A block has a mass of 40 grams and a volume of 50 cubic centimeters. Water has a density of about 1 gram per cubic centimeter. What happens when the block is placed in water?U.S. Geological Survey, Water Science School, "Water Density"; TEKS 6.6(D), Supporting Standard
A student mixes two clear liquids. A solid forms and settles to the bottom. Which evidence of a possible chemical change is this?TEA, STAAR Middle School Science, Eligible Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (effective 2025-2026), TEKS 6.6(E), Supporting Standard
An ice cube melts in a glass. Why is melting a physical change?TEA, STAAR Middle School Science, Eligible Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (effective 2025-2026), TEKS 7.6(C), Supporting Standard
The equation CH₄ + 2O₂ → CO₂ + 2H₂O is balanced. How many oxygen atoms are on each side?TEA, STAAR Middle School Science, Eligible Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (effective 2025-2026), TEKS 8.6(E), Readiness Standard
How many atoms in total are in one molecule of glucose, C₆H₁₂O₆?TEA, STAAR Middle School Science, Eligible Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (effective 2025-2026), TEKS 7.6(B), Readiness Standard
Show all 47 questions (42 more)
Matter and Energy, continued
How many oxygen atoms are in one unit of calcium nitrate, Ca(NO₃)₂?TEA, STAAR Middle School Science, Eligible Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (effective 2025-2026), TEKS 7.6(B), Readiness Standard
Ice floats in a glass of liquid water. What does that show about ice?U.S. Geological Survey, Water Science School, "Water Density"; TEKS 6.6(D), Supporting Standard
In a sealed container, 24 grams of magnesium react completely with 16 grams of oxygen. What is the mass of the magnesium oxide that forms?TEA, STAAR Middle School Science, Eligible Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (effective 2025-2026), TEKS 8.6(E), Readiness Standard
In photosynthesis a plant takes in carbon dioxide and water and makes glucose and oxygen. What happens to the atoms?National Geographic Society, Education, "Photosynthesis"; TEKS 8.6(E), Readiness Standard
Force, Motion, and Energy 12
A car stops suddenly, and a passenger keeps moving forward until the seat belt holds. Which idea explains why the passenger keeps moving?NASA Glenn Research Center, "Newton's Laws of Motion"; TEKS 8.7(B), Readiness Standard
A metal spoon sits in a pot of hot soup, and soon its handle is hot. Which kind of thermal energy transfer heated the handle?NOAA, JetStream, "The Transfer of Heat Energy"; TEKS 7.8(A), Supporting Standard
A net force acts on a 4-kilogram cart and gives it an acceleration of 3 m/s². How large is the net force?NASA Glenn Research Center, "Newton's Laws of Motion"; TEKS 8.7(A), Readiness Standard
A net force of 20 newtons pushes a 5-kilogram box across a smooth floor. What is the acceleration of the box?NASA Glenn Research Center, "Newton's Laws of Motion"; TEKS 8.7(A), Readiness Standard
A rocket engine pushes hot gas downward, and the rocket rises. Which law of motion explains the upward push on the rocket?NASA Glenn Research Center, "Newton's Laws of Motion"; TEKS 8.7(B), Readiness Standard
A sample of gas is heated. What happens to its molecules as the temperature rises?NASA Glenn Research Center, "Gas Temperature"; TEKS 7.8(C), Supporting Standard
A student walks 150 meters in 30 seconds. What is the student's average speed?TEA, STAAR Middle School Science, Eligible Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (effective 2025-2026), TEKS 7.7(A), Supporting Standard
The same net force pushes two carts. Cart B has twice the mass of cart A. How do their accelerations compare?NASA Glenn Research Center, "Newton's Laws of Motion"; TEKS 8.7(A), Readiness Standard
Two forces act on a box: 12 newtons to the right and 5 newtons to the left. What is the net force on the box?TEA, STAAR Middle School Science, Eligible Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (effective 2025-2026), TEKS 6.7(B), Supporting Standard
What does the frequency of a wave measure?NASA Science, "Anatomy of an Electromagnetic Wave"; TEKS 8.8(A), Supporting Standard
Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum has the longest wavelengths?NASA Science, "Introduction to the Electromagnetic Spectrum"; TEKS 8.8(A), Supporting Standard
