100+ Free MSA Grade 8 Science Practice Questions

Prepare for the Montana Science Assessment — Grade 8 exam with instant access — no signup required.

✓ No registration✓ No credit card✓ No hidden fees✓ Start practicing immediately

Not applicable Pass Rate

100+ Questions

100% Free

Loading practice questions...

Same family resources

Explore More Montana Science Assessment (MSA)

Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.

Montana Science Assessment — Grade 5

Practice Questions100 questions

2026 Statistics

Key Facts: MSA Grade 8 Science Exam

OPI

State Agency

Montana Office of Public Instruction

Grade 8

Grade Level

Montana Content Standards (2016) in Science

100 Practice Questions

Question Count

OpenExamPrep Bank

Montana Content Standards (2016) in Science / NGSS

Standards

OPI MontCAS

MSA Grade 8 Science is Montana's free statewide NGSS-based science assessment (OPI/Cambium), estimated 1.5-2 hours, four performance levels (Novice/Nearing Proficiency/Proficient/Advanced) on a Grade 8 scale with Proficient starting at 808.

Sample MSA Grade 8 Science Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your MSA Grade 8 Science exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A student examines pure samples of carbon, sulfur, and copper. Which statement best applies the particle model of matter to all three samples?

A.Each sample is a mixture of many unrelated substances

B.Each sample is made of only one type of atom arranged in a definite structure

C.Each sample is a living cell that can carry out respiration

D.Each sample is a form of energy that has no measurable mass

Explanation: A pure element sample contains only one kind of atom. Carbon, sulfur, and copper are elements, so pure samples of each contain only their own atoms, which are matter with mass.

2A student observes four changes. Which observation is evidence of a chemical reaction rather than only a physical change?

A.An ice cube melts into a puddle of liquid water on a counter

B.A piece of chalk is crushed into a fine powder

C.Vinegar is added to baking soda and bubbles of a new gas form while the mixture cools slightly

D.Sand and iron filings are stirred together but can still be separated with a magnet

Explanation: Formation of a new gas and an energy change are evidence that new substances formed in a chemical reaction. Melting, crushing, and mixing separable materials are physical changes that do not produce new substances.

3Two sealed, identical balloons hold the same gas. Balloon A is placed in warm water and Balloon B in cold water. Which statement best compares the gas particles using kinetic theory?

A.Particles in Balloon A have lost all their mass compared with Balloon B

B.Particles in Balloon A move faster on average than particles in Balloon B

C.Particles in Balloon A stop moving because the warm water holds them still

D.Particles in Balloon A turn into a different element because of the temperature

Explanation: Temperature reflects the average kinetic energy of particles. Warmer gas has faster average particle motion than colder gas, while heating alone does not change mass or transform one element into another.

4A student seals 20 g of baking soda and 30 g of vinegar in a zip-top bag. After the reaction, the bag feels cool and the contents have a mass of 50 g. Which claim is best supported by these data?

A.Mass was created during the reaction because a gas appeared

B.Mass was destroyed because the bag felt cool

C.Mass was conserved because the system was closed and the total mass stayed the same

D.Mass was converted completely into energy, leaving no matter behind

Explanation: In a closed system, matter is conserved in a chemical reaction; the mass of reactants equals the mass of products. The starting mass was 50 g (20 g + 30 g) and the final mass was 50 g, so mass was conserved even though new substances formed.

5A company advertises a new plastic made by chemically bonding long chains of small repeating molecules. Which statement best explains why this material is considered a synthetic material?

A.It forms naturally in living organisms without human processing

B.It is designed by combining components through a chemical process that humans control

C.It is a pure element found on the periodic table

D.It is a physical mixture that can be separated with a magnet

Explanation: Synthetic materials are made by people through chemical processes that bond components into new substances, such as polymers built from repeating monomer units. They are not naturally occurring, pure elements, or simple physical mixtures.

6An astronaut pushes on a satellite with a small force to move it. Which statement best applies Newton's third law to this interaction?

