Download 8th grade study guide

8th grade study guide
Comprehensive exam
CHAPTER 1
1. Compare and contrast scientific theory and scientific law.
2. What are the three main branches of science? Compare and contrast each of them.
3. What is the difference between an inference and an observation?
4. List the steps of the scientific method in order. Why would the scientific method be
important in our everyday lives?
5. Differentiate between a constant and a variable.
6. What is a controlled experiment?
7. Compare and contrast independent and dependent variables.
8. Read and study the information below. Then answer the questions that follow.
Example 1
Can blueberries slow down aging?
A study indicates that antioxidants found in blueberries may slow down the process of
aging. In this study, 19-month old rats (equivalent to 60 year old humans) were fed either
their standard diet or a diet supplemented by either blueberry, strawberry, or spinach
powder. After eight weeks, the rats were given memory and motor tests. Although all
supplemented rats showed improvement, those supplemented with blueberry powder
showed the most notable improvement.
1. What is the independent variable?
2. What is the dependent variable?
3. What is the hypothesis?
9. Differentiate between qualitative data and quantitative data give examples of each.
10. Differentiate between subjective observations and objective observations give
examples of each.
11. Why is it important to always use proper safety equipment?
CHAPTER’S 3 AND 5
12. List and describe the three types of galaxies.
13. Describe the Milky Way.
14. Draw and label the moon phases. How long does it take the moon to go through its
phases?
15. What causes the changing of the seasons on the Earth?
16. Draw and label a lunar eclipse.
17. Draw and label a solar eclipse.
18. What is a light-year? And what is its purpose?
19. Define Doppler shift. What are the red and blue shifts?
20. What is a spectrometer and how does a spectrometer work?
21. What is absolute magnitude and which numbers indicate a bright absolute magnitude
versus a dim absolute magnitude?
22. What is the purpose of nuclear fusion?
23. Why does the moon have its different phases?
24. Which unit of length would be used to measure the distance from Earth to stars other
than the Sun?
CHAPTER 11
25. What is a gene? How is a gene related to a chromosome? Write a scientific analogy
that would be similar to this concept but yet different.
26. What is DNA? How is it related to a gene? Write an analogy that would be similar to
this concept but yet different.
27. In a male organism, a cell with 78 chromosomes undergoes meiosis. Hypothesize
how many chromosomes each new cell will have.
28. Other than saying a DNA molecule looks like a twisted ladder, what other analogies
can we use to describe the DNA molecule?
29. Describe the process of mitosis. What are the purposes of mitosis? What type of cells
does this process produce?
30. What are the major phases of mitosis?
31. Describe the process of meiosis. What is the purpose of meiosis? What type of cells
does this process produce?
32. What is the difference between sexual and asexual reproduction. Create a chart
showing the differences?
33. How is budding related to asexual reproduction? Explain how a hydra has the ability
to go through the process of budding with the aid of mitosis. Draw a picture to help show
this process as well as your explanations.
34. What is fertilization?
35. Create a Punnett square using the following information.
A cousin of Sponge Bob’s, SpongeBillyBob recently met a cute square pants gal,
Sponge Gerdy, at a local dance and fell in love. Use your knowledge of genetics to
answer the following questions.
A) If Sponge Gerdy’s father is Heterozygous for square pants and her mother is a round
pants. What is her genotype? Complete the Punnett square to show the possible
genotypes that would result to help you determine Gerdy’s genotype.
G: square pants
g: round pants
Gerdy’s genotype___________
B) Use your information on Gerdy from part A and cross Sponge Billy Bob who is
Heterozygous for square pants with Gerdy to see what their possible offspring’s
genotypes and phenotypes.
ss
Phenotypes:
Genotypes:
SCIENCE INSTRUMENTS:
36. Draw a picture of an Erlenmeyer flask. Label it, and describe its use.
37. Draw a picture of a graduated cylinder. Label it, and describe its use.
38. Draw a picture of a beaker. Label it, and describe its use.
39. Differentiate between homozygous recessive, homozygous dominant, and
heterozygous.
40. What is selective breeding and in what ways can it be beneficial?
41. One parent is homozygous dominant for Brown eyes (B). The other parent is
homozygous recessive for blue eyes (b). Predict the offspring’s phenotypes and
genotypes.