PHYSICAL SCIENCE PBE

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:
1. This booklet contains 100 test questions. Examinees shall manage to use three (3) hours.
1. Shade only one (1) box for each question on your answer sheets. Two or more boxes shaded will
invalidate your answer.
2. AVOID ERASURES.
3. This is RN INTERNATIONAL REVIEW AND TRAINING INSTITUTE CO. property only.

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Detach one (1) answer sheet from the bottom of your Examine ID/Answer Sheet Set.
2. Write the subject title “PHYSICAL SCIENCE PBE” on the box provided..

1.The main branches of natural science are

a. physics and chemistry. c. medicine and agriculture.
b. biology, zoology, and ecology. d. life, physical, and earth science.

2.Technology can best be defined as

a. science that uses computers. c. applied science.
b. new inventions. d. the use of lenses and microscopes.

3.Pure science is best defined as the

a. continuing search for new knowledge.
b. use of science to solve human problems.
c. study of the makeup of living things.
d. application of scientific knowledge.

4.What do scientists who do pure science do?

a. They look for ways to use scientific knowledge to solve problems.
b. They develop new uses for scientific knowledge.
c. They do experiments to find out about the world.
d. They build faster and more powerful computers.

5.What is a scientific law?

a. It is the same as a hypothesis.
b. It is a description of a natural event.
c. It is an explanation of a scientific observation.
d. It is the conclusion of a scientific experiment.

6.For a scientific theory to be valid, it must allow you to

a. perform experiments. c. find a new, more complex explanation.
b. obtain new results each time. d. make predictions.

7.A scientific model is a

a. representation of a real event or object.
b. small building used to conduct experiments.
c. mathematical statement of a theory.
d. new theory that takes the place of an incorrect one.

8.A series of logical steps that is followed in order to solve a problem is called the
a. experimental process. c. scientific method.
b. scientific theory. d. model method.

9.The first step in the scientific method is usually

a. making an observation. c. collecting data.
b. forming a hypothesis. d. testing a hypothesis.

10.Scientists test a hypothesis by

a. formulating questions. c. doing experiments.
b. designing models. d. drawing conclusions.

11.Which question cannot be answered by an experiment?

a. Does penicillin kill Salmonella bacteria?
b. Is rabies caused by a virus?
c. Did a comet impact kill the dinosaurs?
d. Can radiation cause cancer?

____ 12. The SI unit for measuring temperature is the

a. degree. c. mole.
b. kelvin. d. ampere.
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13.Which SI prefix means one million?

a. kilo- c. giga-
b. mega- d. milli-

14.Which SI prefix means one one-hundredth (1/100)?

a. nano- c. milli-
b. micro- d. centi-

15.Maria is 123 centimeters tall. Her height in meters is

a. 0123 m. c. 1.23 m.
b. 0.123 m. d. 12.3 m.

16.A loaf of bread weighs 1362 g. The weight in kilograms is

a. 1.362 kg. c. 01362 kg.
b. 1362 kg. d. 001362 kg.

17.The force with which gravity pulls on a quantity of matter is referred to as

a. mass. c. volume.
b. length. d. weight.

18.At which time of day was the temperature approximately 4ºC?

a. 9:00 A.M. c. 11:00 A.M.
b. 10:00 A.M. d. 12:00 P.M.

19.At which two times of day was the temperature the same?
a. 7:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M. c. 10:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M.
b. 7:00 A.M. and 10:00 P.M. d. 10:00 A.M. and 10:00 P.M

20.The sample contained the same number of pennies for which two years?
a. 1988 and 1992 c. 1994 and 1997
b. 1988 and 1991 d. 1994 and 1998

21.For which year was the smallest number of pennies found?

a. 1988 c. 1990
b. 1989 d. 1991

22.The decimal equivalent of 10–2 is

 PHYSICAL SCIENCE PBE

a. 100. c. 0.1.
b. 10. d. 0.01.

