Rhode Island Next Generation Science Assessment — Grade 5

A student places a green plant in a sealed glass container filled with rich soil and waters it daily, but pumps out all the air. After a week, the plant wilts and stops growing. What does this demonstrate about plant growth requirements?

• APlants need soil minerals more than air.
• BPlants require gases from the air in addition to water and light to grow.
• CPlants can grow normally without air if given extra water.
• DPlants only need air during nighttime hours.

Where do plants acquire most of the raw materials they need to gain mass and build stem and leaf structures?

• AMainly from minerals absorbed from garden soil
• BMainly from carbon dioxide in air and water from soil
• CMainly from solid fertilizer added to the roots
• DMainly from heat particles radiating from the Sun

A scientist grows lettuce plants in a hydroponic setup where roots sit in liquid water with dissolved nutrients, with zero soil present. The lettuce grows large and healthy. What claim does this evidence support?

• ASoil is not an essential requirement for plants as long as they receive air, water, nutri…
• BPlants do not need water if they are grown in light.
• CHydroponic plants get all of their carbon mass from water molecules alone.
• DSoil is the main provider of mass for terrestrial plants.

A student measures a pot containing 20 kilograms of dry soil and plants a 0.1-kilogram oak sapling. Five years later, the tree weighs 45 kilograms, but the dry soil mass decreased by less than 0.05 kilograms. How did the tree gain 44.9 kilograms of mass?

• AThe tree converted sunlight energy directly into solid wood atoms.
• BThe tree absorbed carbon dioxide from the air and water from the soil to synthesize plant…
• CThe soil regenerated its mass by converting root secretions back into dirt.
• DThe tree absorbed heavy minerals from rain without using air.

Which gas in the atmosphere is taken in by plant leaves and combined with water to make sugar molecules?

• AOxygen
• BCarbon dioxide
• CNitrogen
• DHelium

Two identical potted bean plants receive equal amounts of sunlight and air. Plant A receives 100 mL of water daily, while Plant B receives no water. After two weeks, Plant B wilts and stops growing. What essential role does water play in plant growth?

• AWater provides hydrogen and oxygen building blocks and maintains cell pressure for plant…
• BWater replaces the need for carbon dioxide gas in food production.
• CWater shields leaves from absorbing too much sunlight energy.
• DWater converts soil rocks into air particles.

A plant is kept in a sealed chamber where the surrounding air contains tagged carbon atoms in carbon dioxide. After 48 hours of exposure to light, where will those tagged carbon atoms be located?

• AIn the soil water below the roots
• BInside newly formed plant sugars and stem tissue
• CEvaporated as pure liquid water droplets on the glass
• DTrapped inside nonliving rock minerals

Why do garden plants wilt and droop when they experience a severe lack of water?

• AWater pressure inside plant cells decreases, causing the plant structure to lose stiffnes…
• BThe plant takes in too much carbon dioxide gas from the surrounding air.
• CSunlight turns into shadow inside the plant stem.
• DSoil minerals push the leaves downward toward the ground.

A student compares clover plants growing in full sunlight with clover plants growing under a dense cardboard box. The boxed clover becomes pale yellow and stops expanding. What does this indicate about plant health?

• ALight energy is necessary for plants to produce chlorophyll and synthesize new plant matt…
• BBoxed plants absorb too much air from the dark container.
• CSunlight drives root absorption of solid rocks.
• DPlants under boxes require double the normal amount of soil mass.

In a Narragansett Bay salt marsh food web consisting of marsh grass, grasshoppers, marsh periwinkle snails, and egret birds, which organism is the primary producer?

• AGrasshopper
• BMarsh grass
• CMarsh periwinkle snail
• DEgret bird

What is the primary source of energy that fuels nearly all ecosystems on Earth?

• ASoil minerals
• BOcean tides
• CThe Sun
• DGeothermal heat from deep rocks

In a pond food chain, microscopic algae are eaten by water fleas, which are eaten by small minnows, which are eaten by largemouth bass. If a disease removes all water fleas, what immediate effect will this have on the minnows?

