STAAR Success - Grade 5 Science - Practice #2

Read each question carefully. Choose the best answer to each question. For open-response questions, determine the best answer to the question.

A student dissolves salt into water. Which of the following describes how the salt changes?

Explain how the boiling of water is different from the rusting of iron in terms of changes to the matter.

Which of the following is a primary function of the respiratory system?

Scientists find fossils of a land mammal that lived millions of years ago. They discover that modern whales have bones in their bodies similar to the hind legs of this land mammal. What does this MOST LIKELY suggest?

Which of the following actions BEST represents sustainable resource use?

Engineers are designing a bridge to cross a river. Which material property is MOST important to consider in the design?

Describe the steps engineers might take to test and improve a new design for an earthquake-resistant building. Include how they would analyze their results.

The table shows the velocity of a car over time. Describe the motion of the car during the first 4 seconds, from 4 to 6 seconds, and from 6 to 8 seconds. Use evidence from the graph to support your response.

A food web diagram shows the following relationships:

Grass → Grasshopper → Frog → Snake → Hawk

Grass → Rabbit → Hawk

Grass → Mouse → Snake → Hawk

If the population of snakes decreases, predict what will happen to the populations of frogs and mice. Explain your reasoning using the food web.

A volcano erupts and releases large amounts of ash into the atmosphere. What is the immediate impact of this eruption on local air quality?

A student observes that the moon appears to change shape over time. What causes these phases of the moon?

Explain how erosion and deposition affect the shape of the river over time.

What type of energy does a stretched rubber band have?

A student dissolves salt into water. Which of the following describes how the salt changes?