100+ Free North Dakota A+ Science Grade 8 Practice Questions

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Key Facts: North Dakota A+ Science Grade 8 Exam

NDDPI

State Agency

North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, Assessment Office

Grade 8

Grade Level

2023 ND Science Content Standards

100 Practice Questions

Question Count

OpenExamPrep Bank

2023 ND Science Grade 6-8 (Physical, Earth & Space, Life)

Standards

NDDPI ND A+ Science Blueprint

Prepare for the North Dakota A+ Science Grade 8 test with 100 practice questions on matter and forces, Earth's systems and the solar system, and cells, ecosystems, heredity, and natural selection, featuring scenario-based items and detailed explanations aligned to the 2023 ND Science Content Standards.

Sample North Dakota A+ Science Grade 8 Practice Questions

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

1The particles in a solid are packed closely together and vibrate in fixed positions. Which statement best explains why a solid keeps its own shape rather than flowing like a liquid?

A.The particles are held in place by strong attractive forces that keep them in fixed positions

B.The particles move so slowly that gravity holds each one to the ground

C.The particles are locked together by magnetic fields from Earth's core

D.The particles have no energy of motion at all, so they cannot move past one another

Explanation: In the particle model, the particles of a solid are bound by strong interparticle attractive forces that hold them in fixed positions, allowing only vibration. Because particles cannot slide past one another, a solid maintains a rigid shape independent of its container.

2A student measures 25 g of baking soda and adds it to 100 g of vinegar in a sealed bag on a balance. After the reaction stops, the bag and everything in it still mass 125 g. Which principle does this best demonstrate?

A.Conservation of mass in a closed system

B.Conservation of energy in an open system

C.The law of definite proportions

D.The law of multiple proportions

Explanation: In a closed system, no matter enters or leaves, so the total mass before and after a chemical reaction stays the same. The new substances formed have the same total mass as the reactants.

3Which statement correctly describes the relationship between atoms and molecules?

A.Molecules are groups of two or more atoms joined by chemical bonds

B.Atoms are made of molecules that are joined together by physical bonds

C.Molecules are tiny pieces of an atom that have broken off

D.Atoms and molecules are different names for the same particle

Explanation: An atom is the smallest unit of an element; a molecule forms when two or more atoms join together by chemical bonds, such as the two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom in a water molecule.

4When a swimmer pushes water backward with their hands, the water pushes the swimmer forward. Which law of motion does this illustrate?

A.Newton's third law of motion

B.Newton's first law of motion

C.Newton's second law of motion

D.The law of universal gravitation

Explanation: Newton's third law states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The swimmer's push on the water (action) is matched by the water pushing back on the swimmer (reaction), moving the swimmer forward.

5Two waves travel through the same medium. Wave X has a shorter wavelength than wave Y. How do their frequencies compare, assuming they travel at the same speed?

A.Wave X has a higher frequency than wave Y

B.Wave X has a lower frequency than wave Y

C.Both waves have the same frequency

D.Frequency cannot be compared without knowing the amplitude

Explanation: Wave speed equals wavelength times frequency (v = λf). If two waves travel at the same speed, the one with the shorter wavelength must have a higher frequency, because more cycles pass a point each second.

6The particles in a gas are far apart and move freely, while the particles in a liquid are close together but can slide past one another. Use the particle model to explain why a gas fills its container but a liquid takes the shape of the bottom of its container.

A.Gas particles move fast enough to overcome attractive forces and spread throughout the available space, while liquid particles are still attracted enough to stay together but can flow

B.Gas particles are larger than liquid particles, so they take up more room

C.Gas particles lose all energy and settle evenly across the container

D.Liquid particles are too heavy to become gas particles, so they sink to the bottom

Explanation: In gases, particles have enough kinetic energy to overcome the attractive forces between them, so they move freely and spread to fill the container. In liquids, attractive forces still hold particles close together, so the sample stays as one body that flows and takes the shape of the container's bottom.

7A 2 kg object and a 6 kg object are moving at the same speed. How do their kinetic energies compare, and why?

A.The 6 kg object has three times the kinetic energy of the 2 kg object, because kinetic energy is proportional to mass

B.Both objects have the same kinetic energy, because they move at the same speed

C.The 6 kg object has nine times the kinetic energy, because kinetic energy is proportional to mass squared

D.The 2 kg object has more kinetic energy, because lighter objects move with less resistance

Explanation: Kinetic energy depends on both mass and the square of speed (KE = 1/2 mv²). At equal speed, kinetic energy is directly proportional to mass, so the 6 kg object has three times the kinetic energy of the 2 kg object.