• AThe minnow population will increase because they have fewer predators.
• BThe minnow population will decline because their primary food supply is eliminated.
• CThe algae population will decrease dramatically.
• DThe largemouth bass will begin eating algae directly.

When a caterpillar eats an oak leaf, what happens to the energy stored in the leaf tissue?

• AAll energy is stored permanently inside the caterpillar without any loss.
• BSome energy is used by the caterpillar for movement and growth, and some is lost as heat.
• CThe energy doubles as it passes into the caterpillar.
• DThe energy converts back into sunlight rays.

In a forest ecosystem model, why are there far fewer apex predators (like red-tailed hawks) than primary consumers (like field mice)?

• AHawks require less food energy than mice.
• BEnergy is lost as heat and used for living at each food chain level, leaving less availab…
• CMice obtain energy directly from rocks and air.
• DHawks produce their own food using sunlight.

Which term describes an animal (such as a white-tailed deer) that eats only producers to gain matter and energy?

• ACarnivore
• BHerbivore
• CDecomposer
• DProducer

A marine ecosystem includes phytoplankton, zooplankton, herring fish, and harbor seals. If harbor seals are removed by overhunting, what is the most likely initial change in the herring population?

• AHerring population will increase because fewer seals are preying on them.
• BHerring population will drop immediately to zero.
• CHerring will start eating harbor seals.
• DPhytoplankton will stop conducting photosynthesis.

How do animals obtain the nitrogen, carbon, and other atomic building blocks required to build their muscles and tissues?

• ABy absorbing sunlight directly through their outer skin
• BBy consuming plants or other animals that have eaten plants
• CBy drinking pure rainwater containing dissolved soil rocks
• DBy breathing in nitrogen gas and converting it into solid proteins

In a diagram of a woodland food web, an arrow points from a wild blueberry bush to a black bear. What does this arrow represent?

• AThe physical direction the bear walks to sleep
• BThe transfer of energy and matter from the blueberry bush to the bear
• CThat the blueberry bush is larger than the bear
• DThe age of the blueberry bush compared to the bear

Which organisms play a vital role in ecosystems by breaking down dead plant material and animal waste into simpler nutrients?

• AProducers like maple trees
• BDecomposers like mushrooms and soil bacteria
• CHerbivores like cottontail rabbits
• DCarnivores like bobcats

What would happen in a Rhode Island oak forest if all decomposers (fungi, worms, and bacteria) suddenly disappeared?

• AFallen leaves and dead organisms would accumulate without breaking down, trapping nutrien…
• BTrees would grow twice as fast because soil becomes richer.
• CHerbivores would start producing their own food from sunlight.
• DRainfall would stop falling in the forest.

A student places leaf litter and vegetable scraps into a garden compost container containing soil bacteria and fungi. After two months, the scraps have turned into rich dark compost soil. What process occurred?

• APhotosynthesis converted soil into leaf matter.
• BDecomposition broke down complex organic waste into soil nutrients.
• CEvaporation turned solid food scraps into water gas.
• DFreezing trapped light inside the food scraps.

How do soil decomposers directly support the growth of living green plants in a garden?

• AThey absorb sunlight and reflect it onto plant leaves.
• BThey break down dead matter, releasing recycled nutrients into the soil for plant roots.
• CThey produce water molecules from sunlight rays.
• DThey keep insects from visiting plant flowers.

An investigation measures dead leaf mass loss over 30 days in two conditions: Jar A contains natural forest soil with fungi; Jar B contains sterilized soil with no microbes. Jar A leaves lose 35% of their mass, while Jar B leaves lose 0%. What conclusion is justified?

• ALeaves lose mass only when exposed to wind currents.
• BFungi and soil microbes are required to decompose leaf matter and break it down.
• CSterilized soil causes leaves to gain mass over time.
• DMicrobes turn soil rocks into fresh green leaves.

Which of the following organisms is an example of a fungal decomposer frequently seen on decaying logs in damp Rhode Island woods?