23.What is 78,900,000,000 expressed in scientific notation?

a. 789 × 109 c. 7.89 × 1010
b. 7.89 × 109 d. 7.89 × 1011

24.The speed of light is approximately 3 × 108 m/s. How would this be written in conventional notation?
a. 300,000 m/s c. 30,000,000 m/s
b. 3,000,000 m/s d. 300,000,000 m/s

25.A precise measurement is one that

a. contains the correct number of significant figures.
b. contains at least three significant figures.
c. is close to the true value.
d. is as exact as possible.

26.A measurement that is accurate is one that

a. is as exact as possible.
b. is close to the true value.
c. contains at least four significant figures.
d. contains five decimal places.

27.Matter is defined as anything that

a. can be seen and touched. c. can be weighed.
b. has mass and takes up space. d. contains kinetic or potential energy.

28.A substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances is

a. a compound. c. an element.
b. a mixture. d. an atom.

29.The chemical formula for water, H2O, means that each water molecule contains
a. two hydrogen atoms and two oxygen atoms.
b. two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.
c. two hydrogen atoms and zero oxygen atoms.
d. one hydrogen atom and two oxygen atoms.

30.You put 1 gram of salt into 1 liter of water and stir. The resulting liquid is an example of
a. a pure substance. c. a homogeneous mixture.
b. a heterogeneous mixture. d. an immiscible mixture.

31.The science of what matter is made of and how it changes is called

a. chemistry. c. kinetics.
b. physics. d. engineering.

32.The chemical element that is most abundant in the human body is

a. nitrogen. c. carbon.
b. iron. d. oxygen.

33.The element that is most abundant in Earth is

a. iron. c. silicon.
b. oxygen. d. magnesium.

34.The chemical symbol for sulfuric acid is H2SO4. How many atoms are contained in each molecule of sulfuric acid?
a. 3 c. 6
b. 5 d. 7

35.The chemical formula for table sugar is C12H22O11. How many oxygen atoms are in each sugar molecule?
a. 2 c. 12
b. 11 d. 22

36.Which of the following is an example of a gas-liquid mixture?

a. the air we breathe c. soapsuds
b. a carbonated drink d. ice cubes

37.Which state of matter will hold its shape without a container?

a. solid c. gas
b. liquid d. plasma
 PHYSICAL SCIENCE PBE

38.The kinetic theory is useful for

a. determining how much heat is necessary to melt a solid.
b. explaining how matter and energy are related.
c. testing the temperature of a gas.
d. showing the differences between states of matter.

39.The change of a substance from a solid directly to a gas is called

a. condensation. c. melting.
b. evaporation. d. sublimation.

40.Evaporation refers to the change of state from a

a. liquid to a gas. c. solid to a liquid.
b. gas to a liquid. d. liquid to a solid.

41.The law of conservation of mass states that mass cannot be

a. burned. c. created or destroyed.
b. changed in form. d. heated or cooled.

42.During a chemical or physical change, energy may be

a. created. c. greatly increased in strength.
b. destroyed. d. converted into another form.

43.You burn a log of wood, and only a small pile of ashes is left. What has happened?
a. A large amount of mass has been lost.
b. A small amount of mass has been converted into a large amount of heat energy.
c. The total mass of the wood and oxygen is the same as the total mass of the ash and gases.
d. The total amount of energy is less than before.

44.A liquid changes rapidly into a gas at the liquid's

a. boiling point. c. melting point.
b. freezing point. d. condensation point.

45.Knowing the chemical properties of a substance will tell you how the substance
a. looks. c. can be broken down into atoms.
b. smells. d. reacts with other substances.

