100+ Free OST Grade 5 Science Practice Questions

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Two students push a cart in the same direction. Together their pushes are stronger than the force of friction holding the cart back. These forces are described as what?

Equal, so nothing will happen

Balanced, so the cart will stay still

Unbalanced, so the cart will start to move

Opposite and equal, so the cart will not move

to track

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Key Facts: OST Grade 5 Science Exam

The OST Grade 5 Science test is Ohio's free, two-part online state assessment that measures fifth-grade mastery of Ohio's Learning Standards across Life Science, Physical Science, and Earth and Space Science, reported on a 559-845 scale where 700 is Proficient.

Sample OST Grade 5 Science Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your OST Grade 5 Science exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1What is at the center of our solar system, with all the planets orbiting around it?

A.The Sun

B.Earth

C.The Moon

D.The largest planet

Explanation: The solar system includes the Sun and all the celestial bodies that orbit it. The Sun's gravity keeps the planets moving in their orbits around it. This matches Ohio standard 5.ESS.1.

2What force keeps the planets moving in their orbits around the Sun instead of flying off into space?

A.Magnetism

B.Gravity

C.Sunlight

D.Wind

Explanation: Gravitational forces between the Sun and each planet continuously change the planet's direction so that it stays in orbit. Without gravity, a planet would keep moving in a straight line into outer space. This relates to Ohio standard 5.ESS.1.

3Which celestial body orbits Earth?

A.Mars

B.The Sun

C.The Moon

D.A comet

Explanation: Earth is a planet that has one moon, and the Moon orbits Earth. The gravitational force between Earth and the Moon keeps the Moon in its orbit around our planet. This matches Ohio standard 5.ESS.1.

4If the gravitational force between the Sun and a planet suddenly disappeared, what would most likely happen to the planet?

A.It would orbit faster

B.It would stop moving completely

C.It would fall directly into the Sun

D.It would move in a straight line out into space

Explanation: Gravity constantly changes a planet's direction to keep it curving around the Sun. If that force were gone, nothing would change the planet's direction, so it would travel in a straight line into outer space. This relates to Ohio standard 5.ESS.1.

5A small rocky body that orbits the Sun but is too small to be called a planet is best described as a what?

A.A star

B.An asteroid

C.A galaxy

D.A moon

Explanation: Asteroids are rocky bodies that orbit the Sun in nearly circular paths but are too small to be classified as planets. Many asteroids orbit between Mars and Jupiter. This matches Ohio standard 5.ESS.1.

6Which statement best describes a comet?

A.A type of star that gives off its own light

B.A solid metal ball that stays in one place in space

C.A mixture of ices and dust that travels around the Sun in a long, stretched-out path

D.A large rocky planet with many moons

Explanation: Comets are made of a mixture of ices, such as frozen water and gases, and dust. They travel around the Sun in highly stretched-out orbits. This matches Ohio standard 5.ESS.1.

7A student claims that gravity only exists on Earth. Why is this idea incorrect?

A.Gravity only pulls on objects that are falling

B.Gravity only works inside Earth's atmosphere

C.Gravity is the same thing as air pressure

D.Gravity acts everywhere in the solar system, including between the Sun and the planets

Explanation: Gravitational forces act between the Sun and its planets and between planets and their moons, holding the solar system together. Gravity is not limited to Earth; it acts throughout space. This relates to a common misconception in Ohio standard 5.ESS.1.

8Some planets in the solar system have one or more of what orbiting them?

A.Moons

B.Suns

C.Galaxies

D.Other planets

Explanation: Several planets have one or more moons that orbit them. The gravitational force between a planet and its moon keeps the moon in orbit around that planet, just as Earth's Moon orbits Earth. This matches Ohio standard 5.ESS.1.

9Each planet in the solar system has unique characteristics. Which of these is a way that planets can differ from one another?

A.Whether or not gravity affects them

B.The direction the Sun orbits them

C.Their size, composition, and distance from the Sun

D.Whether they orbit the Moon or Earth

Explanation: Planets differ in features such as their size, what they are made of, their temperature, and their distance from the Sun. These differences make each planet unique. This matches Ohio standard 5.ESS.1.

10Which tool would a scientist most likely use to study planets and other objects far away in the solar system?