A.Sample X has more particles overall than Sample Y, and Sample Y is at a higher temperature

B.Sample X is at a higher temperature than Sample Y

C.Both samples are at the same temperature

D.Sample Y has more particles than Sample X

Explanation: Temperature measures the average kinetic energy of particles, so Sample Y (higher average kinetic energy) is at a higher temperature. Total thermal energy also depends on the number of particles, so Sample X can have high total thermal energy despite a lower temperature if it contains many more particles.

9A student drops a rubber ball from 1.5 m. As the ball falls, its speed increases. Just before it hits the floor, which energy transformation has mostly occurred?

A.Gravitational potential energy has changed into kinetic energy

B.Kinetic energy has changed into gravitational potential energy

C.Thermal energy has changed into kinetic energy

D.Chemical energy has changed into gravitational potential energy

Explanation: As the ball falls, its height above the ground decreases, so its gravitational potential energy decreases. That stored energy is converted into kinetic energy, which is why the ball speeds up as it nears the floor.

10Two identical metal spoons are placed in pots of hot soup. One spoon handle is wrapped in foam, the other is bare. After two minutes, the bare handle feels hotter than the foam-wrapped handle. Which explanation is best?

A.Foam is a poor thermal conductor, so it slows the transfer of thermal energy from the soup to the wrapped handle

B.Foam generates its own heat that cancels out the heat from the soup

C.Foam reflects cold air back onto the spoon, cooling it down

D.The bare spoon is made of a different metal than the wrapped spoon

Explanation: Foam contains many pockets of trapped air, which makes it a poor conductor of thermal energy. It slows heat transfer from the hot soup through the spoon to the handle, so the wrapped handle stays cooler than the bare one.

About the North Dakota A+ Science Grade 8 Exam

The North Dakota A+ Summative Science assessment at Grade 8 measures proficiency on the 2023 North Dakota Science Content Standards across Physical Science, Earth & Space 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 three reporting categories. This local bank contains 100 English four-option practice MCQs, including scenario-based items.

Time Limit

Untimed; 2025 average about 66 minutes (25th-75th percentile 46-80 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 8: Novice 850-967, Approaching Proficient 968-1006, Proficient 1007-1057, Advanced 1058-1150).

Exam Fee

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

North Dakota A+ Science Grade 8 Exam Content Outline

34%

Physical Science

Matter and its interactions (particles, conservation of mass, chemical reactions), forces and motion (Newton's laws), energy and its transfer, and waves and information technologies.

33%

Earth & Space Science

Earth's place in the universe (scale, motion, Earth-sun-moon system), Earth's systems (plate tectonics, the water cycle, weather), and human impacts on resources and climate.

33%

Life Science

Cells and body systems, matter and energy in ecosystems, heredity and reproduction, and natural selection and adaptation of populations.

How to Pass the North Dakota A+ Science Grade 8 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 8: Novice 850-967, Approaching Proficient 968-1006, Proficient 1007-1057, Advanced 1058-1150).
Assessment: Online criterion-referenced assessment delivered through TestNav; phenomena-based item clusters, selected-response, and technology-enhanced items across three reporting categories. This local bank contains 100 English four-option practice MCQs, including scenario-based items.
Time limit: Untimed; 2025 average about 66 minutes (25th-75th percentile 46-80 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 8 Study Tips from Top Performers

1Use Newton's third law to identify equal and opposite forces acting on two different objects.

2For chemical reactions, check that the number of each type of atom is conserved on both sides.

3Tie plate tectonic motion to observable effects: earthquakes at boundaries and seafloor spreading at ridges.

4Follow matter and energy through an ecosystem: producers capture energy, consumers transfer it, and decomposers recycle matter.

5Distinguish natural selection (traits that improve survival and reproduction become more common) from an individual organism changing during its lifetime.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ND A+ Science Grade 8 test?

The North Dakota A+ Summative Science assessment at Grade 8 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 across three reporting categories.

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 8, Proficient begins at 1007.

Are calculators allowed on the Grade 8 science test?

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

Does this practice bank include scenario-based questions?

Yes. The 100-question bank includes phenomena-based and scenario items (data tables, models, descriptions of systems and investigations) alongside recall and reasoning items, with detailed explanations.