AEPA Science 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best describes a controlled experiment in science education?
- An experiment with no variables
- An experiment where only one variable is changed while all others are kept constant (Correct answer)
- An experiment conducted outside the classroom
- An experiment repeated three times
Correct answer: An experiment where only one variable is changed while all others are kept constant
A controlled experiment isolates one independent variable to determine its effect on the dependent variable.
Question 2: According to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), which of the following is a crosscutting concept?
- Photosynthesis
- Cause and Effect (Correct answer)
- Newton's Laws
- Cell Division
Correct answer: Cause and Effect
Cause and Effect is one of NGSS's seven crosscutting concepts that link scientific disciplines.
Question 3: Which process do plants use to convert light energy into chemical energy stored in glucose?
- Cellular respiration
- Transpiration
- Photosynthesis (Correct answer)
- Fermentation
Correct answer: Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis uses sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to produce glucose and oxygen in plant chloroplasts.
Question 4: A teacher asks students to predict what will happen before conducting an experiment. Which science practice does this develop?
- Constructing explanations (Correct answer)
- Developing and using models
- Analyzing data
- Asking questions and defining problems
Correct answer: Constructing explanations
Making predictions before experiments is part of constructing explanations, linking prior knowledge to expected outcomes.
Question 5: Which layer of Earth's structure is composed primarily of liquid iron and nickel?
- Crust
- Mantle
- Inner core
- Outer core (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Outer core
The outer core is a liquid layer of iron and nickel, and its movement generates Earth's magnetic field.
Question 6: What is the primary purpose of a science safety contract signed by students at the start of a course?
- To satisfy legal requirements only
- To ensure students understand and agree to follow laboratory safety rules (Correct answer)
- To replace teacher supervision
- To limit lab activities to low-risk demonstrations
Correct answer: To ensure students understand and agree to follow laboratory safety rules
Safety contracts communicate expectations and confirm student understanding of laboratory safety procedures.
AEPA Science 1
Which of the following best describes a controlled experiment in science education?