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EOC EARTH SCIENCE RELEASED TEST ITEMS
REPORTING CATEGORY: ASTRONOMY AND SPACE SCIENCE
4
DIRECTIONS
Read each question carefully and choose the best
answer.
A light-year measures —
A
B
C
D
5
The numerous rocks orbiting the sun
between Jupiter and Mars are —
A
B
C
D
6
1
A star might be much brighter than it
appears to be. This is called the star’s
absolute magnitude. The difference in
apparent magnitude and absolute
magnitude is due primarily to the star’s
—
A
B
C
D
2
About how long does it take the Earth to
make one complete rotation on its axis?
A
B
C
D
3
surface temperature
motion through the universe
diameter
distance from the Earth _
One day _
One week
One month
One year
Which planet is often called “Earth’s
twin” because it is similar in mass and
diameter to the Earth?
A
B
C
D
Mars
Mercury
Venus _
Pluto
brightness
distance _
radiation
time
comets
asteroids _
meteorites
satellites
The Southern Hemisphere is warmer in
January than in July because —
A it is experiencing summer _
B the cold winds are concentrated in the
Northern Hemisphere
C the sun puts out more energy
D the hole in the ozone layer allows more
heat into the atmosphere
7
Which diagram represents the placement
of the sun, Earth, and moon during a
lunar eclipse?
Astronomy & Space Science
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8
11 The sun emits energy by converting
hydrogen into helium. What is this
process called?
A
B
C
D
Fusion _
Fission
Sunspot formation
Solar wind
12 The pole star, Polaris, is nearly stationary
and straight overhead when seen from the
North Pole. When viewed from the
Equator, it —
What is the first stage in the life cycle of a
star?
A
B
C
D
Black hole
Dwarf star
Main-sequence star
Stellar nebula _
A is nearly stationary and on the horizon_
B is nearly stationary and directly
overhead
C rises barely above the eastern horizon,
moves along the southern horizon, and
sets in the West
D rises straight up in the East, passes
directly overhead, and descends straight
down in the West
13 Parallax can be used to measure a
star’s—
9
Saturn’s volume is 762 times the volume
of Earth, and yet its mass is only about 95
times that of Earth’s mass. This is due to
Saturn’s —
A
B
C
D
low density _
temperature
thousands of rings
distance from the sun
10 The first manned-mission to land on the
moon was commanded by Neil Armstrong
and was called —
A
B
C
D
Apollo 11 _
Gemini 3
Viking 2
Mariner 7
A
B
C
D
distance from Earth _
atmospheric temperature
gravitational strength
surface composition
14 Orbital velocity is the average speed of a
planet moving through space in its orbit
around the sun. Which of the following
planets has the fastest orbital velocity?
A
B
C
D
Mercury _
Jupiter
Mars
Pluto
Astronomy & Space Science
15
Page 3
18 A person weighs more on the Earth than
on the moon because the Earth has a
greater —
A density
B atmospheric pressure
C magnetic strength
D gravitational pull _
19
Which layer of the sun is the most dense?
A
B
C
D
Chromosphere
Photosphere
Core _
Corona
16 Periodically, there are spectacular meteor
showers on Earth. These showers usually
occur because the Earth’s orbit passes
through the remains of —
A
B
C
D
a star
a comet _
solar flares
the rings of Saturn
17 When Venus passes between the Earth
and the sun, it is visible as a tiny black dot
on the sun’s bright disk. Why is Mars
never visible in this same way?
A The orbit of Mars is more eccentric than
that of Venus.
B The orbit of Mars is outside that of the
Earth’s orbit. _
C Mars is too small to be seen against the
backdrop of the sun.
D Mars shines too brightly to be visible
against the sun.
Which of these elements does this star
contain?
A
B
C
D
Mercury
Calcium _
Sodium
Neon
20 Which of these causes days and nights?
A The orbit of the Earth around the sun
B The revolution of the moon around the
Earth
C The rotation of the moon on its axis
D The rotation of the Earth on its axis
Astronomy & Space Science
21 Which of these facts is the best supporting
evidence that the universe is expanding?
Page 4
25
A The stars vary in chemical composition.
