Science Test: 50 MCQs in 60 MIN for Class 4 & 5, 60% to Pass

1) Living things feed. Food is the material from which organisms through respiration obtain the energy required to sustain life and carry out all the other functions of living things. Food also provides the raw materials for growth and repair. The study of food and feeding is called nutrition. There are two types of nutrition: (1) Autotrophic nutrition: Autotrophic organisms make their own food by a process called photosynthesis. Green plants, for example, manufacture sugar and starch from carbon dioxide and water using the energy of sunlight to drive the necessary chemical reactions; and (2) Heterotrophic nutrition: Heterotrophic organisms obtain their food from the bodies of other organisms. This is done in various ways. For examples, cattle eat plants, lions eat the flesh of other animals, humans can eat both plants and animals, et cetera.

 In order for animals to grow and repair their bodies, they need:

2) The human lifespan is the maximum number of years an individual can live. The term ‘lifespan’ is most commonly confused with another important term “life expectancy”. While both terms relate to the number of living years, they actually define very different concepts. While the term lifespan refers to the maximum number of years an individual can live, life expectancy refers to an estimate or an average number of years a person can expect to live. Life expectancy can be impacted by an individual and their personal health history, genetics, and lifestyle, whereas lifespan holds for all living humans.

Human lifespan can be explained as follows:

3) Water is essential to life on Earth. It has 3 phases: (1) SOLID; (2) LIQUID; and (3) GAS. The water cycle shows the continuous movement of water within the Earth and atmosphere. It is a complex system that includes many different processes. Liquid water evaporates into water vapor, condenses to form clouds, and comes back to earth in the form of rain and snow. Water in different phases moves through the atmosphere (called: transportation). Liquid water flows across land (called: runoff), into the ground (called: infiltration and percolation), and through the ground (called: groundwater). Groundwater moves into plants (called: plant uptake) and evaporates from plants into the atmosphere (called: transpiration). Solid ice and snow can turn directly into gas (called: sublimation). The opposite can also take place when water vapor becomes solid (called: deposition).

In the morning, a school student ‘RITU’ saw a small water hole on the playground of her school. At the end of the day, the water hole was gone. What process most likely caused the water hole to disappear?

4) Everything is made of matter. So, any object we can name consists of matter. Few examples of matter are: Apple, Person, Table, Air, Water, Computer, Paper, Iron, Ice cream, Wood, Sand, Sun, Tree, Snow, Clouds, et cetera. Also, not everything we encounter in the world is matter. For example, energy, light, sound, heat, et cetera are not matter.

Thus, the question is: for an object to be classified as a matter, it must have:

5) Animals and plants are both living creatures. They have needs that must be addressed in order for them to survive. Living beings require (1) Sunlight; (2) Nutrients (Food); (3) Water; (4) Shelter, and (5) Temperature.

Which of the following is a BASIC requirement for both plants and animals?

6) Why, when standing outside in the heat, did the rainwater in the flower-pot disappear?

7) What feature of a mirror allows students to see their own reflection?

8) Giraffes are the tallest land animals. A giraffe's 6-foot (1.8-meter) neck weighs about 600 pounds (272 kilograms). The legs of a giraffe are also 6 feet (1.8 meters) long. The back legs look shorter than the front legs, but they are about the same length. A giraffe's heart is 2 feet (0.6 meters) long and weighs about 25 pounds (11 kilograms), and its lungs can hold 12 gallons (55 liters) of air. Giraffes have a small hump on their back.

A giraffe grows through what process?

9) Plants make seeds that can grow into new plants, but if the seeds just fall to the ground under the parent plant, they might not get enough sun, water or nutrients from the soil. Because plants cannot walk around and take their seeds to other places, they have developed other methods to disperse (move) their seeds. The most common methods are: MOVEMENT DUE TO WIND, MOVEMENT DUE TO WATER, MOVEMENT DUE TO ANIMALS, EXPLOSION, and FIRE.

An apple falls from a tree and rolls into a stream. The apple floats down the stream and away from the tree. This is an example of:

10) A calendar year, astronomically it is 365.242 days, to be precise. Normally we consider 365 days, a round figure of whole number. But the duration of an annual trip around the Sun is a not whole number, some fractions of the next day is left over which is adjusted in every fourth year to make a leap year of 366 days (February of 29 days). Nevertheless, in the exercise of such adjustments of an additional day in the leap year, yet few extra minutes and seconds are however cannot be accommodated. And, therefore, every 400th year is “no leap year" but a normal year of 365 days.

How long does it take the earth to go around the sun once?

