Download 6th Grade Science Post Test Study Guide ANSWERS Write out a

6th Grade Science Post Test Study Guide ANSWERS
Write out a definition for each term:
1) Independent variable – manipulated or changed on purpose; changed to see how it affects
something else
2) Control group – “Control”; the normal set up (without the independent variable) used for
comparison to see what the effect of the independent variable is/was
3) Inference – to predict based on the information or observations you have and past experience
4) Organelle – tiny structures within a cell that perform specialized functions; ex. nucleus,
mitochondria, chloroplast, etc
5) Population – the number of the same species in a certain area
6) Carnivore – consumer that consumes/eats ‘meat’ or other consumers
7) Herbivore – consumer that consumes/eats producers/plants
8) Parasite – consumer that lives off of another organism; ex tick on a dog
9) Host – the organism that provides nutrients or protection to the parasite; ex. the dog a tick is on
10) Predator – an organism that ‘hunts’ or eats another organism; ex lion, venus fly trap, insects
11) Consumer – an organism that cannot make its own food and must eat other organisms
a. Primary – an organism that eats/consumes producers or plants
b. Secondary – an organism that eats/consumes primary consumers
12) Producer – an organism that makes its own food, usually through photosynthesis; ex plants
13) Decomposer – an organism that breaks down dead organisms; ex. bacteria, fungus, vultures
14) Photosynthetic – describes an organism that uses photosynthesis (sunlight) to make its food;
describe producers which can sometimes be plants or microbes!
15) Competition – when two organisms fight over the same resources; ex food, space, water, mates
16) Biome – a large area or habitat with a certain set of characteristics; ex desert, rain forest, ocean
17) Population – OOPS repeat 
18) Potential energy – energy that is ‘stored’ or based on position or shape; example water stored
behind a dam on a river, ball on top of a hill, something on a shelf, stretched rubberband
19) Kinetic energy – energy of motion; skateboard rolling down a hill, water flowing in a river
20) Describe an animal cell. Cell membrane on outer surface with cytoplasm which contains water,
molecules dissolved in water, and organelles (specialized structures to do certain jobs)
21) What 2 processes of the water cycle (hydrological cycle) absorb heat and form water vapor? 1)
Evaporation and 2)Transpiration
22) What 3 things are needed for photosynthesis go into a plant? These are called reactants. 1)
Sunlight (often not considered a reactant since it is not matter), 2) Water (H20), and 3) Carbon
dioxide (CO2) – which goes into a plant during photosynthesis.
23) What 2 things are produced during photosynthesis? These are called products. 1) Sugar/Glucose
(C6H12O6) and 2) Oxygen (O2) – which leaves a plant during photosynthesis.
What are examples of each:
24) Producers – plants or trees and some photosynthetic microbes (tiny life such as bacteria)
25)
26)
27)
28)
29)
Primary Consumers – eat plants, herbivores, such as insects, cows, mice
Secondary Consumers – eats ‘meat’ or herbivores, such as weasels, fox, frogs, lizards, etc
Decomposers – breakdown dead things; ex bacteria, fungus, maggots, worms
What type of organism belongs at the top of an energy pyramid? Plant/Herbivore/Carnivore
Write the chemical equation for photosynthesis. Use the chemical formulas.
6 H20 + 6 CO2 + sunlight (written on arrow) - 6 O2 + C6H12O6
30) What lab tools are used to measure length and mass? Meterstick, ruler and balance
31) Why is it important to maintain water quality? To keep water from becoming a non-renewable
resource (which means to keep it re-usable)
What is the function of each of the following organelles? Draw a sketch of each too.
images from biology.tutorvista.com
32) Nucleus – control or command center of a cell; tells cell what to do
33) Mitochondria – powerhouse of a cell; changes food into usable energy to provide energy for a
cell
34) Vacuole – stores water, minerals, food; very large in plant cells because plants need to store
more water, fills with water to keep plants from wilting
35) Chloroplast – performs photosynthesis; makes food to provide a form of energy for the cell
36) How are plant cells different than animal cells? Have cell walls, chloroplasts, and large vacuoles.
ANIMAL CELLS (LIKE THE ONES FOUND IN A PERSON) DO NOT HAVE A CELL WALL!
