5th Grade Science Category 3

Which statement describes weather, rather than climate?

• The weather is usually hot and humid year around
• The destination has hot summers and cold winters
• The summer temperatures average between 29 and 35 degrees
• The humidity level on Tuesday was 30%

A class learns about fossil fuels.  They learn that coal, oil and natural gas are classified as nonrenewable resources because they take so long to form.  How can the class conserve fossil fuels?

• Use both sides of notebook paper
• Arrange a car pool to and from school
• Create a backyard compost pile
• Plant flowers in front of the school

Most alternative energy resources produce more energy at certain times. Which combination can produce a steady flow of energy from only alternative resources 24 hours a day year-round? 

• Geothermal and natural gas
• Hydroelectric and geothermal 
• Solar and petroleum 
• Wind and coal 

Erosion is one of the processes involved in the formation of sedimentary rock. Which of these best describes the process of erosion?

• Rocks are broken into smaller pieces that remain in the same location.
• Pressure compacts layers of sediment and turns them into rock.
• Pieces of rock or soil are carried from one place to another.
• Sediment grains fall to the bottom of a lake to form sedimentary layers.

Using the weather map shown, which city has most likely seen an increase in temperature? 

• Houston
• Oklahoma City 
• Boston
• Los Angeles

Students are asked to classify renewable and non-renewable resources during class. The classification chart is shown below. 
Which two answer choices best complete the blanks. 

• Petroleum and water
• Plants and coal
• Timber and natural gas
• Air and fish

All of these are related to the formation of oil or natural gas EXCEPT--

• decomposed animals
• decayed plants
• sedimentary rocks
• active volcanoes

Each school year for 30 years, the amount of rain that fell at a school was measured and recorded. Tracking rainfall over a long period provides the most information about which characteristic of an area?

• Climate
• Temperature of one day
• Weather
• Type of Soil

Several students investigate the characteristics of soil. The students observe samples of common soils. In one sample they observe that water drains through the soil easily. When they rub the soil between their fingers, it feels rough and scratch, and its particles feel hard. The soil the students observed is most likely----

• Sand
• Clay
• Silt
• Loam

The diagram above shows the process of evaporation over the ocean. What is the most likely effect of this process on the land areas nearby?

• Increased drought conditions
• Decreased erosion of the shoreline
• Increased precipitation
• Decreased solar energy