ged science and practice test

A a high school equivalency exam designed for individuals who did not graduate from high school but want to demonstrate they have the same knowledge and skills as a high school graduate

The roller coaster diagram shows a set of cars moving downward from position 1 to position 2. As the cars travel from position 1 toward position 2, their...
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  • A. gravitational potential energy; total energy
  • B. kinetic energy; gravitational potential energy
  • C. total energy; kinetic energy
  • D. gravitational potential energy; kinetic energy
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A

As the roller coaster cars move from position 1 to position 2, they descend, resulting in a decrease in gravitational potential energy due to their lower height. However, their total energy—comprising both kinetic and potential energy—remains constant, assuming negligible friction. Option B incorrectly suggests that kinetic energy increases while gravitational potential energy decreases, but it does not address total energy. Option C misrepresents the relationship by stating total energy changes, which it does not. Option D also fails, as it inaccurately implies that gravitational potential energy is the only energy type being discussed.

Other Related Questions

Which statement describes a weakness of the investigation in the passage?
  • A. None of the hypotheses are directly related to the ice core data.
  • B. The Greenland ice sheet is far away from the site of the explosion in Russia.
  • C. Several of the hypotheses rely on unproven processes or estimated values.
  • D. A few micrograms of ammonia is insufficient evidence for a conclusion.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C

Option C highlights a significant weakness, as relying on unproven processes or estimated values can lead to unreliable conclusions, undermining the investigation's credibility. Option A is incorrect because hypotheses can be related to data in broader contexts, even if not directly. Option B misrepresents the geographical relevance; distance alone does not invalidate the connection between the ice core data and the explosion. Option D, while suggesting a concern about evidence quantity, does not address the fundamental issue of reliance on unproven processes that can skew the investigation's outcomes.
Scientists can indirectly observe temperatures and insolation (the Intensity or direct solar radiation) in the distant past by measuring oxygen isotope ratios in ice cores collected from polar ice. The graph presents data for the period from what ta200.000 years ago. What time period in the graph shows the greatest correlation between Milankovitch cycles and climate?
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  • A. 140,000-160,000 years ago
  • B. 120,000-140,000 years ago
  • C. 100,000-120,000 years ago
  • D. 160,000-180,000 years ago
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C

The time period from 100,000 to 120,000 years ago exhibits the greatest correlation between Milankovitch cycles and climate, as evidenced by significant fluctuations in temperature and insolation reflected in the oxygen isotope ratios. This interval aligns closely with the timing of glacial and interglacial periods influenced by Earth's orbital changes. Options A and B show notable climate changes, but they do not align as strongly with Milankovitch cycles, indicating less correlation. Option D, while part of the broader glacial cycle, reveals less pronounced temperature shifts, making it less relevant to the question of correlation.
A scientist studying solubility increased the temperature of a constant volume of water and measured the amount of sugar that dissolved into solution... Which of the following describes the relationship between the independent and dependent variables?
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  • A. As the amount of dissolved sugar increased, the temperature of the water decreased.
  • B. As the water temperature increased, the amount of dissolved sugar increased.
  • C. As the amount of dissolved sugar increased, the amount of water remained constant.
  • D. As the water temperature increased, the amount of water decreased.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: B

Option B accurately describes the relationship between the independent variable (temperature of the water) and the dependent variable (amount of dissolved sugar). As temperature rises, solubility typically increases, allowing more sugar to dissolve. Option A incorrectly suggests an inverse relationship; higher temperatures do not cause the amount of dissolved sugar to decrease. Option C, while true, does not address the relationship between the two variables in question. Option D incorrectly implies that increasing temperature leads to a decrease in water volume, which is not relevant in this context.
Which statement from the passage refutes Lavoisier's idea that heat is a fluid that leaves a hot substance and travels to a colder substance?
  • A. He also found the brass filings produced from the drilling process contained enough heat to boil water while retaining their weight.
  • B. James Joule discovered that heat could be produced by moving a wire through a magnetic field.
  • C. Lavoisier demonstrated that oxygen was required for combustion.
  • D. Count Rumford observed that the process of boring out cannons from brass cylinders continuously produced heat.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A

Option A effectively refutes Lavoisier's notion of heat as a fluid by demonstrating that heat can be generated without the transfer of a fluid. The brass filings, despite retaining their weight, produced sufficient heat to boil water, indicating that heat can arise from mechanical processes rather than fluid movement. Option B, while highlighting Joule's discovery of heat production through motion, does not directly address Lavoisier's fluid concept. Option C focuses on combustion and oxygen's role, which is unrelated to the nature of heat itself. Option D describes an observation of heat generation during a mechanical process but does not emphasize the implications for Lavoisier's fluid theory as clearly as A does.