11) Pure water has no taste, odour, or colour. Water exists in three states: SOLID (ICE), LIQUID, and GAS (VAPOR). Ice is frozen water, which is solid water. Water molecules move farther apart when it freezes, making ice less dense than water. This means that ice will float in water because it is lighter than the same volume of water. Water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius, or 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Liquid water is wet and fluid. We use liquid water for a variety of purposes, including washing and drinking. Water vapors as a gas, is always present in the air around us. We are unable to see it. When water is boiled, it transforms from a liquid to a gas or water vapor.

Ice is solid water with the following properties:

12) Does the color of a shirt affect the amount of heat it absorbs? The answer is YES. The light that we get from sun rays is called "WHITE LIGHT". This white light is actually composed of (1) RED; (2) ORANGE; (3) YELLOW; (4) GREEN; (5) BLUE; (6) INDIGO; and (7) VIOLET LIGHTS (the colors of the rainbow). If we shine white light through a glass prism, we can see that the white light comes out as a rainbow. These different lights have different energies associated with them. A white shirt would reflect all the light which would mean that it absorbs the least amount of energy. This is why people wear light-colored clothing in the summer to stay cool. On the other hand, a particular colored shirt absorbs all the colors and their energies, and thus making us feel hotter.

Which shirt color absorbs the most sunlight?

13) For creatures and the ecosystems they are a part of, the Sun is the main source of energy. Producers like plants use the energy from sunlight to create organic matter, which they then combine with carbon-dioxide to produce food energy. Food is simply sunshine in chemical form. All of an organism's metabolic functions are powered by the food's stored energy. All living things use food, which is composed of organic molecules, as energy and building blocks. The breakdown of food molecules gives cells the ability to store energy and perform all of the tasks necessary for the cell, and by extension, the entire organism.

What is the source of the energy required for all living creatures to survive?

14) How long is a day on Earth? Or, how long does it take for the Earth to turn once on its axis? It only takes 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4.0916 seconds for the Earth to turn once its axis. The Earth is always in motion. Although it seems like we are standing still on the Earth's surface, the Earth is spinning on its axis and orbiting the sun. We cannot feel it because it's a constant motion, just like being in an airplane. We are moving at the same rate as the plane, so we do not feel like we are moving at all.

How many times does the earth rotate around its axis in a week?

15) Basic property of mirror: A light ray that strikes a mirror at an angle will reflect-off at the same angle. (Angle of incidence = Angle of reflection.) That means that patterns in the light are preserved.

A boy can see his own face in a mirror; what physical property of the mirror causes this?

16) Animals are unable to prepare food on their own. Plants provide nourishment to animals either directly or indirectly. Animals are referred to as ‘consumers’ because they cannot prepare their own food. Different animals consume various types of food. Animals are divided into three groups based on their feeding habits:

(1) Herbivores or herbivorous animals are creatures that eat plants or plant derivatives for nourishment.

(2) Carnivores or carnivorous animals are creatures that devour the flesh of other animals for nourishment.

(3) Omnivorous animals or omnivores are creatures that eat both vegetation and the flesh of other animals for nourishment.

Animals that consume the flesh of other animals are categorized as:

17) The forest is home to a wide variety of species. The tallest trees in the forest are frequently taken down for timber. How could this environmental change benefit plants?

18) Life processes are the basic processes in living organisms which are necessary for maintaining their life. The basic life processes are: (1) Nutrition – It is the process of taking food by an organism and its utilization by the body for life processes; (2) Respiration – It is the process by which food is burnt in the cells of the body with the help of oxygen to release energy; (3) Transportation – It is the process by which food, oxygen, water, waste products are carried from one part of the body to the other; and (4) Excretion – It is the process by which waste products are removed from the body.

Students go to school in the morning, take a math test, have lunch, and play football. Which of the following activities is a life process?

19) The DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the hereditary material in cell. It contains the genetic information for each individual, including the physical features, such as hair-color, eye-color, freckles, and dimples. Children inherit physical characteristics from their parents. Physical characteristics are observable characteristics that children inherit from their parents. A partial list of inherited characteristics is: (1) Curly-hair; (2) Dimples; (3) Hair color; (4) Eye color. Chromosomes contain all the genetic information for each person in their DNA. Humans have 46 chromosomes within the nucleus of each cell. Each parent contributes 23 chromosomes to their child.

Which characteristic can children inherit from their parents?

20) When a person claps his hands, what type of energy is released?

21) Calculating water volume depends on the shape of the container containing the water. For example, volume calculations for a square or rectangular container require us to know its length, width and depth. Thus, volume = length * width * Depth. Performing the same volume calculation for a circular container requires us to know the depth and diameter or radius.

