M-STEP Science Assessment 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to the law of conservation of mass, what happens to the total mass of reactants during a chemical reaction?
- It increases as new products form
- It decreases because energy is released
- It stays the same as it equals the mass of products (Correct answer)
- It changes depending on temperature
Correct answer: It stays the same as it equals the mass of products
The law of conservation of mass states that mass is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction.
Question 2: Which type of reproduction produces offspring that are genetically identical to the parent?
- Sexual reproduction
- Cross-pollination
- Asexual reproduction (Correct answer)
- Fertilization
Correct answer: Asexual reproduction
Asexual reproduction involves only one parent and produces genetically identical offspring (clones).
Question 3: Earth's tectonic plates move because of convection currents in which layer?
- Crust
- Inner core
- Mantle (Correct answer)
- Outer core
Correct answer: Mantle
Heat-driven convection currents in the mantle cause tectonic plates to move.
Question 4: A student measures the volume of an irregularly shaped rock by dropping it into a graduated cylinder with water. The water level rises from 30 mL to 42 mL. What is the rock's volume?
- 30 mL
- 42 mL
- 12 mL (Correct answer)
- 72 mL
Correct answer: 12 mL
The rock's volume equals the difference in water levels: 42 mL − 30 mL = 12 mL.
Question 5: Which best describes how traits are passed from parents to offspring?
- Through shared food and environment
- Through genes carried on chromosomes (Correct answer)
- Through learned behaviors only
- Through direct contact between parents
Correct answer: Through genes carried on chromosomes
Genetic traits are inherited through genes located on chromosomes passed from parents to offspring.
Question 6: A cold air mass from Canada moves into Michigan, causing temperatures to drop. The boundary between this cold air and warm air is called a:
- Jet stream
- Cold front (Correct answer)
- Isobar
- High-pressure system
Correct answer: Cold front
A cold front occurs when a cold air mass moves in and pushes under a warmer air mass, often causing rapid temperature drops.
Question 7: Which type of energy is stored in a compressed spring?
- Kinetic energy
- Thermal energy
- Elastic potential energy (Correct answer)
- Chemical energy
Correct answer: Elastic potential energy
A compressed spring stores elastic potential energy, which is released when the spring returns to its original shape.
M-STEP Science Assessment 4
According to the law of conservation of mass, what happens to the total mass of reactants during a chemical reaction?