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Utah Grade 8 Science Online Center
Everything Utah eighth graders need for RISE Science, six full-length practice tests, skill quizzes, flashcards, and every Utah science standard for this grade in one place.
Standards source: Utah Core Standards, Utah State Board of Education.
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Utah Science by Grade
Every Utah science center, grade 1 through grade 8.
Start With a Practice Test
Six full, timed science practice tests for Utah eighth graders, 40 questions each, instant scoring, a breakdown by science area, and a written explanation for every question. Each one opens right here.
Utah Grade 8 Science Practice Test 1
A full diagnostic across every science area for this grade.
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Utah Grade 8 Science Practice Test 2
Fresh questions and new phenomena to build accuracy.
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Utah Grade 8 Science Practice Test 3
New problems that push reading of data, models, and evidence.
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Utah Grade 8 Science Practice Test 4
Another complete, timed exam to build pacing and stamina.
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Utah Grade 8 Science Practice Test 5
A brand-new mixed set to test how ready you are.
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Utah Grade 8 Science Practice Test 6
A final full-length simulation to confirm you are ready.
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Grade 8 Science Skill Quizzes
Pick one science area, answer 10 questions, and see exactly where the idea broke down. Each quiz opens right here.
Matter and Its Properties
A quick 10-question check on matter and its properties, with instant scoring and a full explanation for every answer.
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Forces and Motion
A quick 10-question check on forces and motion, with instant scoring and a full explanation for every answer.
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Energy
A quick 10-question check on energy, with instant scoring and a full explanation for every answer.
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Waves and Information
A quick 10-question check on waves and information, with instant scoring and a full explanation for every answer.
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Cells, Structures and Life Processes
A quick 10-question check on cells, structures and life processes, with instant scoring and a full explanation for every answer.
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Ecosystems and Heredity
A quick 10-question check on ecosystems and heredity, with instant scoring and a full explanation for every answer.
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Evolution, Fossils and Adaptation
A quick 10-question check on evolution, fossils and adaptation, with instant scoring and a full explanation for every answer.
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Earth and Space Systems
A quick 10-question check on earth and space systems, with instant scoring and a full explanation for every answer.
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Earth, Human Activity and Engineering
A quick 10-question check on earth, human activity and engineering, with instant scoring and a full explanation for every answer.
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Grade 8 Science Study Tools
A few minutes of review between practice tests. Both open right here.
Grade 8 Science Flashcards
All 166 terms this grade is expected to know. Search the deck, filter by science area, star the hard ones, and mark off what you have down.
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Grade 8 Science Quick Review
Every must-know idea for this grade on one page, grouped by science area, with the vocabulary for each one.
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Study with a clearer next step
This Utah grade 8 science center is part of the Effortless Math library. Practice tests, skill quizzes, flashcards, and the state's own standards are connected so a student always has a clear next step instead of a wall of links.
Effortless Math is an independent educational publisher. Test names, state exams, standards names, and trademarks are used only to identify the relevant study topic; their owners do not sponsor, endorse, or approve this page.
Utah Grade 8 Science Snapshot
Utah Grade 8 Science Topics
These are the 21 science standards Utah sets for grade 8, from the Utah Science with Engineering Education Standards, grouped and ordered exactly the way the state's own standards document groups them. Each one is tagged with its official code so you can trace it straight back to the state document.
Utah standard codes
8.1 Matter and Energy Interact in the Physical World
- 8.1.18.1.6Particles, Atoms, Elements, and Compounds
- 8.1.28.1.38.1.5Matter Properties, States, and Classification
- 8.1.4Natural Resources and Human Impacts
- 8.1.7Energy Forms, Transfer, and Transformation
8.2 Energy is Stored and Transferred in Physical Systems
- 8.2.18.2.28.2.3Energy Forms, Transfer, and Transformation
- 8.2.48.2.58.2.6Light, Sound, and Wave Behavior
8.3 Life Systems Store and Transfer Matter and Energy
- 8.3.1Organism Needs, Structures, and Life Cycles
- 8.3.2Chemical and Physical Changes
- 8.3.3Patterns, Systems, Cause and Effect, and Change
8.4 Interactions with Natural Systems and Resources
- 8.4.18.4.3Natural Resources and Human Impacts
- 8.4.2Earth Materials, Rocks, Fossils, and Landforms
- 8.4.4Water Cycle, Weather, Climate, and Atmosphere
- 8.4.5Patterns, Systems, Cause and Effect, and Change
Grouped and ordered from the state's own standards document.
