ 4QO ' ,J III! o ll( '" V . -+--+-. I ', I 1I I 1 --J --1-t' 'I, LV 31Q ·LIII ~~ ~]i: 0.8 2 '\n' 07 . e,4l< -Do E'U 1.0 .~:c: ''i' -t-I Ji I I I~j ---t-·-t·-r 3- -.; t: • 1::: 350 ..• 360 Cc .-:; 340 0-330' .-." -e m 0.9 ,-i--••...J·_·rl I:#" _.-. 8ee'" 370. "0. 1.1 •..•. ~~ 410 CL/6 390 \.1= 380 1I_ I ~. c: i:- 0 5 .- III 04 CL/ dJm 1 KEY c .,c:- 0.3 ~ fCI -1-- -0.2• v •• - "0 0.1 0 f},."'>O ~_~..n -vi' '"'J'~(L -Q'~n"'>a.. "'J' ~. ~""..s"'0~Q7~.~Q~~O~ "'0 .•• oS TIme (in years:) 4. Based on the data in the graph. which of the following the carbon dioxide level will be in the year 2020? A 375 parts per mHlion B 385 parts pe'r million 95 parts per million ~05 parts per mUilion is the best prediction of what '{ ~\)tt)l\l \ ~ 6l~CU\\ ~\A.\-~0t 5. V'/hkh hypothesis i,sbest supported (9sthe .~ ~(y\(\f C~ ~ ~. by the overal!1 data trends in the 9raph? carbon dioxid.l~vel rises,temperature rises. a As the carbon dioxide level rises, tennperature C As the carbon dioxide levd t,'ises,the ocean level t,'ises.\ falills. D Asthecarbon dioxide levelrises,the ocean levelfalls. ( ~ A"wMD'Portn""'orEdo~ti= 4 ofl4 I \ "> \\ I.~ Ii!'.~ ~o.er:.~~.2008 ~\ .. ~U~ \t'-geLJ "" Strand 2: Historv and Nature of Science General concepts you should know: • Identify individual, cultural, and technological contributions to scientific knowledge . • Understand how science is a process for generating knowledge. 6. The discovery of which of the following has most directly led to advances in the identification of suspects in criminal investigations and in the identification of genetic diseases? A antibiotics B cellistructure NA structure D sterile procedures 7. Darwin's theory states that evolutionary changes occur gradually over a long period of time. However, scientists have recently discovered that some mutations lead to rapid and dramatic changes in a short period of time. What does this discovery suggest about Darwin's theory? o B It may need to be modified. lit should be discarded as incorrect. C lit is supported by modem and historical species. D It Is correct in its original form about all species. Arizona Department of Education 5 of 14 January 22, 2008 Strand 3: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives General concepts you should know: • Describe the interactions between human populations, natural hazards, and the environment. • Develop viable solutions to a need or problem. • Analyze factors that affect human populations. 8. - In recent years, cattle producers have used growth hormones to increase the rate of growth in their cattle. \Nhich statement does not support the use of grovvth hormones in cattle? • A Using these hormones might cause an increase in reproduction R Using these hormones might increa6e creation of lean muscle on the cattle. @ D' ill cattle. Using these hormones might cause meat produds from the cattle to be unsafe to eat, Using these hormones might increase beef production and Im"Jer prices of beef products, 9. The percentage of severely ovel"v\feight children in the United States has been steadily increasing since 1970. Being severely overweight has been Iink.ed to an increase in the probability that a person will develop diabetes and heart disease. If the percentage of severely overweight children continues to rise, which of the following is the most lik.ely outcome? . G B Mime people v\iUI have heart disease and diabetes. Fellven'peop,le wiil be oventJeig~'tt and have heart disease. C Fewer people '..viiIII be overweight, and fevver people \.vill have diabetes. D' Mime people will have diabetes, and fewerr people will ~lave hearrt disease. Strand 3 is also addressed in Item 18. Arizona Department of Education 6 of14 January 22, 2008 Strand 4: Life Science General concepts you should know: • Understand the role of the cell and cellular processes. • Understand the molecular basis of heredity and resulting genetic diversity. • Analyze the relationships among various organisms and their environment. • Understand the scientific principles and processes involved in biological evolution. • Understand the organization of living systems and the role of energy within those systems. 