What scientific tool is needed to measure the volume (amount) of water in an experiment?

22) Autumn season of the year comes between summer and winter during which temperatures gradually decrease. It is generally called FALL season in the United States because leaves fall from the trees at that time.

In autumn, the green leaves of trees generally turn red within a few days. What changes the physical properties of the leaves?

23) A plant's flower's primary goal is to:

24) Why does the Sun "Rise" and "Set"? The sun stays in its position at the center of our solar system. It doesn't rise and set. But it appears to rise and set because of the Earth's rotation on its axis. It makes one complete turn every 24 hours. It turns toward the east. As the Earth rotates, different locations on Earth pass through the sun's light. Thus, whenever our city (say, New Delhi) turns toward the Sun and begins to enter its light, the Sun seems to rise in the east. Similarly, whenever our city leave the sun's light and enter darkness, it appears to set in the west.

 The sun appears rises and sets every day for the following reason:

25) The female reproductive organ of a flower (flowering plant) is referred to as the ‘carpel’. The ‘stigma’, ‘style’, and ‘ovary’ make-up a ‘carpal’. The ‘ovary’ contains 'eggs,' which form ‘seeds’ when fertilized.

 What plant structure is responsible for seed production?

26) Wild animals need suitable areas where they are safe, secure, and comfortable. They use these areas for resting, sleeping, feeding, breeding, hiding, and escaping predators. But when we disrupt these areas, animals lose access to important resources and become exposed to new threats. Following are the major effects of deforestation on animals:

(1) It can cause them to completely lose their homes or be forced out of their natural range;

(2) It can change existing safe areas and remove sources of shelter, water, and food, such as fruit-bearing trees;

(3) It also causes soil erosion, which can change the landscape and make it harder to find food;

(4) It worsens climate change by increasing greenhouse gas emissions. This can affect weather and water availability, and increase the risk of natural disasters; and

(5) Animal species threatened by forest loss may also face increased competition with others, and can be at higher risk of being killed by predators who have also lost their natural habitat.

Suppose a forest is cleared for housing. What is the loss of environmental conditions that adversely affect forest wildlife?

27) How can we remove SAND from WATER?

28) A student rubs his hand together. His hand will be warmer as a result of the heat generated by:

29) How can people maintain their health?

30) The DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the hereditary material in cell. It contains the genetic information for each individual, including the physical features, such as hair-color, eye-color, freckles, and dimples. Children inherit physical characteristics from their parents. Physical characteristics are observable characteristics that children inherit from their parents. A partial list of inherited characteristics is: (1) Curly-hair; (2) Dimples; (3) Hair color; (4) Eye color. Chromosomes contain all the genetic information for each person in their DNA. Humans have 46 chromosomes within the nucleus of each cell. Each parent contributes 23 chromosomes to their child.

What characters are transferable to human baby?

31) A student spills a 20 rupee coin, which lands on the ground. Why did the coin drop to the ground?

32) Our heads have hair, which preserve heat and keeps us warm. Hair covers the nose, ears, and the area surrounding the eyes to shield them from dust and other microscopic particles. By reducing the amount of light and particles that enter the eyes, brows and eyelashes provide protection. Warmth and protection are given by the skin-covering fine hair.

Nails protect the sensitive tips of our fingers and toes from harm, assist us in picking up small objects, and protect them from infection. Health issues frequently stunt the growth of nails, which can be a sign of a person's overall well being.

Humans have hair and nails that grow. What is driving this growth?

33) In the context of human development, there are five significant phases in human growth and development: (1) Infancy - up to 1 year age; (2) Toddler - 1 to 5 years of age; (3) Childhood - 3 to 11 years old; (4) Adolescence/Teenage - from 12 to 18 years old; and (5) Adulthood. The major measurements used for children above two years are: WEIGHT, HEIGHT, BODY MASS INDEX (BMI), and HEAD CIRCUMFERENCE.

 The two processes by which a person's height increases from birth to adulthood are called:

34) How is a completely wet towel dried?

35) Energy has both positive and negative impacts on societies. Access to abundant, affordable, secure, safe, and clean energy is beneficial for humans. But, many times, energy sources including electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, or other sources in machines and equipment can be harmful.

Which of these statements best outline how energy can be harmful?

36) A student describes a famous writer and includes the following information:

Data-1: Manish was born in the year 1986.

Data-2:  He attended high school in Delhi, India.

Data-3:  He is the author of the most important computer science book ever written.

Data-4:  His first tale was published in a magazine when he was 15 years old.

