WVGSA Science 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Two scientists get different results when repeating the same experiment. What should they do first to resolve the discrepancy?
- Accept the result that matches their hypothesis
- Repeat the experiment multiple times and compare data (Correct answer)
- Discard all results and start over with a new topic
- Ask a third scientist to choose which result is correct
Correct answer: Repeat the experiment multiple times and compare data
Repeating the experiment multiple times helps identify errors and determine which result is reproducible and reliable.
Question 2: Which renewable energy source converts the energy of moving water into electricity?
- Solar power
- Wind power
- Hydroelectric power (Correct answer)
- Geothermal power
Correct answer: Hydroelectric power
Hydroelectric power uses the kinetic energy of flowing or falling water to spin turbines and generate electricity.
Question 3: A ball sitting on a table has potential energy. What happens to that energy when the ball rolls off and falls to the floor?
- The potential energy disappears permanently
- The potential energy converts to kinetic energy (Correct answer)
- The kinetic energy converts to potential energy
- The energy doubles due to gravity's pull
Correct answer: The potential energy converts to kinetic energy
As the ball falls, gravitational potential energy converts to kinetic energy (energy of motion).
Question 4: Which body system is responsible for filtering waste products from the blood and producing urine?
- Digestive system
- Respiratory system
- Excretory (urinary) system (Correct answer)
- Circulatory system
Correct answer: Excretory (urinary) system
The excretory (urinary) system, including the kidneys, filters blood to remove waste and produces urine for elimination.
Question 5: What type of boundary occurs when two tectonic plates move toward each other?
- Transform boundary
- Divergent boundary
- Convergent boundary (Correct answer)
- Parallel boundary
Correct answer: Convergent boundary
At convergent boundaries, tectonic plates collide, which can form mountains, volcanoes, or ocean trenches.
Question 6: A scientist wants to test whether temperature affects the rate at which sugar dissolves in water. Which variable should be kept the same in each trial?
- The temperature of the water
- The amount of sugar added (Correct answer)
- The type of liquid used
- The time allowed for stirring
Correct answer: The amount of sugar added
The amount of sugar must remain constant (a controlled variable) so that temperature is the only factor being tested.
Question 7: Which statement best explains why vaccines help prevent the spread of infectious diseases?
- Vaccines kill all bacteria in the body immediately
- Vaccines train the immune system to recognize and fight specific pathogens (Correct answer)
- Vaccines replace the need for white blood cells
- Vaccines destroy viruses before they enter the body
Correct answer: Vaccines train the immune system to recognize and fight specific pathogens
Vaccines introduce weakened or inactive antigens that prompt the immune system to build defenses without causing illness.
WVGSA Science 5
Two scientists get different results when repeating the same experiment.
What should they do first to resolve the discrepancy?