Eighth Grade Final Exam
Study Guide
This study guide will provide you with ideas on what to study for the final exam. There are certainly more terms and concepts on this guide than will be tested. Know that you should concentrate your efforts on the terms and concepts that are in bold. The final exam will consist of approximately 30-40 multiple choice questions drawn from the list of terms and concepts below. Water quality, astronomy, scientific method, natural selection, and a little chemistry will be the focus of the exam. There may be a couple of general questions related to basic understanding of concepts not in bold font. We will begin reviewing after we complete our brief study of ionic bonding, covalent bonding, and pH concepts.
Terms
Independent variable
Dependent variable
Manipulated variable
Responding variable
Controlled/ variables
(constants)
Types of chemical reactions
Synthesis
Decomposition
Replacement
Ionic bonding
Ions
Electron-dot diagrams
Reactants-products
(to be reviewed-revisited)
Law of Conservation of Matter
Subscript
Coefficient
Surface tension
Capillary action
Polar molecule
Solutions
Solvent
Solute
Concentration
pH (to be taught in the next few days)
acids and bases
hydroxide ions
hydrogen ions
(to be reviewed-revisited) Open vs. closed systems
Tides
Spring and neap
Moon phases
Terrestrial
Electromagnetic spectrum
Optical telescopes
Non-optical telescopes
Refracting telescopes
Reflecting telescopes
Stars
H-R diagram
Apparent brightness
Absolute brightness
Meiosis vs Mitosis
DNA
Transfer RNA
Messenger RNA
adenine
guanine
cytosine
thymine
uracil
proteins
amino acids
common decent (ancestry)
Punnett squares
p-gen
f1 and f2 generations
homozygous
heterozygous
haploid
diploid
natural selection
overproduction
adaptations
gradualism
punctuated equilibrium
Parallax
Spectrograph
Light year
Main sequence stars
Protostar
Nebula
Red giant
Supergiant
White dwarf
Supernova
Black hole
Star systems and galaxies
Binary stars
Milky Way
Cosmic background radiation
Big Bang Theory
Solar and lunar eclipses
Umbra, penumbra
Water quality terms:
Trophic levels
Eutrophic
Mesotrophic
Oligotrophic
Thermocline
Fall turnover
Watershed
divide
tributary
invasive-exotic species
Asian carp, quagga mussels, lamprey eel
Pollutants
Point/non-point source
Turbidity
Forel-Uele Color test
DO
Conductivity
Secchi Disk
Plankton
Soil horizons (to be taught if time permits)
Clay, silt, sand , gravel
Abrasion, erosion, deposition
Concepts
· (to be reviewed-revisited) Be able to identify element types (metals, nonmetals, metalloids, and group names such as alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, transition metals, halogens, noble gases
· (to be reviewed-revisited) Be able to identify a chemical reaction as synthesis, decomposition, or replacement
· (to be reviewed-revisited) Be able to balance a simple chemical equation to honor the Law of Conservation of Matter
· Be able to analyze procedures, variables, data, and error in an experiment
· Be able to identify moon phases, tides, and eclipses
· Be able to identify the steps in the process of formation of our solar system
· Be able to relate size of star to life expectancy of the star
· Be able to interpret water quality data in relation to trophic status of the body of water
· Be able to interpret events or modes in which exotic or invasive species enter and possibly thrive in the Great Lakes (natural selection and evolution concepts)
· Know the names of the Great Lakes and concepts of watersheds and divides
· Be able to identify factors that can influence water quality (acid rain, temperature, nutrients and fertilizers, pollutants, invasive species…)
· (to be reviewed-revisited) Be able to describe process of weathering (including agents of weathering)
· (to be discussed next week) Be able to identify potential problems related to water quality (point source and nonpoint source pollutants)