B The galaxies are moving away from
each other. _
C The galaxies can spin to form eddies.
D The universe is filled with galaxies of
different sizes.
22
When the Earth is at its greatest distance
from the sun, its Northern Hemisphere is
tilted toward the sun, as shown in the
drawing. What season takes place in the
Southern Hemisphere at this time?
A
B
C
D
Which of the above evolutionary stages of a
massive star is called a supernova?
A
B
C
D
1
2
3
4_
23 Photographs of the surface of Mars reveal
the presence of sand dunes that shift over
time. These dunes demonstrate the
presence of what phenomenon on Mars?
A
B
C
D
26 Because of the unique position of the
Earth in the solar system, life has
flourished due to the presence of —
A helium
B volcanoes
C liquid water
D salt
27
Precipitation
Winds _
Magnetic pole reversals
Plate tectonics
24 Which planet in the solar system has an
orbit so eccentric that it crosses the orbit
of another planet?
A
B
C
D
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter _
Mars
Mercury
Jupiter
Pluto _
At what position would Earth be found in
the solar system diagram shown above?
A
B
C
D
1
2
3
4
Astronomy & Space Science
28 What element is the main component
of most stars?
A
B
C
D
Nitrogen
Iron
Hydrogen
Oxygen
29 Why do stars appear to change position
during the night?
A Earth rotates on its axis.
B Earth revolves around the sun.
C The stars are moving away from each
other.
D Stars are very far away from the solar
system.
30 Why does erosion not occur on the moon?
A The rock surface of the moon is too
hard.
B There is no animal life.
C There is no wind or rain.
D The gravitational pull of the moon is too
weak.
31 Which planet has a fierce hurricane-like
storm that is several times the size of
Earth?
A
B
C
D
Mars
Venus
Saturn
Jupiter
Page 5
32 In 1912, an astronomer at Arizona’s
Lowell Observatory noticed that the lines
in the spectra of most galaxies shifted
toward the red end of the spectrum.
Another American astronomer, Edwin
Hubble, later interpreted this discovery as
evidence that —
A galaxies were once part of one huge
megagalaxy
B an explosion will one day result from
the pressure building as the galaxies
expand
C galaxies are moving away from each
other in a constantly expanding universe
D the largest galaxies are slowly engulfing
their smaller neighbors
33 What process has occurred when atoms
combine to form a new element and
release energy?
A
B
C
D
Fusion
Fission
Hydrogenation
Ionization
Astronomy & Space Science
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VIRGINIA
STANDARDS OF LEARNING ASSESSMENTS
RELEASED TEST -– EARTH SCIENCE ANSWER KEY
Number
Answer
Category
Reporting Category Description
1
D
004
Astronomy and Space Science
2
A
004
Astronomy and Space Science
3
C
004
Astronomy and Space Science
4
B
004
Astronomy and Space Science
5
B
004
Astronomy and Space Science
6
A
004
Astronomy and Space Science
7
C
004
Astronomy and Space Science
8
D
004
Astronomy and Space Science
9
A
004
Astronomy and Space Science
10
A
004
Astronomy and Space Science
11
A
004
Astronomy and Space Science
12
A
004
Astronomy and Space Science
13
A
004
Astronomy and Space Science
14
A
004
Astronomy and Space Science
15
C
004
Astronomy and Space Science
16
B
004
Astronomy and Space Science
17
B
004
Astronomy and Space Science
18
D
004
Astronomy and Space Science
19
B
004
Astronomy and Space Science
20
D
004
Astronomy and Space Science
21
B
004
Astronomy and Space Science
22
D
004
Astronomy and Space Science
23
B
004
Astronomy and Space Science
24
D
004
Astronomy and Space Science
25
D
003
Astronomy and Space Science
Astronomy & Space Science
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Number
Answer
Category
Reporting Category Description
26
C
004
Astronomy and Space Science
27
B
004
Astronomy and Space Science
28
C
004
Astronomy and Space Science
29
A
004
Astronomy and Space Science
30
C
004
Astronomy and Space Science
31
D
004
Astronomy and Space Science
32
C
004
Astronomy and Space Science
33
A
004
Astronomy and Space Science