Utah Grade 8 Science Standards
The full text of every grade 8 science standard in the Utah Science with Engineering Education Standards. If your Utah classroom or report card mentions a code, you will find it here.
8.1 Matter and Energy Interact in the Physical World
- 8.1.1Particles, Atoms, Elements, and CompoundsDevelop a model to describe the scale and proportion of atoms and molecules. Emphasize developing atomic models of elements and their numbers of protons, neutrons, and electrons, as well as models of simple molecules. Topics like valence electrons, bond energy, ionic complexes, ions, and isotopes will be introduced at the high school level
- 8.1.2Matter Properties, States, and ClassificationObtain information about various properties of matter, evaluate how different materials' properties allow them to be used for particular functions in society, and communicate your findings. Emphasize general properties of matter. Examples could include color, density, flammability, hardness, malleability, odor, ability to rust, solubility, state, or the ability to react with water
- 8.1.3Matter Properties, States, and ClassificationPlan and conduct an investigation and then analyze and interpret the data to identify patterns in changes in a substance's properties to determine whether a chemical reaction has occurred. Examples could include changes in properties such as color, density, flammability, odor, solubility, or state
- 8.1.4Natural Resources and Human ImpactsObtain and evaluate information to describe how synthetic materials come from natural resources, what their functions are, and how society uses these new materials. Examples of synthetic materials could include medicine, foods, building materials, plastics, and alternative fuels
- 8.1.5Matter Properties, States, and ClassificationDevelop a model that uses computational thinking to illustrate cause and effect relationships in particle motion, temperature, density, and state of a pure substance when heat energy is added or removed. Emphasize molecular-level models of solids, liquids, and gases to show how adding or removing heat energy can result in phase changes, and focus on calculating the density of a substance's state
- 8.1.6Particles, Atoms, Elements, and CompoundsDevelop a model to describe how the total number of atoms does not change in a chemical reaction, indicating that matter is conserved. Emphasize demonstrations of an understanding of the law of conservation of matter. Balancing equations and stoichiometry will be learned at the high school level
- 8.1.7Energy Forms, Transfer, and TransformationDesign, construct, and test a device that can affect the rate of a phase change. Compare and identify the best characteristics of competing devices and modify them based on data analysis to improve the device to better meet the criteria for success
8.2 Energy is Stored and Transferred in Physical Systems
- 8.2.1Energy Forms, Transfer, and TransformationUse computational thinking to analyze data about the relationship between the mass and speed of objects and the relative amount of kinetic energy of the objects. Emphasis should be on the quantity of mass and relative speed to the observable effects of the kinetic energy. Examples could include a full cart vs. An empty cart or rolling spheres with different masses down a ramp to measure the effects on stationary masses. Calculations of kinetic and potential energy will be learned at the high school level
- 8.2.2Energy Forms, Transfer, and TransformationAsk questions about how the amount of potential energy varies as distance within the system changes. Plan and conduct an investigation to answer a question about potential energy. Emphasize comparing relative amounts of energy. Examples could include a full cart vs. An empty cart or rolling spheres with different masses down a ramp to measure the effects on stationary masses. Calculations of kinetic and potential energy will be learned at the high school level
- 8.2.3Energy Forms, Transfer, and TransformationEngage in argument to identify the strongest evidence that supports the claim that the kinetic energy of an object changes as energy is transferred to or from the object. Examples could include observing temperature changes as a result of friction, applying force to an object, or releasing potential energy from an object
- 8.2.4Light, Sound, and Wave BehaviorUse computational thinking to describe a simple model for waves that shows the pattern of wave amplitude being related to wave energy. Emphasize describing waves with both quantitative and qualitative thinking. Examples could include using graphs, charts, computer simulations, or physical models to demonstrate amplitude and energy correlation
- 8.2.5Light, Sound, and Wave BehaviorDevelop and use a model to describe the structure of waves and how they are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials. Emphasize both light and mechanical waves. Examples could include drawings, simulations, and written descriptions of light waves through a prism; mechanical waves through gas vs. Liquids vs. Solids; or sound waves through different mediums