What type of data is an opinion?

37) What is the one life process that all living things do?

38) The light that we get from sun rays is called "WHITE LIGHT". This white light is actually composed of (1) RED; (2) ORANGE; (3) YELLOW; (4) GREEN; (5) BLUE; (6) INDIGO; and (7) VIOLET LIGHTS (the colors of the rainbow). If we shine white light through a glass prism, we can see that the white light comes out as a rainbow. These different lights have different energies associated with them. For example, a white shirt would reflect all the light which would mean that it absorbs the least amount of energy; and this is why people wear light-colored clothing in the summer to stay cool. Similarly, for example, a black colored shirt absorbs all the colors and their energies, and thus making us feel hotter.

Two cars parked outside on a hot sunny day. The vehicles are the same size and shape. One car is black and the other is white. They are in the sun for 6 hours. The roof of the black car compared to the roof of the white car is most likely:

39) Matter is any substance that takes up space by having volume and has mass. Matter can undergo physical and chemical changes but it cannot be destroyed. It can only change form. All matter has properties which can be measured or observed. Strength, hardness, flexibility, ability to conduct heat, ability to conduct electricity, ability to be attracted to magnets, and ability to react with water and fire are all properties of matter. Geologists are the earth scientists who study the earth, its composition, and the changes that occur over time. Rocks are naturally-occurring and made of at least one mineral. A mineral is also naturally-occurring. Hardness, color, luster, cleavage, and streak are all physical properties used to identify minerals. Physical properties can be observed and measured.

What property can student best observe by touching rocks with his/her hand?

40) The definition of an animal's lifespan is:

41) The water cycle describes how water evaporates from the surface of the earth, rises into the atmosphere, cools and condenses into rain or snow in clouds, and falls again to the surface as rain.

The water cycle draws energy from:

42) Energy is defined as the ability to do work. We can see energy at work in living things, for example, a bird flies through the air; a dog shakes its tail, et cetera. Inside every cell of all living things, energy is needed to carry out life processes. Cells are the basic building blocks of all living things. The human body is composed of trillions of cells: (1) they provide structure for the body; (2) take in nutrients from food; (3) convert those nutrients into energy; and (4) carry out specialized functions. Cells also contain the body’s hereditary material. Cell can make copies of themselves.

Animals get the energy they need for growth and repair by absorbing:

43) A student smashes a flat piece of paper into a spherical ball. Which paper characteristics have changed?

44) What is the measurement system used to determine an object's length?

45) When a liquid transforms into a gas, this is referred to as evaporation. It is easy to see when rain puddles disappear on a hot day or wet clothes dry in the sun heat. In these situations, the liquid water is evaporating into a gas known as water vapor rather than disappearing.

One of the three major processes in the Earth's water cycle is evaporation. Evaporation contributes for 90% of the moisture in the Earth's atmosphere, with plant transpiration accounting for the remaining 10%.

Substances can exist in one of three states: solid, liquid, or gas. Evaporation is just one process for a substance, such as water, to transition between different phases. Other methods include melting and freezing. When liquid water cools to a low enough temperature, it freezes and solidifies into ice. When solid water is heated sufficiently, it melts and returns to a liquid state. As the liquid water is heated further, it evaporates and turns into a gas, that is, water vapor.

These transitions between phases (melting, freezing, and evaporating) occur because the molecules in a substance begin to speed up or slow down when the temperature rises or falls. The molecules in a solid are tightly packed and only vibrate against each other. The molecules in a liquid move freely yet remain close together. They move around in a gas and have a lot of space between them.

Which scenario best illustrates evaporation?

46) Where in the plant do seeds produce?

47) Forest fire, also called wild/bush/vegetation fire, can be described as any uncontrolled burning of plants in a natural setting such as a forest/grass-land/brush-land, which consumes the natural fuels and spreads based on environmental conditions, for example, ‘wind’. Forest fire can be caused by human actions, such as “land clearing”. We also knew that after forest fire, some plants survived.

The name of process that allows these surviving plant populations to grow is:

48) Place the stone in the water-filled glass. What pulls the stone down into the glass and what power is that?

49) What actions taken by people benefit the environment?

50) Since gravity is a force, things are pulled toward it. The earliest scientist to give the gravitational laws was Isaac Newton. According to the legend, one of the apples fell off the tree as he was seated below it. He began to think as he watched the apple drop to the ground as to why it hadn't gone up to the sky instead. After doing numerous experiments and applying some brilliant research and reasoning, he discovered that the strength of gravity is influenced by “how heavy the objects are”.

What force pulls things toward the center of the earth?