Science Benchmark Test - 2nd Quarter - 5th Grade

The best description of a decomposer is a microorganism that feeds on dead organisms. Decomposers play a crucial role in breaking down dead organic matter and returning nutrients back into the ecosystem. They help in the process of decomposition by breaking down complex organic compounds into simpler forms that can be absorbed by other organisms. This process is essential for nutrient cycling and maintaining the balance of ecosystems.

Eye color is a trait that is inherited from parents through genetics. It is determined by the combination of genes passed down from both parents.

Speaking a language is a learned behavior because it is not innate or instinctual. Humans are not born with the ability to speak a language, but rather acquire it through exposure, practice, and learning from others. Language acquisition involves understanding and producing sounds, words, and grammar rules, which requires cognitive development and social interactions. Unlike spinning a web, migration, and digestion, which are instinctual or biologically determined behaviors, speaking a language is a cultural and learned behavior specific to human societies.

The animals classified as amphibians are frog, salamander, and toad. Amphibians are a group of cold-blooded vertebrates that live both on land and in water. They typically have moist skin and undergo metamorphosis from a water-dwelling larval stage to a terrestrial adult stage. Chickens, ducks, geese, alligators, turtles, lizards, whales, horses, and dogs do not fall under the category of amphibians.

Based on the student's observations, she can conclude that algae are photosynthetic. This is because the shady pond, which received less sunlight, had very little algae, while the pond that received full sunshine had a large quantity of algae. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants and algae convert sunlight into energy, and the presence of algae in the pond that received full sunshine suggests that they are able to thrive and grow in the presence of sunlight.

Heredity determines eye color in humans. This means that the genes passed down from parents to their offspring play a role in determining the color of their eyes. Eye color is a heritable trait, meaning it can be inherited from one or both parents. The specific combination of genes inherited from parents will determine the color of an individual's eyes, such as blue, green, brown, or hazel.

Playing the piano is a learned characteristic because it is a skill that is acquired through practice and education. Unlike sneezing, having brown hair, or taking a deep breath, playing the piano is not an innate or inherited trait. It requires deliberate effort and training to develop the ability to play the piano proficiently.

A baby being born with six fingers can be a direct result of gene expression. Gene expression refers to the process by which information from a gene is used to create a functional gene product, such as a protein. In this case, a specific gene or set of genes could be expressed in a way that leads to the development of an extra finger during embryonic development. This trait would be inherited from the baby's parents, as genes are passed down from generation to generation.

Moss is the correct answer because it is a non-vascular plant. Unlike trees, ferns, and grass, mosses do not have specialized tissues for conducting water and nutrients. They rely on direct absorption from their surroundings, making them non-vascular plants.

The researcher crossed two flowers of the same species and found that all four offspring flowers were blue. This suggests that the blue flower trait is dominant over the green flower trait.

The correct answer is ocean currents carrying the seeds of coconut palms to islands. Both the deer eating an apple and the ocean currents carrying coconut palm seeds are examples of animals helping plants reproduce. The deer eats the apple and spreads the seeds through its droppings, while the ocean currents carry the coconut palm seeds to new islands where they can grow and reproduce. Both actions contribute to the dispersal of seeds and the continuation of plant species.

The student can conclude that root growth is influenced by the amount of precipitation based on her observations. She noticed that in dry conditions, plants had shallow, widespread root systems, while in areas with abundant rainfall, plants had deep roots. This suggests that the availability of water affects how plants develop their root systems, with more water leading to deeper roots.

Mitochondria are responsible for supplying energy to the cell. They produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the main source of energy for cellular activities. Through a process called cellular respiration, mitochondria convert nutrients from food into ATP molecules. This energy is then used by the cell to perform various functions such as growth, movement, and metabolism. Therefore, the function of mitochondria is to supply energy for the cell.

A plant cell has a supportive cell wall, which is a rigid structure that provides strength and support to the cell. This cell wall is made up of cellulose and is located outside the cell membrane. In contrast, animal cells do not have a cell wall. The presence of a cell wall is a characteristic feature of plant cells and helps them maintain their shape and withstand mechanical stress.

The student most likely set out to prove the hypothesis that transpiration draws water into every plant cell. This is supported by the fact that the student placed the flowers in blue water and observed that the petals gradually turned blue. This suggests that the water was drawn up through the stem and into the petals, causing them to change color.

A group of tissues that work together to perform a specific function is called an organ. This is because organs are composed of different types of tissues that collaborate to carry out a particular task. Organs are a higher level of organization in living organisms compared to tissues, organelles, and organisms themselves.

Microscopic producers, such as algae and phytoplankton, contribute to the environment by releasing oxygen into the atmosphere. Through the process of photosynthesis, these organisms use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to produce oxygen as a byproduct. This oxygen is essential for the survival of other organisms, including animals and humans, as it is required for respiration. Therefore, the release of oxygen by microscopic producers plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of gases in the atmosphere and supporting life on Earth.

An individual who has inherited the gene for a trait but does not physically show it is called a carrier. This means that they possess the gene for a particular trait but do not exhibit any symptoms or physical characteristics associated with that trait. Carriers can pass on the gene to their offspring, increasing the likelihood of the trait being expressed in future generations.

Imprinting refers to a behavior in which young animals form a strong attachment to their caregiver shortly after birth or hatching. This attachment is usually based on visual or auditory cues. The best example of imprinting is young ducks following their mother, as they quickly learn to recognize and follow her, even if she is not their biological mother. This behavior ensures their survival and helps them learn important skills from their caregiver.

A compound light microscope would be the best instrument for studying living animal cells because it uses visible light to illuminate the specimen, allowing for the observation of living cells in their natural state. Electron microscopes, on the other hand, use beams of electrons and are better suited for studying non-living specimens or fixed cells. A scanning electron microscope is used to study the surface of specimens in great detail, but it may not provide the necessary resolution for studying living cells. A magnifying glass is not powerful enough to observe cells at the cellular level.

The dependent variable in this experiment is the height of the sunflowers. This is because the height of the sunflowers is being measured and observed in response to the different amounts of liquid fertilizer applied. The other factors mentioned - fertilizer, soil, and water and sunlight - are either independent variables (fertilizer) or controlled variables (soil, water and sunlight).

Fertilization is the process by which the male and female gametes (sperm and egg) fuse together to form a zygote, which develops into an offspring. During fertilization, genetic material from both parents combines, resulting in a unique set of traits in the offspring. This is why an offspring does not have traits identical to its parent. Regeneration and budding are forms of asexual reproduction, where the offspring is genetically identical to the parent. Closing is not a method of reproduction, so it is not relevant to the explanation.

When a tall plant is crossed with a short plant, the offspring plants will all be tall. This is because the trait for tallness is dominant over the trait for shortness. Therefore, even though one parent is short, the presence of the tallness trait will result in all of the offspring plants being tall.