46.Which of the following is not an example of a physical property?

a. freezing point c. reactivity
b. boiling point d. density

47.Lead has a density of 11.3 g/cm3. What is the volume of a block of lead with a mass of 282.5 g?
a. 2.5 cm3 c. 250 cm3
3
b. 25 cm d. 2500 cm3

48.Which of the following is an example of a chemical change?

a. ice melting c. pounding gold into a coin
b. paint fading d. a puddle of water evaporating

49.Which of the following is an example of a physical change?

a. dissolving salt in water c. cooking an egg
b. burning wood into charcoal d. rusting iron

50.Ice floats in water because it is

a. more dense than water. c. colder than water.
b. less dense than water. d. warmer than water.

51.Digesting food is an example of

a. physical change. c. chemical change.
b. change of state. d. buoyancy.

52.When water is broken down, what happens to the oxygen and hydrogen atoms it is made of?
a. They combine with oxygen in air to produce new substances.
b. They are rearranged to form hydrogen and oxygen gas
c. They are destroyed.
d. They increase in size until they form a solid.

53.Grinding quartz crystals down to produce sand is an example of a

 PHYSICAL SCIENCE PBE

a. change of state. c. chemical reaction.

b. chemical change. d. physical change.

54.The tendency of a less dense substance to float in a more dense liquid is called
a. viscosity. c. sublimation.
b. density. d. buoyancy.

55.Dalton's atomic theory stated that every element was made of atoms that could not be subdivided, atoms of the same element are
alike, and
a. atoms are made of protons, neutrons, and electrons.
b. the nucleus is the center of the atom.
c. atoms can join to form molecules.
d. atoms are constantly in motion.

56.Which statement is true according to Dalton's theory?

a. Atoms of different elements can join to form larger atoms.
b. Atoms can be subdivided into smaller particles.
c. Atoms of the same element differ in electric charge.
d. Atoms of the same element are exactly alike.

57.Which statement about the atomic nucleus is correct?

a. The nucleus is made of protons and neutrons and has a negative charge.
b. The nucleus is made of protons and neutrons and has a positive charge.
c. The nucleus is made of electrons and has a positive charge.
d. The nucleus is made of electrons and has a negative charge.

58.The charge of an electron is

a. –2 c. 0
b. –1 d. +1

59.Atoms have no electric charge because they

a. have an equal number of charged and noncharged particles.
b. have neutrons in their nuclei.
c. have an equal number of electrons and protons.
d. have an equal number of neutrons and protons.

60.According to Bohr's model of the atom, electrons behave like

a. planets orbiting the sun. c. light energy in a vacuum.
b. waves on a vibrating string. d. planets rotating on their axes.

61.According to Bohr's theory, an electron's path around the nucleus defines its
a. electric charge. c. energy level.
b. atomic mass. d. speed.

62.According to modern atomic theory, it is nearly impossible to determine an electron's exact

a. color. c. charge
b. position. d. mass.

63.The order of elements in the periodic table is based on

a. the number of protons in the nucleus. c. the number of neutrons in the nucleus.
b. the electric charge of the nucleus. d. atomic mass.

64.Atoms of elements that are in the same group have the same number of
a. protons. c. valence electrons.
b. neutrons. d. protons and neutrons.

65.Valence electrons determine an atom's

a. mass. c. electric charge.
b. chemical properties. d. period.

66.Ionization refers to the process of

a. changing from one period to another. c. turning lithium into fluorine.
b. losing or gaining protons. d. losing or gaining electrons.

67.A lithium ion is much less reactive than a lithium atom because it
a. is much more massive.
b. has a full outermost energy level.
c. has a negative electric charge.
 PHYSICAL SCIENCE PBE

d. is in a different group in the periodic table.

68.Oxygen has atomic number 8. This means that an oxygen atom has
a. eight neutrons in its nucleus. c. eight protons in its nucleus.
b. a total of eight protons and neutrons. d. a total of eight neutrons and electrons.

69.An atom's mass number equals the number of

a. protons plus the number of electrons. c. protons.
b. protons plus the number of neutrons. d. neutrons.

