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STAAR Science Grade 8 2021 (tagged to 2021 standards)
Quiz by Grade 8 Science - Texas Education Agency
Track each student's skills and progress in your Mastery dashboards
A steel ball is at one end of a box that is moving forward as shown. The box suddenly stops.
According to Newton’s first law, what happens to the steel ball just after the box stops?
Because of inertia, the ball continues rolling forward at the same speed.
Because of friction, the ball continues rolling forward at the same speed.
Because of friction, the ball rolls forward at an increased speed.
Because of inertia, the ball rolls forward at an increased speed.
Immediately after a forest fire, the primary consumers in the area will compete most for which biotic factor?
A steel ball is at one end of a box that is moving forward as shown. The box suddenly stops.
According to Newton’s first law, what happens to the steel ball just after the box stops?
Students mixed two liquids in a beaker and listed their observations.
Based on these observations, which statement contains the best evidence that a chemical reaction occurred?
The diagram shows Earth in its orbit around the sun when very little light is visible at Earth’s South Pole.
Which statement is true when Earth is in the position shown?
Tiny organisms called Daphnia live in lakes and ponds where they consume algae. A lake with a stable population of algae and Daphnia was contaminated by pollution, resulting in the death of many algae.
Which graph shows the most likely trend in the Daphnia population in the lake shortly before and after the pollution event?
A topographic map provides details about Emory Peak in Big Bend National Park. A radio tower on Emory Peak is indicated.
Based on the topographic map, if a park ranger hiked due west from the radio tower, the ranger’s path would —
Which pair of elements are nonmetals and gases at room temperature and normal atmospheric pressure?
A farmer digs a small pond in a pasture. The farmer adds young individuals from two species of algae-eating fish to the pond and plants some reeds around the edges of the pond. The farmer wants the pond to be a sustainable ecosystem.
Which of the following would be most helpful in increasing the pond ecosystem's sustainability?
How many neutrons are in the nucleus of a potassium atom with a mass number of 39?
Major surface currents of the ocean are shown in the diagram.
Ocean currents affect weather patterns by —
Which statements correctly compare metals and nonmetals?
Roller coasters are popular attractions at amusement parks. A cart on a roller coaster approaches the highest point on the coaster. As the cart reaches the top, it slows down.
Which statement best describes the energy of the roller coaster as it slows down while traveling to the top of the coaster?
Students recorded the dates in May on which they observed a full moon and a last quarter moon.
On which date will they most likely be able to observe a new moon?
The names and chemical formulas of four substances are shown in the chart.
Which substance listed in the chart is made up of the most atoms?
An image of the Earth-moon-sun system is shown.
The moon remains in orbit around Earth because of the force of —
Three different species of plants that live in the desert are shown.
Species Z can successfully share the same environment with the other plants shown because species Z absorbs water —
The temperature of a star determines the wavelength of visible light that is produced. The visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum is shown.
Stars with the highest temperatures will emit most of their light at wavelengths that are near —
There is a range of beak depths in a population of a certain species of seed-eating bird. Scientists observed the feeding behavior of the seed-eating birds and recorded their observations in the table.
Which statement best predicts the change in subsequent populations of these seed-eating birds if the availability of small seeds decreases?
Students build a circuit. The circuit has wires that connect a battery to a switch and a fan.
Which energy transformations happen when the students close the circuit, and the blades of the fan begin to spin?
Students create a table that lists processes observed in nature.
Which process describes only a physical change?
The diagram shows a wildflower and a dichotomous key that can be used to identify the wildflower.
Based on the key, what is the name of this wildflower?
The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram shown is divided into four sections.
Which section of the diagram includes the coolest, brightest stars?
A skater pushes off a wall and skates backward for a few meters before stopping.
Which statement best describes an action–reaction force pair in this situation?
Fox squirrels are common in Texas. Fox squirrels primarily eat acorns and nuts from trees but also eat insects. Some predators of fox squirrels include owls, snakes, and bobcats.
Which diagram best represents how energy would flow to and from the fox squirrel?
Which two body systems are primarily responsible for locomotion?
The diagram models four lunar phases.
During which lunar phase is the tide highest?
A horse trainer records the distance a horse travels during three different trials.
What is the horse’s average speed in kilometers per minute?
Which statement best describes cell theory?
This picture shows scratches in bedrock that were caused by a moving glacier. These scratches are called glacial striations.
Glacial striations in the bedrock of South Africa indicate that glaciers once moved across the African continent. The presence of glaciers on the surface of Africa is evidence that —
Which pair of elements has reactivity that is similar to chlorine, Cl?
Plants that live on the floors of densely populated forests must compete for sunlight.
Which type of leaves are most likely found on plants that are best suited to living on the floor of a dense forest?
Students make a model using a globe and a flashlight.
Which answer choice best explains the change from daytime to nighttime on Earth?
A toy truck is at rest on the floor. Which statement describes the forces acting on the toy truck?
One of the properties that makes copper, Cu, useful for household wiring is its ability to conduct electricity. Which other element is most likely to conduct electricity?
Parus major is a bird species that depends on caterpillars as a food source for its young. Caterpillars are most abundant during spring. The yearly increase in temperatures during springtime has gradually shifted, resulting in caterpillars developing approximately two weeks earlier than in the past.
How will the changes in the availability of caterpillars most likely affect future populations of P. major?
The satellite photograph shows geological features, including a glacier.
As the glacier melts, water travels toward the ocean along the geological feature labeled X. When water erodes soil along this feature, the feature will most likely become —
