ICAS Interpreting Scientific Data 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A graph of a bouncing ball shows its height after each bounce: 100 cm, 60 cm, 36 cm, 21.6 cm. What pattern does this data show?
- Height increases by 40 cm each bounce
- Height decreases by 40% each bounce (Correct answer)
- Height decreases by 40 cm each bounce
- Height stays the same each bounce
Correct answer: Height decreases by 40% each bounce
Each successive height is 60% of the previous (losing 40%), showing an exponential decay pattern.
Question 2: An experiment grows bacteria in a dish. After 1 hour there are 100 bacteria, after 2 hours there are 200, after 3 hours there are 400. How many bacteria would you predict after 4 hours?
- 500
- 600
- 800 (Correct answer)
- 1000
Correct answer: 800
The count doubles each hour, so after 4 hours: 400 × 2 = 800 bacteria.
Question 3: A Venn diagram compares mammals and birds. The overlapping section contains 'warm-blooded.' What does the overlapping section represent?
- Traits unique to mammals only
- Traits unique to birds only
- Traits shared by both groups (Correct answer)
- Traits found in neither group
Correct answer: Traits shared by both groups
The overlapping section of a Venn diagram always represents characteristics shared by both groups.
Question 4: A student records the following masses for five trials of the same experiment: 12.1 g, 12.3 g, 11.9 g, 12.2 g, 12.0 g. What is the mean mass?
- 12.0 g
- 12.1 g (Correct answer)
- 12.2 g
- 12.3 g
Correct answer: 12.1 g
Sum = 60.5 g; mean = 60.5 ÷ 5 = 12.1 g.
Question 5: A thermometer shows temperature rising steadily for 5 minutes, then rising more steeply for the next 5 minutes. What does the steeper slope indicate?
- Temperature stopped changing
- Temperature is decreasing
- Temperature is rising faster (Correct answer)
- Temperature reached its maximum
Correct answer: Temperature is rising faster
A steeper slope on a temperature-time graph indicates a faster rate of temperature increase.
Question 6: Scientists studying a lake record average fish populations each year for 10 years. They notice a sharp decline in Year 6. Which factor would best explain this anomaly?
- An increase in sunlight that year
- A pollution event or disease outbreak in Year 6 (Correct answer)
- Improved counting methods in Year 6
- Normal year-to-year variation
Correct answer: A pollution event or disease outbreak in Year 6
A sudden sharp decline suggests an environmental disruption such as pollution or disease rather than gradual natural change.
Question 7: An experiment tests three brands of paper towels by measuring how much water each absorbs. Brand X absorbs 120 mL, Brand Y absorbs 95 mL, Brand Z absorbs 110 mL. Which towel is most absorbent?
- Brand X (Correct answer)
- Brand Y
- Brand Z
- They are equally absorbent
Correct answer: Brand X
Brand X absorbed the most water at 120 mL, making it the most absorbent.
ICAS Interpreting Scientific Data 4
A graph of a bouncing ball shows its height after each bounce: 100 cm, 60 cm, 36 cm, 21.6 cm.
What pattern does this data show?