7TH GRADE SCIENCE FINAL EXAM

Multiple Choice (3 pts each) NGSS (MS-PS3.D) & (MS-P.S.4.B)

Write the letter of the correct answer on the line at the left.

______ 1. Read the passage and answer the following question(s).

Heat Transfer and Melting Ice

A student is investigating how heat transfer from two different materials can affect the rate
at which ice melts. The student places a plastic tile and a marble tile next to each other on
a table. The student first touches the tiles and records how they feel. Then, the student
records the temperature of the tiles. Two ice cubes are removed from the freezer, and one
cube is placed on each of the tiles. The initial temperatures of the ice cubes are recorded as
well. The picture shows the experiment setup, and the table shows the data collected
during the experiment.

Which part of the experiment provides evidence of a change in particle motion?

a. Both of the ice cubes had the same initial temperatures
b. Both of the ice cubes changed state from a solid to a liquid
c. The plastic tile had a higher initial temperature than the ice cube
on the tile
d. The plastic tile took more time to transform the ice cube than the
marble tile.

______2. The law of conservation of energy states that when one form of energy is
transformed to another,
a. energy is destroyed in the process.
b. no energy is destroyed in the process.
c. energy is created in the process.
d. sine amount of energy cannot be accounted for.

______ 3. Read the passage and answer the following question(s).

Name Date Class
 Cold Pack Investigation

People use self-warming and self-cooling devices for many purposes such as keeping
drinks cold or food warm. Medical professionals also use these types of devices to store
medicines and other substances that need to stay colder than room temperature. These
cooling and warming devices use a chemical reaction to produce their chilling and
warming effects. Compounds combine in endothermic (heat absorbing) or exothermic
(heat releasing) reactions within these devices to help them keep items cool or warm.

Jacob and Natalie are asked by their science teacher to design a warming or cooling
device. They decide to design a cold pack that can be used to help keep food cool. Jacob
and Natalie read about different substances that can be used inside cold packs and learn
that most cold packs use endothermic reactions to cool objects. They find the table below
while researching.

Which sample uses the substance(s) that Jacob and Natalie should use to make a cold pack
that will do the BEST job of keeping food cool?

a. Sample 1, because it absorbs the most energy

b. Sample 2, because it absorbs the most energy
c. Sample 3, because it absorbs the least energy
d. Sample 4, because it absorbs the least energy
Name Date Class

______ 4. Read the passage and answer the following question(s).

Rope Wave Models

Two students are using a rope model to explain the motion of waves. The students move
the ropes up and down as shown in the diagram below. The waves move at the same speed.

Which pattern is the same for both ropes shown?

a. Both ropes show waves with the same number of troughs and peaks
b. Both ropes show waves that have the same amount of energy.
c. Both ropes show waves that move through a liquid.
d. Both ropes show waves of the same height.

______ 5. Visible light is an example of

a. chemical energy. c. electromagnetic energy
b. electrical energy d. nuclear energy
Name Date Class

______ 6. The bending of waves due to a change in speed is called a.

reflection. c. diffraction
b. refraction. d. Interference.

______ 7. When you rub your hands together on a cold day, you use friction to transform
 a. mechanical energy into thermal energy.
b. thermal energy into nuclear energy.
c. nuclear energy into electrical energy.
d. electrical energy into electromagnetic energy.

______ 8. Read the passage and answer the following question(s). Sound
Waves from a Drum

Students are using a mallet to hit a drum. The diagram below shows this action.

Which statement BEST describes the phenomenon illustrated in the model?

a. Sound waves are being absorbed by the drum

b. Sound waves are being transferred from the mallet to the drum
c. Sound waves are being reflected by the drum
d. Sound waves are being transmitted through the air in the drum.
Name Date Class

______ 9. Read the passage and answer the following question(s).

 Energy of Motion

Darla and Rob plan an investigation to see if adding weights to a car affects its speed down
a ramp. Their experimental setup consists of a ramp made of a piece of wood that is 30 cm
long. The ramp is propped up on four books to give it a height at one end of 8 cm.

Which quantity is a dependent variable in the experiment?

a. the steepness of the ramp.

b. the number of books that prop up the end of the ramp.
c. the distance the car travels down the ramp.
d. the speed at which the car travels down the ramp.

______ 10. An example of something that stores chemical energy is a.

lightning. c. a match.
b. a microwave. d. light.

Short Constructed Response (6 pts each) NGSS (MS-PS3.D) & (MS-P.S.4.B)

Write an answer for each of the following questions on a separate sheet of
paper.

11. How can iron filings be used to map the magnetic field of a bar magnet?

12. Describe the functions of the three main sections of the ear.

13. How does the vibration of the medium differ between transverse and longitudinal
waves?

14. Explain why you may produce a static discharge if you touch a metal doorknob after
walking on a wool carpet.

15. Why can you hear a sound around a corner of a building?

Name Date Class
Extended Response Questions

Directions: (MS-PS3.D) & (MS-P.S.4.B)

This section contains 3 questions. Each question is assigned a different point value.

16) Read the passage and answer the following question(s).

Newton and the Egg Drop Design

Rachel's science teacher is performing a demonstration for the class. She drops one egg
from a height of 5 centimeters above the ground and another egg from a height of 1 meter
above the ground. The egg that is dropped from 5 centimeters above the ground remains
intact, whereas the egg that is dropped from 1 meter above the ground breaks. The
demonstration is shown in Figure 1.

She asks the class to design a device that will prevent an egg from breaking when it is
dropped from a height of 1 meter. The class may use any materials that they can find. The
criteria for the design are that it must be inexpensive and lightweight, and must prevent the
egg from breaking.

Rachel chooses to use plastic straws and tape as the materials for her design. She writes
down the steps of her design as shown in Figure 2.
Name Date Class
Figure 2

Her design is shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3

Rachel performs five trials to test her egg drop design. During each trial, she drops the egg
inside of her design from a height of 1 meter above the ground. During each trial, the egg
does not break. Rachel's design is a success!

16 a. Use Newton's third law to describe the forces that are exerted by the falling egg and
the ground. Explain how the use of the straws in the design affects the forces.(10 points)
Name Date Class
17) Read the passage and answer the following question(s).
Baseball Collision

Kiley is throwing a baseball at an aluminum can, as shown in the drawing below.

17 a. Present an argument about the likely kinetic energy of the ball before and after the
collision with the can. (5 points)

17 b. Describe evidence that would support the argument in Part a. (5 points)

17 c.Present an argument about the likely kinetic energy of the can before and after the collision
with the ball. (5 points)

17d. Describe evidence that would support the argument in Part C. ( 5 points)
Name Date Class

18)

18 a. What do the N and S on the diagram represent? (2 points)

18 b. Identify and explain the phenomenon represented by the arrows on the diagram.
(3 points)

18 c. Carlos attempts to get a refrigerator magnet to stick on the S end of the magnet
above. He is unable to do so and states the magnet is broken. Evaluate his argument: is
this correct or incorrect? Explain. (5 points)