70.Which statement about the alkali metals is correct?

a. They are located in the left-most column of the periodic table.
b. They are extremely nonreactive.
c. They are usually gases.
d. They form negative ions with a 1– charge.

71.Which of the following elements is an alkali metal?

a. calcium c. mercury
b. magnesium d. sodium

72.Alkali metals are extremely reactive because they

a. have very small atomic masses.
b. are not solids at room temperature.
c. have one valence electron that is easily removed to form a positive ion.
d. have two valence electrons that form compounds with calcium and magnesium.

73.Which statement about noble gases is correct?

a. They form compounds with very bright colors.
b. They exist as single atoms rather than as molecules.
c. They are highly reactive with both metals and nonmetals.
d. They are extremely rare in nature.

74.Semiconductors are elements that

a. have large atomic masses but small atomic numbers.
b. do not form compounds.
c. can conduct heat and electricity under certain conditions.
d. are extremely hard.

75.Most halogens form compounds by

a. gaining an electron to form a negative ion.
b. losing an electron to form a positive ion.
c. losing protons.
d. joining with both calcium and carbon.

76.Group 18 noble gases are inert because

a. they readily form positive ions.
b. they can have either a positive or a negative charge.
c. their outermost energy level is missing one electron.
d. their outermost energy level is full.

77.Carbon and other nonmetals are found in which area of the periodic table?
a. On the left-most side.
b. On the right side.
c. In the middle column of the periodic table.
d. In the bottom rows.

78.A mole is an SI base unit that describes the

a. mass of a substance. c. volume of a substance.
b. amount of a substance. d. electric charge of a substance.

79.If the atomic mass of carbon is 12 amu, 1 mole of pure carbon will have a mass of
a. 6 g. c. 12 g.
b. 6 mol. d. 12 mol.

80.Avogadro's constant is defined as the number of particles in

a. one mole of a pure substance. c. one gram of a pure substance.
b. one liter of a pure substance. d. one kilogram of a pure substance.
 PHYSICAL SCIENCE PBE

81.Molar mass is defined as

a. the number of particles in 1 mole of a substance.
b. the SI base unit that describes the amount of a substance.
c. the amount of a substance necessary to have a positive charge.
d. the mass in grams of 1 mole of a substance.

82.The average atomic mass of potassium is approximately 39 amu. What is the mass of 2.0 mol of potassium?
a. 0.39 g c. 39 g
b. 0.78 g d. 78 g

83.The average atomic mass of the element cesium is approximately 133 amu. What is the mass of 3.00 mol of cesium?
a. 0.133 g c. 266 g
b. 133 g d. 399 g

84.The forces that hold different atoms or ions together are

a. electric currents. c. physical bonds.
b. chemical bonds. d. nuclear forces.

85.A mixture is different from a compound because each substance in a mixture

a. retains its own properties. c. forms an ion.
b. changes its electric charge. d. changes from a solid to a liquid.

86.A compound differs from a mixture because it

a. always remains frozen even at high temperatures.
b. is formed from two cations.
c. always contains the same elements in the same proportion.
d. can form only in the presence of heat energy.

87.Each molecule of hydrochloric acid, HCl, contains one atom of hydrogen and
a. one atom of chlorine. c. two atoms of chlorine.
b. one atom of oxygen. d. two atoms of oxygen.

88.Each molecule of table sugar, C12H22O11, contains

a. 0 atoms of carbon. c. 6 atoms of carbon.
b. 1 atom of carbon. d. 12 atoms of carbon.

89.Gases take up a lot of space because

a. they have weak chemical bonds.
b. their molecules have very little attraction for one another.
c. they contain very few atoms.
d. they have a small molar mass.

90.Often atoms join so that each atom will have

a. an even number of electrons.
b. an outermost energy level that is full of electrons.
c. an equal number of protons and electrons.
d. more electrons than either protons or neutrons.