A.The satellite pushes back on the astronaut with a force equal in size and opposite in direction

B.The satellite pushes back with a much smaller force, so the astronaut does not move

C.The satellite does not push back because it has more mass than the astronaut

D.The astronaut pushes first, and only later does the satellite push back

Explanation: Newton's third law states that forces come in equal and opposite pairs. When the astronaut pushes the satellite, the satellite pushes back on the astronaut with an equal and opposite force at the same time, regardless of the masses involved.

7A table shows a spacecraft's weight at four locations. Earth: 1,200 N; the Moon: 200 N; Mars: 450 N; Jupiter: 3,000 N. Which explanation best accounts for the pattern in the data?

A.The spacecraft's mass changes at each location

B.Gravitational force depends on the mass and distance of the attracting body

C.The spacecraft is weightless in space, so the numbers are errors

D.Gravity pushes objects away from large bodies

Explanation: Weight is the gravitational force on an object and depends on the mass of the attracting body and the distance from it. The Moon has less mass than Earth, so the same spacecraft weighs less there; massive Jupiter exerts a much larger pull. The spacecraft's mass stays constant.

8A student brings the north pole of one magnet near the north pole of a second magnet and feels a push. She then repeats the test with the north pole near the south pole and feels a pull. Which conclusion is best supported by this evidence?

A.Magnetic poles always attract each other no matter which poles face each other

B.Like magnetic poles repel and opposite magnetic poles attract

C.Magnetic force requires the magnets to touch each other

D.Magnetism is the same force as static electric charge

Explanation: Magnetic interactions follow a pattern: like poles (north-north or south-south) repel and opposite poles (north-south) attract. The push and pull occurred without the magnets touching, so magnetic force can act at a distance.

9A cart rolls down a ramp. A sensor records that doubling the cart's speed at the bottom changes its kinetic energy. Which relationship between kinetic energy and speed does the data best support?

A.Kinetic energy is unrelated to speed

B.Kinetic energy decreases when speed increases

C.Kinetic energy increases when speed increases, and doubling the speed more than doubles the kinetic energy

D.Kinetic energy becomes zero as soon as the cart stops accelerating

Explanation: Kinetic energy depends on the square of speed, so when speed increases, kinetic energy increases more than proportionally. Doubling the speed produces about four times the kinetic energy, which is more than double.

10A student measures the kinetic energy of three rolling carts with different masses but the same speed. Cart 1: 1 kg, 2 J. Cart 2: 2 kg, 4 J. Cart 3: 3 kg, 6 J. Which conclusion does the data best support?

A.Kinetic energy is inversely related to mass at constant speed

B.Kinetic energy is directly proportional to mass when speed is constant

C.Mass has no effect on kinetic energy

D.Doubling the mass makes kinetic energy eight times larger at constant speed

Explanation: When speed is constant, kinetic energy is directly proportional to mass. The data show that doubling the mass from 1 kg to 2 kg doubles the kinetic energy from 2 J to 4 J, and tripling the mass to 3 kg triples it to 6 J.

About the MSA Grade 8 Science Exam

The Montana Science Assessment (MSA) Grade 8 is Montana's statewide science assessment measuring student understanding of the Montana Content Standards (2016) in Science, which are built on the NGSS three dimensions for the middle school grades 6-8 band. Delivered online by Cambium Assessment, it uses phenomena-based item clusters and technology-enhanced tasks across Physical Science, Life Science, Earth & Space Science, and Engineering, Technology & Applications of Science. OpenExamPrep free MCQ practice is an English-language study aid aligned to NGSS domains, not official secure content or a full simulation of multi-part clusters and technology-enhanced tasks.

Assessment

Online statewide science assessment with phenomena-based item clusters, selected-response, and technology-enhanced tasks delivered by Cambium Assessment; this local bank contains 100 English four-option practice MCQs mapped to the Montana Content Standards (2016) in Science for the grades 6-8 band.

