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Using the State Curriculum: Science, Grade 5

Skills and Processes | Earth/Space | Life | Chemistry | Physics | Environmental

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Standard 4.0 Chemistry

Topic C. States of Matter

Indicator 1. Provide evidence from investigations to identify the processes that can be used to change materials from one state of matter to another.

Objective a. Observe and describe the changes heating and cooling cause to the different states in which water exists.

Selected Response Item

Seawater contains a number of different salts. The water can be separated by a process called distillation. A simple distillation setup is shown below.

Question Image

The water in the flask evaporates. Water vapor (gas) rises, leaving the salt in the flask. The water vapor is cooled in the condensing tube and drips into the beaker.

During the process shown in the diagram, water vapor (gas) changes into liquid water by

  1. cooling
  2. evaporating
  3. freezing
  4. warming
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_science_5_036.xml

Correct Answer:
A

Selected Response Item

Use the passage 'Making a Splash on Mars' to answer the following.

Why were scientists surprised to observe recently formed liquid water channels on Mars?

  1. Liquid water is only found below the surface of Mars.
  2. The surface of Mars is hard rock that cannot be eroded.
  3. Mars is so hot that all water is in the form of water vapor.
  4. Mars is too cold for liquid water to flow on the planet surface.
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_science_5_121.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Selected Response Item

Use the passage 'Glaciers and People' and the picture to answer the following question.

Increased temperatures from global warming affects the availability of drinking water on Earth by

  1. causing rain to become more acidic
  2. causing all surface water to evaporate
  3. melting frozen reservoirs of fresh water
  4. slowing the entire water cycling process
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_science_5_083.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item

Use the information below to answer the following.

A student is investigating changes in the states of matter. The student fills a graduated cylinder with 50 milliliters of packed snow. The graduated cylinder has a mass of 50 grams when empty and 95 grams when filled with the snow.

The packed snow changes to liquid water when the snow is put in a warm room.

Which statement best describes this process?

  1. Cooling causes the snow to melt.
  2. Cooling causes the snow to freeze.
  3. Heating causes the snow to freeze.
  4. Heating causes the snow to melt.
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_science_5_090.xml

Correct Answer:
D

Brief Constructed Response (BCR) Item

Use the information below to answer the following.

A student is investigating changes in the states of matter. The student fills a graduated cylinder with 50 milliliters of packed snow. The graduated cylinder has a mass of 50 grams when empty and 95 grams when filled with the snow.

Explain how snow changes to form water vapor (gas). In your explanation, be sure to include

  • changes in the state of matter
  • the processes needed to change the states of matter
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_science_5_092.xml

View Scoring Information

Selected Response Item

Glaciers are slow-moving sheets of ice found on land.

What process occurs when glacial ice is heated to 5° Celsius?

  1. evaporation
  2. freezing
  3. melting
  4. precipitation
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_science_5_062.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item

A student leaves a bucket of water outside on a warm, sunny day.

Which process most likely happens to the water in the bucket?

  1. melting
  2. freezing
  3. evaporation
  4. condensation
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_science_5_070.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item

Heating and cooling water change the state of matter of water.

What happens when a block of ice is heated to 10° Celsius?

  1. It melts to form liquid water.
  2. It condenses to form liquid water.
  3. It freezes to become heavier ice.
  4. It evaporates to become a vapor (gas).
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_science_5_126.xml

Correct Answer:
A

Resources for Objective 4.C.1.a:
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