MAP Science Practice (Grades 3-5) 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In a food chain, grass → rabbit → fox, which organism is the producer?
- Fox
- Rabbit
- Grass (Correct answer)
- All of them
Correct answer: Grass
Grass makes its own food from sunlight, so it is the producer.
Producers are organisms, usually plants, that make their own food through photosynthesis using sunlight. In this food chain, grass is the producer. The rabbit is a primary consumer because it eats the producer, and the fox is a secondary consumer because it eats the rabbit. Energy flows from the sun to the producer and then up the chain to each consumer.
Question 2: A student wants to test whether plants grow taller with more sunlight. Which variable should be the ONLY thing changed between the plant groups?
- The amount of water
- The type of soil
- The amount of sunlight (Correct answer)
- The size of the pot
Correct answer: The amount of sunlight
In a fair test, only the variable being investigated, sunlight, should change.
In a controlled experiment, the independent variable is the one factor the scientist changes on purpose. Because the question is about sunlight, only the amount of sunlight should differ between groups. Water, soil, and pot size must stay the same so that any difference in plant height can be linked to sunlight alone. Changing more than one thing at a time makes the results impossible to interpret.
Question 3: Which type of rock forms when melted rock cools and hardens?
- Sedimentary
- Igneous (Correct answer)
- Metamorphic
- Fossil
Correct answer: Igneous
Igneous rock forms from cooled magma or lava.
There are three main rock types. Igneous rocks form when magma or lava cools and hardens, such as granite and basalt. Sedimentary rocks form when layers of sand, mud, and shells are pressed together over time. Metamorphic rocks form when existing rocks are changed by heat and pressure deep underground. 'Fossil' is not a rock type, although fossils are often found in sedimentary rock.
Question 4: Which of these is a property that can be used to identify a mineral?
- Its price
- Its hardness (Correct answer)
- Where it was found
- Its age
Correct answer: Its hardness
Hardness is a physical property scientists use to identify minerals.
Minerals are identified by their physical properties, including hardness, color, luster (how shiny it is), streak (the color of its powder), and how it breaks. Hardness is tested by seeing what can scratch the mineral, using the Mohs scale. Price, location, and age are not properties of the mineral itself and do not help identify what it is.
Question 5: A ball rolls across the floor and slowly comes to a stop. What force causes the ball to slow down?
- Gravity
- Magnetism
- Friction (Correct answer)
- Electricity
Correct answer: Friction
Friction between the ball and the floor works against the motion and slows the ball.
Friction is a force that acts between two surfaces that are touching and resists motion. As the ball rolls, friction with the floor and air pushes against its movement, gradually slowing it until it stops. Gravity pulls the ball down toward the floor but does not slow its forward roll on a flat surface. Rougher surfaces like carpet create more friction and stop the ball faster than smooth surfaces.
Question 6: Which adaptation helps a cactus survive in a hot, dry desert?
- Large, flat leaves to catch rain
- A thick stem that stores water (Correct answer)
- Roots that grow only a few inches deep
- Bright flowers that bloom all year
Correct answer: A thick stem that stores water
A cactus stores water in its thick stem to survive long dry periods.
An adaptation is a feature that helps a living thing survive in its environment. In a desert, water is scarce, so a cactus has a thick, fleshy stem that stores water for long periods. Its leaves are reduced to spines to limit water loss and protect it from animals. Large flat leaves would lose too much water, and very shallow roots alone would not gather enough during rare rains.
MAP Science Practice (Grades 3-5) 2
In a food chain, grass → rabbit → fox, which organism is the producer?