Cycles In Nature Pretest A Name - ______
Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
____ 1. Which of the following processes produces carbon dioxide?
a. / decomposition / c. / combustionb. / respiration / d. / all of the above
____ 2. During nitrogen fixation, nitrogen gas is converted into a form that ____ can use.
a. / plants / c. / fungib. / animals / d. / All of the above
____ 3. Which of the following substances must be chemically transformed before it can be used by plants?
a. / Oxygen / c. / nitrogen gasb. / carbon dioxide / d. / Water
____ 4. Carbon from the nonliving environment becomes a part of living organisms through
a. / photosynthesis. / c. / transpiration.b. / respiration. / d. / absorption.
Examine the diagram below, and answer the questions that follow.
____ 5. How do the living organisms in the diagram return carbon to the atmosphere?
a. / by way of precipitationb. / through the process of photosynthesis
c. / by breaking down sugar molecules during respiration
____ 6. What is the source of carbon in fossil fuels?
a. / combustion and respirationb. / carbon captured during nitrogen fixation
c. / the buried remains of long-dead organisms
d. / carbon dioxide in ground water
____ 7. Carbon dioxide is being released into the atmosphere in increasing quantities, causing it to
hold heat. This causes
a. / the temperature of land to rise. / c. / global warming.b. / the temperature of the ocean to rise. / d. / All of the above
____ 8. What step(s) could be taken to help reduce the emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere?
a. / Decrease combustion. / c. / Cut fewer trees.b. / Plant more plants. / d. / All of the above
____ 9. Carbon dioxide and water are released as byproducts of
a. / combustion. / c. / photosynthesis.b. / respiration. / d. / decomposition.
____ 10. Most animals get the nitrogen they need by
a. / breathing. / c. / "fixing" nitrogen.b. / eating other organisms. / d. / drinking water.
____ 11. Pioneer species are adapted for growing well in ____ habitats.
a. / newly exposed / c. / disturbedb. / Mature / d. / Both (a) and (c)
____ 12. Which of the following types of succession would most likely occur after a forest fire?
a. / primary succession / c. / secondary successionb. / old field succession / d. / lake succession
____ 13. As you walk to school, you notice some moss growing in a crack in the sidewalk.
This is an example of
a. / a pioneer species. / c. / secondary succession.b. / primary succession. / d. / Both (a) and (b)
____ 14. The second year after a farmer stops growing crops, weeds such as horseweed appear.
How did the new species of plants get there?
a. / Their seeds may have blown into the field by the wind.b. / Insects may have carried their seeds.
c. / Birds may have carried their seeds.
d. / all of the above
____ 15. In the early stages of succession,
a. / only a few species grow in an area. / c. / most species are small.b. / species grow rapidly. / d. / All of the above
____ 16. Which statement best describes a plant that is likely to be a pioneer species?
a. / It grows slowly and needs a lot of light.b. / It grows quickly and prefers shade.
c. / It grows quickly and thrives in bright sunshine.
d. / It grows tall and produces few seeds.
____ 17. Water changes from a liquid to a vapor during
a. / precipitation. / c. / evaporation.b. / respiration. / d. / decomposition.
____ 18. Bacteria are essential to
a. / combustion. / c. / nitrogen fixation.b. / photosynthesis. / d. / evaporation.
____ 19. Which of the following statements about cycles of matter is true?
a. / Matter is lost in each cycle.b. / Human activity has little or no impact on cycles.
c. / Each cycle involves evaporation and condensation.
d. / Matter is moved between the physical environment and living organisms.
Study the diagram below, and answer the questions that follow.
____ 20. The process represented by arrow 1 in the diagram above is
a. / transpiration. / c. / condensation.b. / precipitation. / d. / evaporation.
____ 21. The process represented by arrow 3 in the diagram above is
a. / transpiration. / c. / condensation.b. / precipitation. / d. / evaporation.
____ 22. Drinking after running on a hot day replaces water lost through
a. / condensation. / c. / transpiration.b. / respiration. / d. / combustion.