Time Limit

Estimated testing time 1.5-2 hours

Passing Score

No pass/fail score; results use four MSA performance levels (Novice, Nearing Proficiency, Proficient, Advanced). Grade 8 Science cut scores: Novice less than 780, Nearing Proficiency 781-807, Proficient 808-825, Advanced 826 and above.

Exam Fee

No fee to students (Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI))

MSA Grade 8 Science Exam Content Outline

30%

Physical Science

Structure & properties of matter; chemical reactions and conservation of mass; forces & interactions (Newton's third law, gravitational/electric/magnetic forces); energy (kinetic/potential, relationship to mass and speed); waves (amplitude, wavelength, digital signals).

30%

Life Science

Cells and body systems; photosynthesis and cellular respiration; cycles of matter and energy in ecosystems; ecosystem dynamics; heredity (inheritance, variation, Punnett squares, mutations); biological evolution (natural selection, adaptation, biodiversity).

30%

Earth & Space Science

Earth's place in the universe (gravity, seasons, eclipses, solar system scale); Earth's systems (water cycle, weather & climate, plate tectonics, rock cycle); Earth & human activity (natural resources, hazards, human impacts, global climate change).

10%

Engineering, Technology & Applications of Science

Defining & delimiting engineering problems; developing possible solutions; optimizing the design solution; three-dimensional NGSS connections applied through phenomena-based scenarios.

How to Pass the MSA Grade 8 Science Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: No pass/fail score; results use four MSA performance levels (Novice, Nearing Proficiency, Proficient, Advanced). Grade 8 Science cut scores: Novice less than 780, Nearing Proficiency 781-807, Proficient 808-825, Advanced 826 and above.
Assessment: Online statewide science assessment with phenomena-based item clusters, selected-response, and technology-enhanced tasks delivered by Cambium Assessment; this local bank contains 100 English four-option practice MCQs mapped to the Montana Content Standards (2016) in Science for the grades 6-8 band.
Time limit: Estimated testing time 1.5-2 hours
Exam fee: No fee to students

Keys to Passing

Work through all 100 available questions
Review every answer and explanation
Track weak areas and revisit them
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

MSA Grade 8 Science Study Tips from Top Performers

1Practice explaining phenomena with evidence across matter, forces, energy, ecosystems, heredity, Earth systems, and climate, because MSA items are phenomena-based and three-dimensional.

2Use the three NGSS dimensions together: pick a Science & Engineering Practice (modeling, data analysis, constructing explanations, argument from evidence) and pair it with a Crosscutting Concept (patterns, cause & effect, systems, energy & matter, structure & function, stability & change).

3Include graph and table interpretation (Punnett squares, population changes, simple rates) since official items integrate data analysis.

4Balance Physical, Life, and Earth & Space study time; the local bank weights them equally (30% each) with 10% engineering.

5Use short, frequent practice across the year rather than cramming only in the spring window.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Montana Science Assessment (MSA) Grade 8?

The MSA Grade 8 is Montana's statewide science assessment, aligned to the Montana Content Standards (2016) in Science (built on the NGSS three dimensions) for the middle school grades 6-8 band, and administered online by Cambium Assessment through the OPI MontCAS program.

What performance levels are reported for MSA Grade 8 Science?

Results use four performance levels: Novice (Level 1, less than 780), Nearing Proficiency (Level 2, 781-807), Proficient (Level 3, 808-825), and Advanced (Level 4, 826 and above). There is no pass/fail score.

How long is the official MSA Grade 8 Science test?

OPI estimates testing time at about 1.5-2 hours. The assessment is delivered online by Cambium Assessment and includes phenomena-based item clusters, selected-response, and technology-enhanced tasks.

Are these practice questions official MSA items?

No. OpenExamPrep questions are original English-language four-option MCQ study adaptations aligned to the Montana Content Standards (2016) in Science / NGSS middle-school band. They do not reproduce secure items or fully simulate multi-part clusters, simulations, or other technology-enhanced item types.