Wood burns in a fireplace and warms a room. Which energy change takes place?U.S. Energy Information Administration, Energy Explained, "Forms of energy"; TEKS 6.8(B), Supporting Standard
Earth and Space 13
After a star like the Sun sheds its outer layers, what is left of its core?NASA Science, "Stars"; TEKS 8.9(A), Readiness Standard
At a divergent plate boundary, such as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, what happens?U.S. Geological Survey, This Dynamic Earth, "Understanding plate motions"; TEKS 7.10(B), Readiness Standard
During which phases of the Moon do spring tides occur?NOAA National Ocean Service, "What are spring and neap tides?"; TEKS 6.9(B), Supporting Standard
Excess nutrients run off the land into coastal water. How can this lead to a dead zone?NOAA National Ocean Service, "What is a dead zone?"; TEKS 7.11(B), Supporting Standard
The Hawaiian Islands are volcanic but lie far from any plate boundary. What explains them?U.S. Geological Survey, This Dynamic Earth, "Hotspots"; TEKS 7.10(B), Readiness Standard
How does the ocean influence weather and climate?NOAA Ocean Exploration, "How does the ocean affect climate and weather on land?"; TEKS 8.10(A), Readiness Standard
Identical fossil species are found on the facing coasts of South America and Africa. What did this evidence suggest to Alfred Wegener?U.S. Geological Survey, This Dynamic Earth, "Historical perspective"; TEKS 7.10(A), Supporting Standard
Jet streams are narrow bands of strong wind high in the atmosphere. In which direction do their winds blow?NOAA, JetStream, "The Jet Stream"; TEKS 8.10(B), Supporting Standard
Stars on a Hertzsprung-Russell diagram fall into groups. Which group holds most stars, including the Sun?NASA Science, "Star Types", and NASA Goddard, Imagine the Universe, "The Life Cycles of Stars"; TEKS 8.9(A), Readiness Standard
The Sun is a main sequence star. What is happening in the core of a main sequence star?NASA Science, "Stars"; TEKS 8.9(A), Readiness Standard
What causes the seasons on Earth?NASA Space Place, "What Causes the Seasons?"; TEKS 6.9(A), Supporting Standard
What is the difference between a hurricane and a typhoon?NOAA National Ocean Service, "What is the difference between a hurricane and a typhoon?"; TEKS 8.10(C), Supporting Standard
What kind of galaxy is the Milky Way, and where is the solar system in it?NASA Science, "Solar System: Facts"; TEKS 8.9(B), Supporting Standard
Organisms and Environments 13
A coral polyp buds off a new polyp without a mate. How do the offspring of this asexual reproduction compare with the parent?NOAA National Ocean Service, Corals Tutorial, "How do corals reproduce?", and Understanding Evolution, "Sex and genetic shuffling"; TEKS 7.13(C), Supporting Standard
A farmer lets only the cows that give the most milk have calves. Over generations the herd gives more milk. What is this process called?University of California Museum of Paleontology, Understanding Evolution, "Artificial selection"; TEKS 7.13(D), Supporting Standard
A glacier retreats and leaves bare rock. Which organisms are typically among the first to grow there?National Park Service, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, "Plants"; TEKS 8.12(B), Readiness Standard
Birds of one species fly south each fall to find food. Which kind of adaptation is this?University of California Museum of Paleontology, Understanding Evolution, "Adaptation"; TEKS 8.13(C), Readiness Standard
In a population of mice living on dark rock, some have dark fur and some have light fur. Hawks catch the light mice more often. What is likely to happen over many generations?University of California Museum of Paleontology, Understanding Evolution, "Natural selection"; TEKS 8.13(C), Readiness Standard
In an energy pyramid, the producers hold 10,000 units of energy. About how much of it reaches the primary consumers that eat them?National Geographic Society, Education, "Energy Flow and the 10% Rule"; TEKS 7.12(A), Supporting Standard
What is a gene?National Human Genome Research Institute, Talking Glossary, "Gene" and "Chromosome"; TEKS 8.13(B), Supporting Standard
What is the function of ribosomes?National Human Genome Research Institute, Talking Glossary, "Ribosome"; TEKS 8.13(A), Readiness Standard
What is the main function of mitochondria?National Human Genome Research Institute, Talking Glossary, "Mitochondria"; TEKS 8.13(A), Readiness Standard
Which body system pumps blood through a closed circuit of vessels?National Cancer Institute, SEER Training Modules, "Introduction to the Cardiovascular System"; TEKS 7.13(A), Supporting Standard