• APine cone
• BBracket mushroom (shelf fungus)
• CFern frond
• DWild dandelion

During the process of decomposition, what happens to the matter that made up the body of a fallen organism?

• AThe matter is destroyed and vanishes permanently from Earth.
• BThe matter is broken down into simpler molecules and recycled into air and soil.
• CThe matter turns into pure sunlight energy.
• DThe matter transforms into liquid water only.

A student compares two closed terrariums over six months. Terrarium X contains plants, soil, earthworms, and decomposer fungi. Terrarium Y contains plants and sterilized soil with no decomposers. Plants in Terrarium X thrive, while plants in Terrarium Y slow down in growth. Why?

• ADecomposers in Terrarium X continuously recycle nutrients from dead leaves back into the…
• BDecomposers produce extra sunlight inside Terrarium X.
• CPlants in Terrarium Y do not need carbon dioxide to survive.
• DEarthworms convert rocks into pure oxygen gas.

How does carbon move from the nonliving (abiotic) environment into the living (biotic) component of an ecosystem?

• APlants absorb carbon dioxide gas from the air during photosynthesis.
• BAnimals absorb carbon minerals directly through their fur when sleeping.
• CDecomposers create new carbon atoms out of sunlight rays.
• DRaindrops deposit carbon gas into animal lungs.

Consider the statement: 'Matter in an ecosystem is continuously recycled between living organisms and the nonliving environment.' Is this statement true or false, and why?

• ATrue, because atoms are reused repeatedly as organisms grow, die, and decompose.
• BFalse, because eating food destroys all atoms permanently.
• CFalse, because new carbon matter is created daily by sunlight.
• DTrue, but only in ocean ecosystems, never on land.

Which sequence correctly models the movement of a water molecule through living and nonliving parts of a forest ecosystem?

• ASoil water -> Absorbed by tree roots -> Released from leaves as vapor -> Condenses into c…
• BAtmosphere -> Herbivore skin -> Sun -> Rock -> Atmosphere
• CPlant leaf -> Sunlight -> Ocean rock -> Decomposer -> Sun
• DAnimal muscle -> Pure sunlight -> Soil mineral -> Air nitrogen

When a cottontail rabbit eats clover leaves, what happens to the matter contained in the clover?

• AIt is completely turned into pure heat energy with zero matter remaining.
• BSome matter is built into rabbit body tissue, and some is excreted as waste or exhaled as…
• CIt disappears completely inside the stomach.
• DIt turns into hard stones inside the rabbit's heart.

A sealed glass ecosphere containing water, pond snails, water plants, soil, and microbes has survived on a windowsill for three years without being opened. How can organisms survive in a completely closed system?

• ALight energy powers plants to produce oxygen and food, while snails and microbes recycle…
• BThe organisms generate brand-new water atoms out of sunlight.
• CSnails do not require food or matter to live.
• DWater plants in glass do not take in carbon dioxide.

What prevents organic animal waste and fallen branches from piling up indefinitely in a forest ecosystem?

• ARain dissolves all solid matter into air.
• BDecomposers break down organic matter into simpler substances returned to soil and air.
• CSunlight turns organic matter into solid metal.
• DWind blows all forest waste into space.

How do herbivorous animals (such as cows or sheep) get the carbon and nitrogen elements required to grow heavier?

• ABy absorbing light particles from stars
• BBy eating plants that synthesized organic molecules from air, water, and soil nutrients
• CBy breathing in soil dust during heavy winds
• DBy drinking ocean water

What critical role do plants play in cycling oxygen gas through the atmosphere?

• APlants release oxygen gas as a byproduct during photosynthesis.
• BPlants absorb all atmospheric oxygen and destroy it.
• CPlants lock oxygen permanently inside deep soil rocks.
• DPlants turn oxygen gas into sunlight.

If a prolonged drought severely reduces total plant growth in a meadow ecosystem, how will this impact the movement of matter to herbivores and carnivores?

