IL203ILTS Middle Grades 5 8 Science Practice Exam
**Question 1.** Which of the following is a testable hypothesis?
A) Plants need sunlight to grow.
B) All plants are green.
C) Water is wet.
D) The Earth is round.
Answer: A
Explanation: A testable hypothesis makes a specific prediction that can be
investigated through observation or experiment; “Plants need sunlight to grow”
can be tested by varying sunlight exposure.
**Question 2.** In a fair test, which variable is kept constant?
A) Independent variable
B) Dependent variable
C) Control variable
D) Experimental variable
Answer: C
Explanation: Control variables are factors that are held constant to ensure that any
observed effect is due to the independent variable alone.
**Question 3.** Which graph best shows the relationship between time and
distance for a car traveling at a constant speed?
A) A curved upward line
,IL203ILTS Middle Grades 5 8 Science Practice Exam
B) A straight diagonal line
C) A horizontal line
D) A vertical line
Answer: B
Explanation: Constant speed produces a linear (straight diagonal) relationship
between time and distance (distance = speed × time).
**Question 4.** What does the term “precision” refer to in measurements?
A) How close a measurement is to the true value
B) The number of significant figures used
C) How repeatable measurements are
D) The unit of measurement used
Answer: C
Explanation: Precision describes the consistency of repeated measurements; high
precision means the values are close to each other.
**Question 5.** Which statement correctly distinguishes a scientific theory from a
scientific law?
A) A theory explains why phenomena occur; a law describes what happens.
B) A theory is proven, while a law is unproven.
C) A law can be changed; a theory never changes.
D) Theories are based on a single experiment; laws need many.
,IL203ILTS Middle Grades 5 8 Science Practice Exam
Answer: A
Explanation: Theories provide explanations for observations, while laws
summarize patterns without explaining underlying mechanisms.
**Question 6.** Which of the following is an example of a model?
A) The periodic table
B) A 3‑D printed replica of a dinosaur skeleton
C) A textbook diagram of the water cycle
D) All of the above
Answer: D
Explanation: All listed items represent simplified representations of real-world
systems, which are considered models.
**Question 7.** Which pattern best illustrates a cause‑and‑effect relationship?
A) Two variables increase together without any logical link.
B) When temperature rises, ice melts.
C) A random scatter of points on a graph.
D) A constant line regardless of variable changes.
Answer: B
Explanation: The rise in temperature directly causes ice to melt; this is a clear
cause‑and‑effect relationship.
, IL203ILTS Middle Grades 5 8 Science Practice Exam
**Question 8.** According to the law of conservation of mass, what happens to
the mass of reactants and products in a closed chemical reaction?
A) Mass of products is greater.
B) Mass of reactants is greater.
C) Mass is unchanged.
D) Mass is lost as energy.
Answer: C
Explanation: In a closed system, mass cannot be created or destroyed, so total
mass of reactants equals total mass of products.
**Question 9.** Which of the following best describes a system?
A) Only living things.
B) Anything that can be isolated from its surroundings.
C) Interacting components with boundaries.
D) A single atom.
Answer: C
Explanation: A system consists of components that interact with each other within
defined boundaries.
**Question 10.** Which of the following is an example of a correlation that is not
necessarily causation?
A) Eating carrots improves night vision.
**Question 1.** Which of the following is a testable hypothesis?
A) Plants need sunlight to grow.
B) All plants are green.
C) Water is wet.
D) The Earth is round.
Answer: A
Explanation: A testable hypothesis makes a specific prediction that can be
investigated through observation or experiment; “Plants need sunlight to grow”
can be tested by varying sunlight exposure.
**Question 2.** In a fair test, which variable is kept constant?
A) Independent variable
B) Dependent variable
C) Control variable
D) Experimental variable
Answer: C
Explanation: Control variables are factors that are held constant to ensure that any
observed effect is due to the independent variable alone.
**Question 3.** Which graph best shows the relationship between time and
distance for a car traveling at a constant speed?
A) A curved upward line
,IL203ILTS Middle Grades 5 8 Science Practice Exam
B) A straight diagonal line
C) A horizontal line
D) A vertical line
Answer: B
Explanation: Constant speed produces a linear (straight diagonal) relationship
between time and distance (distance = speed × time).
**Question 4.** What does the term “precision” refer to in measurements?
A) How close a measurement is to the true value
B) The number of significant figures used
C) How repeatable measurements are
D) The unit of measurement used
Answer: C
Explanation: Precision describes the consistency of repeated measurements; high
precision means the values are close to each other.
**Question 5.** Which statement correctly distinguishes a scientific theory from a
scientific law?
A) A theory explains why phenomena occur; a law describes what happens.
B) A theory is proven, while a law is unproven.
C) A law can be changed; a theory never changes.
D) Theories are based on a single experiment; laws need many.
,IL203ILTS Middle Grades 5 8 Science Practice Exam
Answer: A
Explanation: Theories provide explanations for observations, while laws
summarize patterns without explaining underlying mechanisms.
**Question 6.** Which of the following is an example of a model?
A) The periodic table
B) A 3‑D printed replica of a dinosaur skeleton
C) A textbook diagram of the water cycle
D) All of the above
Answer: D
Explanation: All listed items represent simplified representations of real-world
systems, which are considered models.
**Question 7.** Which pattern best illustrates a cause‑and‑effect relationship?
A) Two variables increase together without any logical link.
B) When temperature rises, ice melts.
C) A random scatter of points on a graph.
D) A constant line regardless of variable changes.
Answer: B
Explanation: The rise in temperature directly causes ice to melt; this is a clear
cause‑and‑effect relationship.
, IL203ILTS Middle Grades 5 8 Science Practice Exam
**Question 8.** According to the law of conservation of mass, what happens to
the mass of reactants and products in a closed chemical reaction?
A) Mass of products is greater.
B) Mass of reactants is greater.
C) Mass is unchanged.
D) Mass is lost as energy.
Answer: C
Explanation: In a closed system, mass cannot be created or destroyed, so total
mass of reactants equals total mass of products.
**Question 9.** Which of the following best describes a system?
A) Only living things.
B) Anything that can be isolated from its surroundings.
C) Interacting components with boundaries.
D) A single atom.
Answer: C
Explanation: A system consists of components that interact with each other within
defined boundaries.
**Question 10.** Which of the following is an example of a correlation that is not
necessarily causation?
A) Eating carrots improves night vision.