Which cell part regulates what enters and leaves the cell?National Human Genome Research Institute, Talking Glossary, "Cell Membrane (Plasma Membrane)"; TEKS 8.13(A), Readiness Standard
Which organelle is found in plant cells and captures the energy of sunlight for photosynthesis?National Geographic Society, Education, "Photosynthesis"; TEKS 8.13(A), Readiness Standard
Why is a forest with many kinds of trees more stable than a forest with only one kind?National Geographic Society, Education, "Biodiversity"; TEKS 8.12(C), Supporting Standard
How this list was compiled: Outline: Middle School Science STAAR Blueprint, administered in grade 8, effective beginning with the 2025-2026 school year (updated fall 2025), Texas Education Agency, https://tea.texas.gov/data-reports/staar/middle-science-blueprint-0.pdf, linked from STAAR Resources, https://tea.texas.gov/data-reports/staar/staar-resources, read 2026-10-08. Each question names the student expectation it practices in TEA's Middle School Science Assessment, Eligible Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (effective as of the 2025-2026 school year), https://tea.texas.gov/data-reports/staar/2026-staar-middle-school-science-assessed-curriculum.pdf, read 2026-10-08. Each science fact rests on the public page named under its answer, opened 2026-10-08: NASA, NOAA, the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the National Park Service, the National Human Genome Research Institute, the National Cancer Institute's SEER training modules, the University of California Museum of Paleontology or the National Geographic Society's education pages. Answers that are a calculation were worked out twice from the numbers in the question. Licence: Own work. Questions, answer choices and explanations were written for this site. Nothing is copied or reworded from a STAAR test, a released test, a TEA practice set or another practice test.
How it works
Unofficial practice for the STAAR middle school science test, which Texas gives in grade 8. Every question was written for this site from the TEKS; none is a released question. This site is not affiliated with the Texas Education Agency.
Read the full guide
What the 8th grade science STAAR covers
The blueprint has four strands. Earth and Space and Organisms and Environments are the largest, 7 to 9 questions each: stars and galaxies, weather and climate, plate tectonics, cells, traits and ecosystems. Force, Motion, and Energy has 6 to 8: Newton's laws, waves and thermal energy. Matter and Energy has 5 to 7: chemical formulas, conservation of mass and density. The test draws on the TEKS of grades 6, 7 and 8.
How the answers are checked
Under each answer is the TEKS student expectation it practices and the public page the fact was read on, from NASA, NOAA, the U.S. Geological Survey and other named sources. Each calculation was done twice.
Eight of the ten readiness standards are grade 8 TEKS: Newton's laws, conservation of mass, stars, climate, succession, cell parts and adaptation.
Questions and answers
How many questions are on the 8th grade science STAAR test?
28 to 30, worth 35 points. The blueprint counts 21 to 25 one-point questions and 5 to 7 two-point questions that are not multiple choice. This page has 47 questions, all multiple choice.
Is there an 8th grade science STAAR study guide?
TEA publishes one free: the eligible TEKS for middle school science, eight pages listing each student expectation from grades 6, 7 and 8 that the test may ask, marked readiness or supporting. The questions here name the expectation they practice.
Where can I find 8th grade science STAAR test practice questions?
On this page: 47 questions written for this site, 9 to 13 in each strand. TEA also publishes released test questions of its own, and the box under the questions links to them.
Can you use a calculator on the 8th grade science STAAR?
Yes. TEA's calculator policy requires one for middle school science: a calculation device with four-function capability at a minimum. The online testing platform has a calculator tool for the test.
What is a passing score on the 8th grade science STAAR?
TEA reports four performance levels. Approaches, Meets or Masters Grade Level is passing; Did Not Meet Grade Level is not. The levels sit on a scale score, so a percent on this page is not a STAAR result.