____ 23. Approximately 91 percent of the Earth’s ____ falls on the ocean.
a. / nitrogen / c. / waterb. / carbon / d. / precipitation
____ 24. Water that seeps into the ground, where it is stored in underground caverns or in porous rock,
is called
a. / runoff. / c. / ground water.b. / deposition. / d. / lakes.
____ 25. Organisms need nitrogen to
a. / breathe. / c. / build proteins and DNA.b. / break down carbon molecules. / d. / build sugars.
____ 26. When fungi and bacteria decompose organic matter, they return ____ to the environment.
a. / Oxygen / c. / nitrogenb. / Carbon / d. / Both (b) and (c)
____ 27. Which statement best describes succession?
a. / It takes place only in communities affected by forest fires.b. / It occurs through predictable stages over time.
c. / It usually happens in abandoned fields.
d. / all of the above
____ 28. If you hold a jar over a lit candle, a dark residue forms on the inside of the jar. This residue is
a. / oxygen. / c. / nitrogen.b. / carbon. / d. / water.
____ 29. In the later stages of succession,
a. / only a few species grow in an area. / c. / many species are usually present.b. / species grow rapidly. / d. / a stable hardwood forest will grow.
____ 30. Approximately 78 percent of the Earth’s atmosphere is nitrogen gas. How do we get this
nitrogen from the atmosphere to use for building proteins?
a. / by breathing air / c. / by eating plantsb. / by eating animals or their products / d. / Both (b) and (c)
Cycles in Nature (version A)
Answer Key
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. ANS: D
2. ANS: A
3. ANS: C
4. ANS: A
5. ANS: C
6. ANS: C
7. ANS: D
8. ANS: D
9. ANS: B
10. ANS: B
11. ANS: A
12. ANS: C
13. ANS: D
14. ANS: D
15. ANS: D
16. ANS: C
17. ANS: C
18. ANS: C
19. ANS: D
20. ANS: D
21. ANS: A
22. ANS: C
23. ANS: D
24. ANS: C
25. ANS: C
26. ANS: D
27. ANS: B
28. ANS: B
29. ANS: C
30. ANS: D
Cycles In Nature Pretest B Name - ______
Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
Study the diagram below, and answer the questions that follow.
____ 1. The process represented by arrow 3 in the diagram above is
a. / condensation. / c. / transpiration.b. / precipitation. / d. / evaporation.
____ 2. The process represented by arrow 1 in the diagram above is
a. / transpiration. / c. / evaporation.b. / precipitation. / d. / condensation.
____ 3. Bacteria are essential to
a. / evaporation. / c. / photosynthesis.b. / nitrogen fixation. / d. / combustion.
____ 4. Which of the following statements about cycles of matter is true?
a. / Each cycle involves evaporation and condensation.b. / Matter is lost in each cycle.
c. / Human activity has little or no impact on cycles.
d. / Matter is moved between the physical environment and living organisms.
____ 5. Which statement best describes succession?
a. / It takes place only in communities affected by forest fires.b. / It occurs through predictable stages over time.
c. / It usually happens in abandoned fields.
d. / all of the above
____ 6. Carbon from the nonliving environment becomes a part of living organisms through
a. / respiration. / c. / absorption.b. / photosynthesis. / d. / transpiration.
____ 7. Water changes from a liquid to a vapor during
a. / precipitation. / c. / evaporation.b. / respiration. / d. / decomposition.
____ 8. Which statement best describes a plant that is likely to be a pioneer species?
a. / It grows quickly and thrives in bright sunshine.b. / It grows slowly and needs a lot of light.
c. / It grows quickly and prefers shade.
d. / It grows tall and produces few seeds.
____ 9. Drinking after running on a hot day replaces water lost through
a. / transpiration. / c. / condensation.b. / combustion. / d. / respiration.
____ 10. During nitrogen fixation, nitrogen gas is converted into a form that ____ can use.
a. / plants / c. / fungib. / animals / d. / All of the above
Examine the diagram below, and answer the questions that follow.
