[
  {
    "id": "Mercury_400978",
    "question": "The element cesium, Cs, is an alkali metal. Which chemical formula represents a cesium compound that is likely to exist?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "CsCl",
        "CsCl_{2}",
        "CsO",
        "CsO_{2}"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "MCAS_2016_8_3",
    "question": "A substance with a mass of 10 g is heated to produce two new substances. The mass of the first new substance is 9.3 g and the mass of the second new substance is 0.7 g. Which of the following is best demonstrated by this example?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "heat transfer",
        "physical change",
        "law of conservation of mass",
        "law of conservation of energy"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7213378",
    "question": "A sample of sulfur forms crystals when it",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "melts.",
        "freezes.",
        "evaporates.",
        "condenses."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "B"
  },
  {
    "id": "MCAS_1999_8_35",
    "question": "To observe materials up close and in greater detail we use",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "gripping tools.",
        "optical tools.",
        "cutting tools.",
        "polishing tools."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "B"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7086205",
    "question": "Which of these is a characteristic of the metal gold?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "malleable",
        "lighter than water",
        "magnetic",
        "harder than a diamond"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7004165",
    "question": "Which is most responsible for reflecting incoming solar heat back to space?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "clouds",
        "mountains",
        "ozone layers",
        "trade winds"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "VASoL_2009_5_25",
    "question": "Granite is a hard material and forms from cooling magma. Granite is a type of",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "lava stone",
        "igneous rock",
        "volcanic dust",
        "sedimentary rock"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "B"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7083965",
    "question": "In order to form water, two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom must be",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "mixed.",
        "divided.",
        "bonded.",
        "dissolved."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7082688",
    "question": "As water cools to a temperature of zero degrees Celsius and forms ice, water molecules tend to",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "move farther apart.",
        "vibrate rapidly.",
        "flow more randomly.",
        "gradually expand."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_SC_401592",
    "question": "When light reaches an eyeglass lens, the light is",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "refracted.",
        "reflected.",
        "diffracted.",
        "absorbed."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7017080",
    "question": "What property is the same for each atom of an element?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "energy",
        "mass number",
        "atomic number",
        "number of neutrons"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7139685",
    "question": "Which process accounts for the expansion and contraction of rocks?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "mechanical weathering",
        "organic decomposition",
        "abrasion resistance",
        "heat conduction"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7013090",
    "question": "Sodium is a metal with one valence electron. Which of these elements has properties similar to sodium?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "magnesium",
        "potassium",
        "aluminum",
        "calcium"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "B"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7236128",
    "question": "Earth's mantle, primarily composed of silicate and magnesium oxide rocks, floats on top of the liquid iron and nickel outer core. Which difference between these two layers of Earth resulted in their differentiation?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "age",
        "velocity",
        "viscosity",
        "density"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "D"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7068565",
    "question": "Which is a mineral that forms through evaporative processes?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "halite",
        "silver",
        "gold",
        "quartz"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7013668",
    "question": "According to the rock cycle, when liquid magma cools into a solid, what is formed?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "lava",
        "glaciers",
        "igneous rock",
        "metamorphic rock"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_SC_400061",
    "question": "Over time, coal began to form from",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "snow and ice.",
        "sand and rock.",
        "many dead plants.",
        "lots of animal bones."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "VASoL_2011_5_3",
    "question": "To make an electromagnet, a conductor should be coiled around -",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "a glass tube",
        "an iron nail",
        "a roll of paper",
        "a wooden stick"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "B"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_SC_400150",
    "question": "Which object will conduct electricity, conduct heat, and be attracted to a magnet?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "iron nail",
        "wooden toothpick",
        "aluminum foil",
        "cotton ball"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7042858",
    "question": "How do toxic heavy metals move from soil to lakes and streams?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "runoff",
        "condensation",
        "precipitation",
        "transpiration"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7234185",
    "question": "Which part of Earth's structure is composed of a solid mixture of nickel and iron?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "the inner core",
        "the outer core",
        "the lithosphere",
        "the asthenosphere"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7270410",
    "question": "Asbestos fibers cause a cancer called mesothelioma in humans. The fibers kill cells that line lung tissue by causing programmed-cell death. When cells die this way, they release a chemical, HMG1, which causes an inflammatory response in other cells. During this inflammatory response, cells release chemicals that promote tumor growth. What conclusion can you draw about the chemicals released in the inflammatory response?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "They decrease the amount of HMG1 in a feedback loop.",