10. Whkh structure A chromosome B gene is outside the nucleus of a ceU and contains DINA? 0mitochondrion D vacuole 11. ihe genome of a goldfish contains 96 chrol'lilIosornes. HO•••. './linany chromosornes wil!1 each .sjaughter ~el!11have after' linitosis of a goldfish ce~11 is cornplete? A 24 B 48 L9 o 96 192 Arizona Department of Education 70f14 January 22, 2008 12. Wh ieh of the following is the template for the production of RNA withi n a cell? QDNA B ATP C protein D carbohydrate 13. Which sequence of DNA bases would pair with the ones. s.hown in the partial strand below? 1 ATG .2 TGA 3: CAG 123 A ATG TGA CAG 3 (~>~c GTC A~T 1 C GTA D eAT 2 AGT 1 .2 TeA Arizona Department of Education 3 GAC 3 eTG 8 of 14 January 22, 2008 14. The graph below shows the population a fifteen~year period. 9' i'\ ,, v\ / '\ "\ I Mouse Population over a FilfteenI Year Period I~./ 1/ IVV1 "~ '? r111) 1/ itV r\._~ II 10 I 8 af mice living in a certain area over """"I """ f 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 o 1 2 3 4 789 10 11 12 13 14 15 Time (in years) Which numeral on the graph points to a time when the birth rate exceeded the death rate of the mice? 01 B II C III D I!V Arizona Department of Education 9 of 14 January 22, 2008 15. A ternlite population was sprayed with a certain brand of insectici:de. After being sprayed, the number of surviving tennites wiithin the population were counted and recorded as a percentage of the total. This process was I'epeated until a total of six gene.rations of termites had been spr aye.d. The results are shown in the table below. Termite :2 34 65 25% 60% 80% 40% 10% 5% A.fter Termites Spraying Percentage of Sliuviving Generation 1 VoJhichstat:ennent best explains why Ilatel' generations tennites that survived? had higher percentages A EarlieI' geneI' atkJns bad several rnennbeJs t~.,at were olld and weak. B Earlier generatiOns C later generations of bad slnaller m..ll'lrlibersof tennites tban rlater generations. V\fere able to Ilivetbrough tbe spraying because they were used to it. ateI' generatiions were tbe l)ffspring of teHlfliites that were nlll:>I'eresistant to the spraying. 16. Which statement about fossils could be used as evidence that evolution by natural selection has been in effect for millions of years? A Fossils found In hlgihel' layer;s of rock are okJer than those fOlJnd In lo'wer layers. B Fossils found in lovJer Ilayers of rock are more complex than those found C Fossils of current species have been found throughout in higher layers. mck layers that are billions of years old, o5slls of species that file) longer exist but are ances1Iors of current species have been found In rock layers. Arizona Department of Education 10 of14 January 22, 2008 17. Wh ich molecule supplies the energy for cellular functions? oxygen C DNA D water Strand 4 is also addressed in Items 19 and 20. Arizona Department of Education 11 of14 January 22, 2008 The following item set addresses Strand 3 (Science in Personal and Social Perspectives) and Strand 4 (Life Science): Directions: Use the information below to answer Numbers 18 through 20. The picture below shows the energy flow through a meadow community. Energy Transfer in a Meadow Community H r~.·~. .. J .•.•. ~. ,I' !. + , 't 'il~.·,i l~\L Foxes Hawks~ ~i R.abbits ---------~ Meadow Plants 18. Which of the following v\l'ould most likely occur to the populations within the community of organisms iTmediately after a wildfire burrls the environment? A Hawks would increase and foxes would increase. B Hawks would decrease and foxes ""volJld increase. C r'v1leadowplants would increase and rabbitsl.lvolJld decrease. ~MeadO'.v Arizona Department of Education plants would decreaseand rabbits "''Quid decrease. 12 of14 January 22, 2008 19. Which statement best describes what will happen if the population of herbivores in the community decreases? A The population of foxes vvill increase. S The population C The population of rabbits will increase. of hawks will increase .. D The population of meadow plants will Increase. 20. Which statement best describes the flow of energy as it passes through the organisms in the pyramid? A G Energy frlows throug:h the organisms from bottom to top and increases at each level. Energy frlows throlLjlJihthe organisrns from bottom to top and deueases'at each level. C Energy frlows throU9h the organisms frrom top to bottmn and! increases at each level. D Energy flows througih the organisms from top to bottorll and! deoeases at each level. Arizona Department of Education 13 of14 January 22, 2008