Mixed Deck — All PSSA Topics Flashcards

What happens to the volume of a gas when pressure increases (at constant temperature)?

Answer: The volume decreases

According to Boyle's Law, the volume of a gas decreases when pressure increases at constant temperature.

Which of the following is an example of an informational text structure that presents a problem and its solution?

Answer: An article explaining how pollution causes health issues and what communities can do

Problem-solution structure identifies an issue and then presents ways to address it, as in the pollution health article example.

What causes ocean tides?

Answer: The gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun on Earth's oceans

Ocean tides are caused primarily by the gravitational pull of the Moon (and to a lesser extent the Sun) on Earth's oceans.

What is an atom?

Answer: The smallest unit of an element that retains the chemical properties of that element

An atom is the smallest unit of an element that retains the chemical properties of that element, consisting of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Which editing strategy is MOST helpful for catching errors in your own writing?

Answer: Having another person read your work or reading it aloud

Having another person read your work or reading it aloud helps you catch errors and awkward phrasing that you might overlook when reading silently.

Which of the following points is included in the graph of f(x) = 2x - 2?

Answer: (3, 4)

Explanation: Point (3, 4) is included.

In a letter to a friend, John wrote, “The meeting will start at 7:00 Saturday morning. (2) This means that you and I will have to arrive around 6:45 if we want I am forgetting that we do not have to attend the first part of the meeting. (3) Let’s arrange to arrive at 7:15. To show a sudden break in thought, where do we insert ellipsis points?

Answer: In sentence 2, after “want”

Explanation: Ellipsis points can be inserted after "want" to indicate a sudden break in thought, signaling that the writer is forgetting something in the middle of the sentence.

What is point of view in literature?

Answer: The perspective from which the story is narrated

Point of view refers to the perspective from which the story is told, such as first person (I/we), second person (you), or third person (he/she/they).

Which layer of Earth's atmosphere contains the ozone layer?

Answer: Stratosphere

The ozone layer is located in the stratosphere, approximately 15 to 35 kilometers above Earth's surface.

What is friction?

Answer: A force that opposes the motion of objects moving against each other

Friction is a force that resists the relative motion of surfaces in contact with each other.

In a narrative, the term 'rising action' refers to which part of the plot?

Answer: Events that build tension toward the climax

Rising action consists of events that develop the conflict and increase tension leading to the climax.

Which type of organism breaks down dead organic matter and recycles nutrients?

Answer: Decomposers

Decomposers such as bacteria and fungi break down dead organic matter and return nutrients to the ecosystem.

What does the periodic table organize elements by?

Answer: Increasing atomic number and similar chemical properties

The periodic table organizes elements in order of increasing atomic number, with elements in the same column sharing similar chemical properties.

A line graph shows sales increasing from 200 units in January to 350 units in June. What is the percent increase?

Answer: 75%

Percent increase = (350 − 200) ÷ 200 × 100 = 150 ÷ 200 × 100 = 75%.

Which of the following best describes natural selection?

Answer: Organisms with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce

Natural selection is the process by which individuals with favorable traits survive and reproduce more successfully, passing those traits to offspring.

What is the main cause of seasons on Earth?

Answer: The tilt of Earth's axis as it orbits the Sun

Seasons are caused by the 23.5-degree tilt of Earth's axis, which determines how directly sunlight strikes different regions as Earth orbits the Sun.

What is an acid-base reaction commonly called?

Answer: Neutralization

An acid-base reaction is called a neutralization reaction because the acid and base cancel each other out, often forming water and a salt.

What is the term for organisms that can only be seen with a microscope?

Answer: Microorganisms

Microorganisms (or microbes) are living things too small to be seen with the naked eye, requiring a microscope.

Big Ben is one of the most famous clock towers in the world, and it is also one of the largest. (2) In fact, it is the third largest clock tower in the world. (3) The name “Big Ben” refers to the bell, which was named after Sir Benjamin Hall, who ordered it. (4) As for the bell itself, it weighs an astonishing thirteen tons. Which sentence should end with an exclamation point to most effectively show excitement?

Answer: Sentence 4

Explanation: Adding an exclamation point to sentence 4 would effectively show excitement about the astonishing weight of the bell.

Which of the following describes an element?

Answer: A pure substance made of only one type of atom

An element is a pure substance consisting of only one type of atom, and cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means.