A.A ruler

B.A microscope

C.A thermometer

D.A telescope

Explanation: Telescopes collect light from distant objects so scientists can study faraway planets, moons, and stars. Tools and technology like telescopes, satellites, and space probes help us learn about the solar system. This matches Ohio standard 5.ESS.1.

About the OST Grade 5 Science Exam

The Ohio State Test (OST) Grade 5 Science is a state summative assessment that measures how well fifth graders have learned Ohio's Learning Standards for Science. It is given near the end of the school year as a two-part, online, fixed-form test, and the two parts are combined to produce one score. The test is built from a published blueprint with three reporting categories: Life Science, Physical Science, and Earth and Space Science. Items include multiple-choice, multi-select, and technology-enhanced questions, and each form totals about 54 to 56 points. Results are reported on a scale from 559 to 845 across five performance levels, with a score of 700 meeting the Proficient standard. The test is free to students and is administered by Ohio public school districts.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

150 minutes total, divided into two 75-minute parts; additional time is allowed at the district's discretion and per student IEPs and 504 plans.

Passing Score

Scale score of 700 or higher reaches the Proficient level; the five levels are Limited, Basic, Proficient, Accomplished, and Advanced.

Exam Fee

Free for students; the assessment is funded by the state of Ohio and administered by public school districts. (Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (delivered by Cambium Assessment))

OST Grade 5 Science Exam Content Outline

32-40%

Life Science

Ecosystem roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers, food webs, symbiosis, and the one-way flow of energy from sunlight through producers to other organisms (5.LS.1, 5.LS.2).

32-40%

Physical Science

Force, motion, mass, and speed (distance over time), plus light and sound as forms of energy that reflect, refract, absorb, and vary in pitch (5.PS.1, 5.PS.2).

25-32%

Earth and Space Science

The solar system, gravity and orbits, the Sun and other stars, and predictable cycles such as day and night, apparent motion of the Sun and stars, and shadows (5.ESS.1, 5.ESS.2, 5.ESS.3).

How to Pass the OST Grade 5 Science Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Scale score of 700 or higher reaches the Proficient level; the five levels are Limited, Basic, Proficient, Accomplished, and Advanced.
Exam length: 100 questions
Time limit: 150 minutes total, divided into two 75-minute parts; additional time is allowed at the district's discretion and per student IEPs and 504 plans.
Exam fee: Free for students; the assessment is funded by the state of Ohio and administered by public school districts.

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

OST Grade 5 Science Study Tips from Top Performers

1Study all three reporting categories, focusing extra practice on Life Science and Physical Science, which together make up the majority of the test.

2Learn the roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers and practice tracing energy flow through food webs in one direction from the Sun.

3Practice calculating speed by dividing distance by time, and predict how force and mass change an object's motion.

4Review how light reflects, refracts, and is absorbed, and how the pitch of a sound depends on how fast an object vibrates.

5Understand why the Sun and stars appear to move, how shadows change during the day, and how gravity keeps planets and moons in orbit.

6Use diagrams, charts, and data tables when answering, since many test items present information in models and ask you to interpret it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Ohio State Test Grade 5 Science?

It is Ohio's state summative science assessment for fifth graders, given near the end of the school year to measure mastery of Ohio's Learning Standards for Science. It is a two-part, online, fixed-form test administered by public school districts.

What topics are on the OST Grade 5 Science test?

The test covers three reporting categories: Life Science (ecosystems, food webs, energy flow), Physical Science (forces, motion, light, and sound), and Earth and Space Science (the solar system, stars, gravity, and Earth-Sun cycles).

How is the OST Grade 5 Science test scored?

Scores are reported on a scale from 559 to 845 across five performance levels: Limited, Basic, Proficient, Accomplished, and Advanced. A scale score of 700 reaches the Proficient level, which meets the standard.

How long is the OST Grade 5 Science test?

The test has two parts of 75 minutes each, for 150 minutes total. Within each session students generally have flexible time, and additional time may be allowed at the district's discretion or per a student's IEP or 504 plan.

How many questions are on the test and what types are used?

Each form is worth about 54 to 56 points and uses a mix of item types, including multiple-choice, multi-select, and technology-enhanced questions, divided across the two parts of the test.

Is the OST Grade 5 Science test free?

Yes. The test is free to students because it is funded by the state of Ohio and administered through public school districts as part of Ohio's State Tests.