        "They increase the amount of HMG1 in a feedback loop.",
        "They disrupt the normal circadian rhythms.",
        "They disrupt the normal cell cycle."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "D"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_SC_LBS10920",
    "question": "A black brick exposed to sunlight becomes warm. How is energy from the Sun transferred to the brick?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "convection",
        "conduction",
        "radiation",
        "reflection"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "NYSEDREGENTS_2014_8_40",
    "question": "Which process transfers heat when particles collide in a solid?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "convection",
        "conduction",
        "radiation",
        "evaporation"
      ],
      "label": [
        "1",
        "2",
        "3",
        "4"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "2"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7205380",
    "question": "Salt water, plastic, and helium are all made of",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "atoms.",
        "mixtures.",
        "electrons.",
        "compounds."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "NAEP_2000_4_S21+2",
    "question": "Beryl finds a rock and wants to know what kind it is. Which piece of information about the rock will best help her to identify it?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "The size of the rock",
        "The weight of the rock",
        "The temperature where the rock was found",
        "The minerals the rock contains"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "D"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7056508",
    "question": "The movement of crustal plates results from circulating currents in material beneath the crust of Earth. Which best describes the material which moves the crustal plates?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "hot water",
        "molten rock",
        "liquid metal",
        "solid iron"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "B"
  },
  {
    "id": "MCAS_2013_5_29396",
    "question": "Which of the following groups of materials would most likely be used to build an electromagnet?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "bare wire, plastic rod, battery",
        "bare wire, iron rod, light bulb",
        "insulated wire, iron rod, battery",
        "insulated wire, plastic rod, light bulb"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7221883",
    "question": "What is the smallest unit of an element that retains the properties of that element?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "electron",
        "molecule",
        "neutron",
        "atom"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "D"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7223475",
    "question": "A student placed a small chip of limestone into a hydrochloric acid solution, and carbon dioxide gas was released. The carbon dioxide provided evidence that",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "only a physical change occurred.",
        "a chemical change occurred.",
        "only a loss of mass occurred.",
        "the formation of an element occurred."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "B"
  },
  {
    "id": "MCAS_2000_8_6",
    "question": "How a material responds to heating and cooling tells us about the material's",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "optical properties.",
        "mechanical properties.",
        "thermal properties.",
        "acoustical properties."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7080553",
    "question": "A streak plate can be used to determine the",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "hardness of a mineral.",
        "structure of a mineral.",
        "cleavage of a mineral.",
        "luster of a mineral."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7220500",
    "question": "One substance found on Earth is more stable as an elemental gas than as part of a solid compound. As a result, this substance is very abundant in the atmosphere. Which substance exhibits these traits?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "argon",
        "chlorine",
        "nitrogen",
        "oxygen"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "VASoL_2008_3_26",
    "question": "Which of these is MOST flexible?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "Broom handle",
        "Wooden ruler",
        "Drinking straw",
        "Sewing needle"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "TIMSS_2007_8_pg96",
    "question": "Which resource is nonrenewable?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "petroleum",
        "sand",
        "wood",
        "oxygen"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7213448",
    "question": "A sample of the element copper is divided into the smallest particles possible such that each particle is still copper. Each particle can best be described as",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "an atom.",
        "a molecule.",
        "a nucleus.",
        "an electron."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "NYSEDREGENTS_2014_4_10",
    "question": "A rubber ball rolls across a level surface. The ball will eventually stop rolling due to",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "electricity",
        "conductivity",
        "friction",
        "magnetism"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_SC_400179",
    "question": "Which tool would best separate sand and clay mixed in soil?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "sifter",
        "ruler",
        "thermometer",
        "magnet"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "TIMSS_2007_8_pg52",
    "question": "Which gas could cause rust to form on a metal can?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "Hydrogen",
        "Oxygen",
        "Nitrogen",
        "Helium"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "B"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_180128",
    "question": "Most sand is made of quartz and has a white or brownish color. A student walking on a beach in Hawaii notices the sand is black in color. This sand most likely came from which type of rock?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "limestone",
        "granite",
        "basalt",
        "gypsum"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "NYSEDREGENTS_2014_4_11",
    "question": "Which property of an object determines how well it conducts electricity?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "the color of the object",
        "the mass of the object",
        "how fast the object sinks in water",
        "the material that the object is made of"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "D"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7032673",