- 8.2.6Light, Sound, and Wave BehaviorObtain and evaluate information to communicate the claim that the structure of digital signals are a more reliable way to store or transmit information than analog signals. Emphasize the basic understanding that waves can be used for communication purposes. Examples could include using vinyl record vs. Digital song files, film cameras vs. Digital cameras, or alcohol thermometers vs. Digital thermometers
8.3 Life Systems Store and Transfer Matter and Energy
- 8.3.1Organism Needs, Structures, and Life CyclesPlan and conduct an investigation and use the evidence to construct an explanation of how photosynthetic organisms use energy to transform matter. Emphasize molecular and energy transformations during photosynthesis
- 8.3.2Chemical and Physical ChangesDevelop a model to describe how food is changed through chemical reactions to form new molecules that support growth and/or release energy as matter cycles through an organism. Emphasis is on describing that during cellular respiration molecules are broken apart and rearranged into new molecules, and that this process releases energy
- 8.3.3Patterns, Systems, Cause and Effect, and ChangeAsk questions to obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about how changes to an ecosystem affect the stability of cycling matter and the flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem. Emphasize describing the cycling of matter and flow of energy through the carbon cycle
8.4 Interactions with Natural Systems and Resources
- 8.4.1Natural Resources and Human ImpactsConstruct a scientific explanation based on evidence that shows that the uneven distribution of Earth's mineral, energy, and groundwater resources is caused by geological processes. Examples of uneven distribution of resources could include Utah's unique geologic history that led to the formation and irregular distribution of natural resources like copper, gold, natural gas, oil shale, silver, and uranium
- 8.4.2Earth Materials, Rocks, Fossils, and LandformsEngage in argument supported by evidence about the effect of per capita consumption of natural resources on Earth's systems. Emphasize that these resources are limited and may be non-renewable. Examples of evidence include rates of consumption of food and natural resources such as freshwater, minerals, and energy sources
- 8.4.3Natural Resources and Human ImpactsDesign a solution to monitor or mitigate the potential effects of the use of natural resources. Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well each solution meets the criteria and constraints of the problem. Examples of uses of the natural environment could include agriculture, conservation efforts, recreation, solar energy, and water management
- 8.4.4Water Cycle, Weather, Climate, and AtmosphereAnalyze and interpret data on the factors that change global temperatures and their effects on regional climates. Examples of factors could include agricultural activity, changes in solar radiation, fossil fuel use, and volcanic activity. Examples of data could include graphs of the atmospheric levels of gases, seawater levels, ice cap coverage, human activities, and maps of global and regional temperatures
- 8.4.5Patterns, Systems, Cause and Effect, and ChangeAnalyze and interpret patterns of the occurrence of natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events, and investigate how data are used to develop technologies to mitigate their effects. Emphasize how some natural hazards, such as volcanic eruptions and severe weather, are preceded by phenomena that allow prediction, but others, such as earthquakes, may occur without warning
Source: Utah Core Standards (2015). Always check the current official document before relying on a code for placement or reporting.
Utah Grade 8: Math and English Too
Science is one of three Utah grade 8 centers. Same format, same standards-first approach, for the other two subjects.
Utah Grade 8 Math
Six full practice tests, printable worksheets, step-by-step lessons, and every Utah grade 8 math standard.
Utah Grade 8 English
Reading, writing, and language standards for Utah grade 8, broken into short skill targets with practice for each one.
Utah Grade 8 Science FAQ
Does Utah test science in grade 8?
Yes. Utah students take RISE Science in grade 8. It is the state's eighth-grade science assessment.
Which standards does grade 8 science in Utah follow?
Utah follows the Utah Science with Engineering Education Standards, published by the Utah State Board of Education. All 21 of this grade's standards are listed further down the page with their official codes.
How long are the practice tests?
Each of the six practice tests has 40 questions and a 70-minute timer. The timer auto-submits at zero and you get your score, a breakdown by science area, and a written explanation for every question.
Is any of this free?
Yes, every practice test, quiz, and flashcard set on this page is free and needs no login. Your progress is saved in your own browser and nowhere else.
What is the fastest way to use this page?
Take practice test 1 cold. Look at the topic breakdown, pick the weakest science area, and do that skill quiz. Then read the quick review for that area and come back for practice test 2.
Grade 8 Science in Other States
Standards, practice tests, and quizzes for grade 8 science in every state and Washington, D.C.
Start With One RISE Test
Take a timed practice test, find the science area that costs you the most points, and study that one first with the matching quiz and quick review.