• AHerbivores will receive less matter and energy, leading to population declines that subse…
• BCarnivores will gain more matter because plants no longer block their vision.
• CTotal matter in the meadow ecosystem will double automatically.
• DDecomposers will stop working because soil temperature drops to freezing.

Which statement best describes the fundamental structure of all physical matter around us?

• AMatter is smooth and solid with no internal spaces.
• BMatter is composed of tiny particles that are too small to be seen without specialized hi…
• CMatter is made of visible bubbles filled with liquid air.
• DMatter consists of light beams locked in place.

What happens to individual water particles when liquid water in a cup evaporates into water vapor gas in the air?

• AThe water particles are destroyed.
• BThe water particles gain energy, move faster, and spread far apart into the air.
• CThe water particles shrink into solid dust grains.
• DThe water particles turn into air nitrogen particles.

A student uses a hand pump to force more air into a bicycle tire. Why does adding more air make the tire feel firm and hard?

• AMore gas particles enter the tire and constantly bounce off the inner walls, pushing outw…
• BGas particles freeze solid inside the rubber shell.
• CAir adds heavy liquids that fill the bottom of the tire.
• DSunlight warms the tire into a solid state.

When spoonfuls of granulated sugar are stirred into a glass of warm water, the sugar crystals seem to disappear. What actually happened to the sugar?

• AThe sugar was destroyed by water molecules.
• BThe solid sugar crystals broke apart into microscopic sugar particles that distributed ev…
• CThe sugar particles turned into liquid water particles.
• DThe sugar particles evaporated into gas immediately.

A plastic syringe filled with air has its nozzle tightly capped. When a student pushes the plunger inward, the air compresses into a smaller volume. How does the particle model explain why gases can be easily compressed?

• AGas particles shrink in individual size when squeezed.
• BGas particles have large empty spaces between them, so pushing the plunger forces them cl…
• CAir particles leak through solid plastic walls under pressure.
• DAir particles turn into liquid water instantly under light pressure.

In which state of matter are particles packed tightly together in fixed positions, vibrating slightly without moving past one another?

• AGas
• BLiquid
• CSolid
• DPlasma

A drop of red food coloring is placed into a beaker of still, warm water. Without any stirring, the red color slowly spreads until all the water is uniformly red. What particle property causes this diffusion?

• AWater and food coloring particles are in constant, random motion and continuously collide…
• BFood coloring particles are magnetic and pull water particles toward the top.
• CLight rays push the color across the beaker.
• DWater particles absorb food coloring particles and destroy them.

A flexible rubber balloon filled with air is placed inside a freezer. After one hour, the balloon has visibly shrunk in volume. What happened to the air particles inside?

• AThe air particles lost kinetic energy, slowed down, and moved closer together, taking up…
• BSome air particles leaked out through the tied opening.
• CThe air particles froze into solid metallic iron.
• DThe air particles dissolved into the rubber wall.

An ice cube with a mass of 25 grams is sealed inside a watertight plastic bag. After sitting on a warm counter, the ice completely melts into liquid water. What is the mass of the liquid water inside the bag?

• A20 grams
• B25 grams
• C30 grams
• D0 grams

A student measures 150 grams of pure water in a beaker and 20 grams of dry table salt. After stirring until all salt completely dissolves, what will be the total mass of the salt water solution?

• A130 grams
• B170 grams
• C150 grams
• D200 grams

A covered glass jar contains water and ice cubes with a combined total mass of 400 grams. After standing in a warm room until all ice melts into liquid water, what will the scale read for the covered jar?

• ALess than 400 grams because liquid weighs less than ice.
• BExactly 400 grams because total mass is conserved during phase changes.
• CMore than 400 grams because liquid is denser.
• D0 grams because phase changes erase mass.

A closed distillation apparatus heats 250 grams of liquid water into steam gas. All steam is captured and condensed back into liquid water in a collection flask. What is the total combined mass of water remaining in the pot plus condensed liquid in the flask?

• A125 grams
• B250 grams
• C375 grams
• D0 grams