____ 11. How do the living organisms in the diagram return carbon to the atmosphere?
a. / by way of precipitationb. / by breaking down inorganic molecules during transpiration
c. / by breaking down sugar molecules during respiration
d. / through the process of photosynthesis
____ 12. Carbon dioxide is being released into the atmosphere in increasing quantities, causing it to
hold heat. This causes
a. / the temperature of land to rise. / c. / global warming.b. / the temperature of the ocean to rise. / d. / All of the above
____ 13. What step(s) could be taken to help reduce the emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere?
a. / Decrease combustion. / c. / Cut fewer trees.b. / Plant more plants. / d. / All of the above
____ 14. What is the source of carbon in fossil fuels?
b. / carbon captured during nitrogen fixation
c. / combustion and respiration
d. / the buried remains of long-dead organisms
____ 15. Which of the following processes produces carbon dioxide?
a. / decomposition / c. / combustionb. / respiration / d. / all of the above
____ 16. Approximately 91 percent of the Earth’s ____ falls on the ocean.
a. / precipitation / c. / nitrogenb. / carbon / d. / water
____ 17. Which of the following types of succession would most likely occur after a forest fire?
a. / primary succession / c. / lake successionb. / old field succession / d. / secondary succession
____ 18. Pioneer species are adapted for growing well in ____ habitats.
a. / newly exposed / c. / disturbedb. / mature / d. / Both (a) and (c)
____ 19. Organisms need nitrogen to
a. / break down carbon molecules. / c. / build proteins and DNA.b. / breathe. / d. / build sugars.
____ 20. Carbon dioxide and water are released as byproducts of
a. / combustion. / c. / decomposition.b. / photosynthesis. / d. / respiration.
____ 21. Approximately 78 percent of the Earth’s atmosphere is nitrogen gas. How do we get this nitrogen
from the atmosphere to use for building proteins?
a. / by breathing air / c. / by eating plantsb. / by eating animals or their products / d. / Both (b) and (c)
____ 22. Water that seeps into the ground, where it is stored in underground caverns or in porous rock,
is called
a. / runoff. / c. / ground water.b. / deposition. / d. / lakes.
____ 23. As you walk to school, you notice some moss growing in a crack in the sidewalk. This is an
example of
a. / a pioneer species. / c. / secondary succession.b. / primary succession. / d. / Both (a) and (b)
____ 24. In the later stages of succession,
a. / only a few species grow in an area. / c. / species grow rapidly.b. / a stable hardwood forest will grow. / d. / many species are usually present.
____ 25. The second year after a farmer stops growing crops, weeds such as horseweed appear.
How did the new species of plants get there?
a. / Their seeds may have blown into the field by the wind.b. / Insects may have carried their seeds.
c. / Birds may have carried their seeds.
d. / all of the above
____ 26. If you hold a jar over a lit candle, a dark residue forms on the inside of the jar. This residue is
a. / nitrogen. / c. / oxygen.b. / carbon. / d. / water.
____ 27. In the early stages of succession,
a. / only a few species grow in an area. / c. / most species are small.b. / species grow rapidly. / d. / All of the above
____ 28. When fungi and bacteria decompose organic matter, they return ____ to the environment.
a. / oxygen / c. / nitrogenb. / carbon / d. / Both (b) and (c)
____ 29. Which of the following substances must be chemically transformed before it can be used
by plants?
a. / nitrogen gas / c. / oxygenb. / carbon dioxide / d. / Water
____ 30. Most animals get the nitrogen they need by
a. / breathing. / c. / "fixing" nitrogen.b. / eating other organisms. / d. / drinking water.
Cycles in Nature (version B)
Answer Key
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. ANS: C
2. ANS: C
3. ANS: B
4. ANS: D
5. ANS: B
6. ANS: B
7. ANS: C
8. ANS: A
9. ANS: A
10. ANS: A
11. ANS: C
12. ANS: D
13. ANS: D
14. ANS: D
15. ANS: D
16. ANS: A
17. ANS: D
18. ANS: A
19. ANS: C
20. ANS: D
21. ANS: D
22. ANS: C
23. ANS: D
24. ANS: D
25. ANS: D
26. ANS: B
27. ANS: D
28. ANS: D
29. ANS: A
30. ANS: B