What is the primary function of each body system?
37) Digestive system – breakdown food so it can be absorbed and used by the body; if this stops
working, then you would lose weight since your body could not use the food. Food goes from
the mouth, through the digestive tract before being absorbed into the blood vessels and
transported to the cells of the body
38) Circulatory system – transports food, water, oxygen, waste around the body
39) Nervous system – sends messages to the brain and other body parts; messages travel through
nervous system to the muscles.
40) Muscular system – allows for movement; when messages from nervous system reach the
muscles, the muscles are attached to bones and cause the bones to move.
41) Integumentary system – Major component is skin which prevents injury, prevents water loss,
and regulates body temperature through sweating. You need to be able to sweat. Skin also
works with the nervous system because the nerve endings send information about temperature,
touch, pressure, and pain to the brain.
42) How do food molecules get to the cells of the body? Molecules pass only through the walls of
capillaries, part of the circulatory system, which transports food to ALL cells of the body (ex. skin
and brain cells)
43) What are capillaries? Where are they found? Tiny (microscopic) blood vessels found in body
organs such as brain and lungs AND body parts such as hands and feet
44) What is the function of a red blood cell? Carry oxygen and so you need LOTS of them! The test
will also say they carry carbon dioxide, while this is not true it is part of the correct answer. 
45) What is the function of a white blood cell? Needed when your body is attacked by
pathogens/germs to fight infections. Don’t need as many.
46) What is an example of each type of joint within the body? Describe the movement in each?
a. Fused/Fixed - Skull
NO MOVEMENT BECAUSE FUSED TOGETHER
b. Ball and Socket - Shoulder
ROTATE IN A COMPLETE CIRCLE
c. Hinge - Elbow
BEND CLOSER TO 180, BACK AND FORTH ONLY
47) What is the function of the skull and rib bones? Protection of organs such as brain, heart, and
lungs
48) What do all living things need to live? Need food and eliminates waste, and other stuff 
49) Why do plants wilt? Water has left the vacuole. Plant is running out of water.
50) Why can’t animal cells make their own food? Animal cells do not have chloroplasts.
51) What happens to the potential energy of a ball as it rolls down a ramp? It is
converted/transformed into kinetic energy.
52) What happens to molecules as they:
a. Heat up – Molecules move faster, more kinetic energy, take up more space/spread out
b. Cool down – Molecules move slower, less kinetic energy, condense/become more
tightly packed
53) How can you increase the strength of an electromagnet? 1) More coils 2) More tightly coiled, 3)
More current, 4) More magnetic metal core
54) When do magnets attract? Magnets attract when opposite poles are near each other. (North
pole near a South pole) The closer the 2 poles are, the more they are attracted.
55) What is thermal energy? Thermal energy is often associated with heat or temperature. Often at
higher temperatures, there is more thermal energy. All matter (anything made of atoms) has
thermal energy.
56) In what direction does thermal energy always travel? Only thermal energy (heat) can be
transferred. Cold cannot move. So, thermal energy moves from the warm object into the cooler
object.
57) Finish the sentence: Energy cannot be created or destroyed but can change (transform but typos
on the test say transferred) from one form to another. This is energy transformation. Examples:
potential to kinetic as a ball rolls down a hill, or chemical to thermal as a chemical reaction takes
place and heat is produced
58) What is an advantage of solar energy? Solar energy is readily available.
 Identify each of the following within experiments:
o Independent variable/Manipulated variable
o Control group/Controlled set-up
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
Know that some organisms are made of only one cell but others are made of millions of cells.
Be able to read a food chain and food web. The higher on the food chain, or energy pyramid, the
lower the amount of total energy is available. Notice that the mouse provides energy to more
than one animal. There is an arrow from the mouse to the snake AND to the rat AND to the owl.
The snake and rat then must compete for the same food source, the mouse. The owl competes
with the rat for the same food, the insects.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjE3fLvmrzMAhWJs4MKHS8CywQjRwIBw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Fpin%2F463096774155022686%2F&psig=AFQjCNFnNLZCnqByaHxVKOxTErp9VSks_Q&ust=
1462306595736897
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Be able to use a dichotomous key to identify an organism.
https://www.tes.com/lessons/r1ZYADDfAOzZbA/dichotomous-key