ACT Science : ACT Science

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT Science

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Example Questions

Example Question #33 : Chemistry

Nanoparticles are fabricated by vigorously mixing the constituent components of the particle in solution. A scientist has four different compositions that she has tested: Composition A, Composition B, Composition C, and Composition D. All of these compositions were observed under similar laboratory conditions using different mixing times. The average particle size for each scenario was recorded in the provided table. 

Act 3

If the scientist requires nanoparticles larger than  for another experiment, then which two compositions should she use? 

Possible Answers:

Composition B and Composition C

Composition B and Composition D

Composition A and Composition B

Composition A and Composition C

Composition A and Composition D

Correct answer:

Composition A and Composition B

Explanation:

The scientist requires nanoparticles that have a radius greater than . The largest recorded particle radii occurred at a mixing time of  for all of the nanoparticles in the study. Looking at this column in the table, it can be seen that only Composition A and Composition B can produce nanoparticles with radii greater than

Example Question #721 : Act Science

Nanoparticles are fabricated by vigorously mixing the constituent components of the particle in solution. A scientist has four different compositions that she has tested: Composition A, Composition B, Composition C, and Composition D. All of these compositions were observed under similar laboratory conditions using different mixing times. The average particle size for each scenario was recorded in the provided table. 

Act 3

The scientist wants to make the nanoparticles that are all the same size. If the minimum mixing time required to make nanoparticles is , then how can this be achieved? 

Possible Answers:

Mix all of the compositions for 

Increase the mixing times for Composition A, B, and C past , while mixing Composition D for 

It cannot be determined from the given information

It cannot be achieved 

Mix Composition A for  and mix the rest of the compositions for 

Correct answer:

It cannot be achieved 

Explanation:

A method to solve this question is the process of elimination. Increasing the mixing time after  did not change particle size; thus, this implies that increasing the mixing time past  will not decrease particle size. Therefore, the choice that suggests increasing the mixing times for Compositions A, B, and C, while mixing Composition D for  is eliminated. Mixing Composition A for , while mixing all other Compositions for  will not produce particles of the same size either. This is supported by looking at the  column and noticing that the nanoparticles possess different sizes. Likewise, choosing to mix all of the particles for  would be incorrect because this produces particles of different sizes as seen in the  column. As a result, the choices of "It cannot be determined from the given information" and "It cannot be achieved" are left. The question can be determined using the given information; thus, the choice stating otherwise can be eliminated. This is possible to determine because the largest particle radius that Composition D can achieve is at , which is  while the smallest particle radius that Composition A can achieve, , is at , , or  (there is no significant difference in radii size after ). The smallest radius for Composition A is much larger than the largest possible radius for Composition D; therefore, the scientist's goal of uniform size is unachievable.

Example Question #721 : Act Science

The Environmental Protection Agency compiled the following information about heavy metals in drinking water. Heavy metals are toxic, and thus must be monitored very closely. All amounts are given in parts per billion (ppb), a common measurement of concentration for trace contaminants. Figure 1 shows total heavy metal contamination in each city as a makeup of various percentages of specific contaminants. Figure 2 shows specific amounts of contaminants (with the same color coding) in ppb as well as total contamination level in ppb.

Piechart

Figure 1

Bar graph

Figure 2

For each total amount of contamination in each city, which has the highest percent cadmium?

Possible Answers:

Seattle

Chicago

Miami

Boston

Correct answer:

Chicago

Explanation:

Remember that pie charts show percentages of a total best. Figure 1's pie charts shows that cadmium, shown in yellow, is present in the highest percentage of any total in Chicago.

Example Question #722 : Act Science

A scientist decided to use high-tech equipment to measure the electronegativity, an atom's attraction to electrons, of the second period on the periodic table. The results of her measurements are in the chart below. Z is equal to the atomic number of the specified atom and the number of protons in that atom.

Debyes

According to the experimenter's measurements, what is the apparent relationship between number of protons and the electronegativity of an atom?

Possible Answers:

Positive exponential relationship

Negative linear relationship

There is no clear relationship

Negative exponential relationship

Positive linear relationship

Correct answer:

Positive linear relationship

Explanation:

The correct answer is that it is a positive linear relationship. We can see that as we increase one proton, the electronegativity tends to increase consistently by about 0.5 Debyes. 

Example Question #722 : Act Science

A scientist decided to use high-tech equipment to measure the electronegativity, an atom's attraction to electrons, of the second period on the periodic table. The results of her measurements are in the chart below. Z is equal to the atomic number of the specified atom and the number of protons in that atom.

Debyes

What is the apparent relationship between an atom's atomic number Z and its likelihood to attract electrons from a source of electrons?

Possible Answers:

Lower atomic number indicates a higher likelihood of attracting electrons

Higher atomic number indicates a lower likelihood of attracting electrons

Higher atomic number indicates a higher likelihood of attracting electrons

There is no discernible relationship

Lower atomic number indicates a lower likelihood of attracting electrons

Correct answer:

Higher atomic number indicates a higher likelihood of attracting electrons

Explanation:

As defined in the passage, higher electronegativity implies a greater ability to attract electrons. Therefore, we can discern that there is a direct relationship between the two variables. As one goes up, so does the other.

Example Question #43 : How To Find Data Representation In Chemistry

Solutions are made by dissolving a solute into a solvent. Different types of solvents have varying levels of solubility, or ability to dissolve certain substances. 

