MCA Test Preparation Part 5

Background: This student is growing a garden. In her garden, she is growing many types of fruits and vegetables, including bell peppers. 1. (1 pt.) Which of these factors affecting the growth of pepper plants is biotic? a.The temperature of the air b.The kinds of bacteria living in the soil c.The amount of water the plants receive d.The amount of sunlight the plants receive 2. (1 pt.) Which statement best describes this garden as an ecosystem? a.There are different kinds of fruit and vegetable plants in the garden b.The pepper plants use photosynthesis to make their own food c.Many kinds of organisms in the garden interact with water, air, and light d.Rain and fertilizer give the pepper plants water and minerals

3. (1 pt.) The student is planning an experiment to determine how the amount of light a bell pepper plant receives affects the amount of fruit it produces. To prepare for the experiment, she reviews photosynthesis and why it is important in making fruit. She draws a diagram of a pepper plant and all the parts of photosynthesis. The diagram shows the process of photosynthesis. Complete the diagram by selecting the words below and writing them in the appropriate boxes. a.Light b.Water c.Starch d.Oxygen e.Green pigment f.Carbon dioxide a. Light f. Carbon dioxide b. Water d. Oxygen 4 / 4 = 1 pt.

The student tests how the amount of light a pepper plant receives affects the mass of the plants. She sets up 9 pots, each with 1 pepper plant. The plants are divided into 3 groups with 3 plants in each group. The first group receives 8 hours of light per day. The second group receives 12 hours of light per day. The third group receives 18 hours of light per day 4. (1 pt.) After 10 weeks, the student measures the mass of each plant, and averages the results for each group. She notices that the more light her pepper plants received, the more mass they had. Plot 3 points that show a trend for the results. Upward trend = 1 pt.

5. (1 pt.) Plants need minerals to grow. Sometimes people help plants get these minerals by adding fertilizers. Not all the minerals that are added are used by the plants. Some minerals get into streams or lakes. Put a “ + ” the part of the water cycle that takes minerals into the lake. +

Farmers and gardeners often use the same plot of land every year to grow plants. The plants use up some of the minerals where they grow. Sometimes, farmers or gardeners add more minerals to their land to replace what the plants have used. If too much fertilizer is added, the minerals will end up in a stream or lake. 6.(1 pt.) What should a farmer or gardener do to prevent too much fertilizer from being put on their land? a.Apply fertilizer right before planting b.Apply fertilizer and water at the same time c.Measure the amount of minerals the soil needs d.Measure the amount of water in the soil

A scientist suspects that some of the minerals that local farmers put on their fields are washed into lakes. The scientist conducts an investigation in which he studies 4 different lakes. The scientist visits each of the 4 lakes and measures the amount of minerals in the water. He also counts the number of fish in the lakes. Then, he visits the farms near each of the lakes. At the farms, he collects data on how much mineral fertilizer was put on each field during the last year. 7.(1 pt.) Write a question that the scientist can answer using this information. Does the amount of fertilizer that is put on the fields have an affect on the number of fish in the nearest lake?