Contributed by: Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO)
Item #1
Item Description: A thermometer that is used to measure
the temperature of a hot gas is calibrated in boiling water
(the temperature of boiling water at 1 atm = 212 .).
Use the following information to calculate the actual temperature
of the hot gas. Make sure to show all work.
- The temperature of the boiling water according to the
thermometer = 215.
- The actual temperature of the boiling water = 212.
- The temperature of the hot gas according to the thermometer
= 375.
- The actual temperature of the hot gas = _______.
This event assesses the student's understanding of thermometer
calibration and correction factors. It assesses the ability
to apply correction factors to thermometer readings in order
to calibrate correctly.
Content Definition: All thermometers can have a defect
in production that causes them to read an incorrect temperature.
Not all thermometers are the same. In order to get precise
readings from a thermometer, a correction factor must be determined
for the thermometer. A correction factor can be determined
by simply subtracting the actual temperature of the medium
from the recorded temperature. The difference is the correction
factor. If the correction factor is positive, it must be subtracted
from the thermometer reading to get a correct reading. If
the correction factor is negative, then it is added to the
reading to get a correct reading. The correct temperature
for this problem is 372.
Scoring Parameters: Scores are based on the student's
ability to:
- Understand the concept of calibration in reference to
thermometers. Shows work.
- Calculate actual temperatures.
Score Level Descriptions:
| NS |
No response or attempt at question. |
| 1 |
Student shows a limited understanding of calibration
or correction factors. Student calculates an incorrect
actual temperature, and shows no work. |
| 2 |
Student shows some understanding of calibration or
correction factors. The student calculates an incorrect
actual temperature but shows some work done. |
| 3 |
Student shows adequate understanding of calibration
and correction factors. The student calculates the correct
actual temperature but shows some incorrect work or
no work at all. |
| 4 |
The student shows a high level of understanding of
calibration and correction factors. The student calculates
the correct actual temperature and shows all the correct
work needed to achieve the correction factor and actual
temperature. |
Item #2
Item Description: Students will study the 7-day weather
log and respond to the question: Predict the noontime
air pressure, percent cloud cover, and precipitation if the
air temperature is 86 and relative
humidity is 97%. Explain how you arrived at the conclusion.
Table 4
|
Day
|
Relative humidity (%)
|
Air temperature
()
|
Air pressure (inches of mercury)
|
Cloud cover (%)
|
Amount of precipitation (inches)
|
|
1
|
6
|
75
|
28.95
|
40
|
0
|
|
2
|
98
|
85
|
28.30
|
100
|
1.5
|
|
3
|
30
|
77
|
29.01
|
25
|
0
|
|
4
|
40
|
75
|
29.50
|
0
|
0
|
|
5
|
55
|
78
|
29.20
|
30
|
0
|
|
6
|
60
|
79
|
28.95
|
50
|
trace
|
|
7
|
95
|
85
|
28.25
|
100
|
1.3
|
Content Definition: There are weather factors in this
item that are clearly interacting. When relative humidity
is low: air temperature, cloud cover, and precipitation are
also low; where as air pressure is high. When relative humidity
is high: air temperature, cloud cover, and precipitation are
also high; where as air pressure is low. The table shows a
pattern with air temperature and relative humidity that can
be used to predict the air pressure, precipitation, and cloud
cover under given situations. In this problem, since the air
temperature is rising to 86 degrees and the relative humidity
is also rising to 97%, the pattern indicates that cloud cover
will increase (most likely 100%), air pressure will decrease,
and the amount of precipitation will increase (to between
1 and 2 inches).
Scoring Parameters: Scores are based on the student's
ability to:
- Note how changes in temperature, relative humidity,
cloud cover, pressure, and precipitation appear to have
influences upon each other.
- Predict likely weather and explain the prediction according
to other weather conditions.
- Develop a response:
- Low level-state a concept related to the question
with few terms and concepts clarified, few examples
from the weather log, few connections made between
relative humidity, temperature, cloud cover, precipitation,
air pressure, and predictions for noontime conditions.
- High level-state a correct concept related to the
question with many terms and concepts clarified, many
examples from the weather log, and many connections
are made that elicit accurate predictions for noontime
conditions.
Score Level Descriptions:
| NS |
No response is given. |
| 1 |
The student shows a limited understanding of interaction
between weather factors in predicting the weather. The
student makes a prediction that may be correct or not,
but gives no explanation for the prediction; OR
describes something about weather conditions from the
table, but gives no prediction. Response has little
or no development (see parameters). |
| 2 |
The student shows some understanding of the interaction
between weather factors in predicting the weather. The
student makes a prediction that may or may not be correct
AND describes something about weather conditions
from the table. Response has at least low level of development. |
| 3 |
The student shows an adequate understanding of the
interaction between weather factors in predicting the
weather. The student makes a correct prediction AND
reasons on the grounds that weather factors in the table
are interacting with each other to cause the conditions.
Response has a moderate level of development. |
| 4 |
The student shows a high level of understanding of
the interaction between weather factors in predicting
the weather. The student makes a correct prediction
and reasons on the grounds that a pattern exists in
the table where when relative humidity and air temperature
both rise, the cloud cover and precipitation increase
while the air pressure decreases. Response has a high
level of development. |
|
|
|