91.An ionic bond is a bond that forms between

a. ions with opposite charges.
b. atoms with neutral charges.
c. one atom's nucleus and another atom's electrons.
d. the electrons of two different atoms.

92.Covalent bonds are formed between

a. ions. c. nonmetal atoms.
b. metal atoms. d. compounds.

93.In a metallic bond, the nucleus of one atom is attracted by a nearby atom's
a. nucleus. c. energy structure.
b. negative ion. d. electrons.

94.Solid ionic compounds have very high melting points because they
a. are positively charged.
b. contain metallic elements.
c. are made of elements that are solid at room temperature.
d. contain charged ions that are locked tightly together.
 PHYSICAL SCIENCE PBE

95.In which type of bond do atoms share electrons?

a. covalent bonds c. ionic bonds
b. metallic bonds d. polyatomic bonds

96.The anion formed from an oxygen atom is called a(n)

a. oxygen ion. c. carbon dioxide.
b. oxide ion. d. nitrous oxide.

97.The name dinitrogen tetroxide tells you that this compound contains
a. two nitrogen atoms and two oxygen atoms.
b. four nitrogen atoms and two oxygen atoms.
c. two nitrogen atoms and four oxygen atoms.
d. four nitrogen atoms and four oxygen atoms.

98.When copper combines with oxygen to form copper(II) oxide, the charge of the copper ion is
a. Cu1+. c. Cu3+.
2+
b. Cu . d. Cu4+.

99.When nickel combines with fluorine to form nickel(III) fluoride, the charge of the nickel ion is
a. Ni1+. c. Ni3+.
2+
b. Ni . d. Ni4+.

100.The name for the compound with the formula CuBr2 would be written as
a. copper(II) bromide. c. copper bromine.
b. copper(I) bromide. d. copper(III) bromide.
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Physical Science Midterm Exam Mrs. Marshall

Answer Section

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. ANS: D

2. ANS: C

3. ANS: A

4. ANS: C

5. ANS: B

6. ANS: D

7. ANS: A

8. ANS: C

9. ANS: A

10. ANS: C

11. ANS: C

12. ANS: B

13. ANS: B

14. ANS: D

15. ANS: C

16. ANS: A

17. ANS: D

18. ANS: B

19. ANS: D

20. ANS: C

21. ANS: D

22. ANS: D

23. ANS: C

24. ANS: D

25. ANS: D

26. ANS: B

27. ANS: B

28. ANS: C

29. ANS: B

30. ANS: C

31. ANS: A

32. ANS: D
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33. ANS: A

34. ANS: D

35. ANS: B

36. ANS: B

37. ANS: A

38. ANS: D

39. ANS: D

40. ANS: A

41. ANS: C

42. ANS: D

43. ANS: C

44. ANS: A

45. ANS: D

46. ANS: C

47. ANS: B

48. ANS: B

49. ANS: A

50. ANS: B

51. ANS: C

52. ANS: B

53. ANS: D

54. ANS: D

55. ANS: C

56. ANS: D

57. ANS: B

58. ANS: B

59. ANS: C

60. ANS: A

61. ANS: C

62. ANS: B

63. ANS: A

64. ANS: C

65. ANS: B

66. ANS: D
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67. ANS: B

68. ANS: C

69. ANS: B

70. ANS: A

71. ANS: D

72. ANS: C

73. ANS: B

74. ANS: C

75. ANS: A

76. ANS: D

77. ANS: B

78. ANS: B

79. ANS: C

80. ANS: A

81. ANS: D

82. ANS: D

83. ANS: D

84. ANS: B

85. ANS: A

86. ANS: C

87. ANS: A

88. ANS: D

89. ANS: B

90. ANS: B

91. ANS: A

92. ANS: C

93. ANS: D

94. ANS: D

95. ANS: A

96. ANS: B

97. ANS: C

98. ANS: B

99. ANS: C

100. ANS: A
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