100+ Free North Dakota A+ Science Grade 10 Practice Questions

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Key Facts: North Dakota A+ Science Grade 10 Exam

NDDPI

State Agency

North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, Assessment Office

Grade 10

Grade Level

2023 ND Science Content Standards

100 Practice Questions

Question Count

OpenExamPrep Bank

2023 ND Science HS (Physical, Life)

Standards

NDDPI ND A+ Science Blueprint

Prepare for the North Dakota A+ Science Grade 10 test with 100 practice questions on matter, forces, energy, and waves plus cells, ecosystems, heredity, DNA, and evolution, featuring scenario-based items and detailed explanations aligned to the 2023 ND Science Content Standards.

Sample North Dakota A+ Science Grade 10 Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your North Dakota A+ Science Grade 10 exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1The atomic number of carbon is 6. Which statement correctly describes a neutral carbon atom?

A.It has 6 protons and 6 electrons.

B.It has 6 protons and 12 neutrons.

C.It has 6 neutrons and 6 electrons.

D.It has 6 protons and 6 neutrons.

Explanation: The atomic number equals the number of protons in the nucleus. In a neutral atom, the number of electrons equals the number of protons, so the positive and negative charges balance.

2An element is located in Group 2 of the periodic table. How many valence electrons does an atom of this element have?

A.2 valence electrons

B.1 valence electron

C.7 valence electrons

D.8 valence electrons

Explanation: Group 2 elements, the alkaline earth metals such as magnesium and calcium, have two electrons in their outermost energy level. For Groups 1 and 2 the group number equals the valence-electron count; for Groups 13 through 18 the count is the group number minus 10.

3In a sealed container, 4 grams of hydrogen gas reacts completely with 32 grams of oxygen gas to form water vapor. What is the mass of the water produced?

A.36 grams

B.28 grams

C.32 grams

D.40 grams

Explanation: By the law of conservation of mass, in a closed system the total mass of the products equals the total mass of the reactants. The reactants total 4 g + 32 g = 36 g, so the water produced must also have a mass of 36 g.

4Which statement best describes the relationship between the temperature of a substance and the average kinetic energy of its particles?

A.Higher temperature means higher average kinetic energy of the particles.

B.Higher temperature means lower average kinetic energy of the particles.

C.Temperature and the average kinetic energy of particles are unrelated.

D.Kinetic energy depends only on the number of particles, not on temperature.

Explanation: Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in a sample of matter. As temperature increases, particles move faster on average, so the average kinetic energy increases.

5Two charged spheres are separated by a distance r and exert an electrostatic force F on each other. If the distance between them is halved (to r/2) while the charges stay the same, what is the new force?

A.The new force is 4F.

B.The new force is 2F.

C.The new force is F/2.

D.The new force is F/4.

Explanation: Coulomb's law states that the electrostatic force is inversely proportional to the square of the distance (F proportional to 1/r^2). Halving the distance multiplies the force by 1/(1/2)^2 = 4, so the new force is 4F.

6A student tests how temperature affects the rate of the reaction between vinegar (acetic acid) and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). She runs the reaction at 5 degrees C, 20 degrees C, and 40 degrees C, keeping all other variables the same. Which result is most likely?

A.The reaction is fastest at 40 degrees C.

B.The reaction is fastest at 5 degrees C.

C.The reaction rate is the same at all three temperatures.

D.The reaction is fastest at 20 degrees C and slower at both 5 degrees C and 40 degrees C.

Explanation: Increasing temperature raises the average kinetic energy of particles, causing more frequent and more energetic collisions. This increases the reaction rate, so the warmest temperature produces the fastest reaction.

7In a chemical reaction, the products have more energy than the reactants, and the reaction mixture feels cold to the touch. Which statement is correct?

A.The reaction is endothermic and absorbs energy from the surroundings.

B.The reaction is exothermic and releases energy to the surroundings.

C.The reaction is endothermic and releases energy to the surroundings.

D.The reaction is exothermic and absorbs energy from the surroundings.

Explanation: In an endothermic reaction, the products store more energy than the reactants, so the reaction must absorb energy from the surroundings. This absorption makes the surroundings (and the reaction mixture) feel cold.

8Which statement correctly distinguishes nuclear fission from nuclear fusion?

A.Fission splits a heavy nucleus into smaller nuclei; fusion combines light nuclei into a heavier nucleus.

B.Fission combines light nuclei into a heavier nucleus; fusion splits a heavy nucleus into smaller nuclei.

C.Both fission and fusion split heavy nuclei into smaller pieces.

D.Both fission and fusion combine light nuclei into heavier nuclei.

Explanation: Nuclear fission is the splitting of a large, unstable nucleus (such as uranium-235) into smaller nuclei. Nuclear fusion is the joining of light nuclei (such as hydrogen isotopes in the Sun) to form a heavier nucleus. Both release large amounts of energy.