    "question": "What is the term for the amount of heat per unit mass required to raise the temperature of a material by one degree Celsius?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "energy",
        "matter",
        "temperature",
        "specific heat capacity"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "D"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7034930",
    "question": "Diamonds are sometimes used as the tips of drill bits. Which physical property of a diamond MOST likely makes it a good cutting tool?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "its electrical properties",
        "its thermal properties",
        "its hardness",
        "its density"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "ACTAAP_2011_5_10",
    "question": "During a walk through the Arkansas River Valley, Alex found a rock that she determined was a sedimentary rock. Which characteristics of the rock would lead Alex to this conclusion?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "thin flaky sheets and very hard",
        "glassy texture and a shiny black color",
        "very rough texture with obvious crystals",
        "sand-sized particles and a light brown color"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "D"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7064663",
    "question": "A student observes a substance that is highly reflective and able to conduct electricity. The substance also has a high melting point. Which is the most likely classification for this substance?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "salt",
        "glass",
        "metal",
        "plastic"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_SC_400037",
    "question": "When rocks are exposed to wind, rain, heat, ice, or waves, the rocks",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "fold.",
        "erode.",
        "contract.",
        "melt."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "B"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7082740",
    "question": "When two nitrogen atoms combine, they form a",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "mixture.",
        "compound.",
        "molecule.",
        "liquid."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_SC_400862",
    "question": "A wire is wrapped around a metal nail and connected to a battery. If the battery is active, the nail will",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "vibrate.",
        "create sound.",
        "produce heat.",
        "become magnetic."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "D"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_SC_400303",
    "question": "Which of these tools is used to measure the melting point of ice?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "hot plate",
        "barometer",
        "thermometer",
        "meter stick"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7008803",
    "question": "The formation of an ionic bond involves the",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "transfer of electrons.",
        "sharing of neutrons.",
        "transfer of neutrons.",
        "sharing of protons."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "MDSA_2008_5_39",
    "question": "The building of houses in Maryland uses many different materials. Which building material is made of a renewable natural resource?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "copper wire",
        "steel beams",
        "wood boards",
        "plastic siding"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "MDSA_2010_4_13",
    "question": "Flexibility is a physical property of some matter. Which of these materials best demonstrates the property of flexibility?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "a mirror",
        "a pencil",
        "a metal wire",
        "a telephone pole"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7003710",
    "question": "Charged particles formed during a chemical reaction are called",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "ions.",
        "protons.",
        "molecules.",
        "neutrons."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_401035",
    "question": "The Periodic Table is arranged in rows and columns. From left to right along a row, the atomic number in each column",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "decreases by 2.",
        "increases by 1.",
        "decreases for gases.",
        "increases for metals."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "B"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_177380",
    "question": "One method used to speed up the rate of a chemical reaction is to",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "add a catalyst",
        "add an inhibitor",
        "decrease the temperature",
        "decrease reactant concentration"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "MDSA_2011_4_36",
    "question": "A teacher carefully places some objects into very hot water. After one minute, which item is most likely too hot to touch?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "a cloth napkin",
        "a metal spoon",
        "a plastic pencil",
        "a wooden stick"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "B"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_SC_401245",
    "question": "Diamonds are formed when carbon is placed under extreme heat and pressure. This process occurs",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "in caves.",
        "in the ocean.",
        "in the atmosphere of Earth.",
        "beneath the surface of Earth."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "D"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7183225",
    "question": "In areas where limestone is present underneath the soil, continued rains can alter the limestone formation. The limestone can change to a highly porous formation that can lead to the formation of caves and sinkholes. Which process is directly responsible for changing the limestone?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "compaction",
        "erosion",
        "faulting",
        "weathering"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "D"
  },
  {
    "id": "VASoL_2010_3_5",
    "question": "When notebook paper is folded to make an airplane, what physical property of the paper changes?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "Mass",
        "Weight",
        "Shape",
        "Smell"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_SC_400049",
    "question": "Which object refracts light rays?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "wooden door",
        "cardboard box",
        "aluminum can",
        "glass window"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "D"
  },
  {
    "id": "LEAP__5_10316",
    "question": "What is a common use of the mineral graphite?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "to make glass",
        "as a source of iron",
        "to make pencil leads",
        "as a household cleaner"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_400813",
