Science Content Knowledge Flashcards
6 cards from real MTEL practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Science Content Knowledge flashcards as text
What distinguishes a physical change from a chemical change in matter?
Answer: In a physical change the composition of the substance remains the same; in a chemical change a new substance with different properties is formed
Physical changes alter the form or appearance of matter without changing its chemical composition, while chemical changes produce new substances with different properties.
What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?
Answer: They break down dead organic matter, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem
Decomposers (fungi and bacteria) break down dead organisms and waste products, releasing nutrients back into the soil and water where they become available to producers.
What is the difference between a food chain and a food web in ecology?
Answer: A food chain shows one linear feeding sequence; a food web shows multiple interconnected feeding relationships in an ecosystem
A food chain shows a single linear sequence of who eats whom, while a food web depicts the complex network of all feeding relationships within an ecosystem.
Which of the following describes the process of natural selection as proposed by Charles Darwin?
Answer: Individuals with heritable traits better suited to their environment tend to survive and reproduce more successfully, passing those traits to offspring
Natural selection occurs when heritable variations that increase fitness lead to greater reproductive success, causing those traits to become more prevalent in a population over generations.
What is the difference between an element and a compound in chemistry?
Answer: An element consists of one type of atom; a compound consists of two or more elements chemically bonded together
An element is a pure substance consisting of only one type of atom. A compound is a substance formed when two or more elements are chemically bonded in a fixed ratio.
What is the primary function of the mitochondria in a eukaryotic cell?
Answer: Producing energy (ATP) through cellular respiration
Mitochondria are the sites of cellular respiration, where glucose and oxygen are converted to ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the cell primary energy currency.