9Moving from left to right across Period 3 of the periodic table (from sodium to chlorine), what is the general trend in atomic radius?

A.Atomic radius decreases.

B.Atomic radius increases.

C.Atomic radius stays the same.

D.Atomic radius first decreases, then increases.

Explanation: Across a period, protons are added to the nucleus while electrons occupy the same principal energy level. The increasing nuclear charge pulls the electron cloud closer to the nucleus, so atomic radius generally decreases from left to right.

10A student compares how fast two samples of iron rust when exposed to the same humid air: one is a solid iron block and the other is a pile of iron filings of the same total mass. Which result is expected and why?

A.The iron filings rust faster because they have more surface area in contact with air and water.

B.The solid block rusts faster because it has more total iron.

C.Both rust at the same rate because the air and water are the same.

D.The iron filings rust slower because they are smaller pieces.

Explanation: Reaction rate increases with surface area because more particles are exposed to the reactants (oxygen and water). Iron filings have a much larger total surface area than a solid block of the same mass, so they rust faster.

About the North Dakota A+ Science Grade 10 Exam

The North Dakota A+ Summative Science assessment at Grade 10 measures proficiency on the 2023 North Dakota Science Content Standards across Physical Science and Life Science. It is administered online through TestNav in spring, replacing the former NDSA beginning Spring 2025. This 100-question practice bank uses four-option MCQs as an English-language study adaptation.

Assessment

Online criterion-referenced assessment delivered through TestNav; phenomena-based item clusters, selected-response, and technology-enhanced items across two reporting categories. This local bank contains 100 English four-option practice MCQs, including scenario-based items.

Time Limit

Untimed; 2025 average about 51 minutes (25th-75th percentile 31-65 minutes)

Passing Score

Four performance levels: Level 1 Novice, Level 2 Approaching Proficient, Level 3 Proficient, Level 4 Advanced. Level 3 and above denotes proficiency. Scale scores range 850-1150 (Grade 10: Novice 850-980, Approaching Proficient 981-1020, Proficient 1021-1074, Advanced 1075-1150).

Exam Fee

No fee to students (North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI))

North Dakota A+ Science Grade 10 Exam Content Outline

34%

Physical Science

Matter and its interactions (atomic structure, the periodic table, bonding, chemical reactions, nuclear processes); forces and motion; energy and thermodynamics; and waves and electromagnetic radiation.

66%

Life Science

Cells and organisms (cell structure, photosynthesis and cellular respiration, cell division); ecosystems (carrying capacity, cycling of matter and energy, biodiversity); heredity (DNA, genes, inheritance, mutation); and evolution (natural selection, common ancestry, evidence).

How to Pass the North Dakota A+ Science Grade 10 Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Four performance levels: Level 1 Novice, Level 2 Approaching Proficient, Level 3 Proficient, Level 4 Advanced. Level 3 and above denotes proficiency. Scale scores range 850-1150 (Grade 10: Novice 850-980, Approaching Proficient 981-1020, Proficient 1021-1074, Advanced 1075-1150).
Assessment: Online criterion-referenced assessment delivered through TestNav; phenomena-based item clusters, selected-response, and technology-enhanced items across two reporting categories. This local bank contains 100 English four-option practice MCQs, including scenario-based items.
Time limit: Untimed; 2025 average about 51 minutes (25th-75th percentile 31-65 minutes)
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

North Dakota A+ Science Grade 10 Study Tips from Top Performers

1Use the periodic table to predict bonding: metals tend to lose electrons and nonmetals tend to gain or share them.

2Balance chemical equations by adjusting coefficients so each atom type is conserved, never by changing subscripts.

3Connect photosynthesis and cellular respiration as complementary processes that cycle matter and energy.

4For heredity, use Punnett squares to track alleles and predict offspring ratios.

5Support evolution claims with multiple lines of evidence: fossils, anatomy, embryos, and DNA.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ND A+ Science Grade 10 test?

The North Dakota A+ Summative Science assessment at Grade 10 measures proficiency on the 2023 ND Science Content Standards. It is an online, criterion-referenced assessment delivered through TestNav with phenomena-based item clusters, selected-response, and technology-enhanced items. Grade 10 reports two categories: Physical Science and Life Science.

What performance levels are reported?

Four levels are reported: Level 1 Novice, Level 2 Approaching Proficient, Level 3 Proficient, and Level 4 Advanced. Level 3 and above denotes grade-level proficiency. Scale scores range from 850 to 1150; for Grade 10, Proficient begins at 1021.

Why does Grade 10 science cover only physical and life science?

The official ND A+ Science Grade 10 blueprint reports two reporting categories, Physical Science and Life Science; Earth and Space Science is not a reporting category at Grade 10. This practice bank mirrors that structure.

Are calculators allowed on the Grade 10 science test?

Students use an embedded calculator within the TestNav online testing platform for the science assessment; handheld calculators are not permitted.