    "question": "What happens to the chemical energy in methane's bonds when methane reacts with oxygen and forms H_{2}O and CO_{2}?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "It is released as heat.",
        "It generates a current.",
        "It increases product mass.",
        "It is transformed into neutrons."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7030590",
    "question": "An engineer tests three new ceramic parts, each of which could potentially replace a steel part inside an automotive engine. The three parts, identical in size, are each made of a different ceramic compound. The parts are heated to the same temperature and placed under the same stress loads. At the end of the test, the engineer concludes Part B is the best for the job. What was the independent variable in this test?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "dimensions of the parts",
        "temperatures to which the parts were heated",
        "the engine used to test the parts",
        "the composition of the parts"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "D"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_188773",
    "question": "A laser beam is aimed at four different objects. Through which of these objects will the laser beam pass and be refracted?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "a black cloth",
        "a piece of aluminum",
        "a sheet of paper",
        "a glass prism"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "D"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_SC_401256",
    "question": "Which object most likely has magnetic properties?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "iron nail",
        "plastic clip",
        "rubber eraser",
        "wooden spoon"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7032550",
    "question": "A longitudinal wave, such as a sound wave, can travel through",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "solids only.",
        "liquids only.",
        "gas, liquids, and solids.",
        "gas and a vacuum only."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_SC_LBS10689",
    "question": "Which invention uses natural magnetism?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "satellite",
        "telescope",
        "compass",
        "binoculars"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_409399",
    "question": "A sodium (Na) atom contains 11 protons, 12 neutrons, and 11 electrons. In order to make the sodium ion Na+, what must occur to the sodium atom?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "It must gain one electron.",
        "It must lose one electron.",
        "It must gain one proton.",
        "It must lose one proton."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "B"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7108413",
    "question": "After rubbing a rubber brush on wool, Gilbert is able to use the brush to pick up small strips of paper. What causes the paper to be attracted to the brush?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "gravity",
        "electric current",
        "static electricity",
        "magnetism"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "MCAS_2009_8_18",
    "question": "A student is given a sample of an unknown liquid to test in the laboratory. The student thinks that the liquid is water. Which of the following physical properties of the sample is most helpful to determine if the liquid is water?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "color of the liquid",
        "mass of the liquid",
        "volume of the liquid",
        "boiling point of the liquid"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "D"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7082093",
    "question": "Which object is best used to demonstrate the bending of light as it passes through a substance?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "convex lens",
        "flat mirror",
        "opaque rod",
        "concave mirror"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7004708",
    "question": "When an earthquake occurs, the speed of the seismic waves changes as they",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "move through different materials.",
        "are pulled by the force of gravity.",
        "lose energy to surrounding rocks.",
        "reflect off of boundaries."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_403682",
    "question": "Calcium carbonate (CaCO_{3}) is considered a compound because it is made up of two or more",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "molecules.",
        "elements.",
        "gases.",
        "solids."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "B"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7026828",
    "question": "Modern factories and industrial plants have filters that remove much of the sulfur from their emissions before it reaches the atmosphere. This design feature helps most in reducing the contribution of factories to which environmental problem?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "acid rain",
        "habitat loss",
        "coastline erosion",
        "algal growth in lakes"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "MCAS_2004_8_24",
    "question": "Support cables in a suspension bridge are most stressed by which of the following forces?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "shear",
        "torsion",
        "tension",
        "compression"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "C"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7026268",
    "question": "Some molecules used to manufacture plastic objects are long and tangled. They straighten when force is applied to them and then return to their shorter, tangled shape. Which common object is most likely made using such molecules?",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "helmet shells",
        "rubber bands",
        "plumbing pipes",
        "drinking cups"
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "B"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7082460",
    "question": "The statement \"gold is more dense than lead\" is",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "a fact because most people agree.",
        "a fact because it has been observed and tested.",
        "an opinion because both metals are hard to find.",
        "an opinion because more research is needed."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "B"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_7254520",
    "question": "An example of a calcium carbonate deposit in the lithosphere is",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "limestone.",
        "granite.",
        "gneiss.",
        "shale."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  },
  {
    "id": "Mercury_SC_400515",
    "question": "Decayed prehistoric plants have helped in the formation of",
    "choices": {
      "text": [
        "coal, oil, and gas.",
        "coal, shale, and quartz.",
        "shale, quartz, and coal.",
        "oil, shale, and granite."
      ],
      "label": [
        "A",
        "B",
        "C",
        "D"
      ]
    },
    "answerKey": "A"
  }
]