A student decided to conduct an experiment to compare the solubilities of different solvents at different temperatures using table salt (sodium chloride) as a solute. The student would keep an amount of solvent at the specified temperature and add solute until no more solute would dissolve. This is amount or solute is called the point of saturation. The amount added to each solvent at saturation was recorded. The results of the experiment are shown in the tables: 

Table 1:

 Chart1 

Table 2:

Chart 2

Based on the data, which solvent involved in the experiment has the greatest solubility?

Possible Answers:

Dichloromethane

Ethanol

Hexane

Water

More information is necessary

Correct answer:

Water

Explanation:

The correct answer is water. We see that at both temperatures, water is able to dissolve more salt than the other solvents. Therefore, it has the highest solubility.

Example Question #44 : How To Find Data Representation In Chemistry

A free energy reaction diagram shows the energy of a chemical reaction as it progresses from start to finish. In Example 1 below, the reactants (at point A) start with a certain energy. Energy is then applied to initiate the reaction (this is called activation energy) and the reaction progresses to point B. Lastly, energy is released in the reaction leading to point C. If the net change in free energy of a reaction is positive, the reaction is called a nonspontaneous reaction, meaning that it takes more energy to initiate it than the energy released. If the net change in free energy of a reaction is negative, it is called spontaneous, meaning that the energy released is more than the energy needed to initiate the reaction. 

Example 1:

Energy diagram

What can we conclude about Example 1 above given the information in the passage?

Possible Answers:

The net change of the free energy is negative

The reaction is spontaneous

The reaction releases more energy than is required to initiate it

The reaction is nonspontaneous

The activation energy is negative

Correct answer:

The reaction is nonspontaneous

Explanation:

The correct answer is that it is nonspontaneous. As the energy at the end of the reaction is higher than where it began, we know that the net change in energy was positive. Therefore, according to the information in the passage, the reaction is nonspontaneous.

Example Question #43 : Chemistry

Solutions are made by dissolving a solute into a solvent. Different types of solvents have varying levels of solubility, or ability to dissolve certain substances. 

A student decided to conduct an experiment to compare the solubilities of different solvents at different temperatures using table salt (sodium chloride) as a solute. The student would keep an amount of solvent at the specified temperature and add solute until no more solute would dissolve. This is amount or solute is called the point of saturation. The amount added to each solvent at saturation was recorded. The results of the experiment are shown in the tables: 

Table 1:

 Chart1 

Table 2:

Chart 2

What is the apparent relationship between temperature and solubility?

Possible Answers:

Direct, linear relationship

Direct relationship

Direct, exponential relationship

No discernible relationship

Inverse relationship

Correct answer:

Direct relationship

Explanation:

This is a tricky question because it not only involves identifying the apparent positive correlation between temperature and solubility (amount of solute dissolved at saturation), but it also involves recognizing that we do not have enough information to determine whether the relationship is exponential or linear. 

First, we see that as we increase the temperature, the amount of solute that can dissolve at saturation increases. This tells us that there is a direct relationship. However, to determine with certainty whether the relationship is exponential or linear, we would need another set of data showing whether the increases themselves were increasing. That is, at a proportionally higher temperature than 35 degrees Celsius, whether or not the increase in solubility would be the same as the first temperature increase. 

Therefore, the answer is that there is a direct relationship.

Example Question #724 : Act Science

A chemist has mixed up the labels on some of his chemical compounds. To try to determine the compounds, the chemist dissolves the compounds in pure water. He notes the pH, corrosiveness and the color of each solution. 

Act 3

Assume that all of the substances can clean surfaces. Which of the substances will clean most surfaces without wrecking the surface? 

Possible Answers:

B and D

C and B

A and C

B only

A and B

Correct answer:

A and C

Explanation:

Corrosive substances can destroy the surface of whatever is being cleaned. The chemist wants to select the solutions that are not corrosive, which are solutions A and C. 

Example Question #42 : Chemistry

If a drug is taken orally, then the concentration of that drug in the blood will rise to a peak concentration. Immediately afterwards, the elimination phase begins and the concentration of the drug in the body will fall exponentially. Each drug has a half-life (i.e. the time required for the drug's concentration in the blood to fall to half of its original value). Once the elimination phase has initiated, it typically takes four half-lives until the drug has been entirely eliminated from the body.

If an individual is given multiple doses of a drug over time, then the blood concentration of the drug will rise and fall periodically. This creates a graph of drug’s concentration versus time that will resemble a wave. The rising peaks of the graph occur immediately after administration of a dose, whereas the falling valleys occur as the drug is being eliminated. The inter-dose interval, represented by the letter , is defined as the time (in hours) between doses of the drug.

 

Experiment 1

A 125-milligram oral dose of a drug known as Cyclosporin A (CsA) was administered to an individual. The CsA blood concentration for this individual was then measured at various times over the next 24 hours. A graph of CsA concentration versus time was obtained.

Screen shot 2015 11 12 at 10.33.32 pm

 

Experiment 2

An individual was given multiple doses of CsA over a 60-hour period. The CsA blood concentration was monitored continuously. A graph of CsA concentration versus time was obtained.

Screen shot 2015 11 14 at 4.01.09 pm

Based on the results of Experiment 2 and information in the passage, what was the inter-dose interval of CsA?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The inter-dose interval is defined as the time (in hours) between doses of the drug. The passage states that rising portions of the graph occur immediately after administration of a dose. Since rising portions begin at 12, 24, 36, and 48 hours, we can conclude that the inter-dose interval is as follows:

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